A/N: And here's another one. I know I haven't responded to reviews yet. I haven't had the time and I'm going to the boat again this weekend and it's chapter now or Monday so I will reply, just after I posted this. I think this is my favourite chapter oddly enough. The future scenes are quite long, as is this chapter. This chapter is longer than most and is over 3,000 words. I'm happy about that, I didn't even have to try. There may be a few things in this chapter that you are unsure about, I will cover them at the bottom. This will probably be my last 'quick' update for a while because now I really need to spend time on other things. I spent pretty much this entire week writing this story so... Anyway, once mum and dad come in I'm going to have to rush round so I will leave it here. I hope you enjoy it and see you at the bottom.

So on with the next chapter...

Chapter 11

Bonnie hurriedly cleared up and reset out the things for her spell. She turned back to the others. They still hadn't moved or spoken but they were fidgeting as though they wanted to move but didn't want to be the first and they didn't want to make Bonnie wait.

"Alright. I need Stefan and Elena's blood now." She broke the silence. They both came over silently. The air was once again filled with tension. The last time they had seen Elena in this future firmly planted in their minds. Bonnie took their blood and once again began to chant her new version of the spell. She could feel a headache forming but she ignored it.

As before the scene took a few seconds to appear as it 'registered' whose blood was used. Slowly the scene became clearer and all attention was on it.

Elena was sat in the same bed they had seen her in last time they had watched this future, Stefan's bed. It didn't look as though all that much time had passed since. Elena was awake although she looked quite sleepy, as though she had just woke up. Stefan entered. Like before he went over to the bed and sat on the edge.

"Elena, Caroline just arrived. She wants to see you if that's okay." He sounded as though he was speaking to a nervous child, although in some respects it probably wasn't far off most of the time.

"Yes." She nodded. He moved to stand but she grabbed his arm. "Did you sell the house?" She was obviously more lucid today.

"I did. Just conserve your strength. You don't want to be too tired for your visitors. I'm sure they'd come back another-"

"No! It has to be today." She told him firmly. He nodded and after she released him he disappeared down the stairs. Moments later Caroline was stood at the door. She looked nervous.

"Elena, do you remember me?" She sounded as nervous as she looked.

"Barely." Elena answered. Caroline looked uncomfortable, as though she was about to leave. "I mean since I haven't seen you in a few years." Elena added and watched as she relaxed.

"Do you mind?" Caroline asked gesturing to the bed, and the room, still stood at the door.

"Caroline, I'm your best friend not your grandmother." Elena reminded her. Caroline gave a little weak laugh and came to sit down where Stefan had sat only moments before.

"So how are you?" Elena enquired.

"Me? I'm great. I found him Lena. After 65 years. I finally found him. Now I can finally figure it all out. But for now I'm not letting him out of my sight."

"Is he here then?"

"Yeah, I made Stefan watch him. Tyler's starting to complain. He's says anyone would think he's just going to evaporate at any second or something with the way I've been since I found him."

"I understand your thinking." Elena agreed.

"Oh my god, Elena I'm so sorry I didn't think!"

"I wonder what she means." Elena pondered future Caroline's last statement

"I want to know why I haven't seen Tyler in 65 years." Caroline had picked up on something else.

"Isn't it obvious?" Stefan answered Elena

"Everyone stop." Bonnie stopped them as they all spoke across each other. Damon just watched amused, taking a sip of bourbon. At Bonnie's command they all turned back to the scene before them.

"No, Caroline, it's fine. Besides, he's coming." She sounded excited.

"Elena, I don't want to upset you are anything but... Are you sure he's gonna come? I mean when I spoke to him he-"

"You spoke to him?!" Elena sounded a mixture of angry and confused.

"Yes?"

"When." It was a command.

"He, uh, helped me find Tyler."

"When!"

"Elena please, calm down, it's not good for you."

"Caroline?" She begged her voice coming out strangled from her previous exertion.

"He was helping me for about a year. I found out where Tyler was about a month back and we parted ways then while I went to get him." Caroline explained.

