An Understanding (Damon and Elena)

Chapter Three

The atmosphere is cool in my house. Alaric and Jenna are fast asleep.

From the doorway I watch damon pull the blanket up to cover Jeremy. "Night Jer." He whispers, before his eyes drift too me. They go wide.

"You didn't see that." He points to me.

"See what?" I raise my eyebrows while smirking.

He does a half smile but I can sense the sadness behind it. I know what it's about.

"Damon look at yourself." I Point to his reflection in the mirror. He glances at himself before staring at me. I turn to face him, and grab both his hands and press them against his chest. "You are flawed I know, but to some extent we all are. I care about you damon, and you can't beat yourself up over what happened a hundred years ago!"

"Don't defend me on this elena! I messed up, and I don't want to hear you say what you usually say!" He shouts at me.

I look up at him angrily. "Oh yeah? And what is that?!"

"That I'm good, that I can't admit anything to myself the same way you can't admit your damn feelings for me. That we are both stubborn, and don't want to admit what we don't want to be true. I'm bad, and you're so good. I don't deserve you-"

"Damon STOP right there! Just stop talking." I whisper, my forehead leaning against his. "Just don't say anything anymore." He grabs my face and presses his lips to mine, our mouths fitting together like we were specifically made for this: to be together.

He pushes me up against the wall and I kiss him back hungrily, forgetting the world around me. I want him- I want him so badly. I can't get enough of him.

Then it hits me like a truck. "I'm with Stefan. I love Stefan." I say, pulling away from him.

Damon's eyes turn angry. "Well it didnt look Like you loved him when we kissed the way you and him never will." Damon yells.

"I know and I am so sorry. This was a mistake." I bite my lip.

He stares down at me sadly, like a lost puppy. "Everything is ruined now! I ruined everything for Stefan." Damon rubs his temples. "You're not supposed to know that I care about him, because I don't." Confusion runs through me and he walks towards me. "I can see it Elena. You'll be a vampire one day. I'll do everything in my damn power to keep you from the fate. Just in case you actually are turned I'm going to have my witch friend erase all the memories that you have kissing me..Elena no matter what happens you cannot remember what just happened."

"Damon-"

"I'm so sorry elena." With that he vanishes, and I am completely disoriented.

I stir awake, my eyes flickering open. My back feels sore and I start to sit up.. I can't. I start struggling and panicking. There are chains tying me to a chair I'm lying in. The pain rushes in when I realize all of the chains are digging into my skin. I breathe rapidly and let out a long high-pitched squeal. It's vervain. "GET ME OUT OF THIS CHAIR!" I shriek, breathing hard, the sound of my voice coming out with each breath. The chains burn my skin and the pain won't stop. "Help me, please!" I start sobbing. "It hurts!" Tears stream down my face and I keep fighting to get out. I have my eyes shut, somehow hoping that it will help with the pain.

When I open my eyes I see a figure standing a few feet away. "Who's there" I demand, shakily. I hold in the yelps of burning I'm feeling from the chains. The figure take a few silent steps towards me and I freeze, taking deep gasps. Damon. The thought rings through my mind. Who is Damon? Who am I? Damon I need you! The frantic thought yells louder. I know I am thinking this but I don't know who Damon is.

I dig through my memories.. All I can find is flashes of my childhood. Nothing about my name or parents. What the hell is going on?

The figure finally reaches me. More like figures. A brunette who strikingly looks like me, a boy standing near her, and a short blonde."

"Hello Elena. We'll make this quick don't worry."

"Elena, I don't need you to like me, but I need you to trust me." He looks at me with hard eyes. "Do you?"

I take a breath and leap of faith. "Yes." I say, grabbing his hand.

We bend our legs and then jump off of the cliff. A high-pitched squeal escapes my lips, and I hold on to Damon for literal life.

I expect to hit the ground with a bone-breaking crash, but Damon catches me right before my body hits the rough concrete.

I feel like my bones left my body for a split second and quickly become dizzy.

"Hey, Elena stay with me." He touches his finger to my lips, making me look at him, but my head spins.

He supports my weight, but I feel myself quickly falling. "Damon.." I choke out. "Im in love with you."

I watch his eyes go wide.

"How are the tests going, doc? Is her brain receptive?"

"Very. Most of her emotions revolve around our little friend, Damon Salvatore." I wake up at the name.

I gasp and look around. Three faces stare down at me. Two of them look pleased, and the third looks guilty. "What's going on? What's happening?!" I cry. "I can't remember anything! Tell me what's happening to me!" My voice cracks.

"We're just experimenting on the vampire brain to study how it differs from the human." The blonde one answers for me. "And then we will use your blood to heal the witches, and them sacrifice you to complete the cycle." She grins, obviously pleased with the knowledge. "You might feel a little head ache, and memory loss. Lots of exciting flashbacks. Don't worry, this is nothing personal just strictly business."

"Get me out of this damn chair!" I shout. "Get me out of this damn chair right now!" I wriggle, my heart pounding.

"Don't bother trying. The sooner you accept this, the easier and less stressful it will be." She smiles at me, before returning to her gang of 'nurses'.