Blood Sharing

Chapter 14 - Smoke

Rated M

A/n: Well, you've stuck with me this long. Maybe you'll stay with me a little while longer? You know you need a fix while the show is on two week hiatus! Thanks for not sending me hate mail over the last chapter hehe.

Chapter Song- Ben Folds - Smoke

Elena and Stefan were both drifting in and out of muddy sleep. In between it all they talked, sometimes coherently, sometimes not. Elena asked him what it would feel like if she just flipped the switch. "It doesn't feel like anything." explained Stefan. "That's the point. You shut off, you're just instinctual. For me- I was a ripper." Elena nodded. "It hurts Elena, I know. I've thought about flipping it too. But Bonnie, Matt, Jeremy... they need us. They need us to be present." they both drifted in and out individually debating the idea of turning everything off.

Suddenly there was a knock at the door that had them both shooting up out of the bed.

"Seriously?" groaned Damon to Jeremy. "I'm gone, what, 3 days? And he's already in bed with her? Being a ghost sucks."

"It's not like that." groaned Jeremy right back as he opened the door.

"Not like what?" asked Elena skidding to the side of the bed as Jeremy came by to hug her.

"Hey. You okay? I mean... I know that's a terrible question..." said Jeremy sitting next to his sister.

"I'm with her." said Stefan solemnly. "Is everything okay?" he glanced at the clock and realized how late it was.

"Uh. I don't know." said Jeremy turning to see a Damon that no one else could see. "It's Damon. He's here..."

Stefan and Elena bolted into alertness, rigid like cat's with hair on end.

"But I don't feel his blood..." said Elena, eyes wide, searching the room.

"That's cuz I don't have blood anymore." sighed Damon.

"Elena... I can see him because he's dead. He's a ghost. He's standing right here." said Jeremy softly motioning. Elena and Stefan both stared into the emptiness.

"Oh My God." Elena jumped up standing in the empty space. Jeremy watched Damon's shoulders droop, as he stood adjacent to Elena. "Damon...?" Damon inwardly sighed and tried to touch Elena's face. His hand moved through her.

Stefan was watching too. Willing the emptiness to show him his brother. "Is he there? Is he alright? What's happening?" he demanded.

"He says he's okay. Your Dad is there with him on the other side he says. And Lexi, she's giving him a hard time." explained Jeremy.

Stefan laughed, and cried, at the same time. "Dad...? and Lexi?" he put his hand over his mouth, and then moved it to wipe his tears away. Stefan felt just a little loose, like he was a slip away from reality.

Damon watched his brother from his standing point with Elena.

"Rose is there too. She's okay now. Damon saw John. Jenna..." explained Jeremy.

"Isobel... our parents?" asked Elena cautiously. Jeremy nodded.

"Yeah, he met them all there. Mom and Dad... they thanked him for watching out for you. All of them, they all know what you're going through. Lexi is impressed with your blood lust control." said Jeremy with a shrug. Elena giggled then, through her tears then too. She and Stefan sat like that for a moment in quiet.

"Is he still there?" she asked quietly. Jeremy nodded. "Can he see me? Can he hear me?" Jeremy nodded again. "Damon... I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry this happened."

"I'm sorry I asked you for the cure." said Stefan. "I didn't know brother, I should have never trusted Klaus."

"He says to stop beating yourselves up. You couldn't have known. Klaus is a dick." Jeremy had to stop and laugh then. "He loves you both. He misses you. But he's okay. He can still watch over you from the other side." said Jeremy.

Damon rolled his eyes. "Stop prettying up what I say." he said sarcastically. "...and leaving out all the curse words." he smirked.

Jeremy shrugged and smiled. "He can't stick around too long, other side rules. "

"Damon. I love you. I love you so much I can't feel you here but I can still feel you in my blood." said Elena so intensely that Stefan, Jeremy, and even Damon were taken aback.

"Her blood is still bonded?" asked Damon.

"He wants to know if your blood is still bonded." repeated Jeremy.

