"What?" Both Salvatore brothers spoke at the same time, their mouths open in shock. Did Elena really just offer her blood to Damon?

"I mean I fit the bill. I'm someone who Damon has met and befriended. And I am still alive," Elena explained, glancing at Damon with a small smile. She considered Damon to be a true friend now; something she wouldn't have said when he first arrived in Mystic Falls. Things have changed. She'd come to trust Damon, rely on him and seek his help whenever she was stumped. Yes, Damon was definitely her friend.

"Are you sure about this Elena?" Bonnie asked. She was looking at her friend like she had truly lost her mind. On one side, Elena understood her friend's reaction, but on the other hand, Bonnie should have known better. There were not many people in the world – still alive – who knew Elena Gilbert as well as Bonnie did. Elena simply hoped her childhood friend will be able to understand her once more.

"I can do this Bonnie. Trust me." Elena said looking at her friend. She knew that they didn't have a lot of time to discuss this matter and they needed a decision quickly. Elena looked at Damon, who was now lounging on the couch having showered and gotten clean. She noticed changes immediately when he came downstairs. His skin was back to normal, well normal for a vampire. Elena also noticed his forehead was no longer covered in sweat and he was no longer grinding his teeth in pain.. Yeah, the potion definitely worked but it wasn't a cure.

Stefan had not spoken since Elena's suggestion. Having Damon drink from his ex-girlfriend made something inside him twitch. He knew that Elena was right, but that didn't mean he had to like it. He thought about the alternative. Maybe being human wouldn't be so bad. He had lived more than long enough, but he didn't want to die. In the end, this option seemed like the better of the two.

Stefan wondered what would happen if Elena turned out to be Damon's soul mate after all. He loved Elena. He didn't really know how to feel. His relationship with Elena had been rocky lately. Did he still love Elena? Yes, but he realized that what he felt for her wasn't as strong as it used to be. If they never got back together again, he could handle it. It wouldn't completely destroy him like it would've before.

Stefan knew that Damon loved Elena and he also knew that Elena loved Damon. How much? He wasn't sure. If Elena did feel something for Damon or if it turned out that she was indeed Damon's soul mate, Stefan would probably be happy for them. Damon deserved happiness even though he didn't believe he did.

"We don't have time to waste on this guys. I say we give it a try." Elena said, glancing at everyone in the room. She was trying to make them all see that they were wasting precious time. Time they didn't have.

"Can I speak with my brother for a second please?" Damon said looking at Stefan.

"Of course." Elena said grabbing Bonnie's hand and going out to the front porch again.

Once the girls were out of earshot, Damon spoke. "Stefan, I need to know what you're thinking. Elena has some valid points. I mean she's probably the only living friend I have now. It's worth a try at least. But I need to know where your head is at. I mean, I need to know you're ok with this."

Stefan nodded "I think Elena is right. Let her try and help you. You know her, she won't stop until she does something to help. And I appreciate you taking my feelings into account even though Elena and I aren't together anymore. It means a lot to me Damon, thank you."

"You're welcome and thank you." Damon said. He didn't have to say what he meant out loud because Stefan nodded in acknowledgment.

**Damon&Elena**

Meanwhile outside on the porch, Bonnie and Elena were having a conversation of their own. Elena was leaning against the railing while Bonnie was doing the same against the heavy, wooden door.

"Have you really thought this through Elena?" Bonnie said in a worried tone.

"Yes, I'm sure Bonnie. I trust Damon, he won't intentionally hurt me" Elena said confidently. She knew that Damon could be careful when he was drinking from her. He had more self control than Stefan did. Elena was sure that she would be ok.

Stefan appeared then to let them know that they could come back inside. Elena took a seat on the couch before speaking.

"So, are we doing this or not?" Elena asked.

"Stefan and I agreed that I will try your idea," Damon took a deep breath before continuing. " I know the chances that you are my soul mate are ridiculous, but I still want to try. It's a better alternative to Mr. Sacrifice here-" Damon pointed at Stefan. "to give up his immortality."

Stefan tilted his head slightly but said nothing. Elena nodded in understanding. "We can do it here in the parlor or in my room for some privacy. Up to you." Damon continued looking at Elena.

