I'Ll Always Be With You - a Vampire Diaries fanfiction

I'll Always Be With You

Story: I'll Always Be With YouStorylink: https://www.fanfiction.net/s/6935190/1/Category: Vampire DiariesGenre: Romance/SupernaturalAuthor: serenadreamsAuthorlink: https://www.fanfiction.net/u/2703423/Last updated: 07/28/2011Words: 24024Rating: TStatus: CompleteContent: Chapter 1 to 22 of 22 chaptersSource: FanFiction.net

Summary: At the Masquerade ball what if Jeremy hadn't stopped Stefan and Damon in time and they killed Katherine.Elena dies but is she really dead? A Delena Story!

*Chapter 1*: Chapter 1

Chapter One

Step, step right over the line

And onto borrowed time

When it's life, not waiting to die

Waiting to divide, to divide

The end is near

I feel it dear, but I'm not afraid.

Borrowed Time A Fine Frenzy

"Stop!" Jeremy yelled.

Damon and Stefan looked up in surprise.

"You're hurting Elena, everything you're doing to her is hurting Elena."

Damon felt his stomach drop; he looked down at Katherine who was pinned beneath him, a stake protruding from herheart.

He shook her, praying that she wasn'tshe couldn't benot if it meant that Elena was

"Katherine wake up. This isn't funny Katherine. Wake up. WAKE UP!" He yelled.

He couldn't form coherent thoughts.

"Oh my god." He whispered, aghast.

Stefan was staring at him, his face ashen.

Katherine was, without a doubtdead.

"Bonnie took the spell off the room, you guys can leave." Jeremy said, refusing to believe that his sister wasn't going tobe all right.

Damon raced out of the room with Stefan hot on his heels.

They ran like they had never before run, in their immortal lives. They followed the unmistakable sound of her heartbeat,usually strong and vital, now weak and sluggish. It was a sound they would both recognize anywhere, and as it falteredand skipped several beats they pushed themselves forward even faster. They reached the patch of trees close to the carpark and soon Elena was in sight.

The brothers watched as she fell. They both moved forward but Damon was quicker and caught her before she hit theground. He pulled her into his arms and sat against a tree, gently brushing a strand of hair from her face.

"Elena." He said urgently.

Stefan crouched down next to them; he took Elena's hand but didn't make a move to remove her from Damon's hold,much to his relief.

Her pale pink top was stained with large patches of red; the vampires could smell the intoxicating scent of blood as itfilled the air. But in that moment a young woman's blood had never seemed less tempting, both of them ignored theinstinctual desire to feed, purely focused on saving the girl in front of them.

Her eyes flickered open and focused on Damon's bright blue ones.

"Elena, you're going to be ok." Stefan said soothingly, he stroked her hand.

She turned to look at him and gave him a sad smile.

"You know I hate it when you lie to protect me." She said softly.

Stefan looked stricken.

"No, Elena, you're going to be fine." He said desperately.

Damon watched their conversation quietly, he could feel Elena's pulse weakening; he could feel her slipping away. Heheld onto her tighter, as if he could somehow anchor her to the world.

"Blood. Damon you have to give her blood." Stefan suddenly yelled.

"It won't work, you can't cheat a spell." Bonnie walked quickly up to them and gazed down at her friend in sadness.

Elena drew in a shuddering breath and Damon crushed her gently against his chest. Stefan tried to hide his jealousy; hewanted to be the one holding her. He didn't move, he knew that nothing he could do would make Damon let go of her.

"Don't be sad." Elena whispered, her voice was weak and rough; she had trouble enunciating the few words.

Stefan realized that he was crying, his cheeks were wet with tears.

"No, no, no." he moaned.

Elena looked at Stefan's distraught face and tried to tell him with her eyes all the things she wanted to say, like how hehad to move on, had to keep going.

"Bonnie, do something. Help her!" Damon said desperately.

"I can't. It's too late." The witch replied sadly.

The brothers froze at her words.

Elena squeezed Stefan's hand and rested her head back against something warm. She realized that it was Damon'sbody, she could feel his arms encircling her; she relaxed into his comfortable embrace and let her eyes drift shut.

"Elena!" Damon said, panicking.

She looked up at him, she had thought that Stefan's face was distraught but Damon's was broken. The pain in his clearblue eyes was shocking; he looked like he was cracking, he was coming apart at the seams. His face was dry but hiseyes were swimming with unshed tears.

He wanted to tell her how much he loved her, wanted to rain her face with kisses, but he couldn't. He couldn't be selfishwith her, especially now. He gritted his teeth but couldn't stop his face from twisting in pain.

"It'll be ok." Elena whispered.

It hurt her to see him so sad.

He shook his head.

No it really wouldn't. She was dying, Elena was dying and it was his fault.

"Hey." She said softly.

He met her eyes.

"You're going to be ok." She whispered.

Using all her strength she reached up and touched his lips, something she had secretly been dying to do since she methim.

"You've got to keep going, you've got to stay good." She murmured.

A single tear slipped down his cheek.

"Promise me you'll keep going, you're so close."

He swallowed.

"I promise." He replied, his voice breaking.

She gave him a weak smile and he cupped her face in his hands.

"Don't leave me Elena, you can't leave me ok?" He said desperately.

She closed her eyes.

"I'll always be with you Damon, always."

Those were the last words she uttered as she died.

So what do you think? Should I continue?


Chapter Two

Stop every clock

The stars are in shock

The river won't run to the sea

I won't let you fly

I won't say goodbye

I won't let you slip away from me.

Can you hear heaven cry

The tears of an angel

Tears Of An Angel RyanDan

Her head lolled to the side, and her hands relinquished their grip on Stefan's.

Stefan backed away from her, unable to look at her lifeless body. He turned and disappeared into the woods.

Damon rested his head against hers and focused on her unmistakable scent, memorizing the way she felt in his arms.

Caroline and Jeremy ran up to the scene, both bursting into tears when they saw Elena lying there, lifeless. Bonnie wascrying quietly a few feet away and Stefan was nowhere to be seen.

"Elena." Caroline cried. "Oh god Elena."

Damon didn't acknowledge her; he sat completely still, clutching onto Elena's body as if it was the only thing holding himto the earth.

Jeremy sank to the ground unable to process what was happening.

A phone began to ring, obnoxiously loud. Caroline looked around and realized that it was coming from Damon's pocket.He was making no move to answer it, so she carefully pulled it away from him.

"Hello?" She said, her voice thick.

"Caroline, why are you answering Damon's phone?" Alaric's voice came through.

"Mr. Saltzmancan you come to the trees by the parking lot?" She choked out.

Alaric tried to question her but she hung up and tossed the phone onto the ground.

No one was moving or talking, the air felt heavy with grief.

Damon's heart had been broken into a thousand pieces, this was ten times worse than any pain Katherine had everinflicted on him. He hadn't realized that he was capable of feeling anything this intense, anything this human.

It had been his job to protect her. He had promised himself that he would never let any harm come to her and instead hehad been the cause of her death. She was the one thing in his long life that had been worth anything at all. He wouldnever love anybody else how he loved her. He would never love anybody else, period.

Tears slipped unnoticed down his cheeks.

Caroline began sobbing hysterically, her brow puckered and her hands covering her mouth, trying to stifle her cries.

Jeremy was rocking back and forth, his eyes blank and empty.

"Caroline? What's going on?" Alaric called as he walked into view.

He stopped short as he took it all in.

"Oh my god." He whispered. "What happened?"

"Katherine and Elenathere was a spell, they were connected." Bonnie choked out.

Alaric's face twisted in sadness. He stood completely still for a minute before snapping into action.

"Damon." He said, the vampire didn't answer him.

"Damon!" He said again, louder this time.

He walked towards him and trying not to look at Elena's body touched Damon's shoulder.

Damon looked at him with eyes that held so much pain that it was almost impossible to hold his gaze.

"I'm going to call sheriff Forbes. We need to cover this up." He said gently.

Damon nodded stiffly.

"I'll explain it." He said, his voice cracked and raw. "Just get her to come here and send them home." He nodded towardsJeremy, Bonnie and Caroline.

Alaric nodded and pulled out his phone. He had a brief conversation before hanging up and saying something abouttaking Jenna home.

Damon didn't hear him. He was alone now, alone with her body. The body of a girl he had loved. She had beenseventeen; just seventeen short years old, it was so cruel that she had been taken from the world. She was good andkind and had so much to offer and yet fate had stepped in and robbed her, and everyone else of her life.

He knew what he had to say to the sheriff, he knew how to handle her death, but he didn't want to. Saying it out loudwould make things so much more real. He thought about flicking that switch, cutting off the pain that racked through hisbody.

He knew that he wouldn't be able to. He had opened himself up too far, he had let Elena Gilbert into his heart and therewas no way of shutting her out. Her life and her death would haunt him for the rest of eternity.

I cannot believe the response I have gotten to the first chapter of this story! It is insanely wonderful and amazing andI only hope I don't disappoint you guys with the update!


