Damon stared out the window of a motel in Georgia, staring out at the darkness that engulfed the parking lot, a glass of whiskey in his hand and a frown on his face. He wondered if he had done the right thing by leaving. He wondered if he really needed a few days away from her because right now it didn't feel like he had made the right choice.

He sipped on the whiskey and thought about his actions. He hated feeling like this. He hadn't felt this...human in over a century. He had learned to switch all of that off because without it in the way it made life a lot easier for him, considering he was going to be living for an eternity and human emotions just made things more...complicated. Now he just couldn't seem to switch any of it off. He didn't want to switch off his feelings for Elena...he couldn't. He knew the switch for those feelings had snapped off ages ago and there was no way of fixing it to make it any other way. But it seemed all this pain, all the guilt for just leaving like that, the...wounded ego and vulnerability...all of that he really wanted to just switch right off and the more he tried the less it seemed to be working. He had considered going hunting earlier. He figured that maybe if he did that it would help with regaining some form of control over his old self but...Elena came to mind and all of that went out of the window.

Damon finished his whiskey, let out a sigh and turned away from the window. He set the glass down, took off his shirt, pants and shoes and then climbed into bed. He stared up at the ceiling, his mind focused only on her and within minutes he was asleep. Perhaps a good night's sleep is all he needed to get back on track. He needed to find some form of control on his life again...he needed to stop everything from spinning. He needed his existence to regain some form of order once more.

Chapter Ten:

Dear Diary,

A few days have passed and still...No Damon. In fact the 'few days' seemed to have turned into almost a week and a half now. I've felt completely numb and I haven't felt like this since my parents died. People have noticed because I haven't exactly been able to pull off the 'I'm fine' line and fake smile that goes with it all too well.

I got cornered by Bonnie and Caroline about two days ago after school and they were not going to let me leave until I agreed to tell them what was going on. According to Caroline I have been like some 'programmed robot', I just do as I've been programmed to do and I don't ask questions. I agreed to tell them what was happening and I really dreaded it...and that dread was the first feeling I've had in over a week. I met them at The Grill last night and I spilled the beans on what had happened and as I did...all those old wounds just seemed to be sliced right open with a blade covered in salt. Natrually Bonnie and Caroline immediately started with the 'Are you crazy Elena! Damon Salvatore is NO GOOD for you' speech. And that speech really didn't help at all. It just made the wounds worse and brought about a fresh lot of tears...crying...something else I haven't done in over a week. Obviously when I started to cry they felt really bad and comforted me, whispering to me that they're just trying to make me see the truth about him, a truth they say I should already know about him. I told them they were wrong, that we were all wrong about him. Fair enough he had done a lot of things in this town that even had me against him, but I told them that he had another completely different side to him. A side that loved me and a side he only ever really showed to me. Eventually they caved in and told me that they were sorry for yelling and that they would attempt to give him a chance but they would be watching him very closely...Especially Bonnie. I told them that I didn't know if he was going to be coming back because 'a few days' to me did not interpret into a week and a half. A week and a half was a week and a half and a few days was a few days. But Caroline was there to try and re-assure me that in 'guy terms' a few days usually meant a week or a little more. It hasn't made me feel any better but I will try and hold onto that.

I guess I really needed to talk to my friends about all of this because in a way I do feel a little better than I was yesterday. I don't feel so numb anymore. I just really hope he comes back soon because he's all I've been able to think about and I've practiced my entire speech to him over and over again, so much so that I could probably say it in my sleep. Now I have to get ready to face another day at school. Thank goodness it's a Friday.

Elena closed her journal and put it back in its hiding place. She pulled on her jacket, grabbed her bag and headed downstairs, drawing in a deep breath and letting out slowly as she prepared herself to face the day once more. Jenna had been worried about Elena, she could tell from the constant 'are you alright' looks that she had been getting. Finally it was Jenna's turn to ask the questions as she drove Elena to school.

'Alright, I know you're probably tired of everyone asking you this but how are you doing? And don't attempt to give me the 'I'm fine' answer because we both know that's a lie.'

Elena sighed as she looked out the window. 'Well...I'm a little better than I was thanks to my evening out with Bonnie and Caroline. But I still feel...numb. In the beginning I felt like anything was going to bring on a fresh bout of tears but...I have had practice at stopping that considering I had to do it when my parents died. I'm well practiced in pulling off the 'I'm fine' act. Eventually I just started feeling...nothing. If Stefan was someone I wasn't going to dwell over when we had our fights then...Damon isn't going to be any different.'

