Having your neck broken, sucked. No matter which way you sliced it, it was painful. Elena quickly realized Damon was cradling her close to his chest, her head comfortably against his shoulder. She didn't deserve the tender way he held her. She didn't deserve anything from him. Her arm dangled lifelessly, and for a moment she pretended to be unconscious. She just memorized his scent, leather and whiskey. It would be so easy to just pretend that she wasn't awake, just to steal these few precious moments that were strictly them. Those moments that made her love him even more, made her start falling in love with him when he rescued her so many times before. She felt every flex of his fingers, trying to reassure himself that she was okay. It felt so good to be this close to him. They always took the coward's way out and maybe it was time that she proved to him that she meant it when she said she loved him. As heavy as they were, she lifted her arms to snake around his neck, snuggling a little closer to him.

Damon froze for a second. "Are you okay?" he asked, nuzzling her.

Tears stung her eyes at his concern, but she felt relief seep through when he didn't put her down, or push her away. "I'll be okay," she said, finally opening her eyes, seeing some trees passing over her head, a clear sky, and million twinkling stars. "Where are we going?" She hoped it was back to Mystic Falls. She just wanted to sleep for a week and along side of Damon.

"Your dorm room," he answered.

Elena shook her head, her grip tightening on him as her heart dropped. "I think its time to go home Damon," she said, bumping her nose against his jaw. "I don't want to fight anymore." They were both stubborn as mules, as they were always going to butt heads, but it was because they loved each other so much. No one had ever made her as angry, hurt, sad, cherished, safe, wanted, and loved as much as Damon did. She needed it all.

"You're just tired Elena," he mumbled, almost trying to pull her away from his body. "Everything will be back to normal tomorrow."

"Damon stop," she said, tugging his face towards her to meet her gaze, faltering his steps. He seemed almost surprised at how she was responding to him. He was expecting a fight, and she wasn't giving him one. Fighting was the easy part. Everything else scared the shit out of them, and neither of them could man up and admit it. "I'm being serious. We are both too afraid to see this through and I am done taking the easiest way out."

For the briefest of moments he seemed to consider what she was saying. He acted like he didn't want anything to do with her and she should know better. He never showed his true emotions especially where she was concerned. "I just proved to you Elena that I'm a killer," he said. "How is it possible that every person I've ever been close to, I manage to kill someone they love? You, Ric, Enzo… it's a deadly cycle Elena. One that we shouldn't continue."

"I love you, Damon," she whispered, like it was all she had left. "I am never going to stop. You're just going to have to get used to it. I love the good and the bad."

Damon sat down on a stone bench, settling her in his lap. "I love you too Elena," he said, firmly, pulling her close to him. "I just want better for you. You deserve better then… this." He thought he was doing the right thing by letting her go, but he didn't want to be away from her anymore than she did. He should keep going and take her back to her dorm room where she would be safe while he ran far, far away from her. But he couldn't stop touching her. He hadn't touched her in weeks. Just to be near her. His hands couldn't stop, try as he might.

Her hands reached out to stroke his cheeks, his eyes automatically going to the healing burns on her wrists. He cradled them close to him, pressing a soft kiss to her flesh. "The happiest we've ever been is with each other," she said. "We're stronger, happier, and better Damon. Both of us. You think I would be able to keep control if you weren't here with me?" She shook her head with a sigh. "I never knew how painful it was for you, until I turned off my emotions. Why you fought for so long to keep them off. But I want to feel Damon… I want to feel for you. You are worth everything we've gone through. We have survived everything that the universe has done to us, even before we were together. We always survived. And we can have it all back."

"I want that too Elena," he admitted, resting his forehead against hers. He could be better when she was around, he was better. He was just stubborn… one of them was going to have to cave on that, at least a little. But he couldn't lose her. Bad things always seemed to happen when they were apart, and she would be safer with him protecting her. "You have no idea how much."

"Then take me home," she said.

He easily scooped her back up and headed back to his car. "That's the best thing I've heard in weeks," he said, setting her in the passenger side. As soon as he was behind the wheel, she was stretched across the front seat, her head pillowed on his leg, exhaustion claiming her instantly, knowing she would be safe now. A dumb smile curved on his lips as his hand settled on her waist as they headed back to Mystic Falls. They could handle this… he could handle this. He could get his act together and always have Elena by his side, like he knew it should be. They belonged together, he felt it deep within the confines of his dark soul when she was near. How could he possibly give her up?