"If, after I depart this vale, you ever remember me and have thought to please my ghost, forgive some sinner and wink your eye at some homely girl." -H. L. Mencken
The fire from Bonnie's spell died. Night enveloped downtown Mystic Falls once again. The gang, in all in different levels of stable, stayed frozen in their places in the street.
"Jeremy?" A newly-humanitied Elena was kneeling on the ground, her arms and legs bloodied as evidence of the battle they just lost. The veil was ripped down, every supernatural creature who ever died had returned. Hell on Earth wasn't too far from the truth.
But honestly, who gave a shit?
"Oh my God, Jeremy!" Elena sprang up and launched herself into her little brother's arms, weeping. He was just as she left him, big and strong and warm.
"Hey, Elena." His voice was still deep, deeper than it should've been. Wasn't he still twelve?
She let out a loud sob and clutched him tighter, and his arms around her responded. They held each other, until she heard a velvety, choked up voice speak up, "Jeremy."
Damon's arms wrapped around the hug from behind, and his hand gripped the back of Jeremy's neck. They touched foreheads and Damon said, "Welcome home, brother."
A choked, high-pitched sob came from farther away, "Jeremy!" The group separated and turned to see Bonnie, sprinting toward the three of them. Jeremy faced her, ready to catch her, and when he did, he pulled her in for a searing, tear-filled kiss.
Elena watched, and Damon held her from behind with his leather-clad arms. It didn't last long, as they saw a tall figure, newly-emerged, lit from the side by a flickering streetlamp. "Oh my God," Elena breathed, "Ric!" Damon dropped his arms, immediately, in shock and Elena walked toward him.
Damon watched as she went in for a tight embrace, Ric's hand smoothed her hair and held her tight. Damon heard they said something, but didn't comprehend it, still in shock. When they separated, he recovered momentarily to stumble forward a little, then a little more.
When he got to Ric, he finally saw his stubbly face and reached out to put a hand on his shoulder. His face was contorted in a strained effort not to cry, but when Ric's hand clapped his shoulder and he said, "Hey, buddy," Damon couldn't contain it any longer and the two pulled each other in with a soft thud. Damon's eyes spilled over with tears and he wept silently as he and Alaric hugged.
And with that, suddenly everyone around them let out gleeful, disbelieving cries of reunion. "Mom!" "Daddy?" "Grams!" "Oh my God, Vicki?" "Lexi. Welcome back!"
Figure after figure materialized next to somebody they were drawn to. Suddenly, entire families were reunited.
Ric and Damon separated for Jeremy, who went in for the next hug. When they parted, Elena put her hand on Ric's shoulder and looked up at him, "Jenna?"
Ric bowed his head and shook it apologetically. She was disappointed, but figured as much, Ester did say she had found peace, that she wasn't trapped in the in-between world the rest of the supernatural creatures were fated to.
All around them, street lamps flickered back on, birds started chirping again, and Elena and Damon led the way for the most of the crew to convene at the Boarding House. The veil may have brought back their long-lost loved ones, but there were some hell-bent demons on the loose now, and it was time to prepare for battle.