Part 1
"What do you mean Alaric's not human?" Elena asked. How could this be happening? She was finally ready to remember how she felt about Damon. And now this?
"I'm Sorry, Elena." Caroline said as she pulled Elena into a hug. "What are you going to do?"
Elena turned around to walk to her car only to stop once she'd opened the door. "I'm going to see Damon."
She got into her car and drove off. She was so ready for this to be over. If what she had with Damon was so 'epic' how could she not remember?
"Hey you." Damon said when she walked into Alaric's apartment.
Alaric had rented a place a few minutes from the college so that it was easier for him. Besides, he couldn't exactly go back to his loft.
"Hi." She whispered back. "Did you get the news?"
"What? You mean the fact that my girlfriend doesn't know who the hell I am and the only person who can do something about it can't anymore? Cause yeah I got the news." He lifted up the bottle of bourbon that was in his hand and shot it down his throat in a split second.
"Why are you here, anyway?" He said coldly. "I thought you didn't care."
"If there's something worth remembering, then I want to remember it." She said slowly which made him laugh. "What's so funny?"
"Nothing... I was just thinking about how I went through hell to make it back to you and don't even know who I am... At least not the real me." He replied harshly.
"So show me." She smiled.
"What?" He said, not quite sure what she was asking.
"Alaric said he had to erase my memories bit by bit. So show me what he took away." She sat down on the couch in front him and lay down.
"What are you saying,Elena?" He asked hopefully.
"I know I'm still a vampire but a part of my memories is missing so my mind is weak. You can get into my head and show me. Show me what we were."
He slowly approached the couch. Was he actually doing this? Was she actually letting him?
He sat down on the floor and placed his hand on her head as she felt herself slowly losing consciousness. "I love you." She heard him whisper before everything turned to black.
Xxxx
"Elena Gilbert escorted by Stefan Salvatore." Elena heard Carol Lovkwood say.
Elena watched as a memory version of herself walked down the staircase. She stopped in the middle when she saw Stefan wasn't there. But in the blink of an eye, Damon was standing. He put his arm out for her and she questioningly grabbed it.
"Where's Stefan?" She heard herself ask.
"I don't know." He whispered through gritted teeth.
They walked out of the mansion onto the dance floor outside. They both stood opposite each other. When the music started they took a step closer.
"What do we do?" Elena whispered through a smile.
"For now. We just have to get through this."
They returned to their original positions before one again meeting in the middle. This time though, their hands didn't touch. They walked in a circle with their hands held up, almost touching, but seperate. After a few seconds they both stopped.
Then they started moving the same way, just in the opposite direction. Once the song hit it's chorus they were ballroom dancing. Elena saw a smile creeping onto her face.
He was good at this.
The song ended and they both took their places in the starting position. Elena took a curtsy and Damon did a little vow that made elena giggle.
Then everything went black.
"That was the first time we ever danced together." He whispered.
"I didn't know you stepped in for him." She announced. "Alaric must've compelled me to think it... That I was left without an escort."
"Are you ready for the next one?" He asked, ignoring what she'd just said.
She just nodded and grabbed his hand as she felt herself being pulled into oblivion.
Xxxx
Elena and Damon stand on the gilbert house porch as a different memory Elena walks up only to be met with Damon,exiting the house.
"What are you doing here?" She asked.
"Failed and feeble attempt of doing the right thing." He replied. Real elena watches as the two stay silent for a few seconds.
"Which was...?" She asked.
"Not important." He says, ignoring the hesitation in her voice. "Let me take this for you."
He grabs the dress that she'd been holding from the party for founders day.
"Thank you." She smiles at him and he gives her a sincere look that showcases how vulnerable he is.
"You know I came into this town wanting to destroy it." He began. "Tonight I found myself wanting to protect it. How does that happen? I'm not a hero, Elena. I don't do good. It's not in me."
"Maybe it is." She whispers.
He shook his head. "No. Nah, it's reserved for my brother, and you...and Bonnie...even though she has every reason to hate me, she still helped Stefan save me."
"Why do you sound so surprised?"
He smiled. "Because she did it for you. Which means somewhere along the line, you decided I was worth saving. And I wanted to thank you for that."
"You're welcome."
He leans forward and gives her a light kiss on her cheek. When he starts to straighten himself, their eyes meet. He hesitates for a second but then gives in.
He puts his lips on hers and the whole world stops. It's just him and Elena and nothing could be more right. But then jenna opens the door. Damon tries to hide himself, but it's no use. She's already seen him.
"Hi." Elena whispers, blushing.
"It's late you should probably come inside." Jenna suggests, giving Damon a look full of rage.
Elena looks at him and they share a long, lingering look. He hands her the dress and she goes into the house.
"What are you doing?" Damon hears Jenna yell at Elena.
"I don't want to talk about it." She snaps back.
Damon, still standing in front of a closed door, brushes a finger against his lips and then,in seconds, is gone.
The memory fades away and Elena looks at real damon.
"That wasn't me." She realizes.
"Nope." He pops the 'p'.
"Did you know?" She asks. "Did you know it was Katherine?"
"Does it look like I did?" He says coldly before grabbing her hand and pulling her towards the next memory.
Xxxx
Elena and Damon open their eyes to find that they're in Elena's bedroom. God, how Elena missed her room, her house, Mystic Falls.
"Cute PJ's." They hear damon say as Elena steps out of the bathroom.
"I'm tired Damon!" She says, annoyed at him for coming here.
"I brought you this." He lifts his hand and she sees her necklace. The one Stefan had given her. The promise of his love...of their love.
"I thought that was gone." She smiled at him. "Thank you."
