AN: Chapter 8, eh. I think you will like how the story goes on so far, but that's just my opionion, I'm going to have to wait for your reviews in order to see what you think. Thanks to Britt who helps me throughout this because without her, I would probably take more than a week to post this chapter. Enjoy it!

I won't run when the sky turns to flame,

And I sure won't budge

When the earth does shake.

When the flood comes up,

I will dance in the rain

'Cause it's all the same to me.

Elena sat on the bar stool, puffed out her cheeks and blew the air out, disappointed. She had so many reasons to be disappointed that it was useless to point them all out in front of someone. She was disappointed because she was such a heartless bitch who left her boyfriend because she was scared that if she got married she would watch her life pass by and when the moment came to sum up her accomplishments, she would have none; disappointed because she couldn't make people around her to believe in her and in her power to get things on her own. And right now, she was so enraged that she had called him.

She shouldn't have done that. Not after he ditched her for work. But in spite of this, Elena felt like he was the only person she could talk to about this, because he would understand her. If there was one thing she had found out since she met him, it was the fact that they had things in common. She didn't know how many yet, but she knew for a fact that they were bound by the pain they both felt.

"Elena," a feather-like voice made itself heard and she turned her head to be welcomed by a pair of perfect blue eyes.

"Damon. Thanks for coming. I know you're a busy man." She smiled awkwardly but when he returned the gesture, she warmed up her expression and felt relief take over her body.

"I'm always free for friends. Let's go sit on the couch over there." His chin was pointed to a white couch in the corner. "Two whiskeys," he threw some bills to the barman and glanced over to Elena.

She followed him in silence and sat on the couch beside him. "I don't usually drink whiskey, it gives me headaches," she deadpanned but stopped when Damon waved a finger in her face.

"Tut, tut, tut. You called me and I came. I get to call the shots today. Plus, you need it, I can tell." Damon's blue eyes flickered with joy and she couldn't help but smile enthusiastically. "So, what's up?"

"I don't even know where to start. It's just so stupid, you know, complaining about this silly thing but I just didn't want to talk to Caroline about it. She just…doesn't understand," Elena mumbled, her thumbs drawing circles on the glass.

"Elena...Just calm down and tell me what's wrong." Damon's words made Elena feel more confident and she started to talk, knowing he would understand. She didn't know why she trusted so much that he would understand, but she simply did.

"Everyone thinks I got the job because I was my Dean's favourite. And I know I was but I swear this wasn't because of his favoritism. I applied for this job and I worked hard to get here."

"Oh my God. Elena! Why do you care about what the others think?" Damon's voice was full of irony and she felt criticized at first, but when he sighed she just shrugged.

"Look...You can't care about what others think or say. Because if you do, you'll never get where you want to go and this will mark your entire life. Look at me. I'm 26. And I've got this job that I couldn't give less fucks about. But I've gotta do it because I promised my father that I would. But he doesn't give a damn about me. And I'll never have a dream career like you. So you better enjoy it, because it's once in a lifetime." His confession pierced through her brain and she seriously started to wonder what was wrong with this man who seemed to be the ideal friend for someone, the ideal son for a father, because lately, all she heard was that people hated him.

"Then why keep doing it? You don't seem like a guy who can be...how do I put it- made to do something he doesn't want to do." Elena confessed and as soon as the words left her mouth, Damon couldn't help but frown.

"I-I have no idea. I guess I'm just fine with it now, after all these years. It's useless to try something else because let's be honest, I'd suck at everything." Damon's laugh was contagious and he managed to steal a giggle from her.

"Come on. I'm sure you don't suck at everything. You're a really good listener." She blushed crimson but still managed to muster a tiny smile. She wasn't a person who was trusted easily but with Damon it seemed so easy to be herself.

"You don't even know me. But now, let me tell you, Elena. You should give yourself more credit. You're not going to get anywhere if you keep thinking that your coworkers are right. Keep your head high and your self esteem even higher. That's the only way you'll get where you really want to be."

His words burrowed deep into her mind and all she could think about was the fact that he was a good advisor and that he could be a very good friend to her. One that would be able to listen and not criticize her like Bonnie and Caroline do.

"Thank you so much, Damon. You have no idea how much your words mean to me. You've given me confidence. And for the record, I'd like to get to know you better. You're a good person."

His mouth opened as if to say something but he dropped the thought and watched her intently, with those blue eyes shimmering into her brown ones. The girl had no idea how someone could hate a man like Damon. He was, indeed, a very helpful person.

"Oh, you're going to be sorry for saying that in a few weeks. Now, where were we? Getting to know each other better, right?" He asked but the answer came back from him. "That means, you can come to me whenever you need to talk. I know Caroline's a judgy little thing that can't understand anyone else but herself. Actually, I don't think she even understands herself."

