a/n: I love Christmas stories haha they just get me right in the sprit! I've doing so many of them lately all I want to do is open presents and since no is going to be wrapping Ian under the tree for me anytime soon I guess I will just have to wait until Sunday. *fingers crossed* :D anyway, this request is a long time coming and with Christmas just around the corner I figured I'd better get my butt in gear since the next couple of days are going to be crazy! Happy Reading

Dedicated to MJ McCaul (for wanting Damon to get caught), and Annalay (for wanting a morning after) Merry Christmas you two!

Elena had been asleep for a good few hours when a slight gust of wind in her bedroom woke her. The months of training Ric and Damon had put her through had left her body on alert at all times and since she was pretty sure Jeremy and their new guardian were both in bed, and Damon was most probably still sulking at home in a bottle of brandy, her fight instincts went up. It had been a few weeks since Homecoming and the group had been on high alert. There were no easy nights, and even with Christmas morning a few hours away a cloud of uneasiness and fear hung over everyone. The villainous vampires always seemed to take the happiest moments and turn them into unfortunate incidents, so what was the point in getting excited anymore?

As Elena spied a dark shadow on the other side of the room she did her best to remain perfectly quiet and mostly still as she slipped her hand under her pillow for the carved wooden stake she rarely left out of her sight. All she wanted was a few hours of sleep before the morning came and she would have to smile as everyone came over to open gifts. Caroline and Tyler would be bringing Bonnie over for pancakes and presents. It was supposed to be a nice day, a quiet day…a vampire drama free day. This however was making it look out to be like quite a dramatic Christmas after all. She watched the shadowed figure walk from her dresser to the bathroom and close the door almost completely so the light wouldn't startle her.

Once the intruder was out of sight she slipped from the bed and snuck, backing herself against the wall so that when whoever came out, she could stake them. Her heart was pounding in her chest and a new sheen of sweat appeared on her skin. Damon had teased her, calling her Buffy but in truth she was terrified. She did feel strong however and she was glad that they'd been training her. Times like this were the perfect example of why she needed to be able to defend herself. Unless Damon was going to move in and sleep next to her every night, she needed to know things too. The thought of sleeping next to Damon distracted her for a minute and she almost missed the bathroom light turning off.

The faint creek of the door opening brought her fully back and she raised her arm, preparing to strike. The shadow stepped out into the room and she knew she only had a couple of seconds before the someone realized she wasn't in bed anymore. The next few moments were a blur. She stepped out, swung her arm in the move she'd been practicing with Damon. She caught the shadow by surprise, but the tip of the stake only barely poked the hard chest before fingers wrapped around her wrist, halting her attack and an arm went around her waist. She would have screamed if she hadn't been so shocked, no one should have been able to counter her attack without knowing what she would do.

Then she smelled the familiar cologne, felt the warmth of his body and she realized she'd nearly killed Damon. Her body relaxed in his arms as he held her tight, releasing her stake arm and resting his hand on her waist. "Do you always try to kill everyone that tries to give you a Christmas present?"

His voice calmed her a little more, her relief evident as she put her forehead against his chest. "I'm so glad it's you. I thought you were Klaus or Stefan or…I don't know. Anybody coming to kill me."

He laughed and stroked her hair for a minute, comforted by her closeness, afraid that the moment would be over before it began. "On the bright side, at least I know I've been training you well."

She looked up, finding it hard to make out his features in the dark, but knowing that he could see her clearly. She tried to smile, glad to be in his arms and then she remembered how she'd gotten there in the first place and stepped back. "What the hell are you doing in here?"

The moment gone, Damon slipped the small velvet box into his pocket and crossed his arm. "That's none of your business."

She glared at his outline, knowing he would see it. "I'm pretty sure it is. I could have killed you."

He laughed and shook his head. "Not with that move, I know you're body too well."

Something about his words made her shiver and she stepped back again, needing distance between them. They'd talked a few times on the phone since that night in front of the fireplace, but they hadn't seen each other. The time and space had made her miss him and she realized all she wanted was to be back in his arms. "What are you doing here?"

He sighed, knowing she wasn't going to relent until she figured out the answer. It would save a lot of time and energy if he just told her. "Sit down." He ordered gently and ushered her over to the bed. "You used to be a lot heavier of a sleeper you know."

She looked up at him sharply as they sat, their thighs touching. She turned to face him, one leg propped up on the mattress and bent. Now the front of her calf was pressed to the side of his thigh. "Just how many times have you snuck into my room over the past three years?"

He didn't dare tell her how often he watched her sleep, how often he hadn't been able to go to bed himself without climbing through her window and caressing her face just once. "I came because I wanted to give you your present before everyone gets here tomorrow. I intended just to leave it on the dresser but I couldn't decided where I wanted you to find it."

She knew he was changing the subject, but she could only expect one answer at a time. "Why couldn't you wait?"

He cleared his throat, the normally suave and cocky Damon Salvatore seemed nervous and afraid. "I guess I was worried you might not like it."

