FIVE

"No," I breathed as I dropped to the ground beside him and started digging out the bullets. My fingers were shaky and my body was trembling, but I worked the fastest my fingers could go. Tears of anger stung my eyes as I thought of all the ways I would get back at the person who did this to him. When I made sure I had the bullets out, I sampled his blood to make sure he hadn't ingested any vervain. "Damon, open your eyes. Say something. Anything," I begged.

His skin was still ashen, but it was returning to its normal shade slowly. "Ouch," was all he said and I felt my entire body relax at the sound of his voice; no matter how sarcastic it was.

I had him draped across my lap and I looked down at his open blue eyes and shook my head as I smiled. "What the hell happened?" I asked as I watched his wounds begin to heal.

"Is your plan to torture me?"

"What?" I asked and realized what he meant. "Oh. Right." I moved him to the floor and got as many blood bags as I could carry in my arms and brought them to him. That was the one thing I missed about being human; the ability to heal him. When he was sitting, we both propped ourselves up against the couch that was tipped over. "Now will you tell me what happened?"

"I would if I really remembered. I just went to open the door and next thing I know, you're digging pieces of wood out of me."

"Was the living room this way when you opened the door?"

"No."

"Why would someone ransack the house after they shot you. That's just stupid."

He shrugged. "There is the possibility that I did this."

"Did you seen anyone?"

He shook his head, "Not a single thing. I didn't hear anything either."

I frowned as I got to my feet. "Is Stefan here?"

In an instant he was standing beside me and the look of hurt on his face was not faked. "I almost got killed and you want to know if Stefan is here?"

"If he is, I want to thank him for helping us," I explained in a cold, sarcastic tone, so he would get the message.

As if on cue, Stefan walked in the front door and stopped when he saw the living room. "What did you two do?" he asked, taking in the damage that was the living room.

Damon's foul mood seemed to have disappeared as his cocky attitude returned. "How detailed of a description would you like?"

"Damon," I hissed in a warning tone.

Stefan ignored him, but I saw his eyes harden as he looked at me. "What happened?"

"Someone attacked me dear brother."

I could have sworn Stefan smiled at that. "It's about time."

I stepped in front of Damon before he could go after his brother. "When was the last time you were home?" I asked, changing the subject.

"Friday morning."

"Before or after Bonnie left?"

I could hear Damon laughing even before sound came from his mouth. He stepped forward until he was right by my side. "It figures the witch would have a soft spot for wounded animals."

"Hey!" I snapped and turned to look at him.

"Don't talk about Bonnie that way," Stefan said defensively.

"Explain to me why Bonnie the witch would fall for Saint Stefan the vampire," Damon demanded. Stefan was silent for a moment and I could see the steam coming out of his hears as he tried to contain his anger. Damon's bout of laughter cut through the air again. "I just answered my own question. She's with you because of your dietary choice. How...pathetic."

Stefan's eyes flickered from Damon to me. "That's why Elena was with me."

I looked down at the floor and felt Damon stiffen beside me but only for a moment. "That was before I taught her better."

Stefan lunged at Damon and before they got the chance to hurt one another, I yanked Stefan back by his shirt and threw him into the wall near the stairs. "That's enough out of both of you!" I hissed, looking and back and forth between them. I looked at Damon and gestured to myself. "I'm standing right here."

He was fuming and I was a little angry with him as well. "I know."

"Where are you going?" I asked as he walked to the door.

"That blood was not enough," he returned and left before I could protest.

"You're just going to let him go out like that?"

I looked at Stefan then. "I'm not his keeper, he's allowed to come and go as he pleases."

"He could hurt someone."

"I don't care about that right now. I'm more worried about who might hurt him," I said and looked back at the door again, debating if I should run after him.

I decided against it and looked at Stefan. I crossed my arms over my chest and stared at him. "I'm sorry," he said.

I nodded once. "When did you leave Friday?"

"Around eleven or so. Why?"

"We came back Friday night and both your room and Damon's room were completely trashed. Damon thought it might have been you, but once we saw your room, it didn't make sense. We couldn't even get a scent from either room. I didn't smell you or Bonnie," I shook my head. "It was almost as if no one had ever stepped foot in either room."

"And the living room?"

I shrugged. "I just came home and found the living room in shambles and Damon on the floor complete with wooden bullets. I'm going to find who did this and make them regret that decision."

