And when we meet, which I'm sure we will. All that was there will be there still, I'll let it pass and hold my tongue, and you will think that I've moved on.- Dido; White Flag.

It had been two days since Elena and Damon's argument; two days since Elena had sung Damon to sleep, watched his eyes flutter shut and gazed at the small smile that had graced his perfect mouth. She hadn't seen him yesterday, she'd left Damon a little while after he'd fallen asleep; shifted his head gently off her lap and tucked the blankets up to his chin, placing a soft kiss on each of his closed eyelids. When she went to check on him a few hours later, she found that Damon was gone, the bed left un-made; of course. If she told the truth, she sort of knew that he would be gone when she checked on him; her and Damon had shared something, she'd seen him at his most vulnerable and Elena knew that Damon wasn't ready to let his walls down completely yet; even if she did really want him to.

It was 7:30 in the morning now and she had school. Stefan didn't go anymore; he didn't really see the point, seeing as he was over five hundred years old and had completed high school several times already, also the only reason he'd really even started at Robert was to watch her. Elena sipped the coffee in her mug, grimacing at the now lukewarm liquid; she really should get going, go to school, but it all just seemed so trivial; after the events of the past two days.

Elena felt breath on her neck; warm breath softly tickling the hairs on the back of her neck, making them stand on end. She spun around and found herself gazing into the raven orbs that she loved so much.

"Damon" She whispered softly, not even trying to hide the smile that found its way onto her face.

"Who else?" He whispered back, his sweet breath tickling her face.

"I missed you yesterday, where did you go?" She regretted asking it as soon as the words left her lips, she didn't want to sound possessive and needy, but with Damon she was both of those things.

"Oh, you know. Here and there" He said, that wicked, white lightning smile crossing his features.

Elena couldn't stop herself from smiling back at him, whenever Damon was happy; his emotions were so strong that Elena got dragged into his happiness as well.

"What? No good morning kiss?" He joked, his smile widening into the one that he only gave to her.

She punched him softly on his upper arm, but leaned up on her tip toes and placed a soft kiss to his lips. She was about to pull away and lean down back onto flat feet when Damon placed his hands on her waist and pulled her to him, lifting her off her feet and deepening the kiss. Elena locked her arms around his neck even tighter and allowed him to slip his tongue into her mouth. They stayed like that for what felt like eternity, until Elena had to pull away to breathe. Damon placed her back on her feet, his arms still wrapped around her waist, head buried into her hair.

"Damon, I have to go. I have school"

He moaned softly in protest, bringing her even closer to him and placing soft kisses on her neck.

"Damon!" She giggled "Really, I have to go!"

He pulled his head out of her neck, and looked her in the eyes, a boyish grin appearing on his perfect face.

"Okay, but I'll take you. It gives me more time with you"

"Are you sure? Do you even still have a car?"

"Yes and yes. That's what I did yesterday, I went car shopping" he was grinning like a young boy, who just got a new toy.

"Thank you" She said, grinning at just how perfect Damon Salvatore actually was. She felt on top of the world at this moment, she thought about just how much she'd dreamed about her and Damon being together like this, in the past few weeks. While she'd thought he was dead.

He took her hand, kissed it softly, and then laced their fingers together, leading her to the door. She grabbed her tote and then closed the door behind them. Damon led them down the street a little bit then stopped.

"Close your eyes" he whispered softly in her ear.

Elena did as he said and shut her eyes; he took her hand and led her the rest of the way down the street. When he said it was okay, she opened them, and found herself staring at a gorgeous, midnight blue, vintage Ferrari. Her eyes bulged slightly, it was beautiful. She couldn't even begin to imagine how much this had cost him.

"So, do you like it?" he laughed softly in her ear.

"Damon, it's beautiful!"

"Yes, you are"

She turned around and placed a soft kiss on his lips, revelling in how perfect this moment was. In this moment there were no vampires, no death, no other brothers; all there was, was Damon and Elena, a boy and girl so in love. Damon scooped Elena up, bridal style and chucked her in the passenger seat of the car, grinning as Elena screamed and laughed, then pretended to pout. He ran around to the driver's side then jumped in. He did Elena's seat belt up for her, placing a kiss on her cheek, then revved the engine; making Elena laugh even more.