Chapter Three

It don't matter to the sun, no

It matters to me

It ain't going to stop the world

If you ain't here no more

This old world just keeps spinning round

Like it did the day before

Cos to them it makes no difference

It just keeps on keeping time

Cos it ain't going to stop the world no

But it will be the end of life

Rosie Thomas It Don't Matter To The Sun

"Damon?" Liz called. "Damon are you there?"

The sheriff walked into sight and gasped when she saw Damon. He was rocking Elena's still body back and forth; hisface wet with tears.

"What happened?" Liz gasped.

Damon looked up at her, his face expressionless, his eyes heartbreaking.

"We found her here." He said, trying to keep his voice steady. "Someone thought she was a vampire, she wasshewasstaked." He choked.

Liz looked appalled and rushed to his side, she reached out to touch Elena's face. But Damon pulled her out of reach.Liz sighed and blinked back the tears that glistened in her eyes.

"Who would do this?" She asked. "Who would think she was a vampire?"

Damon shook his head.

"I don't know." He said quietly. "We need to cover this up. Come up with a story."

Liz nodded, staring at him concernedly.

"I'm so sorry Damon, I know you two were close." She said softly.

Damon ignored her.

"It will have to be a closed coffin ceremony. No autopsy"

Liz cut him off.

"Go home Damon. I can deal with this. You don't have to"


"I need to I need to do something. I don't want to think." He mumbled numbly.

The sheriff nodded and patted his shoulder.

"We'll get this sorted out." She assured him.

Damon closed his eyes.

It didn't matter what they did; nothing could be sorted out. Nothing would ever matter, ever again. Nothing.

Damon stood completely still, the rain beating down on his head and trickling in sparkling droplets down his face.

He was passive, unseeing, and yet he saw everything in minute detail. He was numb and unfeeling and yet he felteverything.

The coffin was being slowly lowered into the ground, the groups of black clad people stood huddled together, tearsmixing with the rain.

Damon stood alone, he didn't want to talk; he didn't want to look at anybody.

The ornate mahogany box was completely submerged in the freshly dug grave now, Jeremy was moving forwards tothrow the first handful of earth into the hole.

Stefan was nowhere to be seen. He had been gone since it had happened.

The earth was being shoveled into the grave, slowly filling it, covering the coffin and her body.

Damon felt trapped, suffocated. He felt like he was in one of those nightmares where however hard you try, you can'tscream. You are a prisoner in your own body, watching as your worst fear plays out before your eyes.

Flowers were placed on the ground, Alaric was comforting Jenna, Bonnie and Jeremy had their arms wrapped aroundeach other, finding comfort in their mutual grief. Caroline stood with her mother, sobbing uncontrollably. Liz was dry eyed,she glanced at Damon a couple of times, sympathy and concern written across her face.

Damon took one last look at her grave before turning away. His hair was plastered to his head, his face passive, hiseyes broken.

He turned and walked stiffly away from the surreal scene. Someone called out his name but he ignored it.

His walk quickly turned into a run as he headed for the trees. Branches blurring by, leaves hitting his face. He ran as fastas he could, trying to run away from his pain.

He ended up standing on a pile of jagged rocks gazing down at a waterfall crashing below him. The water was torrentialand the noise deafening.

He collapsed to the ground and stared around at the beautiful setting. He finally let himself think, let his mind run wildwith the thoughts that he had been holding at bay for the last week. He let himself remember her, let himself picture herface, her heartbreakingly beautiful smile, her warm, beseeching eyes. He even remembered the bad things, howridiculously stubborn she could be, how she was completely incapable of following an order, how she would sacrificeherself completely for the people she loved

He heard her laughter, loud and carefree as it had been in Georgia. He inhaled her softly sweet vanilla perfume and felther silky cheek beneath his fingers.

He stood there, broken and alone. The girl he had thought he loved had betrayed him. Had never really returned hisfeelings. He didn't know what to do, for the first time in 160 years he wasn't sure of his next move.

He heard Elena's soft footsteps approach but didn't look up. She stood in front of him, her face twisted in compassion, herdark eyes swimming with sadness. She reached up and wrapped her thin arms around his shoulders. Holding him tight,letting him know that she cared. That she was sorry.

He could smell vanilla mixed with her b lood, but he wasn't tempted to drink, he didn't want to hurt her.

He was crushed, devastated, heartbroken, but that tiny b it of comfort that she gave him made all the difference. It gavehim a tiny glimmer of hope.

That memory haunted him. He wished she would come to him now, her movements cautious as she assessed hisstate of mind, she would pause in front of him, purse her lips slightly and sigh. She would say his name in thataffectionate, reproving tone of voice and then she would offer the best sort of comfort she knew. She would hold him inher arms and tell him that it was ok to feel how he did, that it was good. That he would be all right. Then she would pull

away, far too soon for his liking, giving him a soft smile before turning to leave.

Tears slipping softly down his cheeks. Crying wasn't something he did, but he didn't care right now. He had thought thatthe pain he felt over Katherine that night was unbelievable. Elena's loss had affected him so much more deeply; it wasnothing like anything he had felt before. It was a thousand times worse. He had made his decision; he knew what hewas going to do. It was the only thing he could do. He couldn't live with this much pain.

This story is turning into so much more than I imagined! For those of you who are worried you should know that I ama sucker for happy endings...that's all I'm saying ;)


Chapter Four

Lost between Elvis and suicide

Ever since the day you died

Well I've got nothing left to lose

After Jesus and rock and roll

Couldn't save my moral soul

Well I've got nothing left

I've got nothing left to lose

Nothing left To Lose The Pretty reckless

Damon walked towards Bonnie's door, dressed completely in black. He had just one more thing to do.

He knocked lightly and the witch opened the door, staring at him through suspicious, tired eyes.

"Damon? What do you want?" She asked.

He cut to the chase.

"That witch, at the party, do you know anything about her?"

Bonnie glared at him.

"Look Damon I" she started but he cut her off.

"Bonnie." He almost begged.

Her eyes softened slightly.

"I actually looked her up" She ran inside and reappeared with a piece of paper. She handed it to him. "This is heraddress."

He took it and looked at her gratefully.

He gave her a stiff nod and turned to leave.

"What are you going to do?" She called after him.

He paused and half turned.

"What do you think I'm going to do?" He replied quietly.

She stared at him for a moment and then, to Damon's surprise, nodded her head and went back inside.

Damon walked up the stairs to the witch's apartment. He pressed the doorbell and a voice came over the intercom.

"Who is it?"

"Fed-ex." He replied quickly.

"Oh, come in." She said, buzzing the door.

Damon rolled his eyes at her stupidity.

He walked into the apartment and a dark skinned woman walked into sight. Damon recognized her; he had seen her atthe party. He felt hatred rise in him at the sight of her and his face twisted into a snarl.

Her face registered shock and then understanding as she recognized him.

Damon charged her and shoved her against a wall, her head smacked against it and she whimpered in pain.

"You took her." He yelled, his hands closing around her throat.

The witch shook her head.

"NoShe" She rasped.

Damon pressed harder, knowing that she could take him down with just a few words if he let her get them out.

"You took her away from me." He whispered brokenly.

Her eyes were a mixture of pity and desperation. She tried to say something but Damon shook his head.

"No, you took the one thing that mattered to me"

His hands circled her head.

"So I'll take your life."

He snapped her neck without batting an eye, letting her body slump to the floor. He stared at the dead woman for amoment, his mind so confused and tired that he didn't know what he was thinking or feeling.

He quickly grabbed a chair from the kitchen and overturned it beside her. When someone discovered her body theywould assume she just fell.

He left the apartment with his hands shoved deep in his pockets; his eyes were fixed on the ground.

He didn't feel any better for the witch's death; it hadn't taken away the pain, the guilt

He knew what would take all of that away; it was the only mercy he had been given. Sunlight. He just had to wait fortomorrow morning; the sky was grey and cold today, it wouldn't be affective.

He vaguely wondered where Stefan was, what he was doing, whether he had taken his ring off he felt a slight pang atthat and was surprised to find himself hoping that his brother was safe.

He fell into a drunken stupor that night, lying on the sofa in the den, an empty bottle of scotch in his hand.

The house was a mess, blood bags and empty liquor bottles littering the floor. He had spent the days since her deathfighting the devastating sadness that engulfed him at every opportunity. Cleaning wasn't really on the schedule.

He dreamt of her, every time he closed his eyes he saw her, whether it was a nightmare or a fantasy, she was there.

Tonight he had been dancing, her eyes sparkling and her cheeks flushed, her hair cascading around her shoulders.She was moving as if she didn't have a care in the world. She looked free and happy, she swayed her hips and ran ahand through her hair. She looked up at him and her face lit up into a breathtaking smile, it was like a physical blow tohis heart. He walked towards her, his eyes trained on hers, drinking them in. She let out a soft tinkling giggle and coylybeckoned him forward.

Suddenly she was lying on the floor, blood pooling around her body, seeping into the carpet, smeared across herbeautiful face. He ran to her side and knelt, trying to help her in any way he could. Trying to figure out what had happened.

There was blood everywhere, so much blood. He couldn't control himself and his teeth tore into her neck, draining whatlittle life she had left. She gazed up at him with disappointment in her doe eyes, and then they closed never to openagain. He woke up with a yell; sweat pouring from his body.

