Disclaimer: I don't own these characters; I'm just playing with them for a while.

This chapter contains lemon sprinkles in Damon's car. Consider it a reward for all who sent me rave reviews.

Chapter 2: Comfort

As soon as Elena has left, Stefan sinks to the floor, utterly defeated, and buries his head in his hands.

He's finally done it; he thinks bitterly. He hurt Elena enough to drive her right into his brother's arms. A part of him knew it would happen, but he'd still had that thought that maybe she would just go home and cry, and then she would figure out that it wasn't love with Damon, but just some inexplicable attraction she could get out of her system.

But he heard her. She told him to take her away. And if she asked him that...Unlike the misunderstanding last year when she'd fled with Damon to Georgia, this time he knows she won't be coming back.

He'd known that the second she'd walked out of there, and he'd strained his ears to listen for the sound of the door slamming.

It never came.

Instead, he'd heard her pleas for Damon to take her away.

It brought the memories flooding back to him from that first time. Elena hadn't wanted to speak to him; stinging from his betrayal. He hadn't told her the whole truth about Katherine, and when she'd found the picture in his room, she had left without a word.

He hadn't even known she was gone until he'd come back upstairs and spotted the necklace lying on top of the photo, and he'd prayed it wouldn't be too late to get her back. She had come back to him, fortunately, but something had changed.

He'd seen her looking tenderly toward Damon; sharing smiles with him. She even laughed when Damon was around her; something she hardly ever had done around him. Stefan lets out a low growl.

Damon was going to win this time, and he had no one to blame but himself.

He'd driven Elena into his brother's arms the moment he'd lost control of himself and taken his first sip of her blood. That had been the beginning of the end; when he'd given her a reason to fear him, and Damon had been there to help her.

He had completely forgotten that he wasn't alone; until he hears tentative footsteps approach him.

He glances up, unashamed to reveal his tear-streaked face.

She's trembling as she attempts to blink away her own tears, wringing her hands almost painfully.

He can tell in her hesitant movements that she isn't sure whether she should be around him after what has just happened. He gives a reassuring smile and she returns it; sinking down to the floor beside him.

She reaches out, tentatively placing a hand on his arm, and is surprised when he moves to place his hand over hers; squeezing it gently.

"I…I've never seen anything…" she starts, her tongue fumbling over her words. " She was so…"

Many words are coming to mind; furious, murderous, harsh, it's impossible to list them all. Elena had been terrifying in her anger; probably even worse than she'd seen with Katherine after she'd failed to keep Elena distracted and away from Stefan while she'd played her game of cat and mouse with him.

Yes, Katherine had been angry, but that was nothing compared to the fury she'd just witnessed in Elena. She shivers at the memory of those eyes on her. Stefan must sense her fear, she realizes, because he nods his head. "I know," he says softly.

"What she said," Caroline chews her lip worriedly. "She's never going to forgive me."

She lets a curtain of blonde hair fall forward to hide her face as her chin drops; ashamed now of what she's done. She's a horrible person! Elena is her Best Friend, and with Bonnie not speaking to her right now…God, what has she done?

Stefan laughs bitterly. "Believe me; she'll probably get over your betrayal before she gets over mine. That is, if she ever gets over it."

Caroline's eyes widen in shock, "Don't say that," she says quickly. "Elena loves you! Of course she'll get over it. I mean, you guys have been through so much together. You're epic and Damon and her are just…" she makes a sound of disgust, shuddering. "I was just being stupid and selfish like always. This isn't totally your fault, you know." She gives him a small, teasing smile. "I'm the screw up; you can't take that title away from me."

Stefan laughs at that, in spite of himself. She really is a sweet girl; he wonders how he'd never noticed that while she'd been human.

He'd been so worried that she wouldn't be able to handle the change; that she would have become unstable, but she hasn't. All things considered, she's taken to the life a lot better than he'd expected. And she hasn't lost her compassion. He can tell that she isn't just trying to make him feel better; she truly does care about him…and Elena. Even if it meant her own unhappiness and regret, she would step aside…if she needed to.

Like Damon has done for him.

Stefan frowns. If anyone has been selfish, it's been him. Hanging onto Elena even when she started to show her feelings for Damon, ignoring the fact that for the first time Damon actually was letting himself feel anything…the fact that it was Stefan's fault that Damon is even how he is right now…he likes to pretend Katherine simply compelled him to go after her. But the truth is, he'd done it willingly. He'd hurt his brother. Damon had once had such a capacity to love…it was all he had ever wanted. And this just feels like Karma…Damon's second chance to truly love that way again…God, if only this didn't hurt so much. But then, that's probably exactly how Damon has felt for months now, every time Stefan has flaunted his relationship with Elena and acted like she has already chosen him, when he knows that she's still confused by what she feels.

