The Bounty

It wasn't difficult to guess where Stefan and Damon were staying. The Salvatore Boarding house had been built in 1929, something I'd already known though never thought to connect with the actual Salvatore brothers. It was large, luxurious, and in a secluded part of town. Honestly, any idiot could have figured there were vampires living in it.

I stopped in the driveway, staring up at the many lit windows. The flutters were beginning again and after my little 'show' at the school, I wasn't exactly certain that just walking up to the door and announcing my new plans to help 'proctect' the Doppelganger would render a change of heart.

A cold wind had begun to blow and my red hair danced around my face like a flame. Chills began to work their way down my bare legs, from my sudden nervousness, and I took a breath.

It was now or never.

Because of the age of the house, there was no doorbell so I gave three, stern knocks and waited. Casually, I pulled down the ends of my shorts as they had ridden up my thighs and took a step back.

"I am just a little busy at the mo-" Standing before me, frozen and completely naked except for a sheet, stood my Damon. I smiled, innocently tilting my head to the side and crossing my hands behind my back. I had thought right, Katarina couldn't change one without changing both.

"Miss me?" I teased, taking a step inside. He managed a blink and I couldn't stand it any longer, I cupped his face between my hands and gently placed a kiss on those lips I had so missed.

Damon's left hand, the one that was not still holding the doorknob, fell to my lower back. As I pulled away, his lips lingered and his head remained tilted down towards my own.

"Jane." He finally managed before a woman appeared behind him wearing only his shirt. I laughed as I registered her familiar face. I shook my head giving the frightened creature a distasteful look up and down. The sheer panic in her face might have rendered an ounce of pity, had she not been naked in the same room with Damon.

"Well, well, well, long time no see, Rose." I crossed my arms, taking a step towards her. "I thought cockroaches scattered when the lights were turned on." Taking a step back, she looked past me to Damon.

"Damon, we have to go." Rose's voice was shaky and she continued to step away from me. I turned to look back at Damon who had taken a step away from the door, though he still hadn't spoken.

"Wow honey, you sure have lowered your standards." It was in that moment, as I had turned my back that Rose made a dash for the door. I could feel the jealousy taking over as I had caught her running past me and slammed her into the wall by her throat. I beared my teeth, coming inches from her face and giving a loud hiss. It was then that Damon decided to act.

I was on my back, Damon hovering above my torso with my hands pinned to the floor. I couldn't supress a laugh as Rose darted for the door as soon as she was free. I let out a sigh, looking at Damon's arms and not having the heart to kick him off of me, so I simply smiled and stated,

"If you wanted to be on top, all you had to do was ask." At this, Damon stood up. I could only imagine what was going through his mind. Here I was, in the flesh, but I had never told either him or Stefan that I was vampire. They had to have thought I'd died decades ago.

I stood up as the silence began to engulf the room.

"How?" I looked up, "I looked for you. I went to Texas, everyone said you were-" Damon stopped, walking up to me and craddling my face in his hands. "You were always a vampire." I wrapped my arms around his waist as he pulled me closer. I felt his head rest on top of mine and for a moment, almost forgot completely about everything else that had happened today.

"I'm so sorry." I whispered into his chest. "I couldn't... but we need to talk." He pulled away, gazing down at me with those beautiful blue eyes that had first drawn me to him. "You should probably put some pants on though." I glanced down at his sheet.

"My nakedness never bothered you before." He gave his signature smirk before going to grab his clothes. This was it, either Damon would accept the truth or not, but it was time to tell him everything, from the moment Klaus first set his sights on me, to the present.

"Alright," I smiled as Damon grabbed my hands and led me to the sofa, placing his arm around my waist as he sat beside me "confess." He teased. I shook my head, searching for the right words to begin when he interrupted, "Wait." Damon lifted my chin so that he could kiss me again, only this time rougher, and more passionate. I felt a heat rushing through me as he leaned in, pulling me closer before allowing me a breath of air, "I have missed you."