Sunlight was streaming in through the windows. He sat up and walked towards the front door, throwing it open andstepping outside.

I know this chapter wasn't great... :( hope next one is better!


Chapter 5

And I will die alone

And be left there

Well I guess I'll just go home

Or god knows where

Cos death is just so full

And man so small

Well I'm scared of what's behind

And what's before

After The Storm Mumford and Sons

Elena drifted into consciousness, trying to clear her foggy mind. She felt stiff and she couldn't remember where she was.She opened her eyes only to find herself completely surrounded by darkness.

"StefanDamon?" She called out automatically.

No one answered, the air was stuffy and thick; she took a deep breath and tried to sit up. Her head hit against somethinghard and she cried out in pain.

Frantically she reached out blindly with her hands, trying to determine her surroundings. She quickly realized that shewas in a very small space, some type of box. It was lined with something softvelvet maybe.

She frowned; this wasn't making any sense, unless she was dreaming why would she be in arealization hit her like aton of bricks. A coffin.

Her heart rate quickened and she struggled not to hyperventilate. If she really was buried alive she couldn't waste air.

She closed her eyes and tried to focus. She managed to calm herself down and assess her options. She could eitherstay where she was and wait for somebody to come and rescue her or she could try and find a way out.

She didn't know how long she had been missing or if anybody was looking for her yet so she decided to try and escapeherself.

She fumbled with the material above her and managed to feel her way to the edge, where the coffin had been opened.Praying that it wasn't somehow latched from the outside she kicked at the hinges. She kicked and kicked until her feetwere bleeding and sweat was pouring down her face.

She gave one last push with both feet and the wood shifted slightly. Gasping in delight she pushed harder and it shiftedfurther. Her happiness was short lived as she felt earth tumble in over her legs.

She wondered how deep she was buried, it wouldn't do her any good to get out of the coffin if she were buried so deepshe wouldn't be able to dig her way find the surface. She paused for a moment, and came to the conclusion that it wasworth a try, she was going to run out of air soon anyway.

She pushed the lid with her hands and it shifted again. More earth fell on her, she closed her eyes and mouth andcontinued pushing and kicking at the wooden lid until she had created a gap big enough for her slight body to slipthrough. She began to cry, tears streaming silently down her face as she worked.

She took a deep breath and slithered out, clawing at the earth with her fingers, she tried to burrow her way upwards.

Fighting the fast approaching panic, as her hands met nothing but more earth, she pushed forward, digging and fightingher way towards the surface. Just when she was beginning to feel lightheaded from lack of air, her fingers pushedthrough something soft and she felt a breeze on her skin. She wriggled her fingers and realized she was touching grass.

Frantic with excitement she scratched and tore at the ground until her head broke the surface.

She gasped and dragged in long shuddering breaths as she gazed around her. She felt sick; she was in the cemetery,clawing her way out of a grave. When had her life gotten so twisted?

She pulled the rest of her body out of the ground and lay panting on the grass. Her hands and feet were covered in blood,her hair was thick with earth and she had cuts up and down her arms and legs. She noticed for the first time that shewas wearing a long white dress, silk and slim with blood and grass stains smeared across it.

She frowned, and looked behind her, half knowing what she would see before she saw it. Her heart was pounding in herchest and she began shaking violently.

There, next to the graves of her parents was a headstone.

"No." She whispered.

Elena Gilbert

1993 2011

A Life That Ended Too Soon

"No!"

She shook her head, this was not happening. This could not be happening.

She stood up and began to run, ignoring the pain in her feet she ran away from the nightmare that was becoming all tooreal.

Her feet pounded on the ground and she tripped several times, adding more cuts and bruises to her body.

She headed instinctually towards the boarding house, not even knowing how she found it. She just knew that Stefan andDamon would help her; they would know what to do.

As she neared the familiar house she slowed, something wasn't right. It looked too empty, too quiet. She cautiously creptaround the back, and stopped short when she saw him.

Damon sat in a patch of sunlight his eyes cast down, his fingers playing with the ring on his finger.

"Elena." He whispered.

She frowned; he definitely hadn't seen her.

"My sweet Elena. I'm so sorry." His voice was broken and soft.

She felt fresh tears well in her eyes as she watched him, even thought she didn't know what he was sorry for, or why hewas talking to himselfhe looked so broken and alone.

As he inched the ring up his finger Elena starting running towards him, her face horror struck as she realized what hewas doing.

"Damon!" She cried.


Chapter 6

Hello there,

The angel from my nightmare

The shadow in the background of the morgue

The unsuspecting victim

Of darkness in the valley

I miss you, miss you, miss you

I Miss You Blink

"Damon"

He turned and stared at the sight before his eyes. He blinked several times; trying to clear what he was sure was ahallucination.

Elena was running towards him, her dark hair hanging in tangled clumps around her thin shoulders. The long whitedress that she had been put in for the funeral was stained with blood and dirt.

He closed his eyes and swallowed. He had let his imagination get away from him.

"Damon?" She called again.

He opened his eyes and was surprised to find her still there; she was only a couple of feet away from him now, her darkeyes staring up at him in concern.

She stepped closer and reached out to him but he stumbled backwards, away from her.

He shook his head, trying to clear his mind. He had finally snapped. It had been a long time coming and it had finallyhappened. He had gone mad.

"Damon, talk to me!" She begged him, reaching out again.

He frowned and stared at her again. Why would he have hallucinated her looking like that? Her face was smeared withtears and earth, he hated it when she cried; it broke his heart. Why would he imagine her crying?

He groaned. Now he was talking himself into thinking she was real. Hadn't he had this fantasy a thousand times in thelast week? It was just that, a fantasy that had gotten away with him, or maybe it was a dream. He didn't know, he didn'treally know anything any more.

"What's wrong?" She whispered, her hand grazing his arm.

He yanked out of her grasp, shaking his head.

"No." He said quickly.

She stared at him, hurt.

He looked into her chocolate eyes and felt his heart melt all over again; she looked just as he remembered her, theperfect olive skin, the delicate cheekbones, and the ridiculously adorable pout.

He groaned at himself, trying to snap out of it.

"You're dead." He whispered, his eyes full of pain as he said the words out loud.

Elena looked as though she had been slapped she took a step away from him.

"I'm right here." She replied.

He shook his head.

"No, this isn't happening. You're dead." He repeated.

Elena stared at him, tears welling in her doe eyes.

"Damon, stop saying that. You're scaring me." She mumbled.

He backed away from her, his eyes wide and panicked.

"This isn't real. This isn't real." He whispered to himself.

"Damon, please!" she cried, reaching for him again. He stepped back.

"Damon, help me!" She whispered brokenly.

Damon's eyes snapped to hers, his face was twisted in confusion and pain.

"But I saw them put you in the ground. Your heart wasn't beating I held you as you died." He said in agony.

"I'm not dead Damon, I'm here look at me; I'm here." She said frantically.

He moved in front of her and stared down at her beautiful face. He looked so confused and sad that her heart broke.

He trailed a finger softly down her cheek, and ran his thumb across her lips like he had all those months ago when shehad crashed her car.

"Elena." He murmured.

"Yes, I'm here. I'm not dead, see?" She replied, gazing up at him.

"HowWhatHow?" He mumbled incoherent questions to himself, his eyes never leaving hers.

Was it possible that it was really her that she was really standing in front of him, alive, her heart beating?

Suddenly he grabbed her and crushed her against his chest, burying his face in her hair. She gasped in surprise butwrapped her arms around him.

"Elena, Elena, Elena." He whispered over and over, holding her so tight she thought she might pass out.

He held on to her for dear life, breathing in her familiar scent, a fragrance he was sure he would never smell again. Heran his fingers softly through her messy tresses and got lost in the feeling of holding her in his arms.

After a while he pushed her away, taking in her appearance again, this time recognizing that he might not have lost hismarbles after all.

She was hurt, he cursed him self for not seeing that earlier. Of course he hadn't noticed it, he was too preoccupied withthe girl he loved coming back from the dead. Coming back from the deadhow had this happened? If it really washappening

As he let himself begin to believe that she was really standing in front of him, his heart swelled with incomparable joy.Her soft brown eyes were gazing up at him, swimming in tears. Even covered in dirt and blood she was devastatinglybeautiful. All his dreams and memories hadn't done her justice, nothing could compare to seeing her in front of him inthe flesh and blood. God he loved this girl.


Chapter 7

'Cause if you're not really here

Then the stars don't even matter

Now I'm filled to the top with fear

But it's all just a bunch of matter

Cause if you're not really here

Then I don't want to be either

I wanna be next to you

Sam Sparro Black and Gold

Gazing up into Damon's face it all came back to her. The searing pain as wounds ripped through her flesh, Damonholding her, begging her to keep breathing. She remembered his face, how much it had broken her heart to see himhurting like that. She remembered whispering words of comfort to Stefan, telling Damon she would always be with him.

Then she had died. She had died.

Her breathing became shorter as the reality of her situation set in. everybody thought she was dead. Maybe she wasdead. Maybe she was a vampire, maybe sheshe began to hyperventilate and fresh tears flooded down her cheeks.

