Present.

The warmth of her face is what awoke her.

Elena moaned, her eyes opening into small slits. She began to move positions and found resistance. She opened her eyes and looked towards the bedpost to find her wrist bound to it with a leather restraint. She was confused and suddenly wary. She tried to shift her leg and realized they were also bound and tied. Each limb was tied to one of the four posts of the massive bed. She was dressed in a light, sleeveless periwinkle dress of a sheer open weave cotton fabric. She whimpered lightly, pulling at the restraints and receiving no give.

"You won't be able to get out of them," Damon said softly.

Elena turned and noticed Damon sitting in a chair across the room. One leg was crossed over the other with his hands clasped across his knee.

"Damon," Elena called out. "What's going on?"

"It's for your own good, Elena…"

"What…?" Her tone was panicked…overly so.

Damon slid off his chair and walked towards the bed. He sat on the edge and stared down at Elena suspiciously.

"I know you've downplayed how you've been feeling since…since New Orleans."

"Damon, no…"

"Yes."

His tucked her hair behind her ear, his fingers sliding over her glossy locks.

"Katherine is inside you."

"No, Damon, it's just me," she shook her head dramatically. "Please. You're scaring me."

"I'm really not trying to, honey. But I have to keep you here. She's a threat to us."

Elena's eyes, hard, narrowed slightly.

"So there's nothing I can do to convince you?"

"Not until I can figure out how to help rid you of her," Damon shook his head and leaned down, kissing her forehead.

Elena's face turned suddenly and her fangs, unsheathed, snapped at Damon. Her eyes were large, angry. And the veins on her face were bulging rivers of blue. Damon's face flew back with scant centimeters to spare.

"You're a fool," she said.

Damon's heart lurched. Katherine. His suspicion was confirmed.

"You can't get rid of me! I'm part of her and getting stronger every day. Soon Elena will be just a memory. Untie me, Damon, now."

"You know I won't do that."

"Just let it be already. This was meant to happen. This is supposed to happen!"

"You're crazy."

"Of course I'm crazy, Damon. I've always been crazy. That's what you used to love about me. My God, don't you remember me? Remember us?"

Damon stood and walked to the window.

"I don't want to remember," he said icily.

"But you do. You remember our eyes meeting across the room. You remember how it felt to touch me. You remember stealing away in the thick of night to be with me. You remember everything, Damon. I see it every time you look at me."

"I don't look at you. I look through you. The only person I look at is Elena."

"Always Elena! It doesn't matter, love. She is a part of my soul—a part of my being. And I'm just finally taking it back. Taking her back. When you look at her, you are looking at me."

"It doesn't work that way, Katherine," he raised his voice, banging his fist against the wall.

"I saw your face," she whispered, shutting her eyes. "I saw your eyes after you pushed the stake through my heart. You still cared about me. I saw it. I felt it."

Damon turned and stared, saying nothing.

"I still love you, Damon. Don't you see? Everything happened because it was supposed to happen. You were supposed to kill me. I was destined to come back. I was meant to be here—in this moment. With you. I was meant to be with you."

His expression was guarded. He moved onto the bed, facing her. Her eyes were wild, pleading. Tears spilled from the corner of her eye and she looked away. Damon reached out, his thumb wiping away her tear. She moved, her lips pressing into his palm. His hand moved languidly, curling snugly around her throat. He leaned in, his face inches from hers. His eyes were cold.

"Do you know what I remember? I remember your eyes meeting mine across the room. And then meeting my brother's eyes. I remember you stealing in the thick of night to be with him. I remember everything, Katherine. I remember your games. I remember you killing my brother. And I remember you standing over Elena's body in New Orleans. Did you think I'd just forget? You disgust me. I don't love you. I hate you. I will give you credit, though. This was a fresh tactic. But a failed one."

He pushed her face away from him and stood.

She was screaming, thrashing wildly against her restraints. Her hair whipped in front of her face like a shroud. She was uncontrollable. He watched her for a long moment. She was as rabid as a dog and just as dangerous.

Damon slowly reached up, putting his hand over hers. She dug her nails into his flesh. He closed his eyes as blood seeped out from underneath the vice grip of her fingers.

"Elena," he called softly. His blood dripped onto her wrist.

"There is no fucking Elena," Katherine howled. She dug her fingers into his hand even harder.

Damon gently pressed his fingers into the back of her hand.

"Elena," he called again.

"I'm stronger than her Damon, I can make her stay away."

"Elena…come here."

Katherine shook, growling. Her body was racked with spasms and she began to mumble. And then suddenly fell limp, her grip released on Damon's hand. But he continued to hold hers. His other hand brushed her hair out of her face. Concern was etched into his expression. And when her eyes fluttered open, he knew it was Elena. His shoulders sagged with relief.

She burst into tears almost instantly.

Damon, his resolve wavering, moved to untie her restraints but Elena screamed.

"No! No! Leave them!"

Damon froze.

"Get her out of me, Damon, please. Just get her out of me."

She was nearly hysterical. Damon wiped her tears, trying to calm her.

"I'm trying. But I don't know what in the hell I'm supposed to do."

"The exorcism, Damon. You have to do it. I was there when you threw the holy water on her. I felt her get weaker," she said quickly.

"But did you get weaker?"

"I can't live like this," she dodged his question. "I can't."

"You could die. I won't risk it."

"I'm already dying," she screamed.

Silence.

Damon's eyes searched hers. And before she could say another word, he yanked the restraints off of the bedpost. One arm, and then the other. One leg, and then the other. He grabbed her by her forearm and pulled her roughly into his lap.

Elena cried, her face pressed into his chest. Her hands curled around the fabric of his shirt. She was shaking violently—alternately struggling with her emotions and pushing Katherine away from her consciousness.

Damon rocker her slowly, stroking her arm and stroking her hair.

Elena closed her eyes and pushed her face upwards, pressing her lips to Damon. Damon's hands cupped her face urgently. Her arms went around his neck in a frantic grip—he was her anchor in a raging sea.

"Promise me you'll do it," she whispered desperately, kissing him again.

"Elena…"

"Promise," her voice raised slightly. Her tears were rolling down her face.

Damon could taste the saltiness of it in her kiss. He could also taste her anxiousness.

"I promise," he said finally, shutting his eyes as she rested her cheek against his shoulder.

She wanted him. Needed him. Just as she always had. Damon was her grounding force. He had watched over her when Stefan had disappeared. He saved her went cancer was ravaging her body. He stopped Katherine's compelled minions from poisoning her. In her darkest days, she had never quite realized how much Damon had supported her. Despite his anger, his biting temper—when she began to falter, Damon was always there forcing her to keep her balance.

"I love you," whispered suddenly, almost as if she just realized it. And maybe she just had.

She felt his entire body stiffen.

If his heart could beat, it would be exploding out of his chest. He hadn't comprehended how much he had wanted her to say it. And here were her words—plain as day. And he was frozen. Paralyzed. It was as if he lost all capability of speech. She had finally said it. And he was afraid.

And so his grip tightened around her shoulders.

He didn't say a word.