A/N: Thanks to Jenn for her editing suggestions and to Daisy and Kim for pre-reading.

I know I said I'd have these last chapters up a while ago but a death in the family affected me far more than I could have ever anticipated. Sorry for the delay. And here is chapter 13!

Chapter Thirteen

Everything you do is for me.

Elena glanced down at the phone ringing beside her. Apprehension slid through her as she saw Damon's name flashing on the display. Was he going to tell her he was hanging out with the guys again tonight? He hadn't mentioned anything earlier, but then they'd been too busy tearing each other's clothes off this morning to talk about something as mundane as what they were going to do this evening.

Their relationship had felt a little out of balance ever since they'd come back from Heaven's Isle, and now she was starting to worry. They didn't talk the way they used to. And while their sex life was incredibly validating, Elena was sure it would burn out eventually. And what then? Would they still remember how to talk to each other when it did? He had other people he wanted to talk to now. Other friends. The guys.

Two and a half months ago, Damon had joined a local bowling team, and lately he was spending more and more time with them.

Taking one long breath, she reluctantly picked up the phone and answered it. "Hey."

"Hey yourself," Damon returned.

Heat curled through her immediately at the sound of the husky voice on the other end.

"Is everything okay?" she asked.

"Everything is fine," he told her. "I was thinking about eating dinner with the guys tonight. Is that okay with you?"

Elena swept her eyes over the table she'd set for two earlier. Dinner was cooking in the oven. She should have taken the time to confirm the fact that he'd be coming over for dinner before making something so elaborate, but she'd wanted to surprise him. They didn't officially have an anniversary date, but it had been three months today since they'd returned home to Mystic Falls. She hadn't expected Damon to remember. It wasn't really important. She'd just felt like doing a little something to celebrate. But he didn't want to spend the evening with her. He wanted to spend it with his new friends.

Her heart began to pound as panic clawed at her. She held on to the kitchen counter and reminded herself to breathe. Just because Damon wanted to spend time with his new friends didn't mean anything was wrong, she told herself quickly. He still wanted her. He still came home to her every night. He still told her he loved her. And it wasn't as if he was out seeing other women. He was working on building relationships with other people, and after the years he'd spent shut off from everyone except her, that was a good thing. It was.

"Elena?"

"It's fine."

There was a pause. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. I mean, I made dinner for us but-"

"You should have said something. I'll be there in half an hour."

"It wasn't anything fancy," she lied. "Stay. Have dinner with the guys. Caroline and Bonnie were talking about going to the Grill anyway. I might go down with them."

"Are you sure?"

"I am."

"Okay, I'll see you when you get back then."

Damon hadn't technically moved in, but he'd spent every night at her place since they'd arrived home. Her wardrobe was full of his stuff and his toothbrush lived next to hers in her bathroom.

"I'll see you then."

"I love you, Elena," he told her.

Her heart still lurched every time he said that to her. "Love you too."

Once Damon had hung up, Elena picked up one of the breadsticks she'd put on the table and then dialled Caroline's number.

"Elena," Caroline eventually answered.

"Hey. Are you and Bonnie still going to the Grill tonight?"

"Yes…" Caroline said. "Why?"

"Can I tag along?"

"What happened to your fancy three-month dinner with Damon?"

"He called to say he's having dinner with the guys."

"Ooo-kay."

"Should I be worried?" Elena asked impulsively.

After a pause that felt too long, Caroline said, "Pssh. Of course not. Dinner with the guys is nothing to worry over."

Elena could practically hear Caroline waving her hand in dismissal. Aside from the fact that her friend had been disappointed Elena no longer required her dating agency services, Caroline had been absolutely thrilled that Damon and Elena were dating, and even more thrilled that the 'makeover' she and Bonnie had given Elena had worked so well.

Bonnie, on the other hand, had not been quite as enthusiastic about their change of status. After encouraging her to go to Heaven's Isle with Damon, Elena had expected a little more than the silence Bonnie gave whenever his name came up.

"Don't stress over it, Elena," Caroline persisted. "Promise me."

She sighed. "I promise."

"Bonnie and I will pick you up at eight, okay?"

"I'll be ready."

