Hey everyone I know its been AWHILE buttttttt I'm back and I plan to finish this story to its completion, whatever that may be. I really hope that you enjoy this chapter, yes it's a tad short but I promise it will keep going and I will keep posting and not make everyone wait another year ;). As always thank you to my editor Jessica and I can't wait to hear your feedback.
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xoAmanda


Only a Year: The Demon Within

Sam

July 11, 2008

Two months. It's been two months since I've lost them. I've poured myself over every book, every piece of lore that I could find and nothing, not one damn thing, not even a demon will deal.

It's all bullshit.

The silent room makes it easy for me to hear the vibrations coming from inside my bag. Moving from the spot on the chair that has molded to my ass by now, I dig through it until I reach the source and pull it free – Elena's phone. At this point she has hundreds of missed calls and texts from her friends and family. I know I should tell them that she's gone, or hell, text them and pretend to be her and tell them everything is fine, but I don't have the heart or stomach to.

I throw her phone back in bag and run my hands through my hair attempting to smooth out the disheveled mess when it hits me. I grab the phone back out of the bag and unlock it so I can look through her contacts. I locate the person I knew I needed to find.

I scribble down the address on my notepad then rip it free. Twenty minutes later the room is packed up and I'm throwing everything into the trunk of the Impala.

It's a long shot, I know it, but right now it's my only shot and I'm going to take it.


July 13, 2008

The familiar driveway sends chills down my spine. I put the Impala into park, remove the key from the ignition, open the door and step onto the pavement. It only takes me a few strides to reach the door but I can't seem to make my arm function enough to knock. But by some stroke of dumb luck the door swings open without me having to touch it, bringing me face to face with Elena's younger brother, Jeremy.

"Sam? What are you doing here?" Jeremy asks looking at me, then around me. "Where's my sister? And your brother?"

Uncomfortably I shift my weight on my feet before finding my voice and answer. "Can I come in? We need to talk."

His eyes pour into me before nodding and opening the door wider. I step inside and my eyes immediately fall onto a photo of Elena and Jeremy; it takes everything in me not to tear up.

"Where's my sister?" Jeremy doesn't hesitate to ask again. At this point I'm past asking for permission, I don't have it in me - I just flop down on their couch, letting out a breath I didn't know I was holding. Jeremy follows my lead and sits in a chair across from me.

"She's gone, Jer."

"Gone? What do you mean gone?"

"She thought that…" I pause as the memories come flooding back.

"Lena, what are you doing?"

"She thought that if the hellhounds that were coming for Dean took another soul before they got to him, they would let his soul go."

"And did they?"

The nails shred into Elena's side, then stomach.

"NO!" Dean cries out as she falls to the ground.

"No." I sigh. "They still took him."

"DEAN!"

"How long?" He asks staring me in the face. "How long has she been dead?

I lower my gaze to my hands as I rub them together. "Two months" I whisper.

"Two months?" Jeremy growls, jumping up from his seat. "Two months and you didn't think to tell her family?"

Raising my head I meet his angered gaze with ferocity of my own, "Do you know how hard it was for me to even come here today? To face her brother, the only family she had, and tell him that she sacrificed herself to save my brother and it was for nothing? To tell you that I couldn't protect her? Couldn't protect either of them?"

He doesn't move an inch so I continue. "So yeah Jeremy, it's been two months but that's why I'm here. The last time we were in town Stefan mentioned that you guys were friends with a witch, is that true?"

"Yes, it's true. My girlfriend Bonnie is a witch but what could she possibly help with?"

"I have an idea, but I'm going to need some serious power to make it happen. Can I meet her?"


Jeremy and I watch in silence as Bonnie recites a spell, in a form a Latin that even I'm having a bit of trouble understanding, as she suddenly stops.

"The spirits aren't listening."

"Was that it? Is that all we can do?" Jeremy pleads.

Bonnie sighs before nibbling on her lip, "There's something else I could try."

"What is it? What can we do to help?" I ask quickly.

She grabs her spell book and rises from the ground, "If the witches won't help me save Elena and Dean then maybe I can go to Hell and bring them back myself."

"Go to hell? Are you out of your mind?" Jeremy nearly shrieks at her. "Bonnie, that's risky even for a witch as powerful as you and even if you could do it how would you even get there? You're not dead?" Bonnie doesn't answer; her non response sends a shot of recognition over Jeremy's face. "No! No, Bonnie."

"I was able to stop your heart to stop Mikael; I'll do the same thing to myself. Witches have free reign on the Other Side." She explains.

"This isn't the Other Side!" Jeremy grabs her shoulders carefully, his voice trembling, "This is Hell!"

