Summary: Grief. Relief. Happiness. Sadness. These are all the emotions the residents of Mystic Falls are feeling. How will they overcome the hurdles set in their path, will it ever be possible? Set after 8x16 D/E

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, names in this story. It all belongs to the epic world of The Vampire Diaries

Dear Diary, Today will be different. Today I will smile and it will be genuine because today is the day that I get to live again.

This is not how I imagined it would be when I woke up, I envisioned a world 60 years older. A world where my friends and family lived a peaceful, calm, epic life and most importantly, a world where Stefan, Caroline and Damon where waiting for me - alive.

We buried Stefan in the Salvatore family crypt yesterday and ever since, something felt different. The whole house is overwhelmed with grief but also a small sense of relief. I know Stefan found his peace, he is happy and we will all meet with him again. However, this doesn't stop me from missing him and neither can Damon.

He has been having a hard time, he just lost his little brother, his best friend, companion. So, he has decided to go into denial - well kind of. He is fully able to acknowledge that his brother is dead, but is refusing to talk about it. No matter what any of us say, he doesn't believe that he will ever see him again. I know he is wrong, peace exists and we will all find our way there eventually. Damon won't end up in hell, the Salvatore brothers will be reunited once again. I just need to make him believe that. On top of losing Stefan, Damon has to adjust to being human. I know we talked about him taking the cure before, he wanted to take it but the rapid circumstances made it hard on him.

"Elena.." he murmured as his clear blue eyes fluttered open. The light was shining brightly through the open window, reflecting off his raven black hair.

"Good morning" I answered, with a gentle smile.

He pulled me closer against his chest, "I missed waking up next to you, so much."

My hand found it's way to his face and I traced the shape of his chiseled jaw, as my diary sat abandoned on the edge of the bed. "I missed you too."

"What did you feel like when you were under the spell? What was it like?" He questioned, propping himself up on his arm, glancing at me with a questioning look in his eye.

"It was like...like I was in a dream. The weird thing was, I had full control over my thoughts, my dreams. It was weird."

"I feel like i am dreaming now. I can't believe you are here - awake." Damon's hand cupped my cheek, as he leaned forward, placing his lips on mine. Our kiss was gentle, loving. I missed this so fricking bad. I missed feeling his touch, his kisses even his annoying as hell sarcasm. I missed the love of my life.

"I love you Damon." He didn't need to reply, the kiss he graced upon my lips was enough of an answer.

"Elena." Caroline said softly as she opened the door to her childhood home. She moved into the boarding house shortly after , but decided she wanted to stay here for a while - with the girls.

Caroline. I can't even begin to understand how she is feeling right now, I have lost Damon before but he came back. Not only was Stefan her husband, but his death is final, we cannot bring him back. I don't she would be able to survive this if not for Lizzie and Josie, they are what is keeping her grounded at the moment.

That thought brought me back to the present, I was about to meet my best friend's children - well technically they are her children. I was gobsmacked when I first found out about them the day before, I just could not believe it.

"They are so excited to meet you, I have told them so much about their Auntie Elena." Caroline said with a sad smile as she led me through her home and into what was her childhood room, but was now redecorated into a pink children's room

"Lizzie, Josie. There is someone I would like you to meet." The two little three year olds dropped their barbies on the floor and turned their heads towards me. They looked so much alike, yet they were different. Lizzie had blonde hair, much like Ric's, while Josie inherited Jo's dark hair. From what I've heard, their personalities are pretty different too.

"Who is this mommy?" They asked in perfect unison.

"Remember my friend, Elena?" She replied, sinking to the floor besides them, gesturing for me to do the same.

"The one who was asleep?" Josie asked.

"Like Sleeping Beauty!" Lizzie added with a shy giggle, I couldn't help but laugh in response.

"Yeah, i guess I was a bit like Sleeping Beauty. Now, what are your favourite disney princesses?"

DAMON POV

Elena is awake, Stefan is dead. I am human. I don't know whether I should cry with happiness or sadness. Oh, and the ironic thing is that my whole life just changed within twenty-four hours. I don't know how or what to feel, it's too much.

Just as I was pouring myself a glass of bourbon, the doorbell rang. I made my way to open the door.

"Donovan, what are you doing here-..." I said just as Alaric appeared in the doorway besides him.

"You need something to distract you before you decide to do something stupid, so we are here to do just that." Ric said before I could question their presence.

"I buried my brother, what I need right now is some peace and not a bonding session with the townies. Besides, I am no longer a vampire so it's not like I could rip someone's head off." I replied, ending my comment with a sarcastic smirk.

"Just shut up and pour us a drink already." The older man replied with an eye roll. I guess a bonding session it is.

"So where is Elena?"

"With Caroline, she wanted to meet the two little squirts." I said, sinking into the antique sofa. An awkward silence fell upon us, no one knew what to say. "Alright, give up the awkward silence. You said you had a distraction, what is it?"

Alaric and Matt shared a look, before Ric continued talking, "I have been thinking about a little project for some time now. I want to open a school for young witches and supernaturals."