Elena, Caroline and Bonnie had just ordered their drinks and sat down in the bar when someone caught Caroline's attention.

"Hey, isn't that-"

"Stefan," Elena finished for her, following her line of sight. "Great," she added when he noticed her looking over at him. Damon's rival stood up, along with his blonde date, and walked towards them.

"Elena," he said, once he'd reached them.

"Stefan."

"How are you?"

"Fine."

"This is Rebekah," he said to her, drawing their attention to the blonde he was standing with.

"Hello," Elena said politely.

The woman merely turned the corners of her mouth up in a poor imitation of a smile.

"I'm surprised you're not out with Damon…" Stefan said.

It was quite obvious from the look on his face that he wasn't surprised at all.

"We're having a girl's night," Elena said stiffly.

"And Damon is…?"

"Having a guy's night," Caroline said, before muttering under her breath, "Obviously."

"Damon is out with friends?" Stefan repeated. "I thought you were Damon's only friend, Elena."

"Not anymore."

She hadn't meant the words to come out sounding quite so resentful. Stefan's expression turned smug immediately and Elena itched to slap the knowing smirk off his face.

"I hate to say I told you so," Stefan said, with an excessive amount of pleasure inflected in his voice. "But I did. Your friendship with Damon was never going to survive a relationship he only wanted so I couldn't have you."

"Was it all just a game for you, Stefan?" Elena asked, trying to gain control over the panic once again clawing at her. "When you said you wanted to hang out and go on a date when we got back to Mystic Falls…was that an act? Were you showing interest in me only for the sake of making Damon mad?"

"Honestly?"

"Yes. Honestly."

"Honestly, making Damon mad was a bonus. I was serious about us going on a date. I liked you, Elena. But you chose Damon."

"Yes, I did."

"And now he's nowhere to be seen and I have Rebekah." He motioned to the table they'd been sitting at, which Rebekah had walked back to at some point during their exchange. "She works with Damon and I, by the way. For a short while I thought my days competing with Damon for women might be over. After all, you have lasted longer than any of Damon's previous excuses for girlfriends. But judging by his absence here tonight, he might be very interested to hear I'm dating Rebekah."

Elena shook her head to disagree, but Stefan barrelled on, undeterred.

"You're here. And he's where?" Stefan asked, looking around. "I think the fact that he's finally cast out the friendship net is a sure sign that it's over, Elena. Both your friendship and whatever relationship he had with you out of pity. He just hasn't told you so yet."

She felt like she'd been slapped so hard she nearly fell off the chair.

"You disgust me," Bonnie said, out of nowhere. "You men and your games."

"Hey," Stefan said, holding his hands up in a defensive gesture. "Don't hate the player. Hate the game."

Elena watched Stefan walk away. Her heart was beating so fast it was a wonder she hadn't had a heart attack. Was it true? Were her relationship and friendship with Damon over and that was why he'd found new friends and stopped talking to her so much?

"Oh. My. God," Caroline said. "Did he really just say that? Thank God you didn't end up dating him, Elena. And you have to be an idiot to believe anything he just said. Right Bonnie?"

Bonnie shrugged, causing Elena's stomach to sink further.

"What is with you lately, Bonnie Bennett?" Caroline growled, glaring at Bonnie.

Obviously, Elena wasn't the only one who had noticed Bonnie's unenthusiastic responses to all of Elena's talk about Damon.

"Nothing," Bonnie said, stirring her drink with her straw and refusing to look at either of them.

"You've been wearing that sour expression every time the topic of Damon comes up. And when I told you-"

"Just leave it, okay, Caroline?"

Elena's confusion over Bonnie's reaction grew exponentially when she saw the look Bonnie shot Caroline.

"I don't want to leave it, Bonnie," Elena said to her. "You've been acting strange ever since I started dating Damon. You were the one who encouraged me to go on the holiday with him in the first place. I don't understand-"

"He called me, okay?"

"What?"

"While you were away with him. Damon called me, wanting to know if he was your Mr X."

"What did he say?" Caroline asked.

"What did you say?" Elena asked, though she was already pretty certain she knew.

