Chapter 10: Take It On The Run

"You're thinking up your white lies
You're putting on your bedroom eyes
You say you're coming home but you won't say when
But I can feel it coming
If you leave tonight keep running
And you need never look back again." –Reo Speedwagon

Twenty-Four hours. Stefan had been missing for twenty-four hours and with every passing second he moved further away from them, from her. It had taken nearly three hours to realize that Stefan was no longer in Mystic Falls, six hours to realize that he was moving fast enough to make it impossible to catch him and nearly ten hours to realize that he had no intention of turning around. By the time they hit the twelve hour mark, Bonnie had finally located him just bordering the edge of Florida. Florida. Florida is where this whole mess had started nearly four months before, that was where Klaus had drug him when he had taken him away from them and now that was the place he was choosing to return to. No compulsion, no evil sadistic hybrid dragging him there, just Stefan. Running from his family and friends, running from his hunger and running from her…again.

Once Bonnie had realized where exactly Stefan was, Elena quickly threw some things into a duffle bag, climbed into the passenger seat of Damon's Mustang and left Mystic Falls in the dust. Caroline and Bonnie had followed in Caroline's convertible and before anyone could think twice they took off down the highway toward the warm Florida sun.

So, this was where Elena now found herself, sitting in Damon's car, twenty-four hours later and praying that her boyfriend wasn't draining the greater Miami area dry. Nervously, she tapped her fingers against the smooth leather interior of the car and tried to sort through the millions of worries that ran through her brain all at once.

"We're going to find him, just relax." Damon said, interrupting her thoughts as he turned down the radio slightly. Elena nodded as she slowed her tapping nails and looked down at her bandaged hand.

"We wouldn't have to find him if I would've just been more careful. I know better, I have never cut myself in your house, I'm not that stupid, but tonight…" She stopped as she shook her head. She wasn't ready to admit what she had been thinking about and why she had lost her concentration when she cut herself. That was probably the last thing that they needed to discuss right now.

"You were thinking about the night before?" He asked softly. Elena felt her face flush and she continued to study her hands as she refused to raise her eyes to Damon. The last thing they needed to talk about, now she had to talk about, perfect, the past few days had just been perfect.

"Yes." She whispered. Damon let out a sigh and she could hear the leather of the steering wheel twist as his hands gripped it painfully tight.

"That night bothers you more than the other times right?" He asked quietly and Elena turned her head and noticed his guarded expression. His jaw set in a tight line and his eyes were cold as he studied the road ahead of him. She swallowed thickly before she spoke.

"It didn't bother me Damon. It just changed…everything." She whispered as she immediately dropped her eyes once again.

"What did it change?" He asked hesitantly as a slight hint of emotion finally began to escape his lips. Elena bit her lip. She had no idea how to explain to him what exactly that night had changed, but she knew telling him the whole truth just wasn't an option right now, she couldn't do this, not with everything that was going on around them.

"I don't know, I just feel different, everything feels different. And because of it, now we have to chase Stefan down the southern coast. I should've never let myself get so distracted, God, this is all my fault." Elena whimpered as she turned her head and put her hand over her face. Damon slid his hand over and tightly grasped hers. Elena immediately felt shock waves move through her body as her skin instantly heated at his touch. She dropped her hand from her face and looked over to see Damon's beautiful cobalt eyes burning into hers.

"Elena, it is not your fault that you cut your hand. Accidents happen to everyone and you are no exception. My brother is a dramatic martyr and always has been. He should have been able to control himself and he couldn't. He choose to run instead of simply going outside and taking a fucking breath. It is not your fault he has no self-control, it is his. Stop blaming yourself for his problems and thinking you owe him something. You owe him nothing." He said sternly. Elena nodded, but dropped her head. Her mind spun as she wrapped her mind around the self-control that she knew Stefan just simply did not possess and that led her to the question she had been aching to ask Damon for the past day, but until now had been too scared to actually voice.

"Damon, how did you stay so in control the other night? I mean there was a lot of blood and I never even saw your face change. I mean you looked uncomfortable and definitely hungry, but you stood there and you helped me. How did you do that?" She asked softly as she stared at his beautiful profile that was lightly illuminated by the glow of the radio. Damon's eyes softened, but he didn't turn to meet her gaze; he simply stared out over the highway and seemed lost in his own thoughts.

"Elena, some things are stronger than blood." He whispered and that was all that need to be said. Elena stared at him for a moment, wishing that he would look at her so that she could look into his eyes and see exactly what it was that he felt was stronger than his lust for blood, but he stared straight ahead and hid his emotions from her. Damon had bared himself to her plenty over the past couple of days; she understood that even he had to draw the line somewhere.

