To Save You

(A/N: For more, review.)

Old. Dark. Gray. Haunted. Death. That's all I saw at the Salvatore house. And no matter how much I tried to push back the nagging feelings, the tugging at my skin that begged me to turn in the other way, I had to walk in. I'd made a promise. Focus.

I was here to see Elena. Go.

Elena who insisted on living here so that no one could hurt the Salvatore brothers. Going now.

My body seemed to move of its own accord, making it to the front door and pushing it open boldly. "Elena!" I called out trying to see if she was here. We had plans for a Girls Day Out, one of our futile attempts at being normal again.

It was strange to be in this old house, filled with so many memories. The energy was so thick, it nearly suffocated me. And I was sure that Damon was here.

"Elena, come on!" I yelled as if I were entering a dark, endless cave trying to get my friend to come to the light before it was too late.

There was no response, nothing that signaled any sign of life except …. a host of giggles and uproar that caught my attention. Maybe she was watching T.V. and didn't hear me? As I got closer it sounded much more live … because it wasn't the T.V.

The door was slightly cracked open when my eyes feel upon the sight of two girls. Two girls and Damon. Don't watch.

But I was submissive to it and my feet were planted where they were. I only moved to crouch down some when I thought I'd been discovered. I watched Damon touch and kiss and flirt with these girls openly. As his mouth touched theirs, I wished and imagined that it was me. Again.

Then, I started to judge my beauty up against theirs. They win.

Had it not been for the thing I saw next, more clothing being removed until the trio was left with just their underwear on, I felt hot liquid boil in my throat. I had to let it out. Run.

But I couldn't , not until Damon stared at me as he pierced the girl's naked flesh with his sharp fangs. I felt sick and embarrassed for being caught. And then I felt fear.

Even though it had only been a few weeks since the near-death-incident and my body was still in recovery, I ran as fast as I could down the stairs. When I missed the next step, I prepared myself for a hard fall, reaching for something to stabilize me.

"You should be more careful." Damon's sarcastic voice whispered into my ear as he caught me, just in time. I started to feel weak and helpless like I did during the fire, feeling like we were reliving that moment again.

"I was looking for Elena." I managed to get out, unable to disguise my heavy breathing even with a calm, even voice.

"And you found my bedroom instead. Funny how that all worked out. But you're welcome there, any time." I narrowed my eyes as he said this. There it was. Here was the Damon that I hated. One more comment and I wouldn't be able to control the fire from within.

"You can put me down now." I demanded. "Ass." I whispered under my breath when he didn't do so immediately.

Damon smirked. "Stalker." He whispered back playfully, stroking my hair. Damn it.

"I'll wait for Elena in the car." He placed me on the ground carefully, still using one of his arms to support my weight.

"What about your … leg?" He pointed at it. "You're hurt. Again." Damon clinched his jaw together as though he were thinking about the same thing that I was. The fire. The rescue. The earth-shattering kiss.

"I wouldn't want you to get the idea that it's okay to kiss me again, so I'll manage." I turned my back to him and pressed my lips together, urging them to stop burning. I could imagine his cool body—Stop it.

"But you liked it." Damon responded in his sickeningly accurate way. Was he reading my mind or something?

"Damon, I want nothing to do with you. I barely even remember what happened." I turned around, adrenaline pumping. "And just so you know … You are a murderous, sick monster and there's nothing that you have that I need. So please … just stay out of my way."

"Have it your way." Damon brushed past me as though he wasn't fazed at all by my insults. And he might not have been. If he felt the way I did about that kiss, than he would care, but I was guessing that is aloofness meant that he didn't care? Why should he?

With a grunt of frustration, I tried to move towards the door, but found myself in more pain than before. I kept going until I felt hands on my waist, cold hands.

"What are you doing?"

"You'll never make it outside. Let me help-"

"No. I've got it." In pushing him off, I managed to tumble to the floor, hard. I shouldn't have left the crutches. When I looked up, instead of seeing a pompous face, there was concern. True, genuine emotion coming from Damon. "Don't make me ask for help." I sighed, giving in as I once again felt my body pressed against his cold chest. He carried me into the living room and placed me on the couch.

