One Shot: Happens in the last episode of season 2. What if Klaus didn't accept Stefan's offer and instead, fooled him into thinking that Katherine would actually take the cure to Damon? Read on... and review please (:

The End Where I Begin

"I'm… so sorry Elena," Damon spluttered.

"No, shhh…" Elena whispered into his soft ear and letting loose another warm tear. He was speechless, holding onto the last remnants of his life, his beloved life. His pulse was racing, and with every heartbeat came another drop of his love, his warmth, his life.

He didn't want to die, not now. Not when everything he'd ever loved stood right in front of him. He'd waited for this moment all his life and now that it finally presented itself, he was too weak. Too weak to voice his last words.

Every promise they made to each other, every kiss they shared together, every cherishing minute they spent together that they had taken for granted; now was when it most counted. Because now, they both knew what was coming ahead even though they couldn't accept it; the inevitable. Though they both envied the circumstances much, they knew they'd have to face it. They had to, no matter how much their hearts fought together against it. Damon had accepted it but Elena just couldn't bring herself to lose another person in her life. They were going to have to go through this, as one. And so those memories were what they were sharing now, those last few moments of bliss. But what came with those was a thousand more regets unravelling.

She tried to contain her tears, she didn't want to cry. She didn't want him to see her cry. Not now, not at this moment or he'd know it was all over. And she couldn't face that, she couldn't face knowing that it was all over. That this was the end. Damon felt the same.

"Please…" Damon began, struggling to speak.

"No, Damon, shh, please, you don't need to say anything" Elena said faintly, fighting through her traitor tears.

Despite Elena's words, he opened his mouth again to speak, but Elena couldn't bring herself to hear the words he would say. As much as she'd wanted to hear his voice, because it could be the last time; she couldn't bring herself to hear the pain in it. So she hugged him tighter, her arms enveloped his waist, stabbing herself against his wounded heart; he was running out of love, out of life, and she couldn't contain it. He was weak yet here she was, stronger than ever. Normally, it would be the other way round; he'd be her hero, not this other way round. Could she be strong enough for both of them now? Could she be the medicine he needed? His cure?

She promised him back at the house that she'd be strong for him, that she'd never let him go.

Rapidly, his grip on her loosened and his hands no longer embraced her. No, please, not now, Elena thought as she felt his wet, marbled back strain against her arms. He was slipping through. She grabbed all of his weight then, trying to stop him from succumbing to the ground. She held him closer, using all her strength to not let him go, to not let him fall. Cries blurt out of her chest as her eyes took him all in. She didn't want to see him this way. She wanted the aggressive, cocky, cheeky Damon. The one that hit on her uncontrollably even though her knew she was in love with his brother. The one who had saved her all those times from the grip of the originals, Klaus and every other threat. The one that would go out of his way to crack a random joke just to make her laugh when life proved much too difficult for her. The one that she knew loved her endlessly even though he knew she couldn't return any of the love. She wanted that Damon.

"I love you…" he whispered finally and the wind howled then. A crash of thunder collapsed both their balance and she gripped him again, holding their combined weight with her utmost strength. He yelped out a pained cry and with it came her pre-meditated cries. She was losing him, his heart wasn't dancing anymore –instead, it was slowing. Another gush of wind attacked them then and her knees gave way as they both succumbed to the ground.

She broke her promise.

This was it. The upshot of the news struck her heart, excavating its claws straight through, creating a daggered hole through her chest. Her soul shattered into a million pieces, her heart poured out beneath onto the short path before her. She kept falling. It felt as if the ground beneath was engulfing them both within its prison-like, concrete. He let out a small whine, and she felt the shrilling pain that embraced him go through her like a bolt of lightening. She was shaken here, alive in this torturous instance. Instead of reaching to their feet again, Elena sat there, cradling him in her arms, using all the strength within her; I wasn't going to lose him, not now. Now was not the time or the place, she thought.

"I-I-I-I'll…always…love you…" he strained, fearing that he wouldn't get a chance to say it again.

"Shhh", she tried to comfort him. He closed his eyes for a moment and her heart gave out a harsh blink itself. What was wrong with me? Here he was, in his last moments portraying his love for me yet I could not return the words. Elena hated herself.

