A/N : Guess who's back...back again? Jade is back...tell your friends! Many thanks to all of you who haven't given up on this story. Your reviews, follows and faves are very much appreciated. I sort of lost my way while writing this fic. Certain aspects just got away from me, and that was kinda discouraging. But your words of support and encouragement gave me that push to continue. And to those who were disappointed with this storyline, well...I can only do my best to write this story. It saddens me that the fic isn't going to the direction that you want, but I won't apologize for writing it the way I envision it to be. And I appreciate the PM's, I really do, but I would love it more if you'd give constructive criticisms too, and not just tell me how much you hate this story. Hopefully, by continuing this fic, I'd have a chance to win you over. Again, I appreciate every reader and all of the reviews. My deepest and sincerest gratitude to all of you, both fans and critics.

CHAPTER ELEVEN – Love In An Elevator

Deafening silence filled the elevator as Damon and Elena went on their way to Lirio's dorm room. Damon couldn't stand the quietness of such a small space they were in, so he finally spoke to break the silence.

"So, all this time, the witch was a few floors below us, and you never said anything?" he asked Elena.

Elena continued to give him the silent treatment, as she stared at a blank spot on the wall of the elevator.

"Oh, come on," Damon sighed. "You're still not speaking to me?"

"Hmph," Elena scoffed, before turning her head away.

"Elena," Damon said in a tone he knew she couldn't resist. "Baby, please...tell me what's wrong?"

"Oh, I'm sorry...so, all of a sudden, I'm allowed to speak?" Elena retorted.

"I never said that you couldn't," Damon replied exasperated, pushing the button to stop the elevator.

"What good would it do speaking to you if you're not going to listen to me?" Elena asked, trying to contain her annoyance. She pushed for the elevator to continue.

"Elena...we need-" Damon said before she cut him off.

"YOU need answers, Damon," Elena snapped. "I'm perfectly okay with things the way they are."

"So...let me get this straight," Damon said calmly. He pushed for the elevator to stop again. "You're not even the least bit curious about what happened to me? Or to Bonnie? Or how I was able to come back?"

"Don't you understand, Damon?" Elena frustratedly asked. "You died. The Other Side collapsed. You're not supposed to exist, and yet, here you are! Not even Bonnie, who just happens to be the most powerful witch that I know, had managed to come back from that...and she was a Bennett witch, not to mention the anchor to The Other Side! All spirit magic is lost. You think that the witches are happy with that? You think that they'd be happy to know that you escaped oblivion while one of their own was lost? What if once they find out about your return, they take you away from me again, huh? I don't think I can survive losing you again," she started to cry.

Damon took her into his arms to comfort her. "Shhh, baby," he tried to appease her. "Elena, do you remember my promise to you?"

"That you will never leave me? That you will find your way back to me?" Elena answered, while Damon wiped her tears away.

"And?" Damon urged her to continue.

"And you made good on your promise," Elena responded.

"But before all that, I made another one..." Damon reminded her. "I told you that I will always choose you. Elena, I need to know if what we have right now is permanent, or if it's just temporary. I need to know if there's a way to be with you that includes ALL of me...not just the part of me that only you can see. I need to exist, FULLY. I need to be more tangible. I can't protect you or defend you if I'm like this."

"I don't need to be protected, Damon! Not anymore," Elena protested.

"You don't need to be protected for NOW. But knowing you...well, danger pretty much knows where you live," Damon chuckled lightly, before his face turn serious again. "And I won't be able to forgive myself if anything bad happens to you because I'm useless to do anything about it. If there's a way to be with you again, just the same as it was before, I have to at least try. And it's not about me wanting to be a vampire again. This is me, wanting to be the best I can be...all for you. And I'm not going to apologize for that."

"You already are, Damon. You already give me the best of you, and much more. You really believe that anyone else can love me the way that you do?' Elena asked.

"Baby, no one in the universe will ever love you the way that I do," Damon replied, his face twisting in a smirk. "And with that love includes a great desire to protect you...and to find hilarity in the lengths I go to just to save your life," he chuckled.

