A/N: So I left you with a pretty evil cliffhanger, many of you were keen to tell me. Sorry :-) No evil cliffhanger this time, lol. Thanks for all the favorites, subscriptions, and reviews. They keep me smiling, and keep me motivated, and let me tell you I've needed the motivation. This chapter almost cured me of ever wanting to write again, but I'm pretty happy with it now. My friend who normally runs her eye over my chapters for me is busy at the moment, so please forgive any editing errors.

Chapter Six

I Can See Clearly Now

Elena had the insane urge to burst out laughing. Damon just looked so…so shocked. He really never had had a clue. At home he'd been completely unaware of how she felt, but after one day of being here on this island with him, 'pretending' to be in love with him, her secret had come out. She had tried to hold onto it with everything she had, but in the end she had failed miserably.

"Where have you been? It's almost midday," she said, throwing her wet towel on the bed.

She was just dreading what was coming next. She could already hear him telling her how flattered he was; how he valued their friendship way too much to mess with it, or something along those lines. No matter what he said, it would be a cringe worthy moment she was sure she would never be able to forget. Elena absolutely hated the tiny part of her that hoped he might tell her that he felt the same way she did; that Katherine really meant nothing to him.

"I'm getting in the shower," he said to her.

That was it? He had just uncovered the biggest secret of her life and he was going to take a shower? Forget a cringe worthy moment. Obviously her feelings didn't even warrant a mention. Her hope curled up and died. Of course he didn't feel the same way. He loved Katherine. This was closure, she tried to tell herself. Perhaps part of her might have always wondered about whether he could return her feelings, but not anymore. This moment would only make it easier for her to move on. He ripped his shirt over his head, exposing his perfect chest, and Elena thought it would be easier to move on when she didn't have to watch him undressing all the time.

Elena turned away from him as he stripped off, but this time Damon noticed the slight part to her lips, and the colour staining her cheeks. Was she breathing faster? How could he have missed that in the past? She was aroused, he realized; just from looking at him. He was hard in an instant. He walked into the bathroom, and when he turned the shower on, he didn't bother with the hot tap; just stepped straight into the cold spray.

He had spent so long trying not to see her in that way, that it still felt unnatural. He remembered back to their summer at the Cape. That was when he'd realized she had the body of a woman; that she had breasts. When he'd seen her in her bikini, on the first day they were there, he'd gone back to the house and thought about her while he pleasured himself. Afterward, he'd felt so guilty; like he'd violated some sacred pact they had as friends.

Until yesterday he'd succeeded in pushing those sexual thoughts about his friend from his mind. Her make-over, however, had triggered them off again. He knew Elena so well. He knew how she liked her eggs in the morning, and the way she took her coffee. He knew which way she voted, what type of music she liked, and her favorite movie, but he had no idea what she liked in the bedroom; and suddenly that was all he could think about. What was her favorite position? Did she like it fast or slow? What did she taste like? What did she sound like? He didn't know what was more painful – the sting of the cold water on his skin, or the painful throb of his erection. As he picked up the soap, he imagined lathering up her thighs and sliding between them.

There was a sharp rap on the door. "We're going to be late," she called out.

"I'll be out in a minute."

He was so tempted to yell out and tell her to join him, but where would that leave them? As selfish as it might be, Damon was relieved that Elena was getting over him. She'd never said anything to him about her feelings. That meant she didn't want to act on them, right? It meant she didn't want to ruin their friendship. She'd lost enough people in her life. Why jeopardize what they had for something that might not work out? She was choosing their friendship over anything else that could be between them. He turned off the water, and stepped out of the shower.

Elena sat on the bed and tried to occupy herself with a magazine she'd bought, however, she couldn't concentrate at all. She flicked from one page to another. After a finding an article on what men really want in the bedroom, she threw the magazine down on the bed, and stood up. Why hadn't he said anything? Even if he didn't feel the same way he should have said something. For whatever reason, he was keeping his mouth shut. Her best friend was probably worried that his rejection would send her packing; that she wouldn't help him win Katherine back. Well he needn't worry about that, and she would tell him so. She opened her mouth to say something when he walked out of the bathroom, but he talked first.

