Stefan

I'm awoken by bird song and sunshine streaming through the curtains and when I turn my head to see Elena's sleepy, doe eyes staring at me a content grin instantly comes across my face as I remember last night wasn't a dream. Elena's really back and all is right in the world once more.

"Morning," she says, running her hand down my chest and lifting her head to plant a soft kiss on my lips.

"Morning," I reply, stroking her cheek unable to tear my eyes from her.

She shifts closer to me so that her body is against mine and her head is rested on my shoulder and I wrap my arm about her holding her close. A soft sigh escapes both of us simultaneously causing us both to giggle.

"I forgot how good this felt," I say.

"Mmm, I know what you mean," she replies. "I wish we could just stay here forever."

"Me too," I admit. "I still can't get over the fact that you're really back. That you're here right now."

She smiles, but then a shadow of grief flickers in her eyes as she remembers the cost of her being here. I know it's selfish of me, but I don't want to face up to it yet because I want to cling to this perfect moment for as long as possible.

"I should get back home. I don't want Jeremy to wake up without me being there. He's gonna need me."

I sigh. "You know, we can find a way to get Bonnie back. Maybe there's another spell we can use or can find another witch or keep trying to find Silas."

She sighs mournfully and I place my hand on her face, prompting her to meet my eyes. "Hey, whatever happens I'm here for you, okay? We'll get through this together."

She nods, a small smile of gratitude and sadness on her lips.

"I'm just gonna grab a quick shower before I go," she says climbing out of bed.

I reach over, grab her hand and she swings round to face me. "I'll go with you, let's just have 10 more minutes"

"Stefan, I can't..."

"Just 10 minutes," I plead, looking up at her with puppy dog eyes.

She rolls her eyes, but gives into me and a smile comes across her face as I yank her back causing her to fall onto the bed with a giggle. I blow raspberries on her neck and chest, which causes her to cackle, then I move up to press my lips to hers. We're both so giddy with joy that as we kiss our teeth clash against each other from the smiles that are plastered on our faces. She winds her fingers in my hair and as my tongue dances with hers, flashes of last night to run through my mind, causing my heart to leap in my chest and my toes to curl.

I bury my face in her neck, lick her skin, stroke her hair and plant kisses over every inch of her face, desperate to make up for the endless weeks of separation, until she fills me up from the inside.


Damon

I lie in the center of my four poster bed, staring up at the ceiling, the sound of Stefan and Elena's gleeful giggles and their lips smacking together echoing in my ears. I've been like this for the last 5 hours, paralysed by the shattering pain of hearing them whisper sweet nothing's in each others' ears and their moans and groans of pleasure as they made love.

That should be me.

I'm the one that was willing to go to any lengths to help Bonnie bring her back and if it had been up to Stefan she would still be a rotting, lifeless corpse. Yet here I am, heartbroken, alone, the woman I love back in my brother's bed. I expected this and knew that the chances of Elena coming back to life and suddenly coming to the realisation that I'm the one she truly loves were slim to none, but the sacrifice of her being with Stefan was one I was willing to make if it meant she was alive. But now...part of me wishes she was still dead, and it's not even because I can't have her or that she wants my brother, but because I can't live with her hating me. I knew she wouldn't thank me for letting Bonnie die for her, but she should. After all, based on what I've heard she's happy and if she loves Stefan so much she should be grateful that she has the second chance to be with him, that I've given her.

Well, that Bonnie and I have given her. Poor Bonnie... I never thought I'd feel any sense of sadness or remorse for her death, but I do and some part of me deep down inside is cursing myself for pitying myself this much when I'm not the one that has really suffered. But the selfishness of my heart won't let me access that compassion and instead all I can do is wallow.

Every time I think I'm turning a corner where Elena is concerned I find myself right back in this bottomless pit of bitterness and despair and I'm so sick of it. I heard Elena plainly tell Stefan that she wants to be with him, that it was always him, that she will never stop loving him and it's not the first time she's said it, but I think last night was the first time I really heard it.