"Damon." She gasped, grabbing onto his jacket for support.

She clutched at him desperately and his brow furrowed in concern.

He quickly scooped her up in his arms and she didn't protest as he carried her into the house. Using vampire speed heset her on the couch and disappeared, reappearing at her side with a warm flannel and some bandages.

Elena was crying almost hysterically by this point, she was staring at her bloodstained hands and trying to keep someconcept of reality at the forefront of her brain. She was so confused. She was so frightened.

Damon knelt in front of her and gently lifted her chin. He stroked down her cheek, wiping away tears. She blinked at him,her eyes heavy with smudged makeup, her dark brown orbs pleading with him to help her, to explain to her.

He wiped her face with the flannel, cleaning away the dirt, makeup and tears. She stopped crying as he worked, calmedby his caring touch. He brushed his thumb along her bottom lip.

"You're really here." He whispered, the faint caress of a smile touching his lips.

His brow creased as he fought the overwhelming emotion that was overtaking him.

Elena could see his inner struggle, could see in his eyes how much he had been hurt, how much he had lost.

Instinctively she wrapped her arms around his neck, resting her head against his shoulder. He pulled her close to himand stroked her hair.

"I'm scared Damon." She said quietly after a few minutes.

He pulled away to look at her.

"Hey, you're aliveand that's all that matters." He replied softly. "I promise we'll figure this all out."

She nodded shakily.

"I'm sorry." She murmured.

Damon frowned.

"What for?"

"You were sad when I wasdead." She trailed off seeing the expression on his face.

He stared at her in shock; she was apologizing for what? Dying? Or for making him sad, although that was theunderstatement of the century Had she shown up two minutes later she would have found nothing but a pile of ashand an abandoned ring. So really she had saved his life again. Even though he had failed to save hers.

He sighed and looked away from her confused eyes.

"Elena sweetie, you have nothing to be sorry for." He paused. "If anyone should be apologizing it's me. For so manythings, that I don't even know where to begin."

He gently brushed his fingers under her eyes.

"Every time there were tears in your eyes because of me. Every time I made your life harder and more painful."

Elena was gazing at him, stunned. She had never in a million years conceived of hearing these words out of DamonSalvatore's mouth. And yet here he was, opening himself up to her, leaving himself completely unprotected andvulnerable in a most un-Damon-like way.

She had never seen his bright blue eyes so soft, and she felt fresh tears trickle down her face at the beauty of themoment. This Damon, the one she had fought so hard to discover, he was extraordinary and wonderful and worth everysecond of heart ache.

"I'm so sorry Elena."

Those words meant more to her than he could ever imagine.

I know its short :( I have a really busy couple of weeks right now, I will do my best to update regularly but just barewith me! 3


Chapter 8

But if you keep me close

Yeah you stay with us

I will reach you

I'm dying to whisper

In a daydream on a hill

Shut down to whisper

Can you hear me?

Stay.

Whisper A Fine Frenzy

"Thank you." She whispered simply. "And you should know that I wouldn't change meeting youeven with everything thathappened."

Damon looked at her, her words sinking in.

A thought crossed her mind and her brows furrowed, she narrowed her eyes at Damon.

"When I saw youwhat were you doing?" She whispered.

He looked momentarily confused before catching on.

He avoided her eyes.

"You were taking off your ring." She stated in shock.

Damon still didn't respond.

"Damon! Whywhy would you?" She stuttered.

He sighed.

"I had nothing to live for. Eternity is a long time."

She stared into his troubled blue eyes and felt an inconsolable amount of pain for him.

"But you do have things to live for. I mean you have" She broke off, trying to think of something that was importantenough to Damon. she was coming up blank.

Damon stroked her hand.

"I have you." He murmured. "But I didn't then."

She looked up at him, her eyes wide.

Damon still couldn't understand how one small human could have changed his life so irrevocably. She just had to bather dark lashes at him and tell him that she cared and she had him falling at her feet.

But right now, in this surreal moment, he understood completely that she was the only thing that he had to live for. Hehad lived to protect her, he had enjoyed distractions and denials but the center of his reason had been her. When shewas gone, when she had died practically at his hands, there had been nothing, no reasons for being. But she was here,by some miracle she was here, living and breathing and he wasn't going to make the same mistakes he made before.

He would protect her and he would love her and he would make sure that she had a good life. But he wouldn't cause her

any pain orguilt.

He would stand by and watch her be happy with Stefan. He would be the friend and that was fine, just as long as shewas there. Just as long as he never had to live another minute of that pain that her loss had caused him.

He once more had something to live for, and this time he would make sure her heart kept beating, whatever the cost.

He wished he could tell her that, but he couldn't. Instead he gave her a small smile and got up from the couch.

"There's a lot to talk about Elena. But you're bleeding, and that dress is really creeping me out. So how about we get youall clean and bandaged up and then we can decide what to do next. Ok?" He said.

She hesitated before nodding slowly and shakily pulling herself onto her feet.

She stumbled and Damon caught her, swinging her up into his arms again. She rested her head against his chest ashe carried her upstairs. Her eyes were drooping and her limbs were aching.

Damon sat her down on the side of the bathtub and turned on the water. She held onto him weakly to keep her balance.

He looked at her cautiously.

"Are you going to be ok in here? We can't have you falling asleep in the water." He said gently.

She sighed and blushed slightly.

"Can you stay? Just turn around."

He looked surprised but nodded and turned away, leaning against the sink. A year ago he would have taken advantageof this situation in a way that would make Elena blush about six shades of scarlet. But not anymore.

Elena struggled to reach the zip of the ridiculous dress, she groaned silently before giving up. Swallowing her dignity shecleared her throat.

"I need help with the zip." She said quietly.

Damon turned to face her and bit back the innuendo that was on the tip of his tongue. He gave her a soft smile and freedthe dress before resuming his position at the sink.

Elena slipped out of the bloodstained dress and into the tub, her body relaxing into the warmth. She scrubbed her bodyand hair clean grime and blood and when she was done stepped, dripping, out onto the bath mat. She grabbed a fluffywhite towel from the rail and wrapped it around her thin body, she sat down on the edge of the bath again as she felt herlegs grow weak.

Damon hadn't moved during the duration of her bath, she appreciated his respect and smiled softly to herself.

"You can turn around again." She said.

He got up and walked over to her.

"That's better." He said approvingly, taking in her appearance.

Steadying her, he helped her up and guided her into his bedroom. He sat her on the edge of the bed and left the room.He came back with what seemed like an entire first aid kit. Bandages, band-aids, disinfectant, the works, Elena raisedher eyebrows and stifled a drowsy giggle.

"Why would vampires have a first aid kit?" she asked, amused.

Damon chuckled.

"Stefan stocked up with all this stuff when you started spending nights here. I thought it was stupid at the time but nowyou've got to admire his foresight."

Elena felt guilty that she hadn't really thought about Stefan since she hadcome back alive. She would ask Damonwhere he was when he was done playing doctor, she decided.

By the time she was all bandaged up and Damon had determined that her injuries weren't life threatening, her eyes

were drifting closed. She slumped forward into Damon's arms and he shifted her into the bed, pulling the covers uparound her.

She curled onto her side and her breathing soon evened into sleep. Damon sat against the headboard next to her andwatched her chest rise and fall, proving with every second that she was alive.

The sound of her heart was like music to his ears.

OMG! The season finale...Elena kissed Damon! Elena kissed Damon! I literally did a happy dance around my bedroom:) And that whole speech about how she likes him just the way she is...finally she has stopped being a bitch to him!Delena lovers rejoice ;)


Chapter 9

Hands on a miracle

I got my hands on a miracle

Leave it or not, hands on a miracle

And there ain't no way

Let you take it away

Damon got off the bed quietly and walked out the room. In a flash he was in the sitting room pulling his cell phone out ofhis pocket.

He flicked through the contacts before pressing call.

"Bonnie?" He said by way of greeting. "Something weird has happened."

There was a pause.

"Just get over here would you? Its importantand don't bring Jeremy."

He hung up and sat down on the couch nursing a glass of scotch. He could still here Elena's steady breathing fromupstairs and yet he was unable to come up with a single way in which that was possible.

She had definitely died. He had felt her heart stop for crying out loud. She wasn't a vampire, or any other sort ofsupernatural thing as far as he could tell. She was just Elena, as if she had never been gone.

There was a knock on the door and he jumped up to answer it.

Bonnie stood outside, her face twisted in confusion and irritation.

"What's going on Damon?" She asked.

He beckoned her inside and she followed him back to the sitting room.

She looked around, taking in the mess of blood bags and liquor bottles. She wrinkled her nose in disgust.

"Well? What weird thing has happened? You look fine to me." Bonnie snapped.

Damon rolled his eyes.

"Its not me. I don't think" He paused. What if Bonnie couldn't see Elena? What if it really was just his mind? He didn'tthink he could take that.

"Come with me." He finally said.

Bonnie looked as though she were about to object but saw how serious he was and reluctantly followed him upstairs.

