Cannonball

Disclaimer: I don't own anything or anyone from The Vampire Diaries.

Big shout out to Mara (anglcdmn1986 on twitter) for being my beta for this chapter! Thank you again!

March 25th 2013.

Monday 9:40pm

Mystic Falls

"Fuck! Fuck!" I scramble with my phone, my hands shaking as I hit the redial button and press my phone against my ear and again it goes straight to voicemail. "Damn it Will! Pick up!" I slam my fist against the wall beside me as I fumble around looking for the keys to my apartment before I realize that I left them in my suit jacket which is still in Zach's car.

"Fuck!" I shout in frustration as I run a shaking hand through my hair. I don't know what to do.

What if he's dead?

What if the fire killed him?

My stomach clenches painfully and soon I'm bending over and throwing up, I gag once, twice, three times before leaning back up straight and wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.

Will has to be alive, because there is no way in hell that I just witnessed a murder, that I'm now an accessory to murder...

That my Uncle Zach just killed someone.

I knew he wasn't exactly an honorable man, I knew he did bad things and I knew he even did them to good people. I'm not proud to admit that knowing these qualities about this man never bothered me– hell - for the majority of my life I actually looked up to him and I wanted to be like him.

Assault, drugs, theft, vandalism…I could let all of that slide without even batting an eyelid.

But murder?

He didn't even flinch.

I shake my head and fumble to find my phone again before finding Will's number and press call, I wait an anxious moment while it connects. I groan loudly as yet again it goes straight to voicemail.

"Just fucking pick up!" I grip onto my phone tightly, slamming my arm back against my side in frustration.

I freeze and turn around and take a step towards the railing of the balcony of my apartment block. It takes me a second to realize that I can hear the sound of sirens and they are getting closer.

Fuck.

I turn on my heel and run, quickly down the steps and into the parking lot, I fall on the gravel and sit back against a big black range rover breathlessly as I hear the sirens come closer and closer, I squeeze my eyes shut, begging, and pleading that they'll disappear.

My heart is pounding painfully hard and fast against my chest and I look down at my hands which are scraped and now grazed with blood from my rough landing. I take deep short breaths and close my eyes as I hear the sirens come closer and closer and my heart stops for a moment when I can hear the sound of an engine.

It's the longest ten seconds of my life.

But eventually the sirens start to fade again and I let out a breath of relief, slumping against the random car behind me and opening my eyes, a fallen tear sliding down my cheek.

I slowly pull myself to my feet and look around the parking lot to find my Camaro is not in its usual spot. It takes me a few moments to work out in my fried brain that I left it at the Salvatore Boarding House.

I clear my throat and look back down at my phone, willing myself to calm down but I can't get the image of Will's house burning up in flames and him possibly being inside of it out of my head.

I press my phone against my ear and wait anxiously until eventually she picks up.

"Elena!" I speak quickly before she even gets the chance to say anything. "Elena, I…I…" I can't even get the words out, I frantically start to pace up and down as a sickening feeling starts to grow again in my stomach.

"Da-I'm still at the party," her voice sounds confused. "Is everything okay?"

"No. No it's not ok…shit…I fucked up," I shut my eyes tightly. "I fucked up real bad! I don't know what to do, Elena. I don't know what to do!"

"Hold on a second, okay? Just one second?" she practically pleads with me but I can't think straight.

"I fucked up so bad! I did something, Elena…god!" I shake my head, almost dropping my phone as my hands start to shake again as I think about it. "I'm gonna-" my hand falls to my side as I feel bile build up in the back of my throat and before I know it I am bent over emptying what little has been left in my stomach.

I hear her calling my name and I compose myself before standing up straight again, turning around and leaning breathlessly against the car behind me before slowly pressing my phone back against my ear.

"Damon? Are you still there? Damon? Damon?" I can hear the fear in her voice as she frantically calls my name and I swallow the lump in my throat before speaking.

"I'm still here," I say breathlessly.

"Where are you?" she asks immediately.

"Outside my apartment…I've…I don't have keys and…" I can't find the words to speak. "Elena," I feel my voice break. "I need you."

"Just stay there okay? Whatever it is, it'll be okay." I can tell that she is trying to sound strong, but I hear the worry in her voice and I know she doesn't have a clue what is going on. "I'll be there soon!"