She remembered the day in question all too well: her run along the beach with Damon and her desperate hope he'd kiss her in the water, followed by his confusion when she'd been disappointed he hadn't. She'd gone back to their room by herself and when he'd returned, he'd known. Elena would never forget his expression. Obviously, in the time he'd been gone, he'd spoken to Bonnie and she'd filled in the blanks for him.

Bonnie gave her an apologetic look. "Maybe I should have lied, but he'd figured it out, 'Lena. He was so shocked. He'd never had a clue you were in love with him. Once he knew, I asked if he was still in love with Katherine. He sounded pretty torn, but he said that he was."

Yes, Damon had believed himself in love with Katherine at that time, but he'd insisted shortly after that what he felt for Katherine wasn't love. What he felt for Elena was the real deal. And he'd also insisted his feelings for her had always been there, he just hadn't realized it until their holiday.

"When the two of you arrived home," Bonnie continued, "I was expecting you'd be trying to move on and Damon would give you some time and distance to do that – that he'd let you go. Instead, the two of you are together. I'm sorry. It's not that I don't want to you to be happy, 'Lena. I just can't forget that conversation and wondering when he stopped loving Katherine."

Over the last three months, Elena had told herself it didn't matter when or where or how Damon had fallen in love with her. All that mattered was that he was in love with her now. There were times when she believed he might be and other times when she worried she was deluding himself. Like now.

"You're crazy, Bonnie," Caroline said. "We've been saying Damon's in love with her for years. How many times have we commented on the fact that Damon was so blind he needed glasses?"

"Because he couldn't see what was in front of his face," Bonnie muttered.

"Do you really think Damon could give up Katherine so easily if he was actually in love with her?" Caroline asked.

"Even when he thought he was in love with Katherine, he offered to give her up to keep me happy," Elena said sadly. "Our friendship has always been more important to him than anything else. He would have done anything to save it. But now he has new friends. He doesn't need me anymore. Maybe Stefan was right."

"No," Bonnie said. "Damon has always loved you. I've always thought so. I just…forgot it there for a while."

"I know he loves me. I just don't know if he's in love with me," Elena admitted out loud for the first time.

"You're being ridiculous," Caroline told her.

Elena's insecurities over whether Damon loved her were a very tender spot that she hadn't wanted to share for this reason. Caroline was waving it off as if her fears were nothing and Elena felt stupid for even saying it. Now she felt like she had to justify them.

"When we first got together," Elena said, "I was just like you, Bonnie – wondering when his feelings for me had suddenly changed. I thought he wanted to be with me because he wanted to save our friendship. What's totally crazy is that ever since we got back to Mystic Falls, I hardly feel like we're friends anymore."

"Have you talked to him about it?" Caroline asked. "Does he know you doubt his feelings for you?"

"When we talked about the status of our relationship before coming home, he knew I still wasn't sure how he felt about me. He told me he was going to do whatever it took to show me he was in love with me – that things were going to change when we got back to Mystic Falls, but the only thing that's changed is the fact that we're less and less like friends-"

"And more and more like lovers?" Caroline asked, her eyes shining. "More and more like girlfriend and boyfriend, perhaps?"

Elena sat up straighter in her chair. "Yes."

"Elena," Caroline said with such exaggerated patience that Bonnie giggled. "Damon is in love with you."

"You think so?"

"Yes!" Caroline cried, causing Bonnie to fall back in her chair laughing.

Elena smiled at them, but inside she was feeling more confused than ever.

"Don't you see it?" Caroline asked.

"See what?"

"Damon has made new friends because he doesn't want you to think he's with you just for the sake of your friendship."

"Oh."

It sounded so simple. So logical. Of course that was what Damon was doing. How on earth had she not seen it until now? How on earth had she doubted him for so long? His biggest fear was people pushing him away – of getting too close to people and being rejected. Abandoned. It was the reason he'd never before sought out friendship with anyone. Elena herself had had to force her friendship upon him.

But when they'd come home from Mystic Falls, he'd thrown himself into this guy's club that he'd joined. He'd never joined a club before, but he'd done it to make new friends. He'd conquered his number one fear, and he'd done it for her. For them. She felt humbled and thrilled and amazed and suspiciously close to tears.

"He is in love with me."

"Of course he is."