It's not in my nature to give up on love, which is evident from the 100 years I devoted to Katherine, but it doesn't matter how hard I try or how much I pray, Elena will never be mine, because just like Katherine, Elena recognises that Stefan is the brother more worthy of her love.


Elena

When I finally manage to pull myself away from Stefan, still breathless and lightheaded from the passionate electricity jolting through my body, I pull one of his shirts over my head, grab a towel and head down the hall towards the bathroom, but not before stealing one final kiss. Part of me knows that this is wrong, that I shouldn't be this happy considering Bonnie is gone and I hate myself for it. The grief and guilt of Bonnie's loss and dread at facing Jeremy weighs down heavily on my heart but this is everything I've been waiting for for weeks and I can't help the grin that's still on my face as I practically skip down the hall, the smell of Stefan still on my skin, my nerves still tingling from the feel of his fingertips and my mouth is wet with traces of his saliva.

Damon emerges from his room suddenly and I collide with him, a grunt escaping me as the force of it causes me to stumble backwards. When I look at him, his bleary eyes are bulging in his head and his gaze sweeps up and down my body as he licks his lips. I insecurely pull down Stefan's shirt that is only just covering my buttocks and lower the towel in my hand in an attempt to cover the tops of my thighs. He stares at me so hard that it's almost as though he's staring right through me and my temperature soars as embarrassment and guilt overcomes me.

I don't know why I'm embarrassed, after all, Damon has seen me naked (the thought of that makes me shudder) and I sure as hell don't know why I feel guilty, considering he's the reason my best friend is dead. I guess it's because in spite of how enraged I am at him, I care about him and I know that he's suffered these last two weeks just as much as Stefan. He may not of shed a tear, but my death hit him just as hard and despite his unforgivable actions in regards to Bonnie, I understand that in his mind he thought he was doing the right thing and that he did it out of love. It's his twisted idea of love, but love nonetheless.

I can see in his eyes that he wants nothing more than to hold me so as to fully appreciate my being alive, but he remains stood firmly on the spot.

"Sleep well?" he asks, his voice high and his eyebrows raised.

All at once any shred of forgiveness or compassion that I might've been willing to show him is shattered and my anger returns.

"You have no right to judge me, considering you just helped to kill my best friend," I spit.

He rolls his eyes then says, "Need I remind you that if it wasn't for me helping to kill your best friend, you wouldn't be coming out of my brother's bedroom right now all rosy cheeked and grinning like a Cheshire cat."

I frown at him and shake my head in disbelief. I know this is how Damon behaves, that when he's in pain he acts out and makes things worse, but I'm still surprised by how low he manages to sink.

"Do you not feel even an ounce of remorse for what you've done? Are you really that cold?" I ask, crossing my arms.

"I dunno, maybe," he replies with a shrug. "But I know of a way you can warm me up. Come on, let me welcome you back properly."

He leans into me, wraps his fingers about my arm and pulls me lightly towards his bedroom. I wriggle from his grip, frowning in horror as I say, "Get off me, Damon."

"Why? Bed hopping between Stefan and I has never bothered you before. Why break the habit now?"

A conniving smile comes across his face and I clench my fists, attempting to restrain from punching him square in the face.

"My best friend is dead, but you still find a way to make it all about you and your feelings."

"Bit hypocritical, don't you think? Considering you've been rolling around with Stefan when your so called best friend is dead," he snaps.

His words are like a punch in the gut as the guilt resurfaces once more.

"This is all because you're jealous!" I retort, the pain of his words causing me to revert to being childish and petty.

"You know what? I am jealous," he admits, with a gesture of his arms, getting closer to me. "And do you know why? Because I still love you, although at this point I'm coming up empty as to why."

All at once my rage fades to give way to pity, as I hang my head then reply softly, "Damon, you can't keep doing this; lashing out at me for not feeling the same way as you. I'm...Stefan and I are back together...I love him and that isn't going to change. So please, tell me what I need to do. What will put an end to this? What will make you happy?" I ask exasperated.

