Here we go...

Elena tilted her wrist in the morning sunlight, twisting it this way and that, letting her bracelet shine in the light. Almost a year under a pedal hadn't helped it, but it didn't look too bad, even with a piece of string holding it together. Either way, it was the best she could do under the circumstances so she tugged her sleeve down over it, lest Caroline berate her for crimes against style.

Rolling her eyes Elena made her way to the kitchen for dinner. The food stash had dropped so it would mean another delivery soon. And another delivery meant people... with a vehicle. A smile crossed her face as she grabbed a jar of sauce and a packet of ravioli. Perfect.

Sadly dinners and dish-washing could only take up so much time, and time was the one thing Elena had plenty of since there didn't seem to be any quick way of getting out this mess. She hefted an enormous sigh, her shoulders rising and falling.

"Are you trying to create a hurricane in here?" Damon sauntered in though the door, sniffing the air before catching sight of the jar of sauce on the granite counter. He scowled as though it had committed a crime against humanity by simply sitting there. "Did you use... premade sauce?"

His voice was absolutely scandalised and sent a wave of shame over Elena, even though she had no idea what his problem with convenience was. Mind you, he probably didn't give a damn about convenience, since he lived out in the middle of nowhere with no landline telephones or internet connection. What kind of culinary snob was she staying with?

"Yes!" she cried, throwing her hands up, unable to withstand his accusing blue stare any longer. "I used the sauce. And I liked it." She crossed her arms defiantly, flicking him dirty look.

Nonplussed, Damon took a step closer. "Was it good?"

"Perfect."

He took another step closer, so close she could make out each dark eyelash; so long they were wasted on a man. "See, there's the difference. If you'd done it my way, it would have been sublime."

Elena raised her eyebrows as she skirted around him to hang the dish towel on the radiator to dry. His presence was enough to send her thoughts scattering and she didn't like it. She preferred her thoughts nice and neat, thank you very much. However, at the back of her mind she registered a thrill at the disruption, like the one you get when jumping into piles of autumn leaves, kicking them into the air in flashes of red and gold.

Just as she was processing these unwanted thoughts Damon shifted away to lean on the counter, a tight grin on his face as though he could tell what Elena was feeling. But that was impossible. There was no way he could possibly know that her heart was jumping in her chest, her palms prickling with a light sheen of sweat or that she suddenly felt on edge whenever he directed so much as a glance in her direction. It almost felt like fear. Why was she afraid of him?

Frowning, she added that feeling to the growing pile in the back of her mind.

"What's the face for? Trying to kill me with your glower power?" Damon interrupted her confusion with his teasing.

"Ha, ha." Elena swiped at his arm, slapping him playfully, only laughing genuinely when he pouted and nursed his arm as though she had hurt him, rather than his arm hurting her hand. His arm felt solid, despite his thin frame, and Elena quickly shook her head to clear out any wanton thoughts before they had a chance to form.

He pouted for a few moments before returning to lean against the counter. "So... Blondie and I were thinking the other night we really don't know you that well. We were hoping that you would rectify that situation." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively as if this would involve more than talking.

Warily Elena took a step closer, willing to play his game if only to show that she knew exactly what he was up to. "And what, exactly, would that entail?" she asked, tracing patterns in the countertop, whilst looking up at him from under her eyelashes.

Slowly a smirk spread across Damon's face as he realised she was up for playing his game. The gleam in his eyes sent a crackle of electricity through the air as Elena met his gaze, raising her eyebrows loftily as she folded her arms across her chest. "Anything?" she asked, as she shifted trying to dispel the awkward feeling she was being scrutinised.

"It would involve alcohol and soul-baring." Damon leaned forward to push a loose strand of hair out of Elena's eyes just as he said 'baring'. Little shivers trickled their way down her back and she had to bite her lip to prevent a sigh escaping. "Mostly on your part though," he clarified with a smile that promised she would regret ever stumbling into his strange game. It seemed to have the aim of unnerving the opponent by whatever means necessary. It just so happened that he had an arsenal of weapons at his disposal.

Elena took a deep steadying breath, before lifting her gaze to meet his. "Do your worst," she challenged.

He gave a dark chuckle. "Did you really expect anything less?" Damon reached past Elena to slide open a drawer and grabbed a bottle opener. "Shall we?" he asked, holding out his arm, bent at the elbow.

Elena hesitated for only a second before accepting the offer, flicking her long hair over her shoulder. If she was going down, might as well jump, at least that way she had a modicum of control over the situation. Mind you, she couldn't say it would stay that way if Damon and Caroline were going to be plying her with alcohol all night. However backing down now wasn't an option. It would be akin to chickening out of a dare, and everyone knows the forfeit is always worse.

In the parlour Caroline let out a squeal of delight when she saw Elena was going to join their little drinking game. At least, Elena hoped it was only drinking. She wasn't sure how much debauchery she could stand to witness. Smiling only slightly nervously, she made her way over to the settee, shuffling backwards until she felt the cushions supporting at her back. She had a feeling it was going to be a long night.

Caroline quickly shoved a glass into Elena's hand and plopped down beside her, positively radiating enthusiasm as Damon raided a suspiciously well-stocked drinks cabinet, surfacing with a few bottles that clinked with every step he took towards the girls, only pausing when he stopped to kick the door closed with his foot, his eyes never leaving the pair.

Already Elena was feeling nervous. What was the worst question they could ask? Really? There was nothing to be afraid of. A voice at the back of her head scoffed at this thought. The goosebumps were already breaking out across her skin. Again, she got the feeling that she should be afraid of Damon, but she couldn't quite determine why.

