Chapter 4

Elena wandered up to the entrance of the boarding house pushing the door knowing it'd be unlocked. Alaric was sat on the stairs obviously waiting patiently for her arrival; he looked up as she walked in. He noticed that she had been crying, "Elena, are you alright?" He stood up facing her.

"I don't really want to talk about it, is that alright?" She replied so softly and quietly he struggled to hear her.

Alaric didn't really know what to say so he played safe and casually nodded at her direction.

Elena let out a deep breath running her fingers through her hair, "Take me to him then?"

He nodded and they walked their way down to the basement towards where he kept Damon. He stopped in his tracks and turned back round his gaze on Elena, "I'll be upstairs. I guess you'll want your privacy with him. But if you need me shout and I'll be straight down, alright?"

Elena smiled at him appreciatively, "Thanks."

Elena braced herself before opening the steel cold door that kept Damon inside, "Damon?" She looked over and saw him sat on the ground. She expected him to look up at her but he stayed looking at the ground. She stayed stay for a couple minutes when suddenly Damon quickly blurred pushing her against the wall.

"Damon, stop it you're hurting me!" Elena whimpered.

"I'm hurting you? You've done nothing but hurt me Elena. I'm sick of being second choice to everyone." Damon replied his eyes started to change and his teeth on show.

"Damon, don't do this please. Tell me what's wrong." Elena replied, trying to show she wasn't scared of what he might do to her.

"Katherine came to me the other night." Damon told her; Elena stayed silent hoping that they just talked and nothing else, "Asking about the precious angel Stefan demanding I find him for her. Everyone wants Stefan, so now I have to find Stefan and bring him back for that psychotic bitch over wise she'll hurt you Elena. The funny thing is I shouldn't care if she rips your head to pieces." He backed away from Elena settling back on the ground.

Elena stood there for a bit watching him closely, realizing he was never a threat to him. She slowly walked over to him kneeling down she wrapped her arms around him. He didn't hug her back but he didn't shove her away so she took that as a good sign, "I'm glad you care Damon." She whispered resting her head on him, "I care about you too."

Damon instantly pushed her away from him so hard she hit the wall, "It's Stefan Elena, and it's always going to be Stefan!" He growled.

Tyler was round over Elena's too, hanging about with Jeremy as they had got surprisingly close considering everything and the issues they had together a couple of years ago. They were playing PS3 when they heard arguing from Elena's room. They decided to go have a peek. Tyler knocked on the door, "Hey is everything alright?" He opened the door noticing Elena was gone.

The two girls looked at each other and then back at the two boys, "We're fine." Bonnie replied trying to hide her annoyance.

Caroline sighed, "She's mad at Elena for ditching us and rushing over to see Damon."

Tyler smirked, "Just because of girls' night? No boys allowed that crap?" Caroline shook her head.

"Damon doesn't deserve someone like Elena. What is wrong with her? He's going to hurt her I know it."

Jeremy spoke up taking a seat next to Bonnie, "Elena has changed Damon, and we all see it. Why can't you?"

Bonnie shook her head sighing, "I don't want him to hurt her."

Caroline smiled knowing she was just being overprotective to Elena and wrapped her arms around Bonnie, "Don't worry. We have a badass vampire," Caroline smiled while the Tyler and Jeremy looked confused wondering who that would be, "Me. Duh." Caroline answered their question. Tyler smirked while Jeremy laughed.

"Yeah you're a real threat Care." Tyler laughed.

She frowned at the replies, "Anyway you have me. You – a super witch and a werewolf that can kill him with a little bite. We'd kick his ass if he ever hurt Elena.

Bonnie loosened up a bit and smiled as Jeremy kissed her softly on the cheek, "Don't worry." Jeremy replied back to her.

"Why don't you and Jeremy hang out to distract your mind?" Caroline suggested.

Bonnie gave her a quick glance, "What about you?"

"I'm fine staying with Tyler, so go." She pushed gently on Bonnie making her stand up, "Have fun, don't do anything I wouldn't...oh wait." Bonnie laughed at her comment.

Caroline and Tyler stayed in Elena's room, just cuddling on the bed when she moved her head so she could look at him, "Are we just friends? cause we slept together and now it feels slightly more awkward not knowing what we are?"

Tyler looked down at her, admiring her outspoken behavior, "I haven't really thought about it but I like you Caroline."

"As friends?" She asked.

Tyler smirked, "A bit more than that Care," He stroked her hair softly, "But I think friends is all I can be to you right now. I'm not too sure if a vampire and a werewolf would make the best couple." He laughed taking this as a joke.

Caroline instantly felt upset, she knew it wasn't his fault and maybe he was right. But she didn't want to be his booty call for when he needed something. She really wanted something more and he was just joking about it, "I'm gonna go home." She moved away from Tyler standing up.

Tyler with a confused look on his face just replied, "Uh...okay. You alright? Was it what I said?"