I can't deal with this anymore. I died - twice - now Bonnie's dead and Jeremy needs me, but there's no point in walking away from without even attempting to resolve this, because Damon will just keep coming back like he always does, because no matter what I do or say, it doesn't seem to resonate with him that I've made my choice and it's not him. I know that it's my fault that he can't let go, because I gave him hope - when I kissed him, when I danced with him, when I slept with him and when I told him I loved him - and that's why I'm asking him now what I can possibly do to fix this, to finally give him peace.

"What would make me happy is that all that time when you were with me and telling me that you had feelings for me, that you loved me, that it was real. What would make me happy is for you to want to be with me, for you to be coming out of my room wearing my shirt and smiling because of me."

I shake my head. "Damon, you...you shouldn't say things like that."

"Why because you're with my brother? That's never stopped me."

By now I'm not even the slightest bit angry, I'm tired. Tired of hearing the same bitter and hateful words, tired of this cycle of negativity and pain, tired of him altogether.

"No, because of the sire bond," I state calm and collected.

"Sire bond..." he scoffs and tuts under his breath. "If there was such a thing as the sire bond do you really think we'd even be having this conversation right now?" he questions.

"It was real when I couldn't feed from blood bags and when I killed Connor and when I abandoned the people I loved in the middle of a life threatening fight," I retort, hand on hip. "And you seemed to think it was real when you were searching for the cure."

"Maybe I was just looking for the cure because I thought it would earn me some brownie points."

I scowl at him, then twist around and continue down the hall, having reached my limit.

"Nice to have you back, Elena," he calls after me snidely as I speed out of the corridor and into the bathroom slamming the door shut behind me.


Stefan

Not wanting to interfere in the conversation and allowing Elena to stand her ground with Damon like I know she can, I wait until I hear the door close behind Elena and the second I do, I march out of my bedroom and straight up to Damon, grabbing him by the scruff of his neck and pushing him up against the wall.

"What the hell do you think you're doing talking to Elena like that?" I growl.

"Oh, so you're talking to me now?" he comments sarcastically. "I have to tell you, I find this whole protective boyfriend thing so sweet."

I shake him violently and say through gritted teeth, "I mean it, Damon. Whatever has been going on with you and Elena, it's over now. She made her choice."

"You know, if I didn't know better I'd say you were threatened by me," he says squinting his eyes and pointing at me.

I drop him down onto the ground and back away from him, an exhalation of frustration escaping me. What's the point in getting angry at him, in scalding him? All that's doing is giving him what he wants; a reaction, and besides all this is is him dealing with his broken heart in the only way he knows how, by taking it out on those closest to him. I need to push aside any burning anger, choose to see past his actions and help him.

"For once in your life Damon, make a choice with your head instead of just acting on emotion and instinct."

"Are you really lecturing me about choices? About acting on emotion and instinct? Hah!"

"I'm not lecturing you, Damon, I'm trying to help you. I know you're hurting and I get it-"

"Do you?"

"Yeah, I do. In case it slipped your mind, I had my heart broken by Elena and you too. But I'm saying this to you as your brother now, not Elena's boyfriend, you need to stop this."

"I don't need to listen to this," he says turning on his heel and going into his bedroom.

"Yes you do," I say speeding in front of him and blocking his way. "You spent 160 years waiting for Katherine, don't make the same mistake again. I know you, Damon, better than anyone and despite everything you've done and all the sick stunts you pull, you're better than this," I say gesturing up and down at him. "And you deserve something more than this, but I don't think you think you do and that's the problem."

"You think you've got me all figured out, huh? What are you gonna start talking about next? My childhood? My daddy issues?" he mocks, still attempting to maintain his mask. I can see it slipping, the hint of hurt behind his eyes has become more prominent now and there's a change in his tone of voice that only I, as his brother, recognise as being filled with pain.