"I don't know. I can't feel you like I could, but I still feel the power of the blood bond. You're in me. Even if you're a ghost on the other side there's a part of you here." explained Elena. "I wish I could see you." she cried. "Just one last time." They all stood a moment in silence.

"I can help with that." came Bonnie's voice from the doorway. Everyone looked up. "I was looking in the grimmoire before I fell asleep. I woke up to this page. I can cast a spell so you can see Damon. You won't be able to touch him, it'll be on the next full moon, but you can see him and say goodbye." she passed the book to Stefan so he could read for himself.

"Really?" Stefan asked hopefully.

"Yes but... you have to decide if this is something you really want to do. It's going to hurt a lot. All over again. You'll see him, and know that he's going somewhere you can't go yet. You can say goodbye to his face, but it'll be a real goodbye." explained Bonnie softly, taking her spot next to Jeremy and touching him lightly on the arm. "After this he'll be gone. Are you sure you want to do it?"

Stefan and Elena were quiet. Then, as if on the same wave length, she, Stefan, and Damon all said "Do it." at the same time. Bonnie nodded.

"It'll be three days. Can you wait that long Damon?" asked Bonnie.

They all watched as Jeremy stood silently listening.

"... he says your his new favourite witch and he takes back every bad thing he's ever said, done, or thought." laughed Jeremy.

Elena and Stefan were now standing facing the spot where Jeremy had been listening from. "Three days, okay buddy?" said Stefan.

"Just three more days." said Elena hopefully, batting tears from her eyes. "We'll see you soon."

Jeremy didn't say anything else, so they knew Damon was gone once again to whatever was on the other side.

The three days went by in a haze. Everyone needed to be up to date on everything that had been going on around town. Stefan and the others at the boarding house learned that Klaus had been busy. He was currently chasing Tyler after an issue with un-sired hybrids. Rebekah insisted her brother still had some line on doppelgänger blood, though she was just as upset as anyone else that Klaus wasted the cure. Meredith was making sure the house was stocked with blood, and Bonnie was gathering all the supplies she needed to do the spell.

Elena had been lingering by the cellar door off and on. She'd try to keep herself busy, throw herself into books trying to find out anything she could about the witch and the vampire for whom the cure had originally been intended, and she'd find herself stopping at the top of the stairs drifting off into space. Sometimes Stefan would come by and tap her lightly on the arm- she'd shake out of it and go back to what she was doing. Sometimes Stefan would just let her have the moment, because he'd been having them too. They both knew they were delaying facing the fact that Damon was dead. They were holding on to hope that something would come through, that this all wasn't real, and the full moon wasn't going to be the last time they'd see Damon. But they both knew, down those steps, in the cellar, Damon's lifeless and stoned body was laying motionless, cold, and gray. Eventually they'd have to face it. But for now, they focused on the upcoming full moon.

When the night finally came, both Stefan and Elena were anxious, filled with stomach butterflies, and on edge. They'd agreed, Stefan would go first and be with Bonnie while she did the spell. She needed another Salvatore to help initially anchor Damon to this plane. Stefan would spend half the time with his brother, then it would be Elena's turn. She was trying desperately not to be selfish. She knew Stefan needed this every bit as much as she did. But it was pure agony watching him walk into Damon's room ahead of her, and having Bonnie shut the door. Elena sat in the hallway, in the dark, on the floor. She strained to hear voices, but it was like Damon's room existed in another universe. Her heart pounded. Elena closed her eyes and tried to calm her nerves.

Meanwhile, in the room, Bonnie was bleeding drops from Stefan's finger into a burning bowl full of herbs and a piece of Damon's hair. The flame rose higher, changed colour, and red smoke floated from it. Stefan's eyes were hypnotized watching it dance. Bonnie chanted. Stefan closed his eyes and tried to send all his mental energy to Bonnie. "Did it work yet?" Came a cool voice. Both Stefan and Bonnie opened their eyes to see Damon standing in the room.

"Brother." said Stefan with a smile.

From the hallway Elena heard the door creek open. Bonnie quietly stepped out. Elena looked at her questioningly. "His spirit will sustain until the moon sets." she explained. "He's spending time with Stefan now. You can go in soon. Just remember, when the moon sets, he has to go." said Bonnie grimly, placing her hands on her friend's shoulders. The two stared at each other silently, and Elena nodded.

