A/N : Dear Penny, I hope you appreciate the fact that I'm writing this chapter while I am baking my Christmas cupcakes. You're welcome.

CHAPTER TWO – You're All I Want For Christmas

12:01am, December 22nd...

Elena woke up with a start, confused as to where she was. Her hand felt for the switch to turn on the lamp. She shook her head vigorously to clear the cobwebs of her sleepy brain.

It was just a dream. All of it.

It all felt so real to her. The way her heart broke when Damon died. How her entire world crumbled when she lost the man that she loved the second time around.

Wait a minute. The man I loved. I loved Damon. I remember everything! I love Damon Salvatore!

Elena looked around, taking in her surroundings. She wasn't in her room...nor in her bed. At least, not in her dorm back at Whitmore. No, she was in her old room back at the lake house, which only confused her more.

The lake house? But that was a few days ago.

She looked at the calendar to confirm the date. It was December 22nd...three days before Christmas. She then checked her left ring finger. She gasped loudly. Sure enough, she was wearing Damon's daylight ring, still stained with her blood.

Oh, God! It was real! It was all real! It's December 22nd! I have less than 72 hours!

She hurriedly reached for the bedside table to retrieve her cellphone, and quickly dialed a number that she hoped she'd remembered correctly.

"Hello?" the male voice answered on the other line.

"Luke!" Elena breathed a sigh of relief.

"Elena?" the warlock asked.

"Yes, it's me," Elena answered breathlessly. "I need your help."

"Well, get in line, sister," Luke told her. "Apparently, it's 'Ask Luke for help' night. I'm at the airport to pick up my grandmother, who decided at the last minute to spend Christmas with me."

"Your grandmother?" Elena repeated.

"Yeah," Luke replied. "She's coming in from Wisconsin. Sorry, Elena. As much as I wanna help you, it's gonna have to wait. My grandmother needs me. She has trouble getting around because-"

"She's blind," Elena finished the sentence for him.

"Yes...how did you know?" Luke asked suspiciously.

"I'll explain later," Elena replied. "Go pick up your grandmother. I'll meet you back at your dorm."

"Elena-" Luke said.

"Please, Luke...it's urgent," Elena begged him.

"Alright, we should be back at the dorm in a couple of hours," Luke informed her.

"Thank you!" Elena said to him, before hanging up.

She made a mad dash towards her closet to put some pants on, then rummaged through her drawers for her bra. She grabbed the nearest sweatshirt within her reach and put it on. She barely noticed Caroline walking into her room.

"What's with all the ruckus?" Caroline asked sleepeily.

"No time to explain, Care," Elena told her. "CliffsNotes version...I remember how much I love Damon. I'm going to have Luke track him down, and I'm going to get him back."

"Can't it wait till tomorrow?" Caroline asked. "It's past midnight," she grumbled.

"It can't wait, Care," Elena answered, as she searched for her keys. "It's okay...go back to bed. I'll call you later," she said, as she rushed out the door, leaving Caroline confused.

A couple of hours later, back at Whitmore, Elena knocked urgently on Luke's door, hoping he was already home. She sighed with relief when the door started to open.

"Elena!" Luke said, startled. "We just got in-"

"Can I come in?" Elena interrupted him.

"Of course," Luke answered, before stepping aside to let her in.

Elena entered the dorm and was ushered into the living room, where she was met by a familiar face. Luke immediately went to his grandmother's side and proceeded to introduce her to Elena.

"Rani, this is-" Luke began to speak.

"Elena Gilbert," his grandmother finished for him.

"Ah...yeah," Luke said confusedly. He then turned to his vampire friend. "Elena this is my grandmother-"

"Romana Shipton," Elena interrupted him. "We've met."

"How?" Luke asked, even more confused.

Elena then began to tell him about Damon, what happened...or supposed to happen, and her mission in the next three days.

"Hold up...you're telling me that YOU came from the future?" Luke asked incredulously. "Again...how?"

"You called it a Time-Rewind spell," Elena answered.

"Who sent you back?" Luke asked again.

"You did," Elena replied. She noticed the disbelieving look on the warlock's face. "Luke, I'm serious. You sent me back from the past. Well, you and your grandmother."

