Summery- Set during 2X22 "As I Lay Dying" What if Katherine never took Klaus's blood to Damon? How far would Elena go to save him?

AN- Because there seems to be debate about whether or not these vampires have beating hearts, for the sake of this one-shot they do NOT. So no messages about that, please!
Disclaimer- VD does not belong to me. Dialog in this is directly from the show. I merely write for my own entertainment or the plot bunnies will over run my mind!

Damon Salvator had never been a huge God person, but now, he knew He must hate him. Pain radiated through his sweat soaked body. Someone had brought him back to his room, back to his bed. Katherine? Images from his past rolled like an old movie through his mind. No, not Katherine…

"Elena." She was the one who brought him here. Peeling his heavy eyelids open, his eyes met hers.

"It's ok, Damon. I'm right here," She murmured, brushing his wet hair away from his face. He could hear her blood; hear it calling him.

"Elena," he choked, "get out of here. I could hurt you!" He couldn't hurt her, wouldn't.

"No. You won't," Damon knew she believed that. He could see it in her beautiful chocolate eyes. "I'm here until the very end. I'm not leaving you."

Stupid girl! "Get out of here!" Terrible waves of agony resonated from the werewolf bite spreading over his body. The strangled screams from his lips brought tears to Elena's eyes. Not knowing what else to do, she wrapped her arms around his shivering body.

"Hey, hey, hey," she cooed, rocking him, "Hang on. It's ok. It's ok," her voice caught, "It's ok."

Damon's head flopped back and forth, "It's not ok," he muttered, more to himself, "It's not ok. All those years, I've blamed Stefan. No one forced me to love her," Just like no one forced me to love you. "It was my own choice."

Elena hushed him, stroking his face.

"I made the wrong choice. You tell Stefan I'm sorry. Ok?" They both knew Stefan wasn't going to make it in time. They both knew Damon was going to die.

Elena's heart broke, "I will." More spasms take over his body. Elena held him tightly, praying, begging for him to be alright. For that moment, she didn't care that it was wrong to feel the way she did about her boyfriend's brother.

"This…is even more pitiful than I thought," Damon laughed dryly.

"There's still hope," Elena lied.

The Eldest Salvator brother gave her a scathing look, "I've made a lot of choices that have gotten me here," he closed his eyes, loving the feeling of her arms around him, "I deserve this. I deserve to die."

"No, you don't!"

"I do, Elena. It's ok," he couldn't tell if the words were coming out of his mouth. He hoped they were, "'Cause if I'd have chosen differently, I wouldn't have met you. I'm so sorry," his voice lowered, "Done so many things to hurt you."

"It's ok," she assured him, taking his hand, "I forgive you."

"I know you love Stefan. It will always be Stefan," another dry chuckle escaped his cracked, bleeding lips, "But I love you. You…you should know that." He opened his eyes blearily when he felt her lay beside him, her head on his chest.

"I do." She whispers. He could hear the tears in her voice.

"You should have met me in 1864. You would have liked me." he felt her eyes on him.

"I like you now," her lips pressed against his. She tasted better than he could have ever imagined, "Just the way you are."

"Thank you," I love you, Elena.

"You're welcome." I love you, Damon. They sat, with no conversation between them, just the sound of Damon's ragged breathing. His back arched, and he let out a pitiful scream. Elena took his face into her hands, "Please, Please Damon! I need you." His eyes drifted closed and Elena found herself sobbing.

"Elena?!" Bonnie's concerned voice called from the hall. Suddenly the idea hit her like a ton of bricks.

"Bonnie! Bonnie, please! You have to help him!" the young witch rushed in, shocked to see the vampire decaying on the bed. Elena cradled his head on her lap, "Please, Bonnie," she whimpered, "He's dying." Jeremy's head poked in and Rick stood in the door way, unsure what to do. Bonnie went to Damon's side.

"I don't know what to do!" She cried.

"Anything, Bonnie," Elena begged, "You can save him."

Werewolf bites kill vampires. She thought, when an idea, that would not only save the elder brother, but would eliminate him as a threat, came to her, "Bring me candles," she ordered the two men in the doorway. She hoped she had enough energy to do this.

As soon as the candles where set around her, they lit and her chanting began. Elena held tightly to Damon, who's worn body squirmed and shivered. After nearly ten minutes, Bonnie rose and spoke to Elena, "Give him the ring John left you."

"But…it won't do anything."

"Trust me, Elena." Bonnie ordered and watched, satisfied as Elena gently put the ring on Damon's finger. Almost instantly, Damon's body went limp and a final breath escaped his lips.

"No!" Elena cried, glaring at Bonnie, "You said you could help him." Elena buried her face against his chest, sobs wracking her body.

"Elena," Bonnie said softly, "Listen."

Elena quieted her crying and did as Bonnie told her. Her brown eyes widened, "What?!" she pressed her ear closer to his chest. There, clear as day, was a sound she had never before heard from either of the Salvator brothers. Steady and strong, Damon's heart pumped blood through his veins in a steady beat.

"You…you made him human?"

R&R