Chapter 9: Help Me

The thunder crackled through the sky, erupting throughout the city. The brunette lay in bed, staring at the ceiling as Damon lay in a deep sleep beside her. She couldn't sleep. Somehow, she wished that she could throw the blame onto the weather. But she couldn't, she knew the real reason for her lack of sleep and it wasn't helping. She'd forgotten what a proper sleep felt like. Inhaling, she rubbed her chest, feeling tears building with in her. It had been a couple of weeks since Stefan stormed back into her life. She'd been acting weird and Damon was starting to notice. Her and Damon had drew closer, but she just doesn't know how to tell him. More and more memories continued flooding back into her mind and it was killing her. She had to tell Damon everything, she knew she had too. If Stefan told him before her, it would be worse, but she was scared if he pushed her away.

"Mmhm." Damon murmured, burying his face into the pillow as he draped an arm over Elena's waist.
"Oh Damon." Elena whispered, placing her hand on top of his arm, squeezing it softly.

She was falling for him. Head over heels. Looking over at him, she swallowed and let out a breath, studying his features. The black raven hair, the oh so kissable lips. The blue orbs hidden behind his eyelids that could make her smile. The chiseled, strong line of his jaw. Sighing softly, she stroked her thumb across his arm, watching him. How was she going to tell him? She needed to tell him. Closing her eyes, she licked her lips and tried to relax.

"Do you ever sleep?" A husky voice came.
"I thought you were sleeping." She whispered softly, her chocolate orbs revealing as she looked at him.
"I was. Seems a little someone is fidgety." He murmured, opening his eyes with a soft smile, "Are you going to talk to me anytime soon?"
"I want to," She told him and sighed, "But I'm scared."

"Why are you scared?" He leaned up on his elbow, stroking his thumb against the material of her babydoll gown, the circles soothing her stomach.
"Because," She swallowed, teary eyed and closed her eyes, "It might change everything. Everything that we have and...I don't want that."
"Lena," Moving closer, he moved his hand around her waist, squeezing her gently, "Nothing and I mean NOTHING will change what we have, alright?"

Opening her eyes, she stared at the ceiling and a sob slipped from her lips as she covered her hands over her face, the emotions becoming too much to handle as her emotions started bubbling over. Damon frowned, placing his hand on the side of her head as he bent down, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"Hey." Biting his lip, he gently pulled her hand away from her face and smoothed his thumb across her cheek, wiping her tears.
"I'm so...sorry." Elena told him, another sob erupting as he furrowed his eyebrows, stroking her hair back.
"Elena, you have to talk to me. I can't help if you don't." He stroked his finger along her jaw as she opened her eyes, staring up at him.
"Damon, there's so much I want to say. So much that I'm scared to say." She admitted with a whisper, staring into his eyes.

"Are you scared of me?" He questioned, cupping the back of her neck, worried for the answer.
"I use to be. Not knowing...what to expect. I use to be afraid of what you could be, what we could be, who you were, but now-"
"Now?" Damon murmured, tucking her hair behind her ear as a sniffle flowed from Elena.

There was a silence. It wasn't awkward, it was just nice. It wasn't filled with tension, it was filled with promise, with hope, with trust. Elena stared up at him as he stroked his thumb across her forehead, trying to soothe her as she calmed down, letting out a shaky breath.

"Now I can't think of anyone that I trust more." Her brown eyes twinkled with truth.
"Is that so, hmm?" He raised an eyebrow, his eyes glazing over with happiness as he leaned down, brushing his lips against hers.
"Damon...I." She stuttered, feeling butterflies pounding her stomach.
"You?" He kissed her again gently, staring down at her.

"I like you." Elena told him, too nervous to admit her true feelings as he took her hand, entwining their fingers.
"I like you too," He told her with a soft sigh, "You mean more to me than any of the other girls. I care more about you than them Lena."
"Y...you do?" Her eyes filled with hope as she smoothed her hand up his chest and moved it to the back of his neck.
"I do. I wanted to ask you something." Licking his lips, he focused on her lips, not being able to look into her eyes.
"I'm all ears." She whispered, biting on her lip as he finally looked up into her eyes.
"Elena, would you...will you...be my, uh..." Clearing his throat, he studied her face, "Would you be my girlfriend?"

That was it. Her stomach was erupting now. The butterflies were pounding against the sides of her stomach, trying to burst out and fly free. She was in awe. He was asking her to be his girlfriend? Damon Salvatore. The player. The well-known Damon Salvatore was asking to be her boyfriend.

