Don't Give Up

I own nothing relating to The Vampire Diaries, but it would be a lot of fun wouldn't it :) I just love the characters that they've created and like to play in their world from time to time…

Thank you so much for all of the views, favorites, alerts, PM's and reviews! I love hearing from you and I will always do my best to answer all of you :) if you guest review, I'll mention you here! I really do love writing this story and I will do my best to update often. Especially over the holidays since I am off of work for a few days! I probably won't offer a specific schedule, but I will try to update at least a couple of chapters a week for you, and more if I can of course!

This is a long update :) It will pretty much wrap up the transition, etc. (I did not mess with the whole Klaus/Tyler scenes or Bonnie, etc. much so assume that they went down in a similar manner as you saw in 4x1)

Much Love,

Livi

When Stefan got to the boarding house, he knew that something was wrong. The door had been left open and the house had been ransacked. When he got to the basement, he saw the cellar door had been removed from its hinges and the vervain supply had been confiscated. Fortunately, that had clearly been their target as the fridge remained locked and the blood supply had been therefore been left intact.

He ran upstairs to grab a cold bag and packed as much blood as he could fit knowing that it might be needed, and then hurried through the woods to Elena's house fearing that driving might make him an easy mark if the council had been looking for him.

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Mayor Lockwood had been frantically trying to reach Tyler for hours knowing that the council was fast on his trail. Her hopes had been that Tyler and Caroline had fled and were far away from Mystic Falls, but that hope was dashed when Sheriff Forbes called to tell her Caroline had been captured earlier that day.

What Mayor Lockwood didn't know was that Klaus had taken up residence in her son's body.

Klaus stared at the phone and cringed as Mayor Lockwood called for her dear boy yet again, "Ah, you incessant woman!" He shouted at the phone.

"Hey, mom. What's up?" He said as he attempted to sound like the loving son she believed him to be.

"Tyler, thank god! A-are you okay?"

"Fine! Why? What's wrong?"

"Pastor Young had me arrested this morning. The entire council grilled me on your whereabouts. Tyler, don't tell me where you are. The less I know the better."

"Mom, I'm okay. Relax."

"You didn't answer your phone Honey. I was so scared that you were with Caroline."

Genuine worry hit Klaus then, as he said, "Why? What happened to Caroline?"

"Uh, the council took her."

"What do you mean the took her?" He spat.

Klaus listened as she explained hanging up as soon as he had enough information and headed out to stop the caravan that held Caroline. Within seconds of spotting the deputies surrounding the van, he sprung in to action.

Once the van's momentum stopped he ripped open the back doors and laid eyes on Caroline and Rebekah.

"Tyler?" Caroline said stunned to see her boyfriend alive and well after the last time she had seen him in the crypt writhing in pain as he apparently died along with Klaus.

"I'm harder to kill than you think." Klaus answered knowing Caroline was still unaware of his switch.

"You're alive? How are you alive?" Caroline cried.

"No time." Klaus said as he ripped the vervain ropes that held her down and helped her out of the van.

Once she cleared the wreck Rebekah said, "Hey, what about me?"

"Keep them busy little sister."

"That's not possible." Rebekah said as she watched them leave.

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Sheriff Forbes arrived at Elena's shortly after Stefan who was cleaning up the aftermath of the council's invasion with Dr. Fell. Both of them had been stripped of their titles and any information they might have had by the council making their attempts to rescue everyone that much harder.

Sheriff Forbes did bring news that Caroline had been freed however.

Matt arrived a short time later as the four of them tried to figure out where Pastor Young might be able to hold several vampires including an original. It was Matt who recalled the cattle ranch that the Pastor owned just outside the city limits, and it was likely the only place he could have taken them that might safely keep them contained.

At least they hoped that would be the plan, because the alternative would be far worse and between the vervain supply and Alaric's weapons, they could have easily taken down Damon and Elena. Either way, Elena's time was running out quickly with only a couple hours left to transition.

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Elena stared at Pastor Young who had yet to figure out that she was not the girl that had looked after his daughter April. He spoke as though she had been a long lost daughter, but he had no idea he sat in the presence of a vampire in transition. However, the more time that passed, the harder it was for her to sit still listening to him talk about the past and her parent's plans.

