Now this place seems familiar to him

She pulled on his hand with a devilish grin

She led him upstairs, she led him upstairs

Left him dying to get in

"Come on, Caroline, we don't have all day for you to put your bags in the car." Elena rolled her eyes. She knew she had been such a bitch the passed few days, but she was too excited to get home, where she hadn't been since she left, almost five years ago.

"I'm ready!" Caroline pulled her head out of the trunk, where she had been arranging her luggage and threw her an irritated look. "Calm your tits, 'Lena."

Elena smiled and she tried to consciously relax. "I'm sorry. It's just that I can't wait to get there."

"I know, sweetie, I know. We'll get there soon." Caroline smiled and she pulled out her phone, dialing a number nervously. "Stefan! How much longer until you and Damon to arrive? I'm ready and you're not even here." The blonde complained and Elena turned her head to see the two brothers getting out of a cab, carrying their bags as they approached them.

"Hang up the phone, Caroline. They're here." Elena smiled and Caroline turned around. She sighed in relief and ran to her boyfriend, clutching tightly to him like a koala bear. Elena stood there, wishing that Damon would come and hug her, but she knew he wouldn't do it. It was her own fault and she was planning on fixing it this week.

"Hey," she whispered and put her arms around his neck, smiling like a little kid, while staring into his bright blue eyes. Elena pulled him closer, into a hug, but he stepped back, leaving her cold and her smile disappeared, being replaced by a pair of sad brown eyes.

"Don't. I wouldn't have come if I hadn't promised I would." Damon said and he put his luggage in the trunk, then walked away from Elena and climbed in the car.

Elena sighed and looked one last time at the couple, before she followed Damon inside. She took off her coat and sat next to him, closing the space between them even if the car was big enough to fit at least one more person next to them.

"Damon, talk to me." Elena looked at him and lifted her hand up to cup his cheek. "Please."

"I think we've said everything we had to say, Elena." Damon grabbed her hand and moved it away from him. "Let's just get this over with."

"So Christmas is a thing we need to get over with? Wow, nicely said, Damon. You know, if you really hate me that much, why did you come? I don't want to spend Christmas-my first Christmas home after five years-with someone who doesn't even want to talk to me."

"Don't be ridiculous, Elena. I don't hate you. I just think that we don't have much to say to each other right now. And I could've easily stayed at home, you know. But I'm a man of my word. At least I like to think that."

Elena nodded shortly and she moved aside, now making the space between them evident. She had lost a battle, but not the whole war. In a week, a lot of things could happen.

"Okay guys, ready to get on the road?" Caroline asked excited as she climbed in and turn to look at the two in the back. She frowned and cleared her throat, making them look towards her. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah." Elena said and she took a last peek at Damon, who didn't say anything, but instead, looked out the window. He seemed like he didn't want to go anymore and she was sad about that, but she wanted to change his mind and she hoped she would be able to. It had been a week since she last talked to Damon, since that day since everything changed between them. Even if she had texted him several times, she didn't get an answer from him, not even when she wrote him that for a while, she wished Caroline hadn't come and interrupted them. It looked like all the interest he had in her was lost that week and she had to think of something that would set their friendship on the right track again.

"So we've been talking and we wanted to have a July wedding but it's going to be too hot then so we've decided to have it at the beginning of June. How does that sound, Elena?" Caroline babbled rapidly and Elena tried to catch up with what she was saying.

"That's great." She mumbled. Normally, she would have more to comment about her best friend's wedding but right now, she wasn't in the mood to talk about couples and weddings, not when she was on the verge of losing one of her best friends forever.

"That means that you have to help me more than ever. It's just six months away, 'Lena." Caroline kept ranting but when Elena didn't say anything the blonde sighed. "What is wrong with you, 'Lena?"

"Huh? Nothing's wrong with me, Care. I don't feel very well." Elena was pulled out from her reverie.

