Awake- Chapter Four

* Thank you for the ever growing following this is my first story so reviews and comments are very welcomed. Chapters are coming slower then I want. I am completing my master's thesis and it seems to be absorbing much of my time, but this should be done soon. Enjoy the continuing of the story!*

Stefan was trying to figure out how he was going to get the words out of his mouth. He realised that he would have to tell Jeremy the truth. Even worse, in no time he would have to inform Elena that the faith she had clearly never desired had fallen upon her. She would have to choose between death and becoming a vampire. They had left the girl in the other room as he agonized over the words he would take to explain it to Jeremy when a loud scream was heard in the next room. Stefan, Damon and Jeremy all ran across to the living room where they had left Elena to console the weeping Caroline over the loss of Tyler. Stefan and Damon had been so concern about Elena's transition; they had not considered the possibility that despite Klaus' death, they might still be in great danger. But upon coming in the room, the sight was more surprising than an enemy attack.

"Tyler!" Screamed Caroline has she ran into his arms. She squeezes him as tight as she could as to prove to herself that this wasn't a ghost, that this wasn't a dream.

"How is this… possible, is it really… you… what is happening… Oh my God!… it is you" Caroline babbled out as the held on for dear life.

"I … I am not sure" mumbled Tyler. "I was sure when I asked you to go that this was the end. I didn't think I could stand the pain, it was searing. And then, I felt, I felt a part of me leaving and then, just as suddenly as it started the pain stopped."

Tyler surely looked like he had been through the runner. His clothes were torn. He has covered in dirt and blood. But it was his eyes. Elena, out of nowhere, could not stop looking at his eyes. There was something wrong, something off. She was telling herself then whatever happened to him had to have affected him in a way more severe than he was letting on, but as Stefan and Jeremy approach to give him a hug and a loving pat on the back, no one else seem to notice something off. Only Damon who stayed back seemed to look upon this scene with worry.

"Glad to see you are alright!" said Jeremy offering him a hug around Caroline who did not want to let her boyfriend go.

"Same here" Stefan said with the first genuine smile he gave since his Elena had woken up.

"Ya Puppy glad to see you here, but we knew you turned you. How is it that you haven't, you know, vanished in a dusty explosion of thin air?" Said Damon in a suspicious tone.

"Like I said, I really can't explain it. I was however thinking about it on my way home. May be it isn't the same with hybrids. I can't explain it." Tyler looked giving a slight look of discomfort. "May be we can do some research. We may be on to something on how to get rid of originals without risking our own skin."

"Perhaps" said an unconvinced Damon.

"Come on Damon! Why do we care how? Tyler is alive, isn't that all that matter? Tyler I never thought I would see you again. And me who was convinced this would all turn a disaster and now Elena's back, Stefan and Damon are here and I am sure we will hear soon from the hospital that Matt will come out of surgery better than ever. Who could have imagined we would actually have a happy ending? Klaus come from our lives and everything can just go back to normal. Well everything is just… just amazing!" Caroline said without even taking a breath.

Jeremy and Stefan seem to be sharing in Tyler and Caroline's happy reunion. None of them had noticed that Elena had left the room. Damon instantly worried at the thought of Elena being left alone; not knowing when the transition would start to set in instantly listened to hear her. He could hear her quickly moving upstairs. He followed on her hears. He peaked inside Elena's room to see her staring at the window. She had moved much quicker than she would normally. Had she noticed that she had gained speed since leaving the hospital? Did she know something was wrong? Why had she left the room? She normally would be the first one to want to celebrate the happy news with Caroline and there she was staring at the dime sun light far away in the horizon. Then he heard it. A tear. Elena slowly raised her hand to her cheek to wipe the lonely tear that had been making its way down her face. At that moment, Damon didn't care. He didn't care she loved Stefan. He didn't care about the promise he had made Stefan. None of it mattered as he stared at the women that he loved who was clearly in pain. He slowly walked into the room closing the door behind him. As the door clothes, Elena turned around trying to gather herself.

"Oh, it's only you." She said in a tone of respite at the sight of Damon.

