A/N: This is the only chapter with Stefan's POV. I'm not really sure why I did his POV but I felt it was necessary lol. Thank you for viewing! Reviews are very welcome!(:
Swallowed whole into a dark silence. That's what it felt like to Elena as she sat trapped in Matt's old pickup truck underneath Whickery Bridge. She never thought this was how she would go, feeling her lungs fill up slowly and painfully with water. She had given up the will to fight it moments earlier letting her muscles relax and float in the chair. Watching millions of movies never prepared her for this, how death really was or felt. It seemed like time had slowed down indefinitely, each moment making her mind race faster through the memories of her life. From growing up with Bonnie and Caroline, to the day she met Stefan and her life changed forever, Elena knew she wouldn't be able to make new memories anymore.
For what seemed like hours she forced her eyes to stay open, staring off into the blurry water constantly checking the open door in hopes to see Stefan's figure swimming towards her to help get her out of the death trap. Feeling the stinging in her eyes from the water, she finally allowed her eyes to shut. Even though she knew it was probably the worst decision to do she was loosing herself to the silence that consumed her, unable to fight it any longer.
Even though she knew she could die slightly happy knowing Matt was safe, she couldn't help but feel like she was giving up on everyone. Could she fight it any further? Would it just make it worse? She was confused but it was like her body was answering her questions for her. Slowly she felt body grow colder, her blood slowing down. Letting out a slight hiccup of air she felt herself drift off into nothingness. A cold, dark, sleep embraced her and she had no choice but to let go.
Stefans POV:
For once in his life, Stefan thought he couldn't move fast enough. Swimming back up to the surface with Matt, he practically bounded out of the water. Moving Matt over to the side he knew he had to check if he was alright. Hearing nothing he quickly locked his hands together pressing them where Matt's heart was, pumping them up and down begging for there to be a pulse. If Matt died and Elena survived Stefan knew she might as well have died with Matt, dragging that guilt with her everywhere she went.
Jumping back suddenly as Matt sat straight up, he watched as he gasped for air wide eyed trying to rack his brain over what had just happened.
"Matt, are you alright? Does anything hurt?" Stefan questioned frantically hoping Matt would answer quickly so he could go get Elena.
"Yeah I...I'm ok. Where's Elena? Stefan, Elena's still in the car!" says frantically realizing what was going on.
"I know. Matt I know. I'm going to get her right now but I need you to calm down alright? We don't know what could be wrong with you." says calmly feeling like his race was pulsing madly.
Seeing Matt nod in silence Stefan took that as an ok and blurred over to the water, jumping in as fast as he could. Swimming hard down into the water he felt like his heart was going to beat out of his chest.
"Please be ok, please be ok." Stefan thought to himself over and over finally reaching the car.
Grabbing onto the door frame to hold him down, he froze seeing her. She looked like a rag doll, just floating against the seat in tune with the current flowing past them. He felt like he couldn't breath not able to hear her heart beat, the one he had such a hard time being around controlling his urges, the one he fell in love with knowing she could live a normal human life unlike his brother and himself. She looked peaceful though, like nothing bad had happened to her at all and she was just in a deep sleep.
Quickly snapping out of it, he broke off the seat belt that trapped her. Grabbing her lifeless body he swam hard back up to the surface, seeing Matt's stunned face no doubt staring at Elena. Holding Elena in his arms he fell to his knees feeling like he was going to pass out. Elena couldn't be dead, she just couldn't.
"Stefan? She's ok right? Stefan...Stefan!" Matt yelled out shaking Stefans shoulder seeing him zone out staring down at Elena.
"Sh...She's gone." Stefan finally let out feeling his eyes glaze over. He wasn't sure what emotion he was feeling at that point. He was angry at himself for letting his manners take over, taking Matt out of the car first over Elena. He was sad for obvious reasons, Elena was dead laying in his arms. He mostly felt numb unsure of what to do at this point.
"We have to get her to a hospital Stefan. We can't just stay here." Matt said almost calmly, noticing Stefan's numb expression.
Nodding in agreement, he picked Elena up blurring with her to the hospital. He figured Matt was well enough to call someone to get him and no doubt tell someone about Elena. Finding Meredith moments as he walked inside, he saw her expression change drastically like she saw a ghost. Without saying a word she guided Stefan to a back room where no one could see. Looking around he knew it had to be some type of storage room seeing empty blood bags, medical tools, and computers scattered throughout the small room. Taking a deep breath he watched as Meredith layed out a metal bed out that looked almost the same as the ones they use in the morgue.
"Here, lay her down. I'll make sure no one comes in. But Stefan, there is something you have to know. You might want to sit down for this." says calmly standing away so he could lay Elena down.
Damons POV:
Damon knew in that moment what had happened. Rocking back and forth with Alaric in his arms he was shaking as his chin trembled. "This can't be happening. No...NO!" Yelled out unable to move off of the floor of the storage center. Looking at the now grayed face of Alaric he knew he couldn't just leave his best friend on the floor of some strange place.
