AN: This one kind of got away from me!

Prompt: "And for the first time she saw herself the way he saw her." by petrova39

I'm really not sure if it fits the prompt totally but this is the way the characters wanted to go! Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own 'The Vampire Diaries'.

Damon sighed wearily as he walked into his bedroom. His back straightened, ready for action, as he sensed another presence in his room but, as the familiar honeysuckle scent reached his nose, his body relaxed unconsciously.

"You're done ignoring me, then?" he said gruffly, stripping off his leather jacket and collapsing onto his huge bed. The sheets puffed up around him and he stared at the ceiling as he waited for her to speak. Moments passed but no more words were uttered until he finally gave in. "Either tell me why you're here or get out," he grumbled, closing his eyes as he readied for sleep.

"I'm sorry," Elena murmured softly. Her feet moved of their own accord until she was standing at the foot of his bed. Her hands wrapped around the ornate, oak bed frame as she stared at his almost motionless body. She would have thought he was dead if it wasn't for the subtle rise and fall of his chest, the dull beat of his heart and the quiet whistle as air moved past his lips. The only reason she knew he wasn't dead was because he was just like her; undead. If she had been human, she wouldn't have been able to hear his heart or breathing or even see the infinitesimal movements of his chest. It still took some getting used to, all of the heightened senses. She supposed she should have learned to deal with being a vampire by now, it had been nearly four months after all.

"Now, what would you have to be sorry for, Elena? Maybe drinking the last blood bag? Or drinking my alcohol to satisfy your cravings, perhaps? Oh wait, maybe it's the fact that you told me you loved me, ran shit scared and avoided me for two weeks straight. So, which one is it?" His voice came out in an accusatory tone but he still held onto his sarcastic bravado.

Elena sighed, disheartened. She supposed she should have expected this type of response from him but it still stung nonetheless. She had done all of the things he had accused her of and she knew that, although he would never admit it, she had hurt him. She lowered herself onto the edge of the bed slowly, only receiving a small flicker of his eyelids in response. When he didn't reject her, she crawled along the mattress until she rested against the headboard beside where he lay. "I needed some time to process things," she whispered softly.

"Time?" he scoffed. "I've given you nothing but time."

"I know," she sighed. "I just- I needed to sort out where my head was... where my heart was."

Damon's eyelids flew open at her words and his cerulean gaze landed on her outstretched legs. Her jean clad thighs were a good place to look he decided, at least there he wouldn't be affected by her doe gaze. "And?" he muttered gruffly.

"I meant what I said that night," she smiled softly at the memory. "I didn't know that was how I felt. When I came to see you that night, I didn't expect to say... what I did."

Damon listened carefully to her words, trying desperately not to get his hopes up. It was only a matter of time before she took them back or he woke up and realised it was all a dream.

"I came over that night to thank you. Even after everything I've said, you were always there for me. And... I wanted to thank you for saving Jeremy from Tyler... Klaus," she sighed, rubbing her face in frustration. "But then we started fighting. God, why do we always fight?" she laughed ruefully.

"I do it in the hopes that it will one day lead to make up sex," he smirked.

"Shut up," Elena giggled, slapping his chest.

"Ow," he pouted. "Vampire now, remember? That means you can actually hurt me."

"Please," she huffed. "Like I could hurt you."

"Maybe not physically," he breathed, noticing from the corner of his eye that she stiffened at his words.

"I'm sorry, Damon."

"I know."

"Ahem," she coughed awkwardly as silence fell between them. "So, we were fighting and arguing and you were asking why I put myself in danger to save you from Klaus' hybrids and then, I finally realised it's because I love you. It took me so long to realise because I've never felt like this before. I thought I knew what love was," she murmured, lying down on her side so that she could watch every passing emotion on his face. "But what I feel for you is so much stronger than anything I've ever felt before and so, I ran from it. It was the unknown to me, like when I found out about vampires. I ran so that I could figure everything out before I got in over my head... both then and now."

"Did you... figure everything out?" His jaw clenched as he waited for her response.

"Yeah," she smiled softly, reaching down to tangle her fingers with his, reminiscent of their time in the dingy motel in Denvor. "I realised that I kept denying what was between us because I was scared. Your love, it consumes me and I didn't think I wanted that. I thought I needed a safe love and someone who could love me like that. It's why I chose Stefan when it came down to it. After losing so many people, it reminded me of my parents and Stefan was the one who saved me then. I thought that he would save me again. But, then I went into transition and it changed everything. I didn't need protecting anymore."

Damon stared at her silently as her chocolate eyes took on a faraway look as she remembered the first few days of her transition.