"This is crazy!" Luke exclaimed.

"It's true, Lucas," Romana confirmed.

"You remember, Rani? Hold up, if I did the spell, shouldn't I remember too?" Luke pressed.

"That's another question for another time," Romana replied.

"Yeah, I'm kinda working on a time-crunch here," Elena reminded them.

"What do you need, dear?" Romana asked her.

"Well, you told me that my blood on Damon's ring would lead me to Damon..." Elena reminded the old witch. "Does it look like I'm anywhere near him?"

"The spell led you to a time when Damon is still alive," Romana pointed out.

"I need to find Damon," Elena told them. "I only have three days to fix things. I need you to do a locator spell, Luke."

Luke turned to his grandmother, then to Elena, and then back to his grandmother. "Okay, fine." He took out a map from his drawer. "I need something that belongs to Damon.

"Here you go," Elena said, handing him Damon's ring.

Luke sat on the floor, spread the map open, and held Damon's ring in his hand. Softly, he began to chant. "Permisso Lac Tha Tar. Permisso Laca Tha Tar. Permisso Laca Tha Tar..." He continued to chant for a few minutes, before he pointed a location on the map. "Right there," he said. "Damon is in Charleston, West Virginia."

"Thank you, Luke!" Elena hugged him tightly, before she vamp-sped out of the room and back to her car.

Elena reached her car, and was about to get in, when she noticed something odd about the tires.

"No...no...no!" Elena said, as she slammed her hands on the door in frustration.

"Elena, my grandmother wanted me to remind you-" Luke stopped her, and then noticed her anger. "Uh oh...what happened now?"

"I have a flat!" Elena hissed.

"Wow...seems like the universe is against you," Luke told her. He flinched when Elena answered him with a death glare. "Come on, Elena! You didn't expect this to be an easy task, did you? I mean, you're defying time and fate. It's bound to be difficult."

"Then, help me!" Elena snapped at him.

"I've been helping you!" Luke reminded her. "All things considered, I'd say my grandmother and I have been nothing but helpful."

"Luke, please...I need to get to Damon," Elena pleaded.

"Fine! I'll help you change your tires," Luke offered.

Elena shook her head. "I don't have enough spares. And it's almost 3 in the morning...all the car rentals are still closed." Then it dawned on her. "Luke, I know you've been playing chauffeur for the past couple of hours..."

"Oh, no..." Luke refused. "Oh, no, no, no, no, no!"

"Come on, Luke...please?" Elena begged him.

"Okay, fine!" Luke relented. "Just give me a moment," he said, before turning around to type a message on his phone." When he was done, he turned his attention back to Elena. "Alright, lets go."

"Who was that?" Elena asked, as she followed Luke to his car.

"I sent a message to Liv. I need her to watch over our grandmother while I'm out," Luke explained. "Get in," he said, ushering Elena inside his car.

Luke drove in silence, while Elena kept her eyes on the rode. Unable to stand the awkwardness, Luke finally spoke.

"Any idea what's Damon doing in West Virginia?" Luke asked.

"No clue," Elena shook her head. "I've been trying to call him, but he's been avoiding me. With good reason, I suppose. What I did really hurt him."

"In your defense, I've seen how messed up you were after his death. You did what you thought you had to do," Luke said compassionately.

"Thanks, Luke...but my friends have been coddling me and letting me off the hook. It's time that I realized the gravity of what I did," Elena told him. "I was selfish. I didn't think of how this would affect Damon. I was only thinking of myself. Hell, I didn't even try to look for ways to bring him back. I just did nothing."

"You're doing something now," Luke pointed out.

"Yeah, but I had to lose Damon all over again, before I got off my ass to finally search for a way to get him back," Elena replied. "And look at this...you and your grandmother have been doing most of the work so far. Why are you helping me any way?"

"I don't know," Luke shrugged. "My grandmother seems to be pretty adamant on helping you. And if that's the case, then there must be a reason. Any idea what that reason might be?"

"No..." Elena whispered in reply. "I have no idea," she added, no curious about the old witch's motive. She kept mostly to herself after that, as the two continued the ride in silence.

