A/N: Smut alert... uhoh.
Elena looked up at him in doubt. "Then why did you?" she asked him in a small voice.
Damon grimaced and looked away. "I was scared." He admitted after a long silence. "I-" he broke off, furrowing his brows together. "There's something about you. The way I am around you; the way other people notice it." he met her eyes again, revealing a deep, hidden pool of emotions that were previously hidden by their beauty. "It scares me that you almost died, and then when your doctor told me you wouldn't make it, god, I was scared Elena. I was so fucking scared. I still am." He confessed, words tumbling out of his mouth in the midst of the night. "You just made me feel so helpless. I didn't care if you didn't blame me, but it was my fault." Elena opened her mouth to protest so he quickly continued. "I didn't care at first. I thought everything would calm down and we'd be okay. Elena, you came so close to dying and I couldn't handle it. I didn't ever want to feel that helpless, that useless ever again. "
He took a deep shaky breath, reeling from the hidden truths he'd unleashed on her. "I'm just trying to say that I'm sorry." He whispered, leaning her forehead against hers. "Forgive me." Elena shook her head firmly; her eyes still as strong and beautiful as they had been when he'd first seen them.
"No." she whispered, so quiet it was barely more than a breath escaping her lips.
He moved his lips so they were resting near her ear, brushing across the skin there as he spoke. "Forgive me." He breathed, sending goose bump across her neck.
"Damon," she whispered, her breath coming faster and faster as she lost herself in his eyes. "Don't."
Damon pressed a soft kiss to her ear, trailing his way along her jawline until he lingered over her lips. "Why not?"
She titled her chin up slightly, her lips hovering over his. "In case you leave again." She whispered, sending electricity shooting over Damon's body as her lips moved, so close to his.
"Elena." Damon murmured, running his hands through her hair, letting the ends fall through his fingers.
Elena shook her head, half way defiance, and half way surrender. Damon moved his head down, capturing her lips, giving her her sweet apology with just one touch. She pulled away by just a fraction, staring up into his eyes with doubt, searching for something behind his blue gaze. He traced the lines of her face from her temples to her chin, tilting it so he could kiss her again. This time she came to life beneath him; moving her lips against his as her hands wound their way around his neck, locking his body to her. He lifted her up, gently placing her on the counter, maneuvering himself between her legs as he trailed his lips down her neck, dipping between the valley of her breasts. Her legs locked around his hips as she pulled his face to meet hers, claiming his lips with bruising force.
In that moment nothing mattered besides her. She was all he could focus on; her one all-consuming force of addiction, setting him on a path that would ultimately end in tragedy. She peppered kisses along his jaw, teasing his neck with her tongue and her teeth. He pushed her backward, lying her flat against the cold counter as he hovered over her, kissing down her neck and lightly biting the hollow of her throat, his hands palmed up her toned stomach, sending eruptions of desire all over her body. She wrapped her arms around his neck, shivering as his teeth made contact with her neck, followed by the lightest of kisses.
Damon pulled her up, fast as lighting, claiming her mouth again as he held her thighs, holding her tightly to him; keeping her elevated as she kissed him. He stumbled backward, hitting a wall, dropping Elena's legs and wrapping his strong arms around her waist, silencing her moans with his addicting mouth as his body pressed against her. Her hands trailed down his neck, grasping the lapels of his leather jacket, spinning him around and forcing him backwards. He caught her around her waist as he staggered backwards, stubbornly never stopping with his kisses. His knees hit the bed with a sudden force that sent him tumbling back, pulling her down on top of him.
Elena kissed him fiercely, trailing her nails down his chest, feeling his taut muscles through the thin t-shirt he was wearing. He rolled them over; kissing down her neck, grazing his hands up her sides to lifted her shirt up. He kissed her stomach, moving steadily upwards, inching her shirt higher little by little as he trailed his way painfully slowly over her body. She arched her back, stretching her hands above her head as he pulled the offending item off of her, discarding it somewhere on the floor. His smooth hands brushed up her body as he pressed his lips over her breasts, teasing her with his tongue.
