I'm sorry it took me so long to post! I was dealing with writers block. Luckily the last episode got my creative juices flowing again.

Post The Sacrifice. Spoilers for that episode.

Chapter 16

Damon practically dragged Elena back to the car and drove in angry silence back to the boarding house while she scowled out the window. Once they were there he pulled her inside and sat down on the couch, pulling her across his lap.

It only took a second for Elena to realize what he planned to do. "Damon don't you dare!"

"Oh I dare." He put his hand firmly on her back to hold her still and landed the first swat to her rear with his other hand and heard her squeak. He was only using a fraction of his strength, he didn't want to injure her, but he knew that for her, it would hurt.

"Damon stop it!" Elena shouted angrily.

"No Elena I won't stop. You almost got yourself killed today!" He kept landing hits to her bottom while she struggled amid her yelps. "We will find a way to save your friends and family, but you sacrificing yourself is not the way!"

"Ow! Damon you jerk! Ouch! It's the only way!"

"No it is not! You think you would save us all if you did this? Well you wouldn't, because if you were gone, what do you think it'd do to everybody? What it would do to me? What would keep me from going into the sun and taking my ring off if you were gone?"

Elena started to cry and he immediately stopped. He could never bear the sight or sound of her tears. He let her go and she quickly stood up. She glared at him, choking out sobs, and he half expected her to slap him. He was surprised when she suddenly threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Don't ever say that! Even if something happens to me I don't want you to die Damon!"

He felt himself soften and hugged her back. "Then don't do it again Elena. Please don't."

"I don't know what else to do." She sniffled and lay the side of her head on his shoulder.

"We'll think of something. I promised Stefan I'd protect you Elena don't make me break that promise." He almost begged.

"Kay. I'll try." She whimpered.

"Good." He pulled her into his lap and rocked her till she fell asleep. He took her home afterwards and lay her in her own bed, scowling when he thought of Jeremy's role of getting Stefan trapped in the tomb with Katherine. He'd deal with him tomorrow.

The next day after school was over Damon practically pounced on Jeremy when he came out of the building. "We are going to talk, and you're going to tell me everything that happened last night."

"Um... okay..." Jeremy looked at him warily but went with him.

Back at the boarding house Damon paced back and forth while Jeremy told him what had went on. "Of all the stupid, idiotic..."

"I didn't want Bonnie to hurt herself." Jeremy looked and sounded defensive as he scratched at the bandage on the side of his neck.

"So you got yourself hurt instead. Do you know how easy it would have been for Katherine to kill you then pull off that ring?" Jeremy looked uncomfortable and shrugged. "You got my brother trapped in there with that bitch!"

Jeremy gulped when Damon suddenly got in his face, blue eyes staring directly into his brown. "I'm sorry. I'm really, really, sorry." Damon looked seriously ticked off.

"Oh you will be. I believe some punishment is in order."

"Are you going to kill me a few times too?"

"Nope."

He moved so fast Jeremy couldn't tell what he was doing, but he felt himself be picked up and his breath came out in a whoosh as his stomach suddenly landed hard on Damon's legs. It took him a few moments to be able to breathe again and them he realized he was laying over Damon's lap. "What the hell..." He felt something land hard on his butt. "Ouch! What are you doing?"

"Spanking you." Damon said calmly.

"What?" Another blow landed. "Ahhh!" He tried to get away, but Damon was pressing on his back and his strength was incredible. He realized he was going no where. "Damon come on! Can't we talk about this?"

"Fraid not. You deserve this and more. Be glad this is all I'm giving you."

With that Damon got down to business. Jeremy yelled, kicked his legs, and flung a hand back to cover himself but Damon simply grabbed his wrist and held it to his lower back while he continued without missing a beat. Jeremy tried not to cry, but it really hurt and soon tears were streaming down his face. Not long after that he was sobbing, then bawling, then outright wailing. Just when he thought Damon would never stop, it was over.

Damon waited till Jeremy had calmed down enough to listen to him. "Don't ever do something like this again Jeremy, or next time it'll be with you bare."

Jeremy nodded, his breath hitching. Not daring to sass him right now. "G-got it."

He took him home then, and Jeremy whimpered all the way at having to sit down in the car, but Damon refused to let him lay down in the back. He got out hearing Damon drive away and walked stiffly inside to the kitchen to make an ice pack. Still despite the pain, he knew he would do something like that again, if it meant protecting Bonnie. He wiped at the tears still trickling from his eyes and went to lay down on his bed in his room on his stomach.

Damon went to the tomb bringing Stefan some bottled blood and a few books to read to pass the time. Stefan smiled a little when he saw him. "Katherine's asleep."

"Good." He looked at him seriously. "We're going to get you out of there."

"I know," Stefan said simply.

"Stefan... I'm sorry, about what I said before. About you killing Mother... I didn't mean it. I was just angry..."

"I know Damon, it's okay. I was being a jerk to you."

He nodded. "Try not to let Katherine get to you, okay? We'll figure this out."

"Yeah..." He watched as his brother left a few minutes later. He picked up the blood and books and quietly went back to watch Katherine sleep. The problem wasn't Katherine getting to him. The problem was, she already had.

To Be Continued...