Author's note: Okay I lied only one more chapter after this and then we are done! Yayyyy! Anyway, this chapter will probably be short but I promise the next one is longer. Enjoy!

Chapter 10: Saviour

"Elena, no! You have to live. I can't let you die because of me." He pleaded desperately while he grabs her ring and tries to push it back onto her finger.

"No." she says as she defiantly takes a step back from him. "If you die, then so do I. That's final."

"Elena, please." He begins to beg, but his hallucinations interrupt him and Katherine appears beside him.

"Oh look at you" she says in mock sympathy, "You're pathetic, you know that, right? Let her die, god knows she deserves it."

"No she doesn't! She deserves to live, unlike you." He screamed. Elena walked closer to him again and cupped her hands around his face.

"It's okay, Damon. I'm here. It's me, Elena." She spoke softly, trying to reassure him.

"Just please go away." He whispered so quietly she wasn't quite sure she caught it herself.

"I'm not leaving you. We're in this together okay? This is my decision and you're just going to have to accept that. You can't change my mind as long as you're still going through with this."

And as he looked into her eyes, he knew it was true. God, why was his Elena so stubborn. Why couldn't she just let him go, so he could no longer hurt her? He didn't want her to die because of him, but apparently he had to not kill himself if he wanted her to live. The sun was climbing higher into the sky now and he could feel it start to burn his skin, and no doubt hers too.

"Okay fine." He spoke urgently, and turned around to push his ring back on his finger quickly before forcing hers back on to. A genuine happy smile crossed her face and she hugged him close,

"Thank you, Damon. Thank you. I know it's hard but we will get you through this okay? Trust me." And he did. He just couldn't trust himself to stay around long enough to find out. He couldn't put up with this any longer, it felt like eternity and his pain was just too great. His mother appeared behind Elena looking very upset, so he quickly mouthed the word, soon, before pulling away from Elena. She took his hand and looked up to him,

"Let's get you home now. The others must be worried." And with that they made their way back to the Salvatore mansion.

"He's not here. He's not here! Why isn't he here, Caroline?" Stefan shouted, tears falling down his face. He had searched the falls and there was no sign of his brother and now the sun had risen.

"Oh, Stefan, don't worry. Maybe Elena found him." She tried to comfort him but she was worried they were too late. Elena hadn't called to say if she found him or not or called to check if they had. But Caroline was ever the optimist always hoping for the best and trying to see the best in others, even though sometimes it proved incredibly difficult.

"I've lost him. He's... He's... he's dead Caroline! The suns up! I failed him… I-I... He's gone…He... left me here alone… he's dead, he must be."

"Okay that is enough Stefan! No more grieving, he may still be alive. Maybe the reason Elena hasn't called is because she found him and doesn't want to let go in case he runs off again, okay. Now we are going back to the mansion and we will wait to see if the others have found him. And then if no word, only then do we assume the worst and I will let you grieve him. Now get your sorry ass back into my car now!"

Stefan sniffled and nodded at her, "okay, your right. There's still hope. It's just… I worry about him Caroline…"

"I know you do, Stefan. Come on, let's get you home and we can check up with everyone." And with that they made their way back into Caroline's car and made their way back to his house. Hopefully, to find Damon inside.

Elena was surprised to see Bonnie and Jeremy inside the house when she and Damon made it. He had been acting strange and stopping every so often to admire the scenery as though he may never see it again, which had Elena worrying even more. When they saw them they both jumped from their seats and came to the door.

"Oh thank god. Where did you find him?" Bonnie asked, eying Damon wearily as though he may decide to run off again.

"Elena, are you okay?" Jeremy asked concerned, as though he was the older sibling.

"Yeah Jer, I'm fine. I found him waiting for the sun on Wickery Bridge. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to take him downstairs again."

"I'm not some child who you can boss around and who needs to be under constant supervision. I'm a grown vampire." He said sarcastically...

"Actually you do, considering the stunt you just tried to pull on the bridge." She yanked on his hand and started walking down the hall, "Now, c'mon."

When Caroline and Stefan walked in, Bonnie and Jeremy were still in the hall, near the door.

"Guys, what are you doing standing here? Did you find him?" Caroline asked hopefully.

"No, but Elena did." Replied Bonnie, "She just took him downstairs."

"What?" Stefan asked in disbelief, "He's alive! Where? Why? How did she know?"

"We actually don't know," interrupted Jeremy, "but she should be back up in a few minutes then we can all find out, okay? Why don't you have a drink, man? You look a little shaken up."

"Yeah. Yeah, okay you're right" Stefan replied hesitantly. He wanted to see his brother for himself, but knew he should wait until Elena locked him up and returned before he went down to shout at him for being so stupid."

And that was when he heard her scream.