Thank you guys for leaving such nice reviews. I just finished writing, cause I just had to share my thoughts. I really hope you like it. Thanks for you're supports...So enjoy!

Failing and Farewell

Damon's POV

...Why? Why? Why?... Damon's thoughts echoed repeatedly. He couldn't stop himself thinking about a reason to Stefan's actions. But even after a full bottle of his best Scotch to numb out his turmoiled emotions he came up blank. He figured it'd be best to take a shower, drink some more to finally be able to sleep and face the raging thoughts again tomorrow. ...Best to stop thinking at all for tonight...

He discarded his clothes on the floor and stepped under the still cold spray of his shower.

...We'll always survive...trust me... "Ungh." Damon made a grunting sound to this new wave of disturbing thoughts that hit him. Why had the fact that she told him to let go of his brother such an affect on him? ...Well isn't it obvious you drunk, pathetic idiot?...

He sighed and grabbed the bottle with shampoo to wash his hair. He wouldn't give in to these thoughts, not now. Not now that he knew she'd be still in this house somewhere. Or was she? Probably not... he decided. Rinsing out his hair he wondered where she'd go after he'd left her in the parlor. Maybe it had been rude to leave her like said. But he'd been so exhausted after everything and the short but disappointing conversation with Katherine had given him the rest. He couldn't handle Elena giving him another 'I-care-about-you-we'll-get-through-this' speech. She would be home by now. In despite of his rudeness it had been a long day for her too. She wouldn't want to stay. She'd want to get some rest herself.

[Flashback:"Trust me" Elena's voice sounded stern] "Uch" ...here we go again... he thought bitterly. He remembered him starring into her eyes. Those wonderful, brown, caring, heartwarming eyes. Every inch of his body had been desperately screaming for him to just hold her. Taking her in his arms in search of comfort. He could still feel where her hands had touched him, burned him, scared him some more. He knew he couldn't show her how much he needed her right now though. He wouldn't break. Not now. She needed him strong. After everything she needed him steady as a rock in the ocean. He wouldn't fail her. He wouldn't let her down. Not intentionally, not ever again. He wouldn't leave her alone in the dark that was her life now. Her life because of him his mind went against him once more. Because of his actions. His self-serving, ruthless decisions that had let them here. He shook his head, desperate to get rid of those morbid thoughts, one hand in his hair to rinse out the last bubbles of soap.

He stepped out of under the spray and turned off the water. Grabbing a big, white towel, slinging it around his hips, he continued to walk into his bedroom. He was just about to pour himself another drink when he heard it. A knock on his door. If it wasn't for his Vampire hearing he surely would've missed it, as it was light as a feathers stroke. But then it knocked for a second time. Louder, more urgent. "Come in!" he said lifting the full glass to his lips as he waited for the person on the other side.

Elena's POV

"Come in!"

As soon as Elena heard his voice she slowly opened the door. The second her eyes took a hold on him, her heart skipped a beat. He was dripping wet from an obviously not too long ago shower. He had a towel around his lower half and his hair was a wet mess clinging in strands around his face and neck. He was gorgeous. The sight of him leaving her speechless for the moment.

"I thought you went home!" it wasn't a question more a statement. Somehow he sounded irritated or tense even. Of course he's tense. It's been a rough night. For both of us. Elena thought and tried to put her mind to focus. Which she found rather hard since he was still looking like a young god with his towel hanging low Very low on his hips. Water droplets running down his perfect built chest, defining the strong muscles under the smooth skin. ...How it would be to just touch him?... She wondered for a brief second. ...Oh stop it!Focus theres something more important you came up here... She argued with herself. She could not let her guard down. Not tonight. Not when they both needed to be strong and focused. Not when Klaus was still out there.

Not when... "Care to share what's on your mind?" Damon's voice cut off her thoughts. Elena realized that she had been standing in the doorway, just staring. She straitened and looked down for a moment trying to find the right words. It was somehow very difficult to do so while he looked like a sexy supermodel with that damp hair and those defined hipbones. A half naked Supermodel that is very much in love with you and probably wouldn't mind if you just got over there and... She took a deep breath. She always felt like she was loosing it whenever she was near him. Damon must've caught that too considering his next sentence and the mockery tone to it. "No need to be shy about it. I know I'm hot. Considering me half naked and all. Still I'm very flattered that you've noticed. But since I know you're mind-troubling tendencies, I am almost sure that's not what you here for. Seeing me naked?" He paused for a brief second before adding with a wicked grin "Again!" Her eyes snapped back at his, just in time to catch his eye-thing that was always so...well...Damon. She felt herself blushing and tried to regain her composure. She shook her head lightly and smiled a little. She couldn't bring herself to lecturing him, knowing that this was all part of his defensive mode to distract her from seeing how miserable he was really.