"It's almost like you keep clinging to all of this bad stuff in your life because you want to be punished. I know you love Elena, but is it really worth this? You're miserable."

"Oh and I suppose you'd just walk away from Elena if she chose me, right?" he bites.

"Yeah, I would. I'd walk away from Elena in a heartbeat if it was doing to us what it's doing to you, because some things are more important than love, Damon."

"Is that so?" he mocks.

"What use is loving someone if it doesn't work? If all it does is cause you pain? Love's supposed to make you better, happier, stronger."

"Like Elena does for you?" he asks in a patronising tone.

I ignore his snarky response and simply say, "I know somewhere deep inside that you don't want to keep doing this, but you won't let yourself let go. If Elena dying taught us anything it's that life is too short. We may be vampires, but we're not really immortal."

"How profound. One night back in the sack with Elena and you're a changed man, eh?

I sigh and reply, "I'm serious, Damon. Do you really want to spend the rest of your life like this? Because I don't want you to and I wouldn't want to either."

"What do you want to spend your life like, brother?" he asks folding his arms.

"With Elena."

"What keeps nagging at me is the irony of you trying to tell me I should walk away from Elena because all we do is cause each other pain and misery, given everything you two have put each other through," he challenges.

"You're right. I broke her heart and she broke mine more than once, but Elena being back has changed everything. With what happened with me losing my humanity, then her turning and you and-and her..." the thought of the two of them together still makes my stomach churn, "...we were in a such a bad place, worse than we'd ever been and we never really got chance to fix it, but we've got that chance now and I...we," I correct, "...really want it."

"So all that stuff you said was crap?"

"No, it wasn't," I reply with a shake of my head. "Because, yeah, Elena and I hurt each other, but that happens in every relationship."

"So when you hurt each other it's all fine and dandy and true love? But when it's me I should just cut and run, is that it? Why is it so different just because it's you?"

"Because she loves me," I state bluntly. "That's the difference, Damon. I know she's told you and you don't want to hear it so badly that you do everything you can to ignore it and pretend, but she loves me and I love her. We want the same thing; to be together and be better and I want it to be different this time. I want to build something real with her, I want us to be happy and-"

"And you want me out of the picture because I'm a threat," he finishes.

"No, because you're my brother and I want you to be happy too," I say truthfully.

He hangs his head as though a bombardment of emotions has swept through him.

"And partly, because I want you out of the way," I add making an attempt at a lighthearted joke.

He lifts his head and this time I can see that I've broken through that hard exterior. Strange that of all the things I've said, it's me vocalising that I actually care for him and want him to be happy that evokes an emotional response.

"And what about the cure? Is that part of your happily ever after?"

With everything that's been going on, the cure has gone from being the top of my priority list to the bottom. I haven't even had time to think about it and right now, I can't think about it because Bonnie's gone and Elena, Jeremy and Caroline need me to be there."

"So you're gonna leave the cure in Katherine's hands? What happened to wanting to find it, because of all the trouble she could cause?"

"After everything that's happened, I'm not going to do something else that's puts us in danger and going after the cure right now is a risk I can't take."

"You mean, you're going to let Elena stay sired to me? You sure you wanna do that?" he challenges, arching one of his eyebrows, the facade returning.

I laugh lightly and scratch the side of my head, then reply, "I'm not worried. I know what you're like, what you're capable of when it comes to Elena, but I trust her and I know that as much as you try to hide it, losing her changed you, just like it's changed me and you won't overstep the boundaries with her anymore."

"And what makes you think that?"

"Because if you were going to you would've done it already. You could've used the sire bond to get her to do what ever you want, but you haven't."

"Yet," he remarks.

I shake my head. "You haven't used it and you won't, and do you know why?"

"Nope, but I guess you're going to tell me."

"It's because you love her too much to be selfish with her now."

He meets my eyes and I can see that I've revealed his inner truth aloud and he doesn't like it.

"And guess what? You love me too much to do it too."