"Are you alright, Elena? Do you want me to stop at a pharmacy?" Stefan asked and he looked to be genuinely concerned about her. She shook her head and she knew that he saw it in the mirror, because he nodded shortly.

From time to time, she took a peek at Damon and a few times, their eyes met and she felt her legs turn to jelly, her insides burn and she smiled widely inwardly, because she knew that he still cared about her, otherwise he would've turned his head automatically when she caught him peeking at her; but he didn't. He looked straight into her eyes and she could feel his eyes burning her face but she didn't care, she could've stayed there, looking at him for an eternity if it meant that he would forgive her.

"We're here." Caroline announced and Elena slowly woke up. She opened her eyes and saw she was leaning against Damon, her head on his chest and his arm draped around her waist. He was almost awake so she straightened herself from him before he noticed what happened.

"I must've fallen asleep." She mumbled and Caroline smiled.

"As long as you're feeling better, it's okay. Salvawhore, on the other hand, has no excuse."

"Oh, bite me, Blondie." Damon mumbled, his voice a little bit hoarse.

"I'm going to go to my parents, Elena. I'll leave you and Damon here and we'll be back in a few hours. Is that okay?" Caroline asked.

"Sure. Just let me take my bags."

Elena got out of the car, followed by Damon, who stretched before opening the trunk. A few moments later, Stefan and Caroline were gone, driving through the streets of Mystic Falls. Elena stopped in front of her house, admiring the view and a film rewinded in front of her eyes; her childhood, every single memory of it was here, in this little town, in this house that was now abandoned but still looked as if someone lived here. Since she was born, she had lived here, in this place, in the house of her parents, that her father inherited from his father, who struggled to build it. Her great-grandfather had been one of the town's founders and that was one of the reasons why she was proud to be a part of the Gilbert family. She was always going to balls, to parties and everyone knew her. That was all gone now, she wasn't part of this small community anymore. Instead, she was living in what used to be her dream town, in New York, where no one knew her.

"Elena. Hey, are you still with me?" Damon asked, dragging her attention towards him. She turned to face him and a tear rolled down her cheek. She was so happy to be back home.

"I'm here." She whispered and smiled.

"We should get inside. It's cold out here. Let me take your bag."

"No, it's fine. I got it."

Elena stopped in front of the door, and hesitated for a minute. She wasn't sure of what she would find inside, she was scared that it might be empty, that every single part of her childhood was lost. On the other hand, she imagined that she would open the door and her family would be there, in the big living room, waiting for her to come home after having a rough year at college, like all parents did for their children. But it wasn't like that. She would never find her parents in the living room of the house in Mystic Falls waiting for her. She would never find them, not here, not in New York, not in any other place.

Instead, she opened the door and saw her Aunt Jenna and her brother Jeremy, in the middle of the room, waiting for her. The Christmas Tree was already decorated with the old decorations from when she was a kid. She smiled widely and tears started to flow from her eyes. This was home. Even if she didn't have her parents anymore, she still had her aunt and her brother. And of course, she had her friends, who were there with her. Elena stepped inside and looked around. It all looked like it had when she was little; nothing had changed, not even a couch was moved from it's place. The fireplace was lit and above it there was a Christmas wreath hanging.

"Oh my God!" Elena cried out and she let her bag fall on the floor and ran to her aunt and to her brother. She pulled them both into a tight hug and she never wanted to let them go.

"Okay, I think that's enough. You're choking me." Jeremy complained and he stepped away, making Elena to roll her eyes at him.

"You're always ruining the beautiful moments, Jer."

"Oh, bite me." Jeremy said and laughed. Elena giggled and she playfully ruffled his hair. She couldn't believe that her brother was a grown-up now. He was going to be nineteen in a few months.

"I don't know about you, but I like the kid already." Damon interfered and Elena turned to him, rolling her eyes.

"Of course you do. Jeremy, this is Damon Salvatore, a friend of mine. Damon, this is my brother, Jeremy." She watched as the two of them shook hands. For the first time, Jeremy liked a guy friend of Elena's and she was so happy about it, it seemed to be a good sign.