"All of my emotions were heightened and this thing between us was impossible to ignore. That's why I couldn't be with Stefan."

"Why didn't you just talk to me?" he spoke softly, squeezing her hand in encouragement as her words died on her lips.

"I didn't want to be Katherine," she sighed. "Back when she first showed up, I could always distinguish myself from her. I was human and she was a vampire. The fact that we were two different species helped me to separate us from each other. Even with the identical looks and the same interest in men, that was our defining difference."

"You're not like her. You're not," he reiterated when she scoffed.

"I still love Stefan," she muttered, closing her eyes when he winced. "And, I love you. How am I any different?"

"Because you didn't use and manipulate us. You fell in love. Believe me, you can't help who you love," he muttered. His jaw clenched as he remembered the one-hundred-and-fifty years he had wasted chasing after Katherine.

"Do you regret loving me?" she locked onto his blue gaze, desperate for his answer.

"Sometimes," he murmured. "But, that's when you're being a giant pain in my ass and I can't help but be turned on by it." Elena laughed at his response, it was so Damon. "Can I ask you something?"

She nodded as his voice lowered and he spoke seriously. "Do you love us differently?"

Elena didn't need him to clarify who he meant by 'us'. "Yes."

"Explain it to me," he persuaded as he ran his index finger along the length of her forearm.

"When I'm with Stefan, he makes me feel secure and safe. Ironic as that is, seeing as he was a vampire and I was a human for the duration of our relationship. He rescued me when I was falling apart and I owe him for that. But, when I'm with you... I feel like I'm out of control, like I can do anything and everything. You make me feel alive."

Damon chuckled lightly. "You can be so blind."

"What?" she grumbled indignantly.

"I guess that I'm going to have to spell it out for you. Do you love Stefan?"

"Yes," she whispered, chewing on her lip.

"Are you in love with him?"

Elena froze at his question, her brain becoming fuddled as she searched for her answer. "I-I," she stammered. "Oh, God. How didn't I see that? I love him, I do. And I was in love with him but now... I love him in the same way that I love Matt."

"Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner," he smirked.

"Oh, shut up," she grumbled, turning on her side so her back was to him.

"Ah, ah," he cajoled, curving his chest around her spine and wrapping his strong arm around her waist. "I haven't finished my questioning."

When she didn't object, he continued. "Do you love me?"

"Yes," she replied instantly.

"Are you in love with me?"

She paused slightly as a small grin flickered on her lips."Yes."

He smirked at the evident glee in her voice. Slowly, he turned her so that he hovered above her body. "Just so you know," he purred as he allowed his body to rest against hers fully, knowing that he wouldn't crush her now. "I'm in love with you, too." He lowered his head towards hers, capturing her lips in a tender kiss. Their lips moved in sync, like they'd done it a million times before, until Elena turned her head away.

"Damon," she grunted, trying to push him away as he trailed kisses down her neck.

Damon pulled his head back, taking in the anguished look in her eyes. He shook his head, "whatever you're going to say, just don't," he muttered pitifully.

"I love you," she declared grabbing onto his face with both hands. "Don't you ever doubt that."

"Then why..." he trailed off, placing a soft kiss to the skin of her palm.

"You still want me?" She continued when his eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "as a vampire?"

"You're not the monster you think you are," he breathed. "You're still the Elena that we all know and love, you're just more durable. Which is a very good thing because it's tiring having to save your ass all of the time."

"Ugh, shut up," she pouted though it turned into a giggle when he nuzzled against her neck playfully. "Will you not miss me being human?"

"There's benefits either way, Elena."

"That's not what I'm worried about," she sighed. "It's just that now, every time I look in the mirror, I see Katherine staring back at me."

Damon looked down at her and realised that her delusions were the real reason behind why it had taken her so long to admit that what was between them was, in fact, love. "Let's rectify that then," he purred. She stared at him in confusion when he moved from atop her until he stood beside the bed. He offered her his hand and she took it warily, allowing him to pull her gently from his bed. She followed on behind him as he moved across the room, only stopping when he pushed her in front if him so that she faced the large mirror. Immediately, her eyes darted away, not wanting to see her reflection.

"Un-uh," Damon sighed, wrapping his hands around her neck and tilting her head up with the tips of his fingers. "Do you want to know what I see?" He stared at her expectantly, only continuing when she gave him a slow nod. "Well, let's start at the top." His fingers weaved through her chocolate brown hair, gently massaging her scalp with his nails. She moaned as his ministrations caused goose bumps to rise on her skin, pouting when he stopped. "You probably don't know but your hair is actually about an inch longer than Katherine's and you have these subtle highlights," he motioned, fingering a slightly golden lock of hair.

