Author's Note: Sorry you had to wait this long for the chapter, I've just had a busy two weeks. Been to Berlin for a week where I could barely find Internet connection. But I'm not complaining I got to miss school for a week ;)
Thank you for the reviews, the favs and the follows! You don't know how much it means to me! Keep sharing your thoughts about my story with me, I appreciate all the reviews.
Anyway here is the continuation of the story. Enjoy and bear with my mistakes :)

Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries and Damon Salvatore in any form unfortunately

Chapter 2: Us Against The World

Elena was almost in front of the basement cell's door when she heard Stefan behind her. He grabbed her arm before she could reach her destination. Elena turned angrily at Stefan.

"Whatever you want to do to stop me is not going to work. I'll talk to him either way so why don't you just go upstairs and spare us the trouble," said Elena exasperatedly.

But instead of arguing, Stefan let go of her arm and took her hand instead. He placed something in it. Elena looked down at her hand and realized it was a syringe. Before she could voice her thoughts, Stefan explained it.

"It's vervain. Just in case you get too close and-"

"He won't hurt me. I trust him," said Elena in a determined tone and handed back the item. She knew Damon attacked her while Katherine possessed her body, but it was because the blood was shown directly into his face. Elena knew better.

She then turned away from Stefan and opened the door, which revealed a raging Damon. He stood on his knees trying to break free from the chains. His eyes held so much venom, Elena almost took a step back in fear. But then she realized they weren't directed at her. Damon looked past her shoulder straight at Stefan, who was still standing behind her mere inches away.

"You-Why did you tell her? I wanted to be the one who tells her all the things I've done in the last few weeks! But you knew that! You even lie-"

Stefan interrupted him before he could say something else in front of Elena. Little did he know Elena knew what was Damon about to say.

"When were you planning on spilling your guts to her, huh? How about never? I know you, Damon. You never take responsibility after your actions, why would you now?" Stefan tried to divert the conversation but failed miserably. He knew he probably shouldn't have come down with Elena if he wanted to avoid this conversation. Too little too late.

"I would have told her as soon as I got the chance! But the better question is-Why did you lie to her? You think if she hates me she will run into your ar-" but Damon didn't get to finish his sentence. Ever since they stepped into the cell, Elena hasn't said a word. Now she'd had enough. She couldn't listen to the brothers' quarreling any longer.

"Both of you stop! Stefan, go upstairs! Now! I want to be left alone with Damon. And told the others to go home. I don't want anyone to eavesdrop on our conversation" ordered Elena, stepping further into the basement cell. The brothers looked at one another intently, both their chests were rising up and down from the anger. Stefan then reluctantly nodded towards Elena and left them alone, closing the door slightly behind himself.

Elena waited a few moments until she couldn't hear Stefan's footsteps anymore, then turned her body towards Damon and sat on her knees in front of him. He seemed to calm down a little bit, positioned himself on his knees just like Elena. He didn't look into her eyes or at her for that matter. He didn't know what emotion would he meet in her chocolate brown orbs. Anger? Disappointment? Hate? Disdain? Pity? None of them could he stand from her.

But Elena didn't feel any of them. She watched as Damon tried to look anywhere but her, afraid that he will see something he couldn't bear. But Elena's eyes only held love and understanding. If only Damon would look up.

"Look at me, Damon," said Elena gently, barely above a whisper. She could finally have the power of setting things right, no longer suppressed in her own body by her evil doppelgänger.

But Damon didn't budge. He still didn't dare to look into Elena's eyes.

Elena gently raised her hand to his cheek and turned his head slightly towards her. At the tender touch, Damon raised his eyes from the ground to her, half expecting a slap from her. But it didn't happen. And when he finally looked into her eyes, he was taken aback by the affectionate look in them. He didn't deserve that look, especially not from her. He felt as shame ran through his body.

"Elena, I-" started Damon his apologies, but Elena interrupted him instantly. She placed her finger on his mouth to shush him and watched as black veins started to appear under Damon's eyes. She drew back her hand then, not because she was afraid of him, but because she knew how hard it must be for him now.