I nod my head, even though she can't see me and I quickly hang up as the guilt of what I have done starts to build up inside of me.

I don't deserve a girl like Elena. Tonight just proved it.

I slowly move the phone away from my ear when I hear the dial tone and I stand frozen for a moment as I try to process the last five minutes, a sickly feeling growing in the pit of my stomach as I remember the sound of the fear in Damon's voice.

Damon isn't scared of anything. I can't help thinking about different scenarios about what has happened, my mind thinking of the worst.

I shake my head and pull myself out of my trance because I need to get to him. I need to get to him ASAP. I have never heard Damon like that before, and the fact that it sounded like he was throwing up is just making me ten times more worried and scared.

I open the door from the small office room that I escaped to when he called, and quickly pushed my way through the party. I'm about to open the front door when I hear the sound of my name being called.

Shit.

My eyes squeeze shut, and I'm tempted to just keep on going but before I can even do that, a hand is on my arm and I slowly turn around to see my Mom stood with a sickly fake smile on her face.

"Where are you going?" she asks curiously, the smile still frozen on her face as I realize that there are more than enough people in hearing distance.

"Sorry…I was just going to my car…I left my purse in there."

"You don't need your purse, honey." My Mom tells me simply. "Come back into the dining room, there is some people from the council that I would like you to meet."

"I'll just be one minute-"

"Elena darling, your purse is going to be fine in the car; this is private property so nobody is going to steal it

"It's not that." I sigh and take a short step forward so no one can hear us. "I need to leave."

"Elena," My Mom sighs and murmurs with her lips straight. "Do not do this to me tonight."

"Mom I wouldn't ask if it wasn't an emergency."

"It seems to me that you were already leaving without asking."

I take a deep breath and will myself to keep calm, knowing that Damon is waiting for me and he is clearly in a bad way is making me anxious and I need to leave and I need to leave now.

"Mom, please." I plead with her desperately. "I need to leave!"

She blinks at me a little surprised, probably at the desperation in my voice and I watch as she clears her throat before glancing to her right briefly. "Elena, do not cause a scene. You know how much these events mean to me and your Father, especially right now with all the problems with the Salvatore's, we need to put on a united front, as a family."

"I showed up! I smiled for photos, I even spoke to people who I can't stand. How is that not putting on a front? Mom, come on!" my voice raising slightly.

"Elena." she hisses immediately, a scolding look on her face. "Do not do this, not here."

I look at her and shake my head. "I'm sorry." I quickly turn around and run out of the door before she can stop me, the sound of my name being called behind me is clear and angry but I keep on running, I get to my car and instantly shove off my painful heels. I put the keys in the ignition with shaky hands and pull out of the Lockwood estate.

The drive to Damon's apartment seems to take forever, and I tried to call him on my way over to let him know that I won't be long. He doesn't pick up and that just makes my anxiety and fear worse.

I pull into the parking lot outside of his apartment block and get out, my eyes scanning the dark area and I curse when I don't see him, I glance up to the second tier balcony where his apartment is based and his lights are off and he's not outside.

I notice that his Camaro is missing but I remember that he arrived with his family. I arrived at the same time but I held back so I wouldn't have to awkwardly run into them. I look around almost frantically before pulling my phone back out of my purse, very much aware that I'm standing on the dirty gravel in bare feet but I don't care. I tap in Damon's number and wait anxiously as it rings. I freeze when I hear the familiar sound of his ringtone.

I follow the sound through the small lot, the anxious feeling continuing to build in my stomach the closer and closer I get because Damon still hasn't picked up.

I walk past a big black range rover and immediately come to a halt.

Damon is sat leaning against it, his knees pulled up and his head resting against them, his arms covering his ears and his hands clutching his hair as his phone rings and vibrates on the gravel beside him.

"Damon." I breathe out fearfully and I watch in slow motion as his head slowly rises up. I hold back a gasp at the way his face is pale and his eyes are brimmed red. I snap out of it immediately and dive down onto the ground beside him, my arms immediately wrapping around him. "Baby, it's okay." I press a kiss to the side of his head as he falls against me, his head resting against my chest. My heart sinks as I feel his body shudder against me, he's shaking. I really don't think it has anything to do with the cold weather. "Whatever's happened, it'll be okay. We'll deal with it." I press another kiss into his hair and hold him closely, my lips in his dark locks as I continue to press slow kisses to the top of his head, holding onto him tightly, one hand soothingly running up and down his arm while the other clutches him securely against me.

