DP.O.V

"Where is she?"
This could not be happening. She could not be gone. Forever is a long time. It's soul-destroying to live without the one you love. It's as if part of your heart has died. It wrenches you apart- the wound to great to heal. He had lived a century and a half loving Katherine, he just couldn't do it with Elena too. He loved her with his entire being. To say he loved her was just too simple.

"No, Damon. Wait-" Meredith? She wanted to stop him going to Elena? Yeah, that wasn't going to happen.
"Where is she?"
"Wait! You need to know! When Jeremy brought Elena in here earlier on her injuries were worse that I let on. It wasn't a concussion. It was cerebellar hemorrhage. Bleeding on the brain."

"What are you saying?" No, his grief-stricken mind tried to put the pieces together.

"He was so worried I didn't want to tell him but I- I helped her. She needed my help." Her eyes pleading for him to understand.

This man had the face of a crushed soul. To see visible emotions from this being was almost unheard of and here he was fighting his emotions. Not fighting to keep them on, just fighting to hold them in and stop him crumbling.

EP.O.V

She gasped. Breathing deeply. Breathing? What?

"Elena." Stefan said softly. But she didn't need him, didn't want him. She never considered forever with him. Never wanted it. She needed the man who she would have considered considering it for, would have done anything for. Will still do anything for. Breathing heavily, her mind trying to process what she had just experienced. The two memories of his compulsion. The feelings she felt the first night she met him. Shemethimfirst. The feelings she had felt that night became clear. Her mind flashing back to the phone call they had shared earlier. Her mind racing she admitted something she had been hiding for so long. The one word on her mind of the man who consumed her, changed her, lovedher.

And she loved him.

"Damon."

EP.O.V

With that one word he was by her side in a flash.
"Elena." And he buried his face against her chest. His arms around her so tight she may have broken. "Elena, Elena, Elena." She could feel her shirt was damp. Her arms found her way around him holding him tightly. She was dimly aware of Stefan sitting a few feet away but she honestly did not care. She had lied to Damon earlier. She had lied to herself for so long. Even while she had been talking to Matt about what love was Stefan hadn't been the name running through her mind.

"I should leave you two alone then." Slight bitterness edged Stefan's words as he made to walk out of the room.

She felt his hands slowly cup her face, much like the way they had that night on the porch when he'd kissed her.

His eyes met hers, ice meeting chocolate. Tears clinging to his eyelashes. This was a man with a broken heart. A broken heart that was full of hope, but not enough to start healing. She touched her forehead to his, bringing her hands up to his neck, clasping the behind it. They stayed like that for a long time. Probably longer than was acceptable but no one bothered them. Neither of them made to move away.

"I met you first." He didn't say a word, he just gently moved a strand of hair away from her face.

When she didn't say anything more he looked resigned, as if not wanting to know the answer to the question he was about to ask.

"Does it matter?"
"Yes."
"Elena." He looked distraught. "I never wanted this life for you. Youneverwantedthislife."

"It's different now." Looking him straight in the eye and although his eyes were still clouded with sadness, shining with tears, he looked back. Determined yet resigned.

"Yes, I loved him-" She broke off. Pasttense? Did she really just use pasttense? God, she was an idiot. "Never mind, we'll talk about this later." She said softly, looking away.
"Elena, you don't have to do this!" His eyes pained as he brought her face back to look at him. "You never wanted this! You wanted a husband, kids, a dog! A house with a garden and a white picket fence! You want a human life. You want a life a vampire can't give you!"

"I wanted that. Past tense." Oh so now she could use past tense properly.

"You know, someone once told me they knew what I wanted, they thought I wanted what everyone else wanted." There was a glint in her eye, a sparkle.

"Oh yeah? And what was that, hmm?" She smiled, a sweet, soft smile full of hope. She knew this side of Damon, she could match him wit for wit. She leaned in closer, whispering so softly Stefan wouldn't be able to hear it. He was almost definitely standing outside right now listening to this entire conversation.

"He told me I wanted a love that consumes me. He told me I wanted passion and adventure." She smiled slightly before continuing. "And even a little danger." That got him smirking. Love, warmth, fire and hopelighting up his gaze now.

"And?"

"I think he's right." She leaned in closer, so close to his ear that she was sure he could feel her breath.
"You said no vampire could give me the life I wanted. True, no vampire could give me kids or the chance to grow old but I only know one vampire that could give me what that man told me I wanted."