She faked a smile shaking her head, "I'm fine just tired."

Elena stayed silent not really knowing what to say or how to make him feel better even though she was fairly certain if she said those three little words to him, that would change things but she couldn't...could she? She watched as Damon stood up walking over to her, he grabbed her making her stand up on her feet and he just looked into her eyes.

"I can't stand either of you, get out." He growled pushing her towards the door.

"No!" Elena said loudly, "I'm not leaving Damon. I care for you. I'm over Stefan. It's not always Stefan to be anymore." She wrapped her arms around his strong body.

He stayed still before carefully moving her head so he could look into her eyes, she looked up in his eyes and all he could see was worry. He pushed his lips roughly against hers. She stayed still for a moment letting him kiss her before she gave into her stubborn nature and kissed him back running her fingers through his hair. Damon was the first to break away from the kiss breathing heavier than normal.

"You're beautiful Elena. I love-" Damon started before Elena went back to kissing him. She didn't want those three words told to her yet. She wasn't sure why, but she was afraid of hearing them.

Alaric was pacing around the room upstairs, he was torn between giving them privacy and storming down there to see what's happening. "what if something happened to her?" He was very protective over Elena now that all her family had pretty much gone apart of Jeremy and since technically he's Elena's step-dad he felt more it was his duty almost to look over her now. He decided to go with his instincts and he walked down the steps to the basement. He listened out half expected to hear Elena scream but it was fairly quiet. He carefully peered through the metal framed window and his face dropped at what he saw.

Damon heard breathing, knowing it wasn't Elena, he broke away from the kiss and saw Alaric peering through.

"Uh...I was just seeing if Elena was alright." Alaric smirked, "But from the looks of it everything seems fine."

Elena moved away from Damon opening the metal door not saying a word as she slipped out and ran up the stairs quickly grabbing her bag and shoes running out of the house as soon as the cold dark air hit her. She stopped. Alaric came outside, "What was that about?"

She turned her head and saw Alaric looking concerned.

"You going to just leave him like that?" Alaric asked slightly surprised, "It's okay to love him Elena."

Elena in-denial snapped back, "I don't love him."

He rose an eyebrow at her not convinced, "Who are you trying to convince? Me? Or yourself?"

"Elena." Damon appeared.

Elena looked away, as Damon started walking to her she backed away even more, "So you love me?"

"No Damon." She tried to sound convincing.

"Well look at that, how sweet." All 3 pairs of eyes turned and saw Katherine.

Elena frowned, "What are you doing here?"

"Well since you've followed in my footsteps having both brothers, you can now keep Damon for some time and it makes sense that I finally get to enjoy Stefan all by myself. So, your boyfriend here is going to help me get back Stefan." She moved her gaze from her twin back to Damon, "Aren't you Damon?"

"I never agreed to anything." Damon insisted.

Katherine smiled, "I think you did over wise you'd know the penatly." She looked over at Elena, "So me and your boyfriend are going on a road trip and finding Stefan."

Elena shook her head, "No." She only just started feeling happy again and that was all Damons doing. She couldn't handle being alone again. She just couldn't. She looked over at Damon hoping he'd disagree with Katherine and say he wouldn't go that he'd stay here and protect her and make her happy. Elena looked over at Damon, her eyes showing worry and uncertainty and it broke his heart to see her looking like that. Instead of just ignoring Katherine he turned off his emotions not caring that Elena would be upset if he left.

"So, what's it to be?" Katherine impatiently demanding an answer, "Have sweet dear Elena killed or come with me and help me get Stefan back? Cause I know what my answer would be, although I am tempted to just settle for her death too. It would make getting Stefan back a bit more easier too."

Elena really hoped he wouldn't go with her, Damon only recently got over his Katherine obsession and it was a really dark place and more importantly she needed him by her side. And more importantly what if they came back and Damon was back in love with her, it's not like she could go back to being with Stefan after everything has happened, she was in love with Damon and she wouldn't be able to hide that from Stefan. It would also break her heart to see Damon and Katherine together. Damon just kept his gaze on Elena, unsure of what to do. Keep Elena safe by going with Katherine and hope the trip doesn't last that long or risk staying with Elena and doing everything possible to keep her away from Katherine.

"Tik tok, tik tok." Katherine muttered making Elena really want to slap her.

Damon sighed and removed his gaze from Elena returning it to Katherine opening his mouth to answer her question.

AN: Hi, so this is the fourth chapter hope I did Katherine justice :) I uploaded this chapter but decided to add a bit to it and I completely forgot to do a 'AN' so I deleted it and reposted it so sorry if you get emails saying 2 new chapters, aha. This is the longest chapter I've done so i hope it's alright :) Please review, it makes me so happy someone actually likes my story :) reviews are my inspiration so :) any ideas or themes you want in the story? i'm up for some advice :)

thank you for reaading :)