"We need to go. We're going to be late," he said to her.

"I was ready ten minutes ago," she found herself saying.

"Come on then," he said to her, opening the door.

There was no way he could pursue Katherine now, Damon thought, as they left the room. He didn't think he could feel like a bigger asshole than he did already. He didn't know how much damage he'd done to their friendship by not realizing how she felt sooner. He would have to avoid Katherine for the rest of the time they were here. Hopefully Elena wouldn't be too suspicious. The last thing he wanted was for her to know that he knew. That would only make things harder on her; make things weirder between them.

When they arrived for lunch, it looked like everybody was already seated out on the terrace. Seeing the banquet table full again, this time with soups, rolls, and salads, they hurriedly served themselves lunch and walked out onto the terrace. They stopped, looking for chairs that weren't taken. When Damon spotted the only seats left on the terrace, he realized he had just been deluding himself if he thought he could avoid Katherine while they were here. The only available seats were the two in front of Stefan and Katherine.

"There are no seats left," Elena said to him.

"Actually, I see two," Damon said to her.

"Where?"

"Over there."

"Perfect," he heard Elena mutter, as they made their way to the table where Stefan and Katherine sat.

Damon didn't think he'd ever dreaded a meal before, but he was dreading this one.

"There you are," Katherine said; her face lighting up when she saw him.

"How was your morning?" Stefan asked Elena as she sat down opposite him.

"Fine," she told him. "We went jogging and saw some of the island. This place is amazing."

"Yes it is," Stefan agreed, smiling at her warmly.

Damon put his arm across the back of Elena's chair once they were seated. It was just as well he wasn't going to be pursuing Katherine anymore while they were here. It gave him more time to make sure Stefan kept his distance.

"You jog now?" Katherine asked Damon.

"When I drag him with me," Elena said, picking up her wholemeal roll, and cutting it open.

"Damon never had any energy left in the mornings after I was finished with him," Katherine said snidely.

What kind of woman talked about her time in the sack with another guy, in front of her current boyfriend, Elena wondered? Elena was sure Katherine meant the comment to be both a boast about her own libido, and a dig at Elena's, but how was Stefan supposed to feel about that? He didn't look at all that impressed. It was fair to say her disgust with the entire situation was growing. How on earth did Damon honestly imagine they could keep the same level of friendship when he started dating Katherine again? The idea was preposterous.

"Katherine," Damon said, shaking his head.

"What?" she asked innocently.

"You're being a bitch," he said to her.

"Dogs do like to mark their territory," Elena said, buttering her roll.

Katherine glared at her, but Stefan looked more than a little amused.

"You don't hold back do you?" Stefan asked her.

"What's the point? Life is too short."

"I'll drink to that."

Damon looked on, disturbed, as Stefan tipped his water glass in Elena's direction.

"If I remember correctly, you like bunnies right?" Stefan asked her, once he put his glass down.

"Yes," Elena said to him, surprised that he remembered their conversation about rabbits from the first time they met.

"Did I ever tell you my sister breeds them?"

"Let's face it," Katherine said, sounding bored. "It's not hard to breed rabbits."

"She's ten years old," Stefan told Elena, "she made me buy one."

He took out his wallet, pulled a photo from it, and handed it to Elena. Elena smiled as she looked at the photo.

"You carry a picture of your rabbit?" Damon asked.

"That's Nibbler," Stefan said to her, ignoring Damon. "And that's my sister, Rachel, holding him. She's looking after him while I'm here."

Elena looked up at him. "You and your sister are close?"

"She has me wrapped around her pinkie and she knows it."

Elena handed the photo back to him.

"I thought you might appreciate that," he said to her.

