Well guys, one good thing about a scene that rocked me to my core…I can't finish processing till I write a one-shot about it. It's angsty – but, what else can you expect after this finale?

Spoilers ahead – proceed with caution.

Rating: Teen…it's heavy, but there's really nothing to warn about.

Disclaimer: Excerpts of "Come Away to the Water" by Maroon 5. TVD is not my creation. This story is intended for entertainment purposes only.


"Since I'm….possibly a dead man, can I ask you a question? If it was just down to him and me, and you had to make a choice who got the goodbye, who would it be?"

Elena's breath caught in her chest – not this…not now. She wasn't ready. She didn't have an answer because no matter what her heart told her – she knew she couldn't cope with losing anyone else.

Through the earpiece of the phone, she heard his expectant breaths….waiting on the answer she didn't have. Just like when she'd been talking to Matt only hours before, she knew they both meant something to her.

But only one promised not to leave her again.

She thought back to that night. His arms cradling her to his chest as she barely had the strength to rest her hand on his shoulder. As soon as her eyes had focused on his face at her bedside, she'd known she was going to be alright. Damon was there. He'd save her. As he wrapped a blanket around her shoulders and gave her a drink to ward off the memories of Stefan's attack – he'd been there.

And as his eyes locked on hers, he promised.

She thought of a second set of eyes. Green eyes so sad and wounded when she couldn't say the words he so desperately needed to hear. So she looked away. Elena couldn't promise she didn't feel something for Damon.

Because it wasn't true.

When she looked back at him, she saw the truth. Stefan couldn't share her. He needed her to love him…and only him. That's why she couldn't admit the truth – she couldn't even say it to herself. But she'd said it once to Matt. Damon had snuck up on her and gotten under her skin in ways she couldn't explain…and couldn't make go away. The green eyes told the truth, though. If she said it. If she admitted it out loud. She'd lose him.

And right now, she couldn't lose anyone else.

And so, she said the words that cut like a knife into her chest. "No matter what I feel for you, I never un-fell for Stefan." It was true. No matter how hard she tried….or wanted to run away from it, her heart was torn between the brothers – they each fed a different part of her soul.

Only one of the brothers said he'd stay – no matter what.

The silence on the other end of the phone was deafening. She didn't need to see him to know the pain that filled his eyes right now.

But it would be okay.

Damon wasn't going to die. He couldn't. He promised not to leave her.

Soon, they'd be standing face to face. She could explain what she hadn't been able to say over the phone. He'd smirk, and she'd know he understood. Because this was Damon she was talking to – they always survived.

"You're going to be fine. You're going to be okay. I'm going to see you soon."

"Real soon. Goodbye Elena."

Soon.

She'd see him soon.

Like a record stuck in a groove, the words played on a never-ending loop in her head.


Matt just drove silently on – away from one half her heart and toward the other – and she felt herself tearing apart.

Tyler was dead.

Or he soon would be. Listening to the grief in Caroline's voice tore a wider hole in her heart. She wasn't even sure if she could really call him a friend, but his death carved one more notch in this whole insane experience.

She wanted it to be a dream – a nightmare. And she was ready to wake up.

Waking up….Stefan had helped her at her darkest moments. He wiped the fog away. She needed to talk with him. Pulling the phone from her pocket, she took a breath, praying that he'd answer – knowing that Damon had to be right. Klaus had been lying. He wasn't the originator of the line of vampires that she held dear.

Her phone blinked a warning at her as she dialed. It couldn't make another call. "Matt." She turned and once again, he was there for her. Turning his eyes from the road for an instant, he reached out and gave her his phone.

Out of the corner of her eye, Elena realized where they were. She hated this stretch of the road into Mystic Falls. If there were an easy way to avoid Wickery Bridge, she knew Matt would have taken it, but right now, they simply didn't have the time.

And then she saw her, but it was too late. Their time was over.

Come away little loss. Come away to the water.

To the ones that are waiting only for you.

The minutes slowed to a crawl as they passed by with such detail. Elena felt every pulse of her heart…heard every whisper of her own breath. Unlike last time, she stayed awake as the river claimed them for its own.

She'd escaped once – cheated death. As the water rushed into the truck, Elena thought back to the irony of the past year and a half...so much time and energy focused on simply keeping her alive.

Maybe that was the problem.

She shouldn't be alive now. A supernatural creature had cheated death…and now death had come back to find her.

She looked at Matt. Eyes closed – unaware of the watery grave filling around him. He was here because he was the latest hero attempting to keep her alive.

She refused to let him die for her. She tugged at the locked seatbelt, and beat at the unyielding glass with her elbow, trying not to think of her other option. If she'd chosen to keep going, not turn around, she wouldn't be here.

Her decision to return to Stefan truly brought her full circle.


Come away little loss. Come away to the water.

Away from the life that you always knew.

Pom-poms.

Laughter around the dinner table.

Cold nights spent staring into the fireplace flames.

Ferris wheels.

Laughing as she twirled in his arms.

Blue eyes.

She'd never get a chance to explain her choice that really wasn't a choice at all.


Come away little light. Come away to the darkness.

In the shade of the night, we'll come looking for you.

Klaus.

Esther.

One name after another, their very existence brought death and loss into her life. As the sharp edges of the world around her faded into a blur, a shape was outlined in the window.

Of course.

She had to smile at the irony. The story really had circled around on itself, but this time it would have a different ending.


Come away little lamb. Come away to the water.

Give yourself so we might live anew.

Stefan's arms reached for her to pull her to safety, but she couldn't let him. Matt wouldn't be here if he hadn't been trying to save her.

No one else would die for her.

One frantic push. She shook her head no. Stefan had to understand. She pleaded with him using the last ounce of strength she possessed.

Stefan could save Matt.

And she'd save everyone else she loved. If Stefan were still here, then they were safe for now. But she knew Alaric wouldn't give up that easily. He'd keep trying to kill the vampires until his last breath.

But right here…right now, she had the power to stop him. No one was there to stop her – to sacrifice themselves in her stead.

Just one breath – it would be over.

The ultimate Original would crumble to the ground.

Just one breath – they'd all be safe.

No one else would seek out the doppleganger's blood at the risk of those around her.

Just one breath – life as she knew it was over.


Sorry. I said it was angsty. Y'all know me well enough by now to take that word seriously from me.

If there's enough interest, I MIGHT write a companion piece in Damon's head. I'm between edits of the novel right now, so I have a tiny bit of free time. Speaking of….I'm still waiting on the actual release date, but I'm thinking it'll be the first Tuesday in August.

As always, thanks for reading. Reviews make the writer's heart go pitter patter.