Chapter 3: Reunion and Revelation

Bella's eyes fluttered open, focusing on the familiar, handsome face hovering above her. "Hello, Husband," she rasped, her voice weak but laced with affection.

Before she could even contemplate her situation, Damon was on top of her, his lips capturing hers in a desperate kiss. His hands cradled her face as if afraid she might vanish. Bella, despite the lingering confusion, reciprocated with equal fervor.

"I love you," Damon breathed against her lips, each word heavy with guilt and a desperate need for forgiveness. He dreaded the explanation he owed her, the confession of how he could have forgotten the woman lying in his arms.

Bella surprised him by cupping his face, mirroring his hold. "I know," she said simply, her voice firm.

Damon's brow furrowed. Unsure of her meaning, he stared into her eyes, searching for a flicker of doubt, a hint of anger. One wrong word, one misunderstanding… the thought of her leaving was unbearable.

"Baby, I'm so sorry—" he began, his voice thick with remorse.

But Bella cut him off, silencing him with a soft kiss. Thousands of conquests had left him numb, but the sweetness of her touch, the passion in her kiss, was unlike anything he'd ever known.

He tried to apologize again, but Bella wouldn't let him. Instead, she explained how she thought he'd died during the war. When she'd seen him again, his obliviousness had fueled her fear. Katherine, she recalled bitterly, had bragged about having both Salvatore brothers at her beck and call. Yet, Bella knew the real Damon wouldn't share.

Damon closed his eyes, a wave of pain washing over him. His love knew of his past transgressions, even the sins he'd committed as a human. He used to expect judgment, rejection. But there was none to be found in her eyes.

He squeezed his eyes shut, terrified to meet her gaze. "Without you, I've become a monster far worse than Giuseppe," he said, his voice broken. "If you saw me for who I truly am, you wouldn't love me anymore."

Bella's hand gently stroked his hair. "What do you mean? Who are you now? How much time has passed?" she asked, confusion tinging her voice. She had no idea how long she had been trapped in the tomb.

"What's the last thing you remember?" Damon countered, needing to understand the extent of Katherine's cruelty.

Taking a deep breath, Bella began. "That woman, Katherine. She held me captive. I saw you, tried to reach out, but you looked right through me. I thought she would kill me, but she wanted to break me first. She tried to convince me you didn't love me, that I was a fool. She thought she was clever, but no one knows you better than I do." Bella smiled faintly.

"Even if you were just pretending to love me, you wouldn't share me with Stefan. You're possessive. That much I knew for certain. I made a mistake, though. I thought I could exploit a weakness in her, hurt her. It backfired. She… changed me. Now I'm like her, condemned to live forever without you. But I love you, Damon, and that will never change. Your sins don't matter. You're my husband, and nothing, not even Katherine, can take that away."

Damon stared at her, speechless for a moment. Her unwavering love hit him with a force he hadn't anticipated. "How long has it been?" she repeated, her voice gaining a hint of urgency.

The truth, like a bucket of ice water, slammed into him. He sat her up, pulling her close, knowing he needed to be strong for her, the truth about their separation still heavy on his tongue. "It's been over a century," he said solemnly, the weight of the revelation settling in.