Damon led the way to his room, gesturing to Bonnie to be quiet.

He stood in the doorway, his eyes trained on Elena's body in his bed. The covers rose and fell with her breaths and herdark hair was fanned around her head.

Bonnie walked up behind him.

"Damon I don't understand what" She looked into his room and took in the shape of the thin, dark haired girl in the bed.She was turned away from them, her face to the wall.

"Is this some kind of a joke Damon?" Bonnie spat angrily. "So you found a girl with the same color hair as her. I don'tcare." She turned to leave but Damon caught her arm.

He finally had proof that he wasn't hallucinating. Elena really was alive.

He dragged a protesting Bonnie into the room and around to the other side of the bed.

Elena's dark lashes brushed across her cheeks, her lips had set into an unconscious pout and a strand of hair wasstraying across her forehead. She looked beautiful.

Bonnie gasped. She stumbled backwards and Damon caught her as she tripped on a rug.

"Elena?" Bonnie whispered.

Damon shushed her.

"Let her sleep."

Bonnie gaped wordlessly at her friend.

She resisted as Damon started to lead her from the room, wanting to throw her arms around Elena and never let go.Damon understood but he didn't want her to wake, she was going to need to be well rested to face the chaos thattomorrow would bring.

"I don't understand." Bonnie murmured as the walked back downstairs. "How is that possible? What did you do?"

Damon sighed.

"I have no idea, and I didn't do anything. I was quite happilyoffing myself when she runs up in that creepy funeral dressyelling my name."

Bonnie stared at him.

"Why were you committing suicide?" She asked, baffled.


"That's not exactly big news right now. I think Elena rising from the grave trumps my suicidal tendencies, don't you?"

Bonnie nodded.

"Rising from the graveshe didn't have to climb out of her coffin" Bonnie whispered, appalled.

Damon looked troubled.

"Her hands are covered in cuts and bruises. It looked like she clawed her way out." He said softly.

"Oh god." Bonnie groaned. "Is she ok?"

He shrugged.

"She's a little bashed up and very scared and confused. But she's still Elena." He replied.

Bonnie's face involuntarily broke into a grin.

"She's back." She said, dazed with happiness.

"Yes, I got that much. I was hoping you could help me with the how." Damon said dryly.

Bonnie's eyes were far away, shining with happiness.

Damon smiled slightly.

"It takes some getting used to. You took it a lot better than I did." He said.

Bonnie glanced at him.

"I have spent the past few days literally alternating between crying and eating ice cream. I don't think I have ever been thishappy to see anyone in my life."

Damon glanced around at the trashed house.

"Well, the evidence of my week is all over the floor. I know the feeling."

They sat in silence for a moment, just reveling in the joy that this anomaly had brought them.

After a while Bonnie spoke up.

"Why didn't you want me to bring Jer? He has been devastated since it happenedseeing her would"

Damon cut her off.

"Break his heart if she weren't here to stay." He said quietly.

She looked at him sharply.

"What do you mean?" She asked.

"We don't know how or why this has happened. I think we should figure it out before anyone else sees her."

Bonnie looked down.

"You mean you think she might not bepermanently alive?" She asked, internally cringing at the ridiculousness of thatstatement.

"I'm saying we should prepare for the worst." He whispered, trying to shut out the feelings that were threatening toovercome him at the thought of her being gone again.

It would be so much worse this time, knowing that she had been here, in the house, in his arms, talking and smiling andcrying and beingElena. He couldn't lose her all over again.

Bonnie broke his train of thought.

"I'll go look through my grimoire, try to find something that explains it. I won't tell anyone, I promise." She said, standingup.

Damon nodded thank you.

"I want to come back tomorrow and see her though."

"I'll call you when she's awake." He assured her.

Bonnie gave him a small smile before running out to her car.

Damon walked back up the stairs and into his room. Unable to resist, he carefully lay down next to Elena, softly brushinghis fingers through her hair.

"I love you Elena." He whispered. A tear slipped down his cheek.

Whether it was a tear of happiness or sadness or fear he didn't know.

I kind of like the Bonnie/Damon friendship so I thought I would incorporate that :) Let me know what youthink...REVIEWS ARE LOVEE 3


Chapter 9

Your beautiful eyes stare right into mine

And sometimes I think of you late at night

I don't know why, I

Want to be somewhere where you are

I want to be where

You're here; your eyes are looking into mine

So baby, make me fly

My heart has never felt this way before

Beautiful Eyes Taylor Swift

Elena awoke to the feeling of a body wrapped protectively around her. She felt warm and safe, perfectly content in thissecret cocoon. As the events of the day came rushing back to her she realized that of course it was Damon who washolding her tight against his chest. She was surprised to find that she didn't care. It felt right, he smelled familiar andhomely and she didn't want to move.

Instead she snuggled deeper into his arms, pushing away thoughts of Stefan and what it was that she was doing. Shehad died for god's sake; she deserved a little slack.

She rested her head in the dip just below his chin and sighed. Every muscle in her body was aching, her hands hurt andher mind was struggling to understand what had happened. A painful throbbing began in her head and she closed hereyes. Damon's stubble brushed against her forehead, without thinking, she touched her lips to his throat in a whisper ofa kiss.

"I'm scared." She murmured.

His breathing was deep and even. His face relaxed in sleep.

He mumbled something incomprehensible and she shifted to look at him.

"Elena."

In that moment so many feelings and realizations overwhelmed her. She disentangled herself and hastily scrambled offthe bed. She realized in horror that she was dressed only in a towel that was doing very little to protect her modesty. Guiltwracked through her body and she fought tears. What was she doing? What was she thinking? She was confused, thatwas all it was. She was confused and Damon was there to look after her, nothing more, she felt nothing more thangratitude and friendly concern. Even as she thought the words she knew they weren't true.

She found one of Damon's shirts and pulled it over her head, it wasn't ideal but it was better than the towel.

She ran out of the room and headed for Stefan's. She pushed open the door and went inside. It was exactly the same asshe remembered it, but a few things were missing from the shelves and some clothes were gone from the closet. Shesat down on the bed and cried, she needed her boyfriend; she needed a constant that would tell her that everything wasgoing to be ok. With a sickening feeling she remembered that Stefan wasn't her boyfriend anymore. But worse than thatwas the realization that it wasn't his arms she craved around her, wasn't his comforting words she needed to hear.

Damon reached across the bed, his hand yearning to come into contact with her soft body. The cool sheets were like abucket of iced water. His eyes snapped open and he sat up, searching frantically around the room.

He felt dizzy as he came to terms with the possibility that it had been a dream; a vividly cruel, taunting dream.

His mind refused to accept it, he jumped out of the bed, and ran out of the room

"Elena!" He yelled.

Please let her be alive, please let it be real.

"Elena where are you?" He yelled again, his voice frantic.

She came hurtling out of nowhere and into his arms.

Elena heard the pain in his voice as he called for her, she recognized the desperation and she ran. She ran to him, tryingto ignore the fact that it felt like coming home.

"I'm here. I'm ok, it's ok." She murmured.

He wrapped his arms around her and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank god." He whispered. "I thought it was all a dream."

She pulled away from him, even though every fiber in her body told her not too.

"No dream. I really rose from the grave." She said attempting a smile.

He rolled his eyes.

"Count on you to find a way to come back and still be human." He chuckled, trying to keep the mood light.

They smiled at each other for a moment before Elena looked away. She made her way downstairs, her heart beatingfrantically in her chest, she groaned inwardly when she remembered that he could hear it. Damon was taking up herevery thoughtthe Damon she had known before thedeath, was beautiful and volatile and worth fighting for, but whenhe opened himself up completely, when he let her see right into his heart and soul he was breathtaking. Literally.

The things he said to her, the way he showed her how much he cared made her want to lose herself in him. She tried toconvince herself that she was probably just confusedor maybe she post traumatic stress whatsit but the truth was,she had never had that feeling with Stefan.

The thought of her elusive ex-boyfriend snapped her out of her contemplation.

"Where's Stefan?" She asked as she walked into the kitchen.

Damon followed closely behind, staring thoughtfully out of the window.

"I don't know." He said quietly. "I was going to try and get hold of him today."

Elena's head snapped up.

"What do you mean you don't know?"

He sighed.

"No one's seen him since the night you" He couldn't quite bring himself to say the word died. "And everyone else wastoo broken up to go and look for him." He finished quietly.

Elena looked at the ground.

"You don't think he might havetaken his ring off, do you?" She whispered.

He swallowed.

"I hope not." Was the only reply he could give her.

She nodded, accepting the knowledge that it was a possibility. She blinked back tears and took a deep breath.

"We've got to find him." She said firmly. "But first I want to see Jeremy."

Damon went to a cupboard and pulled out a box of cereal, he grabbed a bowl and a spoon and set them on the table. Hegot some milk from the fridge and gestured for Elena to sit.

"First you need to eat. Then I promised Bonnie I would call her when you woke up, and I really don't want one of herwitchy little headaches." He said.

"Bonnie knows I'm alive?" She gasped.

Damon nodded.

"I talked to her last night. I thought she might have some answers. No such luck."

Elena smiled at the thought of seeing her friend.