Now I was gobsmacked. A school? For witches?

"No offence, but how the hell are you imaging this will work?"

"These kids, they need help. You know what Bonnie went through, she was confused and if not for her Grams I don't think she would be able to get through it. Some children don't have anyone to give them advice, this boarding school could be revolutionary!"

"And how am I supposed to help?" I ask, still astounded.

"Well, seeing as you are no longer a vampire, and cannot compel yourself out of boredom, I'm hoping that you may want to spend your life doing something remotely interesting." He replied, rolling his eye at my remarks.

"Still, I don't understand how I am supposed to help." I cross my arms across my chest as I say this.

"You were alive for over 170 years, you know your stuff. We need all hands on deck if this is supposed to work out." With a sigh, he added "So, are you in?"

"Do I even have a choice?"

ELENA POV

"They are amazing Care." I say to my friend as we are standing in the kitchen overlooking twins, as they play with their toys. I took a sip of my tea before continuing, "You have done a great job, caring for them. Liz would be so proud of you."

She glanced up from her mug, tears glazing her eyes, "I wish she was here, she-"

She was interrupted half way through her sentence, by Josie.

"Mommy! Mommy it's story time! Where is uncle Steffie?" She turned towards me to add, "He always tells us stories."

I watched as Caroline's face froze and a sad look overpowered her.

"Why don't I read you a story today? Go pick one out, I will be up in a second." I said to her with a gentle smile.

I turned around just as a painful sob escaped Caroline, she placed a hand over her mouth to mask the next wave of sadness. I set my mug down on the counter and enveloped her in a tight hug.

"I haven't told them about Stefan yet, they have already suffered through so much loss, that they have no idea about. I can't bring myself to tell them." She sniffled into my shoulder.

"It's okay Caroline, but you will have to tell them eventually."

"I just can't believe what happened. Just a week ago I was a newlywed, today I'm a widow. I can't believe it Elena, I just can't." This sentence brought her to another set of sobs, I can't blame her though. Caroline is one of the strongest people I know, she survived the death of her mother therefore I know she can get through this, but that doesn't make Stefan's death any easier for her. The grief, it is overwhelming but it is something you have to face. All I can do is make sure she doesn't have to do it alone.

I walked into the Salvatore boarding house's living room, my eyes instantly drawn to Damon's figure. He was sat in his favourite armchair, one of Stefan's journals in his hand. He was concentrating, the gentle frown on his face made that obvious, his eyes were scanning the pages. It was calm, tranquil. The only sound heard was that of the pages turning and the fireplace ferociously crackling.

I must've stood there, leaning against the doorway for some time, watching him. The emotions passing through his eyes, the rare amusement rapidly morphed into sadness, which turned into a glimpse of anger.

"You know it's kind of creepy to stand there like that." His eyes flicked up from the journal to my face, a sly smirk playing upon his lips.

"Damn, I thought that you no longer had the super heightened senses of a vampire." I said, walking towards the center of the room, taking a seat down on the arm rest of the chair. "What are you reading?"

I asked even though I already knew the answer, I would recognize that leather bound journal anywhere. It was the journal Stefan wrote in when we first met, one of the very fee which still existed. He burned most of his diaries when he lost his memory after having his brain fried by Qetsiyah.

"It's Stefan's journal, I found it when I was digging up the diaries he kept for you." He said before turning and reaching behind the chair. He pulled out a small cardboard box filled with neatly organised leather-bound books. "He wrote in them every day, just like you asked."

I grasped one of them in my palms, flicking through the pages I admired his elegant script. One page caught my attention,

Dear Elena, I don't know how to break this to you. I don't want it to be real but Tyler, he is dead.

I immediately stopped reading.

"What is this Damon?" He glanced down at the book and I felt his body tense beside me.

"Damon, is this true?"

He nodded slowly, why has no one told me about this? One of my friends died and no one even mentioned it?

"How?" I asked shaking my head slightly in disbelief.

"Elena listen, you need to read from the beginning. The sirens, they got into my head. Sybil she made me do it. She made me kill Tyler." He whispered and I let out an audible gasp. "Lena look at me." He said desperately trying to get me to look him in the eyes but I couldn't.

I stood up with my hand over my mouth and let out another grieving cry, "What happened? Why did you... Why did you do it?"

"I didn't have a choice, Sybil, she got in my head. I did what she told me to." He repeated, but instead of solidifying his answer it led to more questions.

Who's Sybil? Why did Damon do it? How did it happen?

A/N- The series finale, for me, was both very satisfying and annoying in the same time. On one hand, it concluded some characters' stories and gave us closure, but on the other hand, it left a lot of things down to our own interpretation. What happened with Damon and Elena? How did Caroline deal with the loss of Stefan? I couldn't help but wonder, so as I was thinking about the possible answers I came up with this fanfiction. It is set just where we left off, Stefan died, Bonnie is leaving Mystic Falls and Damon and Elena have just reunited. How will their stories continue?