I told you I loved you because I was sired to youthose words had been ringing in his head all night as he tried to convince himself countless times that she had just said that to get a rise out of him. Once upon a time a heartless Damon had said things out of spite to hurt people and when he wanted people to back off he'd snap and do something reckless, just like Elena and in many ways he felt she was taking on his role yet he was far from flattered by it, if anything it had terrified him to know she was following in his path. Elena had saved him, when he had returned back to Mystic Falls he had been set on destroying the town that had destroyed him and crippled him yet somewhere along the way those brown doe eyes had entranced him and caused him to fall, hard. Elena had given him something he had thought he'd never have again, his humanity and there was no way in hell even with her taunting comments would he allow himself to give up on her.

Hiding the flask away in his tusk jacket his blue hues trained once again on her as she made the rounds saying hello to people, tonight's plan had consisted of making Elena feel again and considering she was at Prom he knew he had a chance of doing just that.

All along it was a fever

A cold sweat hot-headed believer

I threw my hands in the air said "show me something"

He said "if you dare come a little closer"

Damon watched as teens that most likely had never even experienced the definition of true heartbreak flooded the dance floor hand in hand as they began to sway with the slow song. Swallowing his pride and brushing aside the hurt he had felt at her comment he maneuvers his way between the crowd until he's standing in front of her, offering his hand out with his inviting smirk displayed on the corner of his lips "it is tradition."

For a fraction of a second Damon had thought he caught a glimmer of feeling reflecting in her dark orbs as she flicked her attention to his outstretched hand, and then just like that the moment was gone as she gave a roll of her eyes "what part of I feel nothing for you Damon don't you seem to understand" she coldly questions ignoring his hand completely.

'It's just one dance Elena what's the harm in one dance" he asks hoping he can real her in, but with the continued emptiness he sees in her eyes he knows his action will go as failed.

"No harm at all" she instantly comments not even giving him a chance to think she was resisting because she was afraid of feeling "I just don't want to dance with you."

Don't show defeat she wants that she revels in hurting you if anything she's exactly like how you were when you had flipped the switch and done the whole lights out he reminds himself drawing his hand back "your loss" he quips just as he's about to make his exit "oh going to go pout in a corner now" her taunting tone echoing in his ear closing his eyes for a moment before turning back around to look at her "the complete opposite actually….I didn't dress up in a monkey suit for nothing and though I may be overage" he quips recalling their past conversation moments ago "I know I look good and I'm sure some stars in their eyes teen would be honored among other things to dance with me….so you have fun being all diabolical in this here corner" his signature nonchalant tone doing its job as he offers her a sly smirk before disappearing off into the crowd.

Damon never had to glance back to know Elena's stare was boring into his back, if she was taking on the role of how he acted he knew she was standing there slightly in awe surprised at his dismissive tone. Elena didn't need to know it but it had been a lie he wasn't going to waste him time with sweet talk and act like a gentlemen to some tennie bopper teen he could care less about. Making his way past a couple of tables his baby blues lock on Bonnie sitting off on her own playing absent mindedly with the cup in front of her "sitting by your lonesome isn't the way to rake in Prom Queen votes Judgy" he says with a hint of a smirk. His eyes did a quick sweep around the room "the Quarterback clearly doesn't know the meaning of date" he teases before his eyes rest back on hers.

"Technically he's not even may date Caroline, Matt and I decided to do the friend prom."

"I've never been to prom or real school functions in my life except for these and that's only because I'm always on babysitting duty" rolling his eyes "but even I know it falls into the quite lame category when you go with friends….what's wrong couldn't find yourself a date?"

"Damon" her tone in warning as he catches the sadness in her eyes and immediately he finds himself mentally cursing himself out I forgot memory wiped feeling like an ass he decides to break his no dance rule policy offering his hand out to her.

Brows furrowing in confusion she flicks her attention to his outstretched hand "what are you doing?"

"I'm waiting for you to give me a high-five don't leave me hanging" he taunts before falling serious "you look beautiful Bonnie you shouldn't let it go to waste were you can't be seen….I know I don't fall into the category of being Prince Charming, but I can out dance him anytime….at least let me give you one dance" he states giving her an encouraging smile.

Eyeing his hand for a moment she gives a slight shake of her head "one dance" she firmly states before accepting his hand, rising from her seat and allowing him to lead her onto the already crowded dance floor.

Finding a spot and making sure that they don't get bumped by some idiot who most likely doesn't know how to lead he places his hand on the small of her back before reaching for her other hand and positioning it correctly. Focusing his attention on the song he begins to follow the beat offering her a small grin "see it's not that bad."

It somewhat surprised Bonnie how thinking back she had absolutely hated Damon with every fiber of her being but along the way hate turned into toleration and she could see that Elena had melted his cold exterior and she actually found herself able to be in the same room with him without feeling the need to cause him a brain aneurysm. Though Damon had been deemed as reckless there was goodness in him too granted most of his good deeds had to do with Elena it proved he did indeed have heart. Speaking of good deeds after having to relive all memories wiped from her Stefan had confessed something about his brother in which Bonnie felt she needed to thank him for, glancing up at the captivating alluring baby blues "thank you." Taking note of his arched brow she releases a soft sigh "Stefan ended up telling me how when all the others went back you stayed on the island to look for me….I know how hard it must have been for you when all you wanted to do was be beside Elena….but you stayed so" not believing she's actually saying this next word "thank you Damon."