"My hair lightens with prolonged exposure to the sun. It became permanent after three summers at the lake house," she smiled softly at the memories of all the summers she had spent in that house.

"Next up, your eyes," he captured her gaze in the mirror, holding her in place with his liquid ice stare and pulling her out of her reverie. "Katherine's eyes are cold and lifeless whereas your eyes are full of love and compassion and they give you away every time."

"Give me away?" she frowned. He trailed the pad of his thumb along the soft 'v' on her forehead until it disappeared and she relaxed against his chest.

"They say that the eyes are the windows to the soul and that rings true for you, Miss Gilbert." He slid his arms around her small waist and swayed softly to the beat of music that only he could hear.

"Next up is your smell."

"My smell?"

"Mmmhmm," he purred, running his nose up the length of her neck.

"Damon," she moaned as his tongue darted out to flick against her pulse point.

"Katherine smells of jasmine. You smell of honeysuckle which I love," he groaned, nibbling on her artery.

She froze at the combination of his words and caresses. "You mean, my blood?"

He nodded against her neck, his blue eyes darting to hers in the mirror.

"Does it taste the same as a vampire?" she said breathlessly as he ground his half-hard member against her ass. Her hips moved with his as he became harder with every undulation.

"The blood," he whispered, running his index finger down her artery, "it becomes slightly more potent. As with your senses, the taste of your blood becomes stronger."

Elena frowned. "Then, why don't vampires feed off of each other?"

"It requires trust, a lot of it. You have to be able to trust that the other vampire won't drain you dry when they have the chance. It's easier with humans, the compulsion will make them easier to handle because you have power over their mind and they're weak physically as well," he clarified as Elena's eyes fluttered shut as his hot breath fanned over her neck.

"Do you want to?"

"Want to what?" he muttered distractedly as he placed more kisses along her throat, thrusting lightly against her ass.

"Feed from me?"

Damon froze at her suggestion, his hands tightening around her waist as images of what it could be like flooded his brain. "God," he groaned. "Yes. Yes, I do."

Elena tilted her neck away from him, giving him the perfect angle to attack her neck from. He bent his head down slowly and placed a soft kiss to her pulse point. She moaned as he sucked the skin into his mouth, giving her the impression that he was trying to mark her. She opened her eyes just as he reared back, unsheathing his fangs. His head fell forward in one fluid movement as his fangs penetrated the soft skin of her throat. Elena moaned at the sensation as his mouth sucked on the twin wounds, pulling her life source from her body. His hand tightened on her waist, clawing at the fabric of her sweater as his other hand anchored her shoulder to his chest.

A low, primal groan tore from deep within the recesses of his throat as her blood ran over his tongue. It was... ineffable and he found himself in euphoria. There was no other way to describe it. The taste of her blood was delectable but what made it even better was the taste of her emotions. Her compassion. Her anger. Her sadness. Her lust. Her love. He was drowning in her but he didn't want to take too much, didn't want to exploit her already generous gift.

Elena watched in awe as he pulled back from her throat. He moaned, his head falling back in pleasure. His mouth was open as he breathed heavily and she caught a glimpse of his blood-stained fangs. He lowered his head slowly, licking the last remnants of her blood from his lips.

"Wow," he chuckled huskily, a dazed look in his blue eyes.

"Good?" she murmured, her thighs rubbing together as she tried to relieve the need for friction that had built up as he fed.

"Indescribable," he growled, cupping her sex through her jeans. She gasped as his fingers began kneading her core and the heel of his palm pressed delightfully against her clit.

"D-Damon!" she breathed, leaning her head back onto his muscular shoulder. "God, yes!"

Damon nibbled on her earlobe, panting hotly into her ear as she writhed against his erection.

"There's a few more differences," he grumbled. "Like, this one." his other hand snaked under her sweater and camisole as he trailed his finger along the puckered skin of her almost unnoticeable white scar. "Chickenpox, right?"

Elena nodded her head dazedly as she continued to rock her hips against his hand.

"I'm guessing you'll taste different," he whispered into her ear as he moved his hand from her crotch. She mewled in protest at the lost fraction, clawing at his arm desperately as she tried to get his hand back to its previous position. He hushed her softly as he unbuttoned her jeans and slipped his hand underneath the waistband of her black panties. His fingers trailed through her small triangle of dark curls until they sunk into her warmth. Elena gasped as he scissored his fingers within her core and slowly started to thrust his fingers in and out. She moved her hips with his hand, desperate for the friction that he was giving her, as she looked her own dainty hand wrapped tightly around his wrist in an effort to keep it there.

