Blood Sharing
Chapter 10- Born to Die
M
Author's note: Thanks again for reading and reviewing. I thought it would take longer for me get new chapters out because I wanted to see how the show played out. A few things happened that I predicted, and wanted to use in my fic aha, so I have a good idea how to do it without following too much of the show. I hope you enjoy. I hope you check out the music. For CW fans, you may have heard Breathing Underwater recently on Beauty and the Beast. I squealed. Much love, thanks again.
Chapter song: Lana Del Rey- Born to Die
"It's weird." said Elena to Caroline, watching the festivities happening around them in the square.
"What?" asked Caroline eating a piece of cotton candy that was being sold at one of the booths.
"Dying." said Elena staring off. Caroline was silent for a moment, thinking of her own experience thanks to Katherine.
"Yeah. It is." she admitted to Elena. "Weird, but also a little liberating." she popped a piece of the candy in her mouth.
"I was just thinking that too." agreed Elena. "My life ended, but in a way it began too. I'm strong now. I can finally protect myself and others."
"Yeah, vampire powers do kick ass." Caroline smiled and looked around." I'm glad I can be like Tyler too." she added.
"You love him..." said Elena. It wasn't a question, more an observation out loud. Caroline nodded in response.
"...and you're thinking you love Damon." said Caroline in a neutral tone. Elena looked at her friend's face and expected to see judgement, but her expression was neutral too. "... which means you're probably not keen on the whole cure idea anymore."
"I don't know." admitted Elena. "I don't want to hurt Jeremy. I miss my human life, but things are different now. I like the new me even if everyone else doesn't."
"We like you." laughed Caroline, a little too loud. "We just... worry."
"Stefan's doesn't like me." Elena stated. She was gazing off and Caroline followed her gaze to see Rebecca pulling him by the arm through the crowd. Caroline groaned.
"What's he doing with trampy-pants-vamp?" she rolled her eyes. "I mean, seriously?"
Elena sighed and shrugged her shoulders. "I guess... whatever makes him happy."
"You still love him, don't you?" asked Caroline, stepping back and really looking at her friend.
"Yeah..." started Elena. "But the same way I love you. I don't want him to get hurt."
"Too late for that Elena, he already is." replied Caroline.
"I know." she groaned slumping over.
"Hey, look, no one wants to see you with Stefan more than I do. But you can't keep beating yourself either." said Caroline. Elena shot her a look.
"Really? This coming from you, the girl who told me off yesterday?"
Caroline gave a lopsided smile. "Stefan and I are tight. He helped me a lot when I transitioned. I feel like he's my brother. But... you're Elena Gilbert. In the end I'll always pick your side." she reached over and squeezed Elena's hand.
"Thanks Care. I just don't want to see him get used." said Elena.
"I guess Stefan will just have to figure that out on his own." Caroline shrugged and offered her friend some cotton candy.
"Thanks, I'll pass." smiled Elena. "But really Caroline. Thanks."
They smiled at each other. "Look I have something to tell you, and I need you to not be upset I didn't tell you sooner." said Caroline. Elena looked at her friend questioningly but remained silent. "You were going through all this so I kept it quiet for a few days." she paused " Tyler broke the sire bond over the hybrids. They were planning to overthrow Klaus, but he killed them all." Elena stared at Caroline speechless.
"H-how did he find out?" she asked.
"We don't know." said Caroline looking down. "but we're starting to think... someone else might of set him up." she said, pausing and looking up and around. "I just... I know you're going to go away for a few days and I think you should. Just.. make sure you come back okay? I can't handle all of this by myself. Especially with the Salavatore brothers hating on each other." sighed Caroline drooping her shoulders and slumping a bit.
Elena instantly felt guilty of her thoughts to run away forever with Damon the day before. "Of course I'll come back Care!" she cried wrapping her friend in a hug. "I'm really sorry I wasn't there to help with all of this stuff. I don't have to leave. We can get everyone together, have a meeting, try to figure out what the hell is going on...?" she suggested. Caroline shook her head.
"No, no, I think it's a good idea to get out for a while. Especially for... well... Stefan. I think it's hard on him to watch you walk around. A few days will do everyone good. Just come back. Don't live in vampire blood bond honey-moon heaven okay? Make sure you come back to reality!" pleaded Caroline being as over dramatic as she could to show Elena she still wanted her to go.
Elena gave her friend a happy sigh and a smile. "I promise Care. I'll come back."
As if on cue Elena's pupils dilated quickly, she inhaled, and her skin became electrified. The current of energy running through her didn't go unnoticed by Caroline. "So that's what it does to you? I don't even see him yet and you already know he's here." said Caroline in genuine interest, looking around the crowds of people. "Oh, there he is, by the fountain." the square fountain had been turned on and lit. It looked beautiful at night and Damon was standing there, obviously scanning the crowd for Elena. Elena exchanged looks with Caroline. "Yeah, you're free. I don't need any more help you can go." Caroline held up her hands in a surrendering fashion. Elena grinned, hugged her friend again, and made a bee line for Damon.