*"Oh my God, Luke! Stop the car!" Elena yelled immediately when she noticed a familiar vehicle.

"Wha-what?" Luke asked confusedly, fatigue setting in after driving for over five hours.

"That's the Camaro!" Elena pointed at Damon's car. "He's here!"

Luke looked for the nearest place to park, and stopped the car. "Finally!"

Elena stared at the young warlock for a moment, then gave his hand a squeeze. "Thanks, Luke. I really appreciate everything that you did for me."

"You're welcome," Luke replied. "Now, go look for Damon."

"Aren't you coming with me?" Elena asked him.

"Nah...I need to get back to Whitmore. Make sure Liv and Rani haven't murdered each other," Luke chuckled.

"At least let me buy you a 'Thank You' breakfast," Elena insisted.

"Don't mention it," Luke said. "I'll just grab a coffee and a bagel for the road. I really should be heading back."

"Thank you again," Elena said, as she stepped out of the car.

"Go get your man, sister," Luke said with a huge smile on his face, before starting the engine, and driving away.

Elena searched extensively all over the area nearest to where the Camaro was parked. She scoured the streets for Damon, growing more worried as the time passed. Finally, she spotted him coming out of the convenience store next to the petrol station. She gazed upon him lovingly, her eyes welling up as she stood there frozen, taking in his appearance. There he stood, looking so desirable in his usual dark grey shirt, black jeans, biker boots and his leather jacket. All those exterior appearances aside, it was his smile, his face, his lips, his unruly hair, his arms wrapped around her...and those tantalizing blue eyes...those are things she missed the most about him. Unable to stand the distance between hem, she rushed towards him, and was in front of him in a flash.

Damon was stunned when a blur flew into his arms, a familiar set of lips immediately connecting with his. His mouth was captured in an all-consuming kiss, something he had only felt with one woman...the woman who held his heart hostage the past few years. He gave into the kiss and let Elena take the lead, both of them moaning breathlessly as the kiss deepened, both of them gasping for air that they didn't need. The tongues doing a seductive dance inside each others' mouths, their teeth playfully biting and scraping and trapping their lips, unwilling to let the other one go.

Once they finally pulled away, Elena found her voice and spoke. "THAT is how I should have kissed you when you came back to me."

Damon furrowed his brow and just stared at her. "You remember..." he said, his tone matching the expression on his face, full of pain and disappointment.

Elena looked at him with confusion. "I remember everything," she confirmed moving closer to him, but was crestfallen when Damon flinched away from her touch. "Damon...I love you," she declared, as she tried to touch him again.

Whether it was deliberate or not, Damon pulled away from her slightly. He stared upon her worn-out features. "Look at you. You look dead on you feet," he said, as his fingers gently sweep strands of her hair away from her eyes.

"I had to get to you," Elena replied, still frustrated that he wouldn't allow her to hold him. "Damon-"

"Shhh," he silenced her. "Later," he told her. "Where's your car?"

"Luke drove me here," she answered. She continued to stare into his eyes, as they look at her guarded, restrained and reluctant, as if he was still unwilling to trust her.

"Well, what do you know...Blunder Twin number two finally made himself useful," Damon joked, as he put up his walls once again, making his face unreadable.

Elena gaped at him. She had seen more expression on a statues face. "Damon, why are you pushing me away?"

"I'm not," he shrugged. "Deep down, I just know that this won't last. I'm just preparing myself for the aftermath. Bad news tends to hit twice as hard if you don't expect it."

"Damon...this is real-" Elena attempted to touch him once again.

"For how long, Elena?" Damon snapped, as he flinched away again. "How long before you, or your friends, or the universe finds a way to keep us apart again?

Elena stared at him, dumbfounded. "I won't let that happen?"

"YOU won't let that happen?" Damon disbelievingly retorted. "It was you who gave up on us in the first place!"

"Damon, please..." Elena begged him.

"Elena...you're not the only one who's tired. I've been driving for days. I just came off from being on the road for 16 hours. I'm exhausted. I'm hungry. I'm cranky," he told her, as he combed his hair with his hand. "So, if it's not so much trouble to you...I really would just love some peace and quiet. And some breakfast." With that he turned around and walked away.

