Hello Delena fans!

It's been a ridiculously long time since I lasted updated Love Lessons and for that I am sorry. With a mixture of work, family and the male species not exactly treating me well in the last few months I lost my heart in writing. However things are looking up and I've been desperate to get this chapter out for about a month now!

Considering I have been MIA for a while, I don't expect many reviews, if any at all. However I am going to see this fanfic through to the end so I can begin a new one. To those who chose to read on, I hope you enjoy this next installment.

ELENA'S POV

A hand grabbed Elena's shoulder,

"Lets get some punch!" beamed Caroline, dragging Elena across the dance floor before she barely had time to register how much of a Winter Wonderland the gym looked. It was incredible how much work people had put in. Snow, glitter, stars and all things festive were twinkling from every possible angle. It was beautiful... if a little over the top for Elena's taste.

Poor Anna from the grade below was lumbered with punch duty, keeping a close eye to make sure no one spiked it. No one ever succeeded on Punch Watch. Caroline became carried away with idle chit-chat with her while Elena stood behind her silently, trying to gather her bearings. Hang on... where's Bonnie? Elena turned to be momentarily freaked out at the sight of Mr Saltzman's chest bumping into her.

"Oops, sorry Mr Saltzman!" she said, feeling herself become flustered at such close contact. He chuckled it off,

"No worries Elena. Are you enjoying the party?" he asked. Wow... he was so calm! The feeling was catching.

"So far so good," Elena nodded, seeing the warm twinkle in his eyes. A look that said 'you'll be fine.' Feeling calmed by this connection, Elena loosened up and noticed what Alaric was wearing. "Nice reindeer jumper, sir. Were you inspired by Mr Darcy in Bridget Jones?"

Alaric looked down at his fuzzy and painfully humiliating red jumper with an overly smiley reindeer on the front. He was clearly wearing it with pride. Caroline turned around and burst into giggles.

"What is that you're wearing?" she squealed.

"Says the girl wearing flashy christmas tree earrings," joked Alaric.

As she giggled away, Elena took the opportunity to ghost her eyes across the room. It was so busy. All she wanted was one glimpse of Damon. Just one.

"Well if you don't appreciate my earrings I'll take them elsewhere. C'mon 'Lena!"

Caroline passed Elena her drink and quickly swayed her way through the crowds. Elena hurriedly spoke to Alaric while she had the chance.

"Any sign?"

"Nope. Neither of them."

Dread choked at Elena's throat, but then a weird sense of relief came over her too - maybe Isobel was just putting the frighteners on them after all...

"Go and find your friends before you lose them for the rest of the night," Ric suggested, a stern look crossing his usually gentle features. He was telling her to go where she would be safe. Losing Bonnie and Caroline would be the worse move in this situation.

"I will. Merry Christmas Mr Saltzman," she said with a shy smile.

"You too Elena," he said, raising his drink to her as she quickly made her way through the crowds of talking and dancing people, hoping to see Caroline's beaming blond hair amongst them.

Suddenly she was tugged backwards by her dress, "Damn it," she growled through clenched teeth as someone's stiletto snagged on her delicate gown. She looked down to gather the soft material up in her hands. When she looked back up, she bolted to the spot with panic as she stared into hard, green eyes.

"Nice dress," Stefan said, a funny smirk creeping on his face.

"I thought you were 'ill'" Elena spat back, feeling him somewhat tower over her, even though she was pretty much eye level with him in her shoes. She wanted to look around for help. For Damon to see that the enemy had landed but she was scared of giving herself away. She had no idea how much Stefan knew. So it was best to play it cool.

"I suddenly felt a lot better," Stefan replied with a lazy shrug.

And as though it were a cliche movie moment, the bright lights dimmed, altering into a dark, atmospheric purple shade across the room as the music slowed. Elena glanced to Stefan who was holding his hands out in gesture for her to take them. This time last year he would be have been a genuine gentleman. Elena could hardly believe, as she took Stefan's waiting hand, that she could have become so afraid of him.

She felt the base of the music shudder through her bones as Stefan twirled her towards his body. She went with it, though felt her body become rigid as he squeezed her flush to his chest. She was desperate to ask him what he was planning on doing. What Isobel was planning on doing. What God given right did he have to destroy her life and Damon's in such a sly and vindictive manner? She thought all this while his stare penetrated her. It was almost as if he was trying to suss out her very private thoughts.

"You're quiet, Elena" he said, his voice rumbling through his throat. "Normally you would have pushed me away for getting so close. Why so comfortable now?"

Elena rolled her eyes, instantly regretting it with the anger she saw in return.

"You're over thinking things Stefan."

"Really? And here's me thinking you're being so nice to me in hope i'll leave poor Mr Salvatore alone... silly me indeed."