"It's just like Cinderella or something." sniffled Elena. "I'm so glad I have this chance to sa-" her voice cracked then and the tears that had been threatening to come spilled over. Bonnie hugged her tightly. "... say goodbye." finished Elena. "Thank-you Bonnie. I don't know how I'll ever be able to repay you."

"Don't thank me. Thank Prof. Shane. He's the one who helped me get my magic back, and he's the one who helped me find the spell." said Bonnie. Elena didn't know what to make of that. Her gut instinct was a bad one when it came to Shane. But she'd barely seen him or knew anything about him with everything that had been going on the past few weeks. What was he getting out of helping Bonnie anyway? A question to be asked once she'd said goodbye to Damon... that's for sure.

Leaf by Leaf page by page
Throw this book away
All the sadness all the rage
Throw this book away
Rip out the binding, tear the glue
All of the grief we never even knew
We had it all along
Now its smoke

"Dad f-forgives me?" stammered Stefan staring across at a shrugging Damon.

"He's had a lot of time to see things for what they were, and what they are Stefan." Damon explained. "He knows you couldn't control yourself." Damon watched his brother thoughtfully.

"You're not just saying that are you?" asked Stefan nervously.

"Nah. One of the rules from the other side. I can't lie anymore." complained Damon with raised eyebrows.

"There a lot of rules? What is it like on the other side...?" asked Stefan, curious for a moment.

"Well that's one of the rules, I can't say much." grinned Damon. "Literally, I can try, and nothing will come out. It's not even a choice. I can just tell you everyone we know who died ends up where I am some point or they can pass through it too. Others have moved on. Like Pearl and Anna."

Stefan nodded. "...but you're okay?"

"I'm dead brother." chided Damon. "It sucks. But if you're asking if I'm in pain or something, no. I can't physically feel anything, and even my emotions are starting to get fuzzy around the edges."

"You have emotions?" snorted Stefan with a half smirk. "I'm just thankful I can see you like this... one last time..." Stefan got that far away look on his face and Damon picked up on it right away.

"Hey now, don't go all emo Stefan on me here. You won't be able to see me but I'm still here watching over you guys. I don't know there might be days where I can do more than that - remember Mason Lockwood? Who knows... just... keep living brother. Take care of Elena." Damon tried to put his hand on Stefan's shoulder, but it went right through.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry I never got a chance to even understand you and Elena. I loved her. I still do. In a different way now I guess. I never meant to be in constant competition with you all the time. Katherine.. Elena... our father." Stefan hung his head.

"Hey, no one could of known we had that crazy blood bond going on. Hell, I didn't even know why I wanted Elena so badly. It just took over. I should be apologizing to you. I never meant to steal your girl and then go get killed so you couldn't be mad." insisted Damon. "You're still allowed to be mad, brother."

Stefan shrugged. "It's okay. I see things differently. I watched her when you died. What you have... had... it was something very unique. It's a bond I can't compete with and I accept that."

"You still need to take care of her. Take care of each other. Don't turn off. Only I'd do something like that." said Damon firmly. Stefan nodded.

"I wish I could take back all those wasted years of feuding." said Stefan. "Now that you're gone all I can focus on are the what ifs"

"Yeah, I get that too." admitted Damon. "But you have to move on sometime bro. I know, it'll be hard without my smug face greeting you every day. But this is life Stefan. It's screwed up, but it's better than being dead. You can still live, do all those things I never bothered to do, like being nice to people and junk."

Stefan smiled. "I'm going to miss you. A lot. More than you'll ever know."

"Oh, I think I know." said Damon remembering the years he avoided his brother.

The things we've written in it
Never really happened
All of the people come and gone
Never really lived
All of the people have come have gone
No one to forgive smoke
We will never write a new one
There will not be a new one
Another one, another one

Stefan quietly slipped out of the room, and touched his hand to a dazed Elena's shoulder. She was listless, as if in a trance, but she came to the instant he touched. She looked up at him. His eyes were glistening, but he was calm. "It's time." he said softly, helping her to her feet. He gave her hand a squeeze.

