AN: First of, thank you guys for keep on being so supportive and nice! :P I love reading what you think so please keep it coming.

And I'm sorry if some of you were upset or confused at the end of the last chapter, LOL. I actually did give a hint in between the chapter that just a few seem to have catched though... :D *claps hands at them* Well anyway you'll find out soon enough!

Thank you for reading & Please review!

As soon as she spoke the words she could see the hurt and surprise crossing his face almost immediatly. She didn't mean to be so blunt and hurt his feelings, but she also felt like she couldn't lie to him about it. She couldn't sneak around it forever anyway.

It's not like she didn't want to go for the fact itself, it was about what spending a weekend together and alone at the lake house could lead to.

God only knew how much she still wanted to keep it for herself for now, but lying more to him just wasn't an option. He didn't deserve it. She had to tell him sooner or later either way. It just happened sooner, even if she wasn't thrilled about it.

Only Caroline, Bonnie, and Stefan knew about this and she hoped that Damon was going to be the last to know.

She just had to find the guts and the way to tell him. Of all people she could have dated, she never quite expected to end up with an hopefully ex-womanizer like Damon. It sure as hell wasn't making it any easier on her.

"It's not you." She immediatly told him as she kept pacing in front of him. "It's me."

"That sounds a little cliché." He muttered still feeling wary.

"But it's the truth." She said as she stood still, sighing heavily.

"Elena just tell me what is it. If you want to go somewhere else it's not a problem." He pressed.

"Oh god." She said buring her head in her hands as she sat on the armchair. "I knew this day had to come…I just didn't expect it to be so awkward and difficult."

He knotted his eyebrows growing confused as he stood up and walked towards her. She seemed flustered and torn about whatever it was and he was dying to know. She knew that she could tell him everything, right? If something was bothering her she could talk about it with him. She had to. She could always confide in him, not making him feel more paranoid than she seemed to be herself.

"If you won't tell me, I can't know what's wrong and I really want to." He said softly as he kneeled in front of her.

He was putting all the effort he could to make her feel comfortable and not freak out himself.

She looked down at him in the eyes, a mix of worry and shyness behind her own.

"Can you promise not to judge me? Or mock me? Or laugh at me?" She said still holding his gaze.

He wanted to laugh at her cuteness but that was exactly what she told him not to do, so he avoided it.

He took her hands in his and squeezed them as he entwined their fingers.

"Promise." He nodded with a soft smile. "Even a pinky one, if you want to."

She chuckled a little and he was glad to see her starting to relax.

"Fill me a glass of bourbon or whiskey and get in here." She said with a sigh as she patted the spot next to her on the big armchair.

He gave her a strange look as he went to fill her a glass of bourbon, mixing it with some water. She'd already drank before and he didn't want to get her wasted. Elena didn't really seem the drinking type.

"Here." He said as he handed it to her, then settling on the armchair next to her.

She took a sip from the drink smiling at him sheepishly as she started talking.

"I told you about the accident with my parents, right?" She started saying.

"You hinted about it but you never told me…how it happened. And it's totally fine with me Elena if you don't feel like talking about it. You don't owe me anything." He said.

"I know." She said nodding. "I'm telling you these things because I want to, Damon. I trust you and I…like talking with you even if as you already know that it's not something I really like to talk about."

He smiled at her tenderly and started caressing her back lovingly.

"It was my senior year. I was at a party near the falls when my date for that night ditched me and I didn't know how to go back home since all of my friends had already left. So I…I called my parents." She said taking a deep breath. "They were so mad at me because it was so late and I was supposed to be home for more than an hour already. Anyway they both came to the party giving me a lecture and picking me up. We yelled for the whole ride and I just wouldn't listen to them, I was stubborn and immature and I said a lot of things that I would gladly take back if I could." She said quietly, her voice shaking a little in the end as she took a long sip from the glass of bourbon.

She was tensing up and Damon started running a hand through her hair soothingly.

"You don't have to go on if you don't want to." He assured her.

"I've repeated the scene so many times in my head that now the only difference is that I'm saying it out loud." She said smiling weakly.