"Damon Salvatore. As in Salvatore Inc.?" Jeremy asked, his eyes wide open. Elena chuckled sarcastically and put a hand on her brother's shoulder.

"You're talking to the president. While he's here, just bug him with all your questions. And don't forget to show him your sketches." She winked playfully and jerked a finger in front of Damon, as if she was warning him to not destroy her brother's innocence.

"I remember you. You're the one who brought Elena home that night, right?" Jenna walked towards Damon and extended her hand to him. "I'm Jenna Sommers, it's nice to see you again. I'm sorry that we had to meet in such bad circumstances."

"Damon Salvatore. It's nice to see you too, Ms. Sommers." He said and smiled gently. Damon grabbed her hand and lifted it to his lips, brushing them softly against her hand.

"You didn't tell me he's such a gentleman, Elena." Jenna slightly blushed and looked to her niece, who was frowning.

"What do you mean? He's a douche." She laughed and Damon rolled his eyes. Clearly, that wasn't a good start. She was going to work hard to make him forgive her, and she was going to succeed. She swore she would.

"Damon, can you follow me? I want to show you your room and everything else." Elena asked as she was about to walk upstairs. Damon nodded shortly and followed her in silence. She walked down the long hallway, looking at all the rooms. She stopped in front of one door, located at the end of the hallway. She pushed the door open and saw the colors on the walls, the huge bed, the drawer and the pictures scattered around the room.

"This is my room. I mean, it used to be. It's where you're going to sleep. Jeremy is going to stay in his old room, Jenna is staying in the room my parents put together for her and Caroline and Stefan are going to sleep in the guest room." Elena said as she walked inside her room. It was just as she remembered it. Of course, Jenna has cleaned everything up and freshened up the room. She walked passed the bed and stopped in front of the dresser, looking at the big mirror, where she hung several pictures of her as a teenager and then pictures with her and her friends and with her parents. She looked at every single one of them and then she looked at that one specific picture, where she was kissing Tyler, the first boyfriend she had had in high school. Then, in the opposite side, there was a picture with her kissing Matt, who has been the first boy she had really loved and cared about.

"You used to have a lot of boyfriends, I see." Damon cleared his throat and pointed at the pictures on the mirror.

"Not really. I mean, it's hard to explain." She avoided the subject. If she would start talking about the guys she has dated, she would have to talk about the mean side of her and about what she had had to do to date those guys and that was a path she wasn't going to walk on right now.

"So where are you going to sleep?" Damon asked and she shrugged her shoulders before answering.

"There's a couch in the living room. I can stay there."

"I'll switch places with you." Damon offered but she hurried to shake her head.

"No! I mean, it's not necessary. I like the living room, it's warm and comfortable." Elena smiled awkwardly and exited the room. "You can always use the bathroom attached to my room, but if not, this is the closest one." She pointed to the door opposite from her room.

"And what about this one?" Damon looked at the door at the other end of the hallway.

"That-uhm-that's my parent's room. Used to be my parent's room." Elena explained and she walked past it, but didn't touch it. "I haven't in been there in six years, since they died. I couldn't open it and I will never be ready to."

"You will, I'm sure of it." Damon grabbed her hand and drew circles on it. She felt shivers run down her spine and smiled, looking into his eyes. He cleared his throat and let go of her hand and she pouted for a while, but didn't let him see it. "I'm sorry," he mumbled.

She nodded shortly and walked downstairs, as Jenna laid out cups of hot chocolate. Elena smiled and hurried to get downstairs, looking over her shoulder to Damon as if to make sure he was still there.

"Come on, my aunt made hot chocolate. With cream, I bet." She giggled and he rolled his eyes sarcastically.

"You're such a girl."

"Hey. I'm just happy."

They walked over to the coffee table and sat on the couch. Jenna and Jeremy sat on the couch opposite to them. Jeremy cleared his throat and took a sip of hot chocolate.