"You ought to be ashamed of yourself for what you did to him on Monday," Elena shook, suddenly feeling so angry as he pulled her even closer to his body.

"I'm just annoyed that I didn't try hard enough to gouge his eyes out for so much as setting his eyes on you" he growled, his lips mere inches away from hers.

DAMON'S POV

As the last of the crowds wandered in, Damon couldn't wait to get inside himself. Not only because he was freezing his balls off, but because he wanted to know he was in the same room as Elena and that she was safe from harm.

Still no guest appearance from Isobel.

That Stefan kid wasn't anywhere in sight either.

So far so good.

Damon cupped his hands to his mouth and blew hot air into them in a feign attempt to warm them up. His fingers were almost blue. It'd be a pretty shit start to their life as runaways if he were sick to the eyeballs with flu.

Damn that surge of excitement never faltered as he imagined leaving this shitty town behind to be with Elena. They just had to get through the next couple of hours and they were on a home run. Just two more hours...

Rounding the corner towards the room where the music blared out a slow, rhythmic tune, Damon almost bumped into John Gilbert who was heading his way.

To talk or not to talk.

The two maintained eye-contact until they were a few steps apart. John faltered first and blinked away, glancing straight ahead.

"Salvatore" he stated.

Damon nodded and left it as that as Jonathan continued to walk down the empty hallway.

Shaking off those nerves that had tingled his senses, Damon threw open the doors to the gym, smoothing down his metallic grey shirt as he noticed the array of couples swaying on the dance floor. His cobalt blue eyes scanned across the dancers looking for Elena...

"Oh shit" he choked.

He took two furious steps forward and then held back. He couldn't just storm over and drag Stefan away from her. Christ the alarm bells that would ring. He was seething with rage as he could see Elena squirming under the boys touch. Where the fuck were her friends?

And bingo, Bonnie came wandering over with a frown on her face.

"Dance floor. Look" Damon spat angrily.

Bonnie was shocked by his outburst and Damon could almost throttle her he was that desperate for Elena to be taken away from that boy. No sooner had Bonnie's bright eyes touchdown on Elena and she was on that crowd like a rash.

Okay she's safe... panic over.

"Hey baby..."

Oh... now that voice was painfully familiar.

Damon turned around, making doubly sure that he was treating Isobel Flemming to one of his death glares that would have most people cowering.

And there she was. Dressed in black. A cool, confident look in her eyes as she stepped forward to snatched her hand out to grasp the nape of his neck, dragging herself to his lips in a one-way kiss, not caring for the small audience they had captured the attention of.

She bit his lip hard until she drew blood, pulling away so Damon could see her lick it from her lips. He wanted to spit the remnants of it into her face as she laughed.

"We're going to have so much fun tonight, Damon."

ELENA'S POV

"You don't know what you're talking about Stefan. Now let. Me. Go!"

Elena shrugged against Stefan's hold but he kept her flush against him, squeezing her fingers until her knuckles popped from the pressure. She wanted to cry out at the claustrophobia. She wanted Damon to find her and just take her away.

She gasped as Stefan's hand grasped her chin, forcing her to look him in the eye. She cringed as his thumb brushed her dusky bottom lip affectionately.

"Stefan" she whimpered as he grasped her chin so tight it began to ache her jaw. He looked so desperately sad as raw emotion blazed from his eyes.

"I'll save you from him. I know what he's doing to you. Miss Flemming told me...I..." Tears brimmed in his pained eyes as he brushed his thumb back and forth across her lip, smudging the gloss as she mumbled for him to back off. "I can't bare the thought of him..."

"Stefan what are you doing?" shrilled Bonnie as she pushed him away. His hand was latched so tight onto Elena's chin that his fingernails cut her skin. She gasped at the stinging pain as Stefan stumbled backwards into the crowds.

"Watch it man!" shouted some guy that he bumped into. Stefan muttered his apologies as he flashed his eyes across the room.

Elena curled into Bonnie's open arm while her friend glared over at Stefan, who suddenly lost interest in them. He was distracted by something across the room.

"Stefan what the hell's gotten into you?" Bonnie snapped, cradling Elena who cupped her scratched chin.

She blinked from Bonnie's protective hold to find Stefan disappearing into the crowds. This concerned her.

"Where'd he go?" she panicked, standing up straight and out of Bonnie's arms to look through the crowds.

As she went to follow an upbeat, rock number, Nirvana's 'Smells Like Teen Spirit' to be exact, came blaring through the speakers. She and Bonnie were suddenly tackled into a mediocre mosh pit as people began diving around like maniacs on the dance floor. They would never get out now. She idly thought amidst the madness this isn't a Christmassy song at all! The crowds were getting busier and hotter, and Elena felt as though she were being tossed around like a doll. All the while she knew she needed to get out of there to find Damon. She knew he was in trouble.