"Are you okay?" she asked. Stefan was quiet for a moment.

"No... but I will be." he answered. He held her hand an instant longer, and then let go and retreated downstairs to report to Bonnie.

Elena stood silently in the hall outside the door. She took a deep breath and tried to steady herself. She pushed through the door and Damon turned to her with a sad smile. "Damon..." she wasn't sure if she'd moved with vampire speed or if she was really just that out of it- because in the time it took her to say his name she was face to face with him. Her body intercepting his spirit.

"Hi beautiful. My beautiful doe-eyed Elena." Damon raised his hand to stroke her cheek, it went through, but she touched her cheek just the same. "Don't cry." it was too late, she was squeezing her eyes shut and tears were still pouring through. She choked back a sob.

"I'm sorry. I'm s-sorry. I just miss you so much. It hurts so bad. There's a huge hole where you used to be. I wish I was there with you now." she cried.

"Shhh. No. No. Don't wish that. People need you here, and I'm not going anywhere. Even if you can't see me. It's okay Elena. I'm not hurt. I'm okay." he sauntered over the flame that Bonnie had left burning and motioned for her to sit down. "Look. Watch this." he passed his hand through the flame and the flame spiked, then flickered. Elena watched on in confusion. "I know. Cheesy and stereo-typical. But I can do weird little things like this. I will. So you know I'm around and watching out for you. Anytime you see it you'll know it's me... or you left the window open." he grinned.

Elena sat next to him, with tears still pouring. "I wish I could touch you. Just one last time. I wish I could kiss you. I wish I could give you my blood."

"It's probably all for the better. I'd want nothing more. But it would make it harder. We only have a little time left so you need to listen closely, okay?" said Damon sharply. Elena stared back at him. "You will make it through this Elena. You will because you're a survivor. You're just a baby vamp and you've already lived through things I never had to. You're in control of your blood lust, and Stefan, Jeremy, the others, they're counting on you to come out the other end. I know you can do this."

Elena nodded. "You have to do this Elena. You have to do this for me. Just think of me all alone on the other side feeling miserable because I'm watching you slowly die of heart ache. Don't make me miserable." leave it to Damon to turn it around selfishly. She knew it was all a tough guy act.

"Did it hurt? To die?" asked Elena in a soft voice.

"It hurt when Klaus stabbed me, but no. When I died, that instant, I was looking at you. I could see this light, an aura, just coming off you. It enveloped me and I felt like it was okay to let go." admitted Damon. "I guess I could die because I knew you loved me in the end."

"I love you so much Damon." said Elena intensely, leaning forward on her knees.

"I love you too. but you have a whole eternity now. You'll find someone else to love, and who will love you." said Damon, swallowing his own pride.

"Nobody will be you. You're the one I've bonded with. That doesn't just happen. Nothing will compare." argued Elena.

"heh." chuckled Damon. "Well, time is a funny thing. It makes things that hurt like hell now, only a whisper of an ache later." he smirked. "I want to try something." in a quick moment he reached forward and tried to brush Elena's hair out of her face. Instead his hand went through her. He looked determined and tried again. Elena practically crossed her eyes trying to look up and see. "Stay still." he batted at her face but it did nothing. He frowned. "Concentrate on our blood bond. You said you could still feel the bond- right?" Elena nodded. She closed her eyes and focused hard. That's when Damon blew a slow steady stream of cold breath across her forehead, pushing her hair into little wisps. Elena's eyes popped open in surprise. "It's not much. Closest I can get to a kiss for now." smirked Damon.

"Wait!" said Elena knowing their time was coming to an end. "Just... do it one more time. Give me a real goodbye." She sat up, closed her eyes, and waited.

Damon stared at her, feeling all the passion he'd ever felt for her. Sucking himself into a pit of misery knowing this was likely the last time she'd ever see him. He brought his face level with hers, and blew the air across her lips. He watched as goosebumps spread across her skin. "Goodbye Elena. I love you." he said softly as the moon went down below the horizon.

