The Wave essays

The Wave essays The Wave is a book about teenagers in a high school who wish to try this experiment. An experiment that started in one classroom, and like wild fire spread through the whole school. The idea of strength through discipline, strength through action, strength through community, suddenly swept across the school and soon got out of control as everyone felt the urge to join the new movement of The Wave. But one girl, Laurie, finds the courage to stand up for what she believes when she realizes that The Wave seemed and insane following group of what the Nazi Movement once was. 3. Analyze one or more high impact scenes of the story. One scene that seemed important was right toward the beginning of the book. The first time the wave started. Everyone had just watched a movie on how Hitler and the Nazis could control the Jews in such a horrible way with out any one to stop them. Mr. Ross, stunned at all their questions, decided to try an experiment. At first he only planned on having this be one-day thing. The students caught on to his plan fast, even the slackers of the class were paying attention and answering questions. The next day the students were so encourage by what strength through action had done, they yerned for more. More of this idea they could just eat up. Everyone loved it, all the student felt they fit in with each other. Laurie, all excited about this new thing, eagerly told her parents at dinner that night. They werent fond of the idea. Laurie told them it was harmless. The next day at school students were skipping other classes to sit in Mr. Rosss class. They decided to give this a name and a salute with a motto. Mr. Ross was all geaked up about the new movement and student participation, that he eventually loves the leadership role he played, and soon found himself controlling. A Hitler in training. 1. Analyze one key character. How can I relate to this char ...

Cause and Effect Paper About Aliens Research Paper Example

Cause and Effect Paper About Aliens Research Paper Example Cause and Effect Paper About Aliens Paper Cause and Effect Paper About Aliens Paper Essay Topic: Cause and Effect Cause and Effect Paper Ashamed of Human Society Today With all the technical advances ( computers cell phones) and the medical evolution you would think that we would be proud of our society, but when asked to write an essay about if aliens came to visit our planet from a higher developed civilization would we be proud or ashamed of the state of human race today, taking a deeper look into our race I can only conclude that they would be disappointed. Would they want to breath in our polluted air, see the disrespect that humans often give one another based on a race or culture, agree with our disregard for other living things, agree with our decisions to get abortions because we can’t live up to our mistakes, or would they be aggravated with the lazy people who just live life on the government’s welfare. The first thing that I feel would disappoint these highly advanced creatures would be our neglect to the plant. Global warming is an ongoing issue. Although we know the cause for this epidemic we continue to drive our cars to and from work or school carrying on with our everyday lives. As the winters in some places seem to get warmer, people knowing the cause just ignore it. But, it’s not just the cars we drive and the pollution that we put in the air, it’s the neglectful student or classmate that see the garbage and yet, the garbage is still laying to the floor. In addition to the disrespect of the environment, when I think of what we humans are doing to our other fellow humans, I would have to say that I am ashamed. People tend to judge other people simply by their race or culture and not for the person that they really are, or the things that they have accomplished in their lives. Racism is a big part of everyday life and it’s just not right. It can be as little as calling someone a hurtful name because of their color or religious beliefs or as extreme as murder. If these aliens from another civilization came here to visit I would be embarrassed of the way people treat other people. Also, not only do humans show disrespect to other humans but what about everything else that gets destroyed, how many species of plants and animals that get killed, how many countless billions of life forms are destroyed that we didnt hear about, that we didnt care about, that no longer exist because of us. Everything on this planet deserves the right to life. But most people only care about themselves now a days, they don’t have any regard to the other living things around us. Not only does this attitude and behavior affect humans, but it also affects the other life forms on the planet as well. All living species are interconnected and play a role in the environment. If one species becomes endangered or extinct, it has a huge impact on the rest of the species as well. For example, even though humans view bees as pests and try very hard each year to make sure these insects do not invade their yards, bees are a very essential part of nature. Bees are necessary in pollinating flowers so that they are able to reproduce. Without bees, this process would be impeded. This is an example of how humans take their environment for granted. In attempting to make life better for ourselves, we often mistreat the little things that help our planet and harm other species. Furthermore not only do we as humans have disregard for other living things, but a lot of people don’t even have respect for babies that don’t even have the chance to be born or live. Just because these babies are not out of the womb yet does not make them any less human, they still have a heartbeat. I believe that if you are old enough to have sex and get pregnant in the first place, then you are old enough to face up to your actions and be a parent. That’s why we as humans invented things like condoms and birth control, its your own fault if you decide not to protect yourself if you are not ready to have children. These creatures from a place or planet that is way more developed would most likely pack their bags and leave if they saw the insolent way in which we as humans behave in today’s society. Lastly, I am mortified of all the lazy people that live off the government. There are many people that have multiple kids just to get more money, sit on their couches all day and do nothing all day. A lot of these people drive better cars, live better and have better housing than the people that go to work everyday to make an honest living. I think that these aliens would be disgusted with these people that are totally capable of working that would rather hang around and do nothing and rely on the government to support them and their multiple children. I don’t think its right to the people that are working hard and have to pay taxes that go to these government fundings for others to abuse these funds and not work even though they are capable. In conclusion, even with the inventions we have created or the medial advances and cures for diseases we have come up with there are still many reasons I would feel embarrassed or ashamed of our society and how we live today if these friendly aliens from a higher developed civilization decided to visit our planet. Not only because of the way we treat our environment but the way we treat other people and other living things. But I guess all you can do is take the good with the bad, you live and you learn.