"All this time I doubted his feelings…and the proof of how he felt was right under my nose all along."

"The way Damon's love for you was under his nose all along," Bonnie said.

"I have to go," Elena said.

"What? Already? We just got here," Caroline grumbled.

"I have to hear Damon tell me he loves me."

"But-" Bonnie started.

"And then I have to let him know I one hundred percent believe him."

"Aww," Caroline and Bonnie chorused together.

"I mean, he'd want to know, right?"

"Of course he would."

"Go!"

"Get out of here."

"Say hi to Damon for us!"

She'd only walked as far as the parking lot before she realized Caroline had picked her up and she didn't have a ride home. She would have to wait for Caroline and Bonnie to finish their evening after all, unless… She fished her cell out of her handbag and dialled Damon's number.

"Hey," he answered straight away. "Are you home already?"

It was all there, Elena thought: the eagerness to see her, the happiness in his voice when he spoke to her. She could literally hear him smiling through the phone, and her chest expanded and filled with warmth and her heart danced right along with the butterflies in her stomach. Damon Salvatore – her best friend and the man she'd been in love with for ten years – loved her back. Correction, he was in love with her.

Why? Why hadn't she seen it before now? She'd been so afraid. That was why. While Damon had been busy conquering his fears, she'd nursed hers by never daring to believe everything he'd said to her was real. She'd hidden behind them, too afraid to let them go, too afraid she might get hurt. She was an idiot. Truly. But that stopped today. Today it was time to lay her fears to rest for good.

"'Lena?" he prompted.

"I'm, ah, I'm at the Grill still."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Everything is fine. It's just… I really need to see you. Can you come and get me?"

"I'll be right there. I was about to leave, anyway."

"I'll wait inside for you."

"I'll come in when I get there. See you in ten."

Ten minutes after he'd ended his conversation with Elena, Damon pulled into the parking lot of the Grill. He was confused to say the least. Elena had sounded happy enough on the phone, but he couldn't help worrying over the fact that she'd seemed so desperate to speak to him. Had he pushed her too far, too soon?

As promised, he'd done his best to set some changes in motion when they'd returned to Mystic Falls, like joining the bowling team that had been advertising for a new member in the local paper. He wasn't much of a bowler and the sport had never appealed to him before, but when he'd met the other members of the team, Alaric, Jeremy and Logan, he'd gotten along with them. Hell, Damon actually liked them – a first for him.

Elena couldn't understand why he'd decided to join a bowling team. He hadn't told her about the conversation he'd had with Elijah the night before they'd left Heaven's Isle. Actions spoke louder than words, and he'd been hoping she'd open her eyes and see what he was doing without being prompted or guided, but he was afraid she didn't believe his declarations of love any more now than she had the day they'd come home.

Sometimes he could see her insecurity flickering in her eyes for a second, before she willed it away and tried to pretend it didn't exist. Other times, there was a slight nervousness present in her when they were talking about him hanging out with the guys, like this evening when he'd told her he wanted to have dinner out. He fell for her a little harder and a little further every day. Would she ever believe it?

Maybe keeping his mouth shut about what he was doing and why he was doing it had been a stupid idea. Maybe he needed to clue her in and tell her what he was up to. He'd been walking such a fine line, trying to give her what she needed to feel secure, while doing what he needed to make their relationship work.

His own doubts and worries grew exponentially when he walked into the bar and saw Stefan sitting with the newest member of the Smith and Smith sales team, Rebekah, at one of the tables just inside the entrance.

"Damon," Stefan said gleefully.

There was no doubt in Damon's mind that Stefan and Rebekah's presence at the Grill was the reason behind Elena's phone call. Shit. If Stefan had been talking to her and seeding her doubt, Damon would make sure he paid for it.

"Hello, Damon," Rebekah said seductively.

"Rebekah." Damon greeted her, ignoring Stefan.

"We're just having a little getting to know you drink. Care to join us?" Rebekah asked.

Stefan was still his number one enemy. Rebekah, on the other hand, was nice enough, but Damon had no interest in her on a personal level, despite the fact Stefan had tried several times to change that fact.

"It will give you the chance to get to know Rebekah a little better," Stefan said with a wink.

