Surprise!

So I said it was gonna be another 3 weeks until I was able to update. However I could NOT wait that long to get another chapter out. So despite the fact I'm getting up at 6am, tackling the London Underground at rush hour and running around with dummy books to and fro between editorial and publicity departments until 18:30, I managed to squeeze this out over a couple of evenings!

Once again, thank you so, so much for all of your reviews. They mean so much and it's a joy to see people are enjoying my writing. A feeling that only us writers can appreciate as I'm sure you all know. So thank you!

And because it look quite a bit to write this, what with falling asleep at the keyboard and all... it'd be just AMAZING if I got plenty of reviews for this. Oh and please forgive any typos :-)

I have a feeling you're either gonna love me or hate me for Chapter 15... enjoy...

ELENA'S POV

Elena felt a twang of sadness at pinch her heart at the thought of leaving in the morning. Time had ticked by way too fast.

It was already late Saturday night, and they were leaving almost first thing in the morning. Elena wished they could stay at least one more night. There was still so much to talk about, so much to do and even though they'd been inseparable throughout the entire time they'd been there, it was still like they hadn't had enough time to rip each others clothes off and have sex against the most suitable piece of furniture. But another night was just out of the question. Oh the alarm bells that would ring if they were both absent from english class on Monday morning.

Eugh, and the thought of having to address him as 'Mr Salvatore' was just awful. The thought of sitting at her rickety desk and hearing him talk to her like she was any old student made her feel a little ill. It would be like nothing between them had existed and it was all a dream. It was going to be so difficult, and as much as it was at the forefront of her mind, Elena was determined to push it back so she could enjoy her last few hours alone in Damon's company.

"Mmm that smells really good," Elena hummed, enjoying the savory aromas that floated through the cabin from the kitchen. She peeped her eyes over the top of the couch to see her lover, now unfortunately dressed in a black t-shirt and sweats, cooking up a storm in the kitchen.

"Oh I can promise you it'll taste so much better," Damon said, looking up from slicing a pepper with a confident smirk.

"Well anything home-cooked will taste better than the store bought meals that Aunt Jenna microwaves every night," Elena giggled, but only briefly, "my mom was the most amazing cook."

"Oh yeah? What was her signature dish?"

Elena smiled and rested her chin on top of the couch. She loved that she could mention her parents to someone without them having to either delve into how she's feeling, their condolences or avoiding the matter completely. Only Damon could make her want to talk about it.

"Chicken Parmesan. It's an easy dish to make, but she did it like no other" Elena said, remembering how it tasted vividly.

"Well how about next time we manage to escape Mystic Falls i'll cook you up an average version of it, hm?"

Her heart fluttered at the thought of there being a next time. She nodded eagerly, despite the fact he was busy plating up the gorgeous smelling food he'd cooked to notice her.

"Sounds good to me," she smiled, moving from between the fuzzy blanket she'd wrapped herself in to go and help him.

"Nu uh. You sit yourself down at the table. This is your treat," he said as she wandered beside him. God that smile of his. It made her come over all unnecessary each and every time. A part of her just wanted to forget dinner and jump straight into bed with him.

She complied with his requests and sat over at the small table in the corner by the window. The thick, succulent tuna steak on a bed of amazing smelling stir fry was simply mouth-watering as he placed it in front of her. Elena had to check she wasn't drooling.

Before she could say her thanks, he pop open a bottle of wine and filled her glass with a generous amount.

"Would a toast be a little too much right now?" he joked.

"Definitely not," Elena said, picking up a her glass and raising it. He followed suit. "A toast to the most amazing weekend ever, and to the most amazing boyfriend who I lov-..." Elena almost slapped her free hand over her mouth with how carried away she was getting. It was clearly obvious what she was going to say, and she could see it in his face. Her cheeks blushed violently... " who I love that.. he.. cooks the most amazing food" she finished. She wasn't fooling either of them.

When she felt the blush slowly fade away she looked up to Damon. He smiled softly and clinked their glasses. Never taking his eyes off her while they drank, unknowingly to Elena as she stared at the table through her glass.

As they tucked in, Elena found herself humming with every mouthful. She'd never had a tune steak before and she marveled at how sweet and tasty it was.

"I take it you like it" she heard him say, looking pleased with himself as she slurped up a noodle from the stir fry. She didn't really care if she looked like a pig in a troff, it was just too good.

"Mhm," she said through a muffled hand, "Is this your signature dish?"

"Indeed it is. Our housekeeper when I was a kid cooked it every friday night without fail."

"Wow, you had a housekeeper?" Elena said, loving to hear more about Damon's past, "were your parents really busy when you were little?"