"It's just another plain of existence." She soothes.

"She's right Jeremy." I chime in, "It just another place, if she thinks she can do it we should try it."

"I will find Elena and Dean and bring them back with me."

"Assuming you wake up!"

"I'm stronger now. I found a new source of power."

"A new source of power?! What kind of power is going to let you kill yourself and bring not one but two people back with you from the dead?" Jeremy yells throwing his hands up in the air. "Oh and not just the dead - Hell to be exact?"

"Do we want them back or not, Jer?" Bonnie grits her teeth.

Jeremy lowers himself into more of a relaxed state as he backs down to his girlfriend.

"It's settled then. Let's get set up and get started."


The three of us gather on the floor, hands linking us into a circle, candles lined around us. "Phasmatus Ignitium." Bonnie breathes out the words as the flames of the candles hum to life. "Let's do this." I nod at her gently and squeeze her hand as she starts.

"Invocamus temaiores spiritus dirigatur ad inferni, conduc in animam meam. Invocamus te spiritus inferni mededuc me ad ostium."

Whispers surround us, swirling above our heads and invading our ear drums, the spirits are talking to us and it's an amazing experience that is swiftly ruined by Jeremy's voice.

"Oh my God." My eyes snap open to see Bonnie's nose bleeding profusely, but she doesn't waver she continues the incantation.

"Invocamus te maioresspiritus dirigatur ad inferni, conduc in animam meam. Invocamus tespiritus inferni mededuc me ad ostium."

"Bonnie," Jeremy pleads. "Bonnie, open your eyes. Bonnie, I can't let you do this! You're dying!" I feel helpless, useless, defeated. She's not going to stop but would I stop her even if I could? She chants louder as black veins creep up her arms making their way up her face.

"What the hell is that?" I ask cautiously. Bonnie begins to hyperventilate before collapsing to the ground. Jeremy and I release hands and I check her pulse – she's dead.

"Bonnie, no! Bonnie! Bonnie, wake up! Bonnie! Wake up!"


Bonnie

The air fills my lungs as I breathe back to life, well sort of - I must be in Hell. "It worked."

Brick walls on all sides, there is one door with bars on it, light shining through - utilizing it I look around. There are chains on one of the walls, at the end of the chains there are shackles for hands and feet. Rising from the ground I dust myself off and make my way to the chained wall as quietly as possible. Running my hand along it I find it's stained with blood, my heart begins to race - Elena, she was tortured here. My stomach turns as I remove my hand from the wall. From the hall I hear footsteps approaching the room but before I can make a move to hide the door swings open, a loud creak from the rusty hinges filling the room. "Who do we have here?"

"Someone you probably don't want to mess with." I spit out hastily. The woman laughs heartily, "Oh you're one of those. How did you get here anyway?" She looks me up and down quizzically and shakes her head. "No matter, I'll take you to Aesema now."

"Aesema?"

"Someone you probably don't want to mess with." The woman mocks my words with a wicked smile. She motions behind her, "Grab her."

The men behind her slither forward, snaking their hands around my wrists. I don't fight it because I don't want to waste my lead me out of the brick room and down a hallway, if the screams of the tortured souls weren't unbearable enough, the pain I could physically feel from their screams is– it's sickening. I need to find Elena and Dean, fast because if this is Hell I can only imagine what is happening to them. We reach the end of the hall where another barred door awaited, the woman didn't have to open it, it opened for her like it just knew.

"Go. Aesema has been waiting for a new soul and she doesn't like to wait."

The men release my arms and jar me forward into the room, causing me to stumble and fall forward onto my knees with a thud. The door slams shut behind me leaving me in the room to face whoever this Aesema person is. Raising my eyes warily they meet a figure whose back is facing me but I can make out some features in the dim light.

The woman stands tall even though it's obvious she isn't, her long brown hair flowed down nearly to her waist but is tied neatly into a braid – almost meticulously – white tank top and olive green pants tucked into combat boots, the hands that were crossed behind her back held a curved blade with purple flecks in the handle.

"Stand." The woman commanded.

I don't move; I'm frozen by the sound of that voice, No it can't be.

"I said stand before Aesema." She boomed as she flipped around to face me.

It felt like all the air had been sucked out of the room, seeing her face once again. "Elena?"

The shock washed over her face like a wave, the demeanor that she was holding onto cracked as she steps toward me. "Bonnie?"

"Oh my god." Reaching out I pull her down to me and into my arms, I sense a brief moment of hesitation but she melts into my arms anyway. "What happened to you?" I ask as I release her from my embrace.

"That's a… long story and really not important right now. What is important is how the hell, you're in Hell."

