Chapter 24

Elena woke up slowly, smiling as she felt Damon's strong arms holding her close. His face was buried in her hair and she could feel his soft breath in her ear. She turned in his embrace and gazed at him. Even in sleep he was expressive, there was a slight smile on his lips and an almost innocent look on his face.

She pressed her lips to his throat, before snuggling into his chest. She felt so warm and safe in his arms. She couldn't remember the last time she felt this happy.

"Mm, I could get used to waking up like this." He murmured, tightening his hold on her and sighing softly.

"Me too."

He opened his eyes and she, as always found herself getting lost in his bright baby blues.

"I love your eyes." She said before she could stop herself, blushing at the impulsive statement.

He chuckled and kissed her forehead.

"Well I love you."

She grinned and pulled him down for a proper kiss.

"I love you too."

"Ah I love the way that sounds."

Elena paused at the words, her eyes flashing with sadness. She wondered how often he had heard those words before in his life. Somehow she had a feeling it hadn't happened a lot. She stroked his cheek, wondering how life had been so cruel to him. He had such a capacity for love, for loyalty for kindness. She remembered her words in the kitchen all those months ago; he genuinely believes everything he's done has been for love.

She made herself a silent promise in that moment, whatever happened, whatever he did, wherever life took them, she would never let him go a day without knowing that she loved him.

She rested her head on his chest, his hand had found its way to her hair and he twirled it around his fingers, playing with the long strands.

"Will you tell me what happened to you when you were gone?" Elena asked, tracing patterns on his chest with her fingers.

He had avoided that topic with her ever since he had gotten back.

He sighed and his hand in her hair stilled.

"It's not a pretty story." He said quietly.

"I can take it."

There was a long silence and Elena thought that he had decided not to tell her.

"It was well planned." He said suddenly, his voice low.

Her heart sped up as she prepared herself for the story he had been hiding from her for so long.

"I've pissed some people off pretty badly over the years…but this was more than that." He paused.

"Four vampires managed to catch me off guard and knock me out with vervain. I woke up in some sort of cell… It was…"

He glanced down at her, seeming to change his mind about something.

"To cut a long story short, they tortured me, and I got away."

When he didn't say more, she knew he was giving her the watered down version, leaving out the gory details she was sure were there.

She raised her head to look at him, concern written in her deep brown eyes.

"Who were they? Why did they want to hurt you?"

"I'm not sure, I recognized a couple of them…people I'd screwed over in my pathetic search for Katherine. But there must have been some kind of ringleader, someone with a huge vendetta against me. It's a lot of trouble to go to for a little revenge." He mused.

"But you don't know who?"

"No. I didn't see them."

"Can you think of anyone who you hurt badly enough to go to this kind of trouble?"

"Not really. I mean I can think of plenty of people who want me dead..."

She flinched at the finality of the word.

"But no one who would waste that much effort, or have those kind of resources. I would have thought I would remember annoying somebody that badly."

She thought for a second.

"Well, what would make you angry enough to spend years planning revenge?"

His body tensed and his arms tightened around her. There was a long silence before he answered, and when he did his voice was hard and full of certainty.

"Someone hurting you. I wouldn't stop until they died. Painfully."

She shivered at the cold conviction in his words.

"Well there's your answer. Maybe you unknowingly took someone very important away from someone, they might have been planning ever since."

He sighed and she could see the regret on his face.

"It's very possible." He murmured, avoiding her eyes.

She was suddenly struck by the importance of his words. I wouldn't stop until they died. Painfully.

"But Damon, that means this person could still be after you…you said you didn't meet them…?"

He nodded slowly.

"It will take them a while to build up the resources again. I killed all the little minions."

She frowned and bit her lip.

"Just…be careful. I couldn't bare it if something happened to you. I can't lose you I…It would be so much so worse…"

He tilted her chin up and pressed a soft kiss to her nose.

"Hey. You're not going to lose me. I'm not going anywhere, not now I've got you all to myself."

She giggled softly, and relaxed at the reassurance. But the nagging worry was still there in the back of her mind.

"You know what kept me going, made me strong enough to get out of there?"

She shook her head.

"You. I didn't want to die without seeing you again."

His voice was barely audible but she heard him loud and clear. She felt tears spring to her eyes at the sudden emotion that rushed through her.

"I love you. So much." She whispered before pressing her lips to his.

He kissed her softly, returning the sentiment without words.

Damon was still reeling over the events of the last twenty-four hours. Last night had been everything he had ever wanted, he had been so sure that he had misunderstood somehow and it would all disappear as suddenly as it had manifested. He had lain with his eyes closed, when he felt Elena wake up that morning, not wanting to see the regret on her face. When he had felt her impossibly soft lips pressing against his neck and her warm body burrowing closer to his, he thought he was still dreaming, or had died and somehow ended up in heaven.

But instead he had opened his eyes to see Elena's sweet face gazing at him, her perfect lips whispering words of love. It was surreal. And while there was still a major part of him that was sure this was all going to somehow turn out to be some cosmic joke played on him by the universe, he wasn't going to waste time second-guessing. He had Elena in his arms, smiling at him, kissing him; he sure as hell was going to enjoy it while it lasted.

"What do you want to do today? We can do anything you want." He said, changing the subject and lightening the mood.

She pretended to think about it, twisting her lips into an adorable pout.

"Stay in bed. And have sex." She said matter of factly, grinning when she saw the look of pleasant surprise on his face.

"Anything for you kitten." He teased with a long-suffering sigh.

Before she could reply, his mouth was on hers and his hard body was pressing her into the bed, making her lose all coherent thoughts.

Outside in the shadows a hooded figure stood, staring silently through the window. He watched the couple frolicking on the bed, his eyes darkening with every word that floated down to his ears.

So do you think it's Stefan or someone else...? Don't forget to review!

Oh and was anyone else really disappointed with last weeks episode? I hated it. :(