A/N: Here is the next chapter! I know this one is shorter but I felt this is where it needed to end.

I sat at the table at breakfast tensely. There was something new going on and I did not like not knowing what was happening. Damon kept staring at me but it was different to the way he usually did. It was like he was trying to see something in me but I did not know what. Katherine also looked incredibly chipper this morning and I immediately did not trust that. Stefan looked completely oblivious to the tenseness and ate his breakfast happily. The only positive was that Giuseppe had gone into town early and would hopefully not be back until late.

It was then as I chanced another glance at Damon, I spotted something I did not see before. I froze in the middle of chewing my food. The collar of his shirt had moved down slightly and there just above his shoulder in the curve of his neck was a bite. A nasty looking one too and I knew who had done it straight away. My fangs pulsed in my gums and I could feel the veins under my eyes prickling, wanting to come out. Katherine had fed on Damon and I was absolutely livid.

My heart stopped at a thought. Did he know? Had Katherine made him forget or did she let him know? I needed to find out. I put a concerned expression on my face as I reached my hand out to pull his collar down further. His head turned in my direction in acknowledgment.

"What happened there, Damon?" I said in a falsely surprised voice. Stefan looked up in interest and Katherine just looked amused. Damon's eyes burned into mine as he looked at me and I gulped slightly. He knew. He grabbed my hand in his and squeezed it gently.

"I think you know what happened, Elena. Your sister was kind enough to explain the truth." I took a deep breath and I tried to speak but I couldn't. Stefan could though and he looked at his brother in surprise.

"You know? Katherine told you? Why?" His last question was directed at Katherine and she shrugged innocently and kissed Stefan sweetly, which of course placated him. I glared at Katherine, all pretences gone now that the truth was out.

"How could you! He did not need to know!" I all but screamed and I felt my fangs come out and the veins under my eyes were prickling. but I stopped as I felt Damon touch my hand softly. I turned to look at him. He did not even flinch at my monstrous face. His eyes were firmly filled with love and devotion.

"Yes I did Elena. I love you and I don't care what you are. I want to be with you," his words were deadly serious and I sighed. He did not understand and I needed him to.

"Damon you don't know what you're saying. It's dangerous and if you be with me you're giving up your life." I begged him to see reason but he was already shaking his head before I even finished my sentence.

"No Elena, I know what I am talking about. I'm not a simple boy, I am a fully grown man and I can make decisions for myself. I have seen firsthand what a vampire is," he said firmly, gesturing to his wounded neck, "And I don't care! This is who you are and if this is who you are then I love it. You can bite me as much as you like if it will make you happy. That's all I want Elena. I want to make you happy because I love you."

I could see Katherine had stopped smirking and was watching our exchange seriously now. I tried to ignore what he had just said and I used my vampire speed to zoom from my seat and around the table. I grabbed her around the throat and then had her against the dining table in less than a second. I did not bother to look up as I heard the startled gasps from Damon and Stefan. I bared my fangs at Katherine and I was surprised when she did not start laughing like she usually did. She was looking at me...comfortingly?

"I bet you just love this, don't you? Ever since I turned all you've done is try to make my life hell! You black mailed me into leaving my brother for you and now this Katherine! Why? I've never done anything to you and I've obeyed you all these years! Why are you punishing me?" I cried and I could feel tears of frustration began to pool in my eyes. She shocked me as she reached up as stroked my face gently. I recoiled a little from her touch.

"When will you understand Elena, that I am not punishing you? I am a selfish person and I was lonely when I met you. That is why I took you with me. I know full well how loyal and obedient you've been over the years but I don't want that! Not for me or for you! I care about you regardless of what you believe! You have become a sister to me in all ways that matter." I knew I must look comical right now, with my wide eyes and opened mouth, but I had never heard Katherine express so much emotion before in my life. Even more shocking was that it was directed at me! She continued after a beat.

"Why can't you see that I am doing this for you? I want you to be happy. I want ALL of us to be happy; happy and together. He loves you Elena and I know you love him too. For once let yourself be selfish. If not for you, do it for him," Katherine said softly but firmly, and I broke gaze with her and looked at Damon who was watching us slightly alarmed. Katherine's hand moved my face back to meet her eyes once more.

"You will break his heart if you keep pushing him away. I can see the love in his eyes every time he looks at you and that is not a love that someone will get over. He is in this for good now." I felt my heart squeeze at her words. I noticed my hand was still closed around her throat and I let go sheepishly and backed off. She straightened herself and I noticed Stefan visibly relax. He didn't know that Katherine could have easily ripped my hand off with one finger. I looked around at them all. Stefan was fawning over Katherine and she had the decency to look a little grateful for it. Damon was watching me tensely and I could see the glimmers of hope shining in his eyes. The air was closing in on me and I felt incredibly claustrophobic. I made for the door quickly and I turned to them briefly before I left the house.

"I need to get out of here, and please don't follow me. I need time to think!"

I made it to town in record time, not bothering with a horse and just kept to the shadows using my vampire speed. I needed blood and I needed it now.

A/N: Hope you guys liked it! Next chapter Damon does a little spying which turns deadly, Elena gorges on blood and Elena learns the hard way that there is a new threat in Mystic Falls :)