"So, how long have you been dating my sister?" He looked at Damon, who almost choked on his chocolate. He looked over at Elena and then turned to Jeremy, who was waiting for an answer.

"No, we-we're not together."

"We're just friends, Jer. Good friends." Elena said and smiled, bumping into Damon. He didn't say anything but she knew for sure he wanted to. He would've said a lot more things if he could. Elena knew that every single thing she said, every single thing she made and every single time she touched him, he wanted to comment, but he somehow didn't. One of these days he would snap and tell her everything she wanted to know.

"So how did you meet?" Jenna asked. "I never got the chance to find out."

"We met at a bar. We kind of, uhm, bumped into each other accidentally, then we had a couple of drinks together." Elena hurried to make up her own story that she would have to explain to Damon later. "Plus, he's Stefan's brother. Stefan is Caroline's boyfriend. So we met pretty often and got close. And here we are. Friends for life; at least I hope so."

"Hello, family!" Caroline stormed inside, throwing her bags aside as she jumped on the couch between Jenna and Jeremy. She ruffled the kid's hair and kissed Jenna on the cheek.

"I've missed you so much. We live in the same city and I barely see you guys."

"Yeah, we've missed you too, bleached hair." Jeremy bumped into Caroline and she rolled her eyes.

"Of course you have to reassure I haven't forgot one of my nicknames. Well, I just wanted to tell you all that my parents approved of my marriage with Stefan. Not that they had a say in it, but still. Stefan, baby, come here." She waved her hand towards Stefan who was arranging the bags at the door.

"Hello, everyone. I'm Stefan Salvatore, Caroline's fiancé."

"I'm Jenna Sommers, Elena's aunt." Stefan took Jenna's hand and shook it, then looked over to Jeremy.

"You must be Elena's brother."

"Jeremy. And it's great to meet yet another Salvatore."

Hours later, Elena was sleeping in her old bed, in her room. Jenna and Jeremy were out visiting people from the city, who Elena didn't want to see. Caroline was, of course, visiting the shops and analyzing the fashion situation in the small town of Mystic Falls, while Damon and Stefan had left to go grocery shopping. Tomorrow was Christmas Eve and she couldn't be happier to be there, with all of her friends. There was one that was missing; Bonnie, but unfortunately, she couldn't make it.

Elena felt burning lips on her skin and she shuffled, allowing the man to kiss her further, to find the crook of her neck and to bury his head in it, finding that sensitive spot on her that never was explored; no one had found it and she always thought that the person who did find it would be the one for her. He pressed his lips on her skin, down, down, until he got to her spine. He unclasped her bra and when she turned on her back, she looked right into his burning eyes.

"Elena, wake up, Elena." She felt someone shake her body but didn't do anything. She just wanted to sleep more and dream like she had been doing until that someone woke her up.

"Damon, please. Damon..."

"Elena, wake up." She opened her eyes lazily and was welcomed by a pair of blue ones, shimmering into hers. "Elena, are you okay?" Damon asked and he seemed to be worried. What was wrong with her? She hadn't felt like sleeping this much since she was taking those pills the doctor gave her.

"What? Yes, I'm fine. How long was I asleep?"

"It's 7. You've been sleeping for four hours, or so. You were calling my name, before you woke up." Damon said and narrowed his eyes, looking confused.

"No, I...Are you sure?"

"Yeah, yeah I am."

"I guess I was just missing you." Elena stated simply and she straightened herself, trying to get out of bed. She felt dizzy and stumbled on her feet, but put a hand on Damon's arm and recover her equilibrium.

"Okay, something's definitely wrong with you."

"No, I just haven't eaten anything today. I guess dinner's ready. Let's go downstairs. Please, don't say anything about this to Jenna, or anyone else. I'm fine, I promise." Elena said, looking at him with begging eyes. She didn't know what was wrong with her either, surely it was because she hadn't been eating. And being back here, having all those memories come back all at once, it didn't make it easier.