"No it's not." She answered slowly, never taking her eyes from his. "I..." Damn she had thought of it so well but now that she was standing here she lost the words she had thought of saying. "I just thought you shouldn't be alone right now. Maybe none of us should." She finished quietly, fiddling nervously a strand of her hair. She watched him carefully waiting for him to respond.

"Well I don't now about you. But it's been a long night Elena. You should probably go to sleep. That's definitely something we both need. I am fine. Don't worry!" He answered leaning casually against one of his bedposts. His voice was light but Elena new him to well by now. The dark shadow in his eyes betrayed him. She could see the storm in those blue ocean orbs. He wasn't fine at all. "You're not fine. None of us is. This - she motioned between the two of them - this is not fine Damon! Every thing's falling apart. You're anything but okay. We need to talk about this. I know you're hurt because of Stefan leaving. I know you're upset about Katherine leaving you behind too. Don't pretend otherwise, cause I can see right through you. You can't just bury it all, drowning it in some alcohol. You need to tell me. Just tell m..."

"Stop it!" His harsh tone startling her. "Just stop it Elena! Not tonight we're not. Maybe not tomorrow either. I definitely can't...won't do this tonight. I don't wanna talk cause there's nothing to talk about. Stefan's gone and he's not coming back. Katherine's gone too and I don't give a damn about her. Michael is gone also. And I ALSO give a shit. Well he's been our last option against Klaus and all but so what. I'll find another way to kill Klaus once and for all. But not now not here and not with you around. You wanna know what I am Elena? I am really pissed off at the moment! That's what I am Elena. I am really pissed off right now. So I'd rather wouldn't want to care-and-share because I don't want to say things or do things that I might regret later. You get that? I just want you to go." He poured himself another glass of Bourbon and took a short, big sip. "I need. You. To. Go!"

Damon's POV

For a moment there was nothing but stunned silence. Both just staring at each other. Then Elena straightened and a spark of pure determination crossed her bay-colored eyes. "I am not leaving!" She said. Crossing her arms above her chest to emphasize her declaration. "You're hurt and angry and well...pissed." He throw her a look but she just kept on talking. "I DO get that. And that's exactly why I can't leave you. Not like this. Not if you're all troubled and upset and maybe do something..." She searched for a word to finish but Damon went first. "Do what? Something stupid? Something reckless? Like what Elena? Oh no..don't bother getting any ideas sweetheart. Believe me I did my fare share on messing things up tonight. Big time." he took another swallow just to find the glass empty again.

"It's not your fault Damon! None of it is. You just said it yourself. We had it all planned out. But sometimes even that's not good enough. You of all people should know about that. So don't put this on you." "Why not Elena? I had Klaus! There he was right under my fingers. I had the stake in his chest. If I wouldn't have missed his heart, Stefan wouldn't have had the chance to interrupt in the first place. Who else is to blame but me? He's lost because of me. Because when I was bitten by that fury high-school douche I was too weak and pathetic to end myself. I let him stop me." He heard Elena gasp at his disclosure. He realized that until now Elena hadn't known about his first failure attempt on suicide. But he couldn't care less at this point and just kept on talking. " And then I let him save me, again. Of course he wouldn't ask permission. And instead of killing myself when I still could act on my behalf I let little bro take over the steering wheel. So he could just be boarded by a stinking whipjackass named Klaus." The glass that had been in Damon's hand shattered in thousand pieces against the opposite wall. He had gotten louder and angrier with every word. His dead heart beating wildly out of pure fury in his chest. He had ruined it all. He had failed. He had failed her. ...I failed her. She's still not save because of me. I betrayed her trust. I betrayed Stefan's trust... "I failed his promise! I failed him." His voice just above a whisper as he realized the truth to his own words. Remembering that one night when Stefan had been trapped in the tomb with Katherine.

[Flashback: "Promise me! No matter what happens...you'll protect her!" Stefan's said solemnly. "Promise!" Damon answered in earnest. His brother gave him a silent, understanding nod and then Damon turned around and left.]

