[ He doesn't know. He can't tell, she hasn't given any hints, and it kills her inside. Her Damon had been the only reason she'd survived becoming a vampire; he'd helped her navigate the cravings, the emotions, the additional burden of the symbiote. Without him... she'd have found a way to walk into the sun a long time ago.

Having his arms wrapped around her makes things better, if only for a brief moment. She forgets just how messed up everything is, how alone she feels... until he pulls back to question her. And damn it, but she can't lie to him. ]

Because I asked him to. [ The words are tight and brittle around the edges, so very close to breaking. ] It was Matt or me and I couldn't bear to lose anyone else. So I died with your blood in my system.

[ In for a penny... ]