"I'm here for you, Elena. You and Dean."

"How long have we been gone?" She asked - her voice deadpan.

"About two months according to Sam."

"Sam, oh my god Sam. Is he alright?"

"He's alright, he's been working tirelessly to try and get you and Dean back. He was out of options, then he remembered me, and here I am." Using the strength I have left I raise myself from the floor but I end up gripping the nearest wall for support. "That spell took more out of me than I thought." Elena follows suit and rises, reaching out to help steady me.

"We need to get Dean." She closes her eyes and when she opens them a glaze of black has overrun her doe brown eyes. What the hell. "Send Astaroth to me now." Elena closes her eyes once more, when she opens them again they're back to their normal color.

"Astaroth? Also what the hell, Elena?" I exclaim grabbing her.

"What?" she asks furrowing her brow in confusion.

My eyes widen in disbelief, "Do you seriously not know what just happened?"

Immediately Elena's demeanor changes as she shakes my hand off of her, "I don't know what you mean."

"I think you know exactly what I mean. Your eyes went black, demon black."

"It happens." Elena shrugs her shoulder and responds, clearly blowing it off. Before I can answer Dean appears out of nowhere.

"Elena - is everything okay?" he asks hurriedly rushing to her side. It takes him no longer than a fraction of a second to look past Elena to me. "Who is that?" Elena turns and extends her arm toward me, "Dean this is my best friend, Bonnie Bennett. She's here to take us home." Nervously I raise my hand and give Dean a half wave before lowering my hand back to its place at my side.

"Home?" he asks cautiously, "Like, no longer in Hell get to see my little brother again, home?"

"Yes."

"And Sam..?" Dean implores taking a small step toward me.

Reaching out I touch Dean's arm gently, "Sam is fine; he's the one who sent me. Now, let's get you home."


"Aperta . Aperi nobis et libera nos dimittere domum." The electricity from the incantation flows through me. "Aperta . Aperi nobis et libera nos dimittere domum." A gentle white light begins to glow and open in front of us, indicating it is time. Taking Elena and Dean's hands into mine I begin to step backward leading them toward the opening, "We're going home."

"No!" a familiar voice calls from behind me.

Swiveling my head around sharply I see someone I haven't in so long. "Grams..?" I question dropping Dean and Elena's hands. "What are you doing here of all places?"

"You shouldn't be here. You need to stay away from this sort of dark magic."

"They need me and I need them too!"

Suddenly my Grams is standing right in front of me. "They are not your problem to solve. You need to go before they keep you here."

"No." I rebut shaking my head. "I'm not leaving them behind."

"Bonnie what's going on?" Elena questions from behind me.

"You can't take both of them with you Bonnie."

"I don't understand… what do you m-"

"You can't take them both. One of them is supposed to be here. One is not. You know who has to stay." In this exact moment I'm glad they can't see my face, glad they can't see the tears forming in my eyes. Grams reaches out her hand, gently stroking my cheek. "This magic is dark Bonnie, it's not natures plan. You can't do this again or the spirits with unleash their anger in ways that will make you suffer." By the time I blinked to clear the tears she was gone.

"Bonnie what is going on?" the question repeated. I could wipe my tears, but I don't bother, it doesn't change what I have to do, what I have to tell them. "It was my Grams." I answer as I turn back to face them. "Grams? What was she doing here?"

"Warning me, Elena. The magic I'm using is dark magic and the spirits aren't happy I've tapped into it."

"Then why are you crying?" Dean questions keeping his voice low.

My eyes shift to him, in that moment my eyes give away everything he needs to know and he nods solemnly.

Dean takes Elena's hands into his as he whispers her name, "Elena…"

"What… what aren't you two telling me?"

"I'm supposed to be here, you aren't. Bonnie can't save me."

"No. I'm not leaving without you Dean. I'm not doing it."

"Elena, baby." Dean murmured lifting his hand and stroking her face as gently as he could. "You need to go."

The white light behind us is slowly starting to fade, "Elena, we have to go." I tell her softly.

"No." Elena's voice foggy with emotion, tears welling in her eyes.

"You need to go; I need you to live, for me. Tell Sam it's okay - that I'm okay. You have to have to take care of him now, hell; you need to take care of each other. Be brave. I love you, Elena." Dean's voice shook as he spoke. "I will always love you."

"I love you…"

In one swift motion Dean pulls her into his arms, holding onto her for dear life. He pulls back and places his lips on hers softly.

"Go." He commanded as he let her go. Just like that, it was over.

Grabbing onto my sobbing, best friends arm I finish the spell, "Domus. "

And everything goes white.


A/N: I can't wait to update again and can't wait to read your reviews
xo