AN: Hey, this is my first shot at writing this category and fandom, hope you guys like it. Sorry if my characters are a tad out of character. I tried my best and I think I did well.

Elena walked away from Stefan tears running down her cheeks. She couldn't believe they were over. And not pretend over…no… real over. It had to be. Katherine wouldn't stop she had proved that trying to kill Jenna off. Elena couldn't risk the ones she loved anymore just to be with him. She had to burn all ties to him so that Katherine would leave. But would she leave? Or would she take Stefan with her when she left. Elena shivered, she couldn't think of her evil doppelganger being with her Stefan.

She made her way to the door not even seeing Damon there until he called for her. She turned around and faced him, his face was vulnerable something he didn't let people see. Her heart broke even more for a moment. She cared for Damon regardless of what she told him. He meant a great deal to her and she didn't like seeing him hurting either. His words confirmed what she already knew. He was vulnerable like this with sadness in his eyes because he had let something hurt her. That was the Damon she had missed the last passed weeks. That was the Damon she cared deeply about. Her words betrayed her as she said that nothing mattered anymore. Everything mattered.

Damon stepped forwards bridging the gap and she knew, as he pulled her into his arms, that he had overheard their break-up. So hurt and utterly devastated was she that she didn't even push him away. It had been the old Damon anyways that was hugging her she reasoned with herself. She had trusted that Damon. He held her against his chest and she breathed in his scent. It was different than Stefan's… it smelled of masculinity and a ruggedness that Stefan's scent lacked. She snuggled in, at once feeling safe from Katherine and all her games, away from the hospitals and the hole in her heart that she now felt. Damon's hands rubbed her back soothingly as she cried softly in his arms.

"It will be alright Elena," he whispered knowing that Stefan would come racing in to attack him if he knew. She shook her head against his chest.

"She'll destroy everyone… she'll take Stefan away from me," Elena sobbed her voice rising. For the very first time, Damon was grateful that Katherine loved Stefan and not him, it allowed him to be here for Elena. But he knew that they would not have long before they were interrupted by a raging Stefan.

"Come with me," Damon said softly, not demanding at all. He gently pulled her away from him, and at arms length he looked into her eyes.

"Please," he asked. "Come with me and let me ease your pain. Let me take you away from all the things that make you remember him and Katherine and all the pain that this town holds."

Elena searched his eyes in shock. How could he be asking that? Yet his eyes were so tender and loving that she couldn't say no. He loved her; she truly believed that regardless of the lies she told to herself. She did need a break from all the evil this town held… what could a small reprieve cost? She placed her delicate fingers around his neck as she stepped into his embrace.

"Go," she whispered as she felt his hands on her hips. There was a quick breeze and then a new scent in the air causing her to open her eyes. She stepped out of Damon's arms and looked around. They were surrounded by fields and fields of flowers, a sun setting right in front of them.

"Damon," Elena started, brushing away her tears. "This place is beautiful."

She let herself fall unto the ground as she stared up into the sky. Damon smiled to himself as he sat down beside her. They were back. Elena and Damon. Friends, confidant, and more. The more would come in time, but he knew that he was back on her good graces and that he would never make a mistake like that again. He couldn't blame his brother. It wasn't his fault Elena was like this. No, it was Katherine's and for a moment he felt rage, his eyes getting black and veiny. But just as quickly as that rage came, it ended as he saw Elena's tension leave her. This was the way she was supposed to be living her life. Free from the crazy world they had enforced on her when they had arrived, bringing their problems with them.

"Elena," Damon started and then stopped. Last time he had shared his feelings with her things hadn't gone right. Now was the worst time ever but what choice did he have? They were alone, she was feeling completely hurt and… he needed to help her feel like life was worth living for again.

"I just want you to know that I will always be there for you. If Katherine doesn't let up… I'll be right by her side fighting her. I will do whatever it takes to make you happy again. The way you were before we came to your town."

Elena turned around, her eyes grateful for his words then they turned dark. "Even if that means killing Katherine so I can be with Stefan?"

Damon felt as if a stake had been plunged through his chest. "I love you so much Elena… why can't you see that?" he pleaded, his eyes showing his weakness.

Elena's hand reached over to touch his cheek. "I do Damon. I know how you love me, but I… I… love Stefan. I don't think that will ever change. I don't want to hurt you by saying this, but I could only love you as a good friend."