Week Two Participation Questions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Week Two Participation Questions - Essay Example Due to the current economic slowdown companies even if they wanted could not invest their limited cash flow into renewable energy technologies. The program will enable companies to develop electric and hybrid cars that can stand out and provide the types of benefits Americans seek. A preview of the potential of the technology is already here. GM will launch in 2010 the Volt 230 model, a vehicle with the capabilities of giving 230 miles per gallon. I agree with your perspective that in order for organizational change to occur the changes have to start at the top of the food chain. The executive and managerial staff is the stakeholder group responsible for any transformational change initiative. Their leadership and guidance are essential in order to influence behavioral changes throughout the organization. Changes in the corporate culture must occur simultaneously with organizational change. As you said sometimes this process is difficult, but in order for the changes to occur the managers have to be persistent and allow sufficient time for the employees and other stakeholder groups to accept the changes. The first sentence of your response claims that change cannot be delegated. I disagree with your statement because in order for change to occur the manager must delegate part of the responsibility to other employees that are respected leaders within the workforce. These leaders can influence the behavior of the other workers better in certain aspects than a manager because the employees view these persons as equals within the organizational hierarchy. The example you provided about change within your organization was very insightful. It showed that change is inevitable, but that it takes time to manifest itself. According to your estimates you notice that noticeable change occurred every five years. A manager that thinks he/she can implement organizational change in a matter of months is doomed to fail. Three concepts that you

Crap ( this professor is horrible) Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Crap ( this professor is horrible) - Assignment Example Students learn about organization theory not only because it is a must, but because they acquire the skills essential for theorizing. For example, students examine themselves once in a while and this allows them to form ideas and expectations that are likely to motivate them to theorize. It is a process that would not work when there is no training. Most students would also not care to take it seriously, if it were not a requirement. Hence, because it is a requirement, a student has to train and learn everyday about organization theory. Moreover, it ensures that their theorizing skill gets refined, resulting to students with accumulated body of knowledge. The other purpose is that it guides research (Professor Kelsey, 2012). To researchers, knowing how to learn and apply organizational theory allows them to adopt a positive view of an organization. A view that is less mechanical. For this reason, researchers carrying out surveys on organizations pay more attention to the staff members, seeking to establish how human satisfaction functions in an organization. Organizational theory informs practice in three different ways. The first way is that it forms a frame of reference. Application of organizational theory in organizations, allows members of an organization to take note of how the political and human resource flames relate to them. For instance, the human resource frames in an organization reflect on its management and the political frames show its leadership relations (Nelson & Quick, 2012). The theory allows leaders to understand the nature of organizations, which in turn allows them to know how to deal with certain organizational situations. Such knowledge allows the leaders to know how to manage the organization most effectively. The other way that the theory informs practice is that it acts as a guide to reflective decision-making. Correctly applying organizational theory influences the behavior or the people applying it