"Damon" Elena's voice was soft and soothing and...real close. Damn.. Damon almost flinched as he realized that Elena wasn't standing by the door any more. She had walked right up to him. Sneaked really he thought or how on earthdid she get this close. So close... She looked right at him and he knew if he wouldn't do something right away he'd be lost. "Damon". ...closer... He ripped his gaze from her suddenly and started backing away. But Elena wouldn't have that. "Damon" She said again using her most soft voice and capturing his face in her hands. Forcing his gaze back at her. "Look at me!" She said her eyes strong, her lips firm. "This isn't your fault! Didn't you listen? We'll get through this. Together. None of this is on you. We did all we could. YOU did all there was to do. You saved us. Me. Again. You did not fail me or Stefan. Stop blaming yourself. That selfish, reckless person doesn't exist any more, Damon. You've changed. You're the good guy now remember?" She stroked his cheek lightly with her thumb and looked at him pleadingly. She wanted him to understand. She needed him to understand. She cracked a smile and he frowned not capable of responding to her words just yet. "Well the good guy with real bad behavior who still could use some manners, you know! But it's a working progress now is it?" She smiled some more and he couldn't help himself but return it. His anger starting to fade away. "We'll be fine...eventually. You just have to trust me, remember?"

Elena's POV

She stroke back a damp strand on his forehead and felt herself leaning in to him some more. She couldn't stop herself. They were like two magnets pulling each other in. The heat radiating from his almost dried body creating small tingles on her skin. Her gaze sliding to his lips and back to his eyes. Her lips suddenly feeling very dry. Slipping her tongue over her bottom lip she started taking a step back. But Damon's hands shooting around her. Grabbing her lower back and pulling her into him again. "Don't go!" His voice husky. "I didn't mean it. I..." He closed his eyes, pausing for a moment before continuing "I just don't know where to go from here. I have nothing left. No bright ideas no plan B no...nothing! But I do know, that I can trust you. And if you're willing to believe that we'll make it, then I will too. But as for now? I am very much tired and I really do need some rest. But I do not want you to go. It's not save for you out there. I really shouldn't have left you like that. I'm sorry." Elena's heart skipped a beat hearing him saying those words. "Will you stop being sorry already? Klaus won't come for me tonight I am sure. Maybe he's not dead but I'm very sure that he's gone for now. Celebrating or what ever. So stop worrying. And yeah it has been a long day. I am exhausted. And I already said that I'm not leaving you here so..." She stopped, looking around as if searching for something. "How about you'll take a hot shower and get ready for bed while I'm getting ready myself." Damon said.

She looked at him giving him a smile trying not to think too much about his hands still being around her lower half. "Right!" was her soft reply. He held on to her for just another second before slowly stepping back turning towards his wardrobe. Elena's heart rate slowly, very slowly returned to it's normal pace. ...Maybe I should make it a cold one after all..Very cold... she thought, shaking her head slightly to clear out the fogginess Damon's nearness had caused. When she'd almost reached the door, ready to close it behind her she heard him say " Well you're always welcome to use my shower by the way. The water's still warm you know?" She didn't need to turn around to know that he was wearing his trademark smirk. "Good night, Damon!" She answered firmly but smiling over his cocky joke, closing the door behind her.

As she walked down the hall she heard him shout "Just saying..!"

With a soft smile on her lips she continued her way up to Stefan's room to get her things to change. After everything that happened she still had something to hold onto. She still had her brother and Bonnie and Caroline, Alaric and all her other friends who stood at her side, no matter what. And even so Stefan's loss had left this big, aching hole inside of her she didn't feel like loosing herself in it anymore. Because there was someone who was always pulling her out. Someone who had always been there and that she knew with absolute certainty would always be there for her.

...Damon...

And while she was taking her, not to hot, shower, she thought of everything. Everything that had let her here. Everything she'd done. Everything Stefan had done. All that Damon had done. And she couldn't quite figure where this would be going but since she had told Damon that they would make it through together she actually started to believe it. She had told him she would let his brother go. And she would. In fact ...I already have...

And as realization hit her hard, Elena slid down the shower wall, letting herself adjust to it all. "You're gone. And I'll have to let you go." She spoke to herself nothing but the warm spray to shut out the world around her. …I am so sorry Stefan. So sorry. But I'll have to make it true..I'll have to let you go now... "Goodbye Stefan" she whispered into the sound of the water trickling around her. Her tears finally breaking through. Flowing freely down her cheeks mixing with the streamlets of the shower. And for the first time she let herself give in. Into feeling the sadness, the loss and the unbearable sorrow. Wrapping her arms around her, tugging her legs to her chest she led her head fall down on her knees and started sobbing.

And while the water slowly started to turn cold, Elena just let herself fall apart. Knowing she'd find her way back somehow. She'd never give up, just for now. Just tonight. Just for him.

:D Well that's it again. i know it's short but I think it had to end here for now. So what do you think. Still liking it? What do you think will happen next? Please you're reviews are just making my days! Thank you so much again. Till next time ;)