Chapter Two

DAMON

She needed a protector. I had always protected her from the sidelines. But she needed one near her. She needed protection she could reach out and touch; like right now. I had never gone this far with a charge before. Never let them see me. Never let them come this close to me or my heart. she was tearing at my heart in a way no one had before. I don't know what I was thinking. I couldn't stay. She was clinging to the safety, not me. This had no future. I am her protector. I cannot set her up like this.

But then she sighed and held me even tighter in her sleep, and I couldn't leave. If I leave now, she will think it was a dream. Forge a letter from Jack, let her cry for him a few nights, and move on in the shadows. But then she pressed against me; fit so perfectly in my hands, I decided to be selfish. I decided I wanted to stay. I decided I didn't care about the consequences. I ran my hands through her hair, and watched it gleam brown in the moonlight. I shook my head. I was a fool, and I didn't give a damn. I kissed her forehead and waited for morning to come; for her to wake up and flip out; call the police; kick me out. She stirred. It was still dark. I felt her eyelashes flutter against my skin, and her breathing quieten. She didn't move. She was thinking.

"Damon?" she whispered.

"Yes angel?"

She sighed with relief. "You stayed."

"Hard to leave with you clamouring on to me like that."

"Sorry."

"No you're not."

"You know everything don't you?"

"I know enough to guess the rest."

"Thank you. For, everything."

"It's my job."

"Staying the night isn't."

"The night isn't over yet."

I could hear her breath catch.

"I'm fine now. You can go if you need to."

Look at her, trying to be brave. She was scared as hell. I cupped her chin and made her look at me. "Stop lying. If you're going to be a trusting fool, at least be honest about it. And I am not leaving until you want me to. Now go back to sleep. You'll mix up your languages if you don't."

She bit her lip. She was thinking again. She did a lot of that. She reached up and kissed my cheek. "Go to sleep kid. Come on." I shifted my grip, and carried her to her bedroom, laying her down on the bed. She didn't let go. "You need sleep. I'll still be here when you wake up."

Her eyes pleaded, but I had let enough rationality go for one night. I gently removed her fingers from their grip and kissed them. "I'll be here. Now go to sleep." She relented and closed her eyes. I sighed and went to the kitchen in search of caffeine. I never slept anyway, but the extra kick was nice. I stepped to the window, soda in hand. I had no idea how it was going to go from here, but I'd figure it out. Years of watching, learning, protecting her, I knew her better than anyone else. That wasn't the problem. She didn't know anything about me; what she was getting herself into. There were some things I could never tell her, and knowing her as I did, she'd have a hard time with that. I pulled a chair up and waited for the sun to rise and the city to come to life.

BROOKE

I blinked a few times in confusion when I woke up. I sat and spent a few minutes organizing my mind; sorting what happened. I was afraid to leave the room. If Damon was gone, there was no way of knowing whether it had been a dream or not. I slipped out of bed and crept toward the kitchen. I'm not sure why, but I was relieved when I saw Damon sitting at the window.

"Coffee's made. Extra strong, black, with cinnamon."

"How did you--"

He turned to look at me and smirked. Right. He knew everything. I found that rather unnerving. I knew nothing about him, aside from his first name. "You'll learn more with time," he grinned. Smartass. I grabbed my cup and he walked up to me. "Fact number one. I like my cinnamon coffee with milk and sugar." He tossed a tablespoon of sugar into the cup and filled nearly half of it with milk.

"More like milk with coffee," I mumbled. He shot me a look and I bit my lip trying not to laugh. I sat down at the counter and he joined me.

"I won't talk much," he said.

"I talk a lot."

"I know."

He seemed to enjoy reminding me. "I like that. Just warning you I don't always say much in response."

"If I get on your nerves--"

"I'll make sure I get you to shut up."

Something about the way he said that, made my heart race. "Can I ask questions?"

"You can ask me anything you want. Some things will be left unanswered though."

I nodded. I had a million questions, I didn't know where to start. He said he'd stay. How long? Why? Why did I want him to stay so badly?

DAMON

I could see the questions dancing in her eyes. I could stop being an a*s and make it easier for her, but honestly she looked too adorable when she was confused.

"I'll never leave for good. I've always been there and always will be. How long I stay where you can see me, is entirely up to you."