Damon breathed in the scent of her sweey arousal, moaning as he cupped her breast underneath her camisole and his fingers tweaked her nipple through the thin fabric of her bra. Her breath quickened as her orgasm began to take over her body. He massaged his palm against her prominent button in slow circles as his fingers curled within her centre.

"Damon!" she cried out as she came. His fingers continued to pump into her core slowly as the waves of her orgasm passed over her body.

"Shh," he soothed as she whimpered in pleasure. As her hips stopped rocking against his hand, he pulled his fingers from her core slowly. Elena collapsed against his chest as he raised his fingers from her jeans. She watched as they glistened in the light and she knew that if she was still human, a rosy blush would be covering her cheeks at the sight of her feminine juices on his fingers. She watched in the mirror in awe as he raised them to his lips. His eyes closed in bliss as he sucked each digit into his mouth, licking her juices clean off his flesh.

"So sweet," he groaned. Elena's breath hitched in her throat as his eyelids flickered open and revealed his aquamarine eyes. They sparkled with lust as he stared at her body that was already becoming aroused again.

"I'm going to have you now," he purred. She gulped at his intense stare and nodded her head frantically in agreement.

Elena made a move to step towards the bed but his iron grip on her waist halted her movements. He shook his head as she arched her eyebrow in question. "Right here. I want you to see us together."

Elena's breaths turned to pants as erotic images flashed through her head. "Please," she moaned as his hands trailed up her stomach underneath her camisole. He trailed the material up her chest as she raised her arms so that he could remove it from her body. She caught the clothes in her hands and dropped them to the ground unceremoniously. Her chest heaved as he looped his arms around her and trailed his fingers along the olive flesh of her breasts that tipped out over the black cups of her bra. He tapped his fingers down her stomach, chuckling softly as her muscles convulsed under his feather light caresses.

Elena breathed in deeply when his index fingers slipped below the waistband of her jeans. He tugged on them, slowly pulling them down the length of her thighs. The boot-cut style meant that when he reached her knees, the material simply fell down to her feet of its own accord. She stepped out of them, kicking her foot out when they got trapped on her navy-blue Chucks. Damon groaned as she bent down to remove her shoes, inadvertently grazing his pounding arousal with her ass.

"Don't," he breathed out huskily, grabbing her arms when she tried to undo her laces.

"Why?" she frowned in confusion as his hand rubbed the back of his neck shyly.

"I might have had a few fantasies with them on and it's yet another difference between you and Miss Queen Bitch. Your sense of style isn't the sexiest," he hushed her when she started to mutter an indignant response. "But, it does have a weird way of turning me on."

Elena smirked giddily as she leaned back onto his chest and ran her trainer along his calf teasingly. "Can I undress you now?"she purred.

"Do as you please," he gestured towards his body. She turned around slowly and grabbed onto his blue shirt tightly. She fingered each button teasingly as she undid them, her fingertips trailing along each new bit of flesh that she uncovered. She fanned her palms across his pecs when the shirt was unbuttoned, enjoying the contrasting feeling of his soft skin gliding against her palms as her fingertips curled around his hard muscles. Her hands trailed slowly and delicately along his skin until she reached his shoulders and pushed the shirt to the ground. She rose up on her tip-toes and kissed him soundly. Her tongue swept over his bottom lips as her pearly white teeth sunk into his plump flesh.

Damon groaned, cupping her ass to steady her in the position as she nibbled on his lip and sucked it into her mouth. She released it from her mouth with a soft pop a few moments later and giggled at his dazed expression.

"You're teasing me," he moaned as she kissed along his strong jaw.

"No," she breathed, licking his earlobe lightly. "This would be teasing." Her fingers danced along his skin in tantalising circles until she reached his abdomen. She twirled her fingertips in the soft, jet-black hair of his happy trail before proceeding to sink her hand into his jeans. She smirked wryly at the skin-on-skin contact, realising he had forgone boxers. He sucked in a deep breath as her fingertips ran down his length and rubbed on the slit on the head of his cock.

"Elena," he moaned as she massaged his thick flesh. His eyes opened slowly as she encircled his member and began to pump him in his jeans. He watched her hand move within his jeans and grew even harder, if that was even possible. His blue eyes flitted all over her body until they rested on her face. He noticed the two white fangs first and as he tilted her head towards him, the veins on the soft skin underneath her brown eyes became visible. He trailed his thumb down her fang, her eyes widening as she realised that she had vamped out. She made a move to pull away but he held her in place with his strong grip and moved her head to his neck.

