A/N: You guys might have heard about or seen the movie "The Vow". Unfortunately, I haven't seen it yet, only the trailer but those few minutes were enough to make me wanna write a DE fanfic with a smiliar storyline. I'm not sure if this story will be well received but I had fun writing it and it nearly wrote itself. Also, TYT is giving me a hard time at the moment and I haven't updated in a while, so I thought I could make up for it with this story in the meantime. I hope you'll enjoy it :)

A huge thanks to the lovely Sonia who test read it, love you hun.

Btw, I'm not familiar with amnesia, so I apologize if it doesn't seem real.

Disclaimer: No copyright infringement intended.

~ Remember Me ~

Chapter 1: Don't you remember?

But don't you remember

Don't you remember?

The reason you loved me before

Baby, please remember me once more

A warm hand brushed over her hair, gently caressing her face and moved to the tip of her chin to firmly hold it.

"How could you do this to me, huh?" A husky voice sounded which made her body loosen immediately.

She couldn't make out where it was coming from because there was not one single ray of light, only darkness surrounding her. She had nothing to hold on but the male voice that had managed to filter down to her. It was attracting her like a magnet as his voice sounded so familiar like home, yet it was strange to her. She felt lost. Like she was floating for unknown reasons.

Damon was sitting on a chair right beside Elena, holding her hand in his and drawing circles over it with his thumb. The lack of sleep made its presence felt and the lids of his eyes were about to fall shut. But he couldn't sleep, the chair didn't really spend much comfort anyway, also he didn't even want to. Though he felt beyond exhausted, he had to stay awake. Every moment she could wake up and he needed to be here with her in that moment. He was clueless about for how long he had already been sitting here. Everything around him was was minor and blurred. He had taken time off from work unlimited in time, so it didn't bother anyone how much time he spent sitting in this chair besides maybe his friends. They had started to get worried about him and warned him that what he'd been doing didn't help anyone and consumed him too much. And probably they were right. He hadn't removed from her side ever since, just for some inferiorities that didn't take up a lot of time. They had offered him to take over his "shifts", so that he could at least rest for a bit from time to time in the room aside. Even the their effort of telling him that Elena would have resisted on him taking some rest, didn't convince him to do so. He had told them several times there was no need for their worries and that he was handling everything fine. Time seemed to pass by so quickly anyway but in here. In this room time stood still and wouldn't move again until he could finally look in Elena's eyes again. She was all that mattered and his priority number one right now. It scared him how peaceful and calm she was lying in this bed. So normal as if she was sleeping. Appearances was deceiving though. It had been ten days for her horrific car accident that had caused so much damage and had sent her into a coma.

Damon still had the exact progress of events on his mind the day it had happened. Caroline's shaky voice telling him on the phone what had happened; How he all churned up inside rushed right to the hospital; Everyone's failing attempts to calm him down; The first time he had seen her in the emergency room, completely unconscious; Him desperately screaming her name while they had held him back from going after her and had taken her away from him to some checkup and eventually how he had sat down on this chair after they had brought her here and impatiently began waiting for her to come out of her coma.
The fear, that she would never open her eyes again to make the agony fade away, was about to take controll over him.
"How could you do this to me, huh?" He said, trying to choke back his tears that welled up in his eyes.

Suddenly something soft was pressing against her cheek, causing heat flowing through it. It felt like.. someone had pecked her on the cheek and now something cool, watery had fell down on it. As if someone was crying? Was the man whose velvet voice she had heard crying? Why? She didn't understand. Was she causing him pain? Or had she hurt him? No! She didn't want to be responsible for it. Only the thought of it effected her - it hurt her.

Everything had been so good.

"Damon, we don't have time for this now. We need to get up." He was snuggling into her neck, showering her with soft kisses on the sensitive part of her neck.

"Damon!" She giggled and playfully hit him, reaching him to stop.

"What?" He was hovering above her now with his both arms beside her body, trapping her. "Don't tell me you don't like it because your body clearly says differently." He smirked and before she could protest, he cut her off with a deep kiss.
"As much as I'd rather spend the day with you in bed." She mumbled between kisses and caressed his face as their lips broke away from each other. His gaze was directed on her. "I can't."

"Ugh, why." He complained and rolled off of her. "There I have one day off and my wifey decides to work instead of being with me. Says everything."
Elena huddled up against him and gave him a reproving look. "Don't be so grumpy. You know why I have to go to work."
"Yeah, right. Caroline's birthday." He muttered.