Caroline notices the smile fade from his lips as he continues to stare without seeing anything at all. She can see the hurt still in his eyes and wants so badly to hold him to her again.

Instead, her hand comes up to touch his cheek. "Hey," she whispers. "Elena will forgive you. I've known her a long time and I know she's just hurt right now. But it'll be okay again. She will come back."

Stefan doesn't break their eye contact, and his own hand reached up to take hers; stroking the soft skin of her wrist.

"No," he replies. "She might eventually get over it, but she's not coming back. I've lost her."

Without another word, he falls brokenly into Caroline's arms. She hugs him tightly, stroking his hair soothingly; wishing she can take away his pain. She just doesn't know if she should.

The second Damon had settled Elena into the passenger seat of his blue Camaro, she had closed her eyes and drawn in a shuddering breath; refusing to say another word.

He desperately wanted to know what had happened after he'd left, but Elena didn't look like she was anywhere near ready to relive whatever it was.

He can't take the silence as the car made its way out of Mystic Falls, however, and after a few more long and agonizing minutes, he turns to look at her.

She's staring blankly out the window; barely moving. He sighs, realizing that he will have to be the one to break the silence.

"So," he begins, trying to keep a light and casual tone in his voice. "Anywhere in particular you want to go?"

Elena nearly jumps at the sound of his voice; startled out of her trance-like state.

She turns her head to look at him.

His smile is easygoing, but she can see the concern in his eyes, and it takes all she has not to throw herself into his arms and let him hold her. She has to remind herself that, vampire reflexes or not, she doesn't want to risk causing him to drive off the road.

There would be time enough for her to feel his arms wrap tightly around her; to soothe her aching heart and finally give in to the something that was between them. For the moment, she will have to control herself.

"I seriously don't care," she says flatly without emotion. "I just want to get out of Mystic Falls; the sooner, the better."

Damon furrows his brow. "Okay," he says cautiously.

A part of him is leaping for joy at the thought of once more taking a road trip with Elena; just the two of them.

However, there's a nagging voice in his head, one that he really wants to tell to go to hell. It's persistent, however, and he inwardly rolls his eyes at it, beginning to turn the car around.

Elena's head immediately lifts up again and she pierces him with her eyes. "What the hell?" she demands as she notices he intends to take her back into town.

Damon sighs. "Look, we can't just take off without telling anyone. What would Jenna and Jeremy think? Considering everything that's happened since Katherine's come back, don't you think you owe it to your family to let them know where you're going?"

Elena mutters something under her breath that would have been impossible to hear had he merely been human.

Damon chuckles. "Of course you care," he tells her.

She shrugs her shoulders in indifference.

He sighs, pulling the car over to the side of the road and killing the engine. He turns his body to face her completely, and she meets his gaze immediately.

The defiance is still there in the look she's giving him, but he keeps his eyes soft and understanding.

"I know you're upset right now, but you don't want your family to worry all night."

She doesn't answer.

He sighs and reaches into the pocket of his leather jacket and pulls out his phone, handing it out to her. "Look, if you're that serious about leaving, I'll take you wherever you want to go, but just do me this one favor and call your brother at least? Let him know you're okay? He's been through enough without thinking something's happened to you, too."

Elena sighs and takes the phone from him, quickly dialing Jeremy's number. He picks up on the first ring.

"What do you want?" he growls.

"Jeremy, it's me," Elena says quickly. "Don't hang up."

"Elena?" Jeremy says in surprise. "Why do you have Damon's phone?"

"Listen," Elena says, ignoring his question. "I have to get out of here for a while. I don't know how long, but I need time to clear my head. Tell Aunt Jenna not to worry; I'm safe."

"Where are you? Why are you with Damon? Elena, what's going on?" Jeremy sounds so worried. A part of her feels guilty, but if Jeremy still feels animosity toward Damon…well, obviously nothing good would happen if Damon spent the night in her bedroom with her and Jeremy found out.

"I'll be okay," she reassures him. "Listen, I have to go, but I want you to do me a favor okay? Don't mention any of this to anyone else. Not even Aunt Jenna. Just tell her I've gone out of town to clear my head. Don't mention Damon, and whatever you do, you can't let this get back to Stefan. I don't want him to come looking for me."

"O-okay…" Jeremy says, "I won't say anything. But please, can you just tell me what's going on?"

"No," Elena says. "I'll explain everything when I get back, but for now the less you know, the better. I love you Jer."

She hangs up quickly before he can say anything more, and hands the phone back to Damon.

"Happy now?" she asks.

He shrugs. "You could have been a little more honest with him, but I guess as long as he knows you're not dead in a ditch somewhere…"

"Yeah, well now he knows I'm not, so can we please just get out of here now?" she interrupts.

