Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Diaries ya-da-da-da-da

Summary: What happens when Stefan turns on Elena and Damon is the only one she can turn to?

Dear diary,

Everything is out of control...

Elena tapped her pen repetitively against her denim clad knee as she tried to find the words to continue. The problem was she didn't think that there actually were words to describe her particular situation. Even after ten agonizing minutes she still had yet to find the right words, so she gave up with a frustrated groan and threw her pen sharply at the wall across from her.

As her arm retracted, Elena caught sight of the yellowing bruise on her forearm and noted how after nearly a week the mark still looked remarkably like a handprint. This thought caused tears to well in her eyes as the memory of that night replayed in her mind. It didn't take long before her tears were flowing freely, and silent sobs wracked her body as Elena curled into a ball on her bed, clutching her diary for dear life.

How could he do this to her?

At 2:30 in the morning, there really wasn't much to do in a small town like Mystic Falls, but Damon just had to get out of the house. Stefan was simply insufferable nowadays! Between his bloodlust and his guilt, there was absolutely no way of winning with his younger brother; He was either drinking bags after bag of blood that Damon himself had procured from the hospital, or feeling guilty about the fact that it was human. The mood swings weren't helping anything either. More often than not Stefan locked himself away in his room brooding, but on the rare occasions that Damon had encountered his brother within the house he could be downright violent.

So now Damon found himself standing in front of the Gilbert residence, staring up at the only window in the house that still had a light on. Stupid girl probably fell asleep reading or something, he thought with a small chuckle as he climbed though the open window with vampire speed. He was just going to turn out the light so that she could rest a little easier, or at least that's what he told himself. He was half way to the light switch when it hit him, the faint but distinct smell of tears. Elena had been crying.

Curious now, the vampire turned toward Elena and studied her sleeping form. Though he would never admit it, what he saw worried him greatly. Dark circles ringed Elena's eyes, broken only by the salty tracks of dried tears, and though it had been less than a week since he had seen her last, Damon could tell that she had lost weight. She was still curled tightly into herself on top of her blankets, and Damon had to wonder how she could be even remotely comfortable laying the way she was, with the sharp edge of her journal digging into her ribs. He shook his head and took a few more steps toward the sleeping figure, intent on removing the book from her grasp when he noticed it. The faint discoloration of her skin stood out as clear as day to him, and a low, animalistic growl rumbled through his chest, his eyes never leaving the fowl handprint that marred Elena's usually flawless skin.

Elena was awakened by what she could only describe as a deep rumbling noise. Her eyes shot open immediately and she had to bite back a scream as her gaze fell upon the almost feral looking vampire, not even five feet away. "Da-Damon?" She asked as her brown eyes locked onto his icy blue ones. The mask of calm she tried to set into her features was pointless as her heart hammered away in her chest, and she knew that he would be able to smell the fear emanating from her body, it was almost palpable. Another growl tore through Damon, causing Elena to whimper softly. For the first time since meeting the elder Salvatore brother, she was well and truly frightened, though she had a sinking feeling that that was more due to how Stefan had treated her the last time she saw him. If the one person she trusted the most....if her boyfriend could turn on her, then why couldn't a self-serving, egotistical vampire like Damon, who killed people for no other reason than his own amusement?

"Who did this to you?" Damon ground out as he tried to reign in his temper. He really didn't want to scare her any more than he already had. "What?" Elena asked, confusion written clearly across her expression. "This!" Damon hissed as he closed the remaining distance between them with his inhumane speed, and grabbed the girl's wrist in a surprisingly gentle fashion.

Elena took in a quick breath, somehow expecting Damon to attack her. When he didn't she exhaled, biting her lip as she turned away from the vampire's gaze in shame. Her silence was all the answer he needed. Damon was furious as he placed her arm gently back down on the comforter, his own hands shaking with the rage he felt. He could have ripped his brother apart limb by fucking limb! But one look at Elena caused his anger to melt away. She needed him right now, Stefan would have to wait.

"Oh Elena..."For the first time since he had known her, Elena looked completely terrified, and it pained him to know that he was the reason for it (at least partially). Worry etched itself into Damon's usually cocky expression as he pulled Elena into his lap and rocked her gently in his arms.

Elena tensed as she felt Damon's arms around her, but she soon relaxed into his body as the gentle rocking began to lull her. The pair of them were set in an (almost) comfortable silence, neither one feeling the need to ruin the moment with clumsy words while Damon continued to rock her. It was like this Elena had begun drifting off to sleep, noting that she felt oddly safe in Damon's arms.

So this is a one shot...for now. Its all up to you guys really, if you like the story and wish to see more I will willingly oblige

Remember reviews are love! Though I have no problem with criticism either. I've been out of the writing game for quite a while but have always been interested in the cold, honest truth, so tell me what you think!