Damon tried not lean over the table and hit Stefan as he watched Stefan and Elena smiling at each other. Stefan was charming her with a picture of a bunny of all things. Katherine looked just as horrified by Stefan turning his attention to Elena as he was, and Damon wondered if that was Stefan's intention – making Katherine jealous.

"If I can have your attention," Klaus started. "Today we're going to be hiking on our neighbouring island, Devil's Peak. The hike will take around three hours. Following that we'll have a cookout on the beach. Please finish your lunch, and then make sure you are dressed appropriately. The boat will be ready to take you across at one-thirty. Don't be late."

Elena put down her roll, the food suddenly tasting like cardboard in her mouth as she realized she would have to spend the next few hours with Stefan, Katherine, and Damon. Was Damon going to want to keep their pretend relationship up now that he knew the truth, or would he try and abandon project make Katherine jealous in hope of sparing her feelings? Elena didn't know which was worse. The last thing she wanted was Damon watching her all the time; trying to figure out if she was getting over him.

"Damon," Elijah said, walking up behind them, "I still have a question I need to ask you. Come and see me after lunch."

"I did not sign up for the great outdoors," Katherine said, once Elijah had walked away.

"It's just one afternoon, Katherine," Stefan said tiredly.

"One afternoon of bugs, and people sweating."

"Only if they're unfit," Elena said, earning another glare from Katherine.

"You said it was like coming to a resort," Katherine accused Stefan.

Elena rolled her eyes. "I'm going to start getting ready. Please excuse me."

"But you didn't eat anything," Stefan pointed out. "We don't want you fainting on our big walk."

"I had a big breakfast. I'm actually not that hungry."

"Well, I know first-aid," Stefan told her. "So you're safe if you stick with me."

When Stefan winked at her, Elena nearly fell over. Was he being playful? She wasn't sure he had it in him. Damon had always told her Stefan was Mr Boring. She took one look at the murderous expression on Damon's face, and stifled her laugh. Stefan had been sending her some clearly admiring looks just now, but he was obviously still just trying to annoy Damon.

"Could you be any more obvious, Stefan?" Katherine asked.

"Enjoy the rest of your lunch," Elena said, standing up.

"I'll come up with you," Damon said to her.

Elena wanted to tell him not to come up with her, but what would that achieve? She couldn't avoid him for the rest of the week even if she wanted to, and dancing around this subject was going to make her all the more anxious. They were going to have to talk about it. This was a conversation she'd been putting off for years. She just wished they weren't here on Heaven's Isle. She wanted to be at home, where she could run to Bonnie and Caroline afterward, and eat herself to death via ice-cream.

Damon tried not to be upset about the fact that she quite clearly did not want him to come up with her. The look on her face told him she really didn't want to spend time with him right now. This is just temporary, he reminded himself. She would get over it. They would get through this. Perhaps forcing her to spend time with him right now wasn't going to help that much, but what was he supposed to do? He'd already messed up by bringing her here. He couldn't undo this mess. He almost wished he didn't know. Knowing he was the one she was trying to get over; the one she was hurting over was the worst feeling in the world. He had to find a way to tell her that he wasn't going to pursue Katherine while they were here; hopefully without giving away the fact that he knew how she felt about him.

"You know, our plan has already worked," Damon said to her, when they reached their room. "I was thinking we could just hang out for the rest of the week. It's been ages since we were able to just spend time together like this."

So he was going to try and spare her feelings, Elena realized. Really it was too late for that. She started shoving some things in her backpack; sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, camera.

"The only reason I'm here is because you wanted Katherine to see the error of her ways," she said to him.

He could hear the hurt in her voice. "I love your company. You know that," he said to her. "I always have."

"Maybe," she said, pausing for a second. "But you didn't ask me here because you love my company. I'm here because you want Katherine back. You're close to getting that. Don't give up now. I can keep Stefan busy."

Uneasiness settled in the pit of Damon's stomach. She saw the look on his face, and glared at him.

"Don't say it, Damon. I'm perfectly capable of spending time with Stefan without getting sucked in."