Her throat was sore and her eyes were ongoing an everlasting storm that melted down her cheek. It was all too much for her. It was happening too soon. She wasn't ready to let him go. This couldn't be their last moment together, it simply couldn't. She wouldn't let it be. She simply couldn't lose another person she loved. As her train of thought ran circles round her head, she envisioned Stefan. She'd already lost him to Klaus. And now, what faced her was another loss. It was all too much for her. She simply couldn't do this. Just then, a crash of thunder let out and he shivered vehemently.

Silent moments went by and all they heard was the crashing of thunder and the pounding drops that evaded around them. Damon swallowed hard and began to say what he'd been trying to say all along. And he was going to voice it, even if Elena tried to stop him. He knew that if he didn't, she'd never know.

"Elena," he began, "I have to tell you this because keeping it inside, it's killing me... be-because all I ever wanted comes right down to you." He paused, getting his breath, "I love you Elena. I've loved you from the moment I've laid eyes on you. And... I know that you don't love me back-"

"Damon-" Elena tried to cut him off but he was adamant to continue.

"No, Elena. I just want you to know that… that it's… it's okay." He paused for a moment as the pain from his own words striked him. He paused long enough to see a tear roll down Elena's cheek. He felt his heartbreak for the last time. " It's okay if you don't love me back. I… I can accept it now. I just want you to be happy. And if my brother makes you happy, then… then, that's alright with me. I just, I just want you to know that." he finished. Elena hugged him closer, her teardrops coming out faster than ever.

He was slipping again yet this time he held his own. He let go of her slowly, with sudden sighs of pain. She tried to refrain from him pushing her away, he didn't give up even though he knew she was stronger than him now. He kept trying but she didn't let go. She wouldn't let go. She couldn't.

Eventually, she loosened her grip, being aware to not let go. His soft eyes, stared at her intently, speaking out to her. He used what looked like all of his strength and wiped away an escaped tear from her burning face. He smiled. Elena tightened her grip.

"Let... go, Elena." he said ever so gently that it sounded like he didn't sturggle. His eyes looked down into her eyes more sorrowfully, with deep love. There was some sort of finality in his voice that mirrored his eyes but Elena didn't accept this as the end.

Knowing her voice would just break and this would cause him more pain, she just nodded declaringly. The silent spoke for them. He tried again, this time; he looked down, took a deep breath and gazed into her eyes, comprehendingly.

"Elena, you have to let ….go." Her eyes stung like a new wound raw to an open flame. It felt like a dagger went straight through her heart. She dropped her gaze down to shield away her tears but his weak, wounded hand leaped out to lift her chin. He focused her eyes with his and smiled again; it was beautiful, angelic and just so endearing. His smile changed everything, like everything was perfectly normal and it held her there, perfectly still in the horrific moment. Warm droplets escaped from the captive ness of her eyes. She felt his cool breath becoming uneasy; it wasn't long now.

He coughed and spluttered a few times and her arms let loose while she wiped away his melancholy. She held onto him tighter. Holding him meant holding onto the past, onto their future, onto the good times and onto him. Letting go meant nothing right now, letting go now would be failing him, failing on themselves and giving up.

Elena's free hand stroked his perfectly marble face as her cries became more infinite. So infinite that she couldn't see what was in front of her; her vision was blurring. She wanted to wipe her eyes but feared letting go of his face would be letting go of him. She feared losing him forever. She couldn't fathom seeing his beautiful features for one last time. The thought pained ever ounce of her.

Another few quiet moments passed.

"Elena,…" He hesitated for a moment. "Can I.. a-ask you for something?" his eyes met Elena's and never left. Elena tried to smile politely, fighting her tears and nodded.

"Anything, Damon". Her voice was barely a whisper.

