Chapter 19
With the return to Mystic Falls and spring break becoming just a memory it was time to get back to reality and school. Jumping back into the first week of school after the break Elena threw herself into her studies and spent a good majority of her time in the library with Bonnie. She had avoided seeing Damon or even Stefan during the first week back at school and she made it very clear to her friends she didn't want to talk about either of them.
So just like every night that week, Elena was in the library with her textbooks and notes scattered around her. She was working on her second cup of coffee as she tried keeping herself focus on her studies and taking notes. Bonnie was sitting across from her with her books covering the other half of the table as she was rereading her notes and highlighting her textbook. Sitting at the corner of the table was Bonnie's cell phone and as it started to vibrate on the table both girls looked over at it.
As Bonnie was replying to the text, Elena was returning back to her notes as her pen moved across the page furiously. When the two went back to work without a word they didn't go long before Bonnie's phone started to vibrate again and had both girls looking over at the phone. Bonnie was biting her bottom lip, as she looked over at her phone unsure if she should answer it.
Elena saw her hesitation and let out a sigh knowing that her friend was trying not to talk to her boyfriend while with her. She was really starting to hate the pity people around gave her and the idea people seem to get that she couldn't be happy for her friends for being in love was stupid. "Look if you want to go see him go. I'll be fine" Elena stated.
"No it's fine… he says we will come here," Bonnie told her.
"Does Kol even know where the library is?" Elena teased with a smile as she looked up at her friend.
"He's got a map" Bonnie joked back as she tapped her pen on her notebook. While both girls were giggling, Bonnie's phone went off again and Bonnie picked it up to read the text that Kol had sent her.
"Hey can you meet me outside, alone" the text read.
"Okay maybe he can't find the library," Bonnie laughed as she pushed back from the table and got to her feet.
"Don't worry it's fine, I'll see you later" Elena told her knowing that after a long night of studying Bonnie deserved a break to go spend time with Kol.
"Yeah see you later" Bonnie responded as she picked up her belongings and threw them into her bag. With one last smile she swung her backpack over her shoulder and headed out of the library and leaving Elena to go back to studying.
As Bonnie was leaving the library her phone went off again and it got her wondering what was going on that was so important that he couldn't come in and talk in front of Elena. Without answering her phone she picked up the pace and found Kol leaning against the wall texting on his phone. "What's going on?" she asked him as she was a little nervous about his sudden urgency.
"Sorry Stefan wants to talk to us" Kol informed her as he pushed off from the wall to stand up straight. Bonnie was giving Kol a look of confusion still unsure as to what was going on. Why were Kol and Stefan talking and having secret meetings? They weren't really friends but now seemed to be texting each other back and forth. Placing his hand on Bonnie's lower back the two started walking down the hall to an empty study hall room.
Kol didn't say anything else to her as they made their way to an room and opened it up to find Stefan, Jenna and Caroline sitting on top of the two long tables that were in the middle of the room with a blackboard on one of the walls. "What is going on?" Bonnie asked looking at the secret meeting that couldn't involve Elena.
"I just asked the same question" Jenna replied with a slight smile, "where is Elena?"
"The library I was told to come alone" Bonnie answered but now was really curious as to what was going on.
"Stefan what is going on?" Caroline asked looking at Stefan as he was sitting at the front of the room with a serious look on his face. He had called them all hear but didn't tell them why. They hadn't talked much since returning from West Palm Beach but he all of a sudden out of the blue sent them a text to come and meet him.
"Look I know you are all wondering why I asked you to meet me and keep it from Elena and Damon" Stefan told them as all eyes were on him and all trying to understand what was going on. Seeing all the eyes staring back at him made him a little nervous as he bit his bottom lip and tried to find the right words to use. "Things haven't been that easy these last couple weeks but I think it is time we make things right" he told them.
"Okay…" Bonnie replied as she took a seat on the table next to Caroline as she was becoming very curious in where this was going.
"I have tried to do it myself but it isn't working" Stefan told them. "It has become clear to me that Damon and Elena really do care about each other and it not fair that it is because of me that they are miserable" he told them.
"Wait so you want Elena and Damon to be together?" Jenna asked a little shocked to be hearing this from Stefan, Elena's ex boyfriend.
"Look Elena and I broke up and I don't see us getting back together," Stefan told them.
"So you think Damon is best for her? The guy sleeps with anything that moves" Caroline snapped.