Her lips quivered as she stared at his retreating form. "Damon, wait up!" she called, sprinting forward to follow him.

Without uttering a word to each other, the stepped inside the closest diner, Sabrina's Kitchen. Elena smiled sadly at the elderly woman who ushered them into a booth by the window. The woman smiled in return, as she handed them a menu.

"Good morning, lovebirds!" the woman energetically greeted them. "Welcome to Sabrina's Kitchen, my name's Sabrina. What would you two like for breakfast on this fine day?"

"I...I'll just have some coffee, please," Elena answered timidly.

"Coffee?" Sabrina asked dubiously. She ten turned a questionable glare to Damon's direction. "And you, sweetheart?"

Damon looked at the menu. "Apple-cinnamon pancakes, poached eggs, hash browns, bacon, sausage, and a mug hot chocolate," he answered.

Sabrina wrote it all down on her order pad and repeated it to him. "Gotcha."

"Those are all for her," Damon said, giving Elena the eye. "I will be having the country-fried steak, biscuits and gravy, eggs over easy, with cheese grits on the side, and a tall cup of your strongest coffee."

Sabrina laughed and looked at Damon and Elena with a twinkle in her eyes. "Oh...you two. You just remind me so much of me and my Harvey on our first fight during our honeymoon!" she continued to giggle. She turned to Elena. "Don't worry, Sweetheart...you'll get used to the stubbornness. My Harvey and I have been married for 42 years, and he still drives me bananas. But you know what? I can't imagine what my life would be like without him." She then turned to look at Damon. "And you! Piece of advice, Honey Pie...let her win each and every argument. A happy wife equals a happy life, if you know what I mean," she smiled naughtily and gave Damon a wink, before walking away.

Damon shook his head, looking amused with the owner of the diner. He couldn't help feel a sense of familiarity with the elder lady. He wasn't sure why, but Sabrina reminded him of Bonnie, for some odd reason. Elena was pleased to see obvious change in Damon's disposition.

"Was that a smile?" Elena asked him. He tried to cover it with a smirk, but it was too late. "Yep, that's a smile! Come on, don't hide it!" she beamed.

"Sabrina just reminds me of someone," Damon argued.

"A very wise someone," Elena surmised.

Damon fell silent again, much to her disappointment. Slowly, her hands reached for his. She was glad that Damon didn't pull away this time. She held his eyes with her own, happy that he chose not to look away.

"I know how she feels, you know...when she said that she can't imagine her life without her husband? I know that feeling. I've lived it," Elena began to pour her emotions.

"Elena..." Damon tried to stop her.

"Just hear me out, please," she begged. "All this time, I thought I was strong...that I can stand on my own...but I wasn't. You are my anchor. Without you, I would've just drifted away a long time ago. You taught me how to feel alive again. That it's alright to feel happy after everything that I've been through in life. That it's not some mortal sin to love someone, just because other people judge you for it. I saw my future, and it was with you...that was never a lie. I was ready to spend eternity with you. But then, you died...and I fell apart. You know why? Because you were the only one holding me together, and losing you almost destroyed me. You were that one great love that consumed me," she confessed, her eyes welling up with tears once again. "I had to do it, Damon! I know that you would have wanted me to live on, but I couldn't live my life without you with me. Without you, my days were just empty, and my nights were too lonely."

Damon pulled his hands away from hers, only to reach her face...his thumb gently wiping her tears away. "Seems like you've done enough crying over me. I'm not sure that I'm worth it," he said solemnly.

Elena was about to reply, only Sabrina chose that time to return with their food, which Damon was very thankful for. He was clearly not ready to discuss his feelings with Elena, no matter how much she tries to open up the subject.

Sabrina served them their meal, another huge smile plastered on her face. "Here you go, lovebirds! Bon apetit!" she said, before leaving them to their meal.

They ate their food in silence, occasionally stealing a glance at each other when they taught the other one wasn't looking. He caught her lovingly staring at him a few times, but he tried to ignore it. Finally, once they were done eating, Damon waved at Sabrina to ask for the check.

"You ready to leave, little darlings?" Sabrina asked them, seemingly disappointed. "I hope you enjoyed your meal."

"The food was amazing," Elena told her.