Damon nodded shortly and he opened the door, pointing to Elena to go right ahead. He followed her downstairs and they headed to the big table in the kitchen. Everybody was already there, waiting for them so they could eat. They had stuffed chicken with vegetables and Elena wondered where Jenna got it because it was delicious and her aunt couldn't have cooked that, not in a thousand years.

"Damon cooked." Jenna explained, when Elena asked her about it. She glanced at Damon, who shrugged.

"It's delicious." Elena said and cleared her plate, like everyone else.

"I've got to say, Salvawhore, for an asshole, you're a damn good cook." Caroline smiled and Damon nodded, thanking her.

Later that night, they sat around the table in the living room, laughing at the jokes Damon was telling and playing Pictionary. Elena insisted not to, but Jeremy, Jenna and Caroline seemed so happy about it, that she gave in and formed a team with Jeremy. Jenna played with Damon and Stefan with Caroline.

Jeremy was there, in front, drawing what seemed to be a wolf. Everyone was trying to guess what was it before he finished the sketch, some were louder than the others.

"Puppy!" Caroline jumped from her place, being dead sure that she had gotten the right answer.

"It's a fox. It doesn't even look like a puppy, Care, don't you see?" Stefan interfered.

"It's clearly a dog." Jenna shook her head and gulped down her shot of tequila.

"Wolf." Two voices sounded as one and the ones who spoke the word looked at each other. Brown to blue. They were on opposite teams and yet they worked as if they were forming a team, like they were teammates. Elena smiled and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, while Damon narrowed his eyes, like he couldn't understand a thing.

"So who wins?" Jeremy asked, confused.

"Oh, I know, I know! I propose that the two of them must do some shots and the one that can finish three shots first, wins." Caroline exclaimed excitedly.

"That should do it." Damon extended his hand for a glass. The table was full of them. Elena could swear that there were over 30 glasses there, all full with the transparent liquid.

"Wait, wait, wait. Elena pours the drink in Damon's mouth and Damon in Elena's. It will be more difficult." Caroline established a new rule that Elena wasn't sure she wanted to approve. Thinking for a moment, she shrugged her shoulders, showing them that it was fine by her.

"Let's get this over with." Damon announced and they both picked a glass, tangled their hands together and started the show. Elena lazily opened her mouth and let him pour the cold liquid down her throat. It burned her insides but it also gave her courage. She poured his drink in his mouth and at the end, it looked like Damon won. He smirked devilishly and she blushed as he did so, turning her glance away from him. This was a dangerous game she was playing and from minute to minute, she was losing hope that she would win it. But the one who doesn't play doesn't get a chance at the big prize, so she kept on playing and she would win. She would damn keep their friendship.

At the end of the night, everyone said goodnight and they all headed to sleep, some dizzier than others, but everyone in a good shape. Elena found a pillow and a thick blanket and after watching everyone go to sleep, she lay down on the couch and surrendered to the warmth and good feeling of being home. She would sleep like a baby, that she was sure of. Thinking of all that happened today, she drafted the line and thought that it was good enough. They would be staying here for another six days, six days of paradise that she wished would never end. She slowly faded away, until she could no longer think about anything else and see anything else; but she could hear the cracklings of the fire in the fireplace. She was home.

It was probably late in the night when she felt strong arms lifting her up and carrying her to her room, placing her on her bed and tucking her in. She opened her eyes a bit and met blue ones.

"Damon, what are you-?"

"Shh, just sleep. It was cold down there."

She let her head settle on the pillow and she felt his body coming closer to hers and she couldn't not notice that he wasn't wearing anything but boxer briefs. In her sleepy state, she fell asleep instantly, but not before she felt an arm draping over her waist and a kiss pressed on her forehead.

"I guessed I missed you too." Those were the last words she heard that night, but they made her smile and somewhere, inside, she knew their friendship wasn't lost forever. This had been just a bump in the road and they finally jumped over it.