"We were so distracted by all the yelling that we didn't even have the time to focus as a trunk driving on the wrong side of the road hit us. And…we were on Wickery Bridge, so the impact made the car spin and fall in the water." She was talking in almost a whisper in the end, a lump forming in her throat as she started tearing up.

He could see how much pain it was causing her to open the wound again. He suddenly took her in his arms, holding her close to him feeling a sense of protectiveness towards this precious amazing girl here in his arms.

"It's okay Elena." He whispered in her ear. "Shh, it's okay. You're okay. Calm down baby."

Almost as in a natural reaction her body immediatly relaxed and she rested her head against his chest, the beating of his heart calming her down and making her feel safe.

"It all happened so fast. I almost thought I was having a nightmare because it was all too surreal. Mom and dad…I could see that they didn't make it." She said quietly, gulping nervously. "The car was filling with water and I couldn't move. I was stuck and almost unconscious when I felt someone dragging me out. Turned out to be someone who had seen the whole accident and had luckily called 911 just in time."

Damon was speechless. He wanted to comfort her somehow, but he also knew that words wouldn't be helpful anyway. She just needed to let it out.

She was a brave, strong, and indipendent woman and she did deserve to know and believe that.

"I…I know that I'm not going to bring your parents back or make you forget, but you are one hell of a woman Elena. I'm so proud of you in every single way. I can't even begin to imagine how hard this has been on you and still is, and I promise you I will spend as long as you give me to make it up to you. I was so blind when I came back, not seeing the strong brave woman that you have become." He said, his eyes shimmering with adoration and pride.

She smiled back at him in awe and kissed him urgently, running a hand through his black hair. She wrapped her arms around his neck, closing her eyes as she breathed in his scent.

"I was such a horrible person back then. A childish, spoiled, stupid girl who told her parents she hated them right before they died." She suddenly cried out, her hot tears running down his neck.

He immediatly pulled back and felt a pang in his chest as he saw her looking so broken and regretful. He would kiss all her pain away if he only could.

He gently cupped her cheeks, making eye contact with her.

"Stop it." He said holding her gaze. "You're not horrible, you never were and you never will. You are my Elena. Stop blaming yourself for a terribile accident. Because that was what it was, an accident. And your parents knew you loved them, Elena. Angry words don't mean anything. You didn't mean it and they knew." He said firmly.

"No Damon. I am so ashamed of myself, that's why I was never really able to talk about it with anyone. You can live with the pain because it somehow becomes a part of you…but the remorse, god that's unbereable." She said biting her lip to keep herself from having an outburst again. "Everytime I think about those last words I told them I wish I could go back in time just to take them back. That's it. Just telling them how much I love them and that they will always be a part of me." She said almost desperately.

He didn't know how to comfort her because it was true. Remorse was a bitch, but that was something that she had to deal with herself. She still had to accept it he realized. But he knew she would, one day.

"I know." He whispered kissing her cheek.

She smiled weakly at him and started wiping her tears away. He smiled back at her and took the glass that she was holding, putting it on the table nearby.

"I actually feel like I took a huge weight off myself." She said sighing quietly. "I didn't realize until now how talking about it could help me. Thank you, Damon."

"No, thank you. You don't even know how glad I am that you decided to open up to me about it." He said proudly.

She gave him a cute little smile and he tucked her under his arm like it was a cocoon.

"Why were you so upset though? Has it something to do with what I told you?" He then asked confused.

"Oh…it's because I'm not finished yet." She suddenly remembered.

His eyes widened a little in fear and she couldn't help but chuckle when his face went pale again.

"It's not so bad, not that much at least. Don't worry." She assured him.

"Good." He said, sighing in relief.

"You know how after the accident I got closer to Stefan and both him and Maria helped me a lot, right?" She said.

"Yes." He nodded.

"Well after the accident I stayed at the hospital for more than a month. I wasn't in a coma but I had several broken bones and a head injury." She said gulping, remembering the pain she felt. "Anyways…your mother did a lot of volunteering at the hospital, helping the nurses out and making donations and everything you know. So we kind of started bonding since she knew my parents and I was at the same school as Stefan's. When I got out of the hospital I spent a lot of time here at the Boarding House. Jenna was still studying when everything happened and she had so many things to take care of…hadn't Maria helped us I don't know where I would be standing right now." She said quietly.

