Elena was really distracted. She didn't know how she agreed on that double date thing, or how she didn't even hear her biology teacher was asking her a question. But she didn't care. She had a lot more on her mind than school or hanging out. In fact, she felt like her head was going to explode. But she didn't want to worry Stefan, Jenna, Jeremy or her friends, so she put a brave face and a smile once again, and pretended everything was fine and as normal as it could be.

It was their lunch break and Elena was sitting with her friends, and they were talking about normal stuff, as school, gossips, but her mind was away. She thought about everything that had happened the previous night, and she realized she needed to talk to Damon. She couldn't explain why, but she needed to go see him and talk to him. So she mumbled some excuse and left, telling Stefan to pick her up for the double date with Matt and Caroline. She went to her car and drove straight to the Salvatore boarding house.

Elena knocked at the door, but no one answered. She thought that he might be out, but she decided to check anyway.

"Damon?"

No one answered. She walked around and went to the living room and what she saw there made her tremble. Damon was on the floor with his hands on his eyes, obviously in great pain and there was blood around him. Elena was terrified and she on instinct ran to him.

"Damon, are you ok, what happened?"

He was breathing heavily, blood still running on his face. Elena couldn't imagine what happened, but she wanted to help him. She tried to look at his face, but he turned around.

"It's nothing. You can go."

What had happened to him that he, Damon, didn't want to show her? Was it so brutal that he considered it too much?

"I'm not gonna leave till you tell me what's happened and let me help you."

Damon knew she wasn't going to leave. This girl was stubborn as hell. Just like him. So he decided it was best to use the help.

"Close the curtains."

She ran immediately and closed the curtains, then she went back and kneeled next to him.

"Damon, please, let me see."

He sighed and slowly removed his hands from his eyes that were still bloody and hurt. Elena put her hand on her mouth, not believing her eyes.

"Oh my God! What happened, who did this to you?"

"It's nothing. I'll heal shortly."

"It's not nothing, Damon! How can you say it's nothing? Can you even see anything?"

"A little."

Elena looked at him. At this moment, he looked so vulnerable. And that scared her. Damon was the strongest person she knew and someone managed to this to him. She shivered. Were the vampires from last night? Was it because of her? She needed to know, but before that, she had to help him.

"I'll be back in a second. Don't go anywhere."

She went to the kitchen and moistened a towel. She went back and saw him sitting on the couch now. Elena sat next to him and began tenderly cleaning the blood from his face. She was careful not to hurt him more than he was hurting already. She noticed his eyes were slightly better and she was glad he could heal that fast. She kept gently cleaning the blood from his beautiful face and in that moment, she forgot all about Isobel, the vampires from last night, Stefan… All that was there and mattered in that moment was Damon.

He could barely see Elena's face, but he could recognize the worry in her eyes. Damon wondered why she cared. After all, he'd done nothing but harm to her and her friends. But still, here she was, taking care of him. Damon felt … human around her and he was scared. He was scared that Elena could bring back those emotions, that she could get past the walls he bring around himself. So yeah, he was scared.

Elena finished cleaning the blood. His eyes were now better, she could slightly see their piercing blue color. She knew he was going to be ok, yet she couldn't help but worry and wonder what happened.

"So, are you gonna tell me who did this to you?"

"No."

He said it his typical, stubborn Damon way and this drove Elena insane.

"Why are you doing this? I know someone did this to you, and I want to know who and why."

Damon sighed. This wasn't going to be easy.

"Does it matter? I told it's nothing."

"It's does matter and it's something, Damon. Did the vampires from last night do this to you?"

"The person who did is an old… friend is not suitable in this case. Let's just say it's someone I've known for a really long time. But I will handle this. No need to brood like St. Stefan."

Elena looked at Damon. Even though she wanted to know what happened, she knew it was a lost cause.

"You are not going to tell me anything, are you?"

"Nope."

"At least tell me if I can help you somehow."

"It's fine. It's getting better already. Shortly it will be as nothing happened."