Elena winced slightly as she said his name out loud once again and she drew in a staggered breath. The only downfall of the whole 'talk' last night was the freshly opened wounds.

'Well alright, but the more you talk about it all, the more it heals everything.'

'Really, then why do I feel like all the wounds have just been sliced right open again?' Elena sighed and shook her head. 'I'll really be fine Jenna.'

The conversation ended there and just as they arrived at the school. Elena grabbed her bag and headed towards the school, preparing for yet another day that would just pass by in one big blur.

Finally the day was over and the weekend was here. It was just what Elena needed. She walked out of the school and headed towards the parking lot with Bonnie and Caroline. She was going to get a lift with Bonnie home. They were talking about the weekend plans they had when suddenly Bonnie and Caroline both stopped.

'What is it?' Elena asked, a frown on her face.

'Um...well I don't think you're getting a lift with me,' Bonnie answered, a slight frown on her face. She looked at Elena and then nodded towards the parking lot.

Elena, still frowning and a little confused at Bonnie's response slowly followed her gaze. He was there, leaning against the front of his car, arms folded across his chest, his eyes focused on her. Elena suddenly felt her heart race...something she had not felt in over a week. She had begun to believe that she had lost her heart completely. Her breathing picked up slightly and she drew in a staggered breath to stop tears from falling. Damon looked at her with a slight smile on his face, his ice blue eyes intense and serious. Elena tore her eyes away from his and looked at Bonnie and Caroline.

'I'll um...I'll talk to you guys later.'

Caroline and Bonnie nodded slowly, they gave Damon one last glare and then headed off to their cars. Elena turned around and walked towards Damon. She wondered if any of this was real or if it was just a dream, a dream that, if she was woken up from, would just cause her to break down couldn't be a dream because she was still at school, she remembers that...or maybe she wasn't and this had all been a dream too. She eventually reached him, her arms folded across her chest tightly, trying to hold herself together and then she caught the scent of his cologne, a scent she had almost forgotten. She looked down as she chewed on her lip to try and regain her composure. She looked up to him again and smiled slightly. He stood away from his car and looked down at her.

'Hello Elena,' Damon said, that slight smile still on his face, his voice making her shiver slightly with delight. She really had missed him so much.

'Hey Damon,' she replied in a slight whisper and then cleared her throat. 'When um...when did you get back?'

Damon ran a hand over his neck. 'This morning...early hours this morning.'

Elena frowned and felt a sudden flare of anger race through her. 'You got back this morning and you only show up now?'

Damon shrugged. 'I didn't want to wake you up and I knew Jenna wouldn't be too pleased if I showed up there at the crack of dawn to see you.'

Elena shook her head. 'Oh I think she probably would have preferred that than seeing me go through another day of absolute hell Damon!'

Elena pushed past Damon and began to walk past the car, furious that he had been here all this time and had not bothered to see her. She knew this was the irrational part of her doing all the thinking because deep down, even though Jenna would have loved to see them sorting everything out and seeing Elena begin to heal properly, she would have preferred it being done at a respectable time. But he could have come through her window and she would have preferred him waking her up to talk. But then how would she explain the sudden mood change to Jenna? Jenna would freak out if she knew that Damon had snuck into Elena's room through the window. While Elena's mind reeled through all of this, she wasn't paying any attention to her surroundings and suddenly hit into a hard chest that smelled divine...it was Damon. He placed his hands on her shoulders to steady her, causing her entire body to heat up instantly.

'Look Elena I'm really sorry okay but we both know Jenna wouldn't have been very welcoming,' Damon said to her in a stern voice. He sighed and let his hands fall to the side. 'Look can we just...go somewhere and talk? That's what is supposed to happen when I came back right?'

Elena let out a sigh and nodded her head. 'Alright, let's go.'

Damon walked back to his car and opened the door for her to get in. Once she was in he closed the door, went to the driver's side and got in. 'Where do you wanna go? The Grill? Your house? Mine?'

Elena frowned slightly; she didn't want to be at any of those places. 'Let's go to the library.'

'The library?' Damon asked a confused look on his face.

Elena smiled slightly. 'Um...yeah. I need to return a few books and get a few others...plus...I just...don't feel like being at The Grill or my house...or yours right now.'