How many times was Stefan going to try and pique his interest in competing for a woman's interests? The only woman Damon was interested in was Elena, and the fact that Stefan more than likely knew Elena was there and was trying to get Damon to chat up another woman made Damon want to knock Stefan's teeth down his throat.

"I'm here for Elena," he said, looking around for her.

"When are you going to give it up?" Stefan asked.

Damon would never give up on anything related to Elena. Ever.

"Don't know what you're talking about," Damon answered him.

"Even Elena knows it's over," Stefan told him. "Seems kind of pointless to keep the charade up, if you ask me."

For a split second Damon's heart squeezed so tight it hurt, but then he finally locked eyes with Elena across the room. The smile on her face and the brightness in her eyes was in complete contrast to the dread clutching at him since she'd asked him to come and get her. Her smile didn't falter, even when she took in the fact that he was standing with Rebekah and Stefan.

Elena was very happy and whatever reason she had to ask him there was a good one, Damon decided quickly. And it had nothing to do with Stefan and his bullshit about Elena knowing it was over. Thank God.

He thumped Stefan very, very hard on the back. "No one asked you, Stef. I'll see you Monday, Rebekah."

He hadn't walked very far when Elena appeared in front of him.

"Hey," she said.

Again, he was struck by the brightness in her eyes. But there was something else in her gaze that reeled him in and hooked him there – something he'd never seen before. Confidence, maybe? It wasn't like Elena wasn't a confident person when it came to most things; it was just that she'd never been confident when it came to him – to their love. Right now, however, all her confidence seemed to be aimed at him. There was a teasing, seductive quality to her expression as she took his hands and placed them on her hips before linking her arms around his neck.

She pressed her body against his, causing a flash of heat to surge straight through him and an erection to spring up the way it always did whenever she was in close proximity these days. They weren't teenagers, but his libido didn't seem to remember that. Damon wanted her twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. It was ridiculous.

Her painted lips were just inches away from his, soft, inviting. Seeing him stare at them, she ran her tongue over them invitingly. He almost groaned out loud. Something was different about her tonight and he just couldn't figure it out. She'd seduced him on many occasions, but it was the knowing light in her eyes as she looked at him right now that told him this time was not like the others.

"Are you ready to leave?" she asked him, running a hand down his black shirt.

"I should say hi to Bonnie and Caroline."

"They're not expecting you to."

Frowning, he looked over at Caroline and Bonnie who were both grinning like idiots and waving. The frown never left his face as he waved back. Then Elena grabbed his hand and tried to tug him out of the bar. Too confused to do anything but let her lead him out of the place, they walked towards the exit. As they walked past Stefan and Rebekah, however, he remembered the dread he'd felt a minute ago and made up his mind to tell Elena about his reasons for joining the bowling club as soon as they were some place quiet.

They walked towards the car, hand in hand. "I have to tell you something 'Lena."

If Elena hadn't just come to the conclusion that Damon was very much in love with her, she would be freaking out right now. But she did know he loved her. Fear and doubt had prevented her from seeing the full truth of it before now, but she wouldn't let it cloud her vision anymore. Damon had gone above and beyond. He'd proved he was willing to do whatever it took for things to work out between them. He'd conquered his fears and now it was time to conquer hers once and for all.

"Uh-uh," she stopped him, backing him against his car, unable to keep the smile off her face as she took in his confused expression.

As they stood there, facing each other, however, she grew serious.

"I love you, Damon."

"I love you, too, 'Lena, and-"

"I know," she told him quickly, cutting off whatever else he was about to say. "I know."

"You know?"

"I know you love me."

He looked at her now, his expression softening.

"I know you're in love with me," she said to him. "I'm so sorry it took me so long to see what you were doing. I'm sorry I ever doubted how you felt."

He surprised her by reaching out and tugging her into his arms. She rested her head against his chest and melted into him. "I know I gave you ten years of reasons to doubt me."

"No." She looked up at him and shook her head. "I was so afraid. For the last three months I let my fear stand between us."

"And I let mine stand between us for ten years. It doesn't matter now. All that matters is that it won't stand between us any longer."

"Never again," she confirmed.