Barbie girl's 25th birthday was approaching and although Damon genuinely liked her, he either more or less had to because she was Elena's best friend, he thought the blonde was making too much fuss about it. Spa trip in the morning, shopping in the afternoon and a huge party in the evening with god knows who she all invited. Sure, it was her birthday and she could celebrate it as much as she wanted but she overdid it a little for his taste. Wouldn't a simple party be enough? However, she was so bent on spending the day with her best girl friends that Elena had decided to exchange her work shift and work today as compensation.
"25 is still just a number."
"It's her wish. I can't leave her in the lurch." She kissed him briefly and then sat up to put on her underwear.

"Oh, but you can leave me in the lurch?" He asked a bit sulky, his arms resting behind his head.
Elena rolled her eyes at him, a smile playing around her lips.
"Come on, I don't." She said and put on her top that lay nearby her bed stand. "She'll turn 25 only once, Damon. I want to make her happy."
He moved towards her, so that his chest leaned against her back and his chin rested on her shoulder.
She turned her head only to find his puppy eyes staring at her, begging her to change her mind.

"Don't even try it. You won't guilt-trip me into sleeping with you now."
"Oh really?" He nibbled on her skin, making her body heat up. "What makes you so sure I have to guilt-trip you into it?"
His right hand had rested on her neck, but now softly scrolled down with his fingers over her shoulder and her side to cease on her hip. "

Still want to leave?" He whispered in her ear, heightening her appetite.
"I never did." She countered and finally gave in to his temptation.
She turned around to straddle him. Her lips pouncing on his and her arms steady around his neck. Their kisses grew more demanding, their tongues entwined in their mouths. Damon s hand gently cupped Elena s breast and made her mourn in pleasure whereas her hand moved down to the top of his boxers, slipping inside and touching his noticably aroused cock. Both were gasping for air now.
"No, no, no." She evoked and nearly jumped out of bed.
He propped up on his elbow and watched her dress.
"Are you serious?" He gritted, yet amusement was plainly visible on his face. "Stopping now after teasing the hell out of me?"
She let out a short laughter while getting her make-up done. "Oh that's rich, coming from you."
"Never heard you complaining before." He answered back.
"I'm already late because of your little seduction stunt." She quickly grabbed her bag and sat down next to him, smiling bridely.
"You're cruel for leaving me like this." He looked surreptitiously at her.
"You'll survive it."
"I don't think so and someone else agrees with me." His eyes quickly pointed downwards.

"I will make up for it, to both of you."

"Promise?"
"Promise." She sealed her answer with a long last kiss and ultimately said goodbye before disappearing through the front door.

The beeping of the monitors shook him out of his last memories with her ahead the accident. He hadn't realized how watery his eyes had become. Slowly, he approached her to give her a peck on the cheek. Even in her current state with some bruises from the acident left, she still was the most beautiful woman he had ever lain eyes on. The uncertainty about what would happen with her in the near future drove him crazy. The doctors had told him she could wake up within the next few hours but it could also take weeks or months. They didn't want to raise his hopes for nothing but it was nothing very constructive either.
Life sucked, he thought but that was nothing new to him. He had been taken notice of it by his father Giuseppe ever since he could think. Luckily, his father had passed away 7 years ago. He didn't mourn after him and that for justified reasons. Giuseppe hadn't left out one moment to make Damon's miserable or humiliate him. Trust didn't come easily to Damon anymore and his feelings hardly ever got involved in his relationships. His life had only consisted of having thousands of meanless flings, spending the nights in bars, nothing sweeping, till the day he had met Elena. She had been his game changer that had changed everything for the better. They had immediately shared an understanding and her support and unconditional trust in him had given him enough courage to open up to people again. She was his happiness.
But now, that he finally had been truly happy, they took her from him? The only good thing that happened to him in his life, the only goddamn good thing that kept him going?

"Baby, you need to come back to me. Please."
Why was this happening? Was he getting punished for something he had done but didn't know about? As hard as he tried to keep the desperation from his voice, he failed.
"I can't do this without you, Elena. I need you."

The darkness seemed to become brighter little by little. She was now able to hear more noises which again seemed to get muffled, kinda vague to understand. Everything was spinning and mingling, robbing any kind of orientation from her she had ever had. It felt like someone was dragging her. Only where to?
Quite suddenly, vivid lights appeared and made her eyes ache. Where the hell was she?