"Bonnie!" she yelled, feeling herself being pushed and shoved further away from her friend. "Bonnie, where are you! ?"

DAMON'S POV

"I'm not in the mood for fun tonight, Iz. But thanks for asking" Damon said, flashing his lop-sided smirk before looking away to the dance floor that was now going insane. Fuck, where's Elena?

He stepped forward to get a better look but Isobel's hand latched onto his arm with a warning grip. Damon glared at her as she opened her mouth to speak. The venom and loathing in her face suddenly evaporated as a group of teachers, all women from their faculty, came wandering over. Damon cursed under his breath. He did not need this.

"Isobel you made it!"

Damon went to make his move but Isobel slipped her arm around his waist as she laughed heartily at her colleagues.

"I did indeed, I wouldn't want to miss tonight for the world," she gushed, resting her head of dark, curled hair on Damon's chest.

"Oh I'm sure, especially with it being Damon's first and only Christmas Party."

Damon moved to drag Isobel away but it was too late. It was out. She stayed firm, a frighteningly normal look etched on her face. She looked... odd.

"We can't believe Damon is leaving, you must be so upset" pouted Trudy.

Isobel nails dug into Damon's hand. She was angry.

He tried to keep the overly pleasant smile on his face as the girls circled them with sympathetic smiles amid the blaring rock music behind them.

"Would you excuse us?" Isobel clipped.

Now Damon allowed himself to panic inside.

He followed her like a lost sheep as she pulled him into an unoccupied corner. He was preparing himself for the lecture. For the warning. For the usual shit. But nothing, absolutely nothing prepared him for the knife she slipped out of her dress pocket to press against his abdomen. Damon felt his breath hitch as he stared down from the small weapon to her smiling face. As the blade pressed against his shirt to the point where he could feel the blade scratching his skin, Damon actually pushed himself closer to it, so close that his nose touched hers.

"Go on. I fucking dare you you raving, mad bitch." he growled.

"Did you see Stefan with your girl?" Isobel crooned in her husky voice. "Did you see them leave the dance floor together?"

"You're lying."

"I'm not saying it was on her terms Damon. But they left and poor little Stefan is devastated at the news that you're manipulating her into your bed. He's ready to finish you off and what better way than to leer Elena away from her friends... from you..."

"I don't believe you."

Damon winced as the knife cut into his shirt and pierced his flesh slightly. Although he wore the face of an incredibly angered and volatile man, he was frightened and confused in his head. He could not take risks with Elena. If Stefan had her, then he couldn't assume to think she was safe. He saw the way that little prick held her on the dancefloor. Fuck, fuck, fuck...

"Fine." Isobel said. "Then once i've finished you, i'll finish her off, telling her you could have had the opportunity to save her. What a perfect Christmas that would be" Isobel sneered, stroking her free hand up his firm torso to his cheek.

"I swear if he's harmed a single hair on her head-"

"Follow me, Damon" she said, sliding her knife out of view as she walked towards the side exit, looking back to see he was following and that no one else had seen them.

And for fear of Elena's well being, Damon followed.

ELENA'S POV

Bonnie grasped onto Elena's hand and the girls wasted no time in scurrying for the sidelines of the dance floor. It was crazy in there!

"I thought we'd never get out" huffed Bonnie, trying to regain her breath.

Elena breathed deeply as she brushed her fingers to her chin. Watery blood smudged her finger tips. Stefan was not the boy she once knew. Isobel had gotten into his head. Elena pitied him more than she hated him.

"Can you see Damon?" Elena asked Bonnie. He was still no where to be seen. Surely everyone had arrived at the dance by now and he should be indoors watching her, sharing secret smiles, leaving together in a few hours time. That was meant to be happening... but it wasn't.

Elena twirled around several times, glancing everywhere she could to find him. Bonnie was doing the same. A horrible feeling quivered in Elena's stomach. He should be here.

"Oh my God guys, I'm surprised you made it out of there alive!" yelled Caroline over the music. She turned to Elena and stared with horror, "Shit, what happened to your face!?"

"I'm fine, Care" Elena said, keeping Caroline at arms length. "Just some idiot caught my face."

"Well speaking of idiots I just saw Stefan barge outta the dance, he almost knocked me clean to the floor."

Both Elena and Bonnie jumped Caroline with their sudden pang of attention.

"Stefan?"

"Where'd he go?"

Caroline stuttered, "I dunno! He just left!"

"Which way?" Elena pushed, hoping that in Stefan leaving it may shed some light on Damon's absence. She was bordering on desperate now. She kept glancing around hoping he would just pop up... but he wasn't anywhere. She wanted to cry. Why isn't this night sticking to the basics? Why!

