Hey everyone!

So sorry for the late update! I was planning on updating much sooner but I've just started a new job so everything has been up in the air. However I've managed to craft this little chapter for you all, so I hope you like it. Though perhaps some of you may want to throttle me after this... we'll have to wait and see. On with Chapter 18...

ELENA'S POV

"You didn't have to pretend you wanted to skip school for the day Elena. We would have understood."

"I know Bonnie, but I haven't thrown up in the middle of school since we were kids."

"Yeah and we haven't skipped school since we were kids either..."

Elena tightened her grip on the phone, stumped for an answer to Bonnie's statement and noting on the clock above her mirror that she was running late.

"That's true, but I was... I was just feeling weird."

"Weird?"

"Yeah weird. Look Bonnie, I have to go."

"Go? Where are you going?"

Elena yanked her scarf from out of her drawer, getting tired of answering her friend's questions. Why could people never leave her be anymore!

"To the doctors. Just to make sure I'm okay."

"But you said you were fine."

"Bonnie do you HAVE to analyze every single little thing that comes out of my mouth? You're becoming as bad as Jenna, even my Uncle John isn't as persistent as what you are these days!"

"Fine. Sorry for worrying about my best friend."

And with that, Bonnie hung up on Elena. For the first time ever.

Elena stared down at the phone as though it had just bitten her ear and she tossed it aside onto her bed. She was at the end of her tether with everyone trying to worm their way in to every move she made and every word she said. Yes she was hiding her relationship with Damon, but apart from Alaric no one could be any wiser. This ever constant need to be protected was suffocating her to the point where she wondered why she stayed around at all.

Perhaps that was something she could bring up with Damon.

A small smile crept onto her lips as she wrapped her scarf around her neck, ready to face the early winter breeze. She wasn't that cold, but it made it look convincing to Aunt Jenna that she wasn't well, and why it was for the best that she didn't attend school today. It gave her time to think in the warmth of her bed that she and Damon were safe, that they had Alaric's word and that everything was going to be okay.

Now school was out for the day, Elena felt her mood instantly uplift knowing in half an hours time she would be in Damon's arms. Whether it would be for one minute or one hour it would be worth it. Of course, her visit to the doctors was a complete lie, but an easy one to get by with when it came to her friends. Now it was time to get on Jenna's good side. She was still a little weary of allowing Elena to leave whenever she wanted after her 'I needed time alone act' a few weeks go when really she had her body wrapped around Damon's in the expanse of his huge bed. But hopefully she had finally come round and Elena had earned her trust back, even though she would be lying about her excuse on leaving anyway.

So many lies.

Elena shuddered, then instantly shrugged her worries away. She spent too much time worrying these days.

Rounding the corner and stepping into the quiet kitchen, Elena found her Aunt busying writing at the table. She looked up from her paper, frowning a little at her niece. Elena spoke before she was cut off.

"I'm just gonna go get some air for a while. Is that okay?"

Elena noted the scrutiny of Jenna's stare, as if she was trying to find some sort of giveaway clue that Elena was not really going out for some air, but really to see her teacher-boyfriend for a much needed talk and make out session. Jenna sighed and slowly smiled.

"Just don't be gone too long."

"I won't" Elena smiled, turning on her heel and heading to the front door.

"And keep your phone switched on!"

"I will!" Elena said, quickly scurrying out of the door before Jenna could change her mind.

Elena wasted no time in making her way to the quarry. She walked hard and fast until she felt her leg muscles begin to burn. Then it became a steady jog, soon shedding the itchy scarf around her neck. Silently, she remembered where she told Damon to meet her. Just beyond the waterfall but still where they wouldn't be seen. Elena smiled as she jumped onto the grassland and made her way to the sound of running water, barely able to contain her excitement at the thought of jumping freely into his embrace and kissing him senseless. It felt like forever since she had done that when it was only three days ago that they were swimming naked in Dunham lake and making their own waves by the shore. Could they possibly be about to repeat those memories? Elena felt her stomach knot with intense desire at the thought, but reminded herself as she dodged a few rocks that they very nearly came close to discovery yesterday. Too close. And perhaps it was for the best they didn't indulge in those kind of activities in the outdoors of Mystic Falls. Talk about playing with fire.

And finally she was there. HE was there, staring out over the lonely waterfall; standing tall, arms folded, not noticing she was behind him. Elena planned to sneak up on him, but her foot landed on a twig that snapped clean in two, the sound echoing around them and causing Damon to turn around.

Elena felt her stomach drop to the muddy ground. The light in those astounding blue eyes that she expected to see were dark, lifeless and to put it quite simply: tired.

But still, he smiled warmly and Elena returned it.

Wordlessly she walked into his arms and wrapped her own around his broad shoulders, breathing in his scent, hiding her face against the crook of his warm neck and delving her fingers into those raven locks at the nape of his neck.