"He will come." Elena nodded, she sounded more as though she was talking to herself than Caroline. Caroline watched seemingly unsure what to do.

"Lena, you still with me?"

"Of course where else would I be?"

"I'm sure he will come." Caroline talked to her as though she was reassuring an upset child, but sounding as though she didn't believe it herself.

"He has to come." Elena sounded close to tears. "Where did you go Caroline? Why didn't we see you very much over the years?"

"You remember?" Caroline sounded shocked.

"I'm having a good day Elena confessed.

"I just... I'm so sorry Lena I just couldn't watch."

"Why?" she sounded confused now.

"It's all over your face. In your eyes. It has been for years. I know what I used to say but... I got it wrong Elena."

"You mean I got it wrong." She croaked.

"Tell me you had a happy life Elena, please. Tell me I didn't make a mistake in not pushing you." She sounded like a child begging her grandmother now. Which to the outside world would be what the scene was.

"I was happy Caroline. And there was nothing you could have done." Elena spoke to Caroline in the manor that a grandparent does a child reflecting the situation.

"It's strange seeing us like that. You don't look like my best friend. You look like my grandmother." Caroline cemented it.

"Yeah..." Elena responded wanting to say more but not being able to find the words.

"You have regrets." Stefan acknowledged, bowing his head.

"I said I was happy." Elena reminded him but it sounded hollow somehow. Stefan didn't respond.

"I could see it you know. Before everything happened. I should have said something."

"You couldn't, and you didn't have the time. You were busy with your own problems."

"I know. Why didn't you choose him? Even after?"

"I was afraid. And I knew that no matter how much I loved him and told him so, he may never be able to truly believe me after everything I'd done to him. I wanted him to have the chance to find someone he could be happy with, someone he could believe."

"But he would learn to, and he could get that after anyway." Caroline was confused.

"If I picked him, I don't think I'd be lying here dying of old age." Elena revealed.

"I should have come around more over the years. It's just that every time I looked at you two I could see it wasn't right. Yes, Stefan was happy but you... The way you always ask about him... I knew."

"You'll look after them both when I'm gone?"

"It's a promise." Caroline agreed tearily.

"Stefan's still in denial." She whispered. Just as Caroline was about to respond another figure appeared at the door.

"Hi." Caroline greeted cheerfully. Elena looked around before her eyes rested on the door.

"Your friend?" She asked Caroline.

"Tyler wanted to come and say hello." Stefan explained, from his position stood behind Tyler in the door way.

"I'm not stupid Stefan, I know that." She snapped.

"Her eyesight isn't what it used to be." Stefan whispered an explanation to them. "Her hearing isn't either. She hides it well." Caroline nodded.

"Hey Elena. It's been a while." Tyler approached her.

"You haven't aged a day." She smiled. Tyler just smiled unsure what else to say, Caroline did the same.

"We haven't seen him in 65 years, it's good to see you again, isn't it Elena?" Stefan covered for her lapse in memory as he too came to sit by her on the bed.

"65 years" she mused. Stefan gave Tyler an almost imperceptible nod as though he was asking him to help her remember.

"Well, being a vampire-werewolf hybrid helps." He added.

"I'm sure." Elena sounded more herself again.

"I think maybe we should let you rest for a bit." Stefan suggested and Caroline stood and headed to the door.

"I don't want to rest." She protested.

"Sorry Elena, me and Caroline have to get off." Tyler interrupted, smoothing over her protest.

"It's okay, I don't want to hold you up. You've just found each other, you need to enjoy it. You've got the chance, you need to take it." Elena insisted. Tyler and Caroline gave Elena a hug before they turned to leave.

"Goodbye Elena." Tyler nodded as he reached the door.

"Bye Lena, I love you." Caroline said tearily. She seemed to sense this was it.

"Keep your promise Caroline." Elena asked. Caroline just nodded before she and Tyler left the room.

"I don't think she's going to see you again." Caroline spoke quietly.