After a few silent moments he pulls back. His are eyes red, there are no tears but I see the pain, I see the fear and that in itself scares me.

"I did something bad." He whispers, his jaw clenching. "You're going to hate me."

"What?" I ask shocked and immediately shake my head. "I could never hate you," I move my hands and press them against both sides of his cheeks. "I love you, okay? Whatever has happened won't change that, it won't change how I feel about you. Okay?" he nods his head slowly, but I'm not sure if he believes it and that just worries me even more.

I look around and know that we need to get out of here, all it takes is one person to walk past and see us and we are done for.

"Come on," I slowly stand to my feet and hold out both of my hands, pulling Damon up with me. "Let's get you out of the cold."

"I can't get in my apartment…" he trails, his voice sounding weak and it doesn't sound right coming from his lips.

"I know." I squeeze his hands tightly. "I have my car; we'll go somewhere more private, okay? Just you and me."

He nods his head and he follows me silently to the car, his hand clutching mine tightly.

"Where's your shoes?" he asks me confused once we reach it and I smile slightly and explain about my heels hurting my feet when I drive.

He nods his head briefly but doesn't say anything else, not even a dig or joke about why I chose to wear them in the first place.

I turn up the heaters when we get inside and I glance around briefly just to double-check that no one is around before I pull away.

The drive is completely silent, Damon's gaze is out of the window and it's like his mind is in a completely different place. I am dying to ask him what happened but I know that I can't yet.

I decide to drive us to the Falls, knowing that there will be no one here at this time of night and we'll have our privacy. I turn off the engine and turn to look at Damon whose gaze hasn't moved once since the moment we got in the car.

"Damon…" I say his name softly, my hand reaching out and touching his. "Talk to me." I rub my thumb against his hand slowly and watch nervously as he sluggishly looks down into his lap.

"Zach he…" he trails off immediately, looking like he can't even finish his sentence and I feel even more worry when I find out that this has something to do with his Uncle.

I have heard some not so nice stories about that man.

"You can tell me anything, Damon, you know that." I shuffle as far as I can get on the seat close to him.

"Did you think I was a bad person?" he turns around to face me and I'm shocked to see unshed tears in his eyes.

"What? No." I tell him immediately, my voice firm.

"No, no." he shakes his head. "Before us, did you think I was a bad person? Please, be honest with me."

I stay silent because how am I supposed to answer that? Did I think Damon was a bad person before I started to fall for him, to see who he really is?

Yes.

I did.

But I was wrong, so, so wrong.

"I saw what you wanted people to see in you," I throw back, because that for sure is the truth. "But it doesn't matter what I used to think about you before us, because the point is I didn't know you. I judged you on the prejudice that this stupid town judges you on and you probably returned the sentiment. But it's okay, because I know you now, and I know you're not a bad person and that's all that matters."

He shakes his head and looks back down at his lap and I squeeze his hand tightly before bringing it up to my lips and kissing it softly, my lips moving from his knuckles which I notice are slightly grazed and scratched before I press a kiss to his palm.

"Talk to me." I whisper.

"Zach took me with him tonight on a job," he starts again, looking straight out in front of him rather than looking at me. At least he hasn't pulled his hand away. "I didn't think anything of it…I mean he has taken me with him a hundred times over the years, but lately things have been different…" he takes a shaky breath. "There's been…violence involved, violence which I'm ashamed to say that I joined in on. I even enjoyed it." I stay silent and wait anxiously as he continues, the pit in my stomach forever growing. "He always made me carry a gun, he said it was for my own protection." My eyes widen in shock at the revelation that my boyfriend has been doing things that involves guns, the fear that is overtaking my body at the thought of him being in a situation where he's told he needs to carry a gun for protection makes me feel sick.

What the hell has Zach gotten him into?

"It freaked me out at first…but after the third or fourth time I realized that it was purely just for show, I never had to use it and Zach never really did anything too extreme. I mean sure…he got a little rough with some people, and you know…like I said…violent…but nothing with lasting damage." He pauses for a moment. "At least he didn't, until tonight." I feel my breath hitch in my throat and he squeezes his eyes shut.