"Would you like any food to go?" Sabrina asked them.

"Just the coffee, please," Damon answered. "Your coffee is great...dark and strong, just the way I like it. I sure as hell need it when get back on the road."

"Back on the road," Sabrina asked curiously.

"Yep," Damon replied. "Might as well start early. It's going to be a long drive to get back to Virginia."

"Oh, Honey Pie," Sabrina told him, shaking her head. "If you wanted to leave town, then you should've done it a couple of hours ago. They already closed the roads for the parade."

"Parade?" Elena asked.

"The Christmas parade, silly," Sabrina answered. "We have it every year."

"So, there's no way out?" Damon pressed.

"Well...there is. But the alternative route is just gonna add a few extra hours to your road trip," Sabrina told him. "You two are welcome to stay, enjoy our festivities" she added. She looked at Elena. "Although, I hope you're not wearing that," she said. She faced Damon and stared at him sternly. "I don't know if you've noticed, since you're wearing your badass leather jacket and all," she scoffed at him. "But it is beyond chilly outside! How can you let your wife wear that ratty old sweatshirt?" she asked, as she gently smacked him on the arm.

"No, I'm fine...really," Elena told them.

"Mmmhmm," Sabrina said suspiciously, continuing his motherly glare towards Damon. "Anyway, if you two decide to stay after the parade, we also have the pie-eating contest, the Gingerbread House decorating contest, the Festival of Trees and Lights, and our annual Christmas choral competition." She turned to Elena. "I really do hope that you stay and enjoy yourself, dear. You look like you could use a little recreation." She faced Damon again. "Here's you coffee."

Damon nodded and paid for their meal. He said an abrupt goodbye to the lady, then took Elena's hand and guided her out of the diner. It wasn't after he led her back to where the Camaro was parked that he let her hand go. He popped the trunk and rifled through the contents of one of his duffle bags.

"What are you doing?" Elena asked curiously.

"Looking for this," Damon replied, as he showed her a neatly folded long wool peacoat. He proceeded to put his coat on her. "No old lady is going to tell me how to be a better gentleman," he scoffed. "It's a little too big, but at least you won't be freezing," he told her.

"Such a good husband," Elena teased him.

"Haha...funny," Damon said mirthlessly.

"So...we're staying?" Elena asked him hopefully.

"Not like we have a choice," Damon reminded her. "I don't want to be stuck on the road far longer than I have to be. Besides, you just came from your own little road trip. You must be tired."

"I'm fine," Elena insisted. "Actually, I'm more than fine...I'm great. Believe it or not, you're not the worst company in the world," she said to him.

Damon smirked at that remark, reminding him of their first road trip. "Let's go find ourselves a good spot to watch the parade," he told her, as he took her hand in his, and led the way into the crowd.

Oddly enough, Damon found himself having fun as the parade went on. Not because of the parade itself, but he enjoyed observing Elena, with her eyes lighting up like a child, while they watched the floats pass them by. The way she gasped when she saw the float of the Nativity Scene. Or how she giggled when she saw The Grinch. The way The Polar Express float astonished her. Or how she clapped when she saw The Nutcracker. He wasn't sure which one she loved more...the Toyland or the Candyland float. Winter Wonderland was definitely one of her favorites. She danced with the elves on Santa's Workshop. But nothing beats the expression in her eyes when she saw Santa's Sleigh. Yes, Damon enjoyed it a lot more, watching Elena than the parade.

After the parade, they decided to follow Sabrina's advice, and enjoy the rest of the festivities. Elena almost conned Damon into entering the pie-eating contest...almost. They critiqued all the entries to the Gingerbread House decorating contest...just for giggles. As the day grew darker, they were kept in awe of all the displays in the Festival of Trees and Lights.

Elena stood there and watched the Christmas Choral competition, while Damon went and got her some hot chocolate. She was flabbergasted at the talent that all of the choir had. She listened to the songs from all the contenders, ranging from children's choirs to glee clubs, to even the church chorale. What she loved most was the Von Winters Family Singers, and their song of choice. She was glad when they were announced as the winners of the competition. She was overjoyed when the choir was invited back onstage to sing their winning piece. She searched frantically for Damon, and dragged him back to the town square.

