Chapter 22

"I'm sorry it took me so long to figure it out." She breathed, before reaching forwards and pressing her lips to his.

She couldn't pinpoint a moment when she had realized that she was in love with Damon. It had just happened over time. She had gone from being curious about him to caring about him, to trying with all her might to hate him, to caring about him to trying to hate him, to trying to pretend she didn't love him, to loving him. It wasn't something she chose or had any control over, but it was something she was completely sure about.

There was no doubt in her mind that she loved Damon Salvatore. For all his flaws and idiocies, she loved him, truly and completely.

She thought she had probably realized it on some level before he had disappeared. But in his absence, and all the heartbreak that followed, she had pushed those feelings so far down that she had almost forgotten they existed. That had been the plan after all; forget she even had feelings of any sort. Let alone ones involving love.

But with him here, invading her mind and soul, everything had just come to a head. Forcing her to reconcile with the fact that these things she felt for him were real and stronger than she'd ever thought.

Somehow Damon had managed to sneak his way into her heart and hijack it. Permanently.

So here she was, staring into those eyes that were so blue they should be illegal, wondering why on earth she had wasted so much time.

The expression on his face was that of someone who had finally found home after centuries of searching. He looked at peace…in love.

His large hand was cupping the side of her face, his fingers gently brushing against her damp hair.

"I'll be mad at you for being such an emotional idiot tomorrow. Today I just want to enjoy this." He murmured with a small smile.

She grinned at him, a euphoric feeling running through her, making her think her chest was going to explode.

This. This right here was love. The sort of love that didn't fade or break. It went beyond the simple I love you. It was based on a true friendship, an unbreakable bond and an unexplainable connection.

She could see everything she felt, reflected in his eyes.

But all too soon something flickered across those beautiful orbs and the smile disappeared from his face to be replaced by shame.

Her heart lurched at the change in demeanor.

His hand dropped from her cheek and he touched her throbbing finger gingerly. His expression was heartbreaking, a mixture of self-hatred, guilt and pain.

"You need to drink my blood Elena." He said quietly, avoiding her eyes.

"No, it's fine. It barely even hurts! Don't worry." She said quickly, desperate to take away his distress, to get back that moment where both of them were perfectly happy.

"No it's not. It's broken, either you take my blood or I take you to the hospital."

He still wouldn't meet her eyes and Elena felt a tendril of fear run through her.

"Damon, look at me." She pleaded.

She cupped his chin with her good hand and tilted his face towards hers.

"That was an accident. You are not to blame. You didn't hurt me."

He clenched his jaw at the words.

"I broke your finger Elena. How can you say I didn't hurt you?" His voice was hard and unwavering but she could hear the desperate edge to it.

"Was it your intention to hurt me?" She asked, knowing the answer.

His eyes flickered with surprise.

"What? No of course not!" He said adamantly, sounding insulted by the notion.

"That makes it an accident. Accidents happen and no one is to blame." She stressed, her thumb brushing against the stubble on his chin.

He looked slightly mollified, but she could see that it was still bothering him. She sighed.

"I will drink your blood if it will make you feel better." She relented.

Anything to get back his smile.

He breathed a sigh of relief and moved to sit next to her.

"I must never forget how fragile you are." He murmured, almost to himself.

There was something about that sweet sentence, whispered under his breath, a mixture of a prayer and a mental note that made her heart swell with pride that he was hers. He was hers and she wasn't going to let him go.

He bit into his wrist and held it out to her.

Unlike the other times she had tasted his blood, he didn't force his arm against her mouth. He gave her the option to turn away, holding the small wound a few inches from her slightly parted lips.

She met his gaze and brought her mouth to his skin, tentatively licking at the dark liquid. It tasted different than it had before. It was almost like she could feel him. There was no bitterness or antagonism, just an overwhelming sense of acceptance. She wasn't sure how blood tasted like emotions, but it did in a way. At least this time. Maybe because their emotions for each other were running so high in that moment that any further connection forged between them was bound to be powerful.

His eyes fluttered as her lips latched onto his wrist, sucking gently at the warm substance.

When she finally pulled away her mouth was slightly swollen and a single drop of red lingered on her lower lip.

Damon swallowed at the extraordinary sight, reaching forward impulsively to pull her face to his.

This kiss was fueled by desire. A desire that had been denied for far too long. Lips were pressed desperately together, tongues dancing, hands wandering.

Elena's injured digit healed and she buried her hand in Damon's raven locks, pulling him harder against her, wanting to be so close to him that she forgot where she left off and he began.

He pushed her back on the sofa and pressed the length of his body lightly against hers. His arms on either side of him, supporting his weight as his lips explored her neck.

She arched into him, arms wrapped around him, hands roaming across the taught muscles on his back. She wanted him more than she had ever wanted anything. She wanted every part of him, and judging by the way he was kissing her, he felt the same.

"How about we move this to my room." He murmured between kisses.

Elena was pleased to hear the teasing lilt back in his voice. She had missed it.

She nodded, too breathless to form words to show just how much she liked that idea.

He chuckled at her eagerness and before she could blink, there was a rush of air and she found herself lying in the middle of Damon's expansive bed. He stood for a moment, watching her, as though committing the image to memory.

She moaned at the loss of contact and his eyes darkened as he moved to cover her again, kissing her with renewed fervor.

"Damon…I want…" She struggled to find words amidst the haze of pleasure that surrounded her.

He nibbled on her earlobe, eliciting a strangled gasp from her.

"What do you want Elena?" He whispered, his voice soft and seductive.

She groaned, and the ache for him intensified.

She pulled his head up until she was staring into his eyes.

"You. I want you."

So here's the thing... I can turn this into a lemon, or I can keep it classy and leave it to the imagination! What do you think?

**SPOILER**

That scene at the end of The Hybrid was so adorable, it completely inspired me to start writing again! Just when I was beginning to lose faith, they deliver a beautiful scene like that one and it's all better :)