Some things will stay with you forever. No matter how hard you fight the thoughts going over again and again in your head. Some things you just can't escape.
The blackness was overwhelming, leaving her drowsy. She could hear the sound of muffled voices, unable to place a name to them. The darkness was drawing her in, refusing to let her go. I have to fight it she thought, but Elena didn't want to. She didn't want to face her fears that Damon might be gone... The last thing she remembered was Klaus's hand reaching to rip out his heart, the lightning struck sparking the fire entrapping them. The smoke caused confusion, with the lack of vision and difficulty breathing through the fumes. She could see Damon's lack of movement, it was too much for her not knowing, passing out into the blackness.
Blue skies met her, the sun bearing down. She walked excitedly towards the small lake, her eyes searching for him. She looked upwards flying against the blueness was a crow with the blackest wings, on the lake five swans could be seen, so elegant and graceful. Damon waited for her, leaning against the tree, his hair falling in his eyes. His gaze fixed on hers, always so electrifying, she felt herself blush. He took her hand, leading her the way down to a secluded spot shaded by rocks with a picnic basket laid out for them. They spent a lazy afternoon together, basking in their love.
She asked, "Do you believe we are destined to be with one person, love them beyond reason?"
He pondered her words, "Sure I believe that. If you are lucky enough to find that one person you know you can't live without."
"If you believe in such a powerful love, at the end of the day will love always conquer all?"
"Think of it as a journey, with ups and down and twists and turns. At the end of the day, if it's meant to be, it will be. You can't fight fate."
Their lips met in a tender kiss.
Elena could hear a familiar voice calling her name, "Elena! Elena! You have to snap out of it, wake up! I love you, please open your eyes. What the hell is wrong with you?" She felt her body being shaken lightly, all she wanted was to be left alone in the darkness.
Her mind drifted away again, this time taking a different path. She could see Stefan, they were in an unfamiliar house, sitting together at a dining table laughing and listening to music with a glass of wine in hand. That's odd she thought, it seemed as though they were quite comfortable with one another. The vision continued as they walked back along the beach watching the sunset, when he placed his arms around her waist telling her he loved her.
This caused Elena to rouse as sweat formed on her brow, leaving her shaking. "No. It can't be this way, I love Damon, where is he?"
The thought of finding Damon bringing her back to consciousness, her eyes blinking she saw Bonnie kneeling down beside her. Her eyes searching for him, the fire was gone and inside the triangle all was empty except the black drops of ash.
Bonnie smiled, "Welcome back, you had us worried."
Elena tried moving her head, wincing in pain. "What happened? Where is Damon?"
Bonnie was covered in soot, "He is ok, he made it through Elena."
She breathed a sigh of relief, "Oh thank god, I was so worried about him. Where the hell is he? I need to see for myself?"
Bonnie's shoulders slumped, her eyes averted refusing to meet hers. Elena felt a pang of fear, asking her, "What's wrong?"
Her friend's eyes were full of remorse, tears escaped as she blubbered, "I couldn't do anything to help him Elena! He was rushed to hospital."
Her mind raced with worry, "Damon? Why is he there? Tell me Bonnie!"
She shook her head, "No, it's Stefan. He is in a bad way, the ritual, I don't know.. He didn't heal like he normally would."
"What are you trying to say?" her voice unsteady.
"Elena, he didn't heal from the fire. Stefan was burnt to over 20% of his body. He is in a coma."
She looked incredulous, "What do you mean he couldn't heal? I don't understand?"
Bonnie shrugged, "I'm sorry, I don't know anymore. I'm in the dark here."
She sat there stunned, "I can't believe this. Can you take me to the hospital I need to see them?"
Bonnie reached for her keys, "Sure, let's go. Damon is going to need you, he feels like it's his fault Stefan's life is dangling on by a thread."
Elena jumped up forgetting her own pain, "Please take me to him Bonnie, now!" She had to see him, knowing Damon and his guilt didn't go hand in hand, he could become reckless when he was angry.
Elena walked the hospital corridors, the grotty white walls and fluorescent lights mingled in with that hospital stench making her stomach turn. Her eyes checking off the room numbers as she went along. At the end of the corridor she caught sight of him, leaning down over the water fountain splashing water against his face. She stopped mid step glorifying in the sight of him, unscathed and unharmed. His eyes met hers as she ran to him, his arms grabbing her around her waist pulling her in close, their lips meeting urgently.
When they parted she said, "Damon! I'm so glad you are ok, here you are just like you said you would." She smacked his arm, "Don't ever do something like that again! Do you know how much I love you?"
He swung her in the air, "Don't ever pass out like that again. You had me worried Elena Gilbert, because I love you."
She laughed half heartedly, "We aren't talking about me Damon, put me down."