"You would be exactly where you are now. You're a fighter, Elena. Don't you ever forget that." He said smiling a little. "And I'm...I'm just so glad that my mother and Stefan looked after you. I'm sorry I wasn't here. I would have taken care of you too, you know." He then said quietly looking down.

"I know. And I know I would have fallen for you even then." She said with a sweet smile, gently taking his chin to make him look at her in the eyes.

His eyes were holding so much vulnerability and sorrow. She gave him a peck on the lips and he held her close to his body, breathing in her intoxicating scent.

"I'm still not following you though. You don't want to go because of something I said? Did I upset you?" He asked worriedly and almost desperately at her being so vague about it.

She was so brave and strong. He had figured that it sure hadn't been easy on her, but hearing all the story and seeing her hurting like that even after so many years it was like a stab in his heart. She deserved all the love in the world and he would be damn sure to give it to her.

She had told him all the heavier stuff, what should have really made her feel uncomfortable to talk about. Instead what she'd been avoiding and taking time to say for the last forty minutes was still there and for some reasons everytime she was about to open her mouth to say the words they got stuck in her throat.

"Can we go in the backyard and take a walk…some fresh air." She said clearing her throat a little.

"Sure." Damon said eyeing her suspiciously.

Here she was being nervous all over again and he still had no clue of what it was about. Way to go.

The backyard of the Boarding House was huge. You could actually get lost in there. They walked quietly in there for a few long moments until he couldn't take it anymore.

"Oh for the love of god Elena just say it, please?" He suddenly said exhasperateldy, stopping in his tracks.

He was silently begging her with his eyes and she sighed defeatedly.

"Let's take a seat." She said sitting in one of the benches near the roses bushes.

He noticed her rubbing her arms and he quickly took off his leather jacket, handing it to her.

She smiled softly and put it on her shoulders, immediatly feeling warmer.

"Can you promise not to judge me? Or mock me? Or laugh at me?" She said looking at him pointedly.

"I swear." He said rolling his eyes. "And you already asked me that by the way."

She gave him a small smile and then spoke up.

"After I recovered from the major injuries, it turned out that I couldn't walk anymore. At one point the doctors even told me that it would be a miracle if I started walking again. So I stayed on a wheel chair for over two years, and just after then I managed to start walking again after several months of physiotherapy." She said staring ahead of her.

Damon gasped a little and reached out for her hand.

"Why would you even think that I would laugh at you or mock you Elena?" He asked baffled.

She ignored his question as she kept talking.

"All that basically took three years and a half of my life. I got into a big depression at first and I wanted to give up so many times, you don't even know…" She said shaking her head. "Point is that ever since then I'm not the same person anymore. I changed drastically, and even though it's been two years that I'm walking again now, I just…focused on different things other than dating or partying." She then said, finally looking at him.

She was starting to feel more comfortable about it but he still seemed to have no clue of where she was going.

"It's perfectly normal. You had Jeremy to take care of, plus getting back to normality, your job…Elena I get it. I'm not that shallow even though you think I'm a player or something." He said firmly.

She chucked a little and squeezed his hand.

"What I'm trying to say is that when the accident happened I wasn't even eigtheen, I was pratically still a kid. Then it all happened…and obviously with being on a wheel chair and having my recovery I couldn't do or actually didn't want to do what other people normally did at my age...I mean I dated here and there but nothing serious you know…" She started saying biting her bottom lip, hoping he would take the hint.

"I get it." He said with a chuckle. "I've never been in a serious relationship either Elena. It's fine. We can try that one out together." He said doing his eye thing.

She was still biting her bottom lip and mentally groaning at his obliviousness. But there she was, about to say it loud and clear.

"Oh for god's sake Damon you just aren't taking the clue." She said shaking her head. "I've never been in any kind of relationship. With anyone. Do you get what I'm saying?" She then asked almost desperate for him to take the hint this time.

Suddenly it seemed to hit him as his eyes widened in shock and a cute little thoughtful expression grew on his face.

"Oh..." He said, feeling puzzled. "Oh." He repeated.

"That's all you have to say? 'Oh'?" Elena asked chuckling nervously.