She put her hand on mine. I picked it up and kissed it. "Go get ready for work." She opened her mouth to protest. "I know you can work from here. You need to keep your rhythm. And I have some things to take care of. Now go."

I got up to make it easier for her. She followed me, stopping at her bedroom door. Her eyes were begging again. She reached out for me. I let her hug me. The girl was like a drug. She wrapped her arms around me and looked up at me. I knew.what she wanted like I knew everything else.

I tilted her chin up and kissed her. She leaned in. She wanted more. Damn girl wanted a lot. It was ridiculously hard to refuse her too. I pulled away.

"I'll be here when you get back. Now go."

She didn't break eye contact.

"Damn you." I kissed her again. "Go. Now."

She turned to go. I stopped her. "Smile first."

She pouted. F**k her and her damn stubbornness. I cupped her face and kissed her. She smiled. I shook my head, but grinned. I was letting her f**k my mind and I didn't even care.

BROOKE

It was hard, forcing myself to pack up my laptop and go out to work. By the time I had pulled on my shoes, he had slipped out of the apartment. I felt unsure, with him gone. I had lived my entire life carefree, and now I was afraid to walk down the street. Part of me was terrified of him, but another part wanted him to be near me at all times. As near as possible. I wanted him emotional, but I wanted him physically too; like I had never wanted anyone before. What did he need to take care of?

I sat down with my cinammon dolce, and opened my laptop. Jack. He had to take care of Jack. And what about his other charges? He couldn't stay. But he said he would. Maybe this is why he told me to stop being so trusting. Maybe that was his way of letting me know he wouldn't be there when I got back. I sighed and opened my project. I didn't understand why the thought of him leaving hurt so much. Before last night, I never knew he had existed. It was a long day. Part of me wanted to believe he would be there when I came home. Another part told me to shut up and translate.

Six hours and four drinks later, I gave up and shut my laptop. I walked around the city aimlessly, until it was the usual time for me to go home. I didn't want to go back to an empty apartment, but I didn't have the nerve to call any friends up either. I tried to calm my breathing in the elevator, and prepare myself for his absence. Everything was dark when I came in. I tossed my bag and grabbed a soda. It was better this way. I sat down facing the city. Dusk was breaking in.

"I've never seen you keep your jeans on this long at home before."

DAMON

I have to admit, I got a pretty good kick out of making her squirm. I wanted her to think; wanted her to face the idea of me leaving her. All day, she looked lost. It had taken more self restraing than usual to hold back. It was hard not to give her everything she wanted; even more so after having held her. I had never before realized how frail she really was. She would never think like me; that's why she needed me. That's why I needed her to doubt me. I needed her to be able to cope with it.

But the way her face lit up when she saw me standing behind her; the relief she'd sworn not to feel; there was something exhilerating about it. A sort of proud accomplishment. And the sudden wish that she never feel that sort of desire for anyone else, ever again.

"I don't make promises I can't keep."

"You said to stop trusting."

"I said to stop being a trusting fool."

"I trust you."

"I saved your life.

"Why?"

"I told you. I'm a guardian."

"Where are your other charges?"

"I only have one charge at a time."

"For how long?"

"Your life."

"How could you possibly have more than one charge all your life then?"

I smiled. She suddenly realized what that meant. "Are you even human?"

"It's rather late in the evening for biology isn't it?"

"How many of you are there?"

"Not enough."

"How old are you."

"I can't remember.

"Have you ever talked to a charge before?"

"Yes?"

"Did they know who you are?"

"No. Never."

I saw the smile. She was happy about that. Typical woman. She would have been jealous of someone who died 200 years ago. She bit her lip.

"You think too much." I liked making her feel like I was inside her brain. I liked knowing everything about her. I liked approaching her slowly and watching her eyes fix on me, like blue diamonds, wanting to know what I was thinking. I stood right before her. She had nearly stopped breathing. I was a damned man if she could have read my thoughts; could have seen what I wanted to do. "You're a lot cuter when you're quiet." I swept her bangs out of her eyes. "Go change. You need to keep your rhythm."

She nodded and headed for the bedroom, reappearing moments later.

"Do you always tell people what to do?"

I smirked. "Always. No go."

