Pain. There was only one word to describe the feeling that shot through Melanie's body as she gained consciousness. Her head was throbbing and she felt paralyzed. With a lot of effort she opened her eyes flinching at first as the sunlight struck her. 

Looking around, she saw she was still sprawled on the living room floor in the same position as when she had fell last night. That meant Damon had not yet returned. 

Grabbing the couch for support, she stood up. Pain shot through her once again and her hands automatically reached out to her neck gently massaging it in order to ease he pain. She felt for any cut or scratches but there were none. 

She was surprised because she had been so sure that Damon had sunk his fangs in last night. But she couldn't feel any bite mark on her neck. And of course she could have been mistaken. Damon could never hurt her. 

She limped over to her room and stopped in front of the mirror rubbing her hand softly on her neck. She had been right; there weren't any bite marks which meant Damon had fought off the impulse and stopped himself from hurting her in time. 

Her eyes were tired and swollen though with dark circles as if the eyeliner was smeared around them in dark rings, while her rosy complexion was paler than usual. She gently caressed the few bruises on her shoulders which had formed when he had held her against the wall but other than that she was fine. 

She froze as she felt someone's presence in the room beside her. Turning around she saw Damon standing by the door. His eyes looked pained as she backed off. 

"What do you want, Damon?" she asked tiredly. 

"I'm so so sorry. I don't know what happened to me. I had been weak lately and I just couldn't control myself. I would never hurt you, you know that. I... I can't believe that I hurt you. I just don't know," he was gazing down at the floor tensed and with a pleading expression on his face. 

He was hurt. He was sorry. And she could easily sense it all. 

She nodded to reassure him, "I know. And I understand. You didn't hurt me, Damon. You fought it and stopped yourself in time. And don't worry I'm fine and will be loads better after I take a shower, okay?" 

He ran his hand through his hair pushing them back from his forehead; something he did whenever he was depressed, "it's not okay, Mel. I did hurt you." 

She went to him and gently took his hand giving it a tender squeeze, "you stopped yourself before that." 

He couldn't keep himself from gazing at those bruises imprinted on her shoulders. He touched the bluish mark on her left shoulder softly with his finger and she let him while the hurt in his eyes was increasing, "this...this is because of me. You're not safe with me anymore. I can't risk your life." 

She spoke, "we can get through this together." 

He shook his head, "no, there is no way to control the monstrous thing I really am. I don't want you to get hurt. Nothing can be done." 

She tried to convince him, "we'll find a way. I will help you. I promise everything will be alright." 

He was frustrated, "but you're a human. You can get hurt." 

She sighed wearily, "it doesn't matter. We can work around it, okay? It was partly my fault too. I shouldn't have pushed you to the limits. I know how hard it is for you. You've always been there for me whenever I have needed you, Damon, and now when it's my turn to help I'm not gonna back off." 

She interlocked her fingers through his and placed her other hand on top of their entwined hands, "we will get through this together." 

He looked as if he wanted to believe her as he managed to give her a low nod, "together." 

She reached on her tip toes and gave him a slight kiss on the cheek, "go down and wait in the living room while I take a shower. I won't be long. And then we'll try sort things out, okay?"