"Damon... She's not that bad. None of you are. You've got to stop thinking like that." Elena rolled her eyes at him.

"But isn't that what you do as well? Think low of yourself?" His stoicism made her want to pull at her hair because all she was saying was immediately contradicted by him.

"Touché," she smiled and drank the rest of the whiskey from the glass she was holding in her right hand.

"What would you say if I offered you a job?" Damon's voice echoed in her ears like drums at a concert.

"What?"

"Oh, you heard me."

"No..I..," she shook her head in dissaproval. "That's not the way to deal with my problems. I have to face them. Didn't you say that just a few minutes ago? If I say yes to what you're proposing, it would make them think I'm weak and indeed, a fake. I can't, I'm sorry."

"That's what I wanted to hear. But just for the record, the offer still stands. I do need a journalist at the office. Think about it." With these words, Damon stood up and leaned over to brush his lips over Elena's cheeks. With a shy move, she returned it and smiled confidently.

"I will. Thank you, Damon."

"Whenever you need me, you know where to find me."

Her glance followed him until the moment the door shut behind him. For a second, her eyes glistened with tears but she inhaled deeply and didn't allow them to burst free. Instead, she smiled, reassuring herself that all was going to be fine, that she is going to be able to face everyone. At the end of the day, she was Elena Gilbert.

"Look, here comes Elena. What is she wearing?" Caroline whispered to the red-haired girl next to her, who simply shrugged as Elena approached them.

"Hey, guys. So, what's on the schedule for today?" Elena's dress fluttered in the wind as she walked past the gang of boys to the girls waiting for her near the door.

"I was thinking maybe you should tell us about you masterplan? You know, about Elliot. Right, Meredith?" Caroline's look scrutinized the red-haired girl and she nodded fiercely, agreeing with the blonde girl.

"Oh...sure," a mischevious smile played on Elena's lips and she slowly bit the corner of her lower lip. "I'm going to make him pay for rejecting me. I'm going to kiss him right in front of his new girlfriend. She's going to run the hills when she sees us. This way, everyone will know what I'm capable of."

"Are you serious? You're really going to do that?" Meredith's eyes opened wide, the shock visible in them.

"Oh, of course she will. At the end of the day, she's Elena Gilbert." Caroline smirked dangerously, her eyes flashing powerful.

A while after getting home, Elena was nestled in her bed, with her laptop opened. She was typing furiously, determinedly writing her next chapter, when suddenly, her phone started to buzz.

"Hello," her sweet voice answered.

"What are you doing going out with Damon, Elena?" the voice on the other end screamed.

"Caroline…are you following me?"

"Don't be silly, of course not," the blonde said, her voice indicating her irritation.

"Then how do you know I was with him?" Elena countered. All of a sudden, she was very interested in what Caroline did today and how she knew that she went out with Damon. Of course, Caroline made it pretty clear that she didn't like the guy, but to follow her around like a stalker, making her feel like an errant child, was taking it too far.

"I was heading home from work and passed by the bar. Saw you two there, serenely having a chat, over a glass of whiskey. What are you doing, Elena? I told you to stay away from him. You're just going to get hurt."

"Oh my god, Caroline. Do you hear yourself? He's my friend. Stop acting like you're my mother, because you're not. It's my business if I want to go out with him or not. And trust me, I've been hurt so many times in my life, that I feel like I'm immune to all of this." Elena snapped, shutting Caroline's up.

"Do as you wish, Elena. But don't come to me crying when he hurts you." With a sigh, the blonde girl hung up the phone, leaving Elena with unspoken words in her mouth.

Now, this was the silliest thing she had ever done in her life; defending a guy she barely knew. It was unacceptable but still, because it was about Damon, it was almost a normal thing to do. The fact that she was able to do this, to defend him to her best friend, meant something. It meant that she cared about him, that she wanted them to be friends and in these moments, a clean slate was what she needed; a friend who didn't know her past. One that will only know her future.

The alarm clock woke her up at 7 in the morning. With lazy steps but with new forces she walked to her closet and like the previous day, she chose some formal clothes which she would probably give up in a few weeks. After getting ready for a new day at work, Elena left her apartment and walked to the orange car that was waiting for her in the parking lot. She opened the door and climbed in, relaxing as she leaned into the chair.

"Okay, Gilbert. Spill it!"

"Just drive, Caroline. I have nothing to spill. Why are you so curious about me and Damon?" Elena asked her friend who was impatiently tapping her fingers on the steering wheel, adding tension to her already stressful mood.

"Because I'm your best friend, practically your sister and I have the right to know. Plus, I tell you everything about me and Stefan," the blonde pouted and pressed some buttons until she found the song she loved and listened to every single day; Lucky by Jason Mraz.

Elena sighed and took a big breath before she opened her mouth to talk, only to be interrupted by Caroline who raised her hand to silence the girl.

