There's Light in Darkness

Of Birthday Presents & Sensual Bites

Walking out of the bar and getting into his car, we drove home. On the way, I turned the radio on and laughed when the song "I do not hook up" by Kelly Clarkson came on. Today is full of irony.

          "Hmm, good thing I'm loaded." Damon said, laughing.

          "What?"

          "You don't come cheap...Good thing that I'm loaded."

          I laughed. "You're crazy, Mr. Salvatore."

          "That I am, Ms. Gilbert. That I am." He said, glancing at me before turning his eyes back on the road. After a few more songs, we arrived home, the two hours flying by quickly.

          Before turning off the engine, I saw him glance at the clock on the dashboard. "What do you know? It's already my birthday." He said, laughing humorously. It was thirty minutes past midnight.

His birthday? Oh crap, what am I going to get him? What do you get someone who has everything they could possibly want or need? And then, an idea popped into my head. I still had to think it through but it would be the best gift I could get him...

He quickly snapped out of it. "Let's go inside."

Once we were inside and had taken off our shoes and coats, we walked towards the living room and sat down close to the fireplace.

"So, I'm guessing you don't like your birthday."

"No, I don't." He said, sighing. "I've never had much reason to celebrate an eternity of damnation."

I needed to make this birthday worthwhile. It was heartbreaking that years passed by, a bitter reminder of an unending life spent in misery. Not anymore, Damon. And I knew I had made up my mind, part of the influence coming from his answer.

"Before I give you your gift, answer me one question."

"Yes?" He asked, confused.

"Do you still love me?" Shock flashed across his face, before he hid it, masking the fact that I had taken him by surprise.

"Why do you want to know?" he asked, a little irritated. I think I hit a nerve.

"Damon, please." I said. "Just tell me the truth. I need to know."

He looked away, into the flames, before looking back into my eyes.

"Yes, Elena, I still love you. Love's not one of those things that simply goes away."

I smiled. "Thank you. And now for your gift...Come with me upstairs."

"Upstairs?" he asked, in disbelief. "Are you trying to seduce me, Elena?" he laughed.

I raised an eyebrow and thankfully he stopped.

"You're not serious?" His eyes were amused but his face was a mask of different emotions. Shock. Confusion. Curiosity. Happiness. And something else, I couldn't place. The strongest though was lust—I could tell because his pupils dilated and the veins around his eyes became slightly more prominent contrasting with his alabaster skin tone, before he closed his eyes, and they disappeared yet again.

"Well, I didn't know what to get you, and what better gift than me?" I smiled, trying to make light of the situation. I was becoming a little unsure, questioning whether I had made the right decision. "Look, Damon. I care for you. A lot. I think...I think I might even love you. All I know is, I don't want to waste my time focussing on what could have been had Stefan remained his old self. I want to move on with my life and I want to be with you. I'd like to give us a try, if you still want to be with me, that is." I finished.