Damon had tried all he could to wake Melanie up but to no avail. Sometimes her heavy slumbers irritated him a lot. But he couldn't overlook the fact that she appeared so peaceful when she was asleep. 

After loading the luggage in the car and making sure everything was in place, Damon lifted her up gently and carried her to the car. She was still sound asleep when he placed her down in the seat and strapped the seat belt. 

They had to leave for Mystic Falls early in the morning as it was rather far from their current residence. He was driving fast as usual and would glance down at her from time to time just to make sure that she wasn't getting disturbed. 

At last, she stirred a little and her eyes fluttered open. A car passed by honking loudly and it startled her immensely. She would have started screaming blue murder but was paused when Damon's laughter reached her ears. 

Looking around she took in the surroundings; the roads and the traffic so she understood that they were on their journey. "Why didn't you wake me up before?" Melanie asked rubbing her eyes slightly. 

"Good morning to you too, Mel," Damon remarked. 

She shrugged, "morning. And this was the nastiest way to wake up; honking cars, noisy traffic and most of all the great giant ball of flames right at our heads in the form of the Sun." 

He shook his head still laughing, "stop complaining. Its not a good habit." 

She frowned, "look who's talking about good habits! Have you decided on being Stefan for the whole of this journey?" 

He narrowed his eyes as if considering it, "no not exactly." 

She tied her hair up in a messy bun to keep the strands from falling into her eyes. After a while, she spoke, "you know I live off on food, right? Normal human food. And speaking of which, I am really starving now." 

He nodded, "I know. We'll be stopping in a few minutes. There's a place where you could stock up on food. It's Gloria's bar actually but they sell delicious hamburgers too. You'd like it." 

She raised an eyebrow skeptically, "how many people do you exactly know around the world, Damon?" 

He shrugged, "I've been alive for more than hundred years. I meet a lot of people here and there. Old friends, arch enemies, drinking buddies or just those who aren't my type to associate with but could furnish useful purposes when needed. Gloria, for instance, is witch. She knows a lot about crystals and their magical properties." 

She looked impressed, "you've made a lot of categories for your acquaintances." 

He replied, "it comes in handy." 

Seeing the fore mentioned bar, he swerved the car in the narrow parking space next to the curb, "here it is. Come on. Get out, what are you waiting for?" 

She bit her lip, "if you have noticed; I'm still wearing my nightdress." 

He laughed, "yeah right." 

To him it was nothing unusual but of course one couldn't expect someone in their right senses to turn up at a bar in PJs. He got out of the car, went to the trunk, took out the suitcase and fumbled inside. Taking out a black t shirt and pair of jeans along with her toothbrush, he handed it to her silently laughing to himself. 

"Hey what so funny?" Melanie frowned. 

He shook his head, "nothing." 

He took off his jacket and gave it to her as well. She mumbled a low thanks. They went in the restaurant section and of course everyone was giving her weird looks. 

She muttered, "they are looking at me as if I spent the whole night clubbing or getting high on drugs." 

A smirk was plastered on his face though. She went to the restroom while Damon found a table and gave the order. As usual he didn't order anything for himself but was intending to steal some of Melanie's French fries later. He loved to annoy her at times. 

She returned and took her seat still wearing Damon's jacket. Seeing him looking at her expectantly, as if he was wondering when she was going to return his jacket, she shrugged, "what? You know this jacket looks twice better on me." 

He nodded, "it does make you look cute but it's over-sized." 

She spoke, "doesn't make a huge difference. Where's my breakfast though?" 

He sighed dismissively, "sometimes I do wonder if you really are a spoiled brat. No patience at all." 

Her eyes widened, "really? You called me a brat?" 

He held up his hands, "not at all. I don't have a death wish." 

She narrowed her eyes at him, "and now you're making me look like a brat too." 

He laughed, "of course not. I was just kidding, you know." 

The food arrived. The blonde waitress placed it down on the table after giving Melanie a jealous glare while being all smiles to Damon. He was used to such kind of behavior but Melanie sure as hell wasn't. 

Before the waitress could try her luck at flirting, she stood up staring down at her deviously, "you wanna know what happened to his last girlfriend? She lost her pretty little voice forever. So go try your luck at someone else who doesn't have a demonic sister to scare the crap out of you." 

Damon couldn't stop laughing. The waitress went away still glaring at Melanie who was getting a little dangerous at the moment. 

"What was that for?" Damon asked chuckling silently. 

"I got those danger vibes from that woman so I shooed her away. Practically I prevented a sick little encounter." 

He raised an eyebrow, "for example what?" 

She shoved him, "shut up. You may do whatever you like but not when I'm present. Disgusting." 

He stole another one of the French fries, "your mind works fast for someone your age." 