"Damon…" I whisper out his name but no other words come out.

He turns his head to face me and I see the panic and the fear. "I swear Elena! I didn't know where we were going until we got there! I didn't know what Zach was going to do…" he pleads with me urgently. "Please believe me. Please."

I nod my head and squeeze his hand tighter. "I believe you." I gulp slightly, dreading to hear what he is going to say next but I need to know. "What happened, Damon? Where did Zach take you?" I ask slowly.

"Will's house." He whispers out. I swear my heart literally stops for a second. "He took me there…as soon as I realized where we were I wanted to leave! I told Zach that he was my friend but he wouldn't listen to me."

"What happened next?" I breathe out quietly, my voice barely a whisper.

He closes his eyes for a long moment and I wait with bated breath until the next words leave his lips, his eyes slowly opening and meeting mine. "He set his house on fire."

I gasp and feel my body stiffen in shock and Damon quickly looks away, his gaze back outside to the dark woods surrounding us. I literally cannot find my voice and when Damon pulls his hand away from mine, my body is too numb and frozen to stop him.

"I don't know if he was inside," he continues and I blink to try to bring myself back into the moment. "I've tried calling him but…what if he's dead, Elena? What if we killed him?" he shakes his head and then suddenly he's out the door in a flash.

I jump slightly in shock at the movement and I quickly push open my own door and follow him as he treks through the mood towards the water.

"Damon!" I call out for him, watching as he freezes and comes to a halt.

"You need to stay away from me, Elena." He says without turning back to face me. "I'm trouble, always have been, always will be."

I literally feel my heart break at the way he says it, because it's almost like he genuinely believes it. "Listen to me, Damon." I take slow steps forward, the cold grass below my bare feet sending shivers up my spine. "You didn't kill Will, okay? I'm sure he wasn't inside…" I gulp slightly and take a deep breath. "But if he was? It wasn't you. It wasn't your fault."

Damon shakes his head, still staring out at the water. "I should have stopped him."

"Zach was going to do what he was going to do…" I cringe just thinking about it. "You couldn't have stopped him, Damon. This isn't your fault."

"Will could be dead!" he shouts angrily but I know that it's not directed at me. "He could be dead and I was there! I stood there and watched while my uncle set his house on fire. He didn't care if he was in there or not!" he turns around to face me and I feel my chest clench at the pained look on his face. "What did I do, Elena? I just stood there…and then I ran away." he lets out a dry bitter laugh. "I let Zach drive me back to Mystic Falls and I didn't say a word, I didn't say anything. What kind of person does that make me, huh?"

I shake my head and I can't help the tears that start to sting in my eyes. "Damon…" I take another step towards him. "This isn't your fault. There was nothing you could have done, what else were you supposed to do?"

"I should have stopped him!" he rants angrily at himself. "God…why didn't I stop him!"

I can't take it anymore. I close the gap between us, my hands clinging onto his biceps tightly through his white shirt. "Don't do this, ok? We need to find out what happened. We need to find out if Will is ok because you can't go on like this until we find out, I won't let you carry around this guilt for something that you couldn't control! God Damon, you are only eighteen years old! Zach…he's an adult, he should never have gotten you involved in this!" I can't help the anger that creeps out into my voice. "This isn't your fault! This is his fault! This is all down to him!"

Damon shakes his head, his eyes brimming again with tears as the next words leave his mouth. "What if he's dead, Elena?" he whispers and my heart falls to my stomach yet again at his words.

What if he's dead?

"Then we'll get through this." I tell him firmly, looking straight into his eyes. "We'll survive this, Damon, we always survive."

"Why are you like this?" he asks quietly. I look at him, confused, and he further explains. "I just told you I practically killed a guy…and you…you still want to help me, you're still here."

"One, you didn't kill anyone." I tell him firmly, needing him to believe that. "And two, I don't exactly have a choice because I happen to love your stupid ass, Salvatore, despite the situations you get yourself into." I smile slightly despite what is happening and I swear I see his lips twitch. "I'm not going anywhere." I lean up and press a slow kiss to his lips, feeling relieved when he returns it. "Okay," I pull away with a sigh and pat my hand against his suit pants pockets before pulling out his cell phone. "Let's try Will again?"