He knew she was coming, but part of him found the anticipation exciting. The way his blood engaged whenever she was near... it reminded him of times in the past when he'd been starved for blood and like a shark sense the smallest drop within miles. Only this wasn't a hunger. It was an innate reaction he had no control over. Damon's body simply hummed in constant crescendo until he'd blood share with Elena. He closed his eyes, breathed in deep the crisp air, and saw Elena standing and smiling in front of him when he opened them. "Hey." she said half smiling, half biting her lower lip.
"Heeeyy..." said Damon slipping his hands around her waist and pulling her close for a greeting kiss.
Both were totally oblivious to how many of their friends and neighbors had stopped in awe to see the moment. The humans who were ignorant to vampires were simply surprised to see a girl switch from one brother to the other. The ones who knew, were shocked because the brother was Damon. Matt might have dropped the giant teddy bear he'd won for April out of shock. But the two of them didn't even register, for those few blissful seconds they were lost in each other. Rebecca went as far to point it out to Stefan, who afterwards seemed to be less resistant to her pawing at him.
"Caroline said I'm free." announced Elena when they separated.
"Did she now?" asked Damon playfully. Elena giggled and nodded. "Well. I know you Elena, and..." he began mysteriously, revealing a small flat box he'd hidden in his back pocket. "... you like to be wooed, you like going on dates. So I thought we'd stick around a little while." he handed it to her. It was black and velvet.
"Wow. A gift?" Elena was caught off guard. She didn't expect it- Damon was certainly full of surprises. "I think you get off on seeing me squirm." she teased.
"Sure I do, but not the surprised by gifts sort of squirming." he winked. "Go on, open it."
She nodded and popped the lid open. In the box was a beautiful brass wound bracelet, with a black crow dangling from it. "It's so you know I'm always with you even when we have to be a part." It would have been a beautiful gesture from a human boyfriend, but to have it from Damon, and to know all of what stood behind those words...
"I love it. Thank-you." said Elena staring at it a moment and then putting it on. "It didn't belong to an original right?" she joked thinking of the necklace Stefan gave her that was originally Rebecca's.
"God no!" groaned Damon with an eye roll. "I picked it up a few decades ago on a trip up north. I like crows if you didn't guess." he smirked.
"It's perfect." said Elena leaning forward and kissing him much more passionately that earlier. Her breath was hot against his, and their bodies entangled. Reality and the world always slipped out of reach when she was with Damon. Without realizing it she was pushing harder against him and pulling at his clothes. Damon broke the kiss. She looked frustrated at first but then realization washed over her and she blushed. "Whoops... sorry." she gave a lop sided grin sheepishly.
"Come on, let's go ride the ferris wheel!" said Damon slinging an arm around her and leading her away from the fountain.
Elena had been so lost in her thoughts that she hadn't really stopped to admire the hard work she and Caroline had done. The booths were all open and busy, the fountain was lit up and couples were standing in front of it getting photos, the gazebo was set up with a PA system and someone's play list blasting too. The ferris wheel had been brought in and set up, along with a small house of mirrors, and an exotic animal show off to the other side. It really was done well, and they anticipated being able to bring in several thousand dollars to go toward prom. Elena made herself really stop and think, and affirm that she'd done a good job. Even as a vampire, Elena was able to pull of the things she did so well as a human. It made her smile to know she hadn't really changed at the core.
"So what did bossy-vamp have to say tonight?" asked Damon linking his arm with hers and leading her to the line for the ride.
"We were just talking, about all the change these days." explained Elena.
"Like me?" offered Damon.
"A little." grinned Elena. "Why? Worried she's still bad talking you?"
Damon shrugged. "I don't really care what anyone else thinks of me, just you." he said confidently.
"Well it must be nice to live that way." said Elena "I wish I had that sort of thinking. I still feel really bad about Stefan..."
"...yeah." Damon cut in. "I've been trying to run damage control. He's not happy with either of us but he doesn't seem to be all ripper Stefan at least." He gave her arm a squeeze but she was already looking down. "You can't beat yourself up Elena."
"Caroline basically said the same thing, in her own way." she nodded.
"You can't save Stefan from himself, anymore than you can save me from myself. You bring out the best in both of us... Stefan just needs to figure out who he is after all of this, and who you both are now." replied Damon reflectively. Elena gave a toothy grin. "What?"
"You, you just always surprise me. Lots of wisdom in there." she playfully poked at his head.