"She knew she was dying." Elena whispered as it really dawned on her that she was watching her future self saying her goodbyes as she dies.

Stefan tucked Elena in and kissed her forehead before he followed the others out the room. The scene flashed. The room was darker now signifying it was later in the day. Stefan entered the room again and gently woke Elena. His whole body visibly relaxed as he saw her starting to stir as though he had been afraid his senses had deceived him and she was gone.

"You've got another visitor." He told her. He went to fetch them.

"Wait." She stopped him. "This is it Stefan. We need to say goodbye."

"Elena-"

"No, this is happening. I can feel it. I don't think I'll be here tomorrow Stefan. We need to say this, to do this, now." He nodded; tears clearly in his eyes though he held them back.

"I love you, Elena. I don't want to lose you."

"It's my time Stefan. Remember, I'll always be with you. In here." She laid her hand against his heart. "That sounds cliché." She added with a laugh.

"Do you regret it?" He asked the question he had avoided previously.

"I've been happy Stefan. I lived the long happy life I always wanted. I don't regret the years we've spent together."

"Okay." He accepted her response. Whether he believed her or not he gave nothing away.

"It's him isn't it? The visitor?"

"Yes." He whispered, nodding as well so she could see his answer if she couldn't hear it.

"Never doubt I loved you Stefan, or that I regret my life." He nodded.

"I'll go fetch him. Leave you two alone."

"Caroline and Tyler. They'll be waiting for you. Go to them. You all need each other." He nodded then gave her a last kiss and a hug before he left the room. Moments later another figure appeared in her doorway.

"She may not regret her life but she does have a regret." Stefan pointed out.

"I sounded so guilty." Caroline mumbled.

"It's my decision. You couldn't change it." Elena reassured her.

"I can't believe it. I was team Damon." Caroline continued.

"It makes a nice change I guess." Damon added.

"Now you get to see your relationship with Damon in this future, your feelings for him." Bonnie reminded her.

Elena closed her eyes without looking at the door to see who was stood there.

"Damon." She breathed. He pushed himself up from where he had been leaning against the door frame and walked towards the bed.

"Elena." He breathed in a similar way. She moved over to the left side of the bed from her position in the middle and patted the bed to her right. He walked round and lay down next to her.

"Tell me when he's gone." She whispered. He nodded. After a moment he turned back to face her.

"He's gone." He told her.

"Thank you." She reached over for his hand. "You always look the same, all of you. You never change. It's good for me really. When I get confused I still know who you all are. My human friends, even my own reflection, I don't always recognise but all of you... I always recognise you." She mused.

"Being immortal isn't all it's cracked up to be."

"Perhaps." She said vaguely. "It's been a long 65 years."

"Were you happy at least?"

"I told him the truth. I don't regret my life with him, I always loved him." Damon closed his eyes. Elena didn't seem to see it but she did seem to sense it. "I do have regrets though." She whispered as she squeezed his hand.

"Elena..."

"I missed you Damon. I missed you so much." Elena's voice wobbled slightly.

"I was in a dark place Elena. You were better off staying away."

"It's my fault."

"No."

"I'm old not stupid. I know I'm the reason you went down that road. I'm dying Damon, at the very least we can be truthful." She told him firmly.

"It wasn't your fault Elena. It may have been your decision but it wasn't your fault. That's the truth Elena."

"I was so scared." She sounded upset again. "I thought it was too late." She shook her head.

"Elena, what are you saying?"

"I'm glad I got to keep the memories of us; that they didn't fade away. I always treasure them." She changed the topic.

"Elena, why-"

"I loved you so much. I still do. Please stay til it's over." She begged.

"I'm not going anywhere Elena."

"Do you still...?"

"I'll always love you Elena. No matter what."

"Is it selfish to say I'm glad?"

"I think given the circumstances you can be forgiven." She smiled at him and leaned over to kiss his cheek.

"Thank you." She whispered before she leaned back into her own position on the bed. "I regret it Damon; my choice. I don't regret my life but I regret that choice."