She looked up from her knife and fork to find him shaking his head whilst pouring himself more wine. "My father was. He was the head of a construction business that made a massive turnover each year. He was always out on business, or that was the excuse he liked to convince my mother with anyway. So it was just myself and her most of the time."

"Oh, so were you that much of a tiny tearaway that your mom needed a housekeeper?" Elena giggled, though when she looked up to his face she automatically stopped. He was staring blankly at the table, like he'd gone somewhere else for a minute and all the life had been drained out of him. Elena swallowed the heavy lump of food in her mouth. "Damon are you okay?"

He suddenly sprung back to life, as though he had an 'on/off' switch and someone had flicked it back on again.

"Yeah, yeah I am. Sorry, I'm turning dinner into a depressing subject" he said, resuming his attention back to his food.

Elena frowned and put her knife and fork down to take his hand.

"You're not turning it into anything, Damon. We're just talking," she assured him.

"I know, but I'm sure the last thing you want us to talk about on our last evening is sad and dreary stuff" he smirked, squeezing her hand before letting it go.

"Not at all. I like hearing more about you. The good and the bad," she said.

"Well I don't necessarily have the most joyful of stories to tell when it comes to my parents. Especially my father." he said, though saying the last three words through partially clenched teeth.

"Well you always speak fondly of your mom... did you look like her?" Elena said, not entirely sure why she felt the need to ask if he looked like her or not, but something niggled in her to do so. Maybe just to make it a little easier for him. She didn't want to perch herself on a pedistal, but Elena had a sneaky feeling this was the first time Damon was about to tell someone of his less than easy childhood.

"I was the double of her. So yeah, she was quite the looker," he joked. Elena rolled her eyes as she sipped her wine.

"And what about that cocky attitude of yours?"

"Unfortunately, that's all my father. Which is quite odd, considering I saw the mail man more than him. He was pretty cold, callous, a very difficult man to warm up to, especially at a young age when he rarely made an appearance, but when he did, would expect me to be at beck and call to his every need."

"Well thank goodness you didn't inherit his callousness."

He smirked at her comment, "whenever he was being a dick, my mother would take me aside and ask that I not turn out like him. And I always listened to my mother."

They shared a warm smile and it all felt silent for a moment. Elena twisted her fork around a few stray noodles before putting it down to ask the question that had been toying back and forth in her mind for a while.

"What happened to her?"

She watched Damon as he swirled his glass of wine in his hand, before simply shrugging and saying "she died..." Elena nodded a little, accepting he did not want to go into it any further. As she was about to stand and collect the plates, he continued speaking. "I was eight years old. I remember walking into the lounge to find her asleep in the couch she always napped in. Normally she'd wake up hearing me wander in and we'd go and do something together. But this time she didn't. I shook her arm, pinched her nose, even went skipping around the room chanting a 'bad' word and laughing to myself because I thought it was a game she was playing. It was only until my father came home in the dead of night to find me asleep next to her that he informed me of the horrible truth."

The tears silently rolled down Elena cheeks as she listened to Damon speak. His story was simply heart-breaking and Elena wondered how he could sit there, reliving what must have been the most horrific thing for a child to witness without shedding a tear. She couldn't think of a single word to say, but he continued on.

"He practically tore me from the couch to shake her violently, trying to wake her up but she'd been gone for God knows how many hours. She was on a lot of medication for depression, insomnia, various other things and she'd accidently overdosed. I remember a lot of people at the funeral speaking in hushed whispers saying how she'd done it deliberately. As much as people probably couldn't blame her, I know for a fact she wouldn't have left me on purpose like that. And with her death, and my father nothing giving up work for anything, he hired a house keeper to take care of..."

"Oh Damon I'm so sorry," Elena sobbed, unable to hold it in any longer, his story too emotional to keep it together. She heard him laugh a little,

"Bet you wished we'd kept the conversation a little more cheerful now, huh?"

"N-not at all I.. I just..." she couldn't speak, too overcome with tears to make any sense.

"Oh come here Little Miss Waterworks."

Without giving a second thought Elena scraped back her chair to perch herself into his waiting lap, planting a kiss onto his lips, tasting the salt of her tears as they slipped into the corner of her mouth.

"I'm sorry for getting so upset," she said, trying to wipe away the tears to look at him properly, "I just can't believe you had to go through that, Damon."

"We all loose our parents at some point in life, doesn't make it any less painful whether you're a kid, a teenager, an adult."

Elena nodded and smiled down at him, still tearful as she suddenly thought of her own parents. His hands stroked through her hair lovingly, stroking away the strands that mingled with her tears on her flushed face.

"It feels like this pain won't go away, Damon" she whispered, feeling the grief course through her body. "It just... hurts."