"So you uhm…" He started saying rubbing his forehead. "I mean you have never, you know?" He asked awkwardly.

His reaction was being priceless. She really did take him off guard.

"Nope." She said quietly.

She suddenly remembered that it was Damon here with her. He was handsome and beautiful and she didn't even want to think about with how many women he'd been. It made her feel uncomfortable and insecure because she would always feel a little worthless or not enough. Maybe she would bore him someday with her lack of experience. He was the first guy she'd ever trusted with this and she didn't want to screw it up.

She crossed her arms over her chest uncomfortably and started feeling paranoid. What if he was internally laughing at her? Or thinking how lame she was? Or worst thinking about dumping her?

"I knew you weren't going to take it well. I get it if it's something that bothers you or you're not willing to wait." She said quietly looking down, fidgeting with her hands.

She suddely looked at him in confusion and a little hurt when he started chuckling. Great, now he was even laughing at her.

"Oh why thanks. Laugh it off." She said sarcastically.

"Elena." He said smoothly, a smile crossing his face as he took her hands in his. "I'm seriously going to be offended if you really think that I was going to mock you or leave you over something like that." He said now serious.

"But Damon…" She started saying.

"No buts. I assure you that you're making it much bigger than it really is. It's not a big deal, believe me." He said softly, slowly scooting her in his arms. "I was just...shocked? Surprised? I don't even know the term. Because I mean…look at you. You are a goddess baby. I'm actually secretly happy about it." He said winking.

"So that's it? You're okay with it? Because Damon I want to be with you, I really want to but I'm just…not ready." She said.

"No buts I said." He said raising his eyebrow. "When the time will come, I'll make it up to you. I'm going to rock your world and that's a promise." He said with his infamous smirk.

She blushed but then smiled widely at him, kissing him happily. He never ceased to amaze her. Who would have said that he had such a soft side in him? One moment he could be the biggest asshole on the planet and the other he was the sweetest person she'd ever met.

She didn't know why she'd made such a big deal out of it. In the end it turned out just fine and even though she still felt a little uncomfortable about the fact that he now knew she was glad that she'd finally let it out.

"You've plenty of experience though. How am I ever going to be enough? I mean Damon you're a slut, you have to admit it." She said frowning, chuckling in the end.

He gasped a little baffled as his blue orbs widened in shock.

"You did not just say that." He said shaking his head.

"Oh I did. You've been with that slut of Andie, which makes you a slut as well. Deal with it." She said making a grimace.

He groaned rolling his eyes and she wrapped her arms around his neck, giggling as she gave him a big kiss on the cheek.

"If it is of any comfort, my first time was when I was nineteen. Kinda lame for a guy." He said snorting.

"Not true." She said. "Who was she? Was it important?"

"Well kind of. My first experience and all you know." He shrugged. "It was with Rose. I don't know if you remember her but we used to be great friends in high school and one day it just sort of happened."

Elena cringed a little but quickly shrugged the feeling off. She had to accept that he had a past too. What mattered was that he was here with her now.

"I do remember her. She moved out of town a little while after you did." She said as she leaned into his shoulder.

The fresh air of the night and the silence surrounding them was relaxing her and she closed her eyes taking in the moment.

"She went back to England, I guess. I haven't heard from her in years." He said thoughtfully.

They stayed in a comfortable silence for a few minutes just enjoying each other's company and the cool breeze.

He was running his fingers up and down her arm making goose-bumps take form in her body and she was almost falling asleep in his arms. She was feeling so good.

He then glanced at his phone and spoke again.

"What do you think about going to grab something to eat at this pretty nice bakery I know? We've barely eaten and this place makes the best cupcakes ever." He said winking.

She grinned like a chesire cat and kissed his cheek, getting up from the bench and dragging him up too.

"I say yes." She said while wrapping her arms around his waist. "And I think I know which one you're talking about."

"Oh yeah?" He said raising an eyebrow.

"It's that little cozy place at the corner of the town square, right?" She smiled.

"Yup." He smirked as he kissed her nose and wrapped an arm around her shoulder while heading back into the house.

She was feeling pretty worried about Stefan and she wondered if Maria had found him and talked to him. The last thing she wanted was to see Stefan upset even though being hurt and lash out sometimes was okay. But he had to accept her relationship with Damon eventually.

