I LOVE YOU, I REALLY DO: DAMON/ELENA 4X09-4X11

Chapter 1: Don't Let Me Leave

Elena turned on her side to face a fully clothed Damon who seemed to still be sleeping next to her. She leaned on her elbow and smiled as she watched her sweet angel resting with his eyes closed. The sunlight from the window illuminated his face, and she could see a tiny smile making its way onto his lips.

"This would be so much more fun if we were naked," Damon mumbled as he opened his eyes to look at his precious Elena. He loved her more than she knew. He was so happy that she had convinced him to let her stay that night, but he couldn't admit that to her yet. He had to be strong. He had to let her go because she was sired to him. He sighed, looking away.

Elena smirked and shifted closer to him, "That was your call – not mine." Damon realized that she was lying very close to him and sat up in bed because if he so much as looked at her adorable, smirking face, he knew he wouldn't be able to let her leave.

Elena saw the distress all over his face and hated to see him this way. They were so happy yesterday morning, before they knew any of this. Why couldn't he listen to her when she said she loved him?

"Damon?" Elena asked quietly, as she sat up with him, "Damon, please look at me." She pleaded when he continued to stare at the wall in front of him. He didn't want to ignore her, but he didn't know what else to do.

Elena sighed when Damon didn't look. A small teardrop left her eye as she looked down at her lap and played with her hands. Only a few seconds had passed and Damon was wiping her tears. He couldn't keep himself from looking at her.

"Hey," Damon whispered, almost choking on his own tears when he saw how he had hurt Elena. He leaned against the wall and pulled Elena into his lap. She immediately wrapped her arms around him and rested her head in the crook of his neck.

"I'm sorry, 'Lena," Damon said, just before kissing her cheek softly, "I shouldn't have ignored you."

Elena shook her head and placed both hands on his cheeks, "Why are you being like this, Damon?"

Damon broke when Elena looked at him like that – her teary eyes wide, swollen from sobbing for half the night.

Damon whispered, "I don't want to be like this, baby."

"Then don't," Elena said, grabbing his face and kissing him fiercely before he could say anything else, "I love you, I really do, Damon." She said this between kisses, pulling him as close as she possibly could. Damon couldn't help but kiss her back because he loved her as much, if not more, than she loved him.

Damon picked her up and smiled against her lips, making her laugh. She giggled as he sped out of bed and pushed her against the wall gently, and then gazed at him lovingly, "I missed you." He knew that she was referring to the fact that he'd been distant ever since he and Stefan found out that she was sired to him. He grinned at her and kissed her, "I missed you too, Elena."

Elena's eyes softened when she saw the conflict in Damon's eyes. He could keep going and make love to her or stop and do right by Stefan. He was at a crossroads, and Elena felt for him.

She kissed his lips softly then pulled away and ran her fingers through his hair, "Damon, I just want you to know how much I love you. I wish you could just believe me, but I know that the sire bond is bothering you. I know that you want to do right by your brother."

Damon watched her intently, both of them still pressed up against each other. Elena kissed him once more and moaned softly because it felt so good. She looked at him affectionately and continued, "I also know that this is real, Damon. I don't want you to let me go, but I know you'll do what you think is right in the end. I know we're supposed to be together, baby, so I'm sure we'll find our way back to each other whatever you choose."

Damon loosened his grip on Elena so that she was standing with him. He pulled her close and hugged her tightly, "I love you, Elena. I want to believe you so badly, and I almost do, but the thought that this could be some spell scares me."

Elena caressed his face in her hands and smiled sadly, "I know it does, Damon. I know."

Damon sighed loudly, "I'm supposed to invoke the sire bond. I'm supposed to do right by Stefan and tell you to leave."

"So do it," Elena said, challenging him as she stood inches away. She knew he wouldn't, not yet anyway.

Damon sighed again, shaking his head because he couldn't, "I told Stefan I'd set you free. Right after I didn't tell him we slept together." He looked at Elena with nothing but love in his eyes as he remembered making love to her – the way she had kissed every inch of him, the way she had sighed his name as he touched her, the way she had whispered how much she loved him.

Elena remembered too and smiled before becoming serious again, "So, what do you want to do?"

Damon stepped forward, and as he moved closer, Elena saw the desire in his eyes. It was the same desire that she was feeling.

Damon lowered his voice, "I want to throw you back in my bed and never let you leave."

Elena's breath hitched momentarily before she responded, "So do it."

They were almost pressed up against each other – there was barely an inch of space between them. Elena glanced at Damon's lips, wanting to kiss them. She wanted him to take control, to throw her over his shoulder and onto his bed. She wanted him to trail his lips all over her body while she screamed in delight. Before she could get too lost in these thoughts, her phone buzzed in her pocket.

"Saved by the cell phone," Damon smiled slightly, licking his dry lips that he wanted to be on Elena's so badly.

Elena looked at him disappointedly and then reached for her phone to check her messages. Of course! She had to go help Bonnie train Jeremy not to kill her. She didn't want to leave Damon, though.

Elena went to pick up her bag off the floor and said, "I have to meet Bonnie at the lake house to help train Jeremy not to kill me."

Damon looked longingly at her, wanting her to come back into his arms. She saw his small pout – he probably wasn't even aware of it. So she asked, "Wanna come?" Please don't say no, she thought. She wanted him with her.

Damon looked slightly conflicted, but a small smile spread across his face, and Elena knew she had him.