Picking him up he blurred out to his car, lightly groaning at the pain in his ribs almost forgetting he was practically beaten to death less than 10 minutes ago. Taking a few deep breaths he pushed through the pain, laying Alaric in the back seat of the car before getting in driving quickly towards Mystic Falls.
It seemed like hours driving back to Mystic Falls. Usually car drives went by pretty quickly since he always took the back roads, but this time everything felt different. Finally reaching his destination he swerved into the parking lot almost hitting a few cars trying to park. He couldn't loose her, not now, not like this.
"I can't loose you." Damon breathed out looking down at his balled up fist in her soft nurturing hands before looking back up at her.
He couldn't believe she was so willing to give up her life for everyone. Sure, he had finally realized she was nothing like Katherine but moments like this took him by surprise. He had never known someone to care for anything as much as Elena cared for them.
"You won't." Elena said in response softly, rubbing her fingers delicately against his tense ones.
Leaving Alaric in the car he rushed into the hospital looking around frantic, avoiding running into people at all costs.
"Where is she. Where is she!" Damon says feeling his voice rise seeing Meredith coming near him.
Elenas POV:
It wasn't like waking up from sleeping. When she would wake up from sleeping the night before, she knew at the back of her mind she had just woken up and that she was slowly coming out of her sleep. But this, this was very different. She hadn't even known she woke up. The next thing she knew she was sitting straight up gasping for air, feeling a overwhelming sense of coldness. Finally moving her eyes she breathed heavily looking around taking in her surroundings.
"S...Stefan?" Elena breathed out hardly audible over her heavy breaths, her body still trying to clear the water from her lungs.
"Elena, hey. It's ok, it's ok." Stefan says getting up from the chair, wiping his face clean of tears before kneeling in front of her taking her hand.
Sitting in silence, Elena examined Stefan still breathing heavy. He had obviously been crying, seeing the puffiness in his face and the shine that reflected off his cheeks. Burrowing her eyebrows she slowly started to question herself how she was even awake, or alive at that moment. She could have sworn she died in that car. Wasn't that what death felt like? She knew every inch of her burned and begged her to let go, so how was this even happening?
"Hey, Elena you're ok. We're at the hospital, everyone is on their way. Everything is going to be fine." Stefan lets out calmly putting his hand on her cheek, rubbing it slightly seeing her obvious confusion.
"What happened? How am I awake right now? I could of sworn I.." trails off not wanting to continue the sentence, shifting in her spot getting flashes of herself still underwater.
"Elena, when Jeremy brought you in after you hit your head, the damage was worse then Meredith realized. She had to help you in her own way." notes quietly scanning her face hoping she wouldn't over react even though he knew that was too much to ask for.
"What?" she spat out tensing up, burrowing her eyebrows.
What was he even talking about? She helped her in her own way? Racking her brain to put the pieces together she suddenly felt her face drop. She hadn't even realized how she was feeling, what she was hearing. Putting her hands up to her temples she rubbed them, feeling the throbbing take over forcing her face to scrunch lightly. Dropping her hands she listened hard hearing noises she knew she shouldn't be able to hear. People walking through the halls, multiple people's conversations becoming louder and louder. Finally the noise was unbearable so she slammed her hands against her ears. Understanding what it all meant she widened her eyes, looking into Stefan's. She had spent enough time around people in transition to know what it was like, how it was suppose to be.
Quickly getting up, she heard the clang of the metal bed fall to the floor before feeling lightheaded. Looking around she saw Stefan at the corner of her eye obviously standing guard just in case she fell or did something crazy.
"Don't touch me!" yelled out shaking her arm feeling Stefan try and grab it lightly before seeing him let go. "Sorry I..." trails of shaking her head taking a deep breath.
Walking over to a chair she sat down, sitting on her legs. Looking down at the floor she sniffled slightly, unable to talk or move from being in shock. She was in transition, she would either die or become a vampire. She couldn't believe her life had turned out this way. Trying not to think about it she let out a sigh before looking up and over at Stefan who was now leaning up against the wall across form her.
"Matt. Is he alright?" she questions worryingly trying to act like nothing happened to her, still caring about the ones she loves.
"Yeah. He was just more worried about you. I think we both were...for obvious reasons." he responds softly crossing his arms in front of him.
Nodding lightly she trailed her gaze back to the floor tensing up slightly. She knew Stefan probably felt guilty, that this was the last thing he wanted for her. But she was glad he stuck to her wishes. She didn't know how she would go on, knowing she indirectly had Matt killed. She knew Rebekah had been there, that she was just trying to kill Elena. She saw how close Rebekah was being with Matt. Her plan was all to attack her, not Matt.
Examining the lines on the floor, she felt her eyes well up thinking about the outcome everything had come to. What would Jeremy think? Would Bonnie ever talk to her again if she goes through with the transition?
"Elena.." Stefan breathes out seeing Elena about to break before hearing the storage room door open quickly.
Hearing a loud noise Elena cringed slightly before hearing a familiar voice, the calming voice that would help her even when she didn't want it. Looking up towards the sounds of the bickering she saw Damon and Meredith before seeing the conversation drop quickly, their faces numb.
"Damon." Elena says through her cracked voice with a weak smile.