Damon looked at her for a moment longer, obviously trying to assess whether she was just joking with him or being serious. 'Alright, the library it is,' he finally replied, started the car and pulled out of the parking lot, making his way down the road and towards the library. The drive there was a silent one and for some reason Elena was feeling a little nervous about all of this. She didn't know why exactly. Maybe it was because she was afraid that he was there just to tell her he was leaving for good, or maybe she was afraid he would listen to her speech, acknowledge it but tell her he no longer...felt the way he had before. They finally pulled into a parking outside the library and Damon was at her side of the car opening her door for her, his hand held out for her. She looked up at him and took his hand, giving him a small smile of thanks. Her stomach erupted with butterflies as she realized Damon had not let go of her hand as he led the way to the library. This to her was a good sign. Elena greeted the lady at the front desk where she handed in her books before heading inside and down one of the aisle where she began looking for a few more books. Damon followed close behind her and Elena felt her skin prickle...she knew he was watching her. Eventually when they found themselves in a place where there was no one around, Damon turned her around to face him.

'Alright, we need to talk...now,' he whispered to her, his eyes intense as they always were.

Elena nodded and drew in a deep breath before letting it go slowly. 'Alright,let's talk.'

Elena stood against the wall, arms folded across her chest and she chewed on her lip. Her 'well practiced speech' was now in complete disarray and she needed to get it all back into order once more and Damon standing so close was not helping. It took her a few minutes but she finally had it back in some form of order. She looked up at him once more.

'I obviously found your letter the same day that I had left the boarding house. I...uh...I went back there to talk to you but...well you had left. I'm...I'm really sorry for doing what I did Damon but, like you said you can't blame me for reacting that way. But let me tell you why I did that.'

Damon nodded his head slowly, his arms folded across his chest a frown on his face as he prepared for this.

'I got scared...and the reason I got scared was because, well in the few days prior to all of that I found out my now ex-boyfriend had left me to be with his ex and I was really a total mess over that and you know that. But...it seemed that when I was with you, when you were there to comfort me, I didn't feel so horrid and so, shattered anymore. And then...we kissed. Now usually, when someone is in love with a person and they have all that ripped away from them in the form of a break up, well they're meant to be shattered. They're meant to spend probably a good few weeks trying to heal, trying to get over it and move on. But...when we kissed Damon, I didn't feel that way at all. I didn't feel shattered anymore. I fetl like I was being...healed. Fair enough a part of me was screaming that this was all wrong, that I shouldn't be feeling like this, that I shouldn't be allowing this kiss to even be happening but, it was such a small part of me. The rest of me was...sick of talking, was sick of crying and feeling like I was not getting any better. No matter how much we talked about it...the pieces were just not getting picked up and put together. The rest of me felt that that kiss was exactly what I needed because the pieces just...started falling back into place. And that scared me.'

Elena looked down and drew in a staggered breath, trying to get the rest of her 'speech' back into a coherent train of thoughts.

Damon stepped closer, placing one hand on the wall beside her head. 'Why were you so scared?' he whispered.

Elena looked up and her heart began to race, her breath catching in her throat as she noticed how close he was. She could feel his warm breath brush over her face. This really didn't help her focus on the speech.

'Um...I was scared Damon because...I really wasn't supposed to be feeling like this about you and because...if what I was feeling about you was real...I didn't want it to be some form of a 'rebound' of the real feeling. I was scared that maybe my heart had decided it was alright for a 'rebound' version of...love. That my heart just wanted that until it was properly healed and then it would just...grow tired of having you around and then...well it would end in heartache for you. I didn't want that because I...don't want to hurt you anymore than I already have. And I knew that that would completely shatter you if that's all you were...was a 'rebound' guy.'

'Well...what made you decide I wasn't?' he asked, tilting his head slightly to one side, placing his other hand on the wall by her head.

'Well...you left and it gave me a lot of time to think about it. That and...I spoke with Jenna about all of it the night you left. The more I thought about it...the more I realized it couldn't be a 'rebound' thing. I felt...far too much for you and...it all felt far too real for it to be anything but true.' Elena whispered her eyes locked on his as she pressed herself further back against the wall.