"I know. I just…I can't help being concerned for you. After hearing you're getting over some jerk…"

"I know you know, Damon," she said, ready for this conversation to be over already.

"Know what?" he asked.

"I know you know. I know you know the identity of my Mr X. So cut the act."

Damon couldn't believe it. He hadn't said anything.

"Don't look so surprised," she said. "I can read you like a book. Are you really not going to say anything about it?"

Their eyes met, and Damon wondered why she looked angry with him. Wasn't this what she wanted? She was the one who had kept this whole thing a secret from him. She was the one who stayed quiet for however long. He was just following suit; and Bonnie's advice.

"I was taking my cue from you, Elena. I assumed you wanted to ignore it."

"I did. I mean…you obviously you don't feel the same way about me."

He felt his heart twist in his chest at her indirect question. Yes, he'd had thoughts about her over the past two days, but he didn't want to do anything about them. He wanted to ignore them and hope they went away. He didn't want to alter their current relationship. That might be selfish, he thought, but they would both be happier in the long run, because they weren't running the risk of losing each other. She might not see this now, but staying friends was for the best.

He picked his words very carefully, not wanting to hurt her anymore than he had already. "We've been friends for a long time. I've tried really hard not to see you that way."

"So it's my fault I'm in love with you?"

"That's not what I'm saying, and you know it."

"No, but it's what you mean, which is crazy considering you're in love with Katherine."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"I don't see you tyring not to see her that way. You're in love with her, in spite of the fact she is a complete, and utter bitch, and she left you for Stefan."

"Say what you really think, Elena," he said, trying to maintain some kind of control over his emotions.

They'd argued before, many times. They'd had a few big fights. However, he didn't want to fight with her now; not about this, not when it felt like their friendship was hanging on by a thread.

"Look, I don't want to fight with you," he told her. "Not here. I don't want someone to say something they'll regret."

"God forbid my being in love with you should threaten our friendship."

"I thought the whole reason you've stayed quiet is because our friendship means as much to you as it does to me."

"It does," she told him.

Elena knew that that was the only thing Damon wanted to hear right now; that in the end her feelings weren't going to threaten their friendship. It was the first time in the whole time she'd known him that she'd thought of him as selfish; as selfish with her. He would never give any real thought to them being more than friends because he was too worried he might lose her. He walked over to her, and took her hands; holding them in his. She looked at their hands joined together for a moment before looking up at him.

"We'll get through this," he said to her. "Whatever you need from me; however I can help. Just tell me."

Elena barely resisted the urge to snap at him that her feelings were not something they had to 'get through'. He was wearing such a sympathetic expression on his face, and she realized she couldn't take this; his feeling sorry for her. Right now she just felt pathetic. She pulled her hands out of his.

"You don't have to worry about it. I'm pretty much over you now," she told him, hoping that that would somehow put them on more equal footing; in his mind anyway.

"You are?"

"Yes. It turns out you were right. Coming here has helped a lot."

"How? I mean…I thought it would have made it worse."

"So did I, but it turns out watching you pine after Katherine is a pretty big turn-off. This is exactly what I needed. A reality check."

"How long have you felt this way?"

"It doesn't matter. What matters is that this has been just what I needed to fall out of love with you. So just keep chasing after Katherine. It's helping."

Damon frowned, not feeling right about that at all. Yes he was relieved she seemed to be getting over him, but he didn't want to rub her face in the fact that he was wanted someone else. That would be cruel.

"Trust me," she said to him." I'm fine."

Damon nodded. He wouldn't argue with her about this, but he wouldn't pursue Katherine either.

"Elijah still needs to speak with me about something," he said to her, thinking they could both do with a breather. "I'll meet you at the boat."

Elena stared at the door after he left, and swiped at the lonely tear now sliding down her face. It was done. She'd survived the conversation, and it had been every bit as terrible as she had imagined it would be. She consoled herself with the fact that she couldn't possibly feel any worse than she did now. It was all up from here. It had to be. She would feel better, and soon the words she'd told him would be true. She would be over him. Watching him chase Katherine was good for her to see. Every nail in her heart was a reminder of how much it hurt to be in love with him, and how much she needed to move on.