As the choir started to sing, Elena held out her hand. "May I have this dance?" she asked him. She noticed the hesitation in Damon's eyes. "It is tradition," she reminded him.

"It would be my honor," Damon answered

He took her hand into his, and rested his other hand on the small of her back. Staring into each others' eyes, they began to sway as the choir started to sing.

You're all I want for Christmas,
All I want my whole life through.
Each day is just like Christmas,
Anytime that I'm with you.

You're all I want for Christmas,
And if all my dreams come true,
Then I'll awake on Christmas mornin'
And find my stocking filled with you.

You're all I want for Christmas,
All I want my whole life through.
Each day is just like Christmas
Anytime that I'm with you.

Elena brought her hand to Damon's face, and caressed his cheek, as they continued to dance. Softly, she began to ding along with the choir.

"You're all I want for Christmas,
And if all my dreams come true.
Then I'll awake on Christmas mornin',
And find my stocking filled with you."

"I love you, Damon Salvatore," Elena whispered breathlessly.

The song ended, and they stopped dancing. Damon noticeably fell silent. Finally, he shook his head. "I can't do this," he said, almost choking on the words. He stared at Elena with sad eyes, before he turned around and walked away.

Elena stared at his retreating form, as he disappeared into the crowd. Tears filled her eyes once more, racking her brain, thinking of what she did wrong. She wiped her eyes dry, and that's when it hit her...what Damon had said back at the diner.

Seems like you've done enough crying over me. I'm not sure that I'm worth it.

"Of course!" Elena muttered to herself, as she mentally smack herself upside the head.

It wasn't anything that she had done. It was because in his very long life, Damon had always believed that he wasn't worthy of love. And Elena thought that it's about time that belief changed. She weaved through the crowd to hurriedly find Damon.

Damon, on the other hand, found refuge inside "Mad Martha's Pies and Pint"...one of the local pubs. The place was packed, so he decided to sit at the bar...full of guilt while thinking of how he left Elena in the middle of the town square.

"Bourbon...double shot," he told one of the bartenders.

"Hey, Gorgeous," the lady bartender greeted him, before handing him his glass. "Where's your bride?"

"Do I know you?" Damon retorted, downing the drink in one gulp.

"Saw you two at the pie-eating contest...you guys looked so cute," the lady explained. "I'm Martha, by the way."

"Martha? As in Mad Martha?" Damon asked.

"Yep," Martha replied. "The one, and hopefully the only," she gave him a wink before pouring another shot. "Trouble in paradise?"

"None of you business," Damon scoffed, downing another shot.

"Rude as you are, I'm still gonna offer some advice," Martha told him.

"YOU are going to give ME relationship advice?" Damon retorted. "This oughta be good!"

"Yes, because I really believe that you can use 'em," Martha replied.

"Alright, shoot..." Damon challenged her.

"Here it goes..." Martha began. "Never forget her birthday. Make a really really big deal out of it."

"I always do," Damon replied.

"After sex hold her for a little while...you know...talk to her like a human being," Martha continued. "Shouldn't you be writing this down?"

"I have a very good memory," Damon told her.

Martha nodded her head and went ahead. "Do not wear socks to bed. No socks to bed...ever...because you might not be all that attractive to begin with."

"Seriously? Have you looked at me?" Damon scoffed.

"Whatever," Martha brushed off his remark. "Always side with her in an argument with your mother."

"My family loves her a lot more than they love me," he confessed.

"Listen to her like you mean it," Martha added. "Supportiveness is a really sexy turn on."

"I'm the most supportive guy ever...as long as her decisions aren't stupid and borderline suicidal!" Damon snapped. He noticed the weird look Martha gave him. "Continue," he urged her.

"Never, under no circumstances, ever hit her," she instructed him.

"I will NEVER," Damon reassured her.

"And no matter what annoying habits she has, you have to realize that she's dealing with a huge mountain of YOUR imperfections every day...so you might just want to let it go," Martha concluded.

Damon realized that it was, by far, the best advice that Martha ever gave him. "Got it," he nodded his head. He took one last drink, stood up, and reached for his jacket. "You know a nice place where we can stay the night?" he asked Martha.