He then again tried to start speaking but this time, he didn't know what should he apologize for first. And what could he even say to make things even just a little better for him in Elena's eyes? Sorry I threatened your best friend and kidnapped your little brother. But hey, I didn't kill him this time! Oh, but I did kill somebody else. Your friend, Aaron!-

But his train of thoughts were interrupted by Elena's soft voice.

"Shh... You don't have to say anything. I know-" started Elena with what she believed in a reassuring tone, but Damon didn't seem to register it.

"Elena... What Stefan said... I swear I didn't want Jeremy to be killed, I just wanted to scare Bonnie enough to find me a witch. And in that cabin... I tried to resist, so hard... but you-Katherine just showed the blood in my face and...-" stuttered Damon the words desperately, trying to make Elena understand of his actions. She again had to interrupt his outburst.

Elena, seeing Damon's frantic expression, placed her hands on either side of his neck without thinking. Then suddenly she remembered he must be starving from being down here for days without blood and with an apologetic smile she slowly removed her hands from his neck just as the black veins started to appear under his eyes.

Damon looked away from her with anguish on his face and Elena watched him with sad eyes.

"Damon I said I know. I know. While Katherine was in my body, I was somehow able to watch and hear everything she's done. I'm well aware of the things that happened in this last few weeks," she watched as he slowly turned his face towards her again, locking their gazes. There was a slight confusion in his beautiful blue orbs which she couldn't place.

He could see the question whirling around her mind so he decided to put her out of her misery. He narrowed his eyes slightly then said. " I just can't understand,"

Now it was Elena's turn to look confused. What was he talking about? Does he still think she's Katherine or-?

"Understand what?" asked Elena in a hesitant voice.

"That why are you here?" Damon's curious voice seemed genuine and Elena's puzzlement became more evident on her face.

"What do you mean?"

Damon's expression didn't change, however. He tilted his head slightly before answering. "I mean, if you know all about the things I've done then why did you even bother coming down? You should hate me," he said forcefully though she didn't miss the pain that flashed through his eyes. Damon then smiled ruefully. " You were right you know. I lashed out just like you said I would. There was a bump in the road and I lashed out. I did the thing why you didn't consider being with me in the first place remember?" chuckled Damon humorlessly shaking his head.

She should run from him as far as possible like he said she should when he stupidly broke up with her. He didn't want to lose her, but he didn't want to drag her to the darkness that was his life either. And now that he was being turned into a 'ripper' the chance that they have a future together is straight to zero. Eventually, he has to accept that. But he knew he couldn't. She was his light, the solution to his every problem, the love of his life. He couldn't live with the fact that he wouldn't kiss her, touch her, feel her love anymore. He just couldn't.

Before Elena could say a word or even open her mouth, Damon continued with his ramblings.

"You should really hate me. No better, you should just go back to Stefan like he hopes you would. We're back to the start after all. I'm the bad, murderous brother again and he is the knight in shining armor. Saint Stefan, who can't do bad, right?" Damon again let out a humorless chuckle this time with bitterness in his voice.

Elena should be fuming at his words, of how lowly he must be thinking of her if he assumed going back to his brother was still an option. But she couldn't find it in herself to be mad or hurt as she saw how much those words have affected him. She saw through his facade, as she always have. He just tried to push her away. How predictable.

She swallowed, her resolve hardening. "Maybe you're right. Probably everyone with common sense would have hated you for your actions," said Elena matter of factly and Damon pursed his lips. "But do you want to know the truth?" Elena leaned closer like she was about to share a secret. "I'm not everyone and I lost my common sense when I met you," she whispered, looking up into his ocean blue eyes which locked with her brown ones intently.

Damon's eyes lost the bitter look in them and he seemed... lost. He didn't dare hope that Elena might forgive him, let alone still feel the same way about him but there was something in her eyes and words that made him believe that there's a glimmer of hope for them. For him.

Elena recognized his expression. She'd seen this so many times in the past. In Denver, when she finally gave in to the passion and love that burned inside of her for the dark haired vampire, when he stroked her cheek after Kol attacked them before she shattered that hopeful expression on his face. How stupid she was. If only her human-self hadn't been so terrified of the love they held she would have saved so many heartaches for him. He would have believed her feelings right away when they discovered the sire bond.