Damon looked down at her and lifted one hand away from the wall to brush it over her cheek as he processed everything she said. He smiled slightly and then leaned down, placed a soft kiss on her cheek, inhaling her scent deeply, the scent he had missed intensely, and then moved his lips to her ear.

'Thank you, for explaining it all...and thank you...for feeling...so much for me.'

Damon felt Elena's body shudder, her heart race and a soft moan escape her. He pulled away slowly and looked down at her once more.

'Thank you Damon...um...for...feeling so much for me,' Elena whispered in return, her eyes moving from his down to his lips and then back to his eyes.

Damon didn't miss that, but would a kiss be appropriate at this time. After all, he didn't know if they were a couple or simply two friends moving along that road towards couple-hood. To kiss her or not to kiss her? That was his inner battle at this point. But the answer was clear when Elena moved away from the wall and stepped closer to him. She placed both her hands on his chest and looked up at him. Damon swallowed hard, his breathing becoming shallow as his body seemed to feel as though sparks of electricity shot through it from her touch. Damon cupped her face in his hands, amazed at how perfectly it sat in his hands, and leaned down slowly. He felt her warm breath over his face and then their lips touched. The taste of her lips took his breath away completely...he had missed the taste of her so much. He didn't recall her tasting this sweet. He felt her arms slowly move around his neck and heard a soft moan escape her. He moved his hands down to her hips and pulled her closer to him before wrapping his arms around her, preventing her from moving away from him. The kiss deepened and it became that same intense, fire-blazing kiss they had experienced at the house. Her breathing was ragged, her heart racing and her entire body was heating up, he could feel it all, taste it all. This was the point that she had pulled away and he braced himself for it to happen again...but it didn't. After a few moments, when he realized she wasn't pushing away, but rather clawing at him to try and pull him closer than was humanly possible, Damon pushed her back up against the wall and once again a moan escaped her. Her hands moved down his back, her fingers raking over his leather jacket and his hands found their way beneath her top, his finger grazing over the skin on her lower back.

Eventually Elena pulled away and rested her head against his, her eyes closed as she tried to slow her breathing.

'What's...what's wrong?' he whispered through ragged breaths, his body tensing slightly as he thought she was going to run again.

Elena opened her eyes and looked up at him. 'Um...well we should...get going...um...the library is closing soon.'

Damon frowned and then smirked, letting out a small laugh. 'Oh...right...I forgot where we were.'

Elena laughed softly and it felt so good to be able to laugh again. She leaned up and kissed Damon softly once more and it was so hard for her to pull away again. She took his hand into hers and led the way out of the library, saying good-bye to the lady in the front who eyed them suspiciously. Damon winked at the old lady and pulled Elena close, placing a soft kiss on her neck. Elena laughed once more as she realized why he was doing what he was doing. She hit him on the arm as she walked out the library.

'Now why would you go and give that woman even more reason to be suspicious of my real reason for going in there?'

Damon shrugged and shot Elena his usual smirk. 'Because it's fun.'

Elena rolled her eyes. 'Yeah well it won't be 'fun' if I'm ban from going into the library.' she replied as she walked to his car.

Damon shrugged. 'Oh she won't ban you...I'll just work my mind tricks and she won't do such things.'

Elena shook her head, and got into the car when Damon opened the door for her. He got in on his side and then turned to face her.

'Would you object to...dinner and a movie at my place tonight?' Damon asked.

Elena really wished she could say yes but she had already made plans with Bonnie and Caroline to go to The Grill.

'That sounds really good but...I told Bonnie and Caroline I was going to meet them at The Grill.'

Damon frowned and then sighed. 'Well I really wouldn't want you to get into trouble with the little witch and the mystic queen,' Damon replied, his usual smirk on his face.

Elena leaned in and kissed him softly. 'I'm free tomorrow night.'

'Tomorrow night it is then. Dinner and a movie, my place at seven.'

Elena smiled. 'It's a date.'

Damon loved the sound of that. He started the car and pulled out of the parking and drove off towards Elena's house.

They finally reached her house and Damon walked her to the door. Elena turned around and looked up at him.

'You haven't told me where you have been.'

'I'll tell you about all of it tomorrow night.' he replied and pulled her close, giving her a soft kiss. 'Enjoy your night out.'

'You know I'm sure they wouldn't mind if you came along,' Elena whispered.

She didn't want to be apart from him, she craved him, needed him...needed him to be by her always.