"It's going straight to voice-mail."

"Then we'll keep trying." I search through his contacts before finding Will's name. I wait anxiously as I press the cell phone against my ear. Damon's right. It goes straight to voice-mail.

I sigh and hang up, Damon's face dropping at the movement but I simply slip the phone back in his pocket and look up at him with what I hope is a comforting smile.

"We'll try again soon, okay?"

He nods slowly and I take a hold of his hand, looping our fingers together. "Come on," I tug him forward. "Let's go in the car, it's freezing…and in case you didn't notice, I'm not wearing any shoes."

His eyes glance down at my feet and my heart flutters when he smiles.

I look down when I feel Elena start to shift in my arms. I know that she's about to wake up any moment now, it's something that I have learned over the past few months. She sleeps completely still once she settles, but when she's about to wake up it's like her body wakes up slowly one part at a time and I chuckle when her arm swings out only to hit the back of the front seat.

Since I left my keys in Zach's car and there is no way in hell I was going to see him again after last night, we couldn't exactly go back to my apartment, and there was no way we were risking sneaking into Elena's room, especially with the abrupt way she told me she left the Lockwood's party. So instead, we resorted into sleeping in the back seat of her car, still parked between the trees at the Falls, it's not exactly the comfiest place but Elena seems fine resting her head against my chest as I lay with my legs spread out across the back seat, Elena's body on top of mine and our legs tangled together.

It's not like I was getting much sleep anyway.

All night I couldn't get what happened out of my head, I couldn't get the thought of Will being trapped inside his house while the fire surrounded him, choking on the thick smoke.

Dying.

I couldn't stop the images playing over and over, no matter what Elena told me last night to make me feel better. I feel guilty and I feel like this is my fault.

I dip my head down to see her face and watch with a small smile as her eyes slowly flutter open, she moans slightly, shifting against me before tilting her head to look up at me.

"Morning sunshine." I dip my head and press my lips against hers quickly. "Glad to see you finally decided to re-join the real world."

She sighs almost blissfully before leaning her head back down against my chest and burying her face into my unbuttoned shirt. "Have I told you before that you make a great human pillow?" she questions while closing her eyes again.

"You have actually," I comment pointedly. "Numerous of times."

"Well, you are." She states and we fall into a comfortable silence but there's still an underlying tension that is building between us. "Have you…?" she trails cautiously.

"I called him about an hour ago but again it went straight to voicemail." I answer, my original fears starting to come back to me again.

She slowly sits up and I follow her movements, both of us shifting to a more upright position and she stares at me for a moment before speaking.

"He'll be fine." She tells me confidently.

"You don't know that…" I trail quietly.

"Ok fine, you'll be fine."

I shake my head and look down. "I don't deserve this from you, Elena."

"Don't go into this again." She almost sounds angry. "I'm not doing this again with you, okay? I mean it Damon. There was nothing you could do." She reaches with one of her hands to grip my chin. "We'll get through this, I promise."

I nod slowly and she leans forward to press a slow chaste kiss against my lips. I eventually pull away with a sigh. My eyes still closed as I lean my forehead against hers for a moment before reluctantly pulling back.

"You should probably go home soon; your parents will be waiting."

Last night after many missed calls from both Elena's Mom and Dad she eventually just sent them a text message to say that she'll be gone for the night and that she'll explain everything tomorrow. Of course, that just led to more phone calls and in the end Elena just turned her phone off.

I'm glad I don't have to face her family today.

I'm surprised when she shakes her head. "I'm not leaving you today, okay? Not until we know for sure that Will is okay."

"Elena," I sigh. "You're going to get in trouble, especially if you miss school."

"I'll think of something." she smiles slightly before looking around and sighing. "But first we need to find a way to get into your apartment; we can't stay here all day. It's too risky."

"I don't want to see Zach." I mutter bitterly, still not being able to fully believe what he did last night. He called me late last night but I hit ignore immediately, not replying to any of his text messages asking me to call him.

"I know." She agrees. "Could we ask Klaus?"

I still for a moment, not really wanting to get Klaus involved in this but knowing that I don't really have a choice. I know Klaus will do me a favor without asking too many questions, whereas if I asked Stefan he would want to know immediately what is going on.

