What Happened in Georgia

It's just a bump in the road

Elena woke, feeling drowsy and groggy, with a headache that made her head feel like it might explode at any minute. Her eyes opened slowly and confusion clouded her brain as she realised she was in a car, the passenger seat of a car. Her eyes opened to the road ahead, fields on either side, sweltering hot sun beaming through the windows, and from the side of her eye there he was.
"DAMON?" She exclaimed, sitting upright and feeling her pockets for her phone. A smirk appeared on his face and his eyes stayed on the road ahead.
"Elena." He said calmly.
"What the hell is this?" She felt panic rising in her chest, Jenna would be wondering where she was, and Stefan... Stefan, she immediately remembered what had happened prior to this. The photograph, that wasn't her, but it was? How could she look exactly like her, how was it even possible?
"Helloooooooo?" Damon interrupted her thought process and waved a hand on front of her eyes, "We are in Georgia by the way." He said smugly, with a confidence that could either make him come across arrogant or gorgeous. She forced herself to class it as arrogant, because the other option was completely inappropriate.
"No?" She replied, "No, we are NOT in Georgia, Damon?" She stared at him, his chiselled jaw line, his piercing blue eyes on the road, one hand loosely gripping the wheel, the other hanging out the side of the window.
"Well, we are." He smiled, shooting her a look, his eyes piercing into hers momentarily. She didn't know what to say, she turned to take in her surroundings, the fields, the glaring hot sun, the road. It looked like they were in the middle of no where. Was he going to kill her? A thought shot into her head. She looked back at him, his cool collected glare continually on the road. No. He wouldn't do that. She convinced herself.
"Why would you bring me to Georgia? Take me home, NOW? What about Jenna, I can't be in Georgia, Damon, I have SCHOOL?" She started to ramble furiously, shocked at how he could just uproot her and drive her somewhere against her own will. Although he had saved her from the crash...
"No can do." He replied, shaking his head, he turned and looked her in the eye, "I got someone I need to see."
"STOP THE CAR!!!!" She burst out in anger. He hit the breaks and she threw the door open, feeling rage build up, but as she stepped out the car a surge of pain rushed over her body and she grabbed the car to steady herself. Immediately, she felt a hand on her arm and looked up to find Damon, concern filled his eyes.
"Are you okay?" He asked, and he actually sounded like he cared.
"I'm fine." She held his gaze and steadied herself, standing up straight with one hand still on the car.
"Look, we can turn home, you can go back and face all your problems and go about your boring little school life." He mocked, she rolled her eyes. "Or, we can go to Georgia, live a little, Elena." She bit her lip and looked around, looked back at Damon and made a decision she knew she would regret. But he was right.
"You promise you'll keep me safe?" She asked him. He crossed his heart and reached out to her chest, she held her breath wondering what he was doing, then he touched her necklace. She realised she still had it, and he was reminding her she couldn't be compelled. She nodded slowly. "Georgia it is."