The One Who Saved Me

Chapter 17: Honest talk

Elena and Damon sat in their motel room, on separate beds, Elena drinking from a blood bag and Damon drinking some cheap alcohol from the mini bar.

"Damon, why did- why do you have feelings for me?" Elena asked, catching Damon off guard.

"When I first met you, I thought you were Katherine. But, after getting to know you, via you being Stefan's girlfriend, I realised that you're nothing like Katherine, and that's why I have feelings for you." Damon admitted.

"But I'm with Stefan, at least, I think I am." Elena sighed, laying down.

"Yeah, that's the crappy part. My timing has never really been something I have improved." He laughed, putting down the bottle.

"You know, I'd have maybe considered you boyfriend material if you hadn't killed so many people and threatened people that I love. Maybe then I would have loved you like I love Stefan." Elena smiled, Damon looking at Elena with hope.

"You and I met first, you know." Damon's reveal confused Elena.

"What do you mean?" Elena asked, confused.

"Remove your necklace." Damon asked, Elena complying. Removing her necklace, Damon stared into her eyes.

"Remember the night we met." He compelled Elena, who looked away.

All of a sudden, she was remembering something from the past, something that happened before she and Stefan had met.

"Katherine..." Damon stared at the girl, a phone in her hands.

"Um...no. I- I'm Elena." The girl who introduced herself looked exactly like Kathrine, but seemed totally different.

"Oh. You...you just look- I'm sorry. You just really remind me of someone. I'm Damon." Damon introduced himself, smiling.

"Not to be rude or anything, Damon, but it's kind of creepy that you're out here in the middle of nowhere." Elena smiled, confused by the tall raven-haired man.

"You're one to talk. You're out here all by yourself." He had a point.

"It's Mystic Falls. Nothing bad ever happens here. I got into a fight with my boyfriend." Elena revealed.

"About what? May I ask?" Damon asked, seeming genuinely interested.

"Life, the future. He's got it all mapped out." She probably shouldn't have been discussing her boyfriend with the random man she just met, but something about him seemed trustworthy.

"And you don't want it?" He asked, smiling.

"I don't know what I want." Elena admitted, sighing.

"Well, that's not true. You want what everybody wants..." He smirked.

"What? Mysterious stranger who has all the answers." Elena smirked back, interested in his response.

"Hmm. Well, let's just say I've been around a long time. I've learned a few things." He spoke, getting closer to Elena.

"So, Damon...tell me. What is it that I want?" Elena got closer to him.

"You want a love that consumes you. You want passion and adventure, and even a little danger." He explained, Elena agreeing with him to an extent.

"So, what do you want?" She asked, smiling.

Hearing a car horn, Elena looked around to see a car stopped near her.

"That's my parents." She smiled, putting her phone in her pocket.

"I want you to get everything you're looking for. But right now I want you to forget that this happened. I can't have people knowing I'm in town yet. Good night, Elena." Damon stared into Elena's eyes, compelling her.

Elena blinked a few times, watching as Damon gently put the necklace around her neck.

"See. We met first." He smiled.

"Does Stefan know that we officially met first?" Elena asked, closing her eyes.

"No. I compelled you to forget, so there was no reason for him to know." Damon revealed. He thought that maybe that was something he regretted not telling Stefan about.

"You seemed a lot nicer back then. What changed?" Elena asked, Damon looking away.

"My intentions changed. Back then, I was back in Mystic Falls for the first time in 15 years. I came back in order to find Katherine but when I met you, I forgot about Katherine for the first time in over 100 years. For the first time, I wanted to get to know you. I stayed in Mystic Falls, because of you." Damon explained, not intending to sound romantic, but he did.

"You stayed in Mystic Falls...because of me? Am I that special to you and Stefan? You do realise that you and Stefan stayed in Mystic Falls for the same reason, right?" Elena laughed.

"The only difference, he got the girl. And me, I got my heart broken." Damon sighed.

"I'm sorry Damon." Elena got off her bed and onto his, giving him a hug.

"No need to be sorry, Elena. There's another difference between me and Stefan. If he were in my position right now, as in we were dating and he was madly in love with you, he would have given up. He wouldn't have tried at all to win you over." Damon smiled.

"You're madly in love with me?" Elena was surprised by Damon's admission.

"Of course I am. Who wouldn't be?" He smiled, kissing her cheek.

"Uh, how about we head back? Stefan seemed pretty worried the last time we spoke and I need to check in with Jenna." Elena requested, Damon nodding.

"Let's get packed up." He smiled.

Within 30 minutes, Elena and Damon were on the road, heading back to Mystic Falls.

"Damon?" Elena asked, looking at him.

"Yes, Elena?" He responded, keeping his eyes on the road.

"Thanks for the time-out. I think I really needed it." She held his hand for a brief minute before pulling away.

"No worries." He smiled.