"Have you been resting?" He wondered, getting serious suddenly.

"It's just a little scratch. I'm not going to let that hold me back." I knew he was talking about the broken bones and bruises from the incident, but I was determined to keep living normally … and I didn't want to tip off my parent's radar.

"Do you want me to … see if everything's okay?" Damon asked me as I nodded and tried to ignore the fact that his hands were on my bare skin. The coolness almost burned, temporarily relieving me of any pain I was feeling before. When his hands moved, I was back to reality.

And then I exhaled deeply.

"Are you okay?"

"Why do you care?" I looked at him, keenly. How was I even remotely attracted to a guy that was about to have two women for lunch, after sleeping with them? What the hell was wrong with me? You're into him. "Damon…" I urged, wanting him to say the impossible.

"You haven't been to the doctor have you?" He wondered, tracing his hands around my still-raw burns. He started from my lower back but noticed that the burns went up to the top of my shoulder and right below my collar bone.

"It's fine." I hissed, but I didn't protest when the ends of my shirt went further and further into the air until it was no longer touching my body. Damon quickly scooped me up again and moved me to the kitchen counter where he could see me better.

"I'm going to take care of this, okay?" He warned me, sliding down the left side of my bra strap as I nodded. I could feel my heart rate pick up. Stay calm. He's just being nice. It doesn't mean anything.

"Can you … get to it?" I barely voiced. "You can … get the back." I offered, pulling my hair to the front of my shoulders to cover my breasts. My back felt free, but I was nervous, breathing intensely and I'm sure that he noticed.

"I won't hurt you." He promised, cleaning and wrapping bandages around my burn wounds. I clutched my arms around my chest keeping my eyes lowered. I was ashamed. And suddenly, I no longer felt cold hands on my body. It's over.

I breathed a sigh of relief and looked up. Damon caught my gaze. And instinctively we were moving into each other, closer and closer. I could feel his cold flesh against my lips before it happened. And then I turned so that it wouldn't happen.

"I can't."

"Scared that I'll ruin your virtue or … whatever?"

"No. Last time it was inevitablebecause of the situation. You saved my life. If you kiss me now and I let you, it'll mean … something that I can't force myself to understand or believe in."

"Oh you want the lovey dovey high school sweetheart, true love waits kind of guy." Damon backed away seemingly unscarred, and back to making stupid little jokes about people's standards. "Or I'm not human enough for you?"

"No and Yes." I responded as Damon stopped to look at me as if I were changing my mind. It wasn't that. "He just has to be alive. And not an asshole. And not someone I hate, someone who my Grams died for. Someone so evil-" As I was off ranting on my list, Damon scooped me up, placing my legs on either side of him. I stopped speaking and he stole a kiss from me.

One long, stupid, meaningless kiss… at least that's what I'd tell myself when I thought about it later. It's not that amazing. Not to mention my bare, exposed back and the overwhelming intensity of it all. I wanted to have him forever in that moment. I wished that it was that simple, that I could forgive what he was and what he'd done.

"Don't kiss me again." I demanded, but my mouth found his and I pressed my naked breasts against his bare chest. In the midst of it all I didn't know how we both ended up topless, our skin inseparable. Slut. When I'd composed myself again, Damon spoke.

"I'm sorry about your Grams." He muttered, running his mouth down the side of my neck. Panic and fear rose in my chest. He was going to bite me. Run.

"No!" I yelled pushing him off with my thoughts, a power I never knew that I had until that moment.

As I shoved my hoodie back on, Elena and Stefan walked into the house joyfully.

"What's going on here?" Elena asked, noticing the clothes and the ground and that I had just slipped my other arm into the hoodie.

"I was waiting on you." I whispered simply, tears in my eyes that barely masked the fear. "Let's go."

"Bonnie." She called back at me as I kept walking.

"Damon?" Stefan looked to his brother for answers, but by then he had already run off.

(A/N: Found it! I want your opinions about where this should go. I won't make it too long, but you asked for this pairing so … I also have another part to Chance Encounter, Punching Bag and another one that I haven't even posted yet. –NL)