She rolled her eyes, but complied. I moved to the couch. If she fooled around too much, she was going to miss NCIS. And it took an act of God to keep her from that mundane show. She flopped down next to me, wearing nothign but an oversized tee shirt. Maybe she could read my mind after all. She looked at me, and for the first time, I saw her smirk. I had to fight the chuckle. She slipped the remote from my hand and flipped to NCIS.

"It's not even realistic."

"It makes me laugh."

"So watch Seinfield."

"You are old."

I gave her a look through narrowed eyes and she giggled, pleased with herself. I gave her the win. How she could become so immersed was beyond me. Her hand slipped dangerously close to mind. Maybe not as immersed as I thought. I covered her hand with mine and watched her fight the smile. The joy in stringing her along, making her wait and wonder, was great, but I was losing my will. I tightened my hold on her hand and pulledher to me. She cuddled willingly, and I didn't care that it was the safety she loved; not me. I wanted her to be safe. I wanted to be the one she looked for it in. And only me.

She yawned and I glanced at the clock. "We need to get you to bed."

"Tomorrow's a day off."

"You have sleep to catch up on."

"I can sleep in."

"Stop protesting and do what I tell you."

"No," she grinned. I shook my head and picked her up.

"Bed time."

She shrieked and kicked her feet. "Keep trying. It'll help you fall asleep, wasting your energy like that." I set her on the bed, trying to ignore her legs; the way she felt. It was hard, especially with her looking at me like that; not letting go. I relented and sat down next to her. "Until I fall asleep?" she begged.

"You're awful clingy."

"Please?" She clenched my hand, stared at me with big saucer eyes. I gave up. She owned me. I nodded.

"I'll stay. You'll damn the day you asked me." She broke into a smile and hugged me; climbing into my lap. Damn her. I shifted us to a laying position and let her push up against me. She was asking for trouble. She kissed my neck and traced a finger down my chest. Now she was begging for it. I growled.

"Go to sleep."

She reached up and whispered good night in the most seductive voice I had ever heard her use, before kissing me a breath away from my mouth. To hell with it. I turned and took her face in my hand, forcing my mouth against hers. I could feel her smile as she wrapped a leg around me and pushed against me. I ran my hand along her spine, felt her curve under the touch, her breath catching in my ear as I kissed her neck. I let a hand trace up her stomach, around her breast, and felt her shiver and gasp. The moon broke in over the skylight, making her eyes shine. That trusting fool.

I moved my hadn back to her spine and kissed her forehead. "I'll stay after you fall asleep. Now sleep." She pushed against me and I smiled, tracing a hand along her thigh. "Not yet, you damn devil." She kissed my neck. I kissed her again, brushing lightly against her neck until she fell asleep. I stroked her hair as she slept, her grip not lessening even then. She was rational enough when I wasn't around. But the moment she saw me, it was like a switch went off. I wanted her to see that my sticking around wasn't healthy. That she needed a normal life, and a normal relationship. That would never happen for as long as I was in her mind. There were drawbacks to being with me, around me.

She would stay the same; never grow older. Eternal youth isn't that great. You lose things that make you human. Not a guardian, not a human. You can't live eternity without a reason. I wasn't sure I was reason enough. I didn't want to burden her with it. I should have left. I never should have stayed. I was a selfish b*****d. I fed off her need. I was losing my control. The more I touched her, was near her, the more I wanted her. And the more I wanted her, the more she wanted me. It was an evil circle I should try to end, but couldn't. Didn't want to. That's why I needed her to go without me. She needed to know for herself.

She stirred in her sleep. Did she never sleep through the night?

"Are you awake?"

"No. And neither are you."

"Do you ever sleep?"

"No. And apparently you don't either."

"Are you invincible?"

"That depends. You can't kill me, no."

"Not at all."

"No. In a lot of ways, I'm not human. I'm immortal. Indestructable."

"Does it get lonely?"

"Not with you being a chatterbox at all hours of the day and night."

"Do you choose your charges?"

"Yes."

"Why did you pick me?"

"When you are first born, I can see snapshots of your future in your eyes. Usually, if an unatural amount of bad is predicted to happen, a guardian will choose that person."

"Did you see a lot of bad in mine?"

"No."

"What did you see?"

"Nothing. Nothing but endless blue eyes."