Elena paced around Damon's bedroom, running her hands through her hair and stopping when she would reach a wall, only to turn around and go right back again.

Damon was lying down on his bed, watching her with amusement in his eyes. She was so stressed and he found it so damn funny.

"Is someone a little nervous?" Damon asked with his typical smug smile. Elena looked at him and when she saw that smile her brow relaxed momentarily as she let out a little sigh-laugh.

"How did you know?!" Elena sarcastically asked. Damon tossed his hands in the air and let them fall back to his lap.

"I have a history of being intuitive. You knew you would have to tell him eventually."

Elena bit her bottom lip and shuffled her feet. Damon noticed her shift in attitude and stood up.

"Right, Elena?" Damon asked suspiciously. She rolled her eyes.

"Of course I was, Damon." Elena reassured him and the tension released from Damon's shoulder blades.

"Good." Damon edged his way towards her and Elena took a step back, attempting to maintain at least a three-foot distance between them. Damon noticed the movement and narrowed his eyes suspiciously, "What?"

"It's not what you think—."

"Really? Because it looks like you're trying to stay away from me."

"I am, but—."

"But what?!" Damon asked. Elena sighed and lifted her hands like a wall.

"Let me explain," She asked, "I think it might not be the best thing to have Stefan accidentally walking in on us right before I tell him, especially with Katherine running around."

"So, you can't even get close to me?" Damon asked, still unsure about Elena's feelings towards him.

"Yeah, I can't!" Elena declared, "Because you'll touch me and then next thing I know, we'll be naked."

Damon raised his eyebrows with understanding. But, his eyes quickly darkened with a lustful desire. He took a step towards Elena and she stepped back.

"Damon, don't." She begged. Damon smiled and stepped forward again. This time, Elena didn't distance herself.

"Stop me." He said, running his tongue across his bottom lip seductively. Elena watched the act and gulped, attempting to moisten her dry mouth.

"I will," She threatened. Damon continued his prowl forward until he was standing directly in front of her.

"You lose," Damon growled. Within a flash, he had Elena pressed up against the wall. His mouth was on her clavicle and her legs were wrapped around his waist. She ran her fingers through his hair and laughed loudly. Damon swallowed her laughter with his kisses.

Elena became overwhelmed with desire—just as she had feared. She pulled his face closer to hers. Damon found her hands behind his head and grabbed them. He pinned them roughly against the brick and Elena gasped.

Just then, Damon pulled away completely and Elena's feet hit the ground. She looked at Damon in confusion; he was standing only a foot away from her with a smug grin.

"Damon, no, come back," Elena pleaded in whispers. She reached out and grabbed his hand to pull him to her.

"No," Damon mocked her by attempting to imitate her voice, "It's too risky." Elena shook her head and chuckled. She slapped him on the chest.

"You tease."

"Yep. Got the job done though," Damon said. Elena cocked her head in confusion and Damon maintained his know-it-all smile. That's when Elena felt the sudden weight on her neck. She looked down.

Hanging from a metal chain on her neck was a glass raven. Elena gaped at the site; it was extraordinary with exquisite detail. She felt her heart leap at the sight. She thought it was ridiculous to get so giddy over jewelry, but something about Damon's gift to her made her emotions swell.

"Well? Do you like it?" Damon asked, watching her incessantly, attempting to determine her reaction.

Elena placed the little bird in between her thumb and forefinger and stroked it. She looked up and made eye contact with him.

"I love it." She said.

"Whew." Damon wiped away the fake sweat on his brow.

"Although I do admit, the means of gifting was a little unconventional…"

"Hey!" Damon defended, "You have never let me give you a gift. This seemed the easiest way to make sure you'd actually accept it."

"That's true," Elena looked back down at the charm. She furrowed her brow, trying to uncover why the raven struck a chord in her mind. Then, it hit her. Even though it was only two years ago, everything including herself had changed so much that it felt like a century ago. "Wait a second…that was your raven?!"

"Hmm…oh yeah." Damon shrugged, "Did I forget to mention that?"

