I feel bad for starting a new story when I have others that are being neglected, but sometimes you just need something new.

So this is a fanfiction for Vampire Diaries Season 4. I'm sticking mostly to canon or what I assume canon would be with the way the seasons have gone. It is going to be Delena end game so if you are Stelena, you may not want to bother. Yet it's not bashing of that relationship, I respect both. A few other ships in this story will be Tyler/Caroline a bit. I do love them but I see Klaroline as endgame, so that's how this story will progress. I also will probably dabble in Bonnie/Jeremy – we will see. This isn't just a love story, even though, much like the Vampire Diaries, it will be heavily present in a lot of the story lines. Yet, I find the true backbone to be the group of friends facing adversity and learning to love and live their lives together. There will be an evil they have to take down, but it's unlike what you've seen in the series.

Anyway, thanks for reading my rambling. Let's get on with the story, read and review lovelies.

Barely Alive

She was suffocating. Her lungs felt as if they were set aflame, burning with each strained intake of breath. Yet there was no air left to subdue the pain – only water. She choked on her panicked inhaling of lake water, knowing it was killing her but not able to stop the impulse to breathe. Breathe, just breathe.

Only she knew it was futile. Her last thought was not serene at all. She did not think of her friends, her parents, Damon or Stefan… she did not even think of her brother – all she could feel or think was bitter hatred for the lies in the movies about dying underwater being peaceful. It was anything but, only pure agony.

It went dark.

"And tell me brother," Damon spat through clenched teeth, "When did you decide that her free-will was more important than her life?"

"I don't regret my decision, and she wouldn't either. She would not have been able to live with herself if he had died and you know it." The restraint in Stefan's voice was apparent. He was attempting to keep calm and quiet, as this wasn't the place or time.

"So the result is her dying. That's the sacrifice you're willing to make?"

"She's alive Damon." The reply was soft and strained; because both brothers knew it wasn't true.

"Oh yes, Elena being robbed of her normal human life she so wishfully craved. No family, no children, and absolutely no chance of ever finding real happiness. Sounds alive to me." Damon slammed his fist on the table behind him before starting for the door.

"Where are you going?" Stefan went to grab his arm but Damon shrugged it off violently.

"She picked you brother. You get what you want; I'm leaving town so you guys can live your happy, vamp-filled life – hunting bunnies and canoodling for all eternity."

"You know this changes things Damon. It wasn't supposed to be for forever." Stefan looked from Elena's still form lying on the bed and then back to his brother. Was he willing to lose Damon for the rest of his life for eternity with Elena?

Stefan dropped his head in defeat. They both knew the answer to that question, because they both would choose the same.

"But it is forever, Stefan. Neither of us can change that now." And with that, Damon left. Damon left Stefan and Elena to be together, and he could never take that back.

It wasn't a dream. He was gone. She opened her eyes.

"Damon." She whispered as she scrunched up her face in pain. She so desperately tried to jump out of the hospital bed she was in to go after him. She wasn't ready to lose him. Yet, no matter how hard she tried to get up, there was something stopping her.

"Get off me Stefan, you can't just let him go!" Elena screamed, knowing that it was Stefan who was keeping her from moving.

"Elena, calm down. You can't go out there, it's too dangerous." Stefan desperately tried not to raise his voice, hoping his words would cut through her stubborn nature. She was much stronger now and it took a lot more force to keep her there, yet her new resilient body didn't have much of an issue dealing with the pressure.

She stopped fighting and looked up slightly dazed. "Dangerous?"

And right then it hit her. The car, Matt, Stefan saving him, and the pain of dying. It all hit her like a ton of bricks, along with the now very apparent pain she was experiencing. Her throat burned, her gums ached, her muscles trembled and itched to move, adrenaline coursed through her veins and one thing, one single thing was completely enveloping her thoughts. Hunger.

Her eyes widened in horror. The conversation she overheard became clear as day, Elena being robbed of normal human life… no family, no children…but it is forever, Stefan.