Damon was gazing into space. The present situation was bleeding him dry.
A small whimper extracted him out of his absence and made his eyes move to Elena to find her doe eyes confused and insecurely staring at him.
Just then he realized what had happened. She was awake. Her eyes finally had openend again after days, making everything whole again. Waves of joy and relief made its way through his body and he immediately pressed the key to alarm the doctor.
"Elena?" He softly called her name. Carefully he approached her to touch her face but inches before he made contact, she flinched a little. He slightly backed away from her in confusion.
"Are you hurting?" Damon asked concerned.
She somewhat shook her head, frowning at him. "Wh-where am I?"
Her voice was weak, barely audible.
"You're in the hospital."
"Why?" She demanded hesitantly.
"You-" He was cut off as the doctor and a nurse hurried into the room.
Dr Fell went to Elena and carefully started talking to her.
"Mr Salvatore, I must request you to leave." The nurse informed him before she checked the monitors if everything was in order.
"Mrs Salvatore, is anything hurting?" Dr Fell's attentive voice sounded.
"No, I want to stay with Elena." Damon retorted, his worried eyes never leaving Elena. "We have to do some checkups if everything is okay. Please wait outside."
"No."
Dr Fell had turned around to look at him, asking him in a sensitive tone. "Please, Damon."
Damon sighed defeated and grudging paced out of the room.

The next hour they kept him waiting, striding the hallway up and down until the nurse finally got out followed by Dr Fell.

Damon made a beeline for her. "Is she alright? Is she well?"

"Yes." Dr Fell replied solid, yet she seemed downcast.
"Why do you make it sound like there's a but upcoming?" Something was wrong, Damon felt it.
"Apparently there were complications that caused some damage. Nothing too serious and there are high possibilities it'll reverse."
"What is it, Meredith? Spill!"
The doctor took a deep breath. "Elena suffered amnesia."
"No, this is impossible." He answered in a shaky, yet loaded voice. No, this can t be. Misbelief mirrored in his eyes which roamed over the ground. He couldn't believe what he had just heard. His gaze wandered up to face Meredith's. "You're kidding me, right? I just saw her. She was fine. Everything was okay!"
"I would never joke about something so serious." Meredith explained herself. Her eyes filled with sadness. "We don't know the exact reason for it yet, but probably there was a short, unnoticed brain bleeding that caused it."

Any color vanished from Damon s face as he took in what Meredith was telling him.
"We'll keep an eye from her the next two days. I tried to break her the basics but I thought you'd rather tell her the rest. She paused, observing Damon in worry. "I really wish I could have brought better news."
The more she had explained him, the more black despair had built up in Damon. Was she saying he now was a stranger to his own wife?
"And I wish this would have never happened!" He punched against the wall next to him, fury splashing over and ingesting his voice. "Jesus, she shouldn't be here!"
"Damon!" His best friend Alaric came running and watched Damon concerned. "What is going on?"

"Your psycho girlfriends just had the pleasure to inform me that my own wife doesn't remember me anymore, that's going on!"
"What?" Alaric frowned and first looked blank at Damon and then to Meredith who he hoped would give him an explanation for this clutter.
"She lost her memories." Meredith muttered uncomfortable.
Ric's eyes widened in shock. "She doesn't remember anything?"
"Yes, Ric! We're all fucking strangers to her! I am a stranger to her!" Damon was about to punch the wall another time but got stopped as Ric grabbed his arm.
"Listen Damon, it's not the time for another patient, so calm down!" Ric spoke up and gazed in Damon's eyes.
Damon shook off Ric's arm. His breathing still uneven and his body was still burning with anger but Ric's word had shaken some sense into him.
"We'll figure this out." Ric said, his voice now more calming.
"She'll remember us again. It only needs time." Meredith joined him, trying to reassure Damon.
Damon's positive attitude had just hit rock bottom, so their talking was for nothing. "And what if not, Mrs Smarty-Pants?"
"She will and then she'll need your support. You just have to stay strong and patient for her."
"Oh, you can talk easily." Damon snorted and walked off.
"Where are you going? She wanted to see you." Meredith's voice resonated and made him face her.
"Me? Who? The stranger who is supposed to be her husband?"
"Damon-"
"First I'll grant myself a nice coffee to stomach this bullshit, thanks. And then I'll visit her." Damon's head was a mess.