She looked at him and then back at her plate, "why don't you order some fries for yourself too?" 

He replied, "things taste twice better when stolen from your plate. Now finish it quickly. We still have a long way to go." 

She rolled her eyes, "it's not gonna take long since you've already eaten half of the fries." 

He shrugged, "they were delicious and I couldn't help it."

It was a beautiful day in Mystic Falls. Beautiful but silent. Unlike other towns, this place had an eerie charm to it which signaled both tranquility and danger. Unimaginable danger. 

Because here not everything was as it seemed to be. Behind each tiny crevice was a secret difficult to unravel and behind each little perfection was a dangerous mystery that could make blood run cold. 

"That's our mansion," Damon spoke as he got out of his blue Camaro, "or rather a boarding house if you prefer. People here call it the Salvatore Boarding House. But I'd rather call it a Salvatore Boring House." 

He was unloading the luggage from the car as the Melanie got out. "So, after how many years have you really come back to this place?" Melanie asked. 

"Not long. I looked after renovation and the interior designing so most probably after fifty five or six years," Damon rang the doorbell and stepped back, an annoying smirk playing on his lips. 

A few seconds later the door opened revealing Stefan Salvatore standing there with his arms folded and a slightly surprised expression took over his features that didn't take long to turn into a frown. 

"Hello brother," Damon's smirk widened. 

"If you're here for the same reason as before, you already know my answer," he replied the weariness clearly visible from his voice. 

All of a sudden Melanie stepped forward and launched herself on Stefan tackling him into a big hug, "hey Stefan! I missed you! God, you're still the same as ever. Don't you guys grow up at all?" 

Unmistakably, the weary expression from Stefan's face vanished as he smiled, "hey Melanie." 

Damon's voice interrupted them both as he faked to blink a few tears away from his eyes, "well well I guess we have had our share of emotionally wrecking reunions. Goodness, you guys really brought tears to my eyes." 

She gave him a shove, "stop being annoying, Damon." 

Stefan's gaze traveled from Damon to Melanie, "so what are you here for?" Melanie smiled, "not for anything special really. I finally managed to convince Damon into seeing sense and realizing that it could do no harm if we moved together like the old days. Gosh, I missed you, Stef!" 

He smiled, "good. I missed you too. Come on in. I don't suppose you would like to spend the rest of the days out here." 

Damon rolled his eyes, "of course not. It's definitely a pleasure."

She smiled as she admired the house, "I like this place. It's way better than that Italian residence." 

Damon gave a low gentlemanly bow, "good to hear that from you." 

She gave him a playful shove, "oh Damon when will you stop treating me like your little princess?" 

He laughed, "in all probability I'd never. Well you are my little princess. My very own sunshine." 

She laughed too, "but the little princess is gonna join High School tomorrow." 

He pretended to appear distressed, "really? Why have you grown up so fast, Princess?" 

Stefan joined them, "well why don't you unpack first? I'll show you your room. Damon probably knows the way round to his own." 

Damon simply rolled his eyes, "I guess that's a great idea. Actually much better than estimating the length of your years. But seriously it seems like just yesterday when I used to take you to school holding your bag because you were too little to carry it." 

Her eyes had a mischievous glint, "oh but you can render the service of carrying my books even now." 

He laughed, "that would be fun. You'd make the top gossip tale of a high schooler who has a devilishly handsome person to willingly carry her books for her. Don't you think the other girls would be jealous?" 

She narrowed her eyes at him, "seriously?" 

He smirked, "yeah. I am devilishly handsome." 

She rolled her eyes, "but I have had enough of jealous people today." 

Stefan patted her back affectionately, "that's your room. You can relax because I know you're tired. I'll be down in the kitchen making your favorite French omelette." 

She clapped in delight, "great. I missed your omelettes." 

Damon was leaning against the wall subconsciously looking at her. She was happy. Really happy. After such a long time, the joyful shine was visible in her blue eyes and her face was radiant. 

He inhaled deeply reflecting over everything in his mind. Hopefully things were not going to be any difficult than they had been earlier. He hoped that this decision was right. Because an inner feeling of dread was gnawing at him. 

He shook his head attempting to clear away all the dreadful thoughts. After so many days, he had actually felt glad and carefree. After such a long time he had fully enjoyed in her presence. After so many days she had truly and genuinely laughed. 

And he didn't want to spoil it. He wanted every other day to be as easy and cheerful as this one. He wanted her to be happy. And for her happiness he could go to any limits. Even if it took sacrificing his ego and living back with Stefan. 

Even if it took watching Stefan and Elena together and suppressing all his own memories and desires. Because she was important to him. She was his whole world now. The reason of his existence. 

She had become his only flame in the darkness and he never wanted the flame to burn out. So he would do anything for her. For her life, for her happiness and for her survival.