"Elena." Stefan breathed. His voice was ridden with aching pain and empathy. He knew she was going to be devastated, but no matter how much he tried to mentally prepare for her pain, he still didn't know how he'd handle it.

She just sat there. She didn't scream or yell or even cry. It was pure shock that overcame her being, yet she was completely aware that the pain would come and it would come faster and harder than any other she had dealt with.

Everything she had lost over the last few years of her life. Her old family, friends, and even her new family. She had watched so many die, and even died herself. But this was different. This was the complete and utter despair of realizing that you've lost yourself but have to live with the pain. That all you have ever hoped for, looked forward to, or strived to be has been ripped out from under you. The only thing left is bitter hatred for yourself and a disgusting amount of pity.

Elena had never felt this degree of self loathing.

"Elena?" Stefan repeated, seeing the lack of emotion in her face. He reached his hand out to caress her face softly, bent over and gave her a kiss on her forehead. "Elena, I understand what you're going through. Hold onto the good Elena, and hold onto the security that you know and love strong people that have dealt with this pain. It will be okay, you'll be okay."

The words made something turn on within her head. Other strong people. Other people. Her friends. Where were they?

"Matt! Where is Matt?" She suddenly shot bold upright, exhaling sharply the breath she hadn't realized she was holding in.

"He's okay. He's safe." Stefan sat down beside her on the bed and took in her face. He saw it coming, relief, and then the pain. Elena began to cry, and all he could do was hold her until she was alright – and then forever after that.

"You do know I will not be settling with this body forever, love."

Bonnie looked into Tyler's eyes, knowing very well that it wasn't who she was speaking to. She made a decision, for once, out of complete selfishness. With all the power and magic she had been born with, and all the dedication she had put into harnessing her full potential, Bonnie finally decided to ignore what people wanted her to do with it. This was her gift, and if she decided to make a choice about how she was going to use it, her friends and her ancestor witches will have to deal with it.

"I never intended you to take over Tyler's body forever. I do want him to come back to Caroline in the end." She said with a straight face. No humour for her anymore, she wanted to get straight to the point. "I know you have a plan. Just get on with it."

"Touchy, touchy." The smirk on Tyler's face was ill-fitted. "My body is still mostly intact, thanks to your protection spell, which I am ever so grateful for." Bonnie didn't flinch or change her expression. "Well I can tell you'll be loads of fun to be around. This is going to be a rather unpleasant time for me if the only person I can interact with is a statue."

She raised an eyebrow.

"So you don't plan on trying to seduce Caroline as Tyler, since you have no actual chance in your real body?" She quipped, smirking confidently at his obviously distasteful expression.

"For your information, I find it hard to believe that they will buy the fact that I am dead if they see Tyler alive. They could assume I lied about the bloodline for the others, but I can't lie about Tyler." He spat back at her, matter-of-factly.

Bonnie gave him a quizzical look, sensing something more. "It's not hard for me to lie about using some obscure protection spell on you, since Damon knew I was with you alone. Plus, you can excuse Tyler's violent reaction to the fact that he was a hybrid made by you rather than just a vampire."

"Clever girl." Klaus drawled, "I rather don't like you witches with your perception skills. Quite invasive, don't you agree?"

She laughed, "Invasive? You must be kidding me. You've never known how to keep your nose out of other people's lives. Especially the people I love."

He softly chuckled in return, enjoying the banter. Klaus loved to ruffle feathers. Yet, the incessant witch continued to glare at him, obviously waiting for the true reason why Klaus wasn't to take advantage of being in Tyler's body.

"If you must know," he growled, "He's not taking much of a liking to me being here. Because he seemingly broke the sire bond, I feel as if he is slightly more – resistant. I don't know how that will go over around Caroline, and I would rather not risk it. I also don't need the help of this body to make her want to be with me."

There was silence between the two before Klaus began to speak again.