He grimaced and looked down for a second, running a hand through his hair. I noticed the ring I had given back to him was now on his finger. It brought back memories of last year and I had to step back from him. "You're starting to sound like him." I ignored his comment and moved to start cleaning up. He caught my wrist and forced me to look at him. "You never even said goodbye to me. You just left."

I pulled out of his grasp and took a small step back. "I didn't know how to say goodbye to you."

"A simple 'I'm leaving' would have been fine."

"What do you care anyway? I know you hate the fact that I'm with Damon and that I'm living the same lifestyle. Besides, it's not like you were going anywhere."

"I hate the fact that you're with Damon. It's something that I think about every day; the fact that I couldn't protect you when you needed me to. I wasn't there for you when you needed me and he stepped right up. How long did it take you before you started sleeping with him?"

My jaw dropped. "Once we both found out that you called Katherine back."

"I did not bring her back! That was Isobel!"

"It doesn't change the fact that when I see you, all I think about is the night that you left me to die in my house. Then the night that you almost murdered my father right in front of me. Then, you almost killed me again on graduation. That's why I didn't say goodbye to you. Because I didn't want to see you anymore," I said and shoved him as I walked towards the stairs.

In an instant, I was pinned between him and the wall. I was too caught up in my emotions to fight him back. "You can hate me all you want, but I still love you Elena. It kills me to know that I hurt you so much and I can't change it."

"Bonnie-"

"Is not you," he whispered and his face softened. "If it weren't for Damon and Bonnie, would you take me back?"

I stared into his eyes for what seemed like hours before I shook my head and watched his unbeating heart shatter into a million pieces. "Like I said before," I whispered. "Every time I see you, I see what you did to me and my family." I slipped from his grasp and watched him walk towards the door. "You said you stayed at the motel sometimes. Why?"

"Because being here reminded me too much of you."

As he was about to walk outside, I called for him. "Stefan?" He paused, but didn't turn around. "If you hurt her, I swear I'll kill you myself." He half turned and I could see the smile touching his lips before he jetted off to his next destination.

Knowing that Damon still needed time to cool down, I called Tyler and Matt to come help me with this mess of a living room. It didn't take us long and even though I could have cleaned it just fine on my own, I needed company so I could avoid thinking about Damon and if he was okay or not. I flopped down on the couch beside Tyler the moment we finished and watched him and Matt pant to catch their breath. "I think I got screwed on the supernatural gene pool," Tyler muttered as he stared back at me.

I laughed, briefly. "Are you guys hungry?"

"Starving," Matt breathed as Tyler nodded in agreement.

"I'll order pizza," I said and went to the formal living room to order it. When I turned around Matt was there and I jumped. He saw it and is brow rose.

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

"Elena, where's Damon?"

"He went out to feed."

"He just-"

"I know that!" I hissed and backed away from him. "I know that and I'm trying not to think too much about it. Stefan was here before I called you two over and the two of them had a fight. Damon's off venting and I need to keep my mind off of it. That's why you're here and you suck at keeping me occupied." The last part I said with a smile as I poked him lightly in the shoulder.

"Well, what do you want to do?" he asked as he followed me back to the living room. "Cards? Video games? Any board games laying around?"

"Booze?" Tyler asked from the couch, looking hopeful.

"In the basement. I'll go and get it," I said as I realized the bottles on the bar in the living room had been smashed. I brought up as many bottles of whatever I could carry and set it on the coffee table. Tyler went for the half-empty tequila and sat back on the couch while he took a drink.

"We could invite a few people over. Have a party," Tyler suggested after a third swig.

I half smiled and shook my head. "I can't promise not to make a snack out of any of the guests."

Both boys paused and exchanged glances. "You're hungry?" Matt asked and squirmed in his seat. She should just ask. I've been thinking about that night and how I felt. I wish-

I shook myself and found myself staring at him with wide eyes. He blushed and looked away, knowing I had read his thoughts. "Why didn't you just say so?" Tyler questioned.

"I'm not hungry, I'm just restless, irritated, and slightly angry."

Tyler grinned, "Female problems."

I tossed a pillow at him and he swatted it aside. "I think I have cards somewhere," I said and dug them out from one of the drawers in the kitchen. After the pizza came, we talked for a little bit before I was too concerned about Damon to focus. "I'm just going to head upstairs. You guys can stay here for as long as you want. Tyler, give me your keys."