Elena lightly smacked him in the chest. "Fine...we'll go and see Lirio," she scoffed, before continuing. "But I meant what I said before. If this is the only way I can have you in my life, I'll take it. Because I love you, no matter what. The same way you love me...with all of our flaws, the annoying little brothers and whatever the hell the universe has in store. And I won't let anyone get in the way of our love...not the spirits, not the witches, not the Universe...not even YOU."

"Me? What do you mean ME?" Damon asked, his eyebrows raised.

"I'm talking about the bumps...and you believing that our love is toxic..." Elena replied, holding on to Damon.

"Elena...you can't just ignore the fact that I'm bad for you-" Damon told her, before the silenced him with her fingers on his lips."

"Shhh...I don't want to fight WITH you. I want to fight FOR you," Elena said to him. "Don't you get it? We've wasted so much time. I've wasted so much time, fighting my feelings for you, instead of fighting for our love. This is me...fighting for you...for us. I'm not giving you up that easily. Because this...US...we're stronger TOGETHER. Let's face it...you won't last a day without me. And I can't survive without you. I tried Damon, I really did. But I was all kinds of messed up when I lost you. Still, I refuse to believe that we're toxic for each other. There's no way in the world that you're bad for me. How can that be...when the only time I feel complete is when I'm with you?" Elena confessed, honestly and heartfelt.

Damon wrapped his arms around her waist, before placing a kiss on the side of her neck. "And I feel the same way about you. You complete me, Elena Gilbert," he sighed, taking all her essence in.

"So promise me that you won't let anything keep us apart," Elena demanded.

"I promise that I will do everything in my power not to be separated from you," Damon swore.

"I love you, Damon. Please...don't ever leave me again," Elena pleaded.

"Baby, no matter what happens, I will never be too far away from you," Damon tried to appease her.

"That's not what I meant, and you know it," Elena said with frustration.

Damon tilted her chin up to look into her eyes. "Elena, I can't predict what the future hold for us. Not when the Universe seems to be against us all the freakin' time. But I promise to fight for you with all of my strength." Damon pressed a kiss to her lips. "We'll survive this. We always survive," he reminded her, his face with a radiant smile. "So to speak."

"I love you...all of you," Elena declared whole-heartedly, staring deeper into his eyes to make sure that he fully understood. "The worst of you...the best of you...all of you, Damon. I'll stand by your side...even if I'm the only one. I'll be your strength, as you'll be mine. I can take all the madness the Universe throws at me, as long as I have you."

Damon chuckled lightly. "You and me against the world," he said, caressing her face. "Beware, Universe...Team Delena is a force to be reckoned with!"

Elena laughed out loud after hearing that. She tugged on Damon's hand and braced herself. "You ready for this?" she asked, before pushing the button again for the elevator to continue.

"As I'll ever be," Damon answered. They finally arrived at Lirio's floor. Damon tightened his grip on Elena's hand, as they stepped out of the elevator and walked towards Lirio's dorm room. Elena gave him a reassuring smile, before knocking on the door.

They didn't have to wait long before the door opened. "Elena?" Lirio said, looking at her curiously.

"We need to talk," Elena told the young witch.

"Of course," Lirio answered. "Come in," she said, as she stepped aside to let Elena inside her dorm room.

Damon watched as Elena entered the room. He set one foot past the threshold, testing if he's allowed to enter without being invited in. He didn't feel any adverse reaction, so he stepped inside the witch's dorm and hoped for the best.

"Here goes nothing," Damon whispered hopefully.

~END OF CHAPTER ELEVEN~

A/N :

*Short and disappointing update, I know. I'm still getting my bearings back. But I hope you enjoy it. Happy TVD Thursday! /chants loudly/ DELENA! DELENA! DELENA!

*If you're on MEDIUM, follow me on my writer's account (full link is on my profile here). Even if you're not on MEDIUM, just bookmark my page. I usually post photos/songs/videos related to my stories on my page. It's like an interactive companion piece for my fics.

*In case you missed it, I also have other TVD fanfics that I've been working on recently, "Till We Ain't Strangers Anymore", "Falling Away From Me", and "What Hurts The Most". If you have time, please do check them out and let me know how you like them.

*Again, many thanks to all of my readers. Let me know if you enjoyed this chapter by clicking the REVIEW button.