And then, for the first time, Elena truly allowed herself to cry. All the numbness she felt, the strong front she put up for Jeremy, Jenna and her Uncle John who tried to break those walls down that she had in place. There was never any room to fully let her emotions out. Yet finally, in Damon's arms she could let out the tears that really needed to fall.

Somewhere in between her despair, Damon had carried her over to the couch to hold her properly in his arms. Through her loud sobs of anguish he stroked her back soothingly and gave her all the time she needed. Elena didn't know how long she was crying for, but her sobs eventually turned to sniffles as she curled herself against Damon's body, feeling comforted by his warmth and embrace.

"It'll get easier," he said quietly.

And as Elena lulled into a much needed sleep. She believed him.

DAMON'S POV

The sun was beginning to filter through the curtains, shedding the perfect amount of light onto Elena's sleeping face. Damon had been watching her intently for the last hour or so, stroking his hand up and down the side of her naked body, enjoying the feel of every curve and her supple skin beneath his fingers. It would be a long time until he would have the chance to be with her like this and he wanted to relish every moment while he still had her.

She stirred a little in her slumber, causing her hair to fall onto her face. Damon gently curled it back behind her ear, smoothing his hand down the length of her long hair to the small of her back, pulling her in closer to hold her against his body. She hummed with content, nestling her head against his chest and placing a feather light kiss on his warm skin.

The thought of going back to teacher/student was torture.

"I wish we didn't have to go," she mumbled. Damon smirked as he rested his chin on top of her head.

"It's like you can read my mind, honey."

"It's gonna be so hard seeing you and not being able to kiss you tomorrow," she added, Damon could feel her pouting against his skin.

"I know. But we'll find time to see each other, don't worry" he said, though he knew deep down it would be very difficult. It was so important they didn't get so much as a whisper of interest from anyone. To the prying eyes of everyone else they were teacher and student. Nothing more and nothing less.

Somehow, Damon sensed she was thinking the same thing.

"Thank you for a perfect weekend, Damon" came her sleepy, little voice. Damon felt a smile twitch on his lips.

"It's the first of many," he assured her, moving away to finally see her awake, though still very tired with slightly puffed eyes from her tears last night. Regardless, she still looked incredibly beautiful.

"I'm gonna get a shower," she groaned, "I hate feeling so icky when I'm in bed next to you."

"And why is that exactly?" Damon quipped, reclining back in bed as she scooted away with one of the sheets wrapped around her curves.

"Because it annoys me how amazing you always look, when I probably look like a sack of crap right now."

The moment she said that, Damon loved how she turned around to look directly to his body. He was well aware the bed sheets were draped dangerously low on his hips and as he teasingly stretched his arms above his head, he knew it would ride lower to the point where with a slight tug it would reveal him in all his glory.

Damon peeped open one, brilliant blue eye to look at her while she stared. The sheet she had lazily twirled around her was slowly coming undone, revealing the plump curve of her breast and a more than generous view of her left thigh.

"You look amazing, Elena. As always. Now get back in this bed and give me a proper good morning," he winked.

"Ha, with that attitude you should be so lucky" she said with a clever look, then pivoting on her heel towards the small bathroom that was next door to their guest room.

"Your stubbornness only turns me on all the more Miss Gilbert. I'll see you in there in five" he retorted, smiling to himself as he heard her giggle before closing the door. She didn't lock it. And when the shower turned on he instantly felt his manhood throb harder that what it already was.

Checking the time, Damon saw it was ticking towards nine in the morning. Alaric asked they be out by ten, as he had someone coming to view the cabin at noon to buy it. The man was crazy to want to sell this place, Damon thought.

Then Damon did a few brief calculations in his head as he shuffled against the mattress; an hour to get ready and sling their things into their suitcases – more than enough time for a heated quickie in the shower.

Damon slinked out of their bedroom and towards the sound of running water. The louder it got, the more excited he became. Knowing she was beyond that closed, wooden door, standing under a spray of warm water with a hazy mist around her body was simply divine. And in a matter of moments she would back against the slick tiles with her legs firmly wrapped around his hips. Damon almost rubbed his hands with satisfaction as he opened the door.

As vivid as his imagination of Elena was, it was nothing compared to reality. Damon stood slack-jawed as she looked through the white mist for him, her eyes with a twinkle of sexual desire. Tangling her fingers through her wet, slicked back hair she turned to face him fully.

"So are you gonna join me or hand me that robe?"

Damon's response was to simply march right over, jumping into the heavy spray of hot water and kissing her senseless. Her breath caught in his mouth as he pushed her back against the cool tiles with a deep groan, feeling his erection press hard against her lower abdomen. She did something between a moan and a gasp at the feel of him nudging against her with pure need. It drove him wild.