Sometime after the uncomfortable silence that occurred immediately after Damon's soft words, Elena fell into a light slumber that was plagued by the dark visions of what finding Stefan might actually entail. Images of bodies scattered over the ground, covered in blood and Stefan standing in the darkness waiting for her, tortured her as she laid against the cold leather of Damon's car. She twisted and turned silently until finally her dreams released her.

Elena's eyes began to flutter open as she felt Damon's Mustang begin to slow and then eventually come to a halt. She opened her eyes and looked around until she finally saw the crimson glow of a sign just in front of the car. Motel.

"We're stopping?" She asked as she rubbed her eyes and reached for the car door. Damon nodded as he pushed his door open and dropped one of his boots onto the pavement.

"Yes, even vampires need a little sleep. Come on, let's get inside and then we can get you back to sleep." He said as he quickly stood and shut the car door behind him.

By the time Damon and Elena had entered the motel, Bonnie and Caroline already had their room keys and were waiting in the lobby. It had been decided (without Elena's knowledge) that Bonnie and Caroline would share a room and Damon and her would share as well. Damon had apparently talked it over with Caroline on the phone while she had been asleep in the car and they had both decided that each human apparently needed a vampire babysitter. Who knew if and when Stefan would appear and what state exactly he would be in upon said return.

"Yes, can I get a room please?" Damon purred through the murky bullet proof glass as he stepped up to the front desk of the motel. The curvaceous blonde behind the glass blushed deeply as she looked Damon over as if he was the first man she had ever seen.

"Of course Sir, um…we only have a single king bed room left, is that alright?" She asked looking between him and Elena. Elena rolled her eyes as she sensed the woman's great disappointment that Damon was not alone in his travels. Damon just smirked and lowered his eyes at the woman.

"Oh that will be perfect sweetheart, thank you." He purred once again. Elena rolled her eyes once again. Why did he find it necessary to flirt with every woman under the sun? Was it not enough that women gawked at him without him trying? Did he have to put on a show and nearly give every woman he came in contact with a freaking heart attack?

The woman nodded and plucked two room keys from the drawer beneath her desk. Damon handed her a waded up bundle of bills and then winked as he took the keys and backed away from the counter. Elena said her goodnight's to Caroline and tried to avoid the judging eyes of Bonnie as she slowly fell in step behind Damon who was steadily making his way toward their room. As they walked, she looked around at the awful seventies décor and wondered exactly why they had to stay in a place like this and not in at least a hotel that could be found by Expedia…or the police.

Once they reached their room, Damon quickly unlocked the door and opened it so Elena could move inside. She quickly brushed past him and tried to ignore the warm sensation that moved through her as her skin came in contact with his. Damon followed close behind and then quietly closed the door behind them. He threw his their bags onto the large bed and let out a deep sigh as he looked around the darkened room. Elena turned to find the light switch and found Damon standing closer than she had anticipated. He smiled as he looked at her, but didn't move any closer. He simply raised his arms in the air and stretched as he released the tension from twelve hours of driving with barely any stops. Elena felt as if she couldn't breathe as she watched his body move in front of her. As Damon stretched the muscles of his chest and arms flexed and rotated in the most beautiful way under the fabric of his tight black T-shirt. Slowly, his shirt began to ride up and the smooth ivory skin of his perfectly sculpted stomach peeked through and shone brightly in the moonlight that cascaded in through the small window. Elena swallowed as she remembered exactly how those muscles had felt as she ran her hands over them two nights before. She felt her breathing pick up as she could almost taste his skin on her tongue and the amazing feeling of him moving against her body.

"You alright?" Damon asked as he turned and saw her staring at him. Elena nodded and quickly looked away.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I think I just need to lie down. It's been a long couple of days, I'm just really tired." She said as she avoided his eyes and moved toward the large bed. Damon nodded and ran his hands through his raven hair.

"Yeah, well I'm gonna jump in the shower and then I'll take the couch." He said quickly as he motioned toward the small plaid couch that sat across the room. Elena shook her head as she began to turn the covers down on the bed.

"Damon, you don't have to sleep on the couch. We are adults, we can share a bed." She said in almost a whisper. She looked up and saw Damon smiling at her. He cocked his head to the side slightly.

"You sure about that?" He asked in his usual cocky tone. Elena rolled her eyes, but felt her blood begin to rush slightly. She remembered the last time they had been in bed together and how she hadn't even been able to untangle her body from his without feeling like she was going to break into pieces, let alone sleep next to him and not be able to touch him at all. She quickly took a deep breath and tried to shake the thoughts from her head.

