"And you think that is something you might want?" he asked softly, and she knew she heard the hope in his voice. "To be with me?"
Elena nodded shyly as she lifted her shoulder against her cheek. "Yeah," she said, softly. "So… are we okay?" She needed him with her through this. She needed him with her no matter what. She couldn't imagine her life without him.
Damon nodded and stroked her cheek. "No matter what happens, Elena, we're still friends," he said softly as the corner of his lips curled slightly. "I can promise you that."
Elena spun around, surprised to see Stefan in front of her alone. And the rage that rippled through her body was intense. He had betrayed her and she was angry at him. "I can't believe you showed your face to me," she said in a tight voice.
"Can we talk?" he asked softly. So typical Stefan.
Elena shook her head. "I'm done talking Stefan," she said. "I'm done listening to whatever excuse you have ready to dish me. I saw you with her. You and you're speeches about making sure Damon and I, to make sure that I keep him at arms lengths. And you just fall right back into her arms."
"It wasn't like that," Stefan said, taking a step toward her.
"Don't tell me what it's like!" she flared. "I saw you Stefan, kissing her. After everything she's done to you and to Damon and you just… you forgot all that?"
"Elena, I love you," Stefan said, his eyes flickering to Damon. "Damon was with her too."
"Damon's not my boyfriend," she growled. Like throwing Damon under the bus was going to make her forgive him. "You're so determined to make sure that I don't fall in love with Damon ad you always throw him in my face for things that don't matter to me. I'm done with all of it Stefan. The lies, the jealousy, the secrecy, I'm done with it. So feel free to return to Katherine." She pushed passed him, pausing when he grabbed her arm.
"Let go of her," Damon said immediately.
Stefan glared at his older brother. "You just can't stand to see me happy with anyone," he seethed. "Elena and Katherine both chose to be with me and you can't stand that I'm better than you. Just like Father. He saw you for who you really are."
Elena stared at Stefan in shock as she yanked her arm from him. She made her way back over to Damon who was trembling with rage and she grabbed his hand gently. "Come with me," she whispered, tugging him towards the door. She ignored Stefan's protests as she led Damon out of the house and she noticed the veins appearing under Damon's eyes. "Are you hungry?"
"I'm angry," he clarified, as he pulled away from her. "And I don't want to hurt you. I might by accident."
Elena bit her lip for a minute. "Will you come over later?" she asked softly. She wanted to be there for him, but at the same time, she didn't want to push him over the edge. He needed some time to calm down, and she needed some time to get herself together as well.
Damon sighed. "Yeah I can do that," he said. He offered her a small smile before disappearing in a blur.
Elena hurried to her car and drove home, her heart pounding in her ears. In a daze she headed to her room, locking the doors behind her. She was tired. She curled up on her bed, rubbing her weary face. Tonight couldn't possibly get any worse. Worry was consuming her as she waited for Damon. It could be hours, she knew, but she didn't want to miss him. Too many times she hadn't been there for him in the past, but she wouldn't put him through that again.
Elena was woken from her nap at the tapping on her window. For a moment she was still half asleep then she realized who she was waiting for and jumped out of bed to push her window open. "Hi," she said, moving aside to let him glide in. She wanted to ask him if he was okay but she could see how worn down he looked so she kept it to herself.
"Sorry about earlier," he said quietly.
"It's okay," she said tilting her head. "Wasn't a picnic for you." She knew he cared about Stefan, somewhere beneath his touch exterior he did have a heart. She might be the only one that ever saw that, but she knew it was there.
"I'll be fine," he said collapsing on the edge of her bed.
Elena bit her lip and gently nudged his knees apart to warp her arms around his shoulders. "I'm here Damon," she whispered. She pressed a kiss to the top of his head, her own muscles relaxing considerably. She always felt better when he was around.
His arms wrapped around her waist as he inhaled her scent as his face pressed against the fabric of her shirt. It was over all too soon as he stood up, his body brushing against hers. "You should sleep."