Every noise had her on edge, every movement, every pulse. Her eyes glued to the vein that throbbed lightly against the Pastor's neck. It was all too much. She wanted to keep up the façade, but her skin vibrated with the need to feed. To quench a thirst that made her feel like she'd been trekking through the Sahara for a decade, only it wasn't water she needed. It was blood. His blood.

With no other choice, she bolted from the little cabin only to be stopped short by one of the deputies who promptly put her down. The next thing she knew she was coming around in a pen across from Rebekah.

The air burned her lungs as vervain coated the air that blasted from the vents above them. She could hear coughing coming from the stall beside her as she spoke, "What happened?"

"They thought you were a vampire, so they stuck you in here with us." Rebekah answered.

"Where's Damon?"

More coughing was followed by a soft reply, "I'm right here, Elena. Are you okay?"

"Damon, I didn't feed." She whispered.

Damon didn't answer as his chest stung with the possibility that he wouldn't be able to get her out of there before her time ran out.

"I see what's happening here. You died with Vampire blood in your system. And now you're stuck here without a single drop of human blood in site." Rebekah sneered. "And now you have what…a few hours before I get to watch you die all over again. My day just got considerably better!"

Just then, Elena felt herself being pulled from her place there.

"Damon, something's happening." She whispered as she was lifted from her spot on the floor. Her body weakened to the point that she was unable to make the move on her own, she knew that it was a supernatural force that beckoned.

Damon couldn't see her, but he could hear the movement. "Sabrina." He smiled weakly knowing it was Bonnie who had reached out to Elena. He prayed she succeeded because he wasn't sure he could help Elena now.

His hopes were crushed as he heard Elena slam back against the bars landing on the floor with a thud. Tears threatened to spill from his eyes as he was forced to consider the possibility that help would arrive too late. He knew then that her death would almost certainly lead to his. The council would die at his hands, but he would not choose to survive in a world without his Elena.

"Lena? Lena, are you okay? What happened?" He asked as he heard her slide to the wall that separated them.

"I'm running out of time." She whispered faintly.

Damon could hear her breathing strain as she became weaker by the second.

"I'm sorry Elena." He whispered.

"I'm sorry, too." She said. "I shouldn't have been on that bridge in the first place."

"You chose Stefan. I understand Elena." Damon said even though it felt like a stab to the heart.

"Damon, you lied to me." She whispered. "You compelled me, but I'm the one who doesn't deserve you."

Damon gasped as he was immediately transported back to that night in her bedroom. It had been the most honest moment they'd shared and he had compelled her to forget it. He had pushed her back towards his brother because he loved them both.

"I remember everything." She said.

"Elena, I…"

"I Love you, Damon."

Tears fell freely down his cheeks as Rebekah watched them. Damon stood and yelled for the guards.

"Hey! Hey! She's going to die in here. She's innocent."

A guard came storming in and shouted, "Shut up before I hit you with even more vervain! She's not getting out of here."

"She's going to die in there." Damon yelled again.

"I can live with that." The guard said before he shot Damon three times putting him down to the ground again.

He could hear Elena's pained screams from behind the wall as he slid to the floor and pulled the wood bullets from his flesh.

"It's okay Elena. I'm okay."

"I wish I could see you." She whispered as she placed her hand against the wall that divided them.

"I'm looking pretty sexy over here what with the blood and all." He smirked from the other side of the wall.

He heard her laugh before she said, "I can just imagine your beautiful blue eyes and that smirk that is both irritating and adorable."

"I love you Elena. And I promise if we get out of here, I won't ever leave you again."

She coughed and wheezed as closed her eyes and she whispered, "Promise."

Tears filled his eyes once again as he heard a car pull up outside. Rebekah smiled as she watched the pair in front of her. She found herself wanting to help them.

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Outside, Stefan pulled up in front of the Pastor's Cabin.

"Do you have a plan?" Matt asked.

"I do, but your not going to like it." Stefan answered.

Matt started to ask why, but stopped as he saw the black veins creep out from under Stefan's skin.