"I think we will be fine Damon. I'll stay on my side, you stay on yours." She said as she sat down on the bed and pulled her hair from its ponytail and shook her head slightly. Damon swallowed and nodded as he looked away from her.

"Alright, well…shower, be right back." He said quickly as he grabbed his bag and then disappeared into the bathroom at vampiric speed. Elena let out a breath as she lay back on the bed, tonight was going to be torture, maybe she should take the couch.

Elena heard the shower turn on just as she began to settle herself underneath the scratchy sheets of the hotel bed. She twisted and turned as she tried to both get comfortable and not think about the wickedly sexy man that also happened to be naked and only a few feet away. Finally, she flipped onto her back and reached over for the bottle of water she had set there once Damon had disappeared. She needed to cool off and a drink of water was the closest thing she was going to get that night.

"Shit!" She said quickly as she felt water rush over her hand. She flipped over and noticed her water bottle tipped over spilling all over the bedside table and onto the floor. She quickly stood and looked around for a towel to clean up her mess, but quickly realized there were none. She looked toward the bathroom door and took in a deep breath. Perfect.

After steadying her breathing and reminding herself that it had been a complete accident that she spilled the water and she had to go into the bathroom to get a towel, Elena finally found herself in front of the door. She put her hand on the doorknob and told herself that she was an adult and she had self-control…even if Damon was naked…and wet.

"Damon?" Elena called as she knocked on the door softly. No answer.

"Damon?" She asked as little louder as she slowly turned the knob and opened the door just a crack.

Steam immediately filled Elena's vision as she moved slowly into the small motel bathroom. She could barely see two feet in front of her, but she was fairly certain that at least Damon was still in the shower and she wouldn't be bumping into his naked body. The sound of the running water soothed her as it reminded her that at least there was still a shower certain between them and if she moved fast, she could keep it that way.

"Umm…Damon?" She asked quietly as she moved further into the clouded bathroom.

"Yes?" Damon purred softly. Elena felt heat move through her body as his voice moved around her. She closed her eyes for a moment and took in the sweet sound of him that tortured her both in her dreams and in reality.

"I umm...spilled some water. I just need to get a towel." She said quickly as she looked around trying to find the plush material amidst the steam that blurred her vision.

"I think they are on the shelf above the toilet." He said quickly as she saw his wet forearm sneak out the side of the shower and motion toward the other end of the room. Elena nodded and moved her eyes toward where she imagined the toilet to be and not to the small portion of naked wet flesh that she had just seen.

Finally, she reached the toilet and lifted her hand to find the soft material of the towels. She let out a sigh of relief as she grabbed one and then turned back toward the door. The instant she turned she heard the water turn off and froze immediately where she stood.

"Mind handing me one?" Damon asked and she heard the shower curtain slide across the metal rod.

Elena had two options. She could turn toward the shower to return to where the towels were and take in a full glance of what the shower curtain had been hiding and what only two nights ago, had been pressed against her body. Or, she could turn toward the foggy mirror and reach the towels from that direction and thus not making this trip into the bathroom either more torturous or the beginning of something that she knew she shouldn't be doing. Elena let out a sigh, she told her brain to shut up and choose her first option.

Slowly, Elena turned around and nearly bumped into Damon who had apparently stepped out of the shower while she was making up her mind on what exactly would be her best course of action regarding giving him a towel. Steam still clouded her eyes, but she could see enough that her heart jumped up about twenty beats per second in an instant.

"No more towels?" Damon asked softly as Elena looked up and caught a glimpse of his piercing blue eyes staring back at her. Elena swallowed hard as his face and body came into better view.

"No…I mean yes, I just…" She stumbled on her words as she tried to formulate a complete thought without looking like an idiot and without looking down.

"If you wanted to see me naked, you could've just asked." Damon said as a smirk spread across his face. Elena felt her cheeks blush and out of pure instinct she quickly dropped her eyes. Shit!

"Umm…I should go, so you can…um…get dressed and stuff." Elena said quickly as she tried to both avert her eyes from the beautiful vision of Damon's lower body and back away from her close enough to touch temptation. Neither of her efforts worked however because she still couldn't seem to lift her eyes from where they were now fixated and once she moved she felt her back collide with the bathroom sink. Damon smiled as he watched her, but he did not move a muscle.

"You've seen me naked before Elena; this shouldn't exactly be shocking anymore." He said with a smile as he stepped one step closer to her. Elena shook her head and tried to look away as her heart hammered in her chest.

"No, I'm not shocked…I'm just…I'm tired and the steam is making me…" She stuttered as she stared at him, but tried to not focus her eyes too long on one area of his perfect ivory skin. Damon tilted his head closer to her.

