Stefan and Elena slipped through the woods. Stefan up front watching and listening carefully, Elena right behind him, looking around, jumping up by every little noise. They sneaked more forward and Stefan stuck out his hand to Elena. “Sssh, I hear something” he said soft. “Stefan, I’m scared” Elena said with a trembling voice. “Sssh” Stefan insisted. “There are people over there” he said and he nodded at a point far ahead of them. Elena squeezed her eyes, but didn’t see anything. “I want to go home” she moaned. Stefan rolled his eyes, irritated. “Geez” he let out frustrated. “You know what, you stay right here, don’t move, and then I’ll go have some dinner”
Without awaiting Elena’s approval he raced away and let Elena alone. Elena leaned against a tree and sank down on the ground.
A few yards further Amber and Kelsey were watching her. “I can’t believe he let her alone” Amber said a little shocked. “He always said how much he cared about her” “Well, I told you to never trust a Salvatore” Kelsey said. “I’m going to her” Amber said and she got up, but Kelsey stopped her. “To do what, exactly?” she asked accenting. “To feed on her, of course” Amber said obvious and she wanted to go to her victim. Kelsey tightened her grip. “No! You can’t, you have to stay here!” she hissed. Amber struggled and Kelsey was losing her grip on her. “Why not? I feed on human blood. That’s my nature. If you can’t accept that, you can’t accept me either” “You won’t be able to stop. You will kill her” Kelsey looked Amber sharp in the eyes and continued agitated: “Listen to me, Amber, you can never kill anyone” Amber frowned her eyebrows. “Hypocrite, much?” “I mean it, Amber, you can’t kill anyone” Kelsey insisted. But Amber was hungry and she bit her sister. More due to the shock than the pain Kelsey let Amber run off.
Elena threw her arms around her knees and wailed softly. She wanted to go home, but she had no idea where that was. She wished she’d stayed with Damon. She’d felt comfortable in his arms. He was nice to her. He didn’t lose his patience with her. She heard something crack in her neighborhood. After that everything happened really fast. She felt a firm grip on her shoulders, someone pushing her neck aside. Then the unseen person let go of her and she heard a scream and a heavy blow. She felt how someone pulled her away from the tree and pushed her on the ground. Next thing she knew Damon lay on top of her. He lay his finger on her lips. “Sssh” he whispered. “Lay still” As they waited for danger to pass by they felt their hearts beating against each other’s. “You saved my life” Elena said. A little smile appeared on Damon’s face. “Anytime” he answered. He listened carefully. “I think they’re gone” he said. He got off Elena and pulled her up. “Where’s Stefan?” Elena shrugged. “Don’t know, don’t care” She looked at Damon. “You saved my life, not Stefan” she said accenting. She came closer to him and stood on her toes. She gave him a gentle kiss on his cheek.
He took her arms and gently pushed her away. She looked at him, not understanding. “Don’t come too close” he said. He wasn’t angry, he was scared. “Damon?” Elena asked concerned. “She’s coming” Damon said. “Who’s coming?” Elena asked. She came closer to him again and hooked her arm in his. Damon nodded ahead of him. Elena turned around. “Bonnie!” Even more confused she looked from Damon to Bonnie. Could it be true? Was Damon, the man that saved her life, afraid of her best friend who wouldn’t hurt a fly?
Bonnie pierced her eyes into Damon’s and Damon grabbed his head. He almost lost his balance, but Elena gripped his arm and helped him stand on his feet.
“I didn’t have a choice” Damon explained. “Stefan brought her in jeopardy. A vampire was going to attack her. She could’ve been killed. I didn’t have a choice”
Bonnie averted her head to Elena, who heavily nodded her head. The pain stopped.
“I’m going to take her home” Damon said. “Now, you can try to stop me, but I’m going anyway”
“Okay” Bonnie said, “but I’m going with you”
Damon threw Elena’s arm around him to support her, even though he needed more support, and walked her home.
Bonnie followed them from a distance.