She attempts to catch it but he pulls it back. "Please give it back."
"I just have to say something..." He raises his hands in mock surrender.
"Why do you have to say it with my necklace?" She asks, terrified. He sees her taking a step back.
"Well, because what I'm about to say is... Probably the most selfish thing I've said in my life." He says, sincerely.
"Damon don't go there." She begs. She's afraid they won't be able to come back from this. If he says it, there's no going back.
"No, I just have to say it. You just need to hear it once." He whispered.
"I love you, Elena." And there it was. Those three words that scared both of them straight to the core.
He didn't want to be weak like this.
She didn't want to break his heart.
It was too late. There was no going back. "And it's because I love you that I can't be selfish with you. Why you can't know this."
"I don't deserve you.. But my brother does." He kisses her on her forehead.
"God, I wish you didn't have to forget this... But you do." He compels her as a single tear escapes from his eye.
She closes her eyes and when they're open again, he's gone. But she doesn't know it. She doesn't know any of it. She just knows that once again, her necklace is on her neck again.
"You used compulsion on me!" Real Elena yells at Damon.
"Are you seriously judging me right now about using compulsion?" He smirks.
"Let's just move on to the next one." She raises her hand in mock surrender.
"Your wish is my command.." He says sarcastically before pulling her to the next one.
Xxxx
An all new memory damon is sitting on his bed when Elena walks into his room.
"Ugh. Look klaus had to think she was dead. You reaction had to be real." He said in an annoyed tone.
"I understand why you did what you did. Klaus was fooled. Bonnie's alive." She began.
"But let's get one thing straight, Damon. Bonnie will not die for me, I will not let that happen." She said in a serious manner.
"We need to kill klaus, Elena. Real klaus. Who will probably be coming to pay you a visit soon now that he knows Bonnie is dead. She's the only one who can do it." He explains.
"We'll find another way."
"I hope so." He whispers.
"Look, I shouldn't have hit you." She apologizes.
"Apology accepted." He smiles.
"But let ME be clear about something. If it comes down to you and the witch again, I would gladly let Bonnie die." He says harshly.
"I will always choose you." He finishes.
They're both silent for a moment as she processes what he's just said.
"Goodnight, Damon." She finally says before turning to the door.
"Goodnight Elena." He replies.
It all fades away leaving Elena staring at Damon in awe.
Did he always fight with her like this? Fight for her like this?
She didn't have time to ask him anything before they were pulled towards the next memory.
Xxxx
They open their eyes and once again they're in Damon's room. This time though, the setting is worse.
Damon's lying on the bed, he's in Elena's arms. She's so worried... It's all over her face. But she's trying so hard to hide it.
"This is even more pitiful than I thought." Damon says, barely getting each word out.
"There still hope." Elena reassures him.
"I've made a lot of choices that have gotten me here." His eyes meet hers. "I deserve this... I deserve to die."
"No you don't." She cries.
"It's ok, Elena. 'Cause if I'd had chosen differently I wouldn't have met you." They smile at each other.
"I'm so sorry." He continues. "I've done so many things to hurt you."
"It's okay.. I forgive you." She says through tears.
"I know you love Stefan and it will always be Stefan." He starts as she takes his hand. She lays down next to him and places her head on his chest. "But I love you, you should know that."
"I do." She cried. Why did it have to hurt so much? Why couldn't she just hate him instead?
"You should've met me in 1864." He smiles. "You would've liked me then."
"I like you now." She whispers. "Just the way you are."
He closes his eyes and she kisses him. It's a delicate kiss. Representing everything that this moment is. Short lived yet perfect. She loves it. So does he.
"Thank you." He whispers.
Then everything fades.
"What happened?" Elena yells at Damon.
"Katherine showed up with the cure." He whispers.
"Is that when..." She points between the two of them. "This..? Started?"
"God, I wish." He says sarcastically. "You were just to stubborn."
Then they're gone.
Xxxx
When Elena opens her eyes they're in Stefan's room. She remembers it as if it had been just yesterday that she last stepped in.
She missed it. She missed mystic falls. Her mom, her dad, jenna, so many people died because of her and she missed them all.
Elena is looking into the mirror, getting ready. Damon enters and gives her a judgmental look.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to lose it." She pauses. "At least not before the cake."
He smiles at her. "It's your party, you can cry if you want to."
He starts walking towards her. He stops when he gets to the dresser. There's a picture of Elena and Stefan. He picks it up to look at.
"Ah, Stefan, such a pack rat." He jokes.
"I got you something." He says which earns him an annoyed look from her. "I know I promised not to buy you anything, so don't worry... I didn't pay for it."
She looks at him in horror. "You stole it?"
"No!" He says defensively. "I found it."
He opens a box and takes out her necklace. The vervain one Stefan got her.
"My necklace. I thought I'd never see it again." She whispers.
"Alaric found it in his loft. I figured you might be happy to have it back."
"I am happy." She smiles. "Thank You."
"You're welcome." He smiles, a real smile.
"Can you..?" She asks gesturing for him to help her with the necklace.
"Ah, Absolutely." He obliges. She turns around and he puts it on for her.
Their eyes meet as she turns around and for a second, Elena wants to kiss him. Just put her lips against his and see what happens. But the moment soon ends when Damon offers his arm.
"Shall we?" He asks and she miss before intertwining her arm with his and walking together out of the room.
Real Elena stares at Damon once everything disappears. "What!" He says defensively.
"Why were you always giving that to me?" She asks but he just shrugs.
"Didn't it represent hope for Stefan and I?"
"I used to be a really good guy." He says sarcastically as she follows him to the next memory.