"Bite me," he pleaded. She looked into his earnest eyes and followed his guidance as he pulled her head towards the curve of his throat. She inhaled his musky scent but caught the sweet smell of his blood underneath at this close proximity. Her tongue darted out to lick his flesh, preparing his skin for her bite, and she moaned at the manly taste of his flesh; cologne mixed with Damon. She moved in closely and sank her fangs into his neck slowly, not wanting to hurt him with her lack of finesse. She drank greedily as his blood pumped slowly into her mouth, her hand still pumping his member readily.

Damon's hand found the back of her neck as he held her in place, finding great pleasure in the fact that he was feeding her. His breath quickened with each pull on his throat and tug on his cock until he couldn't bare it any linger. He felt his balls tighten and carefully pushed her away from him.

"Did I hurt you?" Elena asked startled, her fingers trailing over the bite as it closed up before her eyes.

"Nope. That was..." he whistled lowly. "I didn't want to cum in my pants and believe me, I would have in another ten seconds."

"I wouldn't have minded," she smiled coyly, placing a butterfly kiss to his sternum.

He laughed wryly. "I don't want to be unmanned, love. Now, turn around."

Elena did as she was told and faced the mirror as he moved in closely behind her. His fingers flicked the clasp of her strapless bra open, letting the twin pieces of black fabric go so that it fluttered to the floor. He palmed her breasts delicately, slowly massaging her supple flesh as he rolled her hardened peaks between his fingers.

"Please, no more," she whimpered as he nibbled on her neck. "I need you, Damon."

In one swift motion, he tore her panties from her hips. She gasped as the material whipped past her sensitive flesh and the cool air swirled around her molten core.

"You look perfect," he growled as he tore his jeans from his legs and kicked off his boots. "Hold onto the mirror."

Elena's hands shook as she grasped the dark wood of the frame. His hands found her waist as he tipped her forward slightly. His throbbing head grazed the flesh of her ass cheeks as he slowly slid between her thighs. He rocked his hips forward infinitesimally as he gently coated the head of his penis with her juices. As she shivered against his body and tightened her grip on the mirror, he took her by surprise and slammed into her with one swift thrust.

"Damon!" she screamed, her voice echoing throughout his large bedroom.

"Christ, you're tight," he groaned, lying against the skin of her back as he waited for her to adjust to the feel of him buried deep inside of her. "Really tight."

"Fuck me," she pleaded.

"I'd rather make love to you," he whispered, pressing a tender kiss to her spine. "I'll make love to you like a vampire should."

He slowly pulled out of her warm heat only to sink back into her a mere second later. She moaned as he thrust into her, each motion deeper and quicker than the last. Elena rocked her hips back against his, panting as sweat began to form on her skin.

"Damon!" she growled as he pounded into her. She slid one of his hands to her breast as he continued to make love to her. He grunted with pleasure as their bodies moved together seamlessly. As he felt his climax approaching, his other hand slid down her stomach until he reached her clit and his fingers moved with inhuman speed as he rubbed her sensitive flesh.

"Damon!" she screamed, a whimper falling from her throat as the sensations of her orgasm rocked through her body. She began shiver as each wave seemed to attack her every cell and overcome all of her senses. As her inner walls fluttered and tightened around his cock, Damon came right along within her. Her growled her name as he thrust into her core one more time as hot jets of cum erupted from his cock. He panted heavily as his body fell against her back.

Elena's knees gave out from under her at his weight rested upon her and she began to fall. His arms swooped beneath her as he lowered them to the ground slowly and cradled her in his wamr and loving embrace. He slid out of her regretfully, a grimace on his face as her walls tried to hold onto him, and tucked her against his chest as her body continued to vibrate with energy. Her hands grabbed at him as she desperately tried to cling onto reality.

"Wow," she breathed as her body began to calm down. "Is it always like that for you?"

"God, no," he moaned as he remembered the feeling of her walls tightening around his member when she climaxed.

She chuckled huskily as she felt him grow at the small of her back. "There's something to be said for vampirism."

"What's that?" he mused, pouting as she pulled away.

"Great stamina. Would you mind terribly if I used your body to investigate my theory?"

She had barely finished her sentence when he appeared on the bed, stretched out, ready and waiting. She slowly stood up, still staring at him in the mirror when her gaze darted to her own reflection. She stared at her naked body, her eyes flicking towards Damon as be watched her every move. Her lips quirked into a smile as she looked at herself. She finally saw herself the way that he did. Not Katherine. Not a human. Not a vampire. Just Elena.

Pretty please review, I'm especially nervous about this one! Amy xo

Twitter: _amygerrard