Without a word he wrapped his arms around her, one around her back, the other gently stroking her hair. She knew this was what she wanted but she also knew Damon would be guarding himself until he knew for sure.

She made herself look up at him, eyes locking, heads moving ever so slowly closer until the door being swung open made them jump apart.

JP.O.V

"Stefan! Why are you out here? Are you telling me my sister is in there alone? With no one to be there when she wakes up?" Yes he's upset but did Stefan really leave his sister in there alone to wake up aspracticallyavampireby herself? He rolled his eyes, infuriated by the man. To be fair to himself he was in a state, he thought his sister was dead only to find out she had vampire blood in her system. Then to add to that, he arrives at the hospital to see Stefan standing outside and not inside waiting for her to wake up.

"Jeremy. Your sister is not alone, she is with my brother." And without another word he stormed out of the room.
"Probably because he's a hell of a lot easier to be around than you." he muttered before he realised how unusual that sounded. He didn't even bother to be quiet. Stefan would still be able to hear him. Each day he was realising more and more who Elena should be with. He sighed before barging through the door.

DP.O.V

"Elena!" So, now it was Baby Gilbert interrupting him now. He glanced quickly at Elena, who looked as annoyed as he felt. He met her eyes with silent understanding. He turned her around but her her tightly by the shoulders. She probably forgot. He sighed.

"Elena, you're in transition. You can't get too close to him." He felt her resistance falter and she quickly retreated backwards into him, shrinking into his chest for reassurance.
"'Lena, it's okay." Jeremy said smiling warmly. "I just came to tell you that no matter what you decide, I'll be here for you. I love you 'Lena." Then as an afterthought added. "Whether you're human or not."
Elena laughed. "Love you Jer." He could feel her hesitate, as some point his arms had wrapped around her stomach. "I expect I'll be home soon." He had planned to stay silent through this brotherly sisterly exchange but he just couldn't.
"You will?" He hated how his voice sounded, surprised of course, but also slightly hopeful.

"Yes, I'll see you at home Jer. You'll just have to invite me in." She even winked. Shewinked.
"Bye 'Lena." Then Jeremy left the room. I spun her around to face me.

"So. What's with this Elena eh? All smiling, laughing and fun?" She smiled, actually looking happy.
"Who knows?" She shrugged. "I feel good." Then changed her answer. "Well as good as I could be at this moment."
He smiled. His arms still around her waist he pulled her close.
"You sure? You shouldn't have to do this for anyone except yourself."
"Damon, I'm sure." She was leaning against him, her head on his chest.
"Stay here." He smirked at her, noting her smile, kissed her hair gently and zoomed off.

So, what had changed with her? He sighed. He'd just have to talk to her later. He also ought to talk to his brother but Stefan could wait. Within moments he had grabbed a bag of blood and was back by Elena's side.
"Here." He noticed she was looking rather tense and nervous, tears threatening to overspill. "Hey hey, it's okay." He held her, gently stroking her hair. He felt her smile before he saw it.
"It's not that Damon, it's Caroline." Her smile instantly dropped. "And Bonnie." She added rather sullenly. "Witchy, will come around. If she doesn't accept you then... Well you never wanted this. It wasn't in your control." He was rather pissed thinking about Bonnie. She damn well better be even remotely sensitive to Elena, she was all supportive with her mum who she barely knew but not to her two best friends? He shook his head. That didn't even make sense. The he noticed Elena who had suddenly paled dramatically. Her chest heaving.

"Drink it." He was worried. He didn't know how long it took someone to die if they didn't drink blood during transition. She slowly took the blood bag and drank. Her eyes changing, an animalistic growl escaping her lips. Her face screwed up in pain as fangs sliced through her gums but the pain passed once she drank more blood. She moaned as she drank the blood bag dry before turning to Damon with a worried expression as if wondering if he'd see her differently now. He has never been so entranced by someone. Deep inside some selfish part said to him: Nowyoudon'thavetohidethispartofyoufromher. Youcanshareeverything. Thehumanandthevampire.

A/N: Okay, IdonotownTVDoranyofthecharactersetcetc.

Opinionswouldbegreat! Loveorhate? TheseasonfinalewasgreatbutElenaisnotgoodwithStefan. I'llpossibleuploadanotherchaptertonightifIgetoneortworeviews.

-E