Damon is taken aback by her forcefulness. Something has seriously pissed Elena off, and she isn't thinking clearly at all. Just what the hell had happened between her and Stefan tonight?

She presses her lips together, running her hands through her hair and sighing impatiently. She's even tapping her foot; if she wasn't so angry he would have teased her about it.

She's so cute when she's annoyed, after all.

He doesn't dare tease her though.

He's about to start up the car again when he suddenly feels her small hand brush against his arm. He shivers at the light touch, and turns his head to focus on her again. She has shifted so that her body is as close to his as she can get without leaving her seat, and her eyes are completely focused on his face.

"Thank you," she says softly.

He stares at her; at a sudden loss for words. Her lashes lower, and he can feel the heat of her gaze focusing on his mouth.

He licks his lips; more from nervousness than anticipation.

Elena lifts her eyes to meet his, and Damon feels shocks of electricity shoot through him. She apparently feels it too, because her heart is now pounding in her chest as she leans into him; slowly sliding her hands up to stroke the back of his neck.

Her eyes flutter shut and her lips softly touch his.

It's a mirror image of the kiss outside her house; except that this time it's real.

He strokes her face as she gently presses his lower lip between hers and presses herself closer; a difficult task considering they're in his cramped car.

One leg slides over his and suddenly she's straddling him; her back pressing almost painfully into the steering wheel. She doesn't even notice; too focused on relieving the pressure-ache that has started between her legs the moment she started kissing him.

Somehow Damon manages to turn them both so that she is now lying across both leather seats and he's hovering over her, one leg between hers.

He moves his lips to the corner of her jaw; nuzzling her there before trailing hungry kisses down her neck to her chest.

He can hear the rapid pulse beating in her throat, but he steels himself against its siren song and continues to focus on bringing her pleasure. He can smell her arousal growing stronger with every brush of his lips, and presses his thigh into her with a deliberate pressure just where he knows she needs it.

Elena is in heaven. She moans softly as his lips find her breasts and he suckles her over the fabric of her shirt and bra. When he bites down gently on her hardened nipple, she nearly jumps up at the sensation.

She'd known he was good; she just hadn't known he was this good.

"Damon," she cries, writhing against him.

She presses herself against him as hard as she can; practically grinding into his thigh.

It's not enough, she needs more.

Without even thinking about it, she grasps the hand that was stroking the side of her waist and moves it to the front of her jeans.

Damon needs no further encouragement and Elena inhales sharply as his fingers slip down to cup her through the damp material before sliding up quickly to pop open the button and slip his hand into her panties.

Slowly he begins to explore; stroking softly between her wet folds and finding the tight bundle of nerves that causes her to cry out his name again.

She can feel every one of her muscles tense up as he continues to stroke that spot with maddening skill. She can't do anything more than inhale short little gasps of air as he works her body to a fever pitch.

Her thighs are trembling, gripping his hips tightly and locking his hand tightly against her.

She's vaguely aware of her nails digging into his shoulder as her hand has slipped from its place at his neck. His head has lifted from her chest and his eyes are locked onto her face.

"Elena." His voice is barely above a whisper and heavy with lust. "Look at me."

As she slowly opens her eyes to meet his, he slips one of his fingers inside her, pressing his thumb in slow circles against her pulsing clit.

"Come for me," he whispers the command, sending shocks of pleasure through her with every stroke of his expert fingers.

She couldn't possibly do anything less.

With one final cry, her body locks up and she shakes violently beneath him.

Damon leans down and quickly captures her lips in a passionate kiss; his hand still softly stroking between her thighs as she rides out the powerful orgasm he's just given her.

After a few minutes, he feels her body start to go limp and draws his hand back up to rest at her side.

Elena can do nothing more than nuzzle into him as he softly strokes her hair and waits for his own ardor to cool.

He really hadn't intended to take the kiss that far, at least not tonight, but Elena has this way of making him lose control around her.

She'd been so responsive, so passionate, that he couldn't seem to pull away.

It had taken everything he had to resist the temptation to just take her right there on the leather seats, but he knows she deserves better than that. He also knows that she is still angry with his brother, and he isn't willing to let their first time be about revenge.

Slowly he starts to sit up, gently shifting Elena back into her own seat.

She's still breathing heavily, but her eyelids have fallen shut again.

He can tell she's exhausted and before he can even button her jeans up for her, she's falling asleep.

"I guess we'll need to build up your stamina before I make you fully mine." He smiles softly at the sleeping girl beside him and tenderly brushes the tangled hair away from her face.

In her sleep she sighs out his name and leans into his touch, snuggling closer to his side.

Damon slips his arm around her, making sure that she's comfortable before he starts up the car again. If he's really going to get this chance to be with Elena, he knows just the place to take her…