"Damon."

Damon was so lost in his thoughts, that he didn't even notice Stefan until he bumped into him.

"Have you seen Elijah?" Stefan asked him.

"I'm looking for him myself."

Stefan nodded. "Elena back at the room?"

"Yeah, she is, and you can cut the cute comments remarks with her. Whatever this is we're doing here with Katherine, we leave Elena out of it. Am I making myself clear?"

"As it turns out, I'm not doing anything with Katherine," Stefan told him. "We broke up."

"That's too bad," Damon said to him, feeling slightly smug about the fact that he'd won this round.

"I can see you're all broken up about it, but you're an idiot. Katherine wants both of us. She wanted me when she was with you, and she wanted you when she was with me."

"So she's a little confused," Damon said with a shrug.

"Well I'm sure you can help her make up her mind. Let's just say my interest no longer lies with Katherine."

Damon's blood ran cold. "What did I just say? Stay away from Elena."

"You know, Damon; the only reason I never went after Elena before was because she was in love with you."

Was he the only person who hadn't been able to see it?

"Then that's hardly going to work out for you now, is it?" Damon asked.

Stefan leaned in, and mock whispered, "I get the feeling things are about to change."

Damon wanted to ask him what he knew. "You don't know anything about it," he said to Stefan instead.

"I know you want Katherine back. You see, you're going to get back with Katherine, and you're going to break Elena's heart in the process. Guess who'll be there to pick up the pieces?"

"She knows everything about our game, Stefan. She'll never go for you," Damon said to him, desperately hoping that would be enough to stop him.

He'd brought Elena here when she was in love with him, and made her watch him chase another woman. Now his biggest rival was moving in, and Stefan was right, Elena would be more vulnerable now. If she ended up even more hurt than she was already, because of Stefan and this game, Damon would never forgive himself.

"You warned me off her once," Stefan told him. "I'm not going to listen again. Elena seems pretty cool, and I'm going to ask her out."

"You're going to ask my girlfriend out? You're the idiot Stefan."

"Come on, Damon. We both know you're not really with Elena. You told me a long time ago you don't see her that way. But I do see her that way."

"That's too bad for you."

"No, Damon; that's too bad for you. You brought her here to use her in our 'game' as you called it. What kind of a person does that?"

He hadn't thought he could feel any guiltier than he did already, but Stefan was fast proving him wrong. What kind of person was he to do that to Elena? She was the kindest, most generous person he knew, and he'd somehow managed to take advantage of that when he brought her here. Sure he hadn't known how she felt about him, but that was because he hadn't paid enough attention. He'd missed the signs. He'd been a bad friend. But just because he was an idiot, and a jerk, and blind to boot, didn't mean that he didn't love her; didn't care about her. Stefan couldn't possibly understand what they had.

"You know nothing about what she means to me."

As if Stefan could see he'd hit a soft spot, he kept talking.

"You don't deserve her, Damon. She's too good for you. I don't even know why she's friends with you."

Stefan's words ripped the lid off the insecurities he tried his best to hide. Damon already believed there had to be something wrong with him. Why else would his mother have left? Why hadn't she taken him with her? What kind of mother left their only child? He must be lacking something. He'd walked away from everyone before they walked away from him, and hurt him. He walked away from them before they could realize he wasn't worthy of their love.

Maybe that was why he let himself love Katherine. She was too busy talking about herself, and thinking about herself, to ever get to know him properly. Katherine wasn't capable of getting to know anyone. Her interests would always start and finish with Katherine, and Damon actually loved that shallow part of her, because it meant she couldn't reject the real him.

Elena was the only person he had ever allowed to matter to him, and that was because she'd forced her way into his life, and not allowed him to push her away. Their friendship was his way of effectively tying her to him. He didn't want to let that go. She wasn't supposed to fall in love him. Love couldn't be trusted. His mother had told him she loved him the very day she left. Friendship could be trusted. Now Stefan had him believing that he was going to mess their friendship, and Damon felt himself starting to panic. He didn't want Stefan anywhere near Elena.