"Elena don't-"

"I made a lot of mistakes but that one was the worse. I made the wrong choice."

"If your next words are 'I deserve this' you're in trouble for stealing my deathbed 'speech'."

She laughed.

"No matter what the situation you could always make me smile." She laughed again.

"Let's not spend this time talking about regrets Elena."

"Okay, you're right. Tell me about your life. What were you doing before you came here?"

"Honestly? I don't think you'll like it." He told her hesitantly.

"I want to know."

"I've been sort of... avoiding Katherine."

"Why?" Elena sounded confused.

"She became a little dependant on me. She's now decided she loves me and throws a fit whenever I tell her I don't believe her."

"I can't say I ever saw that one coming."

"She's turned into a bit of a stalker, I've been avoiding her for a couple of years now. She keeps finding me. When I got the message to come see you she let me come alone. Said something about trying to prove it to me. Whatever that means."

"Katherine dependant on Damon? That'll be the day." Bonnie remarked before rubbing her aching head. There was no doubt about it, it was getting worse.

"How that would ever even come about? I wouldn't even go near her given the choice." Damon agreed.

"You had your emotions off for a while, maybe it happened then." Caroline suggested.

"You regretted this choice." Stefan spoke quietly but with such sadness in his tone.

"Maybe I regretted the other one too?" Elena offered as comfort.

"I didn't see any signs of regret in that future Elena. They were all over every scene in this one. Caroline was right. It's all over your face, in your eyes. The way you lit up when he appeared, before you even saw him." Stefan listed.

"I..." Elena was lost for words, unsure quite how to respond to that one.

"I think future me was right..." Caroline trailed off.

"If she's serious, if she really means it, would you give her a chance?"

"I don't know if you're asking me to or if I will." Elena didn't say anything but looked at him seriously. "I don't know Elena. She's done so much before, and even with everything she's done since... I don't know."

"Okay." Elena accepted his answer almost cheerily.

"Can we not talk about who I may, or may not, be with in the future?"

"It's weird, she still looks like I used to, and now I'm old and ugly."

"You're still just as beautiful."

"You're lying but thank you."

"It's a no win isn't it?"

"I'd still look like her if I chose differently."

"Elena, please don't." He sounded choked, like this conversation was slowly killing him too.

"You and Stefan will look after each other?" He just nodded. "And you'll both get over me? And not mourn me for eternity? Or however long you live? Which I expect to be a few hundred years move at least." She joked slightly at the end but the message was clear. Don't get themselves killed because of her.

"It's a promise." He smiled but it didn't reach his eyes. "You're still wearing this necklace." He commented as he traced it with a finger.

"It became more about us than Stefan and me a long time ago. You always bought it back, Stefan may have put it on the first time but it was always you after that. I haven't taken it off after the last time." She reminded him. He didn't respond but smiled again slightly. She shifted so her head laid on his chest and she snuggled into him as he wrapped his arms around her.

"This is how it should have been." She whispered. For the first time her act was slipping and how hard it was for her was showing through. "I'm glad I've been me with you. That you didn't see me having one of my 'moments' although these days there seem to be more of those than these." He stayed silent, a single tear escaping. "I could always be myself with you."

"I'm glad."

"This is it now. I feel like I'm fading." She admitted.

"I'll be here." He assured her. She nodded, her breathing starting to change as she relaxed and stopped controlling it.

They all watched silent as Elena slowly faded away. Occasionally saying something. Until the room was silent and the scene faded away. Elena closed her eyes and let out a shaky breath as tears rolled down her cheeks. It had been almost impossible to watch. The only thing allowing her to continue was the idea that this might not be the future, a mantra she chanted in her head. Caroline put a comforting arm around her, tears running down her own face. Both Stefan and Damon stood silent. Stefan had moved over to where Damon stood and Damon silently passed him a drink. They both took a drink from their glasses then continued to stare at the liquid inside them in silence.