"I need to have a hybrid sacrifice themselves to tap into a magic that can put me back into my body. Its rather dark magic, but you could handle it darling."

"And how do you know this?" Bonnie said slightly affronted.

"You've tapped into the magic before have you not?" Klaus grinned mockingly. He knew Bonnie was not fond of her killing of Jeremy, even though it seemed pretty certain he would make it out alive. Yet, Klaus also had known many a witch in his day… and dark magic was hard to stop whence started. "I very much wished it could be Tyler, yet it must be a willing sacrifice – not even a sire command will work." Klaus finished through gritted teeth. "It must be pure."

Bonnie sighed. She knew that getting Klaus into his own body will be the only way to set Tyler free, but she saw the apparent difficult nature of this spell.

"Not to mention, you have to magically rip the sole violently from the body. It's rather evil actually, and the sacrifice will go through much pain."

Her face paled. "I won't do it." Was her automatic reaction, but she knew as soon as she said it; it would be the only way.

"Oh, yes you will darling. Or all of your friends will know that you're the reason I'm alive, and you'll be the reason Tyler never comes back. Bet you Caroline will hate you more than she hates me."

"What are you doing here?" Jeremy viciously spat. He was sick of the vampires, sick of the death, and absolutely sick of his sister getting hurt.

"Calm down, tyke. I'm here to let you know about Elena."

Damon had talked to Stefan about who knew that Elena was alive, well sort of, and in transition. He was surprised to find out that, after finding out that Elena was dead, Meredith and Stefan came to an agreement to lie and tell them of some miracle, and that she was just in critical condition. Apparently, they felt that it would be easier for Elena to make the choice whether or not to go through with the transition without the guilt of leaving her brother and friends. Obviously, Damon knew how opposed Elena was to becoming a vampire, but he also knew she would never leave her brother alone. He also knew it wasn't right, after all the kid had been through, to keep him from her. He deserved to know.

"Is she—" Jeremy became less guarded instantly. Damon could tell he had been crying. He could smell the salt on his shirt.

"No, she's fine." Jeremy relaxed noticeably. "Well… she's alive."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Jeremy angrily shot, putting the wall right back up.

"She had vampire blood in her when she died, kid. She's in transition." Damon finally allowed Jeremy to see his real pain – he thought he deserved some honestly, and some real emotion from him. Jeremy just stood there, stunned. "You've always annoyed the crap outta me, but when it comes down to it, you've tried to take care of Elena much better then my brother ever had. What you and Matt did tonight – well it shows me that you actually want to keep her alive."

"Of course I do!" He yelled, being snapped out of his shock. "She's my damn sister. You love her, Stefan loves her – all that is nothing compared to how much I care about her, and how I will fight and protect her if it kills me. I may not be a vampire, but I know I can protect her better then you two. You are the reason she was ever in danger in the first place! You're the reason she's a fucking vampire!"

Damon didn't yell or fight back. He knew it was coming because it was what he assumed as being a fair reaction.

"So what are you going to do now?" Jeremy said after a few breaths. He knew there would be some gallant plan to get save his sister, to woo her, or whatever the hell the Salvatore brothers did.

Damon ran his fingers through his hair and looked blankly passed Jeremy's shoulder into the house. He would miss the house, it smelled so strongly of Elena. He would miss that smell.

"I'm leaving, for good – forever. She chose him, so I'm getting out of the way." Jeremy's composure broke as surprise covered his face, "I know you will, but you take care of her. It seems Stefan still thinks that Elena knows best – completely ridiculous, your sister is notorious for horrible choices." Damon smiled in spite of himself and turned around to walk away.

"Damon—" Jeremy called before he got too far. He turned around quickly, curious as to what he had to say now. "You're doing more for her then he ever has. Thank you for doing the right thing. And thank you for always choosing to save her over anyone else. I like Matt, but I love my sister more."

Damon nodded, and turned away before sprinting off to wherever he was heading. He wasn't sure where yet, and he didn't really care. Everywhere would be nowhere without her.