Damon could see she was not satisfied, but he wasn't going to freak her out with the news of the vampire escape yet.

"So, to what do I owe this pleasurable visit?"

His question brought her back to what she really came for, but she didn't felt like it was the right time.

"It's not important."

It took him just a look at her face to know the reason she came.

"What do you want to know?"

"Excuse me?"

"You want answers about Isobel and you are not comfortable with asking Saltzman, that's why you came. So just ask."

He could read her with merely a look at her face. She knew it. Just like she could see past his mask. Whatever this thing between them, the thing they had, the results was that they understood each other and knew what the other one wanted, what the one thought, what the other one needed.

"What is she like?"

"She's pretty, with dark hair and dark eyes like you. She's smart and charming. She knew a lot about vampires when I met her, and she wanted to learn and see everything. I don't know exactly how she found me, I have my suspicions…"

Elena immediately knew what his suspicions were. The thought had passed through her mind too.

"You think somehow Katherine leaded her to you?"

Damon sighed. He couldn't understand how this girl he's know for just several months knew the way he thought better than his brother who had known for over a century and a half. But she did. He took a deep breathe and began explaining.

"I don't know what to think. From one side, if Isobel had met Katherine, why would she need me to tell her about vampires? And why would Katherine lead her to me, since she obviously couldn't care less about me? But could it be just a coincidence she contacted me? I don't know and I probably won't ever find out. But does it matter?"

"I should be asking you this question."

Damon sighed again. He hated the way she made him feel, like he was an open book. He hated that she made him want to put down the façade. But he wouldn't do it. Especially about Katherine, especially when he didn't know the answer of this question.

"Katherine is not the topic of this conversation. So, can we go back to what you want to know about Isobel?"

Elena couldn't not notice Damon tensed as he spoke. She knew the Katherine subject was still painful, and she understood he didn't want to talk about it. Instead, he was willing to give her the answers she needed. Even though she knew what the answer would probably be.

"Did she ever… mention me?"

Damon knew the answer was going to hurt her, but they've gone a long way and he knew that with Elena, the bitter truth was always better than the sweet lie. Something Stefan didn't seem to understand.

"No. All she told me about her life was that she needed to be changed, cause her human wasn't giving her what she wanted."

Elena closed her eyes. She was not surprised. Not at all. But why it still hurt so much?

"Last night, there was this guy she had obviously compelled… He told me to stay away, that she doesn't want to know me. A car hit him and I took his sell. I called the only dialed number, and she picked up. When she heard my voice, she hung up. I guess I really mean nothing to her."

"Her loss."

Elena opened her eyes and looked at him. Damon's eyes were almost healed now. She could perfectly see his intense piercing blue gaze, staring into her deep brown eyes. They could both feel a lot of things in that moment, but mostly a deep and consuming connection. They kept staring at each other, none of them knew for how long. They probably would have stayed like that longer, if Elena's phone didn't ring. That brought them both back to reality.

"Hey, Caroline."

"Hey! Matt and I are meeting you and Stefan at 7 at The Grill, and we'll see what we're gonna do later, ok?"

"Yeah, fine with me."

"Great! See you tonight!"

She hung up. It was a bit strange. To hear about normal things about like their plans for the night again. But she knew she needed this normal break, cause otherwise she was going to explode.

Damon heard the whole conversation. They were obviously going to have a double date. Having fun. Living their lives like normal teenagers. Maybe they were right to do so, even Stefan. And Elena definitely needed it.

"You should probably go. Brother Dearest will be here soon and you'll have some serious explaining to do on why are you here."

"Are you going to be ok?"

"Yes."

She then stood up and started walking to the door. Just when she was about to go, she heard him calling her.

"Elena…"

She turned around and saw he stood up and got closer to her. She wondered what he was about to say, as she couldn't tell what was he thinking about from his expression.

"Avoid going out at night. If you have to, bring someone, preferably your boyfriend. And be careful, even in daytime."

She nodded and smiled.

"You too."

Elena then left and got into her car and Damon watched her as she drove away.