They shot down the road, Damon driving three times the speed limit, their hair being whipped out behind them in the roofless car. Elena switched on the radio, and Muse blared out of the speakers full blast. Damon took a hand off the steering wheel, and laced his fingers with Elena's, who tipped her head back, smiling in contentment. She was so happy in this moment, she was going to remember right now forever; she was going to remember just happy she felt, exactly how Damon looked and the way a carefree smile sat on his face, making him look so young and so unbelievably gorgeous.

She found herself not wanting to arrive at school, not wanting to face Bonnie, Meredith and Matt, particularly Bonnie; who would no doubt swamp her with questions about Damon, questions that Elena was not willing to provide answers to. She was brought out of her daydream by Damon, who squeezed her hand and grinned at her; immediately all her worries flew away as he flashed that beautiful, wild smile at her. She melted. The small, country-like lanes were turning into larger roads now, filled with cars; causing Damon to slow down by a margin so he didn't draw attention to them. They were approaching the school now, and Elena sagged slightly in her seat, her good mood dissolving a little as the building came into view. School meant reality and reality meant Stefan and the choice she was going to have to make oh so soon.

Damon brought the car to a stop at the front of the school building and turned to face Elena, a wicked grin on his face.

"How about a kiss? Just one, to last me through the day"

"Damon, people might see, people might tell Stefan"

"I don't give a damn about Stefan"

He pulled her to him, crushing her lips and her protests with his. She closed her eyes and blocked out the school and the rest of the world for that matter, melting into Damon. All too soon he pulled away, but still kept hold of her hand, stroking it softly as if sensing her fears and trying to sooth them away. He flashed her that smile again, her smile, and pulled away slightly.

"You have a good day dear" he said cheekily, unsuccessfully holding in a laugh, which escaped his lips and produced the most beautiful sound she'd ever heard. She couldn't help but smile and laugh as well, swept up in his adorable, playful, happy mood. He dropped a last kiss on her cheek before climbing out of the car, walking round to her side, and opening the door for her. Everyone was staring, girls with jealous looks at Elena and flirty looks at Damon and boys, seizing up Damon, death glares on their faces. She noticed that none of the boys seemed to be about to challenge him, she wasn't surprised; Damon's aura emitted a strong dark power that seemed to scream at people that he could rip their throats out and not even think twice about it.

"Thank you Damon" She said softly, gazing into his eyes.

"Anything for you princess"

He then turned, got back into the car and drove away, leaving Elena to face a whole day without him. She missed him already and he'd only just drove off, she watched the car speed away and down the road, watching until he turned the corner and was out of sight. She sighed and started to walk towards the building where she was immediately swamped by girls asking about Damon.

"Who was he Elena? He was gorgeous!"

"How do you know him?"

"Does he have a girlfriend?"

"Are you his girlfriend?"

"No, that's ridiculous, Elena's dating Stefan. Right Elena?"

On and on it went, them firing questions at her and her not answering or, if she did, it was with a nod or a slight shake of her head. Eventually the bell rang and she escaped from the mob, walking to her first lesson; calculus, with Bonnie. The lesson passed fairly quickly; Bonnie greeted her coolly when she walked into the room, then the questions about Damon started, how is he? Is he well? Does he remember anything? Does he remember me? Bonnie fired questions at her relentlessly, and Elena found herself happy when the teacher came in and they couldn't talk anymore. She didn't want to discuss Damon with anyone, least of all Bonnie.

The day seemed to drag by, with nothing interesting happening until her lesson before lunch; European History. She was interested in the lesson as soon as Mr Jones mentioned the Renaissance, Damon and Stefan's faces immediately popped into her head, as did the face of Catherine; that was when it had all happened, that was when Damon and Stefan's lives had ended. Mr Jones started talking about schooling in the Renaissance period, particularly universities; Hadn't Damon gone to university for a small while, until he got kicked out for drinking and gambling?, she suppressed a smile at the thought of people trying to make Damon abide by rules. She listened avidly throughout the whole lesson, enjoying getting a glimpse of what life was like for Damon and Stefan before they were turned.