"Goodbye Damon." the candle flickered out. "I love you."

Here's an evening dark with shame
Throw it on the fire
here's the time I took the blame
Throw it on the fire
Here's the time we didn't speak
it seemed for years and years
Here's a secret
No one will ever know the
reasons for the tears
They are smoke

They all sat silently in the living room in front of the fireplace. Stefan had shared some of his talk with the others, but Elena had remained silent. "At least I know he's okay." said Stefan. "It's interesting to know he's there with my father, your family members, Lexi, and others." he turned to Bonnie. "I can't thank-you enough for doing this Bonnie. I think I'm okay now. It hurts like hell and I'll never get over it. But maybe I can move on, move forward. After all, we all know Klaus has been up to a lot. I won't let him get away with killing my brother either. "

Elena sat in an oversize arm chair, quiet, watching the flames in the fire, willing her lips to feel a breeze on them. There was none. Stefan was prattling on, Jeremy and Bonnie would interject with some questions or comment, but all she heard was a steady pop and hiss from the hearth. Her life, and her afterlife, had changed so much because of the Salvatore brothers. She was only just learning how to be a vampire and being with Damon had made it all worth it. Now, she resented it. It meant an eternity without him unless someone killed her. He'd never forgive her if she took her own life, and she knew that would be incredibly selfish. She hoped in a few days, weeks, maybe months... the idea wouldn't seem so tempting. "We should do something with his body." she suddenly said.

All eyes turned to her. "Damon's body?" asked Jeremy.

"We can't just leave it down there. Does your family have a plot Stefan?" she asked. Stefan nodded.

"Yeah. I never visited it though. On Damon did. I'd have to get some help finding it, but it's in the local graveyard here I'm sure." he answered. Elena nodded.

"Damon wants us to keep going. but I can't knowing his body is still down there. So, first thing tomorrow we start making plans." she announced from her seat, still looking detached.

Bonnie went to say something when a strong knock on the door interrupted her. Everyone looked up. They were on edge, exhausted, and it was very late at night- almost early morning. "Caroline?" thought Elena out loud.

Stefan moved for the door, and cautiously opened it. A man and a woman stood on the other side, and Stefan could tell right away that the man was a vampire. The woman was elegant, with olive skin, and pale white hair pulled back into a regal hair style though she wore modern clothes. The man wore a long black over coat, opened, with an unbuttoned at the top black dress shirt. Stefan could make out the faint pink line of a scar across his left peck. "Who are you?" he demanded, his vampire senses kicking it into high gear. From the instant they heard him speak, Bonnie and Jeremy were clamouring to stand behind him, and Elena was there in a flash.

The woman bobbed her had, and the man removed a fedora from his head and did the same. "Sorry to come calling at such a late hour. We had hoped to be here earlier, to see your ghost." said the man with faint traces of an accent Stefan couldn't place. Stefan's eyes went wide, and so did the others. "It seems we've just missed him. My name is Darien, this is my wife, Andraia." he motioned to the woman who stepped forward.

"We're looking for Elena Gilbert. We have a proposition for her that she won't be able to refuse." said the woman.

Elena stepped next to Stefan, staring at the two people in complete shock. "...but you're... you're... the witch who made the cure?" she stammered out. The woman nodded.

"Aye. And this would be the vampire it was intended to be used on. Before Klaus killed him." she motioned to Darien.

"Wait... the ex-lover was YOURS...?" asked Bonnie.

"The ex-lover was Klaus?!" yelled Jeremy trying to see around the group.

"But more importantly..." started Elena "You, are not a dead -on the other side- vampire." she pointed at Darien. He simply smiled.

"Well you see. That's what we came to talk to you about." he grinned a devious smile and his eyes twinkled.

"I think you better come in and explain." said Stefan stepping out of the way as the others watched on carefully.

Where do all the secrets live
They travel in the air
You can smell them when they burn
They travel
Those who say the past is not dead
Stop and smell the smoke
You keep on saying the past is not dead
Come on and smell the smoke
You keep saying the past is not even past
You keep saying
We are, smoke