Hybrid electric vehicle Essay Example for Free

Hybrid electric vehicle Essay 1) Who is the target market for each of the following cars? What do you think motivates them to purchase these cars? A)Toyota Prius B)Toyota Prado The Toyota Prius is a hybrid electric car which is one of the first of its kind to be mass produced and marketed. The unique feature of the Prius is its Hybrid Synergy Drive which makes use of both the traditional petrol driven engine and an electric motor. This electric motor allows the Prius to switch off its petrol engine when stationary; and recharge the electric motor using the kinetic energy produced when braking. This not only conserves a lot of energy and petrol, and also allows for a smoother drive in the city areas which tend to have greater road congestion. Toyota’s largest target market would be educated working adults in developed urbanised countries especially in the West where there is a subculture of environmental concerns and issues which are relatively more active compared with the rest of the world. Thus the educated working class in these countries would be attracted to the Prius’ energy and fuel savings, and automatic battery recharging which would not only be a lot more environmentally friendly, but would ensure a more smoothly-powered ride to work in a congested city morning. Furthermore, the affordability of the Prius as compared to other Toyota vehicles coupled with even greater cost savings on fuel – cuts fuel consumption by 40% is an added incentive for these environmentally conscious consumers as they might worry that specially designed green technology might be expensive One of the factors that could motivate these consumers to purchase the Prius is lifestyle. These consumers would be largely influenced by social needs which would in turn shape their own beliefs and attitudes. With the constant reminders of depleting energy resources and global warming in society today, people’s attitudes are changing as they become more willing to adopt new approaches to conserve energy – an environmentally friendly car for the purpose of travelling. Furthermore, as the target market’s lifestyle patterns would be to get to work efficiently and economically, they would want a car that is affordable. Hence these are the factors motivating them to purchase the Toyota Prius. 1b) The Toyota Prado is one of Toyota’s newest SUVs with a four wheel drive and a powerful engine that aims to give its driver an edge above the usual car. The main strengths of the Prado aside from its power is the spaciousness inside and also the stability of the vehicle. The main target market of the Prado would be the sports and outdoors inclined consumers. These buyers will be looking for a car that has enough space and gadgets to transport large sports equipment like bicycles, scuba-gear, surfing†¦ among others. Lifestyle is an influential factor in the buyer’s choice of car. An upper/middle working class executive might choose the Prius for its sleekness and elegance, whereas a buyer who spends much of his time in the outdoors would choose the Prado. The 4 wheel drive that is powered by a strong engine is a significant advantage for buyers who frequently travel on rough terrain. Also the enhanced control and traction that the Prado provides would allow for a smoother ride for the buyer on such ground. Another factor that could motivate these buyers is their own personalities or self-concepts. While some buyers might not be that involved in the outdoors or be so sports-inclined, they might want to portray a more rugged and masculine side of themselves. An example would be in Singapore where there is hardly any road conditions that require the all-terrain drive of a 4 wheel drive vehicle; however, SUVs are a common sight. These could be the manifestations of a psychological need of some buyers who feel a connection with the ‘tough’ and sporty image that a Prado would give. In conclusion, I can see how Toyota has successfully chosen its target markets and analysed their motivations to help them develop different types of cars to cater to each market. This would allow them to appeal to a greater share of the consumer pie, and hence might allow them to gain greater market share.

Affirmative Action is Necessary Essay -- Argumentative Persuasive Topi

Affirmative Action is Necessary      Ã‚   Affirmative action is the perfect fuel for a heated debate. Ever since formal plans for affirmative action were proposed by President Lyndon B. Johnson and instigated in 1964, this fiery topic has been battled back and forth at presidential campaigns, discussed in depth in classrooms, and been thoroughly explored at the dinner table. Put simply, affirmative action affects everyone's lives. This has become particularly evident during this past year in the state of Texas, and more specifically in the city of Austin, due to the recent ruling in an affirmative action lawsuit. The ramifications of the decision of this case have effectively destroyed all affirmative action plans created by universities in Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. Thus these states are on the brink of re-creating a segregated society, in which minorities are forced to linger outside of the world of higher education and risk becoming social monsters.    In 1992, four white applicants, Cheryl Hopwood, Douglas Carvell, Ken Elliott, and David Rogers, were denied admission into the law school at UT Austin. In September of that same year, all four filed a discrimination lawsuit against the law school. When the case was presented before U.S. District Judge Sam Sparks in August of 1994, Sparks denied them their 14th Amendment right to equal protection, because they could not prove reverse discrimination and thus could not prove they would have been admitted to the law school under a system in which all applicants were judged equally (Phillips 3). In turn, the prosecutors took their case to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Judge Jerry Smith reversed Judge Sparks decision, ruling the law school's affirmative-action... ... is that, like the monster in the novel, many of these minorities may very well likely resort to violence in order to release the feelings of injustice that they rightly feel.    This is an alarming situation that promptly needs to be corrected. Our schools and society cannot be allowed to follow in Victor's Frankenstein's footsteps. Minorities are full-fledged members of our society and must be treated as such. Society cannot merely abandon an entire portion of itself, nor plans that are designed to protect this portion. If society is to prevent a whole new generation of 'monsters' from being created, it must take responsibility for its members and educate them.    Works Cited King, Michael. "With All Deliberate Speed?" The Texas Observer. May 3, 1996. Phillips, Jim. "Court Lets Hopwood Ruling Stand". Austin American Statesman. July 2, 1996.   