"Well he has easily avoided you" Kol snapped not liking them attacking his friend who wasn't even there. Caroline's jaw dropped in shock at Kol's comment and looked at Bonnie for back up but Bonnie just kept quiet. "You all need to back off him, he actually cares about Elena and hasn't been sleeping around since he was with her."
"Oh goody he hasn't slept with anyone for two whole weeks other then that night with Elena" Caroline said as she rolled her eyes. "He is a changed man."
"Do you think you have any right to bash Damon? Caroline last I check you were sucking on her ex boyfriends face!" Kol yelled at her and watched as Caroline gasped in shock that he knew. "Yeah everyone knows Caroline" Kol told her in angers as he continued to glare at her.
"Alright that is enough!" Stefan yelled, as everyone seemed to be yelling at each other for something. He had hoped this would be the easy part of his plan but things weren't working out that way. All eyes were on him as everyone else was sitting in the room unsure of what Stefan wanted them to do. "Look this isn't about me and it isn't about any of us, this about Elena and Damon and the fact that maybe we are the reason they are so unhappy" Stefan explained.
"Elena isn't unhappy she is just confused about what she wants," Caroline told them all.
"Will you shut up and actually think about what your friend wants!" Kol snapped at Caroline.
"I am think about want she wants, but I am also trying to protect her," Caroline yelled.
"You could have fooled me, how was kissing Stefan protecting her?" Kol shot back.
"Guys we are getting off topic here" Bonnie said, as she stood in between the two afraid they were seconds away from tackling each other to the ground. "This is about Damon and Elena and what is best for them and not what we think is best for them."
Rolling her eyes Caroline took a seat and decided it was best that she just remain quiet for the remainder of this meeting. It was true she did want what was best for Elena but there may be a chance that she was putting too much pressure on Elena. Change was never something Caroline was good with and the fact that Elena and Stefan had broken up after years of dating it made her freak out a bit. Maybe she was thinking about Elena and Stefan's relationship selfishly and wanting things to stay they way they were for her.
"Where is Damon anyway?" Bonnie asked since she hadn't seen much of him since they got back from spring break.
"Same place he had been all week, at the bar with Ric" Jenna told them. "Look I will admit that I am not the biggest Damon and Elena supporter but Damon has changed, I mean three weeks ago Damon would of brought a new girl home every night but he hasn't really talked with other women and it isn't from the lack of them trying trust me" Jenna stated to everyone as she recalled one night she had joined the two guys at the bar for a drink. In all the years that Jenna had known Damon she was seeing a different side of him. Sure he was still sarcastic and a little arrogant at times but he wasn't as flirty or carefree as he usually was. Something had changed him, or someone. "So what is your plan?
"Well we have the Mystic Falls annual flag football game coming up" Stefan started to say as everyone was listening closely.
"You mean the game they both decided not to play in because they didn't want one to play and not the other," Bonnie reminded him. They had already had this conversation with them and seeing how Damon and Elena didn't think they could handle being together they decided it was only fair that neither of them played.
"Yeah but I think I have a solution for that" Stefan told them with a bit of a smirk.
"Another bourbon" Damon called out to the bartender as he and Alaric sat at the counter of The Mystic Grill. For the last week the two had been regulars in those seats drinking and doing their best to keep Damon's minds off Elena. It was amazing how things had change over the course of spring break for the two as they started off as enemies and now were best friends.
"Hey Damon" came a voice from behind him and as he turned around he saw a familiar face. The hot redhead was eyeing Damon closely and licking her lips while claiming the seat on the other side of Damon. Giving her a slight smile he started to remember her as the girl he as slept with before spring break or at least one of the two.
The girl seemed to be undressing him with her eyes and her hands slowly trailed up and down his arm. If this had been three weeks ago Damon would have been taking her home right about now because this girl wasn't about to play hard to get but things were different now. The idea of taking random girls home every night didn't appeal to him anymore. He only wanted one girl and it was one girl he couldn't have, Elena. No it didn't matter what Brittney… Sara… or what ever her name said or did she wasn't what he wanted.
"You know there is a party just down the street you should come… and you can bring your friend too" she told him with a huge smile on her face and hinted that she had other plans after the party that would be a lot of fun.
"Well as tempting as that sound I'm going to have to pass" Damon told her.
"If you don't want to go to the party we can go some place else" she offered. She then leaned in close so she could whisper in his ear and describe in great detail was she wanted to do to him as her hands moved up his shirt.
This whole time Alaric was just sitting there watching in complete shock, as the girl seemed to be doing what ever she could to get Damon to go home with her. In fact she seemed so desperate she would might of settled for the bathroom here.