"I've missed you," she breathed, pressing a kiss against his neck. He normally responded with a pleasing moan, but he was silent. Elena moved back to kiss the underside of his jaw, brushing her lips against his two-day stubble. Then she captured the very edge of his still lips, making sure her tongue dipped into the crease of his mouth that ALWAYS got him reeling. But when he still wasn't reacting to her touch, she simply tugged him down into a searing kiss which he responded to half-heartedly. Something was seriously wrong.

Before she could ask, his hands were on hers that had subconsciously made their way to his face. He brought them down between them, his thumbs brushing back and forth against her knuckles.

"I have something to tell you, Elena. And you're not gonna like it."

If her stomach had dropped before, it had now ploughed it's way through several layers of earth. Elena gripped his hands, searching desperately in those troubled blue eyes.

"What is it Damon? Tell me."

He blinked up at her and rested his forehead against hers. Elena closed her eyes and waited for the blow.

"Isobel knows."

DAMON'S POV

The gasp that escaped Elena's lips was so harsh it made Damon wince. Before she could tumble into a state of panic, Damon grasped her shoulder's.

"How is this happening?" she said, struggling to swallow and breathe properly. Damon stroked his hands through her hair in an attempt to soothe her.

"She saw your school bag that day at my apartment. Why she's chosen to bring it up now after so long I dunno but... hey, hey, look at me"

Damon lifted her head by the chin to make sure she looked at him. She looked crushed, more so than the whole Alaric-fiasco and with good reason. He stared into those longing, brown eyes that looked up at him, clearly hoping he had the answer to this solve this problem as he had done with Alaric. He couldn't fathom where to begin and Damon Salvatore rarely found himself speechless.

"So what do we do now?" she whispered, the hope still glittering in her eyes.

Damon still found himself silent. The crashing water of the waterfall deafening between them. Finally he had to look away from her and stared out to water, but Elena's hand quickly pushed against his tightened jaw to force him to look at her.

"Don't drag this out Damon" she said through gritted teeth, "Just... just tell me what you're thinking."

"I wish I knew 'Lena.."

"Then just tell me how it stands. This. Us. What happens now?"

Damon breathed deep and suddenly found himself wandering off to the waters edge, staring down at the water below and getting lost it's movements. A deep pain slowly settled into his heart.

"I don't know how much Isobel knows. At all. She makes out like she knows more than she is letting on, but I don't know for sure. She's crafty, clever and more than willing to tell anyone and everyone about us. That's the one thing I have no doubt on."

Damon looked back to find Elena stood in the same spot, struggling to hold back her tears that he knew would eventually fall.

"Although I feel like I convinced her that she'd got it wrong, she didn't seemed entirely fooled. It's out there now Elena. And it could only be a matter of time until it's public knowledge."

"Oh my God," she gasped, crumbling to pieces in front of him. Damon stepped over and pulled her into his arms, resting his head atop of hers while he hummed back the tight, dry lump in his throat. "This can't be happening..."

"But it is Elena. And we need to step back and think about this."

"We could just be more careful" she said, looking up from his chest, her tiny hands gripping his waist. Damon didn't give her the look she was searching for. His defeated frown stayed exactly where it was. He'd accepted it. They had lost.

"It's too dangerous, Elena."

"No, no I'm not letting this happen" she hissed, her hands that gripped his waist were now on his chest and tugging at his crumpled shirt.

"Believe me Elena I don't want it too, but we have to think about this seriously. This isn't a situation where we were ALMOST caught, we have two of my fucking collegues who know about us. We're lucky we don't hear sirens right now."

"Just stop! Stop I don't wanna hear this," she sobbed, her petite body began to shake with each word that escaped his mouth but Damon knew he couldn't sugar coat this. Finally she pushed away from him and began to pace back and forth, unable to look his way.

He could understand why she was acting this way. They were on the cusp of ending their relationship, at least for now and it wasn't something either of them wanted. It was tearing Damon apart inside. But at the same time he was angry that she was refusing to hear the truth when it was screaming to be heard.

"I can't believe you're giving up on us," uttered her next words that were spoken low, resentful and full of anger.

Damon lost it.

"You think I'm giving up?" he said, she finally blinked up, thinking about what she said but still nodding at him. "Do you think I'm being a selfish prick for telling you that I'm scared? Scared of being thrown into that court room and being convicted of corrupting a minor, abusing my teaching position, being permenently marked on a fucking sex offenders register and losing all hope of ever living a normal life? Can you now let it compute into your fucking head that all it takes is for Isobel to open her mouth for all that to happen to me?"

It wasn't under Damon stopped to breathe that he realized he had cold tears rolling down his cheeks as he stared at Elena, feeling his whole world just crack into pieces.

"I love you Elena. Like nothing else on this planet. But for now we have to stop."

Another difficult silence, say for the thundering waterfall, fell between the two. Elena quietly made her way over to him to cradle his face in her hands. Damon relished the feel of her soft, warm palms caressing his skin, wiping away the tears that had begun to dry. He had never been so emotionally vulnerable in front of someone before. He expected to feel pathetic, inadequate, heck probably even worried he'd frightened her for getting so upset. Instead he felt relieved, honest and above all comforted as she kissed the pearl drop tears that had beaded at his stubbled chin.