"Um..." Caroline bit her lip, rotated in her peep toe shoes and pointed to the far end of the gymnasium that was dashed with glittery stars hanging from above. "That way! He went that way!"

Elena narrowed her eyes and tried to identify which exit that was. It wasn't a main door way, it was more to the side, it headed in the direction of the languages and... and the English Department.

Wide eyed with fear, Elena shared a knowing look with Bonnie.

"I have to go and-"

"No" Bonnie stammered, stepping forward to hold Elena back. Elena noticed Caroline watching the exchange, completely oblivious as to what was going on. "I'll go Elena. It's not safe for you."

"Not safe? Stefan?" scoffed Caroline sarcastically, "Steffy is a pussy cat, he's just being an asshole."

"Bonnie I have to find him," Elena shook, feeling her bottom lip quiver. "I can't just-"

"Everything will be fine," Bonnie said with a bright smile. For once throughout this whole ordeal, Elena didn't believe in Bonnie's reassurance.

"Okay, what aren't you guys telling me?" whined Caroline with a dramatic eye roll and hands-on-hips stance.

Elena watched Bonnie somewhat breeze through the crowds to the direction Stefan apparently left in. Please come back safe... both of you.

"Are you done with ignoring me yet?"

Elena zoned in on Caroline who looked genuinely hurt. She was pushed out, but with good reason. Caroline could be the Queen of gossip when she wanted to be and Elena just couldn't bring herself to trust Caroline enough to keep her secret, even at this late stage when all would be out in the open by midnight. Caroline never set out to hurt people's feelings but she somehow always managed to do so. She was a bit naive and self-centered, but that was just Caroline. Elena smiled an apology.

"It doesn't matter. Not just yet," Elena said.

"But it does, Elena" replied Caroline, taking ahold of her friends hands. "Especially when I think it has something to do with you and Mr Salvatore."

DAMON'S POV

Their footsteps echoed down the dark, lonely hallway. Damon felt like he was walking the mile. Isobel continued to look back over her shoulder to see his was following, a less than sane smile creeping on her lips. It would be so easy to run in the opposite direction. She would never catch him. But if Elena was alone and in danger with Stefan he could never do that. He would walk into whatever danger came his way to save her.

He noticed them walk by Isobel's classroom. They were going down to his. They rounded that last corner and they were in sight of his room. It was dark inside with no sign of life, just like every other door they had walked by. If she was lying about Elena in danger so help me...

Isobel slowly opened the door. So quietly it didn't even creek and that goddamn door always creaked. She stood at the entrance, allowing him to enter the room first. This unsettled him as he stared into her eyes, trying to suss whatever plan she had in place. She gave nothing away, she just cocked her head in gesture for him to go inside.

His stomach dropped with the possibilities that could be in store as he took one, two, three steps into his classroom. Was Elena hurt? Beaten? He was trembling with anger at the thought. His usually sharp eyesight was failing him as he couldn't adjust to the stuffy darkness that surrounded him. His heart beat was the only thing he could hear.

"Isobel?" he said, turning around as she slammed the door shut.

Stefan grabbed him from behind.

Damon quickly resisted the hold Stefan had around his shoulders and torso until the 'zing' of a blade cutting through the air stopped him in his attempts to escape.

The knife pressed against his throat, pressuring his Adam's Apple and tugging on his skin, causing paper cut-like marks to snag his flesh as he tugged on Stefan's arm. If he fell or lost footing the blade would become embedded into his throat, leaving him a dead man before he knew what was going on.

"What the fuck, Isobel!?" he growled, feeling the blade pushed harder with every word that rumbled through his throat. Stefan was pushing too hard. He could barely breath. "Where's Elena!?"

Terrified, Damon watched Isobel's silhouette move through the darkness. She moved slowly with a sway of her hips, taking all the time in the world as she wandered over to his desk. He tried to make out what she was doing, but he was barely able to manage Stefan whose hold stayed firm across his body. The kid was surprisingly tough. The blade pressed deeper to the point Damon was sure it would sink fully into his skin.

"I can barely breathe you moron!"

As he felt Stefan shift slightly, Isobel dropped something heavy onto his desk, making both himself and Stefan look over.

"Ease it up Stefan" Isobel said through the darkness.

The cool knife edged away from Damon's throat. He breathed deep for that precious oxygen.

"Where is Elena, you said this idiot had her" Damon demanded.

"Oh did I?" Isobel said. The sound of a cap being unscrewed from something scratched through the air. "I guess I lied" she said, before the sound of liquid being sloshed onto the desks and carpet filled the air.

Gasoline.

Hope you all enjoyed it! Next chapter is in the works!

And once again, I apologize for the long overdue update. If anyone sticks by to review - thank you very much!

Anna xxx