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

Chapter 6: You Set Me Free, and I Choose You

Elena grabbed her cell phone excitedly and dialled Damon's number. She sat the couch, drumming her fingers on her knee, hoping he'd pick up. Back at the boarding house, Damon felt his phone buzz in his pocket and pulled it out. He dropped the bottle of Bourbon when he saw Elena's picture flash before him on his screen.

"No way," Damon whispered, smiling to himself. Could it be that Elena had defied everything he thought to be true? He picked up the phone to find out. He didn't say anything, he was just trying to focus on his breathing.

"Damon?" Elena called on the other end. She stood up – she was way too jumpy to remain sitting.

"Elena?" Damon responded, still unsure if what he was imagining was true.

"Bonnie told me that I loved you, that I really cared for you. Is all that true?" Elena asked him softly.

Damon was shattered to bits when he heard that. Elena heard a glass fall to the floor and realized that she had taken her joke way too far. This was not the time.

"Damon!" Elena raised her voice, worried about him, "Baby, I'm sorry. I was just joking sweetheart. I shouldn't have done that, I'm sorry!"

Damon caught his breath and sighed loudly, "Elena, don't do that to me ever again."

Elena smiled, realizing he was okay, "Damon, I'm so sorry. That was stupid of me – I knew the state you were in. Hey, but on the bright side the sire bond is broken, and I'm still madly in love with you!" She sounded ecstatic on the other end of the phone, and Damon couldn't help but laugh when he heard her. He wanted to hold her. Right this instant.

"I miss you already," Elena whispered, clutching her cell phone to her, trying to feel closer to Damon.

"Come to me," Damon said softly, "Get in your car, and come to me." He was crying tears of joy, although he'd never admit how emotional he had gotten at this point.

Elena smiled to herself and responded, "I'll be there soon."

She heard Damon sigh happily on the other end – it was a sigh of relief. She wanted to tell him one more thing, "Damon?"

"Yes, baby?" Damon was hanging onto every word. He didn't want to hang up – he wanted to hear her beautiful voice all night.

"I love you," Elena said, waiting for him to respond.

Damon took in her words, the truth. He couldn't wait for her to come back to the lake house. He grinned, thinking about how he'd hug and kiss her and never let her go, "I love you too, 'Lena."

With that, Elena hung up and dashed upstairs to tell Bonnie. She shook Bonnie awake excitedly. Bonnie groaned when Elena woke her up; she'd been in a deep sleep.

"What happened?" Bonnie rubbed her eyes groggily.

"I'm going back to the lake house!" Elena squealed excitedly.

Bonnie laughed at her friend's energy and smiled, "He wants you to go there at this hour? Just tell him to get his butt over here and bring Jeremy!"

Elena hadn't thought of that. That was a much better idea. She was more comfortable in her own home anyway. They could deal with Jer's mark-growing process somewhere closer to home. Bonnie couldn't help but laugh at her best friend. She was just so happy dialling Damon's number again, too excited to wait any longer.