The Hunters: Moonsong Chapter Seventeen

â€Å"That was amazing! Seriously,† Bonnie said happily, skipping along with her hand in Zander's. â€Å"I am, like, the Queen of Quarters. Who knew I had this hidden talent?† Laughing, Zander threw his arm around her shoulders and pul ed her closer. â€Å"You are pretty awesome,† he agreed. â€Å"Drinking games, visions, astrology. Any other skil s I should know about?† Snuggling against him, Bonnie frowned in mock concentration. â€Å"Not that I can think of. Just be aware of my general wonderfulness.† His T-shirt was soft and worn, and Bonnie tilted her head a bit to rest her cheek against it. â€Å"I'm glad we got our friends together,† she said. â€Å"I thought Marcus and Meredith real y hit it off, didn't you? Not romantical y, at al , which is good since Meredith has a super-serious boyfriend, but it was like they shared the same secret jock language. Maybe we can al hang out in a group again sometime.† â€Å"Yeah, Meredith and Marcus real y bonded over their workouts,† Zander agreed, but there was a hesitation in his voice that made Bonnie stop walking and peer up at him sharply. â€Å"Didn't you like my friends?† she asked, hurt. She and Meredith and Elena had always had what they privately cal ed a â€Å"velociraptor sisterhood.† Cross one of them and the other two would close in to protect her. Zander had to like them. â€Å"No, I liked them a lot,† Zander assured her. He hesitated, then added, â€Å"Elena seemed kind of †¦ uncomfortable, though. Maybe we're not the kind of people she likes?† Bonnie stiffened. â€Å"Are you cal ing my best friend a snob?† she asked. Zander stroked her back appeasingly. â€Å"Sort of, I guess. I mean, nice, but just kind of a snob. The nicest kind of snob. I just want her to like me.† â€Å"She's not a snob,† Bonnie said indignantly. â€Å"And even if she was, she's got a lot to be a snob about. She's beautiful and smart and one of the best friends I've ever had. I'd do anything for her. And she'd do anything for me, too. So it doesn't matter if she's a snob,† she concluded, glaring at him. â€Å"Come here,† Zander said. They were near the music building, and he pul ed her into the lit alcove by the front door. â€Å"Sit with me?† he asked, settling on the brick steps and tugging her hand. Bonnie sat down, but she was determined not to snuggle up to him again. Instead, she kept a distance between them and stared stubbornly out at the night, her jaw firmly set. â€Å"Listen, Bonnie,† Zander said, pushing a long strawberry blonde curl out of her eyes. â€Å"I'l get to know Elena better, and I'm sure I'l like her. I'l get her to like me, too. You know why I'm going to get to know her better?† â€Å"No, why?† said Bonnie, reluctantly looking at him. â€Å"Because I want to know you better. I'm planning on spending a lot of time with you, Bonnie McCul ough.† He nudged her gently with his shoulder, and Bonnie melted. Zander's eyes were so blue, blue like morning on the very first day of summer vacation. There was intel igence and laughter with just a touch of a wild longing in them. He leaned in closer, and Bonnie was sure he was about to kiss her, their first kiss at last. She tilted her head back to meet his lips, her eyelashes fluttering closed. After a moment of waiting for a kiss that didn't come, she sat up again and opened her eyes. Zander was staring past her, out into the darkness of the campus, frowning. Bonnie cleared her throat. â€Å"Oh,† he said, â€Å"sorry, Bonnie, I got distracted for a minute.† â€Å"Distracted?† Bonnie echoed indignantly. â€Å"What do you mean you – â€Å" â€Å"Hang on a sec.† Zander put a finger to her lips, shushing her. â€Å"Do you hear something?† Bonnie asked, uneasy tingles creeping up her back. Zander got to his feet. â€Å"Sorry, I just remembered something I have to do. I'l catch up with you later, okay?† With a halfhearted wave, not even looking at Bonnie, he loped off into the darkness. Bonnie's mouth dropped open. â€Å"Wait!† she said, scrambling to her feet. â€Å"Are you just going to leave me here† – Zander was gone – â€Å"alone?