Thousands of thoughts wandered like a ghost in it. One after another trying to convince him that this must be either a very bad nightmare or turn out to be a huge joke.
He wasn t ready to deal with Meredith's diagnose. He had seen her in there. She had seemed completely normal, her eyes had bored in his like thousands times before, maybe a little confused but he hadn t read much into it. After all she d been out for 10 days, but who'd have thought that she knew nothing anymore?
It felt like someone had ripped his heart out. What would be going on in her head when she saw him? Would she ever look at him again the way she used to?
Damon inserted a coin in the coffee brewer and pushed the button.

He was beyond scared to never see her loved-filled eyes staring into his, whispering I love you.
Why couldn't they travel back 10 days to the morning she left? He should never had let her leave or what if he had given her a ride, would everything had proceeded differently then? He d give anything to undo it.
Done with everything in this fucked-up world he took a seat in the cafeteria.

Hasty steps sounded in the hallway, making its way towards him.

"Here you are." Caroline breathed gloomily.
"As you can see." Damon s eyes stayed locked on the cup in his hands. His voice bland.
She sat down next to him, her eyes roaming around him. "We're worried about you."

He shrugged, taking a gulp of his coffee. After he set down the cup, she waited for him to reply but instead, they lapsed into an awkward silence.
"Have you already.." Caroline started nervously to fiddle with her fingers. "Look," she started with a soothing voice, her hand placed on his now. "Together we will make it. We can hardly put ourselves in your shoes but we will try to help you and Elena as good as we can."

"I appreciate the gesture, Barbie but there's been enough doom and gloom for one day. I just want to be alone."

"I get that." She nodded and got up. "Doesn't mean it s the best solution."

"Well, that s up to me or not?"

Caroline's head moved from the left to the right. "We're always there for you. Just in case you want to talk or anything, okay?"

"Gotcha." Damon mumbled rather opaque as he took another gulp.
Caroline twisted her mouth in worry, yet she left him in the cafeteria seeing as it was useless to force him to talk. He was still too upset to have a normal conversation with. The blonde gave him an encouraging nod and went away.

Damon heaved a sigh. So, he and his wife had to start from zero again? He was sick of everything to no end, though his anger started to trail off. Meredith's words still were on repeat in his head.
He shook his head to get the unpleasing thoughts off his mind, even if only for a bit, downed the remaining coffee in one and left for Elena s room.
As her approached he saw Meredith still standing in front of it.

She stepped in front of him, blocking his way.

"Ugh, what now?"

"Have you calmed down?" She considered him attentively.
"It would seem so."

"Otherwise I can t let you in."

He rolled his eyes, annoyed by her attitude. "Who are you? The guardian of the weak?"

"No, but as her responsible doctor I have to watch after her and keep her from unnecessary stress." Meredith s voice sounded now more authoritative.
"Elena is my wife. The idea that I might worry about her well-being didn't impose on you?"

Meredith felt quite uneasy, blush creeping in her cheeks. Of course, she knew Damon cared about Elena more than he had ever about anyone. She was his everything.
"Am I allowed to see her now, or?"

Meredith nodded and moved aside.

Damon knocked and carefully opened the door. He became anxious, not knowing how to react or what would happen now.
When he showed up in the door frame, his eyes met her wondering look that lingered over his body.

"May I come in?" Uncertainty rested in his voice.
Her lips formed a faintly smile. "Sure. Come in."

He returned her smile and sat down on the chair he'd spent the last few days on.
"So, how are you feeling?" He asked hesitantly. He was aware that it was a stupid question but he couldn t think of anything better right now.
"Um, guess still a little dead." She caught a breath. "But I m good."

"Understandable." He answered and earned a small nod of her in return.
"Do you want me to get you anything?"

"No, thanks." She paused, still a small smile on her lips. "But you could do something for me."

"What is it?" His eyes widened. "I'd do anything for you."

She blushed a little at his honesty before asking him in a steady voice. "Can you tell me more about how my life used to be and me?" Her eyes searched his. "About us?"

Damon had become a bit suspicious and frowned. "Didn't Caroline or Ric tell you anything?"

"They did but nothing overly particular. They said they didn t want to go back on you."

"Yeah, looks like them. Actually I m surprised Barbie could suspend." He snorted with slight laughter, making Elena chuckle.
"Why? Caroline seemed to me like a very caring person."

"Well, yes but she loves to gossip even more. You will witness it within the next days."

"And what about Ric?"