"Not tonight" Damon told her and then brushed the girl off. With a pout she decided to take the hint and ended up walking off accepting his rejection. "Honestly that damn fifty shades crap has women wanting to reenact every stupid scene," Damon mumbled to him.
"Yeah that sound awful" Alaric said pretending to sound like it was one of the most horrible thing to have women come on to you no matter what.
"Jenna hasn't offered the whip yet?" Damon asked with a smirk.
"No, I'm dating one of the three women that hasn't read the book" he told him as he took a sip of his bourbon.
As the two sat there and ordered another drink Stefan walking into the bar and then made his way over to sit next to the guys. "Hey, I've been looking for you" Stefan said.
"That shouldn't have been hard" Damon told him and then ordered his brother a drink.
"Listen I need to talk to you about the flag football game" Stefan told him.
"I already said I'm not playing" Damon replied before he took a drink.
"I know you said that but listen if you don't play then we will be stuck using Shane as a replacement" Stefan told him and watched as Damon looked a little horrified at that guy would be playing as his replacement. As much as Damon didn't want to play his competitive side was hard to hold back in a game that allowed bragging rights for the rest of the year.
"Elena come on you have to play" Jenna said as she was sitting on Elena's bed as she watched Elena moving around the room and putting her laundry. As soon as the girls had returned home from school Jenna was doing her best to get Elena to agree to play flag football on the weekend.
The plan was that with both Elena and Damon being highly competitive that they wouldn't be able to turn down some good competition. Stefan had the whole plan worked out and while he was off trying to convince Damon to play it was her job to get Elena to agree to play.
By getting the two to play they would throw themselves back into their competitive minds and everything that was keeping them sad and distant would be pushed aside so that they could help their team win. The two would start their playful banter innocently without even realizing it and in the end it was their hope that the two would give in and be together. Right now all that stood between them being together was Stefan and if they could see and know Stefan wasn't going to let himself be the reason they couldn't be together then the two could find happiness. It was going to take then help of the group to get Damon and Elena to see they belong together and that although their friends didn't support them earlier, they are now.
"I'm sorry I can't" Elena responded as she shook her head. It was too soon, things with Damon were still hard and it wasn't fair that one of them got to play and not the other. The two hadn't spoken since the night they confession on much they cared about each other but couldn't be together.
"Please Elena, if you don't we are going to be stuck with Rebekah" Jenna told her in a horrifying tone.
"Rebekah? Isn't she gone back to school?" Elena asked as she turned and took a seat on her bed as well and faced Jenna. Brushing her long straight hair back and letting out a sad sigh, Elena seemed to be staring a thousand miles away.
"She is but she will be in town for the game and Kol said she wants to play" Jenna explain. "And since Kol is on the other team he was more then happy to let her play because you weren't" Jenna lied hoping that Elena would agree to play the game. "So please Elena, please play," Jenna begged as she reached out for Elena's hand.
Elena bit her bottom lip as she thought about what whether or not she should agree to play. A part of her wanted to play but another part of her didn't think she could handle it. "I don't know" Elena told her as she found herself not being able to look up at Jenna.
"Okay how about this, you come and see how you feel" Jenna suggested doing her best not to get a flat out no. Everyone was counting on her to get Elena to agree to play and if she didn't then they may never get Damon and Elena to give in and be together.
"Okay I'll see how it goes," Elena told her as she did her best to smile as Jenna reached forward and gave her niece a hug.
"Oh that's great! You will have fun I know you will and everything will be fine" Jenna told her and as they stayed in the embrace Elena gave a nod and she too hoped that everything would be okay.
The afternoon of the game had everyone in town gathering to the football field for the annual charity flag football game. The stands filled with all the locals coming out to watch as one of the biggest Mystic falls rival games, girls against boys. People were waving flags and singing out chants as they waited for the game to get started.
Driving up Elena parked her car on the busy street that had many people all heading in the same direction as the field. With a nervous sigh Elena killed the engine and then pulled her hair up into a high ponytail. Over the course of the last 24 hours Elena had gone back and forth but in the end forced herself to come and try and have a little fun. Opening the car door she stepped out dressed in her shorts and white t-shirt and followed the crowd of people all heading for the field.
As she arrived she saw Damon, Stefan and the guys on the field throwing the ball around. The guys were all dressed in black t-shirts as the girls were stretching on the other side of the field wearing white t-shirts. Watching the guys she saw how focused and determined they seemed to be as Damon threw the ball to Kol while he was running down the field and making a catch.