While Stefan and some other people made her feel happy and especially not alone, Damon had slowly become her rock. She couldn't imagine a day without him anymore. She was hardly a needy person but she craved the way he made her feel loved and brightened her up her days.

Not to mention the physical connection. She was starting to feel more comfortable in a lot of ways with him.

They hopped up in his car and then parked five minutes away from the town square. Even the center of the town wasn't very crowded aside from when carnivals or special events were organized.

Dalia's bakery was one of the most famous places in town and she smiled as she remembered when she had to almost drag Stefan out of it during his chubby old times. They still went from time to time and her favorite was the peanuts butter cupcake or the red velvet cake.

They reached it in a few minutes and slided in one of the booths after they entered.

"So what are you taking?" Damon asked leaning closer.

"I obviously want my peanuts butter cupcake. And then maybe we could share a slice of red velvet?" She said making doe eyes and licking her lips.

He shook his head in amusement and chuckled a little.

"You're obsessed with peanuts. I remember taking you that ice-cream that time." He said rolling his eyes.

"You were being a gentleman as I recall." She said smiling. "The first time you were actually being decent to me. I felt so accomplished."

He took her hand in his from across the table and squeezed it smiling at her.

Just then a bubbly blonde waitress came by asking for their orders. Elena convinced Damon to take one of those cupcakes himself and they ordered a slice of red velvet cake to share too and coke to drink.

The place felt so cozy and familiar and being here with Damon was just perfect. The waitress brought them their orders in a few minutes and she immediatly started chewing on her cupcake while Damon looked at her with an amused expression.

"I wanted to ask you." He said as he took a bite himself. "I know that you're working at the Grill and all…but have you thought about what you want to do in the future I mean if you want to do something in particular at all?" He asked, sounding a little nervous about asking her.

He didn't want to be pushy or nosy but Elena was such a smart girl. She was wasted at the Grill.

"Actually I do." She said nodding. "I would love to become a writer one day. I used to write in my journal everyday. I just can't find the inspiration anymore though…" She then said thoughtfully sighing.

"Try and go in a place you love or that you think could inspire you. Just stay there for a while and see if it helps you writing. Starting with your journal again could help, maybe." He said.

She looked at him intently, her eyes shimmering with love. He was always so supportive.

"You're amazing. You know that, right?" She said.

"Yeah you mentioned it once or twice." He said shrugging casually.

She giggled a little and then they started sharing the cake. From time to time he would feed her with his spoon and she loved the intimate looks that they shared.

Their little happy bubble was quickly burst when they heard a too familiar voice.

"Well well, look who's getting cozy. Never saw this coming to be quite honest." Andie said trying to sound nonchalant.

Elena threw an annoyed desperate look at Damon which he reciprocated.

"What a surprise, Andie. Enjoying a night out?" He asked not even bothering to cover up his annoyance.

"I'm actually writing an article about the place and its skills. I was invited to a baseball match but my plastic surgeon doesn't want me to expose myself in any kind of activity where balls fly at my nose or things like that." She said, her eyes longingly lingering on Damon a bit too much.

"There goes your social life." Elena said batting her eye lashes and faking a smile at her.

Oh snap.

Andie's head immediatly turned to look at her, a baffled expression on her face as Damon tried to keep an amused snort catching Elena's double meaning.

"I mean being a reporter and all…you must be doing things like that everyday." She then said casually.

"Sure." Andie said quietly, checking her out with a pissy expression.

Damon threw Elena a proud look for standing up to her and she smiled accomplished.

"I'll leave you guys at it then. It was nice seeing you again Damon." She said smiling tenderly at him which made Elena's insides turn around. "And you too Elena." She then added with a fake smile.

"Same for us." Elena said taking Damon's hand in hers, making a point.

Andie seemed annoyed but quickly left leaving that horrible heavy perfume she always wore behind her.

"Thank god." Elena breathed out rolling her eyes. "Stuck up bitch on high heels. I can't stand her." She muttered.

"Oh c'mon she's not that bad." Damon chuckled.

He immediatly stopped though when he saw Elena throwing daggers at him with her eyes.

