Elena sighed as she stared out across the tree tops. She loved sunsets, and the twilight hours that followed. A secret she had guarded, even from Stefan. To afraid that he would compare her to her night loving, murderous doppelganger. It wasn't an attraction she had developed since knowing him. She had loved sunsets ever since she had been born. Her mother told her once that when she was a baby she would always stop crying when the sun started to set as long as she could see it that is. If not then she would scream until she was brought near a window. It was an attraction her and her mother shared. The time of day for secrets. Elena came back to the present opening her eyes and watching the explosion of oranges and reds deepen to indigos and violets as twilight approached. She jumped slightly at the voice behind her,

"What are you doing?" Damon said from the doorway. He had secretly been watching her for the past 2 minutes. Memorized by the light encasing her thin form. The golden setting sun gleamed in her hair and gave her skin a golden gold. He had watched as the light had slowly faded and twilight set in. The darker light did not diminish her beauty.

"Damon! You scared me!"

"I believe that this is my room?" He said as she turned back to the open French doors.

"Hmmm..." She said not really looking at him. He super sped over to where she was standing stopping just behind her, his chest lightly touching her back.

"I said I believe this is my room. What are you doing in here?" She had jumped slightly at his voice directly behind her, but then she had relaxed.

"Watching the sunset. Your room has the best view."

"I know why do you think I picked it?"

She looked up at him surprise on her face. "You like sunsets?"

Damon just nodded, uncomfortable with sharing such a human part of him. His eyes widened when Elena turned back towards the sky and said "me too" as she leaned back and rested against him. "There is just something so utterly beautiful, but also sad about them. I don't know how to explain it. I've loved them since I was little. It always calmed me to sit at my window and watch them. Even now that I know what danger there is in darkness, I still feel utterly calm. My mother and I used to sit almost every evening and watch them together. She always used to say that time stops and anything done during a sunset stays with that sunset, a secret forever. We used to tell each other all sorts of things, even if I had done something wrong and she really should have told my Father she never did." She sighed relaxing further against him.

" You know you're safe here. You miss her very much."

"Yes, I do. I wish she was here. I have so many sunset secrets I would love to tell her."

"I understand." Damon said resting his cheek against her hair and breathing in her unique scent.

"Elena?" she hears Stefan yell from downstairs

"I better go."

"No stay, it's almost over." Damon said wrapping an arm around her waist. Elena relaxes into his hold. Just this once, she thinks, just this once.

"Elena are you almost ready, we will be late" Stefan calls again.

Elena sighs and Damon drops his arm. She turns to him and he can see the early starlight reflected in her eyes as she smiles. "Don't tell Stefan about the sunsets please, can we just keep it between us?"

He nods and smiles. "See you tomorrow same time?"

Elena smiles and stands on her tiptoes kisses him on the cheek and whispers "defiantly".

Damon smiles as he watches her walk from the room. " You know, I respect sunset secrets too." Elena pauses and turns back a small smile on her face, before she continues out the door. Damon's eyes never leave her form. Even though it kills him, it hurts a little less knowing that he will get to spend these few moments with her. Something Stefan will never get to do. He understands why she doesn't want to tell Stefan. He will worry she is getting to sucked in, too much in love with his, their, world. But Damon understands, it isn't about the darkness, it's about the light, the colors, the quiet, and the secrets. He understands.

Author's Note: Just something I had in my head. I kinda live in the middle of nowhere and get some spectacular sunsets, obviously I was inspired….heehee. I hope you enjoyed. Please please review, I do really enjoy hearing from people.