"Do you think she could bring me some spare clothes? I can't exactly wear your shirt all day." She said, remembering herstate of undress.

Damon smirked.

"I wouldn't worry. It looks ridiculously good on you." He smoldered.

She looked down to hide the flush in her cheeks.

Hope you like it! Don't forget to review :)


Chapter 10

Keep a light on those you love

They will be there when you die

Maybe there's no need to fear

Maybe there's no need to cry

Every little piece of your life

Will add up to one

Every little piece of your life

Will mean something to someone

"I looked through Gram's grimoireI haven't found anything yet."

Bonnie, Damon and Elena were sitting in the boarding house living room, discussing the anomaly that was Elena.

Bonnie had brought Elena some clothes, all a couple of sizes too big. Damon had rejoined them after leaving themalone for their emotional reunion.

"I don't understand why I can't see Jeremy." Elena complained, glaring at her friend.

Bonnie sighed.

"Elena, we just have to ease him into itit's going to be a big shock is all." She said, diplomatically avoiding the realreason.

Damon shook his head and looked Elena straight in the eye.

"I've never kept things from Elena, I'm not about to start now." He paused "We don't know what has caused you to comeback. If it were to turn out that" He took a deep breath.

"There's a possibility it's temporary, isn't there." Elena finished for him.

Bonnie rushed to explain.

"We have no reason to think that, but to get his hopes up and then have to go through that again. It wouldn't be fair."

Damon was watching her carefully. She looked surprisingly calm in light of everything.

He couldn't seem to take his eyes off her. When he couldn't see her, hear her, smell her, feel her, he was sure that hehad been imagining the whole thing.

Elena nodded.

"I get it. It's the right thing to do." She said quietly. "What about everyone else?"

Bonnie looked surprised and Damon looked down, sadness coloring his features.

"How about you and Damon discuss this laterI need to do some more research." Bonnie said quickly.

"Wait, we need to find Stefan. Can you do a tracking spell?" Elena asked, accepting Bonnie's reluctance to explaineverything that had happened while she was gone.

Bonnie sighed.

"I'm not sure whether it works on vampiresI could give it a try."

Elena nodded and Damon disappeared, coming back with a map.

"Need anything else?"

Bonnie shook her head.

"But I'll need some of your blood."

Bonnie spread out the map and sat next to it, Elena watched from the couch.

She flinched when Damon bit into his wrist, letting the dark red droplets fall onto the paper.

Bonnie began to whisper, her eyes closed in concentration. Elena watched in fascination as the blood traced its' path.

Bonnie opened her eyes.

"There he is." She announced.

Damon frowned as he looked at the map.

"It wouldn't have worked if he was dead right?" He checked.

Bonnie nodded and Damon gave her a grateful look.

"As much as I want to stay, I really need to get back to the research. Do you mind?" She said apologetically.

Elena hugged her and smiled warmly.

"It's good to see you Bon." She murmured.

"You have no idea!" She replied. "Are you sure you don't mind? You can come with me if you don't want to stay withDamon by yourself"

Damon and Elena simultaneously rolled their eyes.

"I'm fine. He won't bite." Elena giggled.

They hugged again before Bonnie left with promises of finding an answer in the grimoires.

Elena sat down beside the bloodstained map.

"Feel like a road trip?" Damon asked, smiling at her.

Her stomach rumbled loudly as she nodded.

"Let's start with food." He laughed.

They soon discovered that the only human food in the house was ice cream and raw pasta.

Elena sat on the kitchen counter eating from the tub of chocolate Ben and Jerry's. She swung her legs and watchedDamon who lent against the side opposite her.

Damon knew what she wanted to talk about. The future, the people she knew, her life. It was going to be a hard thing todiscuss. He waited until she had finished eating and then strolled into the living room, gesturing for her to follow.

She perched on an armchair and waited for him to speak, her eyes wide. He poured himself a large glass of scotch andstared out of the window.

"When Bonnie has an explanationJeremy, Caroline, Riceveryone who knows about vampires can be back in yourlife." He started, giving her the good news first. "But everyone else"

He turned to look at her.

"They think you're gone Elena." His eyes were soft as he watched her lip tremble. "You have a death certificateit was allmade official, Liz made sure there were no questions asked."

Tears crept out of her eyes and slipped silently down her cheeks.

She could never go back to her old life. She couldn't just pick up where she left off, couldn't just go back to her childhood

room and go to sleep. Couldn't wake up in the morning and go to school, she couldn't even walk down the street in herhometown.

She knew this had been coming but she had been avoiding it. Hearing it out loud made it all too real.

Damon crouched in front of her until his eyes were level with hers.

"We'll figure this out, ok?" He said softly.

She looked at him, her eyes dark and vulnerable.

"Everything's going to change, isn't it?" She whispered.

He nodded slowly, his face a mixture of compassion and sympathy.

"Yeah, it is." He murmured honestly.

Elena struggled not to break down, tears flowing down her cheeks.

She wasn't ready for this. She wanted a little bit of normality. She wasn't ready to say goodbye to everything she had everknown.

Blindly she reached out towards Damon, wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning against his chest for support.He stroked her back and her cries grew softer as she let the feeling of safety that his arms held wash over her.

He didn't say anything; there was nothing he could say that would make this any better for her. Instead he kissed her hairand let her cry on his shoulder, giving her the only comfort he could.


Chapter 11

Houdini, Houdini, was great magicianHe could crack a lock, oh yes he could

from any position But my heart, is nothing like those locks

And your falling last of my brand of stock Like little red riding hood, you're the fox

Oh baby I'm scared of you

Later on they drove towards the coordinates that Bonnie had given them, both eager to find Stefan.

The journey was a two-hour ride and Elena soon drifted asleep in the passenger seat. As the car drew to a halt shewoke up and stared blearily around at the surroundings. Damon was eyeing the dark house that we were parked outsideof apprehensively.

"Where are we?" She asked.

"According to Bonnie, Stefan's here." Damon replied, skeptically.

Elena looked out of the windscreen and unconsciously shivered. The house was falling down and abandoned, therewere cracks in the walls and tiles were falling off the roof. Vines had grown up the side and curled creepily through thebroken windowpanes.

"Why would Stefan be in there?" Elena murmured.

Damon shrugged.

"Maybe it's just a stop along the way"

"The way where?"

Damon opened the door and climbed out.

"Let's find out." He said.

Elena scrambled to follow him and he waited until she had caught up.

They approached the door and Damon shoved it hard, it cracked and fell off its' hinges. Elena jumped at the loud noise.

Damon stiffened when he stepped over the threshold.

"Elena stay behind me." He said quietly, reaching his arm out protectively towards her.

She grabbed onto his shirt, her human eyes having trouble with the gloomy light. They moved slowly forwards, Elena'sheartbeat deafening in both their ears.

Damon followed the overwhelming smell he had sensed when he had first entered the house and approached a roomtowards the back of the building. The door creaked as he pushed it open and they both heard Elena's heart skipping abeat.

As her eyes fell on the contents of the room she opened her mouth to scream, purely out of instinct. Damon's hand wasover her mouth in a flash and he cautioned her with his eyes. She nodded silently and he removed his hand, keeping afirm grip on her arm.

She began to hyperventilate as she stared at the bodies littering the floor. She counted five dead girls, each with darkbrown hair and olive skin. Blood was spattered across their sparsely clad bodies and dripping onto the carpet. They alllooked so young, not much older than Elena. Their necks were ripped open and various limbs were twisted at bizarreangles.

Tears slipped down her cheeks and before Damon could stop her she stumbled forwards, kneeling by one of the girls.She turned her over and pressed her fingers against her neck. There was no pulse.

"Oh god." She moaned.

She went towards the next one but Damon pulled her up roughly by her arms.

"We've got to get out of here." He said urgently.

She struggled in his grip.

"We have to help them!" She cried.

He yanked her forwards, heading back the way they had come.

"There's nothing we can do Elena. They're dead, I'm sorry." He said.

She was shaking violently, sobs getting stuck in her chest, as her breathing got even shallower. Damon swung herround to face him.

"Elena, look at me." He instructed.

She stared into his eyes through her tears. His expression was calm but she could tell how much what they had justseen had disturbed him.

"You have to hold it together ok. Stay with me Elena." He held her gaze until her breathing began to even out.

"Good girl."

He hurried her along the dark passage.

Suddenly he stopped dead, causing her to stumble against him. He steadied her and held her behind him with botharms keeping her in place. He whirled around, and faced back the way they had come.

There was a slight gust of wind and he turned again, this time to face the door.

"I don't like it when people break and enter." A cold voice said.

Elena shivered.

"Oh well... I could use a snack."

Stefan appeared a few feet away from them and Damon tensed. Stefan faltered when he saw his brother. His gaze slidpast him and to Elena who was still trapped safely behind Damon.

"Elena?" He gasped, stumbling forward.

Damon shifted, preventing Stefan from approaching her.

"It's Elena. You're hereyou're Elena." He mumbled, his face a picture of shock and excitement.

He darted forwards again, trying to reach her.

"Damon, get out of the way!" He yelled.