"You're figuring this out now?" said Damon with an evil grin and eye roll. "So was it all Stefan-gloom-and-doom talk?" he asked carefully.
Elena shook her head. "No. Caroline and I were saying how our lives changed so much when we died."
"Yeah, I'll say. A little more than the average person who dies, since you're still alive and all." cracked Damon.
Feet don't fail me now
Take me to the finish line
All my heart, it breaks every step that I take
But I'm hoping that the gates,
They'll tell me that you're mine
"Well, that's just it. I feel like I am alive. I think that's because of all your help." said Elena as they reached the front of the line and boarded the metal basket chair that would soon have them at the top of the wheel.
"Well, I'm glad." said Damon shuffling in, and putting his left arm around Elena and taking her hand in his right one. "You deserve to be happy... you deserve to feel alive." Elena nodded.
"I'm starting to think I wasn't really living 'til I became a vampire. I never felt like I could protect anyone. I wasn't reveling like you said." explained Elena. Damon stayed silent, staring off in the distance, nodding. "...but vampire or not. You've changed me Damon. Not just my blood. You've changed me for the better. Dying was worth it now that I get to be with you." she said it calmly, but Damon could feel the intensity of her words. He looked up at the sky for a moment feeling the words sink in. "You're my home." said Elena.
Walking through the city streets
Is it by mistake or design?
I feel so alone on a Friday night
Can you make it feel like home, if I tell you you're mine
It's like I told you honey
"Elena..." began Damon. "You're strong enough on your own. I believe you would have been okay even if I wasn't there. Stefan wouldn't let you crumble. Neither would Bonnie or Caroline, or hell, Matt, Jeremy, or even Tyler." her words were too much for him. To tell him he was worth dying for- Damon simply couldn't allow himself to trust that. He'd never been worth that to anyone. Though it was a beautiful thought- it was one he held out hope for in the back of his mind. In those vulnerable parts.
"I mean it Damon. Don't spin it back on me." said Elena with a sharpness in her voice. She turned to face him and took both his hands. "I don't think you really understand. I'm in love with you and you know that. But I'm telling you, I'd go through it all again just to get here again. I want to be with you. It's not just because I'm a vampire- being a vampire just helped me wake up that part of me and have the bravery to face it."
Don't make me sad, don't make me cry
Sometimes love is not enough and the road gets tough
I don't know why
Keep making me laugh,
Let's go get high
The road is long, we carry on
Try to have fun in the meantime
"Elena..." began Damon still having trouble processing everything she was saying. This epiphany she was having and sharing... it made his heart race and at the top of the ferris wheel now- staring out at everyone below them and a dark night sky.. he lost his words. He turned to look back at her. Up here they were in the sky, surrounded by stars. He saw the stars in her defiant eyes that stared intensely at him.
"Damon...!" she said loudly, snatching one of his hands and pressing it into her chest. She stared into his eyes that were staring back and searching hers with questions and confusion. "I love you. You're my home. I'm your home. Dying was worth it to be with you. I'm more alive now than I ever was, and that makes me happy." she stared at him. "So just accept it, bad boy." she grinned.
Damon's eyes looked all over her face, taking in every detail. Could he even dare to let himself accept this? This changed things. He always knew he'd die for Elena- he almost had in the past. But here was a woman who felt his love justified her death. It was intense, powerful, and moving. His eyes stung.
Come and take a walk on the wild side
Let me kiss you hard in the pouring rain
You like your girls insane
Choose your last words
This is the last time
Cause you and I, we were born to die
"I think I was born to become a vampire. I think... somehow my body knew you were out there. My other half, my twin flame, the blood of.."
"Oh god if you quote Game of Thrones right now..." interrupted Damon laughing.
"...of my blood?" laughed Elena shrugging. She hadn't meant to quote a book she'd just been searching her mind for any possible comparison she could use to get him to understand. "The point is, I'm here because I want to be, I'm happy, and I'd do it all over again to be here with you." she smiled. "Don't you ever wonder, if everything you've gone through was leading to this point... so you could finally be happy?"
Damon relaxed his shoulders and his face fell into a comfortable smile.
"I love you Elena Gilbert. I love this spirit of yours. I love what you do to me." he leaned over and kissed her fiercely, holding her under her chin, not letting her escape. Her fingers went up and tangled in his hair. "Don't ever leave me again." he breathed out.
"I promise. I won't drink anymore potions either." she teased kissing him back, harder. Neither one had no idea how long they'd been sitting at the top of the ferris wheel. No idea that it stalled and a maintenance man was below trying to get it going, and that practically all eyes were now on the wheel and the very public and aggressive display of affection at the top.