After that lesson she went to lunch, where she made awkward conversation with Bonnie; mainly about Damon, and spoke to Meredith about what she'd been doing lately, while Elena had been at the boarding house, which wasn't a lot. When the end of day bell rang Elena practically ran out of school and was struck speechless at the sight of the world's most beautiful boy leaning against his Ferrari waiting for her. A stupidly big smile appeared on her face as her eyes rested on Damon, he was gracefully slouching against the car, one hand behind his back and the other rested on the car, stroking it softly, Elena suppressed a laugh as she thought of Damon and his new toy. There were people crowded around him, girls staring flirtily and flipping their hair and boys admiring the Ferrari from a safe distance.

Damon's eyes locked with hers and he waved; one hand still behind his back. She swiftly walked over to him where he gave her a special smile, a secret smile, one filled with mischief and life. He brought the hand that he held behind his back out and he was holding the world's most beautiful rose, but it wasn't just any rose; it was a black magic, the closest anyone had ever got to breeding a true black rose. To anyone else it would just seem like he was giving her a rose; a cute, meaningless gift, but Elena knew better; knew the sentiment and memories behind that simple rose. She smiled softly to him, letting her eyes send the true message; one of endless appreciation and love.

She took the rose and he opened the passenger door of the car for her without saying a word. He climbed in soundlessly and began to effortlessly manoeuvre the car out of the parking lot. As soon as they were a distance away from the school, she took his hand, squeezing it. He turned his head to face her and brought her hand to his lips, kissing it softly. He turned his head back and concentrated on the road, Elena openly stared at him, shocked by just how much she loved him; she would do absolutely anything for Damon Salvatore, she'd give up anything for him, even Stefan, even anything, even her life. She'd already done that really though, given up her life for him. She was happy that she had; she was happy that she'd died that night with Catherine instead of Damon, she was happy that for once she was the one who had saved him, because he was always saving her, in more ways than one.

She looked down at the rose resting in her lap, and thought of how many memories came to mind just looking at the rose. She saw her and Damon in the Old Wood, when he was possessed by Shinichi, when she'd offered him her blood and she'd got drunk instantly off the dark, fragrant wine. She remembered a boiling day in the middle of nowhere, when they'd been travelling to the Dark Dimension to find Stefan, the day Damon had given her a Black Magic rose, the first Black Magic rose she had ever received, she'd made some realizations that day; realizations about Damon. The rose was like Damon in a sense; dark and beautiful, tragic in a way, but also prickly, like the stem. Damon was as wild as a Black Magic rose.

A beautiful voice broke her out of the trance she was in.

"I would offer you a penny for your thoughts, but I'm broke" He laughed indulgently.

"So if you're broke, how did you afford this car?"

"I didn't have to afford it, it was a gift"

"A gift from whom?" She laughed, sensing the answer before it came.

"She was called Sandra I think" He laughed and she joined in, loving the sound of Damon's laugh, it was like Stefan's in a sense, but without the bitter edge. When Damon laughed he truly meant it, he lit up the room with the delightful chuckle that escaped his lips.

Damon stopped the car and before she could open her door, Damon was there opening it for her, bowing like a gentleman.

"My lady" He grinned cheekily.

He came up behind her and slung her over his shoulder, Elena beat against his back with her fists, not really trying to get free. Damon slapped her softly on her butt, producing a scream of protest off Elena, which didn't come out as serious as she would have liked because she was also crying with laughter. She buried her head into his strong back, breathing in the familiar scent of his black polo shirt.

Damon opened the door one-handed causing it to slam against the wall, which just made Elena laugh harder. Damon stopped in his tracks. Elena lifted her head up and tried to see in front of her, tried to see what Damon was seeing, what had caused him to stop so suddenly. But she couldn't.

"Damon, what's wrong?"

"Elena" The word was strained and it did not come from Damon's lips. The voice belonged to Stefan.