"Look at my man go!" Bonnie cheered as she jumped up and down when she saw Kol caught the ball. After Kol caught the ball he had a huge smile on his face and then waltzed over to the center of the field to meet Bonnie and then leaned in for a kiss.
"Hey Kol stop fraternizing with the enemy" Damon called out to his friend.
As Bonnie and Kol broke apart Bonnie was glaring at Damon while he had smirk plastered across his face.
"Yeah Bonnie we have to give them a fighting chance, girls and shiny objects is all it takes to distract these guys" Elena called out as she stepped onto the field.
Damon's smirk didn't leave his face as he turn to look at her and saw she too had her game face on. "Trust me the only shiny object you are going to see is that trophy being hoisted over my head" Damon relied.
"Dream on Salvatore" Elena shot back as she and Bonnie made their way back over to huddle up with the girls and Damon and Kol made their way over to the guys. It was on now, the competition was heated up and they were a game away from holding bragging rights.
Joining the girls in a huddle Jenna and Caroline has just finished stretching and came ready to play. Elena was elected captain and was giving out positions and plays for everyone to make. Off to the side Rebekah was standing there with a bit of a pout on her face but mostly because she didn't like the white t-shirt she was wearing, as it didn't matched her shoes. "Alright, Jenna you are going to catch it and we are going to block.
"Okay break!" the girls said as they clapped and then got into positions as Damon got ready to throw the ball. Getting into position they watched as Damon threw it high in the air. As Jenna caught the ball the others ran to block the guys as Jenna took off running down the field. Kol came running right for her but as she dodged by him she was able to run a few yards before Alaric was able to reach out and pull her flag off.
The girls continued to make their way down the field during the second down and Elena was able to catch a pass and run it into the end zone. The crowd started to cheer as the girls made it a 7-0 game.
"Alright that fine its only one" Damon called as he tried to keep his team motivated.
"Yeah maybe by the end of the game you will figure out that you are suppose to stop us," Elena teased with a grin.
"Don't get so cocky get Gilbert" Damon told her as he walked back over to his team.
Alaric had the ball in his hand as they stood at center field and he hut the ball back to Damon. As the girls came running towards them Damon threw the ball to Kol as he ran down the field only to get stop by Elena when she pulled his flag when he got about two yards down the field.
This went on for a few more plays and the score fluctuated with the guys taking the lead, then the girls coming back but only to have the boys take a two-touchdown lead. The taunting only continued and while everyone was getting in on it, Damon and Elena seemed to be having the most fun teasing each other.
As the ball was thrown Damon jumped up in the air to catch it and took off running, he was able to dodge past Caroline no problem and spun around Bonnie while keeping his flag. It wasn't until Elena came flying towards him and knocked him off his feet. "Uh oh someone got knocked over by a girl" Elena said all innocent as Damon just looked up in shock of what just happened.
"What was that?" Damon called out as he got to his feet.
"Sorry I barely touched you and you fell over" Elena said as she shrugged her shoulders knowing she did a little more then that.
"Okay, honey you want to play rough? We can play rough" Damon challenged as he stood up and tried to stare Elena down but she wasn't backing down either.
"Bring it on Salvatore!" Elena said with a smirk as things in the game were just getting a whole lot interesting.
"Having them kill each other wasn't the plan right?" Jenna asked as she was standing a foot away from Stefan and watching as Damon and Elena tried to get under each other's skin.
"Trust me things are working perfectly" he told her.
As they hut the ball Jenna threw it to Bonnie who took it into the end zone and did a little touchdown dance when Kol wasn't able to stop her from catching it. Later as Elena was running and calling for Jenna to throw the ball to her Damon came over and picked her up and spun her around so that he was able to catch the ball instead and then take off running. Elena was able to get him back as she jumped on his back to intercept a play and left Damon standing there in shock as she ran the ball back for a touchdown and had a smile on her face as she waved the ball at Damon.
"35 -21 like it or not you guys are done!" Elena chanted while Damon and the guys tried to think of how to get back in the game.
"Cute, when we beat you, at least you will have cheerleading you can do next year" Damon replied while Elena and the girls did a little cheerleading dance for the crowd.
As the guys went into a huddle they were in deep thought about how they could pull this off, okay guys the clock is ticking and we are losing, we are losing to girls!" Damon reminded them.
"Yeah if we lose we will never hear the end of it and anyone you date will hear about this" Ric told them as they tried to regroup.
"Come on are we playing football or not?" Elena called out as the guys finished deciding on their play.