"Right, Ric." Damon smirked. "He's my best friend. You got along with him very well. He's a loyal friend although alcohol and doomed relationships are his guilty pleasure. Rather don't give him away that I told you."

Elena smiled. "My lips are sealed."

"What else do you want to know?"

Her eyes grew darker, her smile vanished. "How did we meet?"

Damon's lips formed a wryly smile. "It was an ordinary Saturday evening, 5 years ago..
"Ric, get your ass over there. The brunette has been staring at you ever since we arrived."

"I'm not interested and I wouldn't even know what to say to her anyway."

Damon rolled his eyes. "Either you do it, Ric or I have to." Then he gulped his shot in one and clapped Ric on the shoulder. "I certainly won't miss the fun."

Ric faced him. "You're serious, aren't you?"

"Dead serious."

"Well, then." Ric heaved himself off the bar stool, taking the glass of bourbon with him. "You coming?"

"Don't need to ask twice." Damon smirked and walked together with his friend over to the brunette sitting at a table with two other girls. All of them looked beautiful, yet one of them stood out.
"Hello ladies."

"Hi." The brunette sing-sung. The others joined in, but less excited.
"Is here still available? We thought."Damon said and sat down next to a blonde without allowing them to counter. He gave his friend a telling look to sit down next to the brunette which he ultimately did.
"May I ask what your names are? "

"My name is Meredith and this are Elena and Caroline." The brunette answered, smiling.
"Caroline." Damon acknowledged and gave the blonde a kiss on the hand. Just when he was about to do the same with Elena, she withdrew her hand.
Damon put his head to the side. This girl awoke his curiosity. She seemed to have spunk, also her doe eyes flattered her overwhelming look. He wondered what being with her would be like, kissing her and much more. Damon quickly squint his eyes to get the picture off his mind and devoted his full attention to Meredith again.
"So, Meredith." He leaned over to whisper in her ear. "My friend next to you? Well, he s a little shy but I know that he likes you."

"So?"

"Take it from me, you should totally go for it."

"Oh really?" The brunette murmured, eyeing Alaric.

Ric seemed obviously uncomfortable and couldn t look at much but his Bourbon.
"You won t regret it. I can assure you of that." Damon wiggled his eyebrows.
"How? Did you have an involvement with him?" Another voice chimed in.

Damon leaned back and had a long close look at Elena.

"Do I look like I did?"

"You look like a lot of things. Who knows." She scowled at him.
"Girls, red alert!" The blonde giggled and all of them got up.
"What, where are you going?" Damon was unsure what the girls intended. He didn't like it.
P"robably where I should go to as well." Ric muttered bugged.
"Counseling session." Caroline crowed and winked at Damon.

The blonde seemed to like him which put a smug smile on Damon's face and got washed away by Elena's remark immediately.

"I'm sure with your entertainment arts you'll get along well for a while without us." It came from Elena's lips like she was reeling it off.

"You remember?" Damon's eyes shot at hers, widened in amazement. "Do you remember more, Elena?"

"No. I.. I.. I don't know. It was kind of reflexive." Her eyes were widened as well but as she looked into his, her gaze dropped on the ground. "I wasn't quite your fan back then, huh?"

"No, not really."

"Don't tell me you went for Caroline at first, it would be too clichéd."

"Well, caught." He lowered his head, a bit ashamed about his confession.

"Oh god, no." Elena laughed.

"But I ended up with the best choice."

Elena took stock of him, somewhat sparkling in her eyes. "Was that supposed to impress me?"

"I don't know. Did it?" Damon looked up at her.

For a while they stared into each other's eyes, no one saying a word and only appreciating each other's presence. It seemed like old times.

"Damon?" A voice from outside cut in and shook him out of his bubble.

"Yeah?" He noted besides, still caught in the moment just now.

"We have to do another checkup." Meredith stated awkwardly, realizing she had interrupted them.

"Oh, sure." Damon got up and was just about to leave when Elena called his name.

"Yep?"

"Will I you come back?" She asked in a thin voice, fright showing on her face.

"You can bet on it, Princess." Damon avouched her and both grinned broadly at each other for a last time before he left through the door.

One thought overwhelmed Damon. She had remembered. Even if it was just one sentence, it was enough for him to have hope. He would fight for her and their love. He wouldn t back off till she would remember everything and he was sure that one day it would pay off. One day, she'd remember again.

Please review to let me know whether I should continue or not.

Thanks in advance :)

Much love xx