"Whoa, now don't be getting all cocky," he says holding up his hands and taking a step back.

"You say you hate me and a lot of the time it's probably true, but I think seeing how much it broke me when Elena was gone and how happy I am now I'm with her again, has made you realise that you wouldn't want to be the one to take that from me." I walk up to him, so that I'm looking him straight in the eye and add, "So no matter how much it kills you, you'll do the right thing this time, because you have to do right by me and Elena."

He holds my gaze and then he lets out a loud exhalation. "Well, well, well, that was some psychobabble."

"You only make jokes because you can't stand anyone knowing how much you feel, but I do know and I know you couldn't stand to admit that you actually care about me or maybe that you even need me, but you do."

He throws his head back and laughs lightly.

"It's okay, brother, I won't tell anyone," I reply playfully.

He glares at me for a few moments, but I'm sure I can see a small smile brewing just beneath the surface.

"But seriously..." I sigh, reaching out and placing my hand on his shoulder. "I know it's in your nature to be a dick, but I know you don't want to be and you don't have to be. Elena dying and coming back...it's a fresh start for all of us. We've been so afraid of being stuck, of being cursed to repeat history, but it's a choice. It's our choice, yours and mine."

I look at him expectantly and wait for another snide remark, but he stares at me completely awe stricken, then his eyes fall to the ground and I add, "I'm not asking you to leave Mystic Falls and go to the other side of the world, or to never see Elena again, all I'm saying is you have a choice. I chose Elena and she chose me, but what are you going to choose, Damon?"

His gaze flits up from the ground to meet my eyes and I can see they're brimming with tears, anxiety and despair and before I even have time to think I pull him into a my arms with a vice-like grip.


Elena

Stefan came to the bathroom and found me standing in the shower sobbing, as the emotions of dying and coming back to life for a second time, losing my best friend, re-uniting with Stefan, arguing with Damon and having to face Jeremy unexpectedly exploded out of me. He stripped off, climbed in with me and held me in his arms for countless minutes, the stream of hot water flowing over us as my body shook uncontrollably beneath his. Then he massaged shampoo into my hair, slathered my body with soap and I let him, appreciating this final moment of tranquility before going home to Jeremy.

Once we've showered and changed, we grab a couple of blood bags from the cellar, then take off in my car for the house. Despite wearing a blue shirt of Stefan's that's three sizes too big, having not even a shred of make-up on and my hair tied into a damp, messy ponytail, I can feel Stefan's eyes on me for the entire journey.

"It's gonna be okay," he says softly, gently squeezing my thigh as we pull up onto the drive.

I bite my lip and nod, then we climb out and head inside. The contours of Bonnie's body can still be seen through the moss green blanket that covers her and I feel my throat tighten, causing me to involuntarily gasp. I double over and Stefan is behind me in an instant, his hand on my back, making sure I'm okay.

"I'm...I'm fine," I lie.

"Jeremy's still sleeping. Maybe you should go to him alone."

"What?" I exclaim, the thought of being without him for even a moment filling me with anxiety.

"Look, I'll be right here if you need me," he says taking my hand. "Okay?"

I meet his gaze uncertainly, but nod and let go of Stefan's hand, before climbing the stairs, daunted by what's about to come. When I step into Jeremy's room, he's still laid in the exact same position I left him last night. Boy, those must've been some strong sedatives! I hesitate for a moment, remaining in the door way, tears welling up in my eyes and my hand over my mouth as I envision Jeremy's reaction when he awakes to see my face and then realises the consequences of my being alive.

I take a deep breath and remind myself that this is my responsibility. Bonnie made the hardest, most selfless it's possible to make when she cast that spell and the least I can do is be the one to tell my brother that she's gone. With Bonnie in my mind, I proceed towards the bed and sit beside Jeremy. I lean over him and gently shake his arm in an attempt to wake him, but he doesn't respond. I try again more forcefully, and still not even the flutter of an eyelid. The third time I call his name in his ear and a low, soft moan comes from him, causing my heart to jump.

