A/N: Final chapter. Thank you for all the responses to the first chapter =) This is still supposed to be part of the same missing scene. Hope you enjoy it.

Damon had compelled his way into the nearest motel. He claimed that they only had double bedrooms free. She didn't believe him.

Letting out a frustrated groan Elena tangled her hands in her hair. What was she even doing here? How'd she get into this mess? Her head was still swimming slightly so she shut her eyes and held it until the bathroom door clicked open.

"You all right?"

She was always surprised at how caring he made his voice.

"What'd you care?" she mumbled and looked up at him; immediately staring. He'd put trousers back on at least but the rest of him was bare. He was definitely showing off and combined with the ruffled wet hair…

Damon was good at schooling his facial features so he didn't show any reaction when he heard her heart accelerate and caught her appraising glance. Interesting. She was not so immune then as she would like him to believe. 'Stefan's girl,' his mind whispered treacherously and he pushed it away.

"I care…" he said slowly, patronisingly, and then paused. "Actually, you're right. I don't."

He strolled out of the bathroom and began pulling on a shirt. He nodded at the bed.

"You're supposed to be asleep. Don't want you dozing off on the drive tomorrow. It would make it so…peaceful."

She glared at him.

"And you will be sleeping…"

"I won't." He didn't go into the fact that the huge healing he had to affect meant that he needed blood, now, and unless she was offering…

Elena lay down on the bed fully clothed, not that he'd expected anything less.

He waited until he thought she was asleep and was about to slip out when he heard her mumble, "I look like her."

He stilled. No point pretending he didn't know who she meant, he'd eavesdropped on enough of their conversations.

"Yes." He was surprised by the thread of pain that seeped into it. He's have to get rid of that.

There was a long pause before she spoke again. Her voice heavy with sleep.

"Am I a game to you?"

Damon strode silently around the edge of the bed and looked down on her. Elena's eyes were shut, her breathing even and deep. She hovered between waking and sleeping, in the instant where she would remember none of this in the morning, unsure if it had been a dream. She wouldn't ask him.

"Why would you be?" he asked, low and melodic.

"Because of her," she sighed into the pillow, "because of Stefan."

He felt that strange compulsion then, like a tug in his chest, just to be honest, just to tell her the truth. He felt it more keenly around her, gave into it much more readily, because it was Elena that asked.

"You were. Not anymore."

Her eyelids fluttered like she was trying to wake up and he felt a strange thread of panic that prompted his hand to reach out and stroke the skin by her eyes. She settled again and he felt the relief. He didn't want to remove his hand, couldn't seem to manage to, but instead let it lightly whisper over the softness of her face.

"Why?" Even almost asleep she sounded confused, so unaware of the effect she had on others, her brow furrowing slightly in that way it did and his fingers brushed over the lines.

"Because you cared."

He was glad she was asleep. He was glad she couldn't hear the pain and the warmth and the longing in his voice. He remembered the instant it all changed, standing in her kitchen, trying to get a rise out of his brother, trying to ruin their happiness anyway he could, wanting her to kiss him just so he could rub it in Stefan's stupid face that Katherine's doppelganger would take either of them as well. Then she had moved to him, her eyes deep with some emotion and she had told him she was sorry.

"What for?"

"Katherine. You loved her too." She might as well have punched him in the stomach. No one had ever…it had always been about Stefan, poor Stefan…and yet she, who had every reason to side with his brother, understood. She who looked so like the woman he loved, but wasn't. That's when she had become Elena to him. That's when she stopped being a game.

"Damon?"

Her eyes were open and she was frowning up at him sleepily. His smile was gone as he looked down at her, removing his hand.

"Go back to sleep Elena." He headed towards the door. "I'm going out." He flashed her a feral grin. "Don't wait up."

She was asleep before he was out the door.