"I love you too, Damon" she whispered against his lips. "I'm just scared i'll loose you."

"If we continue you more than likely will," he replied.

"This is just too painful," she shook, then kissing him harder than she had ever kissed him before. It surprised Damon, but he responded with equal need, devouring her lips in a sensual battle to prove his deeply rooted love for her.

Her fingertips clawed through his hair, down his body and it took for him to finally open his eyes to see she was unbuttoning his shirt, her shaking fingers fumbling to get the last one free. Damon shrugged out of the material and felt the cool, afternoon breeze blast over his body that was quickly being explored by Elena's hands once more. As though she were imprinting the feel of his skin in her memory. Perhaps thinking it would be the very last time.

But Damon silently promised himself that he would do everything in his power to make sure this would be one time of many, many more to come that they would be able to physically show their love for one another.

ELENA'S POV

As Damon carried her body to a more secluded place beside the waterfall where no eyes could spy on them, Elena stared closely at him. At his hair, his eyes, his nose, his lips, wanting this image of him to stay close with her. Lord knows when she would get this close to him again. It took everything she had to hold back her tears. She didn't want this moment ruined with her sobbing. And as he carefully laid her down onto the cool grass that cocooned her from the rest of the world, Elena's sadness was all but forgotten. Replaced with the lust that instantly raged like fire as she stared up at Damon.

Her clothes were quickly removed from her body as were his. She moaned at the feel of his hips settling against hers, his mouth caressing her nipples and large hands stroking her thighs that had instinctively lifted upwards to hug his lower body. She loved this feeling as though it were the first time. It never lost the thrill. She was lost in a world of his touch as she closed her eyes and breathed his name.

But as she felt the tip of his manhood tease her entrance, she had to open her eyes to see the pleasure wash over his perfect face as he slowly eased his entire length inside of her. Both simultaneously moaning at the sensation. It was like coming home for Elena. Damon was her home. Her everything. Why were they even bothering to stick around Mystic Falls when...

"Oh!"

Damon took her by surprise as he pulled her up with him to settle back on his knees. Just as they were the first time they made love. Through heavy eyes Elena caught the sunlight casting over his face, giving him a warm glow while his eyes penetrated like the ocean blue as she began to draw her hips up and down. Slowly impaling herself on his cock, teasing them both and causing Damon to moan deeper than she had ever heard before.

"Jesus Elena, you're killing me" he breathed, flopping his head back as he allowed her to take control. Elena obliged, pushing him backwards so he was flat on his back. Her skin bloomed at the feel of his hands ghosting across the curve of her behind to the underside of her breasts. As much as Elena wanted to take him slow, it was too much to resist to ride him hard and fast.

A cheeky smile curled onto her lips as she watched his eyes squint shut with pleasure. She rolled harder, making sure her clit brushed against his pubic bone for that extra added friction that got her worked into a frenzy. The crashing waterfall thankfully drowned out her cries that grew louder as hot pins and needles travelled the length of her body as an unexpected orgasm hit her hard.

"D-Damon-oh Damon!"

The moment her body floated back to earth her eyes met his for a single second before he grabbed her hips. He held her in place as he proceeded to thrust mercilessly into her swollen heat. Crashing his hips upwards harder and harder each time. Now she Elena was screaming, her hands tunneling through her hair for the lack of anything else to hold on to. She mumbled incoherrent words as another orgasm violently tore through her and all thought was lost.

It was almost as though she had regained consciousness the moment she felt her body being laid on a soft bed of grass with Damon hovering above her.

"Don't stop Damon. Please don't stop" she shivered, still recovering from her last orgasm as Damon slipped his length into her once against with a satisfied groan.

His lips found hers once again. Elena kissed him back, enjoying his slow pace as she drove her hands through his damp hair.

"I'll never stop" he breathed against her parted mouth. Elena felt a single tear escape as she felt another orgasm build. He was pounding harder into her, but his lips never lift hers as his breaths came out in ragged groans as his own release grew closer. Elena watched him closely, occasionally capturing his lips and brushing his dark hair and sweat from his temples. He was beautiful, everything about him so..

"Fuck Elena..." he hissed, doubling his efforts, hitting that perfect point inside her that got her reeling once more.

"Damon I'm gonna, gonna..."

His hands found hers raised above her head. She gripped them hard, feeling the sweat between their tight fingers as he drilled into her shaking body until his own release claimed his body, as did Elena's for the third time.

And as his tense body finally settled atop of hers, Elena allowed the tears to fall.

"I love you Damon."

And after a few shaky breaths, Damon brushed his face away from her neck to look into her eyes.

"I love you too, Elena."

She couldn't tell whether it was sweat or tears that rolled down his face. But she suspected that it was the latter.

Eep.. what do we all think? Please pop in a review. I can't wait to read them! You're all amazing and spur me on to write more!

I've got BIG plans for the next few chapters. A run in with Isobel... Tyler's house party... the rebirth of Team Badass maybe? All will be revealed.

Anna xxx