In fire and blood

Disclaimer: The characters and other things from The Vampire Diaries don't belong to me. Credit goes to the rightful owners.

Damon stood from the darkest corner of Elena's room, perfectly still as he watched her sleep. He watched her chest rise and fall in a rhythm that brought him a sense of peace, even if he was fully aware of what he could never be in her life.

Elena saved him again, leapt over fire, begged and pleaded with her best friend to keep him alive. It was just like that night in Atlanta, back when he barely understood the power she held over him. All he knew then was that she refused to walk away or watch him die, to be swallowed up by flames that would claim his undead life.

The desire to read into her actions shot madly through him, tearing at his heart, daring it to hope. But he looked at his hands and he knew what he had done. He had crossed a line and he had no right to even look back. Every tear that fell from her face was all on him, on his hands.

Damon knew Elena would forgive him because she still trusted him, with her life, even her heart. Her instincts still screamed that she still cared. She followed him when he said he needed to talk, protected Caroline with her life—knowing in the recesses of her mind that Damon would stop if she asked, still do anything for her.

"No, no, stop, no don't hurt him…" she whispered with urgency. Damon became alert, checking quickly around him for any sign of danger, but he found Elena's eyes still closed as her face contorted with anxiety, a heart-wrenching panic causing tears to spill unknowingly.

He clenched his jaw, fighting the urge to run to her side and hold her in his arms. He resisted wanting to carry her in his arms like he did once before and just take off with her, run away from this town and its complicated history. If he could, he wouldn't mind living a lie anywhere as long as it was with her.

"Bonnie, don't do this please. Don't hurt him. Don't hurt Damon. Please." Elena said with raw desperation that made Damon take a step closer before taking another one back. He watched her turn her clutch her pillow tighter as she pleaded into the silence a third time since he met her, for his safety, for his life and for a love she couldn't recognize.

"Why, Elena, why did you really stop her?" Damon whispered, balling up his fists at his sides, as he continued to stay rooted in place against every impulse that drove him to run to her side.

"Because I love him," Elena said into the night, answering the dream and telling the man who almost gave up on believing he was worth anything.

Damon closed his eyes wishing he could see inside her mind, her dream, and just for a second live in that world where she could admit what was really inside her. He wanted to believe that there would a day when she could say that with eyes wide open to his darkness and a heart ready to forgive his sins.

Damon shook his head and opened his eyes. This was reality. He can only watch her and pretend none of it mattered anymore. His role was to be cunning, take risks no one else would and do everything to protect her. For both their sakes, their collective sanity, he needed to play his part as the brother no one wanted.

He heard rustling and sensed that Stefan was coming, for what reason he couldn't stay to find out. Damon turned to go out the open window and looked back just once at Elena's sleeping form, her face now calm and peaceful, with every trace of the nightmare gone.

"Thank you," he whispered softly, knowing, even if he was the stronger one, it wouldn't be the last time she would save him.