As the game continued the girls did their best to keep their lead and the guys were really making them work hard for it. Any relationships outside the game were put on hold as the played the last minutes of the game. The guys got another touchdown as Damon ran it into the end zone and didn't hold back as he taunted Elena. They all played hard as the crowd in the stands cheered as the game was counted down from its final seconds.
When the clock counted back to zero the girls started cheering as they won by a touchdown. The dance party started in the middle of the field and Elena couldn't stop herself from smiling. It had been so long since she had felt so happy and was so glad that her and Damon seemed to be able to get along so well.
"Nice work Gilbert" Damon told her as he came forward to shake her hand in congratulations.
"You too" Elena replied as she reach out for his hand and the sparks that had been there a week ago still seemed so strong. They both had smiles on their faces as they seemed to hold the handshake a little longer than was needed but they both seemed to be in their own little world and no one else existed.
Unknown to them the others were secretly watching as the two smiled and chatted with each other. Stefan found himself smiling as he watched his brother and Elena genuinely smiled for the first time in weeks as both seemed to have let their guard down at this time.
"I think the plan is working" Ric said as he came over and wrapped his arm around Stefan and Jenna as they watched the people their cared about showing so much love for one another whether they would admit it or not.
"Yea, I think so," Stefan said and although apart of him was sad he had to admit that as he saw the way Damon and Elena were looking at each other it was something he and Elena never had. She never looked at him like that, the connection they had was never as strong as it seemed to be with Damon and Elena right now.
At the after party the gang was getting drinks at The Mystic Grill to celebrate the girls win and a great day they all had. Bonnie and Kol were dancing on the dance floor with Caroline giggling and laughing. Caroline had finally decided that it was time to back off Elena and let her make her own decisions and not pressure her into what she thought was right. She had seen how Damon and Elena were on the football field and although they were quite competitive with each other it was so obvious that they definitely had something between them no matter how hard they fought against it during spring break. It was time to let go and know that she couldn't control everything no matter how much she wanted to.
Stefan was sitting with Jenna and Alaric laughing about what had happen during the game and how even after fighting like mad to win the game everyone was getting along so well now. This was even true for Damon and Elena as Stefan watched as Elena took a seat next to Damon on the other side of the bar.
"You did good Stefan" Jenna told him.
"Not many people would be able to step aside and watch their brother fall in love with his ex" Jenna told him and looked over at Stefan as he gave a nod.
"They were willing to sacrifice their happiness for me, so what kind of person would I be if I let the two most important people in my life not get the chance to find happiness.
"You're a good guy Stefan" Ric said.
"Just wish I hadn't been so selfish during spring break and kept us all miserable" he told them.
"You had a right to be hurt, you loved her but it just wasn't meant to be and you had to come to terms with that in your own time" Jenna replied as she looked over at how happy Elena seemed to be at that very moment talking to Damon.
"Here I bought you a drink," Elena said as she placed a glass of bourbon in front do Damon.
"Seems only fair since I let you win today" Damon replied teasingly and he watched knowing that her eyes would widen and she would get all worked up over his comment.
"Let us win? You didn't let us do anything," Elena told him.
"If that is want you want to believe," Damon answered with a smirk before he took a drink of the bourbon Elena had bought for him.
Elena smiled and shook her head knowing that he was trying to get her to fight back with him. "Today was fun" she ended up saying honestly, "I can't really remember that last time I smiled this much" she told him.
Damon nodded his head in agreement, "Yeah today was fun," he told her and the two couldn't stop smiling at the continued to talk as if they were the only ones in the room. As the night went on the crowd started to thin out as it got later. Damon and Elena had a very fun night but as it was coming to an end and things would be going back how they had been for the past week. Biting his bottom lip as he finished his drink Damon knew he should be taking off soon.
"So I better get going," Elena told him awkwardly.
"Yeah I guess so" Damon stated sadly but nodded his head.
"Anyway I better go; friends?" Elena said nervously as she looked over at Damon.
"Yeah friends."
Saying goodbye one last time she got up from her seat and started to leave the bar while Damon remained sitting there and decided to order another drink. Him and Elena had a great day where they had put their issues aside to play football with their friends.
"What are you doing?" came Stefan's voice as he moved in to take a seat next to Damon at the bar.
"I've having a drink" Damon replied as he held up his bourbon before taking another slip.
"Go after her" Stefan told his brother.
"What?" was all Damon could say, as he was unsure if he had heard his brother right.
"Look I know I have been a jerk and made you feel guilty for sleeping with Elena but things have changed," he told him. "I overheard you and Elena talking the last night in Florida."
