Disclaimer: I do not own anything. The characters and some of the dialogue belong to the CW. I'm just playing around ;)

AN: As said in the summary, this is just another among many. But here it is, what my crazy mind came up with for the memorable scene at the end of 'Rose'. Enjoy!

Elena had just finished blow-drying her hair and was now brushing it. She looked herself in the mirror. All of the day's events had stuck to her mind and body. The shower had helped a little, but not nearly enough. Water always helped, but she couldn't clean this off. It was plainly stuck. Just when she thought things would get a little bit more normal. Just a little bit. Katherine was in the tomb and they only had one werewolf to deal with. But no. The universe wouldn't allow something like that to happen. She didn't even feel like herself anymore. It felt like she was just a Katarina Petrova doppelganger. Nothing more, nothing less. And the worst part? It had just begun.

Right now Elena just wanted to curl up and let herself go. Let herself feel. Laugh, cry, scream… Anything. Jeremy had gone to bed and she didn't want to risk waking him up. The day had obviously not been a walk in the park for him either. God, she wished Stefan had come back. She could call him since they had sort of gotten back together. But then again, not really. Elena had given him a soft kiss before he went back to the boardinghouse. Never had she been so glad and relieved to see him and Damon as she had been today. Damon... She owed him a hug.

If she didn't know for a fact that Damon couldn't read minds, she would have been a little more creped out when he was in fact sitting in her window post. He just came and went whenever it pleased him. If she thought that it was annoying, it would be an understatement.

Damon sat there fidgeting with the shiny object in his hand. Elena's necklace. When he saw her come out of the bathroom, it made him regret what he was about to do. Elena in a blue tank top and a pair of checkered short shorts. The mere thought made him weak. Face to face with the real thing, indescribable. So, he tried to cover it up. "Cute PJs," he opened. Complete with the self-confident tone and trademark smirk. He let his eyes wander down her appearance and up again.

Even though she owed him a hug, it didn't mean that it had to be delivered right now. "I'm tired, Damon." It was true and she hoped he would catch her drift. She was feeling a bit lightheaded and fuzzy too.

Her voice was a little weak and when he thought of it she didn't look so good. He slipped the necklace quick and carefully into his pocket, hoping she wouldn't see it just yet. She didn't. Even though her eyes were fixed on him it seemed like they were elsewhere at the same time. Just as swift as his former movement, he got up and walked up to her. She took a step back. "How are you?"

There was worry in Damon's eyes when he asked, but she couldn't help but scoff. How was she? Gee, I don't know, good. Stupid question. "Oh, you know Damon. Besides today's experience which included being abducted, held captive, losing my necklace and probably being compelled, getting to know that I'm on somewhat of a most-wanted list and almost get killed by an original in order to make a blood sacrifice, I'm just peachy." Her rant came out a little angrier than she planned and it made her dizzy. Her head ached and in an attempt to soothe it she brought her hand up.

Damon sighed at his wrong choice of words. "Ok, stupid question." Elena really didn't look good. He wanted to help her. "Have you eaten anything?" That was at least something he could fix right now. "No, not much." He rolled his eyes. After today's experience, she should at least have learned to take care of herself. Her body was yelling at her and she wasn't even listening. God, she had spent too much time with Stefan, the martyr. "Be right back," he said before disappearing out the open window.

Elena sat down on the bed, still holding her head in her hand. Damon was back as soon as he had gone. In a flash. "Here," he said holding something towards her. It was… a bottle of Coke and some chocolate? "You need some sugar in your system," Damon stated simply. "Where did you get this?" She eyed him suspiciously. "Damsel in distress rescue kit. Available for purchase now," he said in with a smirk and a commercial-like tone. Typically Damon. He earned himself another eye roll. "I had it in my car which is parked just down the road," he explained. He was always saving her. "Thank you," she said sincerely with a weak smile.

Damon watched as Elena took a large gulp from the Coke and started nibbling at the chocolate. There was still something off though. For the second time tonight, he scanned her. It really helped with vampire vision. The muscles and tendons on her shoulders and both sides of her neck were, to put it mildly, tense. Surprisingly, it didn't come as a shock. The weight she had on her shoulders was too big for a normal girl. But then again, she wasn't really normal.

The sugar helped instantly and she cherished that Damon was there. He had moved and was now sitting on the corner of the bed. He was looking at her in concentration. There was almost a furrow in between his brows and it made him look like Stefan. Just as she had thought it, his expression went back into the typical Damon-mask. "You need to loosen up," he said in a tone she couldn't quite place. Huh? "What are you talking about?" Her confusion was encouraging to him. "You seem tense. I could help you relax, you know," he said with a wink. "Seriously, Damon?" He had totally ruined the moment.

Elena's lips went into a straight line and she scowled at him. Oh, come on, Elena. You know me. "All I meant was that I could give you a shoulder rub," he said innocently. Her expression clearly said that she didn't buy it. "I mean it. You're really tense." His voice had changed again. Into something that resembled concern. "Not a chance," she said. "Elena," he said looking her directly in the eyes. "It's a shoulder rub. What harm could it do?" He seemed to have convinced her, because she turned around letting her back face him. "With you. A lot," she murmured and it made him chuckle.