He laughed at that. "I can change into a wolf and you're worried about me drunk driving?"

"Just give me your keys. You too Matt," I said and extended my hand. They both fished their pockets for their keys and handed them to me. "See you in the morning," I added and walked upstairs. I entered Damon's room and after I shut the door, I felt the air shift and Damon had me pinned to the door. "Where the hell have you been?" I asked angrily, forcing myself to ignore the safety I felt in his arms for a few seconds.

"Hunting."

"For eight hours?"

He blinked in surprise, obviously time had escaped him. "I'm sorry. I should not have left like that."

"You think? Someone just tried to kill you and you run off as if nothing had happened," I said as I slipped out from him. "You should have at least called to let me know you were okay."

I moved to stand in front of the bed and looked at him. "Elena, I truly am sorry I made you worry, but if I stayed here for one more minute, I would have killed him. And you would have been angry with me."

A smile twitched at my lips and he saw it. "And?"

He grinned, but took a step closer to me. "And I should not have said those things about you." He took another step and another until he put his hands in mine. "Especially not with you standing there."

I returned his grin and feigned to be hurt as I stepped back. "It's not me you should apologize to."

The playfulness in his face died instantly. "No."

"Damon, you didn't have to say those things to him about his relationship with Bonnie. Or about me."

"No, but I said them and they are true and you can't deny that."

I stared at him, knowing he was right and sighed. "True as they might have been, it still hurt and they were unnecessary. If you don't apologize, fine, just don't let it happen again."

He slipped his arms around me and pressed his lips against the side of my neck. I faltered, trying to remember that I was angry with him. "I won't."

"You better not," I said and gave in to his charms as we tumbled onto the bed. My hands were fisted in his hair and pulled his head closer to deepen the kiss. I felt my shirt slide up and groaned as his lips trailed their way down to glide across my now exposed stomach. He pulled back only for a moment to remove my jeans and the underwear beneath them. My neck arched and my head ground against the pillow at the feel of his tongue where I craved him most. My hands dug into the sheets and gripped them tightly as his tongue moved expertly. I moaned again, forgetting there were other in the house and I shut my eyes at the feel of my head binding, getting ready for my first release. It never came and when I opened my eyes, Damon was sitting back on his knees, smirking arrogantly.

In an instant, I was kneeling in front of him and kept his gaze while I unbuttoned his shirt and shrugged it off of his shoulders. My hands slid up and down his sleek muscles before reaching down to undo is belt. I undid the fly of his jeans and slipped my hand behind the elastic of his boxers. His eyes half closed as my hand closed around him. He bent down to kiss me and the faster I pumped, the harder he kissed. When I could sense he was about to let go, I withdrew my hand and sat back. He had a mock angry look before reaching out for the hem of my shirt. Before I could protest, he tore it away and cut off my whine with another kiss. He reached behind me to unhook my bra and tossed it to the floor. He lowered his head to my chest and my head tipped back as his mouth closed over one of my breasts. His hand kneaded the other one and he alternated, torturing me in the process.

I smiled as I moved with vampire speed and pinned him to the wall. His eyes flashed as he looked down at the sight of me running my hands up and down his chest. He hated it when I showed him that I was a little stronger then him and to show me up, he lifted me by my biceps and slammed my back against the wall. I had wrapped my legs around his waist in the process and the moment I turned, I slid myself onto him. His hips ground against mine, thrusting wildly as he nuzzled my neck. His fangs grazed my skin and as he bit down, my hands gripped his shoulders so tightly, he bled from my fingernails.

I gasped slightly as he moved from the wall to throw me down on the desk on the far side of the room; never stopping. My head hung off the side of the desk as I felt his teeth slide into my skin again and with that, my release came. I reached up to run my fingers through his hair and moved so that he was beneath me on the desk. I sat up straight, letting my head tip back as his hands slithered up and down my body in a mock rhythm to his hips. When I could feel my second release, I best forward slightly so I could rest my hands on his chest and stare into those passion-drunk blue eyes. His nails gripped my hips hard enough to draw blood as he increased his pace and in one earth-shattering moment, we came together. When it was over, I collapsed on top of him. The movement caused the legs to crack and we fell to the floor with a cry of surprise. We landed in a heap of tangled limbs and laughed hysterically before Damon's lips came down over mine and we picked right back up.