"I'll call him."

After about an hour or so, I look up to see Klaus' car pulling up beside ours in the dirt track next to the falls. I motion for Elena to sit up from her position leaning into me and I climb out of the car, standing straight and stretching my stiff body from being stuck in that confined space all night.

"Did you two spend the night here?" Klaus asks amused as he jumps out, Elena walking around the car to come beside me. I nod slowly, my eyes squinting against the morning sun. "Oooh, kinky." He chuckles slightly and I roll my eyes.

"You get my keys?" I ask getting straight to the point and Klaus nods before pulling them out of his pocket and throwing them over to me. I catch them and slide them into my suit pants pocket.

"What's going on, mate?" Klaus asks, his voice turning serious. "Zach really wants to speak to you."

I shake my head and look away. "I'll tell you later." Klaus stares at me for a long moment before glancing at Elena; she must make some sort of sign at him because he immediately changes his posture and clears his throat.

"I wouldn't go back to your apartment with Elena if I were you," he warns me. "I'm not kidding when I said that Zach wants to speak with you, it took me ages to try to get your keys from him so the first place I imagine he will be is your apartment."

I groan and look at Elena who mutters something under her breath and I reluctantly turn to face her. "Maybe you should go home…or to school." I tell her reluctantly. "We can't risk staying here all day and there is no way in hell we can go back to my apartment until I've spoken to Zach."

"Damon I told you I'm not leaving you." She tells me firmly, not at all looking happy by my suggestion.

"Elena we don't have a choice."

"Or," Klaus cuts in cautiously. "You could go to my place? I know it's risky," he speaks quickly before I can say anything. "But Kol is at school, as is Rebekah and my parents will be working until this evening."

"What about Finn? Elijah?"

"Finn again is at work, Elijah is away at college. There will be no one home all day, but just in case lock yourselves in my bedroom. I know that it's a risky move, but no more risky than staying here and running into the hikers of Mystic Falls who will most likely recognize you both instantly. I have to go to school anyway, so you'll have the place to yourselves, just make sure that you're long gone by three o clock." He says simply.

"I don't know Klaus…"

"Look, I don't exactly know what is going on right now, and from the look on both of your faces I'm not sure that I want too, but you're clearly in a bit of a situation here so at least let me help you with this one thing."

"He's right Damon." Elena comments, her hand gently pressing against my arm. "It's not like we have anywhere else to go."

I still for a moment before slowly nodding my head and agreeing, he's right because it's really not like we have anywhere else to go, especially since Elena is insistent on not leaving my side.

"Great!" Klaus smirks slightly. "You," he points at me. "Ride with me, Elena you know where I live right?" she nods. "Meet us there, but you know…be discreet and don't park outside of my house."

She rolls her eyes because clearly she knows this already. I shake my head before following Klaus into his car. I watch as he shuts the door and turns on the engine, immediately pulling away and we're driving for barely 30 seconds before he asks me the dreaded question.

"So, are you going to tell me what the hell is going on?"

"You should try and get some sleep, you're exhausted." I look down where Damon is sprawled on the bed, his head resting against my stomach as I sit up against the headboard. I play with his hair soothingly, my fingers running through his soft locks.

A movie is playing on Klaus's TV in the background as we lazily lounge on his bed but neither of us is really paying much attention to it.

"I'm fine," he replies with a muffled tone as he buries his head further against me. I smile and lean down to press a kiss to the top of his head before leaning back up, glancing back at Damon's phone which is flashing on the bedside table beside us, I see Zach's name on the screen calling and glance back at Damon who now finally has his eyes closed and I reach over discreetly and hit the ignore button.

I continue to play with his hair slowly, and I smile slightly when I feel his breathing even out and I'm thankful that he has finally managed to fall asleep. I just hope that it lasts.

Honestly, I have been sort of winging this whole situation. It's not like I've been involved in something like this before. When Damon first told me about the fire I really didn't know how to react. I want to be supportive but at the same time I don't want to have to lie and pretend that everything will be okay when I don't even know that for sure.

But then what else could I do?

I'd never seen Damon like that before. I can't imagine the thoughts flying through his heads at the feeling of him maybe killing someone, and even though he didn't physically do it, I know that he is still blaming himself for what happened, no matter what I say to try to convince him otherwise.