"What?" Elena snapped, becoming annoyed by what her friend was doing.

"Be honest." Caroline requested and smiled as she quietly sang along with the song playing in the background.

"I don't know what you want to know. Nothing's going on between me and Damon. We're just friends. We met at the bar a few months ago and that's all. And he's been very nice to me and sometimes we hang out. That's all. You don't have to make a big fuss about it."

"Oh..." the blonde nodded her head and Elena let out a breath filled with relief that she escaped the Caroline Inquisition. "I'm not changing my mind. He's still a douchebag and you're too good for him, Elena. I don't want to see you suffer."

"What are you talking about? We're just friends, nothing more. We're not romantically involved and we never will be." Elena frowned, thinking about it for a moment. Yes, it was true that she considered him a very good looking guy but that was all. She never thought of him as something more than a friend. Not until now.

"You're so delusional. You should know that no one ever escapes from Damon. When he wants something, he gets it."

Caroline seemed to know a lot of things about Damon in such a short time. It wouldn't surprise her if her friend ran an investigation on the two brothers. Caroline wasn't the typical girlfriend. She was one with Sherlock Holmes's abilities.

"Thanks for driving me. I'll talk to you later." Elena opened the door when Caroline stopped the car and taking her bag, walked to the office.

She was feeling ready for another day now that she finally knew who was she dealing with in there. Silently, Elena put her bag on the desk and sat down, looking for the little paper with the computer password on it. Minutes later, she started to work on a new article about contemporary writers. It was a subject that really interested her because she knew for sure that one day she would be a person that people wrote about.

As the hours passed by, Elena's thoughts flew to Damon. She should call him and invite him over to dinner so she could thank him for all he's done for her. And with this, she could find out more about him and of course, prove Caroline wrong.

Elena grabbed her purse and frantically searched for her phone, abandoned in the corner next to her sketchbook. She searched for Damon's number, dialed and patiently waited for him to pick up.

"Hello. Damon? It's Elena. Are you busy?" the girl's eyes sparkled with joy and excitement at the fact that tonight she might have dinner with Damon.

"I'm never busy for friends. How are you, Elena?" the soft voice answered and she could bet he was smiling his genuine smile, the one that just the day before, made her feel so confident.

"I just wanted to invite you over to my place for dinner. What do you say?" she bit her lip in anticipation. What if he said no? She would feel like a fool, thinking he would actually come to her small apartment and have dinner with her.

"Sounds like a plan to me. Message me with your address. I'll bring the wine."

Her heart resumed beating when he accepted her invitation. She was going to have dinner with Damon. With her friend Damon.

And then it hit her. She had no idea how to cook. Now she had to call for some kind of takeout that would go well with wine. Of course, she would've chosen something like KFC or pizza that would go with beer, which was the only alcoholic drink in her house but she was having dinner with Damon Salvatore, one of the wealthiest men alive, who didn't like cheap food or drink.

Before leaving the office, Elena saved her work for the day and took care to lock the computer. She grabbed her bag and walked out of the office and decided to walk home today. She had plenty of time until Damon was due over.

What to wear was the question buzzing in her head. Of course, she should probably choose some sweatpants and a top but that would make her a boring and un-sexy person. On the other hand, if she wore a dress it would make her a sophisticated but out-of-place person. Who wears dresses when eating takeout in a little apartment like hers, in the company of a friend? It was a stupid thing to do. After a while of thinking, she finally settled on the idea of wearing a pair of ripped skinny jeans and a shirt.

Elena walked into the living room, picked up the phone, and called the Italian place just down the street for an order of spaghetti Bolognese. Now, she was prepared for the night.

Her hair was up in a ponytail and she was dressed in clothes that really suited her, ones that made her feel like herself, without masks. It was the way she wanted to look.

A knock on the door made Elena jump and she turned off the TV and before turning to answer, she glanced at the table with the food one more time, making sure she prepared everything. She inhaled deeply and walked to the door, pressing firmly on the knob, only to be welcomed by that pair of deep blue eyes and a warm smile.

"Elena." Damon nodded his head and straightened his body after leaning his body on the side of the door.

"Please, come on in." She smiled and stepped back for him to walk inside.

"Nice place you got here. That's for dinner," he handed her a bag with a bottle of wine. She peeked inside only to notice that it was an old bottle and probably a very expensive one.

"Thanks. Okay then." She smiled awkwardly and watched him as he got rid of his black leather jacket and sat on the couch.

"What do I owe the pleasure of you inviting me over to dinner? I mean, not that I mind..." Damon asked. Elena turned around and walked to the couch, sitting in the opposite side, her legs curled underneath her.