† she finished in a tiny voice. Great. Bonnie walked out to the middle of the path, looked around, and waited a minute to see if there was any sign of Zander coming back. But there was no one in sight. She couldn't even hear his footsteps anymore. There were pools of light beneath the street lamps on the path, but they didn't reach very far. A breeze rustled the leaves of the trees on the quad, and Bonnie shivered. No sense in standing here, Bonnie thought, and she started walking. For the first few steps down the path toward her dorm, Bonnie was real y angry, hot and humiliated. How could Zander have been such a flake? How could he leave her al alone in the middle of the night, especial y after al the attacks and disappearances on campus? She kicked viciously at a pebble in her path. A few steps further on, Bonnie stopped being so angry. She was too scared; the fear was pushing the anger out of her. She should have headed back to the dorm when Meredith and Elena did, but she'd assured them, gaily, that Zander would walk her back. How could he have just left her? She wrapped her arms around herself tightly and went as fast as she could without actual y running, her stupid high-heeled going-out-dancing shoes pinching and making the bal s of her feet ache. It was real y late; most of the other people who lived on campus must be tucked into their beds by now. The silence was unsettling. When the footsteps began behind her, it was even worse. She wasn't sure she was real y hearing them at first. Gradual y, she became aware of a faint, quick padding in the distance, someone moving lightly and fast. She paused and listened, and the footsteps grew louder and faster stil . Someone was running toward her. Bonnie sped up, stumbling over her feet in her haste. Her shoes skidded on a loose stone in the path and she fel , catching herself on her hands and one knee. The impact stung sharply enough to bring tears to her eyes, but she kicked off her shoes, not caring that she was leaving them behind. She scrambled up and ran faster. The footsteps of her pursuer were louder now, starting to catch up. Their rhythm was strange: loud periodic footfal s with quicker, lighter beats in between. Bonnie realized with horror that there was more than one person chasing her. Her foot skidded again, and she barely caught her balance, staggering sideways a few steps to keep from fal ing, losing more ground. A heavy hand fel on Bonnie's shoulder, and she screamed and whipped around, her fists raised in a desperate bid to defend herself. â€Å"Bonnie!† Meredith gasped, clutching Bonnie's shoulders. â€Å"What are you doing out here by yourself?† Samantha came up beside them, carrying Bonnie's shoes, and doubled over, panting for breath. â€Å"You are way too fast for me, Meredith,† she said. Bonnie swal owed a sob of relief. Now that she was safe, she felt like sitting down and having hysterics. â€Å"You scared me,† she said. Meredith looked furious. â€Å"Remember how we promised to stick together?† Meredith's gray eyes were stormy. â€Å"You were supposed to stay with Zander until you got home safely.† Bonnie, about to respond heatedly that it hadn't been her choice to be out here alone, suddenly closed her mouth and nodded. If Meredith knew that Zander had left Bonnie out here by herself, she would never, never forgive him. And Bonnie was mad at Zander for leaving her, but she wasn't quite that mad, not mad enough to turn Meredith against him. Maybe he had an explanation. And she stil wanted that kiss. â€Å"I'm sorry,† Bonnie said abjectly, staring down at her feet. â€Å"You're right, I should have known better.† Mol ified, Meredith swung an arm over Bonnie's shoulders. Samantha silently handed Bonnie her shoes, and Bonnie pul ed them back on. â€Å"Let's walk Samantha back to her dorm, and then we'l go home together,† she said forgivingly. â€Å"You'l be okay with us.† Around the corner from her room, Elena sagged and leaned against the hal way wal for a moment. It had been a long, long night. There had been drinks, and dancing with the huge shaggy-haired Spencer who, as Samantha had warned her, did try to pick Elena up and swing her around. Things got loud and aggravating, and the whole time, her heart hurt. She wasn't sure she wanted to navigate the world without Stefan. It's just for now, she told herself, straightening up and plodding around the corner. â€Å"Hel o, princess,† said Damon. Elena stiffened in shock. Lounging on the floor in front of her door, Damon somehow managed to look sleek and perfectly poised in what would have been an awkward position for anyone else. As she recovered from the shock of his being there at al , Elena was surprised by the burst of joy that rose up in her chest at the sight of him. Trying to ignore that happy little hop inside her, she said flatly, â€Å"I told you I didn't want to see you for a while, Damon.† Damon shrugged and rose graceful y to his feet. â€Å"Darling, I'm not here to plead for your hand.† His eyes lingered on her mouth for a moment, but then he went on in a dry and detached tone. â€Å"I'm just checking in on you and the little redbird, making sure you haven't disappeared with whatever's gone sour on this campus.