The longer things go without hearing back from Will, the more the feeling in the pit of my stomach starts to grow. What are we going to do if Will is dead? How is Damon going to be able to handle this?

I know he's done a lot of bad things in the past, and he'll be the first person to admit to those crimes, but there is a big difference between the things that he has done and murder.

One hell of a difference.

I pull out my cell phone from my pocket, careful not to move too much as to disturb Damon and I inwardly groan at the numerous amounts of missed calls from my family and friends, even though I have text them many times throughout the day to assure them that I'm fine.

I know that I will be in serious trouble when I do eventually make it home, and that I'm going to have to think of one hell of a story to try to explain where I have been but I suppose I will just have to deal with that later.

I sigh and glance down at Damon, wondering how much longer this waiting game can go on for and how much longer Damon will be able to stand it. I reach over and pick up his cell phone, scrolling through his contacts before I find Will's name and I hit the call button.

My heart starts to pound when it rings.

"Damon! Damon!" I shake him with my other hand and watch as he groans. "Wake up! It's ringing!"

"What?" he sits up confused and it takes him a moment to wake up and realize what is happening. His eyes widen and I wait with bated breath as it continues to ring, however it soon rings out the voice-mail and I sigh, pulling it slowly away from my ear. "He didn't pick up?"

I shake my head but a small hopeful smile creeps onto my lips. "This is good, it rang through which means that his phone is switched on." I pass him the phone and he takes it with a shaky hand.

"Try again."

Damon nods slowly and I'm surprised when he puts it on speaker, before slowly resting it on top of the mattress and the two of us sit anxiously as we wait.

It continues to ring and I feel another wave of defeat and Damon is about to hang up himself when the call connects.

"Hello?" the sound of a deep gruff voice speaks through and my heart stops.

Damon glances at me with wide eyes before clearing his throat. "Will?"

"Yeah." He replies with a throaty voice. "It's me. Damon?"

I feel my whole body exhale and I literally watch as Damon sinks in relief, his head falling into his hands.

"Damon? You still there buddy?"

"Yeah. Yeah…uh…" he glances back at me, a smile on his lips that I return. "I was just calling to uh…see if you wanted to uh buy tonight?" he looks at me bewildered for a moment and I nod my head encouragingly, knowing that he can't exactly ask him about the fire.

"No can do," he mutters. "Fuck, you haven't heard?"

Damon tenses slightly and I reach my hand out and take his, squeezing it gently. "Heard about what?" he asks warily.

"Some asshole set my house on fire man, I was fucking inside too! I spent the night in hospital for smoke inhalation."

Damon stills for a moment and I grimace, because Will was inside and he really could have died.

But he didn't.

"Shit man…" Damon clears his throat again. "I'm glad you're okay. Do you uh…do you know who did it?" he asks cautiously and my breath hitches in my throat as we both wait anxiously for his reply.

"Not for sure, but I think it was Connor." He doesn't sound happy. "I told you the asshole hated me." Damon sinks in relief yet again and I join him and Will continues. "Look man, I gotta go, got a lot of shit to sort out since I'm currently homeless and all! I'll give you a buzz when I get back on my feet, alright?"

"Yeah buddy." Damon replies. "See ya." He hangs up quickly and looks at me. "He's alive."

I smile and nod my head before instantly crashing against him in a hug, my arms holding him tightly as I feel Damon's slide around my waist, his head resting in the crook of my neck.

"I knew things would be fine." I pull away with a smile and kiss him firmly on the lips. I pull away and look at him intently, his blue orbs taking me aback for a moment but not before I say what I need to say next.

"Damon," I move one hand to his cheek. "I need you to promise me that you'll stay away from Zach, I know he's your uncle but he's bad news…if he can get you involved in something like this then God knows what else he is capable of."

He stills for a moment and I feel him tense but he doesn't move.

"Please Damon," I whisper; trying to hide my nerves that he might reject my request. "I don't want to lose you."

He slowly nods his head and I smile. I kiss him chastely on the lips. "Thank you." I whisper.

"You'll never lose me, Elena." He murmurs, pressing another kiss to my lips. "I promise."

Lots of DE in this one! I hope you all enjoyed it.

Reviews are my muse, thank you so much to those of you who took the time to write one :)

Until next time!