Brave (Damon Salvatore x OC)

Dying, dying, dead... Or not?

Ember is standing in Jeremy's door watching him sleep. She closes the door and turns to Jenna's bedroom, she looks around with tears in her eyes and silently leaves.

"That'll get easier. But you knew that." His voice is quiet, almost a whisper but she hears it.

"Where have you been?" She asks without looking.

"I want to apologize." He tells her.

"For force feeding me your blood? Disappearing during the funeral or whatever is going on with your arm you're refusing to talk to me about?" She asks and folds her arms protectively around her body.

Damon comes up behind her and slips his arm around her waist pulling her back against his chest. Despite how mad she is Ember sinks into him, his touch soothing the angry hole in her heart from losing Jenna.

"All of it. Please Em." He whispers against her temple.

"I'm listening." She waits.

"Feeding you my blood, I know I was wrong. I panicked, I couldn't handle the thought of losing you and like always, it made me act like a ass."

"Yes, it did." She responds.

"Leaving the funeral, I was trying to protect you from... something. But I knew I was wrong as soon as I walked away. And I know I don't deserve your forgiveness, but... I need it." He begs softly.

"Of course I forgive you, you moron. Now tell me the part you don't want to say." Ember directs.

"Em, please don't." He asks.

She turns in his arms and pushes back the sleeve of his shirt the reveal his forearm where she can feel the shadow pain on her own. "When you were saving Care and Tyler?"

He nods and when the first tear slips down her cheek he wipes it away. "Don't baby. You know your tears break my heart and I'm not worth them."

"Don't say that!" She pushes against his chest. After a second she squares her shoulders. "I'll call Bonnie. We'll start checking the spell books." she turns and reaches for her phone.

Damon catches her hand. "Em. There's no cure. Remember what happened with Rose."

"Yes! And I won't let that happen to you! I won't!" She insists.

Damon holds her face between his hands and leans in to kiss her softly, as her eyes flutter closed he whispers. "I love you so much Em. Loving you is the best thing I have ever done."

Ember's eyes fly open realizing he is saying good buy!! She looks around but he is gone!! "Damnit Damon!!" She runs for her phone a dials Stefan.

..............................

Damon let's himself into the boarding house and heads to the parlor. He takes a bottle of very old scotch from the cabinet and pours himself a drink.

Next he turns to the curtains and pulls them back and lets the sun shine on his face, he drinks some scotch and with a small smile puts the glass down on a table. He returns to the window and stands looking out then takes off his daylight ring and drops it on the floor. He opens his arms and his skin starts to burn! Stefan vamp speeds in and pushes him out of the sunlight and against the wall just as he starts to smoke.

"Get off of me." Damon pushes him off.

"You're not doing this." Stefan shoved him again and they are in the hall.

"Just did. You know what happened to Rose, Stefan." Damon tells him.

Stefan uses his super speed and throws Damon in the cellar. "I don't care. You're not dying today." Stefan looks at him. "How could you even think of doing this to Em?"