'Well I may decide to join you then but...I really wouldn't want to intrude on their lovely ladies night they clearly have planned.'

Elena nodded. She knew that Caroline and Bonnie would not really welcome the intrusion.

'Okay well then...I'll see you tomorrow.'

'Yes you will.'

They kissed once more and then Elena went inside. Damon got back into his car, her scent completely wrapped around him. He started the car and headed back to the boarding house.

Elena walked upstairs, well floated was more what it felt like, tossed her bag down, grabbed her diary and began to write about her day.

Dear Diary,

He's back...Damon came back today and we talked...well I did all of the talking really. I told him how I felt, how sorry I had been for doing what I did. I told him why I acted the way I had and...Well in a 'beat around the bush' type of way I pretty much admitted that...I love him. It's scary knowing that I do love him but at the same time it is...amazing. It's so intense and so deep...it's unlike anything I've ever felt. I suppose that is why it scares me because I know if anything had to happen to take that away...I don't think I'd survive it. We kissed and it was that same intense,' fire raging through your entire body' kiss that we had shared at the boarding house. But this time...I didn't pull away; this time I wanted it to happen...I wanted that and so much more. But, I don't think the library would have appreciated it if we got really...intense while there. I wish that I hadn't made plans with Bonnie and Caroline tonight because Damon had wanted to do dinner and a movie. I knew I would not hear the end of it if I ditched them for Damon so I regretfully declined the dinner and movie. But it will be a plan for tomorrow night and one I am really looking forward to. I miss him so much already.

Well I think that's all I really wanted to say. I'm in seventh heaven right now so...this is really about all I can write down right now. I have to get ready for tonight.

Elena put her journal away and then went into the bathroom to get ready for the evening out with her friends.

Damon arrived back at the boarding house, his mind focused completely on what had just happened. He was in complete disbelief really. He was waiting for all of this to have just been some really long, really twisted dream. He was waiting to wake up and find everything the way it always had been; him being the 'big bad' brother who everyone hates, Stefan still around brooding in his room and Elena...still on Stefan's arm instead of Damon's.

Damon walked inside and headed up the stairs to his room. He switched on the light and then felt something move towards him, grab him and throw him across the room and up against the wall. Damon growled low as his senses became alert and he looked around. He stood up and scanned the room. It came at him again but this time he dodged it, grabbed hold of it and threw it across the room. Swiftly he moved over to the other side of the room, picked it up and pinned it against the wall, a low growl escaping Damon, his eyes red, his fangs out.

'He...Hello...Brother.'

Damon glared in disbelief as he looked into the blackened eyes of Stefan.

'What the hell are you doing here?'

Stefan gave his brother a wicked smile. 'Cant I...visit...my...brother?' he choked out.

'No you can't...because we've never really been about 'brotherly bonding' Stefan. And I particularly don't want to see you right now after all you did to Elena,' Damon replied and growled low, tightening his grip on Stefan's neck. 'So...I'll ask again...what...the...hell...are you doing here?'

'The question...you should be...asking is...if...I'm here...where...is...Katherine?'

Damon's eyes widened and he looked away from Stefan. That was a valid question and the answer to it was: 'Where ever Elena was.'

Suddenly Damon felt a sharp pain in his side and then found himself up against the wall. His distraction had given Stefan the advantage he needed. Damon looked down to see a stake in his side. He growled low as he felt Stefan ram it in a little further.

'Now be good and just let Katherine do what she's come here to do Damon and then everything will be just the way it's supposed to be.'

Damon glared at Stefan. 'Are...you even...listening to yourself...Stefan! She's...going to...kill Elena!'

Stefan nodded and frowned slightly. 'Yeah she is...and then she'll come after you and then...it'll just be her and I,' Stefan replied a sinister smirk on his face.

Damon could not believe that this was his brother talking here, he couldn't believe that he had this sort of...monster buried in him. Damon couldn't let them get Elena. He struggled to get free but Stefan held him in place.

'Don't worry Damon...she's bringing Elena here. She wants you to watch her die, but until then, we have to make sure you behave.' Stefan pulled out a dart from his pocket.

'What goes around comes around brother,' he whispered and jabbed the dart into Damon's neck.

Damon growled as he felt the vervain course through his veins. The room began to spin and then it went black as he finally passed out. His final thought was of Elena.

Oh God no, Elena. Please! Don't let them kill her. Elena!