He comes to slowly, the sedatives clearly still having a hold of him and all I see at first is a slit in his eyes, as he tries to pry them open. I know the exact moment that he realises it's me because he spasms violently and throws himself backwards so hard that he crashes into the headboard of his bed violently.

"El-El-Elena? But how-how...? What-? How-? Is this real?"

Seeing his eyes, brown like mine, staring back at me causes my heart to explode with joy. "It's me, Jer. It's really me. I'm here, I'm real," I say, my voice coarse as the tears instantly begin to fall.

He stares at me completely dumbfounded, but it only takes a moment for a huge, toothy grin of delight to come across his face as he practically falls on me, gripping me so tightly that I can't breathe.

"I can't believe you're really here!" he exclaims. "I can't...I can't believe it...I can't believe it..." he mutters over and over again over my shoulder. "I missed you, I missed you..."

"I missed you so much, Jer," I reply my face nuzzled into his shoulder.

We're both so caught up in seeing each other again that we momentarily forget the sacrifice that was made in order for me to be here, and I only remember when I feel Jeremy's body go suddenly rigid beneath mine. He pulls away from me and his wide, anxious eyes meet mine, as he realises that which I have not yet had the chance to tell him.

"Bonnie..." is all he manages to choke out.

I hang my head and bite my lip, then the joyful tears I was crying moments ago give way to frantic grief stricken sobs.

"No, no, no, no, no...no, no, no..." he says over and over and over, as though he can't and won't believe that she's really gone.

"I'm sorry, Jer. I'm so sorry. I'm sorry..." I whimper, looking up at him and pleading with him to forgive me for being the one alive in Bonnie's place.

"Where is she?" he asks.

"Wh-what?" I stammer.

"Where is she?" he asks again climbing from the bed and heading for the door.

"She's-she's downstairs, but..."

He sprints out of the door and I call after him, "Jer, I don't think you should... Jeremy!"

I use my vampire speed to block his way, but he demands that I move and proceeds to use all his strength to lift me up and move me out of his way. When I get downstairs, he's already standing over the couch where Bonnie is laid. I meet Stefan's eyes across the room and I stand by and watch as Jeremy pulls back the blanket.

Bonnie's face is devoid of emotion, of life and her once rich skin has already started to look pasty, her lips are ice blue and I squeeze my eyes tight shut, still unwilling to face the reality of her death. I hear a dull thud accompanied by panicked breathing and gasping and when I open my eyes Jeremy is on his knees before her, staring down at her, his face so contorted with pain that he looks like a stranger.

"How could she do this?" he asks quietly. "How could you do this?!" he then screams again this time at Bonnie directly. "How could you? You...I...I loved you and you...you just left me."

"Jer..." I say softly coming up behind him.

"No, Elena! It's not fair! Why is it always Bonnie that has to make the sacrifices, huh? It's always her, never anyone else."

"I know. Do you think I wanted her do to this for me? I would give my life up for her in a second if I could. I never wanted her to die, especially not for me. She's my best friend," I explain.

"Look, we're not giving up on Bonnie," Stefan says stepping forward. "Jeremy, listen to me. There was a way to bring Elena back, that means there's a way to bring Bonnie back. We'll find it, I promise."

"How? How are we gonna find it, Stefan?" he exclaims getting to his feet and turning on Stefan. "What's the point? What's the point in bringing her back just so she can keep being used for her magic to die a few months later in some other sacrifice? Maybe she's better off dead."

His words feel like a stab to the gut. "Jeremy, don't..." I say softly shaking my head. "You know you don't mean that."