Seeing him like this was a rare occasion and Elena wasn't sure how to comfort him. She slipped her hand onto his knee, thankful when he finally looked at her. "You don't have to sneak around Damon." She smiled and turned her palm up. "Can I have it now?"

He grinned, his lips twisting as he turned back into the arrogant ass she craved to slap, to devour. "I suppose so." He glanced at her bare neck, remembering that Stefan's necklace was still around the currently daggered Rebekah.

Elena watched as he reached into his back pocket and pulled out a small box. It was bigger than a ring box but small enough not to be a necklace. He handed it to her, then leant over to flick on the light on her night stand. "Thank you." She said, finally looking at him for the first time.

The air thickened a little as their eyes met. His blue seemed a little darker than normal, but she tried to ignore the flash of curiosity, the sting of need that always accompanied his presence and looked down at the box. "If you don't want to wear it I understand."

She lifted the lid and gasped slightly. Inside was a gold chain that held two stones. Their birthstones. "It's beautiful."

"I was going to get a necklace made, but I figured you might have enough of that. You can wear it as a bracelet or on your ankle."

"Put it on?" she asked, lifting it from the velvet backing and setting the box aside.

He took the delicate chain in his fingers and hooked it around her wrist. When it was fastened she twisted her arm, the stones playing with the light. "You like it?"

She smiled, their eyes connecting once more. "I love it."

She watched as he brought the back of her hand to his lips, their gazes still locked. They were an almost exact mirror of the moment they met, but such vastly different at the same time. She gasped lightly when he kissed the inside of her palm next, then the slight pulsing vein in her wrist. This was startlingly more intimate and she felt herself leaning closer to him. His eyes shut when she moved to caress his face, her thumb smoothing over his bottom lip. It was like they were in a trance, like this moment was specifically for them and no one could break it or ruin it. The next moment she was in his lap and his lips were on hers. She kissed back hard, her fingers moving into his hair as she fought him onto his back.

Damon let her press him down, his head molding into the pillows, breathing in her scent all around him. He kept his eyes closed, afraid that if he opened them this would become a dream. His hands rested on her hips, but when she ground into him, he found himself gripping her tightly. She felt the hiss between his teeth as she broke the kiss to trail her lips down his neck. "I want you Damon. I can't take it anymore."

His hands smoothed up and under her tshirt, the fabric loose since she wore it to sleep. "I was hoping you would say that."

She smiled against his throat as she kissed her way down his chest, her fingers working the buttons of his black shirt open. "Must you always be so cocky?"

His fingertips massaged into her lower back, slowly sliding down under the shorts to feel her nakedness beneath. "Always."

When his shirt was undone and hung open at his sides he flipped them over smoothly, pressing her into the mattress as he removed both their shirts. She lifted up, wrapping her legs and arms around him, their bare skin fused together as a new kiss began. He hooked two fingers in the top of her shorts and tugged them down her legs, leaving her completely naked before one of the same fingers found their way inside her. She called out a little loudly and he had to kiss her to muffle the sound. When he was sure she could be quiet he released her, a dark chuckle falling from his lips. She reached up to turn the light off but he shook his head. "Why?"

"I want to see you Elena." He whispered, bending his head and licking along the side of her neck. He pressed kisses down her throat to her collarbone, between her breasts and back up.

She shook her head, opened her mouth to protest but then he twisted his finger up and she lost all need to speak other than to moan his name as he stroked her higher. She held on tight to his bicep as he brought her other hand between them, coaxing her to help bring her orgasm closer. He watched as they worked together, her cries all the more sweeter when she came. He swallowed her curses and please as she finished, his body more than ready for a turn. Her heart hammered out of control, her free hand pressed against it in a pitiful attempt to slow it. "Oh my God."

He laughed and dipped his head, his lips pressed to hers briefly. "There's no need for titles. I like it when you scream my name much better."

She slapped his chest as he climbed off the bed, watching as he slipped out of his jeans. The harsh fabric had rubbed her in a few places, but the rough had been a nice contrast to his smooth skin. She moved over so he could lay next to her, sliding her legs under the covers and holding them up so he could get under them. She'd glimpsed at his naked form, but now more than anything she wanted to feel him, be joined to him- not stare at him. He slipped one arm under her pillow, his other hand bringing her lips to his. She shivered when his fingers danced down her side, over her hip to the back of her knee where he slipped her leg over his.

She could feel how hard he was against her and he could feel just how wet she was as his thigh settled between her legs. As their tongues battled he pulled her closer, a deep moan escaping her lips as she rubbed against him. She needed more friction, craved more and so when he pulled her over him, she allowed him. After a few minutes of teasing and kissing the pleased smirk off his face, Elena lifted herself over him and slowly slid down. The lack of speed was killing him and the little control he had snapped. She gasped as she felt his hands tighten on her waist, forcing himself inside her. Her nails gripped roughly to his chest, giving them both a minute to adjust. She felt incredible, suddenly alive and she was moving before she even realized it.