Damon's eyes closed to hide his tears Elena was sure. Damon was too tough and had too much pride to cry in front of anyone, even her. Stefan had cried and not been ashamed to show her his pain and anguish. That's what separated them. Damon… she wasn't sure if he would ever completely let her in. And then that's when it all began to change. He opened his eyes. Elena was shocked to see watery eyes staring back at her as a few stray tears rolled down his cheeks.

"Give me one chance Elena," he said his voice cracking for the first time since she'd known him. He raised his arm even though it was shaking lightly and reached over to touch her face. His helplessness shown through his eyes as Elena felt that wall he'd built falling down. He was opening up…completely.

"If… if we go back together… as a couple… Katherine will give up and maybe she'll leave. Regardless we need time to come up with a plan to attack her. She's very cunning and we'll need to collect our thoughts and best tactics to kill her. She'll get thrown off trail if she thinks you've really left Stefan," Damon paused letting her get caught up with the meaning of his words.

"Let me prove that I can be better than Stefan just for the time it takes to get rid of Katherine," Damon continued gently, he paused again for quite some time watching her every eye flicker before saying the words that make his heart ache.

"And," his finished, his voice very low, getting ready to digest every bitter word he was about to say.

"…if you still want to be with Stefan I will let you go and be with him. One chance Elena, one chance that might make your entire world exactly how you've never dreamed."

"Damon I…" Elena stuttered, too overwhelmed to be able to think properly.

Date Damon? Well pretend to date him. How could she do that? To go back and see Stefan and make him believe that she was with his brother as if what they had had wasn't real? She couldn't make his pain even worse. Besides wouldn't that just cause a huge and potentially lethal fight amongst the two of them? Still… if Damon was right, it could save her family's lives. If they could fool Katherine just long enough to kill her then she would be free to live her life with Stefan. But could she take advantage of Damon like that? To abuse his feelings for her in false pretences that she could fall for him?

Staring into Damon's eyes she knew she had to be straightforward, it was the only way. And if he still could agree to this charade then she would do it gladly. She'd do anything to fix this mess. She took a deep breath.

"I'll do it, Damon," she said softly but then quickly continued when she saw his face brighten up.

"But you have to know that my feelings for Stefan will not change. I don't see why you'd do this… knowing that… but yes Damon… I would forever be in debt to you if you were to help me get rid of Katherine."

Damon sighed deeply. He had to take what he could get even though her words were vervain covered arrows to his heart. He had to believe that he could change her mind. He had to believe that she was lying to herself. Just like he'd called her on. He nodded, leaning backwards on his hands to stare into the sky. Hope…that was something he hadn't felt in decades. Elena let her back fall unto the flowers as she followed his lead and looked into the stars.

"Alright," he concluded their arrangement. Elena turned on her side and stared at him. They soon fall into a peaceful calm as they gazed into each other's eyes. Elena, for all the walls she put up around Damon, hadn't even realized that she had been captivated once again by those eyes, not realising the time passing or the cold air nipping at her exposed skin. She didn't know how long she lay their just watching him and staring into his eyes but she was brought out of the spell he'd cast by a shiver that ran through her body.

"It's cold," she whispered. He stared at her but didn't answer. "Was this all part of your plan?" Elena shivered again, her quick laughter somehow breaking the heaviness in the air.

Damon chuckled, turning to face her. "Vampire remember?" he said through another chuckle. "Cold skin…" he finished, a smile on his face.

Elena blushed, a cute shade that made him remember why he loved her. "Oh, right," she responded unintelligently. "I guess I forgot for a moment," she said truthfully.

Damon's heart raced. She had seen him as a man, pure and simple. Not as a vampire who was condemned and evil but as a man who loved her more than anything. It was a feeling he had never felt before, and he welcomed it gladly. She couldn't possibly know how much those words meant to him.

Damon shrugged off his jacket and gently placed it on her shoulders. "Let's just lay here some more before we go back okay? I want this to be real. No charade, no pretending, but just you and me feeling this happy and peaceful," he said softly from beside her.

Elena nodded and she breathed in his scent off his jacket. "I'd like that very much, Damon," she whispered back, staring into his eyes. She didn't know what was happening, but she could feel something new stirring deep within her and it was something strong despite her words of her feelings never changing.