I Know The End | D. Salvatore

Fade into you

My eyes fluttered open softly only to find the space on my bed beside me was now empty. The black leather jacket I had draped over my chair was missing, and so was the pair of heavy black boots that had been placed beside my bed. I rolled over and reached my hand out, searching for someone who wasn't even there. I huffed a soft sigh and rolled out of bed, heading into my bathroom to try and wake up a little more.

When I walked back out, a small gasp was drawn from my lips. Damon was standing in the middle of my room with his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket. Part of me was relieved to see him, while the other part of me was once again fearing rejection.

"I thought you left." I mused, recovering from my brief surprise.

"I did. Had to get changed, but I came back." He said, slowly taking steps towards me.

"What for?" I asked curiously. I wanted him to do something, to say something. To prove to me that it wasn't one sided.

"For this." Damon made quick work of closing the gap between us, his hands reaching up to cradle my face as his lips finally met my own.

I was surprised by how soft it was, by the emotion that he was pouring into it. I stepped closer to him, one hand landing on his shoulder while the other went up into his dark hair. I kissed him back with the same amount of energy, trying to let him know how I felt through the action. Our lips moved slowly, almost hesitantly, before we finally had to pull back.

Damon rested his forehead against mine, his blue eyes bored into my own with a softness I've never seen from him before. "I'm tired of the cat and mouse game, Thea. I just want you." Damon spoke softly, his voice barely louder than a whisper.

"I want you, too." I whispered the words, like I was afraid to burst the bubble we had found ourselves in. It seems that I said the exact words he was looking for, because he immediately pressed his lips back to my own. I could feel his lips quirk up into a soft smile as they moved against my own, which only made me smile in return.

Damon pulled away again reluctantly. "I really, really hate to cut this short. But I have a meeting with Carol Lockwood. I need to do some digging about why the Lockwood's were affected by the invention." I could see it in his eyes, he wanted nothing more than to stay here with me, in this soft bubble that we created.

"It's okay. Will you be at the fair tonight?" I asked him, wondering when I would next see him.

"Yeah, I'll be there." Damon nodded.

"Okay. I'll see you there, then." I said, a soft smile tugging at my lips. Even though I knew he had to go, I couldn't help but reach up on my toes and pull him in for another searing kiss. Damon sighed against my lips, his hands falling to my waist to pull me in closer.

"Okay, seriously, if I don't leave now I'm going to be very, very late for my meeting." Damon mused with a light smirk that wasn't as condescending as his usual ones. I let out a light laugh and stepped back from him, holding my hands up in mock surrender. Damon sent me a soft smile, and then he was gone. No matter how many times it happens, vampire speed will always catch me off guard.

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The door to the attic softly swung open, and the folded up ladder lowered itself down. I stepped back so I could avoid being hit by the wooden ladder. I released a small breath as I looked up into the dark loft, not particularly fond of climbing up there by myself. Sure, I can hang out with dangerous vampire's, but the possibility of a ghost or demon being up there was too much.

With some reluctance, I pulled myself up the wooden rigging of the ladder. At the top inside the dark basement was a string that switched the overhead lights on. I pulled it, praying that I wouldn't see a face in the dark. The bright light being on made me feel a little better, but not completely.