"Stefan, stop." Damon said coldly.

"She's alive. She's right there, I can see her!"

Elena stared at Stefan; he had a crazed, dangerous look in his eye that unnerved her. Her mind drifted to the bodies inthe other room and she shuddered.

"You're on human blood." Damon said.

Stefan growled. He lunged at his brother but Damon flitted out of the way, still holding Elena securely behind him.

"Let me get to her!" He shouted.

"Not until you calm down."

Stefan stared at Elena's scared face.

"Elena." He whispered. "How is this possible?"

She shook her head as she watched him nervously.

"We don't know." She replied shakily.

Stefan's eyes traveled across Damon's arms wrapped around her, took in the way she clutched at his shirt. His mouthset into a hard line.

"Elena, come here." He said firmly.

She shook her head slightly, her eyes swimming with tears.

"Those girls, Stefanhow could you do that?" She whispered.

His eyes darkened and veins protruded from his skin. He bared his teeth, his fangs glinting dangerously.

Suddenly he was just a blur.

Before Elena could blink she was standing a few feet away, watching as Stefan and Damon flew at each other. Stefansent Damon flying across the room with a mighty blow to the face; Damon quickly recovered and slammed his brotheragainst a wall, shaking the very foundation of the house.

Stefan groaned and Elena heard the sickening snap of bones breaking.

He struggled out of Damon's grip and smashed a chair, picking up one of the splintered legs. He lunged with enormousspeed and Damon yelled in pain as the wood plunged into his abdomen.

Elena screamed and he fell to the ground in pain. Stefan ran to Elena, she shrank away from him, her shaky sobsquickening at his proximity.

"Elena." He murmured, reaching out to her.

Damon groaned and struggled to move.

Stefan brushed his hands over her hair and across her shoulders. he cupped her face with his hands.

"Elena." He murmured again.

She stared up at him with wide eyes.

Suddenly he pulled her tight against his chest, wrapping his arms around her in a bone-breaking hug. Elena didn't knowwhat to feel. She was terrified of this version of Stefan. She was terrified of the creature who could kill people like it wasnothing, who could use innocent girls like they were objects, who could stake his own brother.

As Stefan felt Elena's pulse beat against his body his fangs extended and his breathing grew shorter. He pushed heraway slightly and lent towards her neck. She struggled.

"Stefan, what are you doing?" She screamed.

His face was entirely consumed by bloodlust.

"Elena!" Damon yelled, trying to stand.

Stefan bent his head lower and Elena closed her eyes, screwing up her face and waiting for the pain.

Suddenly there was a loud thump and Stefan's grasp on her body disappeared. She opened her eyes to see Stefanpinned beneath Damon on the other side of the room. Damon hit his face repeatedly, his face raw with fury.

"How dare you!" He yelled. "She comes back from the dead and all you can think about is using her like one of yourexpendable snacks?"

Elena clutched her hands over her mouth, staring at the horrific scene, her heart beating wildly in her chest.

"I just got her back. You are not going to put her at risk, you don't get to see her until you are off the human stuff." Damon

got off Stefan and plunged the chair shard into one of his legs. He roared in pain.

Damon cautiously approached Elena who had sunk down to the floor. He crouched down beside her. She was staring atStefan with glassy eyes.

"We need to get out of here Elena." He said carefully.

She didn't register his words, still gazing at her former boyfriend in shock.

Damon scooped her up into his arms and with one backward glance at Stefan, carried her outside and to the car. Heopened the passenger door and placed her on the seat, reaching around her to fasten the belt. She remainedunresponsive, her face pale and her palms clammy.

"Shit." Damon muttered.

He jumped in the car and set off down the drive at a ridiculous speed. Elena sagged into the seat, her eyes wide andvacant.


Chapter 12

This will be one of those days

One of those days

Where you don't have the pleasure

Of running away

From what you know is real

You feel it creeping up behind you

This Will Be Chelsea Williams

Damon drove fast until he had put a decent distance between them and the house. Then he pulled over and walkedround to the passenger side. He opened the door and looked at Elena cautiously. She hadn't moved the whole time theywere driving, her immobility was worrying him.

"Elena?" He said quietly.

She didn't respond.

He grasped her shoulders and gently shook her.

She didn't even glance at him, her eyes fixed on something far away. Damon groaned, he wasn't good with humanissues. He had no idea what to do with someone who had gone into shock.

"I should have studied medicine." He muttered.

He considered taking her to a hospital, but decided that that was a last resort. He thought about calling Bonnie butdecided against it, she would only freak out and probably wouldn't have any more idea of what to do than he did.

He didn't like feeling so useless. He was completely out of his depth. He made a mental note to read up on humansickness later.

"Elena." He said loudly.

She didn't move.

He sighed and pulled out his phone. He knew who would know what to do.

He dialed the number and it only rang twice.

"Damon? Are you ok?" Ric asked, surprised to hear from him.

"How do you cure shock?" Damon asked, cutting to the chase.

"What?"

"Shock, you know when a human goes all comatosehow do you cure it?"

There was a pause.

"Is everything ok? What's going on?"

He sighed.

"I have a girl with me and she just had a relatively traumatizing experience. What should I do?"

Ric was silent for what seemed like minutes.

"I'll come over." He said finally.

"No!" Damon said quickly. "I mean, I'm not home."

"Damon what's going on? Who's the girl, what happened?" Ric questioned.

Damon waved a hand in front of Elena's face, when there was no response he sighed.

"Ok, see you at my house in ten minutes." He said, resignedly.

He hung up and undid Elena's seatbelt.

He could easily run home in that time, the car would be slower. He hoisted her into his arms and set off towards theboarding house.

They arrived a few minutes later and Damon let himself in, placing Elena on the couch in the sitting room.

She still hadn't snapped out of her trance. Damon watched her, it was scaring him to see her so silent and still. The onlything reassuring him that she was alive was her heartbeat.

There was a knock on the door and Damon yelled at Ric to come in.

He wondered how he would take the news. He hadn't been that close to Elena so he hadn't been as effected by herdeath as the rest of them.

"Damon?" Ric called.

"Yeah, in the living room."

Alaric walked in and stopped short when he saw the silent girl on the sofa.

"Jesus Christ." He whispered.

He stared at Elena.

"Please don't tell me there's a third doppelganger." He muttered.

Damon chuckled.

"Nope. It's Elena alright."

Ric walked towards her cautiously.

"How is this possible? What did you do?"


"I didn't do anything. And I don't know how it's possible." He admitted.

Ric frowned.

"Why isn't she talking?" He asked.

Damon sighed.

'I think it's shock. That's why I called youI'm not good with human ailments."

Ric moved closer to her until he stood a few feet away.

"Elena!" He said loudly.

There was no response.

"I tried that already." Damon said.

"Has she talked since shecame back?" Ric asked.

Damon nodded.

"She was fine, taking everything extremely well considering. But then we got into a bit of a situation with Stefan and she

went all catatonic." He explained.

"What happened with Stefan?"

"We went looking for him to tell him the good newsturns out bunny boy's on a blood bender."

"Oh god, what happened?" Ric asked.

Damon sighed.

"There were some bodies, Stefan tried to bite Elenabut it's nothing she hasn't seen before."

Ric frowned, his eyes traveled over Elena's still form, he nodded towards the band-aids on her hands.

"Her hands?" he asked.

Damon frowned, looking troubled.

"She clawed her way out of her coffin." He said quietly.

Ric looked like he was going to throw up.

"Oh god." Was all he said.

Damon crossed the room and sat down next to Elena. He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and grasped her chin,looking into her eyes, trying to find some flicker of recognition.

"This is really freaking me out, Ric. How do we get her back to normal?"

"I think this isn't just a reaction to what she saw todayshe came back from the dead. I think it's all probably justoverwhelmed her at one moment." Ric mused.

Damon looked at Elena, his eyes swimming with anxiety.

"What do we do?" He asked.

"We should take her to a hospital." Ric decided.


"That would be very complicated. She's officially dead." He said quietly.

Ric rubbed his head.

"Then we have to try to snap her out of it."

Damon raised an eyebrow.

"How do you propose to do that?" He asked skeptically.

Ric clapped loudly in front of Elena's face. There was no response.

Damon watched as Ric tried various different methods, nothing worked.

Finally he stopped.

"You have a computer here?" he asked.

Damon nodded.

"Upstairs."

"I'm going to see if I can find any other ideas." He said, leaving the room and heading upstairs.

Damon brushed his fingertips across Elena's cheekbone.

"Come on sweetheart, come back to me." He whispered.

He hated this, he wanted to see her talk, see her eyes flicker with life, more than anything.

"Please Elena. I need you to tell me how to help you; I promise everything will turn out ok I need you Elena." Hemurmured.

Her eyes fluttered and she looked up at him with a slightly dazed expression on her face.

"I'm dead." She whispered. "I'm dead. I'm dead. I'm dead."

(just noticed there was a mistake in the continuity a couple of chapters ago! Sorry about that, I really need to learn toproof read! )


Chapter 13

There's gotta be something

Worth having

Worth all this

In my life at last one thing

That I can go along with

I lost half of what I could have been

Now I wonder which good feeling to go with

Til I realised that thats all changed

For good

Forever

It's all changed forever - Embrace

"What? No you're not Elena, look your right here with me, see?"