But now she could right her wrong. Now she could make sure that the man in front of her would never have any doubt that he's loved. Loved by her. Always and forever.

"But listen to me carefully now, Damon. Because I'm going to say this once," she paused, made sure that she had his undivided attention. When he looked at her with curious eyes, she grabbed his hands in hers and squeezed them gently, then continued her speech. "I am not going to give up on you. Nor I ever will. You know why? Because I love you," Damon's eyes lit up at her words and she smiled at him lovingly. She knew he believed her words.

Damon wanted to say the same in return but Elena didn't let him. She needed to say what was on her mind to him.

"Remember the time after I became a vampire?" Damon nodded in answer." You accepted me no matter what. You were the one who didn't turn away from me, the one who didn't try to undone what couldn't be changed. You were the one who I could turn to without being judged. And you did everything to help me adjust, you stayed by my side and didn't try to make me something I wasn't nor I could be. You accepted me as what I was," she said in a low, tender voice, tears glistening in her chocolate brown orbs. He started to make soothing circles on her hand with his thumb, his eyes filling with emotions too in the process.

"And that's the main difference between you and the others," kept Elena going with her heartfelt speech in a more steady voice. "Stefan only loved human me, and the vampire me was something he and Caroline just couldn't come to terms with. Especially after I admitted my feelings for you. They saw me as something broken that needed to be fixed. But you," she lifted her hand to gently stroke his cheek. "You made me feel alive. When I looked into your eyes I felt as though I'm human again. I only enjoy being a vampire now because you thought me how to live like that," finished Elena with a reassuring smile, hoping that Damon got the meaning of her words.

But something flashed in his eyes that Elena couldn't place. Did she say something wrong? She played her own words in her mind back but didn't find anything that could've triggered this reaction from him.

His face fell slightly as he started speaking.

"So you're just here out of gratefulness," just as he stopped with his statement, a loud slap was heard in the basement's cell. He lifted his hand to his stinging cheek and mumbled. "I was waiting for that"

"Good. Because I was just itching to slap you after all the bullshit you've said since I am me again," Damon turned his head back from the slap towards her and saw her anger-filled eyes. In any other situation, he would've found it adorable.

"Don't you understand? I'll always be here. No matter how hard you try to push me away, I'll push back just as hard. You think I would just abandon you because you seem dangerous to me now? Well think again," said Elena with fire in her eyes. Damn him and his stubborn ass. "I'm going to help you with this even if I have to do it alone. Even if you won't let me do it," added Elena the last statement when she saw that Damon tried to protest.

She then made a quick decision. She cupped his cheek with her hands, leaned forward and kissed him soundly on the lips. The kiss wasn't passionate like their most kisses used to. It was more intimate. Like they were trying to pour their feelings throughout their lips for each other not with their words.

Damon felt as the bloodlust slowly took over his senses and pulled away from Elena regretfully just as the black veins started to appear. He couldn't even kiss her without wanting to rip her artery open! Once he was free from the chains that hold him back he was going to pay Dr. Blondie a not so pleasant visit.

Elena watching his painful expression, caressed his cheek with her thumbs and mumbled a quiet "Sorry" to him. "I just had to do that. I missed you," she added with an apologetic smile and this time, he felt a slight elation and happiness at her words.

"I missed you too," whispered back Damon. "So does that mean you forgive me?" he asked half playful, but still seriously. Even after she kissed him, it still looked too good to be true.

Elena sighed but with a playful smile, she asked. "Do you need another slap? Of course, I forgive you," she rolled her eyes then her expression turned serious. "But only if you promise me something,"

"Anything," answered Damon without hesitation. He would gladly do whatever she throws at him if it meant he got to see her affectionate expression directed at him and him only.

"No more nonsense words coming out of your mouth. I love you and only you. Keep that in mind, okay?" said Elena smiling but in a serious tone.

"Okay," he answered and he smiled, a true, real smile like he had while they were together and nothing seemed to tear them apart. "Elena?"

"Hmm?"

"I love you too,"

And Elena knew they would be okay. For now, at least.