"Damon! That bird terrified me!" Elena joked.

"Well, in my defense…that was the point."

Before Elena could respond, there was a soft tap, tap on the doorframe. Damon and Elena looked at the threshold to find Stefan staring at the broken door with one lifted eyebrow.

"What happened here?" He asked.

"Katherine stopped by," Elena responded. Stefan looked up at her.

"We should sue her for property damage," Stefan suggested. Elena smiled and shifted her stance awkwardly. She knew what she was going to have to do.

"Unfortunately we can't because I did that." Damon pointed at the door. Stefan looked at him, obviously disappointed and Damon shrugged, "Sorry."

"Mhmm," Stefan scowled. "What did she want?"

This was her opening.

Elena cleared her throat and both Salvatore's turned their attention to her.

"She…um," Elena paused due to nerves.

"What's that?" Stefan asked, gesturing to Elena's neck. Her hand instinctively curled around the raven. She was having trouble formulating the words. This was really hard news to break, so she decided to edge her way into it.

"So, there's a major flaw in our plan…" Elena paused. Stefan and Damon were watching her as she struggled with the news. Damon took a step closer to her back. He subtly rested his hand on her lower back and she instantly felt a little stronger. She exhaled. "Stefan, there's something you need to know."

"Okay. Then, tell me," Stefan insisted. Elena inhaled deeply, deciding to be completely straight with him.

"I've been sleeping with Damon," Elena spit out.

Elena watched as Stefan slowly wrapped his mind around her words. She watched as he went from denial and shock to anger.

"Are you serious?!" Stefan shouted. Elena flinched and instinctively grabbed Damon's hand. Stefan noticed the gesture and it fueled his anger. "What the hell, Elena?!"

Elena pulled away from Damon and stepped towards Stefan, but Damon grabbed her and pulled her back to him.

"He's not himself right now. Let him cool down." Damon whispered in her ear. Elena nodded in understanding.

"How many times?!" Stefan insisted.

"Tw—twice," Elena choked out.

"Twice! So, you betrayed me twice!"

"Stefan, listen—."

"I don't want to listen to your excuses, Elena. I don't want to hear your pleas for forgiveness or to fix things because you cheated on me with my brother." Stefan spat out.

"I know. I'm sorry, Stefan. I really tried to fight off my feelings for him, but I couldn't. I just couldn't control it. I'm so, so sorry." Elena begged. Stefan began calming down and sadness replaced the anger in his eyes.

"Do you think that I'm upset with you for falling in love with him?" Stefan rhetorically asked, "I'm not. I literally watched you fall for him. I've known about your love for him quite possibly longer than you have. You can't control your emotions, Elena. But, you can control your actions."

Elena watched him with silent guilt. She knew that he was right. Her actions with Damon had been very, very wrong. But, Elena wondered how could something so wrong feel so right?

"Stefan, this…" Elena pointed at gestured to him, then to her and Damon, "This is what Katherine wants. She's winning. She found out about all of this and wants to use it to her advantage. We need to get the power back."

"I can't listen to this right now," Stefan tossed his hands up in the air. He turned around and began storming towards the threshold.

"Stefan, wait!" Elena stopped him.

"What? What else could you possibly tell me or ask of me?"

"Don't let her win, Stefan. Don't estrange us." Elena begged.

Stefan sighed and turned around to face them. He looked at both of them with tears in his eyes.

"You two are the people I love most in this world," Stefan declared, "Even if I wanted to, I could never estrange you." He walked out of Damon's room and stopped on the opposite side of the threshold, "I'm going to spend the night at Caroline's to…sort things out."

Just like that, he was gone. Elena felt hot tears rush down her cheeks. She felt Damon sneak his hand into her hand. She crumbled under his touch and turned around, collapsing into his solid arms. She wrapped her arms around his waist and cried against his chest.

He pressed his lips against the crown of her head and whispered comforting things to her until he felt her body stop shaking from sobs.

A/N: Reviews are greatly appreciated!