He meets my eyes, then tilts his head to the side and his lip trembles for a few moments before he falls to the ground, descending into sobs. I step forward and practically catch him in my arms, falling to the ground with him in my embrace. He reaches for me, clinging to me desperately and my heart breaks all over again just for hearing his wails of despair. My own pain I can handle, but seeing my little brother like this...it kills me, especially since he's suffered more loss than anyone should have to endure. When Vicki died I was able to take his pain away through having Damon compel him, but that isn't an option this time, so I keep my arms about him, and rock him back and forth in an attempt to comfort him, although nothing can ease the agony of losing Bonnie. We remain in each other's embrace and seeing Bonnie's pastel blue face over Jeremy's shoulder, causes my chest to tighten so much that it's difficult to breathe and we cry together for the loss of the, courageous, selfless and beautiful Bonnie Bennett, whose absence has punctured a hole at the very center of our world that will remain for the rest of eternity.


Damon

My conversation with Stefan is on repeat in my head and the more I go over it, the more I itch to speak to Elena. She's been gone for two weeks and as much as I may pretend otherwise, I've missed her so much that it physically hurt and whilst there's still some stubborn part of me that is furious that she would place blame on me for Bonnie's death, there's another part that just wants to appreciate the fact that she's back and whilst I'm not ready to let go of her completely as Stefan suggested I should, I'm ready to let go off this persistent dark cloud hanging over our heads and finally get back to a good place with her.

I reach for my phone that's laid beside me on the bed and write a text to Elena. Usually I would call, but I know she's at home with Jeremy and interrupting her time with her brother would only be something else for her to add to the list of reasons to hate me. The text simply reads:

"Elena, I'm sorry about everything. I really need to see you, call me when you get this."

I don't bother checking over the text and sent it the second it's typed out, afraid that if I hesitate for even a second my unflinching desire to be right and win every argument I'm a part of, will prevent me from being the mature headed man I need to be.

It's strange because all I've wanted since the moment Elena died was for her heart to beat again, but it hasn't even been 24 hours since she's been back and I'm already in a worse place than I have been in weeks. How does she do that? No one else has that power over me. If every person on planet earth hated me I wouldn't care, but when it's her it tears me up inside. Before she died Bonnie asked if I would be able to handle having her hate me and I said I could, but now I just want it to stop. I'm used to Elena being mad at me, in fact that's how we work, with me doing something erratic and foolish and her tutting and scalding me for my childish and irresponsible ways, but this is different.

Bonnie was her best friend and although I didn't kill her with my own hands, I stood by and watched as she cast the spell that would end her life, surely that makes me just as responsible? As much as I hate to admit it, I think it does. I've been so determined to stand against Elena and refuse to let her make me feel guilty for being the only one to have the guts to do what needed to be done to bring her back, but somewhere deep inside I think I know that what I did was wrong. Not only because it hurts Elena and Jeremy, but because Bonnie didn't deserve it.

I cringe at myself and wonder when I became so freakin' righteous. I've killed more innocent people than I can count over the years, some even more pure, innocent and moral than Bonnie, yet I can't seem to shake that nauseating sense of guilt. I think of Bonnie on the Other Side isolated and completely alone and right now, I actually think I'd switch places with her if given the chance because I'm so exhausted. At every turn there's something else to drag me down and I don't have the strength to keep struggling for the surface anymore. I'm drained, my limbs are growing heavy and all I want to do is drown so that it will all be over.

My phone goes off and I practically pounce across the bed to retrieve my phone. I open the text from Elena that simply reads, "I need time," and then throw my phone across the room with a frustrated yell. It could've been a lot worse and I know given the circumstances it's a positive response, but all it's done is confirm that I need to get away.

Stefan seems to think I can change, that I can be better and find happiness if I'm willing to let go, but he's wrong because I can't let go, but I can run. I clear my drawers and wardrobes, stuffing everything into bags and then take off downstairs with one bag on each shoulder and a third hanging off my wrist. I grab for my car keys off the coffee table, but just as I'm reaching for the handle of the door someone bursts through and has me around the throat and up against the wall before I even have chance to react.

Cold, hard, pastel blue eyes are locked on mine and as I struggle for breath I gasp out, "Klaus? How-how...?"