"Damon," She looked into his eyes, seeing the insecurity behind them and listened to his breath hitch in anticipation, "I would love to be your girlfriend."

A grin spread across his face as he leaned down, pressing his lips against hers and held her against him, so there was no space between them. Smiling into the kiss, Elena pulled him closer, raking her fingers through the back of his hair as she got lost in thought again. Now she had to tell him or she would lose everything.

She looked around one more time. She was doing it. She was leaving him. It was the right thing to do, it was the best thing to do if she didn't want to end up in intensive care. Letting out a breath, she rubbed her arms as she felt herself shaking. The brunette was scared, she didn't know anything outside these four walls. What would she do? Grabbing the case, she lifted it from the bed and made her way downstairs, freezing when she heard the front door being opened. He wasn't supposed to be home for at least an hour.

"Ah, going on a trip are we?" Stefan raised an eyebrow, swinging his keys around his finger.
"No. We're not. I'm leaving Stefan. I'm done." Elena told him, her heart pounding against her chest.
"Your leaving? You CAN'T leave me. No one leaves me." He told her, narrowing his eyes.
"I am. I'm done with you. God, the rest of the Salvatore name would be ashamed of you! You're a disgrace!"
"I'm a disgrace!? You obviously haven't met the rest of my family Elena! My brother is just the same as me I'll have you know."

"I doubt that very much, there's no one as heartless as YOU!" She shouted, tears streaming down her face.
"My brother is WORSE than me. He's venom. You'd be burned sweetheart, trust me." He walked towards her.
"I'll take that into account if I ever MEET you brother."
"You know what, I'll even tell you where he lives, works, what he does. Then we will see if he's so much more different from me."
"Well no one is the same as you Stefan." She spat at him.
"Tell you what. Go then. You go and find him. I'll be back to find you, then we'll see."
"See what!?"
"If you can change him. You can't change me Elena, you won't be able to change him either Elena. I can bet your life on it."
"Then prepare to be surprised." She glared at him, pushing past him and stormed outside.
"You'll never win him over, NEVER!" He shouted after her.

Walking down the street, she was beaming. A couple of days ago, Damon asked her to be his girlfriend. She was in heaven, walking on cloud nine. Everything that she had feared was forgotten, all that mattered to her now was their relationship. She wouldn't mess up, she couldn't mess up. There was nothing that could ruin how she was feeling at the moment.

"Ahh!" Elena muffled a scream as she was pulled into an alley and forced against a wall, a hand clasping her throat.
"Hello Elena." He whispered with a smirk.
"Stefan." Elena's eyes widened as she struggled but he pinned her back against the wall.
"Didn't think I'd find you huh?" Laughing, he stroked his thumb down her throat, "Gave you a shock when you walked into Damon's office."
"I hate you! Why don't you just leave me alone!" Grabbing his wrist, she tried moving his hand off of her throat.
"I told you I'd be back. Didn't believe me, hmm?"
"Leave him alone Stefan."
"I'll be telling him all about our little thing Elena. You can count on it."

Elena brought her hand up, hitting him across the face, a harsh slap echoing through the alley as he went to hit her, but she dodged him causing him to hit the wall. Groaning, he glared at her as she rushed out of the alley, running down the street. Now she had to tell or she'd be alone.

Tapping her foot impatiently, she looked at the floor numbers and closed her eyes as the elevator went up the floors. She needed to see Damon now. She was so scared. What was she going to say? He was going to hate her. Hearing a loud noise, she jumped as the elevator came to a halt. What the hell? A siren chorused throughout the building. It was the fire alarm. Oh no. Banging on the elevator doors, she panicked. What was going on? Why had the elevator stopped? She continued banging and banging.

"Help!" Elena shouted, banging until her fists hurt. Looking around the elevator, she tapped the help button repeatedly, but nothing was happening.

Her heart was beating, the sound pounding through her ears as she was lost for ideas. Hearing her phone ring, she dropped to the floor with her bag and emptied the contents onto the ground. Lifting her phone, she picked it up.

"Hello?" She called over the siren, not being able to hear clearly.
"Hello Elena." Stefan spoke, a grin on his face.
"Stefan." She murmured, biting her lip and looked around.
"A bit stuck are we? Don't worry. No one knows you're in the building. The fire will reach you before you know it and it will be over quick."
"Stefan-"
"Goodbye Elena." The line went dead.

Tears glazed her eyes as she banged on the door again and again, screaming. Looking around, she banged on the buttons and banged on the door again.

"Help me! HELP!"

A/N: Hey everyone, Hope you enjoyed! :)

Shauna
xxx