Damon was always there for Elena because he loved her, and he would do anything in his power to protect her. He was sure that there was very little that he wouldn't do for Elena, the only thing that he wouldn't do for her was something that put her life in danger.
And he was sure that he would always love her. No matter what. Even in her darkest hour, Damon would not stop loving Elena, would not stop wanting to protect her. Because she had saved him long before he had saved her. Just not in the same way. The moment she had broken through his defense, the moment she had decided he was worth saving, the moment that she had cared for him, and saw him as something more than the monster everyone else did, she had saved him.
And he liked to give her what she needed, not what she wanted. He wasn't one to give into her whims or ideas, not when they involved her getting hurt or putting herself in any kind of danger.
His gaze locked with hers for a few long moments and he felt such a strong tug to her. It amazed him at times how much he loved Elena. He didn't think that he could love her more but in the moment, he fell deeper for her because she was here with him again, because she cared about him enough to return when she had thought he died.
And then she started to cry, and though it pained him to see it, he knew that it was something that she had to do, so instead of saying a single word, his hands moved, on moving to cradle the back on her head, the other resting gently on her back and he just held her in his arms until she had no more tears to cry.
Her words cut through him at first, thinking that this was it. This was the moment, the moment she told him that it had all been because of the sire bond. But then she continued and said that she wanted to stay with him. "Are you sure about that?" he asked. Part of him feared that she was only doing this because of the sire bond and right now, he needed to test it. He picked up her glass and held it out to her. "Maybe you should take a drink. It would make me happy if you did," he said. He felt bad for doing this, but he needed to.