"What do you mean with she's not that bad?" She then asked knotting her eyebrows worriedly. "In bed you mean? Is she good?"

Damon almost chocked up on his drink as he started coughing and his eyes widened in shock at Elena's question.

"What the hell Elena?" He said still coughing a little.

"Well I was just saying." She shrugged. "She's a renomated slutty thing and you have been with her. I just want to know Damon I mean when that happens between us I want to be enough for you."

"God you're paranoid." He said rolling his eyes.

He saw a flicker of hurt crossing her face and he immediatly regretted making it come out that way. He just wanted to make her understand once and for all that she already was enough. She already was everything he could ask for.

He got up from his booth and slid next to her so they could talk better.

"You gotta stop worrying so much baby. This kind of paranoia won't do you any good, trust me. You already are enough for me. Enough to say the least." He said holding her chin up.

She pouted a little but then looked up at him with her big brown eyes.

"Okay…" She said reclutantly. "So was she good?" She then asked.

He chuckled a little shaking his head and chastily kissed her on the lips.

"You're too cute for words." He said. "And if you must know…no, she really isn't even worth be reminded of. Horrible mistake." He said cringing.

She smiled satisfied and kissed him again before they finished eating and he left the bill on the table.

They headed out of the bakery and started walking towards Damon's car after taking a little walk. It was a nice feeling to walk having Damon's protective arm wrapped around her shoulder as she snuggled into him.

Suddenly a feeling of bitterness came over her and she turned around to look at him while he was driving.

"Damon?" She asked.

"Mmhm?" He said.

"I…well…" She started hesitantly. "Can I crash at your place tonight? It's just that Jeremy isn't sleeping home today and it's really starting to get me to be all alone in that house you know and…"

"Elena." He quickly stopped her as he laughed a little. "It's okay. More than okay. To my place then?"

"Great. Thanks." She said quietly smiling at him.

Damon tried to keep it casual but he was internally grinning at the thought of Elena sleeping at his apartment. After feeling her sleeping in his arms last night he was craving it now. He didn't know if he would ever sleep any better than he did last night.

They got there a few minutes later and he hoped that she wouldn't be too judgey about the apartment. It wasn't crap but it sure wasn't cozy as her house or comfy as the Boarding House.

He didn't even know if this was the place he wanted if he really moved in Mystic Falls permanently.

Elena seemed quite excited to finally be here and he smiled at the sight she made. She was always smiling around him lately, which wasn't something that she did very often he noticed.

"So this is it." He said with a sigh as he opened the door and led her in.

She looked around a little walking around and then turned around to look at him.

"I like it. It's even pretty big and comfortable, especially if you're on your own." She said.

"Well that's not entirely true." He said as he walked over her.

She smiled that smile that seemed to be reserved just for him and he gently cupped her cheeks, kissing her lips softly and rubbing his nose with hers.

"Promise me you'll stop being paranoid and I'll let you sleep with my favorite t-shirt." He whispered against her lips with a smirk.

She chuckled a little and put her hands on his that were resting on her cheeks.

"I pinky promise you." She said with a chuckle and a nod.

"Good." He said still smirking.

He slapped her butt and she squealed a little.

"Go ahead and feel free to sneak into my things. The t-shirt is the first one on the left side of the first drawer." He said winking.

"Okay." She said yawning a little.

He took his jacket and hers putting them in the closet, locking the door right after. By the time he was done with that stuff he walked in his room finding Elena already curled up in his bed, a tired cute smile on her face.

She was actually laying on his side and he smiled at the sight.

He stripped himself from his clothes and he catched Elena's dreamy eyes when he took off his shirt and showed his sculptorious chest.

"Like what you see?" He asked cockily.

"Nope. I prefer the sight of this comfy pillow." She said teasing him.

He usually slept naked but obviously he was going to at least keep his boxers on with Elena around.

He was pretty exhausted himself but as he was about to crash next to her the doorbell rang. He raised his eyebrows in surprise and he exchanged a confused look with Elena.

"Were you waiting for someone?" She asked.

"No." He said thoughtfully as he got up and put his jeans on before going to open.

A look of utter surprise and then shock crossed his face as he opened the door finding a pretty much beaten up Stefan standing there.