"I am sorry. I didn't mean to intrude. I can get Stefan if you would rather…"

"No" Elena interrupted. "I am fine and beside I am to see you. I wanted … hum… I wanted to apologize."

"Elena, you are clearly not ok and besides you have nothing to apologize for."

"No, I want to apologize about what happened when you called me. You have to know, the thought I could lose you, that I would never see you again. I… I just couldn't bear it but I was in this impossible situation and every decision I made. I am so sorry" said Elena with tears coming down her face. "You know the last thing I would want to do it hurt you. I never wanted to and with everything that happened tonight and and…"

"Shhh it is all ok" said Damon as he took Elena in his arms. "It is ok. I understand. Besides for the amount of times I hurt you, it was about time you get me back" said Damon as he distanced himself enough to be able to look at her and give her a smile.

"Elena, you have to know there is nothing, nothing you could do or say that would that make me stay mad at you alright. And tonight, tonight everything just went wrong. All I want you to know is that whatever decision you make, I will be there. I won't go anywhere. I had made a promise to Stefan. We had decided who ever you chose, the other one will leave. But I can't keep my promise. If you want me to go, then that is what I will do. I will leave you and Stefan to be happy. But you need to know. I made my promise to you first. I will always choose you. I will not leave. I left you tonight and look what happened."

Just as Damon looked at her with such pain in his eyes, he applied a gentle kiss to her forehead and a weird flash appeared to Elena, it was like a memory from a dream. She felt herself transported somewhere else. Not somewhere else. Some…other …time…

* "I don't deserve you, but my brother does." Damon looked at her with these eyes sharing a deep sadness and approached her to put a loving kiss on her forhead.*

And just as it appeared to her, it left, just like she had day dreamed. Damon clearly noticing Elena had been somewhere else for a second could help but to lose himself in worry.

"Elena, are you ok? Are you feeling ok? What is wrong?"

"Did you, did you say something about me and Stefan?" said Elena taking a step back to look at Damon.

"Well I said that if you wanted me to leave I would but that otherwise, you didn't need to worry, I am not going anywhere."

"No, no, after that, did you say something about you not deserving me?" Elena asked with a very confused look on her face. "I could have sworn you said something"

Damon eyes momentarily widened. He remembered that night. He would never forget that night, the night he had told Elena that he loved her. The night he had come in this very room and confessed his love for her only to compel her to forget, and now, she was remembering it. Elena couldn't find out, not like this. He had to cover.

"Elena… hum… I am sure this is ok. I mean no… I mean… I didn't say anything. You must be confused with the night you had. You must be so tired. Have you tried resting?" Damon rarely babbled, but this was clearly a moment where the thoughts could not go fast enough to keep up with his mind. Even his usually sharp tongue was over taken by the night's events. Stefan had to tell her. They couldn't wait anymore. She was moving quickly. She was remembering what she had been compelled to forget soon the headache would start and the teeth. She would crave blood. Her time to make her decision would soon be over and she would have to choose and with every minute Stefan waited to tell her was the time she either had to prepare to turn or say her good byes.

"Elena, I have to… I have to go. I should go get Stefan he should be here not me." Damon nervously said as he turned his back to Elena and prepared to exit the room.

"No!" said Elena grabbing his arm turning him back to her. "Damon, I know I hurt you but right now, I can't see Stefan. I don't know something is wrong and I just don't know. Can't you just stay for a minute longer?"

The pain in Damon's eyes was deeper then Elena had ever seen it. He would wish for nothing else but stay. Stay there forever. Stay with Elena before everything changed or before she would be gone forever. But like he said not so long ago in this very room, he couldn't be selfish with her. What she needed right now was to be with the man she loved. She needed Stefan. He would have to be there for her through this, not him.

"Elena, I really need to go her Stefan." As he pulled away get grabbed his arm with a new strength and he was surprise by the force he needed to pull himself out. As he did, Elena took a few steps backwards need to hold herself up with the help of the window side to not fall behind.

"Elena, I am so sorry. I didn't to."

"Damon…"

"I am so sorry let me help you"

"No… no Damon, what is wrong with me" said Elena with a look of pain and fear in her eyes. "What is happening? My hand!"

To be continued…