"I figured I should thank you. For everything you've done for me. And this looked like a good way of doing it. Besides, I can get to know you better. Isn't that what friends do?" Elena smiled and it was a genuine smile, one that she hadn't had on her face in a long time, probably since the day she became Dylan's girlfriend. It was that kind of smile that she only shared with people she genuinely liked and she dared to say Damon was one of those people. He was a good guy and there was nothing Caroline could say to change her opinion about him.

He nodded, having no response to what she had just explained and took the bottle of wine in his hands. He opened it and poured the red liquid into the glasses, handing one to Elena.

"Cheers! For a new friendship that is born, right here, right now." Damon smiled and his eyes danced in the dim light of the living room, daring Elena to gaze into them.

"Cheers!" She woke from her reverie and clinked her glass against his, smiling.

"Did you solve your problems at the office? I don't want to be mean but I can be selfish. I would be very happy if you'd come work with me."

"Damon...I can't. Not now. I have to work on my own with people I don't know. It's the only way I can improve and prove to myself I'm good at what I do. If I come to work for you, I'm not going to learn anything."

These were the things that always put her in an awkward spot. Friends asking her for favors, choices that needed to be made. She couldn't say yes to him even if she wanted to, because she did. She did want to work with him, but that would mean to stay at the same level she was at in college, to be surrounded by people coddling her, saving her from problems. And she wanted those things, even if she knew it would harm her.

"I know. Been there, done that." He approved and sipped from his glass, not breaking the eye contact. "I think it's the first time I've seen you with your hair up. It looks good on you."

She smiled in response to his compliment and slowly began eating from the plate in front of her, pointing to Damon to do the same. Moments later, the sound of her phone ringing cut through the dead silence between them.

"Bonnie. Yes, I'll call you later. I'm in the middle of something."

Her glance wandered to Damon who seemed to have finished his dinner and was now leaning against the side of the couch, following her moves in silence, while sipping from his drink.

Hours later, they were laughing and telling stories from when they were little kids, making each other scream of joy and surprise.

"So, I was about to go fishing with my brother and of course, I was carrying his things as well as mine. Like a clumsy thing he is, he fell and broke his nose. Don't tell anyone, but he needed a nose job to fix it." Damon whispered in a funny voice. "No, I'm kidding about the surgery part. But he did break his nose. It was horrible. He cried like a baby for two days and I had to do his homework because he was too lazy."

"Oh my god, I cannot believe this!" Elena said between waves of laughter. It's been a while since she had laughed like that and she was feeling good. She was feeling good because she was spending time with a friend who didn't judge her, with someone who was almost like her; disappointed and broken.

"You should've seen me when I was little. I wanted to become a singer. I was so obsessed with the idea I sang every word I said. I drove my family nuts and even my little brother hated me." Elena said, blushing.

"Sing something, I want to hear."

"Oh no, you're not getting that from me, no way!" She shook her head, dead serious, but she finally smiled when a thought popped into her mind. "Only if you sing with me," she proposed enthusiastically.

"I can only play the guitar." Damon deadpanned and that was the moment when Elena jumped from her spot and flew into her bedroom. She opened the closet and pulled the old guitar from the corner. It was a present from her granddad, who wanted her to be a singer. She rushed back into the living room and smirked when she handed the guitar to Damon, who seemed to be impressed.

"Hmm...Let's do this!" He took the guitar and started to play softly. Seconds later, her voice filled the room and perfectly twined with the sounds of the guitar.

Let's walk down the road that has no end

Steal away where only angels tread

Heaven or hell or somewhere in between

Cross your heart to take me when you leave

Don't go... Please don't go. Don't go without me.

The rain started to pour and clatter against the windows, but they seemed not to notice until Damon looked at the watch on his wrist and saw how late it was.

"It's late. I should go. This was fun. I had a very good time, Elena." He said as he stood up and walked to the front door to gather his jacket and leave.

"I had a nice time as well. I'm glad you came. I had to show you how grateful I am for all you've done. Your friendship is really good for me these days." Elena smiled warmly and opened the door, watching Damon until he couldn't be seen anymore.

She walked across the room and sat on the couch again, pouring some of the leftover wine in her glass and slowly sipping it, while reviewing the facts of the evening. She had learned that Damon had a pretty rough childhood because he had to take care of his brother. Elena was so happy to have him as a friend. She was sure that eventually, Caroline would come to an agreement with him and they would all be friends, really good friends, because Elena couldn't understand how someone could hate that man.

She was startled by an unknown sound coming from the place next to her. She looked over and saw Damon's phone. Without thinking, she pressed a button and answered, not thinking about the consequences.

"Damon, baby, you have to come and see me. I'm feeling bad, Damon. I need to get to a hospital. Please, come here. I have no one else. Damon? Are you there, Damon?" The soft voice of a woman echoed in the phone, making Elena's mouth fall open.

AN: Tut, tut, tut...Something's going on. Fishy, right? Stay tuned!