She groaned in frustration, threading his lips through his hair and kissing him fervently, pushing his jacket off his shoulders and down his arms. She yanked off his t-shirt with a swift movement, gasping in shock as Damon pulled her up, pinning her tightly to him as he help her in his arms, kissing her so feverishly, her world nearly setting alight. She wound her arms around his neck, leaving his face pressed against her skin, trailing burning down her body. Pushing her gently to the mattress, he eased off her jeans and kissed his way over her stomach; across her hipbones; along the inside of her thighs. When his mouth met hers again, moving with a force near desperate, she gasped, feeling his hands grazing over her sensitive skin, driving her higher and higher teasing her with his skillful hands.
She forced his jeans down his legs, hissing as he unsnapped her bra and tortured her with his mouth, latching onto her sensitive skin with abandon and stubborn desire. Her hands threaded in his hair, pulling him up towards her and rolling them over so she sat atop of him. She trailed her way down his hard muscles, slowly ridding him on his boxers, coyly tracing her lips over him. He lost patience, pushing him off of her and kissing her fiercely. His hands massaged the smooth skin of her ribs as he kissed the damaged skin by her collarbone ever so gently, and pressing a lingering kiss over the wound on her ribs. He left a hot trail down her stomach, easing off the last remnants of her clothing, bringing her closer and closer as he teased her with his talented tongue and addictive lips; sending her hurtling over the edge in a fierce rush of desire and leaving her trembling against the cool sheets.
He kissed her mouth fiercely, finally sliding into her, groaning in pleasure, letting his head fall against her neck. She gasped, clawing at his back as he moved, rocking into her with the ease of a man who knew what he was doing. He moaned, gasping her name and whispering sweet words into her ear as they reached the edge together, falling, and lying warm, tried and content, amongst the white sheets in each other's sweat soaked arms.
"Do you forgive me?" Damon murmured, his lips moving against the skin behind her ear sometime later in the early hours of the morning. She rolled over, lying on top of him, leaning her head against his chest. His hand reached up to slowly stroke her hair, dropping a kiss onto the crown of her head as his hands wound around her t-shirt clad back. She nodded slightly against his sweat-slick skin, pressing her lips to his muscles.
"Yeah." She whispered, letting her eyes drop shut as she fell asleep to the sound of his heart beating through his skin while the sun began to rise.
"Grayson." Giuseppe asked suddenly. "Have you talked to Elena?"
Grayson looked up from his computer screen. "No." he admitted sheepishly. "I'll go see her later, I've been too busy trying to figure out this case since Damon decided to drop of the face off the earth." He snapped bitterly, running a weary hand along his jaw, feeling the rough stubble there.
Giuseppe rolled his eyes, leaning back on the soft leather chair and studying his friend intently. "You two could attempt to work together."
"I've known Damon since he was born, we were fine working together until he started hitting on my daughter." Grayson pointed out bluntly, his eyes never leaving his computer screen. He sighed loudly. "There's no record of the shooting. None. I still can't crack the archive." He groaned, leaning his head in his hands.
"Oh get over it." Giuseppe said tiredly. "Shouldn't you be more protective of Damon? What if Elena breaks his heart?"
"What makes you say that?" Grayson said sharply, his brown eyes locking on Giuseppe's.
Giuseppe looked up regretfully. "I didn't mean anything by it Gray." He said, trying to brush it off.
"Why would you say that?" Grayson repeated in a low voice.
Giuseppe looked at him with sad eyes, taking in the lines etched too deep for the man's face. "Because Miranda broke yours."
Grayson looked away, his mouth set in a grim line. "Call Ric, I can't crack the archives." He said bluntly.
Sighing quietly, Giuseppe grabbed his phone, dialing Alaric's number. "No answer." He said, putting the phone back down. "Why are you so desperate to get into the archives? That's all old cases"
"Archives, database," he replied vaguely, making a dismissive gesture with his hand. "Same thing."
"Not really Gray." Giuseppe told him.
"Someone shot my daughter." He growled, attacking the keyboard with a renewed fervor. "I want answers since Damon won't supply."
"Have you even asked Damon?" Giuseppe asked simply, scrutinizing his friend carefully.
"No point. Your son refuses to give answers."