Elena shivered against him as her eyes locked with his. "Where did you go before?" she asked, ignoring his comment about sleep. If she went to sleep that meant he would leave and she didn't want him to do that. Where would he go? Probably somewhere to drown his sorrows in alcohol and she hoped she could keep him from heading down that road.
"For a run," he said moving away from her and rubbing an agitated hand through his hair before folded his arms across his chest. "Just needed to calm down."
She bit her lip for a moment as she thought about her words. "I wish I could make this better," she said finally. She wanted to say or do something for both of them that would make all of this go away, but she didn't have the answers. For once she was beside herself with how to take care of this.
"Once she's gone, everything will be fine," Damon said.
"What are we gunna do?" she asked.
"We are not going to do anything," he said. "This is way over your head and you will let me handle it."
"No," she said shaking her head angrily. "I'm not going to let you face her alone." She was already in too deep to just back out now. Katherine had ruined her life and she was going to make sure she paid. She wasn't going to let Damon talk her out of it.
"It's not up to you Elena," he said. "You've never dealt with anything like this. It's too dangerous this time."
"You know I'm not going to let you push me away," she said. "You telling me that I can't, is just going to make it worse." Had he not learned anything about her? She did whatever she wanted as long as it kept the people she loved safe. Stefan had tried to keep her out of the darkness of his life and instead, she was more involved than ever. It was too late to go back now.
"Why do you want to help me, Elena?" he asked, with a raised eyebrow. "Do you have a death wish?"
Elena took a step away from him, colliding with her wall. "No, but you need help." He couldn't take Katherine on alone. She was too strong.
Damon braced his hands on the wall next to her head. "What makes you think I won't have help?" he asked softly.
"Thought I was you're only friend," she mumbled. She felt like he was staring holes through her. The air around her seemed to get thicker as the space between them grew smaller. Her heart was racing and she knew he could hear that.
"You are," he agreed, leaning his head toward her. "What's this really about Elena?"
Elena stared at the floor for a moment, unsure of what exactly to tell him. "I'm scared that I'm going to lose you and I don't want to just sit and wait around for you to get hurt or killed," she whispered as tears stung her eyes. So the words were out, and she couldn't take them back, and in all honesty, she wasn't sure she wanted to. He deserved to know the truth. "I need you and I don't know what I would do if she took you away from me."
Damon's eyes softened and he ran his fingers through her hair. "Elena, I'm not going anywhere." Hs thumb caught a stray tear from her cheek. "I promise."
Elena leaned into his arms, sighing when he pulled her close to him. "I meant what I said," she said. "About wanting to be with you."
"Sure you aren't just missing Stefan?" he asked, rubbing her back gently.
She lifted her head to meet his eyes, knowing the real question he was trying to ask. "You know things have different since we locked him up," she said softly. "And we got close. You've always been there for me, no matter what." He needed to be sure that she was focused on him, and not feeling lonely from Stefan's betrayl. Damon couldn't be hurt anymore either, and she knew that.
"I want you to be able to trust me," he said with a shrug.
"And I do," she said, firmly. "I want you to be able to trust me too." She rolled her eyes. "Every time you do though it blows up."
"Not your fault," he said. "No one sees me the way you do Elena."
Elena smiled. "Points for me then," she said. "Let's get some sleep." She glanced at her bed. "It's big enough… I mean if you're uncomfortable you can sleep on the floor, but I don't really see that happening." Damon would be jumping for the opportunity to jump in her bed. She would be well past surprised if he spent the night on the floor.
Damon chuckled. "And you miss Elena?" he teased. "You okay with the big bad vampire in your bed?"
"Always," she said. "I'm going to change."
"What if I sleep in the nude?" he asked with a smirk.
"You'll be sleeping alone," she called from the bathroom.
Damon toed off his boots and peeled his shirt off before snuggling into her bed. He smiled at her when she emerged in yoga pants and a tank top and she easily slid in beside him, curling up against his chest. "We'll figure this out," he said kissing her hair.
"I know," she said, sliding her arm over his waist, her eyes drifting shut as his fingers drifted through her hair.