"I'm sorry, I wanted to stay with you until you woke up.." He placed her feet back on the ground, a sombre look on his face, "I had to come here, for Stefan."
Her face turned serious, "Damon, how is he? Bonnie told me what happened."
"Not good, he's still in a coma." His eyes darted towards a nurse leaving his room, "The doctor is making the rounds later, so I will know more then."
"How did this happen? I mean you know, not healing? I don't get it?"
"Elena, there is something you need to know..."
A nurse called out, "Mr Salvatore?" Damon approached her, speaking in low voices his face echoed with worry watching her retreating back. Elena walked towards him, "What did the nurse say, any news?"
He ran his hand through his hair, "No further information. I could compel these drop kicks into doing anything I say. But right now my main priority is getting Stefan through this."
She touched his arm, "I'm sorry, of course you are right. Is there anything you want me to do?"
He flicked his head towards Stefan's room, "You want to go in? I'm sure he would like to hear a familiar voice."
She was already halfway through the door. His room was dark, the curtains drawn shut with only the lamp on, and the machine monitoring his vitals beeping incessantly. He looked so helpless, lying in that bed with his body bandaged and his eyes closed. She sat down next to him, speaking softly, "Stefan, it's me Elena. I'm sorry to see you like this. You have a lot of people who care about you. We want you to get better."
She stopped talking, taking his limp hand in hers giving it a squeeze. "I know I am probably the last person you want to hear from, but please listen. You have to fight and get back to your brother, he loves you. You have had your differences, but you always overcame them. That's what family does, they forgive Stefan."
She took a breath, her voice faltering, "I hope one day you are able to forgive me for falling in love with him, but that's up to you, I won't push it. But don't let that cloud your feelings for Damon, he's blood and the only family you have left. Fight for that Stefan." She turned her head, Damon was standing in the doorway with a forlorn expression on his face, then something akin to guilt, then it was gone.
He stared at her, "I think you should be checked over in emergency. Ric spoke with Meredith, she agreed to do it."
"That's not necessary, because I'm fine." She walked towards him, planting her arms firmly around his waist. She didn't want to leave his side.
He kissed the top of her head, "Just let her give you a quick check over, I'll come down with you ok?"
She relented, "Fine, let's get it over and done with then." They left the room Damon walking briskly whilst she stared back at the darkened room.
The emergency department was busy, ambulances rolling in with dozens of patients on beds waiting. There were people wandering around looking dazed and confused, she could hear the doctors and nurses hard at work. They walked towards the curtained off section in the corner, where she sat on a chair, waiting. Damon leant against the window, staring into the distance. Meredith had been thorough, checking all her vitals before sending her off for x-rays. When the results were back, she informed them that Elena had a clean bill of health. She smiled, "Now get out here, as you can see we are busy."
They sat at an empty table in the hospital cafe. Elena noticed his eyes were bloodshot, with purple cicles underneath, he looked totally shattered as he said to her, "You look like you could use a stiff drink." He called the waitress over, ordering her a strong coffee with a chocolate muffin.
Elena moved uncomfortably on the plastic chair, "What happened out there Damon? Where is Klaus do we need to worry about him?"
She waited for his response that was a long time coming. "Yes we need to worry about Klaus, because he got away. I couldn't go after him, he could be plotting our downfalls right now!" His fist slammed against the table, "We could of had him Elena!"
She was about to respond when the hospital intercom called out, "Paging Dr Christian. Code blue, code blue, room 301. Dr Christian."
Damon bolted out of his seat racing towards the elevators. She quickly followed, struggling to keep up. The room was blocked as the medical staff calmly worked as a team to bring him back. It was sometime before they exited, the doctor came out to speak with Damon. "We got him just in time, any longer we would have lost him. He's stable right now, you can go in."
Damon shook his hand, "Thank you so much Dr. I can't say that enough."
The doctor nodded, "There is still a long way to go. He has a difficult recovery in front of him."
They walked to his room she paused as Damon entered first. He huddled over Stefan, while she stood opposite, looking down at Stefan a shadow of his former self. "Why is this happening? Why can't he heal? He's a vampire for goodness sake!"
Damon mumbled something incoherent, she asked, "What was that?"
"He is not going to heal by himself Elena."
"He has been through worse things than a fire, you know that. So why can't he?"
Damon snapped, "He can't because I stuffed up again! I came up with this stupid plan and look at him on deaths door!"
"Damon, this is not your fault." She sensed his anguish and his guilt, she knew Damon was hurting. All she wanted to do was make this all go away.
"You know why he can't heal, why he is like this? You want to know, so you can tell me this isn't my bloody fault?" His hand swiped the water jug off the table sending it crashing to the floor.
She trembled, "Damon you need to let it out. Whatever this is, it's tearing you up inside."
His lips opened as she heard the words, "Because he's human Elena."