Disclaimer: The only place I own The Vampire Diaries is in my dreams.
Chapter One
Elena felt as though she couldn't breathe. Her heart felt as though it was being torn apart and smashed into pieces.
"No. No. No." She murmured repeatedly through her tears.
Alaric's arm was the only thing moving her through the door and into the house that now meant nothing to Elena.
"Shhh. Elena, you need to rest. I know it hurts, trust me, but you're strong and will get through this. You and Jeremy both." He said softy as he pulled her into one of the many guest rooms at the Salvatore house.
Elena fell onto the hard bed and let Alaric pull the covers over her shaking body as if she was a child. She felt sleep pull her away almost immediately.
"I'm going to check on Jeremy. Goodnight Elena." Alaric said as he turned off the bright lamp.
Elena heard nothing but the screams of her nightmares.
The morning after the death of Bonnie and Damon was even worse for everyone. Alaric, Jeremy, Stefan and Enzo sat in silence in the living room. Enzo sipped a cup of bourbon, Damon's favourite drink.
Jeremy stood up abruptly and paced across the room.
"They aren't dead. It isn't possible. Bonnie couldn't have left like that, it's imp-" He was cut off by Enzo, who held his hand up in front of him.
"Your girlfriend is dead. Just like every other one of your past girlfriends. It's a sign from the universe. You're little 'Bon-Bon' is gone for good and you need to face it. She's dead, just like..." Enzo choked on the name, stricken with grief.
Embarrassed, he slammed down his drink, stormed out of the room and slammed the door behind him.
Stefan looked up at Jeremy.
"I think... I think there might be a way to save them. I don't think they're gone for good. Bonnie told me something just before they… disappeared." Stefan told the two remaining people with a look of unease.
Alaric looked up from his mug of hot coffee.
"Are you serious Stefan? Is it really possible to save our friends? Tell us and we'll do anything to save them." He said eagerly.
Stefan's uneasiness grew. "It's complicated…"
"I love complicated. Should I go get Elena?" Jeremy asked.
"No, she's in a lot of pain and we need to let her rest. We'll fill her in when she wakes up later." Alaric commanded as Jeremy sat back down. Both of them turned towards Stefan expectantly.
"Just before the Other Side collapsed, Bonnie found me and told me that it was possible that she could be saved, and maybe Damon too. Grams sacrificed herself somehow and formed an unbreakable connection between Bonnie and the world of the living. If we can find a certain group of supernaturals and convince them to help us before the connection fades, we can save her." Stefan explained quickly.
"What group? Where can we find them?" Jeremy demanded.
"They call themselves The Elite. A vampire, a werewolf, a witch and a warlock that are so powerful they are nearly immortal. They can help us, but they're missing two supernatural beings. A male and female doppelgänger, in other words, me and Elena." Stefan continued.
"What about Damon? Will he be okay?" Alaric asked quietly.
"Bonnie… She didn't know what would happen to him."
Elena woke slowly and stretched her arm across the bed, reaching for Damon. When her hand touched nothing but empty sheets, she sat up shaking.
Immediately, she began to cry as the memories of the night before returned.
"You promised! Damon. Damon. Damon. No, you said you'd come back, you have to come back. I love you, both of you." She choked into the cold blankets.
Her grief was unbearable. Two people that had recently been so alive, now just vivid memories. Bonnie had been through so much. She had escaped death a million times, had lived in two different dimensions and had saved their lives more times than Elena could count. Gone forever. Just like...
Damon. He was her life. Her second half. Being with him had been the best time of her life. With him, she had known searing pain, burning passion and a love so intense that she could still feel fire in her heart. Without him she felt completely alone.
"I loved you. You left me." She whispered into the emptiness.
Faintly, she could hear the others talking downstairs. They sounded normal. She didn't think she could ever be remotely normal again.
Elena knew deep inside that she was lucky. She had gotten Alaric and Stefan back from the dead, which was more than most people could ever dream of. But it wasn't enough for her. Nothing but Damon would ever be enough.
Suddenly, a voice spoke into the air around her. A voice that Elena would know anywhere. A voice that sent a flame so painful into her chest that she had to gasp for air. Damon's voice.
"Elena, listen to me, please. I know you miss me, trust me, I miss you too. More than you can possibly imagine. I hate seeing you in pain and it's killing me. I'm gone, Elena, and you have the key. You can turn it off. Turn it all off. Forget me and move on. Forget Bonnie. Leave Mystic Falls forever and don't think twice about it. Go, Elena." The faint voice spoke into her ear.
Elena stood, clutching at her chest and spun around the empty room.
"Damon… I don't… I don't understand. How are you here? Please Damon, don't go. Don't leave me. I can't go without you. Please!" She cried.
Nothing but silence answered her desperate call.
She was completely out of tears. She collapsed onto the floor, breathing hard and put her head between her knees. He had told her that she had the key but Elena didn't understand. Turn what off?
Suddenly a memory hit her hard. Jeremy's death. She remembered a grief not unlike the pain she felt now. She remembered agony and then, nothing. A careless bliss. No pain, no grief with just a simple switch in her mind.
She understood what he meant. Damon's voice had told her to turn off her emotions. She blinked, suddenly eager to please him, eager to leave this agony behind.
Elena closed her eyes and imagined a wall closing up around her heart. Impenetrable steel, protecting her from her pain. A cold feeling washed over her and she opened her eyes.
And smiled.
I hope you guys enjoyed! Leave me some suggestions for the next couple of chapters. Chapter two will be here shortly!
-Grace