"It's the holidays," Martha reminded him. "All the inns are packed," she told him. "You might wanna try that bed and breakfast down Bradford Street. It's a little pricey, but it's very nice. It's called The Swan's Nest."

"Thanks," Damon left her more than enough money on the counter. "For the drinks, and the advice." He gave her a wink, before he turned around and left to search for Elena.

Damon didn't have to look that far. Elena found him just as he was getting out of the pub.

"Hey," he said to her with a smile.

"Hey back," she whispered in return.

He took her hands in his. "Let's go."

"Are we leaving?" Elena asked worriedly.

"No," Damon replied, shaking his head. "We're staying the night. There's this nice bed and breakfast down the road."

"I'd like that," Elena told him, as they walked hand in hand.

Once they arrived at The Swan's Nest, they found the place was almost fully booked.

"The only room we have left is the honeymoon suite," the receptionist informed them.

"We'll take it," Damon replied, giving Elena a wink and a playful smirk.

"That'd be-" the receptionist began to tell him.

"I don't care," Damon interrupted, giving the woman his Black Card. "Charge it."

The receptionist gaped at him. "Yes, sir!"

Eventually, they were led into their room. The honeymoon suite was quite possibly the most lavish room in the building. The room had a picturesque view of the wooded hillside on the windows, a double-sided herringbone brick fireplace that connected from the bedroom to the living room, and the living room had a fold-away mini-bar and wine cabinet, entertainment center and a cozy reading nook. It also had a large private bathroom, with a two-person whirlpool tub, a double-sink vanity, and a shower that can rival the one in Damon's old room back at the boarding house. The bedroom of the suite is elegantly decorated with a cherry bedroom set with a king size bed. A heart-shaped king size bed.

Elena immediately ran inside the bathroom, excited to use the whirlpool tub. "Ahhh..." she sighed with relief, as she sank into the water and relaxed her body.

"Enjoying yourself?" Damon asked from the bedroom.

"Yes!" Elena answered. "This place is amazing!"

"Only the best for you," Damon told her, as he left one of his clean button-down shirt for her to wear.

Finally, when Elena was done with her bath, she re-entered the bedroom, wearing Damon's shirt, and nothing else. She was disappointed at what she saw. Damon had one of the extra bed sheets, a pillow and a duvet spread neatly on the floor. "You're going to sleep on the floor?" she asked, sounding disheartened.

"There's no way I'm sleeping in a heart-shaped bed," Damon scoffed.

"Is it the bed...or is it me?" Elena muttered.

Damon remained silent. Not long after that, Elena joined him on the floor.

"Elena..." Damon said.

"Please..." Elena begged him. "Just let me hold you," she pleaded, burrowing her face onto the side of her neck. She breathe deeply, inhaling the scent that was uniquely Damon. "I missed this."

"Me too," Damon told her.

There was more awkward silence, before Elena spoke again. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "I'm so sorry! I keep having these explanations, coming up with reasons for my actions, and all the declarations of my affections for you. It never occurred to me until now...I've never really apologized."

"Elena-" Damon tried to comfort her.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't strong enough for us. I'm sorry, I wasn't brave enough. I was a coward to chose to forget you! I'm sorry that I didn't trust that you would find a way to return to me. I'm sorry that I'm stubborn not to ask Ric to give me back my memories. I'm sorry that I was stupid enough to ask him to compel my memories away in the first place! I'm sorry, Damon. I'm so sorry-"

Damon finally put his index finger to her lips to silence her. "Shhh...it's okay. We're okay," he assured her, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"I love you, Damon Salvatore," Elena proclaimed one more time.

"I know, Baby," Damon said softly in response. "I know," he repeated. He fingers tangled into her her hair, while his other arm was wrapped tightly around her waist. He whispered his own declaration of love into her ear reassuringly, over and over, until she fell asleep in his arms.

~END OF CHAPTER TWO~

A/N :

*This chapter was supposed to be more angsty, but I couldn't write it without making it seem like I was bashing Elena's character. I went through a lot of revisions, and I really hope you all like how the chapter turned out. Let me know via the REVIEW section.

*Thank you kindly for reading my story. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!