"I'll make her my girlfriend for real," he heard himself tell Stefan.

"That's going to look great, Damon. If she knows about this game like you say, she's going to believe the only reason you're interested in her is because I am. You missed your chance. I get Elena, and you get Katherine; the consolation prize. Good luck with her by the way. She's a high maintenance one."

Damon was right on the verge of losing his temper, when he noticed Elijah approaching them.

"Go near her, and I'll break every bone in your body," he growled.

Stefan simply grinned and then walked away purposefully.

"Damon, there you are," Elijah said to him. "Step into my office for a moment."

Elena picked up her knapsack and made her way down to the boat. She was very tempted to stay in her room, but she would go crazy locked in the room with only her thoughts for company. When Elena boarded the boat she looked around for Damon, but she couldn't see him anywhere. She'd just sat down when Stefan joined her. She took a deep breath before turning to look at him. Katherine wasn't with him.

"Where's Katherine?" she asked him.

"She broke up with me," he told her.

So Stefan and Katherine were done already? She'd expected that it was going to take a lot longer than one day for them to split up. Elena tried to feel happy. She wanted to feel happy, but she just couldn't manage it. Their plan had worked. Damon would get Katherine back, and while she was usually good at convincing herself that she could be happy for him, she couldn't today. She felt miserable. Why couldn't this break-up have occurred before Damon had figured out she was in love with him?

"I'm sorry," Elena said, not knowing what else to say.

What did that mean for her now? She'd played her part. Damon wouldn't want her hanging around anymore, not when he could spend time with Katherine. Where did that leave her? God, how humiliating was it going to be if she had to fake breaking up with him in front of everyone.

"Don't be," Stefan said to her. "Katherine is playing both of us, and I think we actually had this one coming."

"If only Damon could see that," Elena muttered.

"I just ran into him. He doesn't believe she's playing us."

Elena nodded. "I know. He's completely blind."

"Don't be too hard on him. Love does that. Blinds us."

Elena was surprised to hear him defending Damon, and to hear him being so honest with her. "It sounds like you've been there," she said to him.

"I was in love once. Had my heart broken. Right before I joined Smith & Smith."

"Tell me about her," Elena found herself saying, wanting any kind of distraction from the pain she herself was feeling right now.

Damon stepped onto the boat after answering Elijah's question about the campaign for Brewer's Beer. The office in Mystic Falls shut down for the week that they were away; however, some business was still conducted from the island. It wasn't anything that couldn't have waited until they returned home, and he'd had to work very hard at not showing his irritation at being detained when his enemy was on the prowl. Damon spotted Stefan talking to Elena straight away, and was about to walk over there and make good on his threat when he felt a tap on the shoulder.

"Katherine," he said when he turned around.

"I've been looking for you. Stefan and I are over," she said to him. "It's you I want, Damon."

Damon looked over at Stefan and Elena. As if feeling him watching them, both of them turned around. At that moment Katherine threw herself at him, and started kissing him.

Elena averted her eyes, and tried not to let the sight of Damon and Katherine together bother her, but failed. Her best friend had wasted no time getting back together with Katherine, even after finding out how she felt about him. Of course she'd told him she was getting over him, and that seeing him with Katherine would be good for her, but he'd only been too happy to believe her. Her friendship was all that mattered to him. Her love meant nothing.

"I guess that's that then," Stefan said to her. "You can't tell me you were with Damon now."

"No," Elena acknowledged. What was the point in lying now? It would just make her seem like even more of a fool than she did already. "You were right. Damon never saw me that way; will never see me that way."

"Well, that leaves both of us a partner down this week."

"I guess it does."

"So I have a proposal for you," Stefan said to her.

A/N: Phew, I'm glad I'm done with this chapter. I'm excited about chapter 7. Thanks for reading, and please review.