Lost but now I am found
I can see but once I was blind
I was so confused as a little child
Tried to take what I could get
Scared that I couldn't find
All the answers, honey
Elena's group of people all saw the scene unfold from different vantage points. Both Matt and Jeremy had similar reactions: sighing, shaking their heads, and going back to what they were doing. Caroline gave a more exaggerated sigh and put her hands on her hips with an eye roll until Tyler, led her to one of the games booth with a promise of winning her a prize. Rebecca watched Stefan watching them. She wore a pretentious smile while Stefan watched it all, turned and shoved his way back through the crowd. She followed him strutting like a cat toying with prey.
Eventually the basket they'd been sitting in was brought down after 45 minutes of kisses, whispers, and star gazing. "I feel more human when I'm with you Elena." said Damon.
"You seem more human too." she agreed. It was true. Damon was calm, relaxed, kind, thoughtful and affectionate. She wouldn't have used any of those words when she'd first met him. It was hard looking at him like this to remember there was a vicious panther hiding just beneath the skin. One thing Elena did try to remind herself was to always be careful how she reacted to things around Damon. With their blood bond increasing their need to protect each other, she was sure Damon wouldn't think twice about snapping a neck that got in her way and upset her. She needed to guard who reactions. Damon was every bit as dangerous as he always was- now maybe more so.
They walked back through the crowd headed for the car after picking up Elena's bag- Damon stopped and bristled when he spied Klaus talking to Stefan. "I thought Stefan left..." he said out loud.
"Did he tell you about the hybrids?" she asked leaning against his shoulder while he watched the conversation.
"Yeah... but shh.. they don't know we're watching, and I'm trying to hear." Damon strained to hear. Elena did too. Without thinking she took his hand and their blood bond reacted. Suddenly their hearing was better even more than usual. They both looked at each other with wide eyes and confusion, then concentrated on listening in to the exchange between Stefan and Klaus.
"...it doesn't matter anymore..." said Stefan. "You can't undo their blood bond, even if you cure Elena her blood won't make your hybrids."
"Ah... that's only because the blood bond still exists mate. I was too late in my earlier attempt." came Klaus's cool voice.
"So what. So you've found something else? I'm still committed to finding the cure." replied Stefan.
"Because of your love for Elena? Or for yourself? Or maybe you'd like to use it on your brother young Stefan. Exact some poetic revenge..." mused Klaus.
"It's none of your business why I want it. If you want my help, you need to tell me what's going on." demanded Stefan.
"Patience, dear Ripper." said Klaus slapping Stefan on the back. "All in due time. I have a few things left to arrange. Then it'll all make sense." he smiled as Stefan fumed, and then walked off.
Damon let go of Elena's hand. "Let's go. Now." he opened the car door for her and pushed her in without waiting. Then he got in himself and sped away from the festivities as fast as he could. They drove in silence for about 10 minutes before Elena dared break the tense atmosphere.
"Are we going to talk about it?" she asked carefully.
"Which part? The fact that our abilities suddenly magnified when we touched? Or the fact that my brother is scheming with Klaus and may still have a way to break the bond?" growled Damon.
"Yes. Both I guess. What was that back there?"
"I don't know." admitted Damon. "If you still want the cure I'll do whatever you want to get it... but I don't want to break our bond." The last part of his words came out weakly.
"I don't think it can be broken." said Elena. "Don't let it upset you, Klaus is grasping at straws, chasing ghosts." she tried to put her hand on his shoulder but he shrugged her off.
"it's Klaus, Elena. He's only cocky when he's feeling powerful. He's on to something and we're going to have to find out what it is." he barked.
"Bonnie looked into everything she could on the blood bond, she's been talking to Shane. There's so little about it but one thing she knows is that it can't be undone. Damon, even when I forgot you the bond was still there. " insisted Elena.
"yeah but..." started Damon but Elena cut him off.
"You're afraid if he has some crazy new plan to break the bond and change me back, that I won't love you anymore." said Elena plainly. She'd only realized it as she said it, and Damon's silence was all the validation she needed. "That's it isn't it? You're afraid this isn't real..."
"I'm sorry..." said Damon quietly. "I've never had anything like this in my life. I don't want it to be taken away."
"I'm not going anywhere. I'm right here. I'm with you, my home, and we're going to the lake house for the weekend for a break and then we'll come back with clear heads." explained Elena. "Bonnie and Caroline are keeping an eye on things, they'll text us if Klaus seems like he's on the move. But Damon, you must know by now I love you even without our blood bond. Remember all those moments we've had before we bonded. You know what I feel is real." she insisted and put her hand on his knee, giving it a quick squeeze. "This, is real."
Damon nodded and remained quiet. "Remember what I said on the ferris wheel. I'd do this all again to get to you. If Klaus tries to use the cure on me or break our bond again, we'll fight him and we'll win." Her face was full of commitment, and Damon couldn't help but smile at her warrior spirit.
"I hope you're right." sighed Damon.