She was waiting expectantly. Her shoulders were actually pretty tense and she needed to relax. The bed shifted and she felt him right behind her. His hands gripped her shoulders and he started his work. While his hands worked along her neck and down, she could feel the tension letting go and her body slowly turning into jelly. Why had she been surprised that he was good at this? There were few things he wasn't good at. The warmth of his hands radiated onto her skin and she was starting to feel a little drowsy. A low moan of pleasure escaped her lips.

Feeling Elena relax underneath his fingers evoked feelings in him. She did that unintentionally all the time, but this moment was special. "Feeling better?" His hands were still caressing her soft skin. "Mhm," she breathed. "That's what I'm here for," he said so low that only his hypersensitive hearing could pick it up. He was happy. Happy that he could do this little gesture for her. He allowed the feeling to fill him up, because what he was going to do next wasn't going to make him happy. New feelings came rushing. Regret. Sadness. Nervousness? His hands became still and he moved one to fetch the necklace from his pocket.

The bed shifted again and suddenly Damon was standing in front of her. His expression was serious. "There is another reason why I'm here." His voice matched his expression, it was strained. "Okay," Elena said warily. He held up his hand and dangling from it was her necklace. "I brought you this." Suddenly his voice was a little lighter. "I thought that was gone," she said surprised. He shook his head. "Thank you." Relief rushed over her. She hadn't taken any vervain since she lost necklace. Her hand reached out, but he pulled it out of her reach. "Please give it back." Her voice was afraid. Whilst standing up, she remembered in a flash what had happened the last time Damon was in her room. "I just have to say something."

"Why do you have to say it with my necklace?" He looked at her. Really looked at her. She was afraid of him now. What he was going to do to her when she was unprotected. I would never hurt you, Elena. I'm doing this for you. "W…" She made him stutter. "Because what I'm about to say is..probably the most selfish thing I've ever said in my life," he said honestly. "Damon, don't go there," she warned him. He could only imagine the things that were going through her mind, but he could easily guess what her main focus was. The last time he was there. "No, I just have to say it once. You just need to hear it."

His eyes bored into hers. "I love you, Elena." He said it with a small smile playing at his lips. And there it was. What Isobel knew. What Stefan feared. What he had indicated to her before. It was a simple statement, but it didn't have to be anything else. No grand declaration was needed. Those four small words were everything by themselves. "And it's because I love you that… I can't be selfish with you." The intensity of the moment made her pulse quicken. "And why you can't know this. I don't deserve you." He tilted his head and his voice had thickened. She was speechless. He was baring his soul. For the first time, in the purest form possible. "But my brother does." This wasn't a selfish act. It was probably the most selfless she had ever seen him.

Damon approached her carefully. He could have kissed her. It didn't look like she would have protested. But he didn't want to take advantage of her. Not in this moment. Not ever. So he closed his eyes and pressed a light kiss to her forehead. She didn't pull back. She just stood there motionless. He pulled back a little and brought his hand up to stroke her cheek. "God, I wish you didn't have to forget this."

His eyes were watering. What was he talking about? Realization hit her. He was going to compel her. Make her forget what he had just said. Don't you dare, Damon. Don't you dare. The words didn't come out. She wanted to speak, protest. But she didn't find her mouth. Please, Damon. I know you think you're doing this for yourself. To make it better. If you do this, then you're selfish. I know you're not. Please, don't. "But you do." His pupils dilated and a single tear fell from his eye. Her mind went blank.

He continued the compulsion while the tear made its way down his cheek, leaving a burning sensation behind. "I came here and we bantered like always."

"We bantered," she repeated in that voice he had heard many times before. The one where people had no control over what they were saying.

"I gave you your necklace."

"Necklace." Her voice was heavy.

"Today has been a rough day. You're feeling very tired and you'll fall asleep as soon as you'll lie down."

"Tired," she said in a now sleepy voice.

He took one long last look at her and while she blinked he disappeared.

The first thing Elena noticed when she opened her eyes were that something cold was hanging around her neck. The vervain necklace. Her necklace. Memories flooded through her mind. Damon. Damon had been there with her necklace. He had pulled a couple of his famous one-liners and she had answered them in her normal fashion. Everything was back to normal between them. She was glad. He had helped saving her today. He had cared. Like he always did, even though he wouldn't admit it.

She yawned. It was late, and after the day she had been through she seriously needed some sleep. The bed welcomed her and she instantly fell asleep. The wind carried a soft and familiar voice in her open window and through her room.

"Sweet dreams, princess."

Thank you for sticking the whole way through my interpretation. Feel free to click on the little button below and drop me a line or two about what you think. It means a lot to me!

PS: To those of you who are waiting for an update on "Close Enough", I'm sorry it's taking this long. Inpiration seems to be dodging me and I don't want to give you something that's only halfway. I'm working as fast as I can, so I'm hoping you'll have a little extra patience with me this time. Thanks!

~Leafless-trees