She shook her head.

"Those girlsI'm one of them. I'm dead." She cried.

Damon grabbed her face and forced her to look at him.

"You're not dead. I can hear your heartbeat. You're completely alive sweetheart, I promise."

"I climbed out of a grave Damon." She sobbed. "It had my name on it."

He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. She was shaking in his embrace, her small body tense with fear.

"Listen to me Elena. I know this is hard but, by some miracle, you came back. And that's all that matters, ok?" He said.

She shook her head.

"But I don't understand, why did I get a second chance when all those girlsthey're all dead, I should be too. I don'tunderstand."

Damon stroked her hair but didn't say anything. There wasn't really anything he could say. He didn't understand either; hedidn't know why she had come back, why they had all been given a second chance.

He let her cry into his shoulder and he thought about what her life could be from now on. She couldn't stay here, in thistown. She would have to change her name, move to a different country, and create a whole new existence. It wasn't fair.He knew she would hate it, and he didn't blame her.

Elena coming back had been the best thing that had ever happened to him in his whole life. Other than meeting her. Butfor her, it had thrown everything completely off course. He would help her through it, he would be there for her througheverything, but that didn't change how confusing it all was for her. He could see everything taking its toll on her; she justwanted a resemblance of a normal life.

Ric walked back into the room and took in the scene.

"Is she ok?" He mouthed.

Damon gave him a look, as though to say 'does she look frickin ok?'

Ric sighed and sat down on the other side of the sitting room.

"Is shetalking again?" He asked awkwardly.

Damon pushed her away slightly and gently grasped her chin between his thumb and forefinger.

"Elena honey, are you with us?" He asked softly.

Her watery eyes held his for a moment before she looked away.

"So it would seem." She replied stiffly.

She turned to see Alaric sitting across the room. She gave him a small smile and he nodded, neither of them reallyknowing what to say.

Damon wished with all his heart that he could just let her be, but he needed to know that she was physically ok. Heneeded a reassurance that she was completely healthy before he could think rationally again.

"Elena." He murmured. "What happened back there?'

She shrugged, her eyes were still slightly distant and her voice sounded detached.

"I don't really remember. It was just like everything hit me at once, you know? Stefan beinglike that was just the laststraw."

Damon watched her face closely, he was finding her very hard to read at this particular moment and it was annoying himimmensely.

"But I'm fine now, don't worry." She reassured him, seeing the concern on his face.

She shifted to put a bit more distance between their bodies, both of them silently missing the contact the second it waslost. Ric was staring at the floor pondering something, his foot tapping lightly on the rug.

Elena was so confused that she didn't really know what she was thinking or feeling any more, and she couldn't really bebothered to analyze it either.

The three sat in stoic silence, none of them really having the inclination or energy to lighten the mood.

There was a knock on the front door and Damon snapped out of his reverie and went to answer it. He walked back intothe room with Bonnie right behind him. There was a silly grin plastered across her face and she looked ridiculouslypleased with herself.

"I found the answer!" She announced, her voice high with excitement.

Elena Damon and Ric all gave her there full attention upon hearing her words, each of them desperate to have someanswers.

Bonnie's good mood didn't falter in the depressing room, she merely ignored the occupants and opened her grimoire,leafing through pages until she found the right one.

"Witches are here to keep peace, to protect mankind and nature from the supernatural. Should a witch abuse his or herpower in a way that harms innocent life and does not have a valid outcome, the wrong will be set right. Human life is notfor a witch to directly meddle with. Should an innocent human die at the hands of a witch or warlock for no good reason,the death will not be set in stone."

She finished reading and looked around at her audience.

Damon's brows were pulled down and his face was serious. Ric was surreptitiously watching Elena out of the corner ofhis eye, still not quite comfortable with the whole situation.

"But is it permanent?" Damon asked.

She nodded.

"Yeah, it doesn't say anything in here about there being any after affects. She's as good as new."

Elena was staring at Bonnie silently.

"The death will not be set in stone. So I was dead and then what? Some greater power got bored and decided to dig meup?" She asked bitterly.

Damon's eyes flickered to hers before fixing on the window again.

Bonnie shrugged slightly.

"Something like that." She murmured. "But don't you see Elena, this is good. It's not specific to you, there's nothing weirdgoing on."

Damon snorted slightly at that and Elena's eyes flew to Bonnie's.

"Nothing weird is going on?" She exclaimed. "Everyone I know thinks I am dead. I can't go to school, or a hospital, or anairport or vote. I can't do anything because I am officially dead. Tell me that nothing weird is going on Bonnie."

Bonnie stared at her friend in dismay.

"Elena I" She began.

Elena shook her head, cutting her off.

"Whatever." She muttered, turning and leaving the room. The door closed behind her with a bang.

Damon remained motionless, still deep in thought. Ric was awkwardly wondering what to say and Bonnie was lookingshell-shocked.

"That went well." Damon finally said, plastering on his signature smirk.

He turned to the witch.

"Good job with the research Sabrina." He acknowledged.

She took the hint and left.

Ric quickly followed suit, clapping Damon on the shoulder as he passed.

"Don't tell Jenna or Jeremy about any of this yet ok?" Damon called.

Ric nodded and left. Alone, Damon poured himself a generous glass of scotch and downed it in one gulp.

He could hear Elena's soft cries from upstairs, he wanted nothing more than to comfort her and tell her that everythingwas going to be alright. But he couldn't, because he had never lied to her and he wasn't about to start now.

Hi guys! Sorry I know this chapter isn't very good, it is really just a filler...I am gearing up towards some delenayumminess :)

Anyway I am starting a new story! It is way different from anything I have done before and contains some darkthemes but Delena will prevail as always :D CHeck it out if you want to...

Summary - Bring Me Back To Life

When Damon mysteriously disappears Elena's life is turned upside down. Tragedy strikes and Stefan does somethingshe can never forgive. Alone and broken Elena sinks into depression. Damon returns, explaining that his absencewasn't what it seemedbut is he too late?


Chapter 15

You didn't have to hold me but you did

But you did but you did

And I thank you.

You didn't have to love me like you did

But you did, but you did.

And I thank you.

Elena clattered down the stairs, her eyes were puffy and she had pulled her hair up into a haphazard ponytail. Damonlooked up from the couch as she ran through the hall.

"Going somewhere?" He asked.

She grabbed the jacket Bonnie had leant her from the back of the door.

"I need to see Jeremy." She said firmly.

Damon held her gaze for a moment before nodding.

"You can take my car." He said, he reached into his jeans pocket and threw her the keys; she caught them and noddedthanks.

"Be careful. And wear sunglasseskeep your phone on."

She silently agreed before leaving, slamming the door behind her. It wasn't that she was angry with Damon, she wasjust angry in general. She was angry at the world, at what her life had become.

She drove fast and parked a couple of streets away from her house. She kept her head down, as she walked, notwanting anyone to recognize her. She crept around the back of the house and let herself in through the back door; no oneever locked it. Careful not to make any noise she made her way through the kitchen, she noticed Jenna's handbag wasmissing from its usual spot on the coffee table and relaxed, she must be out.

Elena took a deep breath and crept up the stairs. She was worried about how Jeremy would take the shock, but sheneeded to see him. She needed something that had always been there. Some proof that she was once just a normal girlwith an annoying brother and overdue homework.

She could hear music coming from his room and she hesitated outside, what did she do? Did she knock, just walk in?How do you tell your brother that you came back from the dead?

He answered the question for her when he swung open the door, coming face to face with her. Her eyes widened insurprise and she stepped back.

He screamed and fell backwards, landing hard on the floor. Elena gasped and dropped to his side. He eyed hercautiously, but he didn't look that surprised.

"Jer? I'm sorry, are you ok?" She asked, reaching out to touch his arm.

He stared at her.

"Have I gone mad?" He asked quickly.

She smiled slightly.

"No. I'm realyou can call Damon or Bonnie, they've seen me too." She assured him.

"How is this possible?" He whispered.

She sighed.

"Um, Bonnie explained it. Witchy stuff." She murmured.

"So you're back?" Jeremy asked, his face lighting up.

"For now." She replied softly.

Jeremy made a noise somewhere between a laugh and a sob, before pulling her into a bone crushing hug. She restedher head on his shoulder and smiled. They stayed like that for a long time, finding comfort in the familiar contact.

"I missed you so much." He said finally.

"I'm so sorry Jeremy."

He pulled away to look at her. He didn't really want to question how or why she was back, he didn't want to convincehimself that he was seeing things. He just wanted to accept it and be happy.

"I just can't believe you're here. I feel like if I pinch myself I'm going to wake up and you'll be gone again."

He looked so pitiful and lonely that Elena found herself on the verge of tears yet again.

She sat on his bed, and looked around at the room. It looked exactly as it had done before, if a little messier.

"There's a lot we need to talk about Jer" She trailed off and he sat down next to her.

"

I'Ll Always Be With You - a Vampire Diaries fanfiction

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