† â€Å"We're fine,† Elena said shortly. â€Å"Here I am, and Bonnie's new boyfriend is walking her home.† â€Å"New boyfriend?† Damon asked, raising one eyebrow. He'd always had – something – some connection with Bonnie, Elena knew, and she guessed his ego might not be thril ed to have her moving past the little crush she'd focused on him. â€Å"And how did you get home?† Damon asked acidly. â€Å"I notice you haven't picked up a new boyfriend to protect you. Not yet, anyway.† Elena flushed and bit her lip but refused to rise to the bait. â€Å"Meredith just left to patrol around campus. I notice you didn't ask about her. Don't you want to make sure she's safe?† Damon snorted. â€Å"I pity any ghoul that goes after that one,† he said, sounding more admiring than anything else. â€Å"Can I come in? Note that I'm being courteous again, waiting for you out here in this dingy hal way instead of comfortably on your bed.† â€Å"You can come in for a minute,† Elena said grudgingly, and opened her bag to rummage for her keys. Oh. She felt a sudden pang of heartache. At the top of her bag, rather crushed and wilted now, was the daisy she'd found outside her door at the beginning of the evening. She touched it gently, reluctant to push it aside in the hunt for her keys. â€Å"A daisy,† said Damon dryly. â€Å"Very sweet. You don't seem to be taking much care of it, though.† Purposely ignoring him, Elena grabbed her keys and snapped the bag shut. â€Å"So you think the disappearances and attacks are because of ghouls? Do you mean something supernatural?† she asked, unlocking the door. â€Å"What did you find out, Damon?† Shrugging, Damon fol owed her into the room. â€Å"Nothing,† he answered grimly. â€Å"But I certainly don't think the missing kids just freaked out and went home or to Daytona Beach or something. I think you need to be careful.† Elena sat down on her bed, drew her knees up, and rested her chin on them. â€Å"Have you used your Power to try to figure out what's going on?† she asked. â€Å"Meredith said she would ask you.† Damon sat down next to her and sighed. â€Å"Beloved, as little as I like to admit it, even my Power has limits,† he said. â€Å"If someone is much stronger than me, like Klaus was, he can hide himself. If someone is much weaker, he doesn't usual y make enough of an impression for me to find him unless I already know who he is. And for some ridiculous reason† – he scowled – â€Å"I can never sense werewolves at al .† â€Å"So you can't help?† Elena said, dismayed. â€Å"Oh, I didn't say that,† Damon said. He touched a loose strand of Elena's golden hair with one long finger. â€Å"Pretty,† he said absently. â€Å"I like your hair pul ed back like this.† She twitched away from him, and he dropped his hand. â€Å"I'm looking into it,† he went on, his eyes gleaming. â€Å"I haven't had a good hunt in far too long.† Elena wasn't sure that she ought to find this comforting, but she did, in a kind of scary way. â€Å"You'l be relentless, then?† she asked, a little chil going through her, and he nodded, his long black lashes half veiling his eyes. She was so sleepy and felt happier now that she'd seen Damon, although she knew she shouldn't have let him in. She missed him, too. â€Å"You had better go,† she said, yawning. â€Å"Let me know what you find out.† Damon stood, hesitating by the end of her bed. â€Å"I don't like leaving you alone here,† he said. â€Å"Not with everything that's been happening. Where are those friends of yours?† â€Å"They'l be here,† Elena said. Something generous in her made her add, â€Å"But if you're that worried, you can sleep here if you want.† She'd missed him, she had, and he was being a perfect gentleman. And she had to admit, she would feel safer with him there. â€Å"I can?† Damon quirked a wicked eyebrow. â€Å"On the floor,† Elena said firmly. â€Å"I'm sure Bonnie and Meredith wil be glad for your protection, too.† It was a lie. While Bonnie would be thril ed to see him, there was a decent chance Meredith would kick him on purpose as she crossed the room. She might even put on special pointy-toed boots to do it. Elena got up and pul ed down a spare blanket from her closet for him, then headed off to brush her teeth and change. When she came back, al ready for bed, he was lying on the floor, wrapped in the blanket. His eyes lingered for a minute on the curve of her neck leading down to her lacy white nightgown, but he didn't say anything. Elena climbed into bed and turned out the light. â€Å"Good night, Damon,† she said. There was a soft rush of air. Then suddenly he whispered softly in her ear, â€Å"Good night, princess.† Cool lips brushed her cheek and then were gone.