Giuseppe looked up for a moment, looking as if a light bulb just clicked in his head. He stood up, walking swiftly over to Grayson, commandeering the computer form him. "Check the record for Washington college open days for this month." He ordered, resting his hand on the wooden desk, his old eyes scanning the computer screen. He growled, grabbing the office phone and dialing a number agitatedly.
"Who you calling?" Grayson questioned, staring staggered at Giuseppe.
He cursed violently and began pacing over the office, clasping his hands behind his head. "Stefan's missing."
Grayson's eyes widened for a moment, before they clouded with doubt. "Is that relevant?"
"It's Sunday." Giuseppe said, stretching to take Grayson's phone, scrolling through recent numbers. "He said he was in Washington, looking at open days." Grayson looked at dubiously. "He was supposed to be back Thursday. There are no open days in Washington this month Gray." He explained exasperated. "Stefan going missing right now it not good."
"Why have you got my phone?" Grayson asked apprehensively, not sure of how to reply.
Giuseppe looked up, eyeing Grayson with disbelief. "You need access to police archives?" he clarified, pressing a number and holding the phone to his ear. Grayson nodded, looking warily at his life-long friend. Giuseppe sighed, putting the call on speaker and placing it on the worn oak desk.
"Phoenix P.D, how can I help you?" Came a helpful voice through the line.
Giuseppe leant on the desk with both hands, hanging his head wearily. "John Somers; Investigations."
Damon awoke blearily to the sound of his phone vibrating in his jeans pocket across the room. He rolled out of bed, landing with a thump on the wooden flooring, looking around dazed as he tried to get his bearings. He stretched, reaching for his jeans and sliding them on. Taking his iPhone out of the pocket, he groaned in dismay as he saw several large cracks marring the previously complete screen. That was the last time he left his phone in his jeans and then chucked them halfway across a room.
"Hey man." He whispered, rubbing his face with one hand as he leant against the wall with his knees bent.
"Why are you whispering?" Klaus said suspiciously. "Mate, you didn't." he crowed gleefully, pausing, taking in Damon's silence. "You totally did-"
"Not. A. Word." Damon hissed quietly, standing up and padding out of the bedroom, pulling the sliding wood-panel doors halfway shut over the archway. "What the hell do you want? Do you know what time it is?"
"Damon." Klaus said. Damon could imagine the smirk spreading across his face. "My advice is fucking awesome."
"I swear to god Klaus, if you don't tell me why you dragged me out of bed today of all days, I will kill you." He threatened as quietly as possible.
Klaus went silent on the other end of the line. "Ric found Stefan."
"Right now?" Damon cursed, glancing back through the empty apartment to when Elena was sleeping. "Seriously?"
"Sorry mate." Klaus replied remorsefully. "Call me when you're apartment."
"Does this really have to be right now?" Damon asked, scowled deeply.
"Stefan's been moving about like crazy, Damon. Either we get him today or we lose him."
Damon made an agonized face as he turned around and looked at Elena again, regret seeping into his features. "I'll be there soon."
He hung up abruptly, slipping his phone in his jeans pocket and padding across to the archway and gently pulling back the sliding door and wandering over to the bed, climbing onto it and kissing Elena's neck. "Hey." She murmured, rolling over and stretching her arms above her head. Damon hovered over her, a hand on either side of her head and he leant in and pressed a lingering kiss to her lips. Elena glanced down at him, her eyes doubtful. "You better not be telling me you're leaving."
"Ric found Stefan." He told her, stroking her cheek gently. "He's dropped off the map since he shot you Lay, I need answers."
Elena studied him carefully, pushing herself up; her face tensing as she used her damaged shoulder. Damon kissed her shoulder softly, leaning his head there. "Does it hurt?"
Elena shrugged with one shoulder. "A bit." She told him, cupping his cheek with one hand and bringing his lips in to meet hers.
Damon pulled away regretfully, brushing her hair away from her face. "I'll be back in a little while." He told her quietly, and with one last remaining kiss, he disappeared out of the door.
A/N: Feels weird updating such a short chapter on this fic. How's the shorter chapters working out? You want the longer ones back?
I just want to say thank you to every single person who has reviewed, followed, favourites, read this story. It means the world and more, and I love you all for doing that.
And to vivianafrancesca; I know you wanted him to suffer, but his pretty eyes just made me put him back with Elena. ;)