"Trust me?" Stefan asked as he bit into his own wrist.

"Should I?" Matt asked as he stared into the face of the ripper.

"Maybe not." Stefan said as he ripped into Matt's neck violently before discreetly forcing his own blood on him and whispering, "Get to the barn."

Matt dropped to his knees briefly before the wound began to heal and waited for the Pastor to step out onto the porch.

Pastor Young came running out immediately.

"Leave the boy alone."

"Release Damon and Elena and I'll consider it." Stefan said as he advanced on the Pastor before being shot twice.

Matt took the opportunity and ran towards the barn screaming for help and holding his neck that was no longer injured, but his hands were still covered in blood to sell the ruse.

The guards immediately reacted to Matt's approach stopping him before he could get into the barn as they ran to his aid.

Several more followed once they saw that the vampire was down leaving Pastor Young's side.

Two more guards entered the barn to ensure the prisoner's were safely contained.

Rebekah saw an opportunity and nodded towards Damon as the first guard approached with caution.

"Excuse me. Sir. Name your price, my family has castles, riches anything you want, just set me free." She cooed.

Damon had to admit the original was quite adept at the sweet and innocent act.

"The only thing I want is to see you burn." The guard said.

She smiled as she whispered, "I'm sorry to disappoint."

Seconds later her fingers wrapped around his neck in a vice grip as she sent him sailing across the aisle towards Damon who slammed his head back against the bars several times before he pulled the keys from his belt and opened the door and ran to the second guard dispatching him quickly as he snapped his neck. He quickly ran back to Elena releasing the lock on her door and pulling the other guard who was still struggling to escape despite being mortally wounded.

His heart tripped, as he looked at her slumped against the wall barely alive before he tore open the guards wrist and held it up to her.

"Come on Elena. You need to feed." He pleaded as he clasped a hand around the back of her neck and brought her closer to the fresh blood.

When she didn't open her eyes, he shook her gently until she finally looked up at him. Tears escaping both of their eyes as he watched her life slipping away. "No. No Elena! I won't let you die!" He yelled as he swiped his fingers through the guard's blood and pressed them to Elena's mouth.

When she still made no motion to feed he latched onto the guards wrist and pulled as much blood as he could before he pressed his lips to Elena's. His tears falling on her skin as he finally felt her hands thread into his hair with the strength of a newborn vampire as she deepened the kiss. When he looked into her black eyes relief flooded his system and fueled the kiss even further.

"Ahem. Now might be a good time to get out of here." Rebekah said from across the way.

Damon smirked at her as he wiped the blood that was smeared down Elena's chin and helped her up before unlocking Rebekah's door and heading towards the entrance with caution.

Damon knew there were at least four more council members plus Pastor Young on the property apart from the guard they'd just killed so they moved quickly from the barn until they saw Matt sitting on the ground with two guards standing over him looking concerned.

Matt looked as though he'd been badly injured, but Damon could hear the steady beat of his heart that made him think the injuries were a ruse of some kind. He listened carefully as he heard Stefan's faint laugh before he saw a flash of movement near the cabin at the front of the property.

Before anyone could react, Rebekah and Damon were on the guards at Matt's side dropping them in an instant before they helped Matt up. Damon smiled as he realized Stefan had bitten and then healed him in order to lure a few of the guards away from the house.

In the distance, Damon saw Stefan rise up and rip into the neck of another council member and found his anger renewed as he realized his desperation to save Elena had forced him to sacrifice his humanity. In an instant, Stefan took the life of the second guard and watched as Pastor Young fled to a nearby car and sped off.

In spite of their rivalry, he never wanted for his brother to suffer through that again and he blamed Matt. Had he died in that car in Elena's place, none of this would have happened.

Damon turned in an instant and gripped Matt's neck slamming him against the side of the barn.

"Go ahead and kill me. You can't possibly hate me as much as I hate myself." Matt gasped.

"Oh, yes I can." Damon said as he tightened his grip before he ripped into his flesh. "It should have been you."

A second later, Elena shoved Damon back hard focusing hard black eyes on him before she screamed, "Leave him alone."

Matt scooted back away and ran right into Stefan who instantly opened his wrist and held up to heal Matt again.

