Author's Note: This is my first foray into the world of Vampire Diaries fan fic. I've been watching the show since the beginning, but tonight's finale inspired me and made me want to write my own continuation to the ending. Thanks for reading!

It was quiet.

Stefan stood above her body, his eyes filled with tears. He didn't say a word, but inwardly, he cursed. If only things were different. If only he had gotten there sooner, if Damon had been with him, if none of this had happened in the first place. Maybe she would still be alive.

He heard Damon's voice nearby. It wouldn't be long before he burst into the room, demanding to see Elena. Stefan heard another voice, one quieter, softer; Meredith. She was telling Damon what he already knew. Yes, Elena was dead. But there was something else. Something that only a few select people knew.

Earlier, when Jeremy had brought Elena to the hospital, Meredith had gone to great lengths to save the young woman, to heal the damage that had been done at the hand of Klaus. At the time she was healing Elena, but now…now it was something entirely different.

Suddenly, life returned to Elena. She awoke, gasping, her eyes wide. Stefan immediately took her into his arms and held her close to him, thankful that she had been given a second chance.

Elena looked up at him, her eyes wild with confusion. "Stefan? What…what happened?"

There was no sugar coating things. Stefan had to be honest with her. "You…you died. Rebekah…she found out that Klaus was dead and decided that you had to die. I found you underwater, trapped in Matt's truck. I wanted to save you, but you told me to save him first."

The memories started flooding back to her. She remembered everything. The bridge. Talking to Damon. Rebekah standing in the road. The truck… Her eyes closed tightly at the image of Matt's truck falling over the bridge. It was too painful for her right now.

"I remember everything," she whispered.

"There's more."

She held up a hand to quiet him and leaned away from him as if she was listening for something. "I can hear footsteps…voices…machines. It's like it's all in the room here with us."

The door flew open before Stefan could respond. Damon burst into the room, his eyes immediately falling to Elena's. "How are you feeling?"

"Damon, she doesn't know."

"You haven't told her?"

Elena looked back and forth between the brothers, trying to figure out what was going on. Stefan had told her that she had died, but if that was the truth, then how could she be here right now? How was she alive, breathing, talking? The relation hit her suddenly. "Am I…?" She couldn't finish her own thought.

Stefan nodded.

"But how?"

"Long story short, Meredith gave you vampire blood, you died, and now you're in transition," Damon supplied. "You'll need to feed soon."

"I…I don't know if I can do that."

"Don't know if you can…Elena come on! I came so close to losing you! I'm not going to do it again!"

"Damon!"

"Don't 'Damon' me little brother. You love her just as much as I do."

"Stop it, both of you!" Her voice rose above them both. "It's my decision whether I complete the transition." She stood, shakily at first, and tried to get her bearings. So much was happening all at once, she didn't know how to process it all. "Just give me a minute. I need to think."

"What's there to think about? You've got two options. Feed and complete the transition or die again and never come back. It's as simple as that Elena," Damon said, frustration laced in his voice.

"No, it's not Damon. There's a lot of things that need to be considered."

"There's no time Elena," Stefan said quietly. "You've only got a few hours, and I can't watch you die again."

She sighed heavily, her mind racing. There was so much that she had to consider, but she didn't have a moment to spare. "Where's Jeremy?"

"He's at home. We haven't told him yet," Stefan replied.

Her mind raced. She was all that Jeremy had left. If she had died once already then Alaric was certainly dead, leaving her brother alone. She couldn't do that to him. "I can't leave him alone. I won't do it. I have to complete the transition. I have to become a vampire."