Another one-shot – I'm becoming addicted.

I like this story; it just popped in my head and of course I couldn't help but write it down. Just to let you know, this is before the whole Klaus/sacrifice thing happened. Just kinda forget about that bit, because it doesn't relate to this one-shot.

Hope you like it! And don't worry, I'm trying to write my other story as fast as I can, but I'm having a bit of writer's block with it. Let's hope I get through it, because I really believe it's a fantastic story – perhaps (dare I say it?) my masterpiece. QUICK, touch wood in case I've jinxed myself! :-)

xXx

The Quiet Moments

They did it then, in those quiet hours, right before the sun began to rise until the birds stopped chirping their morning calls to each other. It was Elena's favourite time: she could do things that weren't, well, right or expected of her shall we say, and no one would know. Or at least, Bonnie and Stefan and Jeremy wouldn't know. Elena had a feeling that Caroline had guessed, but the vampire knew better than anyone what is was like to be torn in two ways.

She woke up that morning with her face against his stomach. She took in a breath, drawing strength and courage from his scent. She stayed there for a moment, pressing her face into his skin. It was surprisingly soft, considering he was meant to be a vampire. Elena didn't know why, but she assumed the skin of a vampire would be dry.

Gently she moved off the bed. Stark naked, she threw on a clean set of his boxers and his shirt. She knew he would prefer her to be naked so he could run his hands down her skin, his touch eventually leading to his kisses and eventually taking them back to bed for one more time.

It was wrong, she knew that. She stared out the window. The sun was beginning to rise, putting the world in an orange light. A few weeks ago Elena barely ever saw the sun rise; now it was becoming a common thing, a morning ritual. She had now gotten into the habit of rising when the sun did. Since she did not get any sleep until about two or on a good night three, she often went home and had afternoon naps. Stefan was concerned and Jenna believed she was coming down with the flu and shoved vitamins down her throat. Elena didn't have the courage to tell her that the flu was the least of her worries.

Yes it was wrong, so very bad, but Elena couldn't stop. Every time she left, walking home in the early morning light, or even when she sat down in the living room pretending to do some homework (another thing that was taking a serious hit), she told herself it would be the last time. But that evening she would get up, sneak out of the house and walk to the boarding house. It was as if she was drawn to it, like a magnet. When she walked into his bedroom, he would look up and give her a smile, not surprised to see her. It annoyed her that he was amused and even pleased with himself. He never said anything to her; he would simply walk towards her and began to take her clothes off. She shivered even now, remembering how tonight he slowly tore her shirt. She had snapped at him, but he hadn't stopped; he continued tearing her shirt. She reminded herself not to wear anything that was expensive.

She had never felt desire like this before. With Damon it was passionate, their love-making furious, Elena unable to stop from crying out, her heart racing. Her nails dug into him, and he smirked down at her. Yet it was intimate too, surprisingly. Of all the things she had thought of Damon as a lover, intimate was not one of them. But once they had finished having sex they both collapsed on the bed, panting, and Damon pulled her towards him, her mouth kissing her forehead. Elena curled her body round him, her head on his chest. They were silence, working with the quiet moments of the morning, his head gentle moving up and down her back.

She had never felt so comfortable with him. Her mask was gone, his skin shredded to leave the real her. Damon didn't care though, and that's what she adored about these moments. She was herself, the girl who wasn't a straight A student, had hurt other people and had cheated on her boyfriend. She didn't have to keep it up the perfect charade, the one she felt she needed when she was Stefan's girlfriend; as Damon's mistress, the perfect rose could wilt.

Her affair with Damon was a part of her life now. She gave up sleep and work for him; she began shopping for lingerie to wear for him. She didn't know who she was anymore. But Damon was like a drug to her; she couldn't and wouldn't give him up.

Stefan didn't know, or at least Elena didn't think he did. When she didn't spend the night with him he was usually out hunting, since the animals came out more often at night. It was why Elena left before he came back. She loved Stefan, she didn't want to risk ruining their relationship.

But like she said, she couldn't give Damon up.

As she was thinking she felt him wrap his arms round her waist. She turned her head towards his embraced, nuzzling her face in his shoulder. "Hi," she whispered.

"Good morning," he said, and she felt his smile in her shoulder. Her heart skipped a beat. He was happy. This happiness was strange for Damon: he could be pleased or smug, but not happy like he was now; like nothing in the world was as bad as it had been yesterday. "Do you want breakfast?"

"We can't go downstairs," Elena said quickly. She daren't, in case Stefan found them. She was surprised to find that she missed doing the simple things with Damon, such as having breakfast while wearing his clothes, or walking down the street holding his hand. Whenever she thought of that, of what she was doing, she hated herself because she was just like Katherine.

Damon chuckled. "I know, which is why I brought breakfast to us." He indicated two cups of coffee and a box of doughnuts lying on the bed.

Elena stared at them, her mouth slowly forming into a smile. The simple act of bringing them breakfast made her smile; it was something so thoughtful, something she hadn't thought that Damon would do. "When did you sneak out?" she asked, her voice sweet with surprise.

"While you were staring out the window, being broody. I couldn't have my girl being boring, so I decided to cheer you up."

My girl. Her heart gave a leap and for an instant she felt her smile widen. She tried to cover it though, once she remembered it wasn't meant to be this way. Instead she said, "Thank you Damon. I didn't expect this." She leant forward and kissed him softly on his lips.

He held onto her a second longer. "I would do anything for you," he murmured in her ear before releasing her.

Elena knew she should take every precious moment of these quiet morning while could. She didn't need to be a witch to see the future: she knew Damon would soon get tired of this and eventually demand something more. Eventually she would have to choose between them both. She had no idea who she would pick; she dreaded the day she would have to decide.

She knew one thing though: she looked damn good in black.