First off, thank you SO much for all the encouraging comments! This being my first ever post, I never expected so many people to subscribe to my story. That being said, I hope this chapter doesn't disappoint.

Chapter 2: Shattered Glass

"Damon!" Elena finally choked out, after what seemed like an infinite moment of silence. She quickly hid her left arm behind her back, hoping to conceal her achingly distorted hand. "Can't you just not sneak up on me like that for once in your life?"

"Now where would the fun in that be?" Damon smirked, his eyes flashing as he lifted an eyebrow at her. "Besides, I'm technically not 'alive', as you very well know."

Elena sighed and rolled her eyes, starting to take a step past him when-

"Don't move." Damon had noticed that Elena was standing barefoot surrounded by a smattering of crystal shards; Elena looked down around her feet, realizing she had entirely forgotten about her slip up even though it had happened just a few moments earlier. He quickly closed the distance between them, the bits of crystal crunching under his black boots. He glanced briefly at her before wrapping his arm around her back and placing the other behind her knees, scooping her up with just as much ease as when he had carried her away from her wrecked vehicle that night so many months ago. The harmless gesture had Elena's shoulder blades screaming in protest; she bit down on her bottom lip to stop any noise from escaping her.

Damon crossed the room and gently laid Elena down on the couch near the fireplace. Seeing that she had relaxed and was reclining against the pillow, he dragged an overstuffed chair near her and sank down into it. Elena placed her left hand in her lap, painfully covering it with her right in hope that Damon wouldn't notice. She was grateful that the bruises on her arm hadn't started showing through yet. She looked slightly away from him, trying to shield her swollen jaw from his view. She couldn't appear weak and vulnerable, not in front him.

"So, might I ask what has driven you into such a state that you tried to take my favorite scotch? I'm very disappointed in you." Damon clicked his tongue. "Contrary to popular belief, all you had to do is ask me. I enjoy playing drinking games with you." He winked, hoping to soften her stony expression.

Elena let out a whoosh of pent up air. "I was just trying to get my headache to go away." She spoke to the wall, still not meeting his gaze; she was afraid of what she would find there. A deafening silence followed the brief exchange. She could feel his eyes on her; his concerned, unrelenting gaze was eating away at her bones. Unable to stand it any longer, she turned toward him, forgetting her bruised jaw, and met his impossibly blue eyes with her own. Damon opened his mouth to speak, but seemed to abandon the words, his dark eyebrows drawing together questioningly. He shifted closer to the edge of his chair, leaning forward as his eyes searched her face.

"What happened here?" he asked in a curious, yet gentle voice as he brushed his finger down her jaw line with a feather-light touch. She flinched, and he pulled away carefully, not wanting to hurt her.

"It's not a big deal," she replied, her voice a little unsteady. "I just slipped in the shower and hit my jaw on the lever, that's all."

Damon eyed her with suspicion, his gaze boring into Elena's soft eyes. He could almost feel waves of melancholy washing down her. Wanting to do something, anything to ease her pain, he slid his hand under her right one, lacing his fingers with her left hand against his better judgment. Elena let out a cry of pain, her whole body jerking the moment he applied pressure to her broken fingers. Eyes widening in alarm, he quickly withdrew his hand, inwardly cringing in distress as she whimpered uncontrollably. He caught her moistened eyes with his, and held them there as he gently slid his hand under her palm and lifted it toward him with the gentlest of pressure. Upon closer examination, he noticed that four of her fingers were swollen purple and bent at odd angles. Swallowing hard, his eyes drifted to her knuckles, where bruises were forming in the shape of human fingertips. Realization dawned on him; his eyes hardened with fury as he thought of his brother, but quickly worked to soften them as he looked back to the broken girl sitting inches from him.

"Elena, where's Stefan?" Even though he tried his best to use a soothing tone, Elena couldn't help but notice the edge in his voice show through as he said he brother's name.

"He…h-he went out." Her voice faltered as the tears welling in her eyes ran over. She let out an involuntary sob that racked her body as the events earlier in the evening came rushing to the forefront of her mind, forcing her to relive the horror behind her eyes.

"Elena," Damon implored, trying to keep his voice calm, "I need for you to tell me if he…if you're hurt anywhere else. You can trust me. "

Sucking in a shaky breath, she informed him of her other injuries, downplaying it in hope of keeping him in the dark about how pain she was really in. Damon fought to keep his raw anger at bay, knowing his murderous thoughts would do nothing to help Elena feel any better. Her comfort was most important to him; it was all he wanted. Knowing what he had to do, he gingerly scooped her up once more and carried her to his bedroom. Before, he had dreamed of this moment, hoping for it under completely different circumstances. Now all he could think about was taking away her pain.

Without thinking, Elena tucked her face into the base of Damon's neck, finding comfort in its warmth. The rise and fall of his chest was almost like a lullaby to her; she nuzzled further into his neck and almost swore she felt his head lean into her, cradling his chin protectively over her face. She was too exhausted to know if it was real or not, and too exhausted to find the will to care.

Damon gently settled Elena into his bed. She faintly noticed that his pillow smelled just like him, and she turned he face into it, breathing in the dizzying scent. Her clouded mind registered that Damon had left the room, only to see him walk back through the door seconds later with some ice for her jaw. He walked around to the other side of the bed, trying not to jostle her as he climbed up next to her and spread out on his side, facing her. He met her drowsy eyes with his own brilliant blue ones, and she thought she noticed a hint of sadness in his usually unreadable expression as he lightly pressed the ice to her jaw line. It stung a little, and tears spring to her eyes against her will for the umpteenth time that night. Overcome with emotion, Damon leaned over her and softly kissed her cheek, letting the tears run over his lips as they brushed against her hot skin. She shuddered as his mouth lingered on her, feeling his hot breath caress her face. She closed her eyes as he pulled away, resting his head on his propped up arm only a few inches away from her. Opening them, she looked trustingly into his beautiful eyes as he steeled himself for her reaction to what he was about to do.

"Do you trust me?" he asked quietly. Watching her slowly nod her head against the ice he held to her, he inwardly sighed with sweet relief as he continued. "There's only one way for me to makes this better without you having to explain what happened to the others." His eyebrows furrowed as he looked deep into her eyes. "If you drink from my wrist, the healing process will go much faster and take away the pain. You don't have to sleep in such discomfort tonight, if you'll take my blood." He studied her face for any signs of fear or resistance, but all he saw there was blatant trust and acceptance. Before she could change her mind, he bit into his wrist and held it to her slightly parted lips. As the sweet, hot liquid slid down her throat, she already felt the pain receding all over her body. Relishing the relief, she pressed her lips into the soft skin at his wrist, welcoming the blood. Damon watched her intently, shocked that she had so blindly trusted him with such an intimate act. After a few minutes of the exchange, he lightly tugged his wrist away from her and ran his thumb across her lower lip, wiping away his blood. He tenderly reached for her hand, making sure that her fingers had been restored to their rightful, beautifully slender shape. Satisfied, he grasped her fingers between his, rubbing her palm with his thumb. He looked up to see how she responded to him, only to see that she had fallen asleep, her jaw slack against the ice. Her total innocence and beauty made his insides ache with longing. He refrained from getting any closer, not wanting to wake her from her peaceful sleep. He curled slightly, facing her as his head hit the pillow, just inches from hers. He watched her breathe for what seemed like forever until he finally fell asleep, gently clutching her hand in his.

Sorry this isn't longer! Let me know if you think Damon got too mushy. I promise the plot will develop more in the next chapter, for those of you who are feeling bored. Feedback is Love! Delena forever.