Trying to ignore her inexplicable paranoia, she accepted a shot of whisky poured by Damon.

Hours later...

"I used to be fun. I did!" Elena emphasised as though someone had tried to doubt her statement.

"So what happened to turn you into a boring bore?" Caroline asked. "And I say that with complete sensitivity." She had the decency to look suitably apologetic as she raised a bottle to her lips to cover her awkwardness.

Elena snorted and exchanged a smirk with Damon. "Caroline, you are many things, but sensitive isn't one of them."

Caroline pouted, crossing her arms across herself, before nodding in agreement. "Okay. Point taken. So what am I then?"

"Blonde and buxom!" Damon toasted her, taking a swig from his beer, sending a lascivious wink in her direction. Caroline immediately fell into a bout of giggles, occasionally interrupted with a hiccup which only made her giggle more whilst Damon and Elena watched, eyebrows raised.

Elena turned to face him, angling her body so she was lounging across from him. "So if she's blonde and buxom, what am I?"

"You," he leaned over and tapped her nose, laughing as she wrinkled it in response, "are... a hot-headed honey." He leaned back to rest against the couch, his arms crossed smugly over his chest as Elena's mouth dropped open comically.

"A hot-headed honey? What does that mean?" she asked, almost snappishly. Sure, Caroline got the compliments on her appearance and Elena got told she was an impatient airhead.

Damon raised his eyebrows as she proves the point he was making. "It means," he drawled, "that you are quick to rush into things without thinking through the consequences and are passionate about those you care about but have a hint of sweetness about you." He paused to allow what he saying to sink in. "It also means you have a fiery temper that a guy could burn himself on." He quirked his eyebrow as he stared intently into Elena's dark eyes, that quickly dropped to the floor as she swallowed deeply.

Damn Damon, drink and ... another 'd' word. Her head was foggy with the drink that Damon kept flowing freely, not caring about ages. She knew there was something she liked about him. The hangover the next day probably wouldn't share the sentiment though.

"How would you know?" she pouted. "You've never seen me mad."

If Damon had pissed her off enough to warrant a reaction Elena was willing to bet that she would remember the fall-out as she wasn't one to let things slide and Damon was the kind of person to give as good as he got. It would be a bitter battle to the end. Idly, she noticed her drunken doppelganger liked alliteration. Good to know, she supposed.

Beside her on the floor where she and Damon had ended up slouching with their backs against the settee where Caroline was lounging, he gave her a knowing glance. "I have so," he informed her. "It's like seeing a chipmunk on acid."

Elena's jaw dropped open , forming a perfect 'o' before she clamped it shut, folding her arms across her chest while Caroline peeled into another fit of laughter.

"Just like that!" Caroline slurred pointing at her friend.

Huffing Elena took another swig from the bottle, turned out Damon did have a little appreciation for convenience, with the pile of bottles stacking up around them and the glasses long since discarded. For a moment she struggled with her curiosity but quickly caved in. "At least tell me what you did!" Elena exclaimed.

Adopting a bored expression Damon rotated his wrist holding the beer as he launched into a monotone recital. "I woke up this morning, which involved opening my eyes, folding the duvet back, standing up, taking approximately twenty-six steps to the bathroom where I-"

"That's enough!" Elena interrupted, her cheeks flushing and flooding her face with warmth. "I meant what did you do to annoy me, you idiot."

A dangerous gleam entered his eyes and Elena had the fuzzy feeling she had seen that look on him before. A coil of fear unravelled in her stomach as she anticipated danger, a feeling she didn't understand. She thought she had felt fear before but this far surpassed any terror upon seeing a huge spider. It was the closest thing to absolute terror she had felt since the car accident that had seen her and her parents drive off a bridge before becoming submerged in water. These thoughts made her close her eyes in an attempt to slow her breath before she had a full-blown panic attack. Calm down she instructed herself. You're safe...

Her eyes flickered open and she flinched to see Damon leaning in close, once again invading her personal space. Maybe if she wasn't in such a bad frame of mind she wouldn't have minded but as it was she did. Rapidly losing her patience, which was shortened by the alcohol, she raised a hand to ward him off.

Taking no heed of her non-verbal warning, he pressed his chest against her hand and she struggled to keep her thoughts away from how he felt beneath her touch.

"It went a tiny bit like this," he whispered in a low voice, his breath tickling her flushed skin. His eyes connected with hers, the pupils dilating so rapidly Elena had to blink to clear the fog from her head. She was never drinking again if it caused her this fear and hallucinations. "You want to kiss me."

Elena felt her head tilting towards his, seemingly of its own accord. There was a tense moment of anticipation. She felt her eyes drawn to Damon's mouth as his tongue swept over his lower lip. Then she burst out laughing, leaning back against the couch where she only now recalled Caroline was lounging.

"I can see how that would piss me off," she grinned. "Don't try that again. Never tell me what to do or treat me like one of your playthings. No offense, Care."

"None taken," Caroline murmured sleepily.

Damon's mouth had dropped open before snapping shut in a thin line, his brows knitted together in a way that suddenly seemed to justify Elena's earlier panic. Giving Elena a once-over he shrugged, before taking another swig of beer. "Must be having an off-night," he muttered darkly, shooting Elena another suspicious glance.

Thanks for all the reviews for the last chapter! Some of you were ahead of the game and guessed the power of the bracelet, you cleverclogs.

Please review- it immunises you against writer's rage :P