He went to pick her legs up to hoist them around him but she shook her head against his parted, wet lips. Damon felt his heart drop but his dick harden, thinking she was about to suggest that they don't participate in hot, shower sex and go back and pack like they were supposed to be doing.

He breathed in to say something but she placed a finger against his lips. The look in her normally innocent eyes were now oozing sex. Damon curled his lips into a smile as he slowly drew her finger into his warm, waiting mouth. Her whole body flourished with goosebumps and he could feel it, drawing back his lips along her slender digit as he stared directly into her eyes.

The moment he chose to release her, she leaned onto her tip toes to crash her lips against his, kissing down to his chin, his throat, pecking her way down his chest until she was down to her knees. Damon groaned as he leaned against the wall, arching his head back while he felt her grip his thighs and swirl her tongue across his hip bone. In those first few weeks of meeting her, Damon had fantasized about this sexual moment in particular. He used to feel ashamed and he knew he still should. But to put it quite simply, he didn't. The outside world could judge all they want. He didn't give a flying fuck about any of it as he look down to find her kneeling under the shower spray, her left hand gently stroking over his length as she looked up to his face.

"You're torturing me, you know that?" he breathed, struggling to keep his usual cool, calm and collected demeanour.

"Just let me know if I'm…" her voice quietly trailed off and Damon look back down to her. She looked a little… apprehensive.

Ah, another first for her… he thought.

"You will be doing it right, Elena. Truuuust me."

"Okay," she whispered, resuming her administrations with her hand. Damon bit his lip and slammed his head back against the wall for the umpteenth time already.

And then her tongue flicked over the tip with a feather light touch. She was lucky he managed to keep it together and she'd barely even started.

Before he could exclaim his affections, she enveloped her mouth around the head of his shaft and slowly, ever so slowly, began to bob her head up and down. She got the rhythm and suction just right and it took Damon everything to not grab a fistful of her wet hair and thrust forcefully into her mouth until he came deep into her mouth and throat.

"Sweet Jesus, Elena…" he moaned, curling his fingers through her tumbles of dark hair, at least allowing himself that much.

She hummed around his girth and Damon realized he was practically growling with pleasure, absent-mindly thrusting a little, but she didn't mind at all. In fact, she was beginning to draw him in, gripping his firm buttocks and meeting with every thrust. To say this was her first time doing this was unbelievable. She was amazing at it.

The fact that the time was ticking closer and closer to the 10:00am was now but a distant memory.

...

...

...

"Great… juuuust great."

Alaric Saltzman shook his head as he pulled up in front of the cabin, right next to Damon's car which should be gone by now. He had two hours to get this place in tip-top condition for his potential buyers. He was barely making money out of it anymore, and he needed the money himself. He'd have Damon's head on a plate if he wasn't out in the next ten minutes so he could get started.

With a hefty sigh, Alaric climbed out of the car and slammed the door, the heavy 'clunk' sound echoing through the quiet morning forest. Without wasting another second to only get more annoyed, Alaric creaked his way up the wooden cabin stairs.

He still had his own set of keys, so with a flick of the wrist the door opened. He braced himself to be met with Damon's bare backside while he held a sexy blonde's legs spread-eagled in the air. But thankfully, the place was deserted. Plus it wasn't too messy, say for a pile of unwashed plates on the dining table and a towel draped over the couch. Ooh, and a camera on the coffee table… a devious smile played on Alaric's face.

A muffled, female moan vibrated through the ceiling, where the shower was running full blast.

"You dirty old dog, Damon" Alaric laughed, feeling a little cheeky and switching on the camera. Heck, if there were any x-rated photos on it, it'd give them something to laugh about tomorrow morning.

So the last take image was of the glorious sunset over Dunham lake. Yeah, it was certainly a sight but Alaric had seen it a million times before. Second was of Damon chopping wood, so was the next one, and the next, pretty much capturing every single movement it took to swing the axe down only for him to miss it. What a waste of image space! Oh finally, there's the girl standing at the end of the jetty, her back to the camera as she looks out to the open water. Alaric frowned. She was brunette. Not the blonde temptress that Damon had described to him in detail.

As another climactic moan blasted through the walls, Alaric's stomach lurched as he clicked to the next image.

It was Damon – with Elena Gilbert. An arm-length shot of the two, with the sixteen year old girl kissing him on the cheek while her teacher held her bikini-clad body close to his own.

Alaric suddenly felt physically sick.

Then the shower turned off.

... reviews please?

Thank you, and I'll promise to be back with Chapter 16 as soon as I can.

Anna x