Bonnie had also watched in silence with tears in her eyes. Seeing her best friend die like that. She hadn't even seen herself though she assumed she had already passed away at that point like Jeremy had. Their sad faces were too much to bear. She had to do something. Show them a happy scene, anything.

"Bonnie, what's that?" Elena sounded almost frightened. "BONNIE!"

That might be a small cliff-hanger I know. Okay so, I will start with Tyler and Caroline. For anyone who is upset about them. I will reveal they were together at the time he had to disappear. So she had to find him and obviously when you don't see someone but you loved them when you last saw them it takes you a while to work out your feelings once you are reunited. I won't write anymore of an ending for Caroline in terms of pairings because this is a Damon and Elena story and Caroline and Tyler are my second favourite couple but it isn't a story for their pairing so... To avoid upset and because working out the complex relationships in a realistic way would need a story of it's own I'm leaving it with Caroline finally in a position where she can make a choice work in all out. As for him seeing Elena and saying goodbye. He was in the house and they have known each other since they were kids, it makes sense. Now onto Katherine. Without revealing any more back story from within my story that you don't know I will recap what we do know and why it isn't as impossible as it seems. We know Katherine did actually love both brothers, in varying degrees, she admitted that. She already lost Elijah. She became human, something we knew but they don't in the present, and she has obviously become a vampire again at some point since, in this story, but she will have lost about 500 years of power. She has a lot of enemies. Some around a 1000 years old. She needs someone for a change instead of having the upper hand she needs someone's help. Enter Damon with no emotions and hence no reason to reject fun with Katherine. Remember without emotions Elena was fine with Rebekah who she hated with them switched on. She's there helping him as he starts to turn his emotions back on. She loved him once, she just loved Stefan more, Stefan's not there anymore and Vampire Damon is a little more like her, especially without emotions. I'll let you decide how that 'relationship' pans out. She has apparently done some good things since she found Damon again. That was implied but whether they are genuine and whether he can ever forgive her or whether she can ever make up for what she's done I will allow you to choose. This is as far into the future as we are likely to see so you choose what to believe. She doesn't appear in the other future, at least not what we've seen, because while Stefan had his emotions off he was locked up and after he had them on he would never have anything to do with Katherine and he was with Caroline anyway. Damon was tied up with Elena just as Stefan was in this future. For Elena being lucid. It can happen. Like she said it was a good day. I think a friend of mine's relative had Alzheimer's or something similar and they thought she had forgotten about her husband, who was dead, she hadn't mentioned him in a long time. Then the day she died she said he had visited her. She suddenly knew him and remembered him. My mamma had it so I remember what she was like, just in case anyone was wondering (or about to criticize-not that you would but I like to prevent when possible) There is a slight irony in that in her future with Damon she wouldn't let him see her die but in this one she wanted him there. I know this but the situations are a lot different. I also admit that I may have hinted about a time frame and situation for Elena making her choice but I will see if and what you pick up on.

So now I have to be quick. Random thought-what if Katherine was in the same situation as Elena was in in 1864 but she didn't get the chance to get as far as Elena did with her feelings for Damon. I mean if she really choose Damon she probably would have ended up dead. So Stefan was the safe option. just a thought I had.

I really am running out of time so I will have to do collective guest reviews response to be 4 Guests, Lor and Missy. Thank you all, it means a lot to hear you think and feel that way about my story. I thought that was a pretty good way for her to transition. Although a lot wasn't really planned until I wrote it, apart from the Klaus part which was clever on her part in that he is effectively responsible for her death further protecting them all. You got to see what you wanted. Damon was there with her. And I know what you mean about Caroline. I don't hate her personally but there are times... Hopefully you preferred her in this future one. Thank you all again. I wish I could respond individually but I really need to be shutting down the laptop now and putting it away so I can take it to the boat.

Thank you all for reading it. It isn't the last scene just so you know. Let me know what you think. I hope you enjoyed it. Sorry for the babble and see you in the next chapter. (*smiles*)

Okay, for the bit about the necklace which is new. I know the necklace is currently out of reach but this is the future so...