Surprise was an understatement causing the Vampire to fall completely silent digesting her words recalling the deep ache in his heart watching as Stefan escorted Elena off the island, Damon's dead heart following beside her. Clearing his throat "Elena lost enough that day…..I refused to let her lose her best friend" silent for a moment "and maybe there's some part of me deep, deep, deep down" he emphasizes "that couldn't accept loosing you."

It was now Bonnie's turn to show surprise as she looked at him allowing his words to sink in though she couldn't manage a statement to follow his own a smile curled at the corner of her lips and she took notice of his lips matching hers.

Ooh the reason I hold on

Ooh cause I need this hole gone

Funny you're the broken one but I'm the one who needed saving

Cause when you never see the light it's hard to know which one of us is caving.

As quick as the rare smile he was displaying came it quickly vanished "Damon" saying his name as she takes note of his halted movements "what is it" when she doesn't get an answer she follows his line of vision until it lands on the sight of Stefan and Elena sharing an intimate moment on the dance floor. For a moment her gaze lingers on them before shifting her focus back to Damon studying the man before her. The smug expression that she was use to seeing was nowhere to be found as she only saw despair, the baby blues that reflected amusement only mirrored pain and it was in this moment that Bonnie wasn't looking at a Vampire, but a man, a broken man and in that moment Bonnie actually found herself feeling sorry for him. "Elena's gone."

Two statements in that moment seemed to be ringing in his head on constant repeat as his eyes remained on the pair too lost in each other to even notice him it's always going to be Stefan in that moment watching them it seemed to ring true I'm moving on bullshit complete bullshit all this time Stefan had given him the speech of moving on and yet that, that sure as hell didn't look like moving on. Teeth gritted together as he found himself resisting the urge to go connect his fist to his brother's jaw, but Bonnie's statement drew him away casting his gaze back at her "she's right there curled up in Saint Stefan's arms."

Bitterness was clear in his tone and she knew he was trying to brush off his pain by acting like an ass "physically she's there….but that's not Elena….that's not my best friend and that's not the woman you fell in love with" though its quick she catches him flinch ""that's not someone I'd sacrifice my own life for…..I may not see you in the best of light Damon but even as a human I saw the lingering gazes she sent towards you….and the hint of red on her cheeks when I asked her if the kiss you two shared was good." Why she was doing this she still wasn't sure "that's not Elena….she's playing you both….she's playing your weakness and Stefan seems to be falling for it I thought you were wiser than that."

She spoke of their kiss? Shaking his head "it's kind of hard to view it as that when she's curled up in the arms of the man that everyone deems as epic for her" he says between clenched teeth.

"Damon when you first came into town I was terrified of you….I hated you there was no goodness in you your eyes were completely soulless…..today when I saw Elena at the dress shop she was cold….eyes were empty and tonight when she greeted me it was the first time I found myself truly afraid of her."

"Where are you going with this Bonnie" he asks slightly arching his brow forcing himself not to look back at Backstabbing Romeo and Bitch of a Juliet.

"Elena is imitating your behavior Damon she's acting like you were when you had your humanity off….you kept up that act for over centuries and yet she's pulling it on you and you don't even notice…..you and Stefan keep encouraging her to feel that's all you've been doing and it's not working it's time to move onto a new method."

Damon studied her for a moment "you're saying it's time to move onto Plan C….and what exactly is Plan C….pray tell Sabrina I'm curious."

"You need to return to the man we encountered when you first came to Mystic Falls….cold, heartless, blunt and not caring who he hurt."

Cocking his head to the side "are you saying you want me to flip the switch?"

"No" shaking her head "I'm saying now is the time to put on the best performance of your life….if you love Elena as much as you claim to then you'll fall back into that act and you'll draw her back in….all you've been doing is giving her tender words it's time she gets a taste of her own medicine served by you."

Damon wasn't sure how long he remained silent, letting her words sink in, as crazy as it sounded it made sense. Here Elena was acting as if she was the damn Queen, once upon a time before Originals Damon had been the one that people feared. If Plan A and B hadn't worked then maybe just maybe Bonnie was right, maybe he could draw back Elena, his Elena with a new style of action. Best performance of my life he thinks to himself.

Not really sure how to feel about it

Something in the way you move

Casting his gaze back over at the pair he finds himself wishing he hadn't taking notice of his brother leaning in closer to Elena no he scolds himself removing his gaze flicking his attention back to Bonnie "I'll do it" reaching for her hand he raising it to his lips pressing a chaste kiss to her knuckles "thank you for the dance Miss Bennett" he charmingly states drawing himself back.

"Where are you going?"

"Being at a high school dance won't get me into character….setting needs to be much darker" he says with a sly smirk.

"How is Elena going to know where you are not wanting to open any wounds but she seems distracted."

Smirking slightly "don't worry Witchy she'll find me just fine." Already noticing the change in Damon she wonders if this was the wisest of ideas "and how do you know that?"

"If you're correct on her following along my path then the dance with my brother is just her means of hurting me it's something I would do in hopes to get a reaction….once she notices my disappearance she'll trail after me in hopes of taunting me…only instead of being greeted to a down in the dumps expression she'll be greeted to a whole other side." Giving her a wink and without saying anything else he casts his gaze back once more over to Elena and Stefan before maneuvering his way through the crowd and disappearing off into the night.

Game

Set

Come out to play Elena