Elena thought about which of the two options was better. On one hand, she could let Damon drink from her while Bonnie and Stefan watched. They weren't doing anything wrong. On the other hand, she knew watching Damon drink from her might be hard on Stefan. Elena dreaded upsetting Stefan any more. He was already devastated at the thought of losing his only living relative, she didn't want to add to it. Maybe it would be better if they went into Damon's room for some privacy. With that in her mind, she made her decision.

Elena wondered what Stefan must be thinking about this situation. Was he mad at her for doing this? Elena didn't know. He was standing next to the fireplace, looking at her intently. "Can I speak to you Stefan? Just for a minute."

"Of course." Stefan replied leading her outside, so they could speak privately.

"I just wanted to know if you were really ok with this. I mean, I know we aren't together anymore, but I still care about your feelings. I want to make sure you are really ok with all this. It matters to me." Elena explained looking into Stefan's eyes.

"Like I told Damon, thank you for thinking about my feelings on this. However, I am ok with it Elena. I know that Damon won't hurt you and I'll be there to help if something does go wrong, though I doubt it will. Damon's self-control is back to normal thanks to Bonnie's potion, so I'm not worried about him losing it." Stefan explained.

Elena smiled sadly as Stefan finally stopped his little ramble. Damon hurting her was not the problem and both she and Stefan were very much aware of it. They both knew Damon's extraordinary self-control was now back and that Elena was not going to be in danger. Trying to avoid the real issues has always been a problem in their relationship. But this time, Elena felt it necessary to address the real problem. "Ok, but what if I am Damon's soul mate?" Elena asked looking at Stefan seriously.

"What would you do if you were?" Stefan asked.

"If I am…I don't know. I would be happy that he'd be ok and cured for sure. I'm happy to have him in my life and I would hate to lose him. As for the other part, I haven't given it much thought to be honest. I am going to be honest with you Stefan," she tucked her hair behind her ear nervously. She didn't want to hurt Stefan, but she felt she owed him the truth. "My feelings for Damon have…" she stopped.

"You feel something for him, don't you? Something more than friendship I mean." Stefan asked.

Elena bit her lip nervously. "Yes. Yes, I do."

Stefan nodded and smiled softly. He had a hunch that there was more to it that Elena had left out but didn't press her. "We should get back inside. Damon is waiting. I will be fine. I promise."

"Ok." Elena said nodding. She and Stefan went back inside where Damon and Bonnie were waiting patiently.

"We can do this in your room." Elena said looking at Damon who gave a simple nod before getting up from the couch.

Damon took Elena's hand in his, giving it a firm squeeze as if to reassure her that everything will be alright. They both felt a jolt of electricity rush through them, but they both acted like nothing happened. As he led her to his room, Damon could hear Elena's heart thumping in her chest as fast as it could go. He had to admit that he might trade his immortality to know what she was thinking at that moment.

Elena was starting to feel the nerves creep up on her and tried her hardest to calm herself. As they walked upstairs to Damon's room, Elena glanced one last time at Stefan before they went inside.

**Damon&Elena**

"Are you really ok with this? Don't you think it's wrong? I mean what if he accidently kills her?" Bonnie said looking at Stefan in surprise. Bonnie knew that something was going on between the elder Salvatore and her best friend. One had to be blind not to see it. Their connection to each other. How they could communicate without words. The glances exchanged between them. How Elena truly cared for Damon. So much so that, it allowed her to save Damon and Stefan from the fire on Founder's Day.

"I am ok with it because I trust Elena to know what she's doing. I trust Damon will not hurt her. He has his self-control back, so I know Elena will be safe. And we don't have many options according to Damon. Not to mention that we don't have a lot of time to look for other potential people." Stefan tried explaining his reasoning to the young witch.

"What if it turns out that Elena is Damon's soul mate Stefan?" Bonnie asked.

"I think we should wait and see what happens first before jumping to conclusions Bonnie." Stefan answered. He had to admit that just like Elena, he too had thought of the possibility. As soon as Bonnie gave them the second clue, Stefan knew Elena would fit the bill. He had accepted that he and Elena had drifted apart. He would be lying to himself if he didn't acknowledge how close his brother and his ex-girlfriend had become. So if it turned out that Elena and Damon were soul mates, he will be able to deal with it.

"Ok Stefan, if you're sure." Bonnie said.

"I am Bonnie, but I appreciate the concern."

Stefan and Bonnie sat on the couch as they waited for Damon and Elena to complete the blood drinking.