He didn't answer, instead he lay there, cradled in her arms and smiled the smile she'd adored since the first time she'd seen it. He couldn't ask her for what he longed. It wouldn't be right to. Besides, he didn't have the right to ask for it, even if he was on his deathbed. His mesmerising eyes glimmered in the moonlight but it was hard to see them in the pounding rain. After waiting for him to respond, Elena knew what he wanted and she knew why he didn't voice it. He knew it would hurt her, it hurt her last time and it would hurt her even more now. But Elena knew better. She knew whilst giving him his wish would kill her but it would physically kill her that much more if she was to deny his last wish. And without hesitating, she bent her head down to meet his lips and gave Damon his dying wish.

It was like their very first time. The kiss was so endearing and full of life, the way a first kiss should be. Although this wasn't their first kiss, it sure as hell felt like the first to Damon. Magical, was how he'd describe it.

Parting breifly, Damon smiled, "Thank you" he barely whispered. Elena felt his weight on her now, he was getting heavier, limpier. She was losing him.

He knew how much it hurt her to kiss him. Knew how much it had hurt the last time she kissed him. He knew she was never in love with him, he didn't want to believe it but he had come to terms with it and so that was why he longed one last kiss. Just laying there in her arms, so close, she couldn't deny her feelings anymore.

"I love you Damon" she said for the first time.

His drooping eyes locked onto her in shock but it was incomprehensible. He couldn't react the way he wanted, he was much to weak. And instead, he managed a thin smile as Elena's lips met his instantly. She savoured every last touch and held on to him tighter. She tasted his sweetness, his love, his dying love. He kissed her back fondly, using all the energy left in him. It hurt to mash his chest to hers, to finally hold her in his arms; a moment he'd longed from the very first time he'd set eyes on her. Hurt him so much that somewhere inbetween the kiss, he lost everything. Feeling, touch, the raindrops; everything . It went silent in his world suddenly, and he blinked for the last time.

He fell, motionless into Elena's arms as their lips parted abruptly. Knowing what she had known all along, she let out a pained cry into the midnight air. It chorused with the pounding rainstorm that doomed over Mystic Falls.

She let out several cries whilst holding onto his remaining corpse with dear life. His face was now wept away, leaving a pale ensemble of fine panes and marbled features of his brilliant face. The wind blew his wet, fine hair around and she pulled him closer, sobbing into his chest. She was shaking as the wind shrieked into a maddening whirlwind, tossing the undergrowth around her into a surprised frenzy. The rain became harder and harder; applying more force by the second and several crashes of thunder separated the dark sky.

She couldn't find her breaths as she continued crying over him. The pain that shook her now enveloped her as she held him close for what felt like a long time. The thunderstorm grew harsher by the moment yet it wasn't strong enough to break her bond with him. She swore wouldn't let him go, not now. Not when she had already caused him enough pain. Not when he was the reason she was here and he was gone. Not when she couldn't repay the love he gave her. Not now, not ever. She owed him that.

Several images pranced around her head, like a slideshow on replay. Images of the past, of how they used to be; the first time she met him at the boarding house, the Founder's Day ball, dancing with him, the unexpected roadtrip he took her to without her consent. Almost every memory with him ran through her mind, up to the last moment of tonight; the kiss, the words shared, everything to his death- just moments ago. She felt my consciousness slipping as the pain subsided. She was afraid to fall into the black waters again, afraid she would lose him in the darkness.

Sitting there, breathless, in the pouring rain with Damon's corpse cradled in her arms, Elena came to a sudden realisation. Even though she thought she'd loved Stefan, it was Damon whom she couldn't live without. It was Damon that completed her like a jigsaw puzzle. It was Damon who consoled her when Stefan was absent. And it was Damon who kept her alive. Damon was her everything. And now everything was gone.

"I've always loved you." she finally admitted.

But, it was too late. The words Damon longed for in his entire existence were finally spoken but he wasn't here to hear them.

I can't tell you guys how much i've loved writing this one-shot. And i've just got 3 reviews (which isn't a lot but it's really made my day - thank you to the 3 that reviewed! & and tons of 'favourite story' alerts and i just wanted to say a huge thankyou! And to those that got a little bit teary - i'm sorry lol :P It's just i got teary at the end of season 2 and wanted to share that feeling (if you know what i mean). I'm actually considering writing more on this instead of leaving it as a one-shot... i'm not sure yet... :/

Thank you so much for reading (: