Hey everyone! So this is my very first attempt at Fanfiction. I have never written it before let alone posted anything on this site before so please be kind and constructive with your criticism

This story was inspired obviously by the amazing season 5 finale and also by the more fantasy-driven world LJ Smith created in her books. It is mostly a Delena story with a little Beremy, Klaroline, and Halijah. I will update often.

I own nothing, all characters belong to the CW, LJ Smith, etc…

"Though lovers be lost, love shall not. And death shall have no dominion."

– Dylan Thomas

Though Lovers Be Lost

Chapter 1 – The Nether World

Damon POV

"Do you think it will hurt?" Bonnie asked with no sign of fear in her voice.

"I don't kn-" I tried to respond before the world went white. It was all such a whirlwind of emotions. I was ready to die. I was proud that I was able to sacrifice myself to bring back my brother, Alaric, Enzo, and anyone else who made it through before me. I hade done so many awful things in my 173 years that maybe, just maybe my death could bring something positive. I thought I was ready to say goodbye to Elena until the white. The endless white.

We came to in a stone circle. Think Stonehenge but even more crumbled and falling apart. The sky was dark and cloudy with a slight mist in the air. It was in an open field with nothing visible in the distance.

"B-Bonnie?"

My voice startled me. It sounded small and frightened. Like a child's voice.

"Yeah." Bonnie replied standing in the middle of the stone circle looking up.

"Where the hell are we?" I asked confused and still a little out of it.

"I don't know. Grams said she would make sure that I was taken care of. That I would find my peace. Something else must have happened because this place…this place looks more like…"

"Oh witchy I'm sorry. You were supposed to find peace but instead you ended up in hell with your's truly." I said half joking but somewhat afraid that I was right.

Bonnie started quietly sobbing to herself. I was a little uncomfortable and unsure of what to do here. I was used to comforting Elena and being there for her but Bonnie…we had such a complicated relationship that I just kind of stood there like an idiot staring at her for a few moments. Eventually I just put a hand on her shoulder.

"Bonnie. I'm so sorry if we are…wherever this is because of me. " I didn't know what else to say. Words were never my strength.

"It's okay Damon. I don't think we are here because of you. I think something must have gone wrong. Really, really wrong when the Other Side imploded. It's like we are in a completely different dimension."

I looked up at the sky and realized that breaking through the clouds there was finally some sunlight…it was brief but enough for us to notice that there was not one, but two suns.

"Bon Bon. Where are we…"

The Gilbert Lake House…4 months later

Elena POV

Dear Diary,

I wake every day as if it just happened. I see Alaric come through Bonnie and he tells me that Damon is right behind him. The relief flooded through me and I knew…thought… that everything was going to be okay. That Damon would come back to me like he promised and we could start our REAL future together. All the time we wasted being foolish and doubting us wouldn't matter because we could start again. We could be together. Then nothing, nothing, nothing. The pain is unbearable and endless. I can't even dream about him. I try every night. He is the last thing I think about before I fall asleep but the dreams never come. It's like something is blocking them and keeping him away from me.

Alaric and Caroline tell Jer and I that we need to move on and accept that Damon and Bonnie are gone. Stefan isn't even with us. He is off somewhere dealing with his brother's death in his own way…he checks in with Caroline every few days so we know he is okay. We hope he is okay. Caroline was upset that he decided to go off on his own but she knew she couldn't stop him.

I don't know what to do anymore. Jeremy has been doing research on some powerful witch covens in the South hoping that maybe we could find some hint of hope that the loves of our lives aren't gone forever. There is a reason I got into that car with Damon. If something was going to go wrong I was going to be with him in life or death. It was my most powerful declaration of love for him yet. One that even he couldn't doubt or question. Unfortunately it came too late and now we are separated by death and I still don't know how I am supposed to go on. This isn't living. Life without my dark knight is not living. I am hoping by my next entry that we find something, some way to get them back with us. Alaric is calling for me now so I have to go. Until next time.

"Elena!" Alaric was calling from downstairs. He sounded agitated and I'm guessing he was calling for quite sometime while I was focused on my diary.

"Coming!" I slowly walked downstairs to find way too many blood bags empty on the floor and Ric sitting in the middle of the living room with his head down. Ric was having a really rough time adjusting to life as a super vampire. I have tried to help him but really, he needs his best friend. Damon was the best vampire teacher any newbie could have. I couldn't do this. I didn't know how to help him.

"Ric, I am so sorry. I don't know what to do anymore. " I was sad, frustrated, and at my wits end. Alaric stood up and looked at me.

"Maybe you and Jeremy are right Elena." My heart perked up when I sensed where he was going with this. "I keep trying to tell you two to move on and stop looking for answers about Damon and Bonnie. Maybe we do need to keep looking. I need my drinking buddy and it's not fair to put this vampire training on you when you are dealing with losing two of the most important people in your life."

Was Alaric actually going to help us? I tried to not get my hopes up but he has felt guilty since that night. Guilty that he came through first. I decided to share some of the information that Jeremy recently found.

"Ric we have some leads that Jeremy found recently. Mainly some Covens in the South that have some history in afterlife and inter-dimensional magic."

Ric looked at me sadly before he spoke. "Elena, these past 4 months I have tried to do what I thought Damon would want. To help you move on with your life to be happy and safe. " He paused and then looked down again before he continued. "It's pretty damn clear that hasn't been happening." He looked up again. "I will help you guys research these Covens, but don't get your hoped up too high. This is a long shot."

I ran into his arms. For the first time I felt a real glimmer of hope. "THANK YOU! We have to tell Jeremy. He will be so happy."

"I think he went to the library…probably doing more of this…research you were talking about."

"He should be home soon. Thank you so much Ric!" I hugged him once more and went upstairs to. It was the first night I was hoping for a good night's sleep. I was full of hope that with Ric's help we would find a way to get them back. I wanted to wait for Jeremy but something was pulling me into sleep. I felt drowsy and thought it would be okay to close my eyes for a few moments before Jer got home.

"Elena…Baby, are you there?"

I was somewhere between sleep and awake when I heard him. I knew his voice anywhere, especially when he said my name so soft and sweet. But this was impossible. Tears were already forming in my eyes.

"Damon?"

That's when I noticed myself in the middle of a stone circle. I heard him behind me and I turned around. This couldn't be real. It was Damon. Standing 10 feet in front of me with his adorable crooked grin and his jet black hair blowing in the wind. His electric eyes were drilling into my soul. I couldn't move or speak.

"Elena" he whispered with tears forming in his eyes as he slowly closed the gap between us.

In the 4 months following Damon's death the dreams never came. What was happening now? And this felt like more than just a dream. He reached up and touched my face and my hair. It was the same touch that he gave me that final night during his goodbye when I couldn't see him. But here he was right in front of me.

"Damon, is it really you? Are you…here?"

"I'm here, baby. I found a way to get to you from where I am."

At that point I lost all control and crashed my lips against his. He embraced me tightly as we kissed for the first time in what felt like an eternity. If this was a dream I didn't care because he was here and I could feel him. He was here and it felt real. He pulled away suddenly, which startled me.

"Damon, what's wrong?"

"Oh Elena, I'm being pulled back. "

"What?! No! Pulled back where?"

He was speaking fast now, like he was afraid this connection wouldn't last much longer. "It's called The Nether World. It's where Bonnie and I have been trapped since the Other Side collapsed…I will find you again Elena…I promi…"

I sat up in bed with a loud gasp. He didn't even finish his last word. And he was gone again.

The Nether World

Damon POV

"ELENA!"

She was gone. Torn away too soon.

"God damn it Bonnie! What happened?!" I was furious. I finally connected with Elena. It's what we were working towards for the past four months, but it was over too soon. I barely got to speak with her, barely got to be with her.

"Don't blame me! I'm not even a witch anymore remember?"

After we landed in the "Nether" we had no idea where we were. After searching for miles we found a village at the base of a giant old castle. Here we eventually befriended an apothecary who had some…witchy abilities. His name is Varro. His daughter fell ill and was pleased to learn about the magical healing properties of my vampire blood. He has been loyally helping us ever since. He spoke calmy and gently to me, "It was our first successful cross-over Damon. Have patience my friend, it will get stronger."

I took a deep breath and stepped outside alone. It's been four months since we have been stuck in this hellhole of a Nether World. It's like the dark, wet, nasty place you see in all of those old Victorian horror stories with Frankenstein and Jekyll and Hyde. Four months without my Elena. Not knowing where she is, how she is doing, if she is safe or happy. It's been hell. Bonnie and I have finally discovered a way to reach her but it's going to take some more work.

"Don't worry Elena, I will be back…"

Please review…I hope you enjoyed it so far!