"Stefan" Damon said as he shook his head and let out a sigh.
"Listen things between Elena and I are over, I shouldn't be the reason you two aren't together. I saw how you guys were that night and to be honest Damon she never felt the way about me as she does you. Don't let me be the reason that you let go of something that could turn into something great" Stefan told his brother.
Damon looked over at his brother and couldn't believe what he was hearing, was Stefan really telling him that him being with Elena wasn't going cause a big rift between them? Sure him and Stefan were always butting heads but as brothers they always had each other's back and he couldn't handle the idea of Stefan not being in his life.
"Look I'm not going to lie seeing you guys together won't be easy, but it is a hell of a lot better then seeing two people I care about miserable" Stefan told him and Damon could tell this wasn't an easy thing for him to do. "Go after her Damon" Stefan repeated nodding for his brother to go.
After Damon touched his brother on the shoulder and stared at him for a moment he was trying to find the words to express how he felt at hearing his brother giving him his blessing. "Stefan" was all he could muster out before he went speechless.
"I know," Stefan answered already knowing what his brother was gong to say. "Now go!" he repeated one last time as he watched his brother take off out of the bar and out into the streets of Mystic Falls in search of Elena.
Running down the now quiet street that only a few hours ago was fill with people, Damon searched around for any sign of Elena. His heart was pounding fast then he ever thought possible as he searched for her. His head whipped from side to side trying to spot her, she couldn't of gotten very far but he had to find her soon. Just before he was about to give up and drive to her house he spotted a figure in the distance under a light post as she searched for her keys in her purse next to her car. This was it, the moment he had been waiting for and he found himself going through what he should say to her. "ELENA!" he called out to her as he started running towards her.
Hearing her name being called Elena looked up from her purse and turned to see Damon standing in front of her. He seemed so out of breath as he stood in front of her and she couldn't understand why. "Damon?" was all she could think to say as she looked at him questioningly and wondered what was going on.
Damon found his mind racing of everything he wanted to say to her but now as he stood in front of her and was staring at her beauty as the light from the lamppost shined down on her and giving off a glow he felt speechless. She was looking at him all confused and also unsure as to what was going on as Damon took a deep breath and started to slowly walk towards her. "I don't want to be friends," Damon said to her as he took a few steps to get closer to her.
Elena found herself at a loss for words and was just staring at Damon with longing eyes as he got closer and closer to her. There was so much she wanted to say to him too but instead she remained silent and staring into those memorizing steal blue eyes. Her heart was pounding and a part of her wondered if Damon could hear her heart as he was standing so close to her now.
"I don't want to go back to being friends, I can't" Damon told her, he was now inches away from face and their eyes were gazing down at each others lips with so much longing. "I love you, Elena" Damon finally said in a shaky and nervous voice.
He had never said that to a woman before and after the words left his mouth and was now out in the open he had to nervously watch Elena's face for any kind of reaction. This kind of confession was not something Damon was very good at, he tended to keep things to himself and not let anyone in. Things were easier that way because he couldn't get hurt or disappoint someone if he never let them get close to him. Yet when it came to Elena a part of him wanted to have those experiences that he never allowed himself to discover. "You are the most amazing woman I have ever known, you are kind, smart and beautiful inside and out." He said as his hand came up to caress down her cheek.
He could see tears in her eyes and although for a split second he though she wasn't going to reciprocate his declaration all his fear disappeared as a smile crept over her face and she leaned in closer for a kiss. Their lips touched and immediately it was like heaven as everything just fell into place. His hands came up to cup her face, while her arms were up and around his neck as her fingers caressed the back of his neck and the ends of his jet black hair. Her feet stepped even closer to him so that pretty much ever part of her body was touching his. Their lips moved together in a perfect rhythm and it felt so good to finally give in to what they both wanted for so long. They didn't even want to come up for breath as the passion and electricity grew with every touch their lips made.
When they finally did break Elena's forehead was pressed against his and they remained so close together and not separating. Damon's thumb was caressing her jaw line as their eyes stared deep into the others and Elena said those three words Damon was dying to hear. "I love you," she said softly but with so much love and desire. "I still want to be us, I want to be competitive and bicker like we always do but at the end of the day I want it to always end the same way" she told him.
Damon gave a smile and then leaned in for another kiss as his arms wrapped around her and he was picking her up to spin her around. As they kissed Elena let out a giggle as she was being spun around in the middle of the street on such a beautiful and now so perfect night.
One more chapter to go! Thanks for reading!