"Hot, Elena?" Damon purred as he stepped another step toward her. Elena let out a sigh and pressed herself harder against the bathroom sink. She tried not to look at the trails of water that were streaming down his neck and chest, perfectly intermingling with the cords of luscious muscles that wrapped around his entire body.

"Damon I…" She started as her breathing began to quicken. Damon moved closer and even though he wasn't touching her, she could feel his body all around her. His skin called to her, made her crave him and her body begged for him even though her lips didn't move. She wanted him in a primal way that felt to sinful to even describe.

"Is there something you'd like to ask me, Elena?" Damon asked softly as his eyes ran over her skin as if she were naked as well. Lust ran off his body and onto hers in beautiful drops that consumed her with every moment that she stood in the bathroom. Slowly, she looked back up at him and nodded as she felt her control falling to pieces.

"Yes, but I can't ask you yet." She whispered softly. Damon studied her face.

"Why is that?" He asked as he moved slightly closer once again, this time she felt the gentle graze of his skin against hers and need rushed through her with a force she wasn't prepared for. She swallowed thickly as a glaze of sweat broke out over her skin.

"Because there is something I want more than for you to touch me." She whispered softly. Damon ran his tongue slowly over his bottom lip as he noticed her body begin to tremble.

"And what is that?" He asked huskily. Elena met his eyes carefully.

"To touch you." She whispered and she saw a look of surprise move over Damon's face. She smiled and even though she knew she should have simply left the bathroom like her mind had told her, she raised a timid hand and turned her brain off.

Elena leaned back against the bathroom sink and pushed herself up to sit on the edge of the small counter. Damon didn't speak, but he took one more step and stopped just between her now trembling legs. Elena reached her hand up and ran it gently through the wet mess of hair that had fallen onto Damon's forehead. She slowly slid her hand down the side of his face and over the harsh angle of his jaw. Damon watched her every movement, but remained perfectly still and focused on her.

"Thank you, for the other night Damon." She whispered softly as she continued to move her fingertips over the contours of his face.

"You were hurt Elena, it was nothing." He said as she could tell he was still trying to keep himself guarded and calm. Elena shook her head.

"Not last night, the night in your room. I've never felt that way before, it was amazing." She whispered as she traced her fingertips over the curve of his full bottom lip. Damon swallowed thickly.

"What did you feel, exactly?" He asked in a strained breath as she felt his jaw tense under her touch. She smiled as she moved her fingers down the soft hallow of his throat.

"I felt everything. You gave me that; no one has ever given me that." She whispered as she met his eyes once again. Damon let out a ragged breath as he felt her fingertips move over his collarbone.

"Well, I am just glad that I could help." He stuttered as he tried to remember that the woman that was touching him was still his brother's girlfriend and had not said the magic words that he had set into place a few days before. Elena ran her fingers down over the tight muscles of Damon's chest and moved over his ribs softly.

"You did more than help me Damon." She said softly as she leaned closer to his lips and ran hers gently across them. Damon closed his eyes as his mouth began to water and balled his fists at his sides to keep himself from grabbing her and throwing her against the wall like he wanted.

"What did I do, then exactly?" He asked through clenched teeth as he grasped for his control.

"You changed everything; you touched a part of me I never knew existed Damon." She whispered and her voice shook slightly with emotion. Damon felt his chest tighten as he had the urge to forget his idiotic rule and prove to her that he could touch much more of her than just what he had the other night.

"Elena please, just say the…" Damon started, but Elena put her finger to his lips. She nodded and slowly slid her hands back up his body.

"Damon, I am asking you to…" She started, but just as the words were leaving her mouth a loud thud filled her ears. Elena jumped as she realized someone was pounding on the door to their motel room. Damon moved back quickly and grabbed a towel from behind him. He wrapped it around his waist and looked back up at her.

"Stay right there." He ordered and then in a flash he disappeared out the door. Elena quickly tried to compose herself as she jumped down from the sink. She slowly peered out the doorway to see Damon standing in front of the door shaking his head as he argued with what looked to be Bonnie. Elena stepped out from the bathroom and moved closer to the door.

"What is going on?" She asked as she saw the anxiety in both their eyes as they turned around. Bonnie looked to the ground as she held her Grimwoire close to her chest. Damon ran his hands through his hair and finally met Elena's eyes.

"Stefan made it to Florida, Elena and he's not alone. He's with Klaus." He said slowly and just like that Elena's mind turned back on.

Read and review! Please let me know what you think. I am trying to actually have a plot, but keep with some good Delena action. Please do not get discouraged more smut, plot and drama to come. And for those of you that believe that Elena is taking endlessly from Damon (which, she has been I admit) please stay tuned, as her feelings develop she learns the fine art of giving and not just taking. Please read and review.