Damon growled as her hips rolled down against his, the warmth and tightness driving him crazy. He was sure he was bruising her from holding on so tightly, but he couldn't help it. Every move she made felt so damn good to both the man and the monster inside of him. Elena bent down to kiss him, not shocked when she felt the prick of his fangs against her lips. She kissed him just as much, her blood boiling at the thought of him biting her. She couldn't bring herself to ask him, but she wasn't sure she could pass up the opportunity either. Just as she built up the guts to say something, the fangs were gone and his face went back to the human one she'd first met.

He smirked, wrapping his fingers through her hair and holding her lips against his as they moved together, skin to skin; bodies locked together in a perfect dance of pleasure he was certain he could never tire of. Her tongue slipped between his teeth again, searching for his. He felt the first strong moan in the back of her throat moments before she tightened possessively around him. He watched her sit up, the faint light from the lamp illuminated her skin and making it glow. The traitorous fangs he worked to keep at back reappeared as her head fell back, the long line of her throat bare. Her fingers laced through his, holding on tight as she rode faster.

He sat up, bringing her lips to his and silencing her cries as orgasm ripped through their bodies jointly. He flipped them over and a moment later he was on top his thrusts losing their grace as he lost control. Her hands were locked above her head and he wrapped one hand around both wrists as he pushed her hair away from her neck with gentle fingers. Her breath caught in her throat for a minute but she didn't reject his obvious request to bite her. She mumbled something between a 'yes' and a 'don't stop' as one final thrust sent him over the edge and inside her completely. Her blood spilled onto his tongue, a few drops slipping out and onto her shoulder.

He greedily lapped them up, holding her tight and caressing her side to keep her calm, distract her from any pain. Elena arched under him, the sensation of being drained and fucked at the same time almost too much to comprehend. When Damon heard the beats in her hearts slow and skip he pulled back, offering his blood to seal the wound. She shook her head, wanting the brand, craving the scar for however long it would last. When he lay next to her she curled up against his body, their skin still heated. She glanced at the clock and saw that it was almost midnight. Almost Christmas. Before she could worry about how to explain the new situation to everyone, sleep and exhaustion took over.

Damon stayed awake a little while longer, stroking her hair and listening to the beats of her heart. He couldn't believe what had just happened, and if it weren't for the scratches on his chest from her nails he would have been sure it was a dream. Instead he relished in the painful pleasure marks and let his eyes close. Neither of them had slept properly in months, and for once he was going to dream of her and not have to wake up in an empty bed. Tomorrow they would deal with everyone's reactions, but right now tonight all that mattered was the fact she was his, and she was in his arms. "Good night." He whispered, brushing his lips against her forehead.

At nine am sharp Caroline perked up in the passenger seat of Tyler's car, her eyes spying Damon's blue Camaro a few feet away. There was a few centimeters of snow on it indicating he'd been there all night. She smiled, looking up at the half open window of Elena's bedroom and looked into the backseat to share the new information with Bonnie. The witch leaned forward to take in the scene, Tyler easily figuring out what was going on. By the time they got out Matt had pulled his truck up behind and climbed out, a box of wrapped gifts in his arms. "What are we all looking at?"

Caroline pointed at the car. "It seems Damon and Elena had a very Merry Christmas after all."

Tyler rolled his eyes as he pulled his own box out of the trunk, handing the girls their gift bags. "Well let's go and wake them up and get some explaining done."

Damon heard the entire conversation through the window, his vampire ears woke him up the minute he noticed the vehicles. He tried to sit up, but Elena mumbled something in her sleep and held on tighter. "We gotta get dressed." He whispered, brushing her hair back from her face. "Before the whole gang barrels in here and sees us."

Elena's eyes opened sleepily, then she heard the door downstairs bang open as the sound of two sets of feet coming up the stairs. She tugged the blanket closer to her and glared at the closed door. "Caroline don't you dare come in here!"

The blonde vampire laughed from the other side. "Are you coming down to open presents? Or are you having too much with a particular gift in there?"

"We're coming down." Damon called when Elena's blush stained face hid in his shoulder. "Get outta here Barbie."

When they were alone again he lifted Elena's chin up, making her look at him. She smiled and pressed her lips to his, letting him roll her onto her back. "We have to get up." She whispered against his lips.

He chuckled, kissing the spot he'd bitten and then back to her lips. "They already know what we did last night, so we might as well have some fun with it."

She smiled as he pulled the blanket over their heads, his hand slipping under the sheet to find her. "It's a Merry Christmas after all." Her giggle rang in his ears and he bent to kiss her.

Everyone downstairs could wait another few minutes, the anticipation wouldn't kill them. He wasn't quite ready to let Elena out of this bed yet, and judging by the state of her current low moans, she had no desire to get away from him. "I love you." He murmured against her lips and the same time she did. He pulled back, seeing her face clearly in the dark shadows of the cocoon he'd made them.

"Kiss me Damon." She urged, cradling his face in her hands.

He obliged, drawing every movement out knowing that the longer everyone waited downstairs the more anxious they would be to hear every sordid detail.

a/n: whew! Two requests crossed off my list. I feel a little like Santa with all these things I have to do haha. Hope everyone enjoyed! I'll be posting a bit more between now and Sunday so keep your eyes open for more oneshots to get you into the spirit. Then started after will be the three new years stories! Yay!