I run.
I run like I've never run before, ignoring the absolute screaming pain in my ribs, the way my hand feels like it's going to fall off every time my feet hit the ground. Every step brings me closer to tears, but I can't stop myself from running. I have no idea how long the witch can hold Klaus. I've seen Bonnie incapacitate vampires but never for very long. I can only pray that the witch isn't killed for her involvement in my escape. And Stefan. Oh God, Stefan. What if Klaus finds out that he helped me? I can't think about that, I just have to run.

I keep going until I think I might die from the pain, my head feels like it could split open at any second and my vision is blurred. I slow as much as my fear allows me to, and I'm afraid that I'm hallucinating when I smell something familiar. Familiar and safe. I smell Damon. I'm still too terrified to make much noise, but I have to know if he's here or not. I have to know if I'll see him again before I die, so I take a chance. I call out softly with a broken voice, "Damon?" Tears come to my eyes even mentioning his name. I need him here so badly. "Damon, are you here?"

Without knowing what's happening, I'm off my feet. I can feel air rushing all around me, though there was no breeze before. Then, the relief I've been waiting for. His smell envelops me, covers me like a blanket. I breathe in deeply, wincing when my ribs object to the movement. And when I hear his smooth voice in my ear, all I can do is sob. "I'm here," he whispers. "I'm here and I've got you and we're going to be ok, Elena." I finally realize that he's holding me, carrying me while he runs with all of his speed and strength. I don't know where we're going and I don't care. I cling to his shirt and bury my face in his chest, sobbing as he grips me tighter.

I drift in and out of consciousness. When I'm dreaming, I know I need to tell him that I have a concussion and he shouldn't let me sleep, but when I wake up I can't form coherent thoughts or words, I just cling to him.

At one point, I wake up and he's no longer holding me, and the fear that rips through my chest is debilitating. Before I can react, I hear his voice in my ear again, "Shh, you're ok. You're in a wheelchair. We're getting on a plane." He smooths a hand over my hair. "I need you to stay calm. I can hear your heart speeding up." I'm so confused, but the pain is too much and I fade away again.

I'm not sure how much time passes, but when I come to, we're on the plane. Damon is sitting beside me, and it looks like we're in first class. There's no one else in the plane and no flight attendants that I can see, but I can tell we're in the air. I turn my head to look at him and find him staring at me. He looks terrified, and I immediately want to reach out and comfort him. I stretch my hand towards him but stop when tears start streaming from my eyes. The pain is too much. I can't lift my head. I can't even reach out and touch him.

"Elena," he whispers. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry it took me so long to get you back." The look on his face breaks me, his pain and guilt written all over it. "We're going to get you to a hospital, and you're going to get better. I promise."

"Damon," I manage to choke out. I want to shake my head, but I know the pain will rip me in two. "Damon, I'm not going to make it there. Klaus...he hit my head, broke my ribs. I can't…"

"No, you just have to hold on." He lifts his hands like he wants to hold me or touch my cheek, anything to comfort me. But we both know there's no place on my body left unbroken, nothing that won't hurt. "You can do this. You're the strongest person I know. Just hold on and we'll get help. I'll give you my blood. It'll ease the pain and we can get you home."

"No. Damon," my voice is getting weaker. I can't believe the words that are about to come out of my mouth, but I know I've had enough time in the last week to think about what I really want. "I want to turn. I want you to turn me."

I can almost feel his blood run cold, what little color he has draining from his cheeks. He looks at me like I just killed someone he loves. And I guess I'm really asking him to kill someone he loves. Tears fill his eyes. "No," he whispers, shaking his head. "You don't want this. You never wanted this. I can't do that to you, Elena." He's begging now, "Please don't ask me to do that."

I let my eyes drift closed. I can't witness his pain anymore. "I do want this, Damon. The pain is too much. And I will die on this plane one way or another. But I want this to happen, with your blood, with your help, with you by my side. You know it's the only way." I open my eyes again and lock them with his, willing him to understand. My injuries are too deep, too many things broken inside of me. "I'm sorry that I'm asking you to kill me, but it's the only way you'll be able to see me live again." I lean forward as much as I can, and he meets me where I fail, resting his forehead against mine.

We sit like this for a moment, and all I want is to be able to let him in my mind, let him know the thoughts that are running wild now. Thoughts of turning into a vampire with his blood in my system. Learning how to feed with his help. Running free with his hand in mine. Wrapping my arms around him and pressing my lips to his. I can't believe I didn't allow myself to want all of this sooner.

I finally break the heavy silence between us. I'm asking him to do the most difficult thing of all, but first, I need one more selfish thing from him. "Damon?" I whisper. "Before you do it, will you do me a favor?"

"Anything, Elena. Anything."

"Kiss me."

His eyes shoot open and search mine. He opens his mouth to speak, but I cut him off before he starts, mustering all my strength to make this little speech, "I'm ready to be a vampire with you. To run and feed and play and fight and love with you." I take a deep breath, trying to calm the way my heart is pounding against my chest. "When I thought you weren't coming back for me, it broke my heart and made me realize how much I need you. And what I need you to do now is kiss me and then turn me. Right here on this plane. Hold my hand until I wake up, and let's start a new life together. Ok?"

He swallows thickly and nods, holding my gaze. He lifts his hand and gently grazes the back of it against my cheek. His touch warms my skin, and I hadn't realized how cold I was or how good his skin could feel on mine. I close my eyes and let him close the distance between us. When his lips gently come to rest on mine, I feel like everything in my world is suddenly right again. I don't think about the broken body I'm in that's about to die. I don't think about my family or my past or what anyone else might think. My lips, my thoughts, my heart, all of it rests on Damon, and I know I'm making the right choice.

He lingers for a moment before breaking apart. I offer the best smile I can manage, even though the joy in my heart is more than I could have imagined during a moment like this. "Hey," I tease him. "Maybe one day we can share a kiss when one of the two of us isn't on our deathbed, huh?"

He smirks, though his eyes don't lose the sadness they carry. "Yeah, we will," he says, so softly it breaks my heart.

"Are you ready?" I ask.

He nods and lets the vampire changes overcome his handsome features. Veins rippling below the skin, eyes blood red, fangs dropping. He raises his own wrist to his mouth and bites down, never taking his eyes off mine. Once he's cut the skin, he flips his arm over and holds it to my mouth. I'm too weak to even lift my head from the backrest. I keep my eyes open as I take a few swallows of his blood. It's not pleasant, but somehow it's not as bad as I expected. When I'm done, I kiss the wound and watch the skin stitch itself back together, knowing that part of the reason I'm doing this is because my own skin cannot do the same. These wounds would never heal on their own.

Mercifully, I feel the weight of all my injuries lift a tiny amount, his blood working its way through my system. I would never tell him that in case it makes him change his mind about turning me. I just look at him with as much trust and love in my eyes as I can muster and say the two words he deserves to hear every day, over and over, "Thank you."