"How did you figure it out, by the way?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

She sighed. "With a little help from my friends, I have to admit."

He chuckled. "I knew there was a reason I liked those two."

She swatted at him playfully. There had been times in the past when he'd been jealous of the time she'd spent with them. Now she was the one jealous of the time he spent with his friends. Well, no more. Never again. It was great Damon had made friends. Yes, she'd been worried about the fact that he seemed to be spending more and more time with the guys, but now that she'd seen the truth of his feelings for her, she understood she had no reason to feel insecure.

There was still one thing, however.

"I don't want us to stop being friends," she told him.

"We'll never stop being friends, 'Lena."

"We don't talk as much as we used to," she said worriedly. "I'm happy you have the guys, but-"

He placed his finger over her lips. "We don't talk as much because I want you every second of every day."

She rolled her eyes, but let him continue. "But you're still my best friend. There's no one in the world I'd rather talk to more. As it turns out, there's also no one in the world I'd rather be in bed with."

Now she was laughing and Damon couldn't help but feel relieved that this moment was finally upon them. For the first time in a long time, everything felt right. He was in love with her and she finally knew it. Reversing their positions, he pressed her against his car and kissed her. Her laugh immediately turned into a moan that he swallowed. There was no one else for him. There never would be, and as her lips parted under his and she clung to him, he knew it would be a struggle to hold off asking her to be his for the rest of their lives. But he would.

After their week on Heaven's Isle and the three months that had followed, they hadn't really relaxed and enjoyed being together the way they should have from the start. They'd been too busy adjusting to the changes in their relationship, and Elena had been trying to learn to trust him. Now was really the first time they could enjoy being together – Damon without having something to prove, and Elena confident her feelings were one hundred percent reciprocated.

When Elena deepened the kiss and pressed her body against his, he almost forgot himself and begged her to become his wife right then and there, but he stopped himself in time – just long enough for him to unlock the car and for them to tumble into the back seat together, a flurry of limbs and hands and mouths.

Feeling every bit the naughty teenager, he slid his hand inside her jacket and fondled her breast. In response she ran her hand along the hard ridge of him through his pants.

"Jesus, Elena."

His only indication she'd heard him was the fact that she spread her legs apart so he was pressed against the apex of her sex.

"I need you now," she said.

He wondered if she was contemplating the same question he was: could sex possibly get any better between them with this new and total understanding and awareness of the way they felt about each other?

Her hands reached for his belt as he pushed up her hot purple and black skirt. He pushed her underwear to the side and almost whimpered when he felt how much she wanted him. She wriggled her hips against his hand and his thumb skimmed her clit just as she got her hand around the length of him. Just like that, he was gone. Unable to wait any longer to be with her, he worked her underwear off her legs, over the pumps she was still wearing, and onto the floor of his car.

She slid her legs over his shoulders and he tortured her by running his cock up from her slick entrance over her clit. She muttered an expletive as she tried to reach for him, but he remained out of reach for a moment, before surging forward and burying himself in her welcoming heat. And there was the answer to his question. Yes, sex could get better. Being with her like this – it was like magic. It was like two halves becoming whole. It was like coming home in a way he'd never felt before, no matter how insatiable he'd been before now.

And the best part? For the first time he knew she was looking into his eyes and seeing exactly the same thing he saw in hers.

"I love you, Elena."

The most beautiful smile curved her mouth. "Yes, you do. And I love you, too."

"Yes, you do," he returned.

They both laughed, and then he kissed her again and again and took them both straight to heaven.

A/N: That's it folks. Kidding. Kind of. I'll post a short epilogue next week. It's already in the hands of my beta, so I'm fairly confident I can actually keep that promise. I started this story just after my second child was born. At the time, I was suffering with a severe case of PND. Starting this story got me through the toughest times of my life. All your support and reviews during those weeks kept me going. Kept me writing. Kept me sane (for the better part). Being part of this fandom helped me immensely. Once I began feeling better, my updates trailed off, and for that I'm sorry. But I never forgot you. I know it's taken us a while to reach this point (we've had a few bumps in the road), but for those of you still reading, please know I love this fandom. It might take me too long, but I will always come back and finish what I started.

Love to you all.