"Just stop! Stop saving me." Matt said as he wiped the blood from his chin.

"What the hell is your problem?" Stefan asked.

"What do you want me to say, thank you? Because honestly, I wish you'd just let me drown."

"What, you think you were my first choice?"

"Elena's a vampire because of me. I have to live with that every day for the rest of my life." Matt spat.

"No, no, no, no, no. You don't HAVE to live with that. You GET to live with that! Because Elena put your life before her own. So every morning when you get out of bed, you sure as hell better earn it!" Stefan all but growled as he walked away.

Meanwhile, Elena walked towards the house with Damon as she shouted, "You were going to kill him!"

"Yup. The guy just won't die!"

"It was my choice to save him, why aren't you seeing that?" She asked.

"It's a little hard to keep track of all your choices lately Elena." His heart breaking as he knew she still wasn't his.

"You once told me you wanted me to get everything I wanted from life, do you remember that?" She asked quietly.

He turned towards her as pain filled his eyes.

"If it had been you on the bridge last night and not Stefan, and I begged you to save Matt…" She started.

"I would have saved you, in a heartbeat, no question."

"That's what I thought, and then Matt would be dead because you couldn't let go. Matt would be dead!"

"But you wouldn't be! And you would have gotten to grow up and have the life that you wanted. The life that you deserved, and I know that I didn't used to get that, but I do now. And I wanted that for YOU, Elena and I would have gladly have given it to you and let Matt die! Because I AM that selfish, but you knew that already because the first night we met isn't all that you remember." He said before walking away.

He knew he was hurting her all over again, but he couldn't make her choice any more difficult.

"You promised." She whispered. "You promised you wouldn't leave me again."

He stopped as a tear fell down his cheek.

Stefan stepped out in front of Damon a moment later, covered in blood with his eyes still black as the night sky and took his hand placing a small box against his palm as he said, "I can't help her like this. She needs you to keep that promise."

Damon shoved the box in his pocket as he watched his brother go off into the darkness befor he turned and held out a hand to Elena who stepped forward and laced her fingers within his own.

"Come on. I'll take you home." He whispered as he opened the passenger side door of Stefan's car.

Rebekah followed them out in one of the council members cars as she took Matt home and went in search of her own brother.

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Damon and Elena sat on the front porch watching the night sky start to recede.

"What about the rest of the council?" She asked as she leaned her head against his shoulder.

"There will be plenty of time to deal with them tomorrow." He answered.

"And Stefan? Do you think he's going to be okay?"

"I don't know Elena. He had to let the ripper out tonight, I'm not sure it's going to be quite so easy for him to put that side of himself away again. He's dealing with a lot of guilt over your transition, too."

"Why?"

"Because he knew this was never what you wanted, but he can't deny you anything. In his mind he let you die."

"And you? How do you feel?" She asked.

"I'm happy because you are sitting beside me. But I'm pissed off because I know this isn't what you wanted and because it's not what my brother wanted for you either."

"But this is what it is. I am a vampire and it's something we're all going to have to live with. I'll get through this. We will all get through this, just like we have every obstacle we've faced." She answered with confidence he so desperately wanted to share, but the haunted look he had seen earlier on his brother's face left him with a few doubts.

"We should go inside." She said as she looked up to see the sun starting to peek over the horizon.

"Stefan had teen witch make this for you, just in case." Damon smirked as he pulled the box from his pocket taking the ring between his fingers.

"A daylight ring?"

Damon smiled as he slid the ring onto her finger and kissed her on the forehead.

"We're going to be okay, Damon." She whispered as she kissed his cheek and laid her head against his shoulder again.

Damon wrapped his arm around her as she watched the sun rise for the first time with her new perspective, while he watched her and smiled. For the first time in over a century he felt something that he could only imagine was hope.

So that was a longer update. I hope you like it. PLEASE review and let me know what you think. I will try to post one more chapter today or tomorrow, for you as well. There were a lot of things that I left alone in this update, but as you saw I had a few ideas that strayed from the original as well. I hope that you enjoyed them! I felt like Elena's first feed should have been slightly more...intimate :)

3 Livi