"Did I get out? You tell me, because last time I saw of your brother, he left me there to rot."

Suddenly the realistation hits me and my eyes widen.

"So..." he tuts, "...care to explain?"

"Bonnie, she...she's dead."

He lets go of me and I cough and splutter, rubbing at my throat to relieve the pain.

"What?!" he roars causing me to flinch.

His jaw is clenched and he rubs at his chin, takes a deep breath then says calmly, "That's unfortunate, since she was the only hope of getting my doppelganger back."

"It happened last night we...Wait. If you escaped last night why are you only here now?"

"Because I after weeks of being held captive, I had things to do, including ensuring Rebekah is secure and most importantly, digging about Silas."

"Digging? What do you mean? What did you find out?" I ask curiously, the hope of him existing and being able to bring Bonnie back being ignited.

"Ooh, so you want answers, do you? Perhaps then you and your precious friends shouldn't have lied, manipulated and imprisoned me for countless weeks, resulting in both Bonnie and Elena dying. Really, the only relevant question at this point is WHY THE HELL ARE YOU STILL BREATHING?!" he roars running up at me until my back is pressed against the wall again.

It never ceases me to amaze me that the volume of his voice can increase by a thousand decibels in less than a second. I should tell him that Elena is alive, but where I would usually stand up to Klaus and be determined not to show even a shred of fear, I stand paralysed and speechless, my body shaking beneath me.

"Who-who told you about Silas? Maybe they got it wrong, maybe-" I stammer.

"Oh, they didn't get it wrong, Damon. I've told you before, I have contacts," he replies stepping away from me and going to the living room to sit on the couch, his temper cooling as quickly as it erupted. "A witch I know is a decendant of the witch Qetsiyah, the witch that created the cure. I'm sure you're familiar with the story from Shane. She fell in love with a vampire, so created the cure so they could live their lives together as mortals, but when her coven learned of what she was about to do - of her betryal of falling in love with a vampire, the natural enemy of the witches - they imprisoned her and publicly staked Silas before her eyes, then they buried the cure in some chambers on an island in Nova Skotia where no one would ever find it."

"So he's real? Shane was right?" I ask my voice high with surprise.

"No, Shane was wrong," he states. "Silas did exist, but he's nothing more than a dead vampire that's been rotting under ground for over 2000 years."

The wave of disappointment that washes over me at knowing any chance of bringing Bonnie back has been obliterated takes me by surprise, but I conceal it and say, "Well, then, it's a good job we don't need Silas."

"What's that supposed to mean?" he questions.

"Elena's alive."

"What?!" he exclaims, his eyes practically popping out of his head. "Elena's alive?"

"Bonnie didn't just die, she died casting a spell to bring Elena back. She traded her life for Elena's."

"And you wait until now to tell me?" he asks through gritted teeth.

"You didn't give me chance," I exclaim. "But you know now. Bonnie's dead and Elena's alive."

He examines my face intently, then initial shock fades to give way to a frown and then mouth pulls up into a smile. "Ahh, you helped her to do it? You helped the witch cast the spell and now Elena hates you." he says with a chuckle and shake of his head. Being alive for over a thousand years means that his ability for reading expressions and body language is second to none. Usually I can hide my true emotions from everyone, including my own brother, but with Klaus I'm completely transparent. "Am I sensing some remorse there, Damon? Surely not."

"Look, if you're going to kill me just do it," I reply irritably. "Get it over with, because death would be less painful than having this," I retort.

He lets out a booming chuckle. "I'm not going to kill you, Damon. It did cross my mind, but it might surprise you to know I'm not the monster you would paint me to be. Besides, if you're telling me the truth and Elena really is alive-"

"She is," I interject.

"In that case, it's your lucky day, because there is something I want more than revenge," he states.

"And let me guess, you want me to help you? Why?"

"Because you see, I had a plan - just like I always have a plan - and that plan was to get my hybrids. The first part of my plan was to find a witch that could bring Elena back, but since that's already been done I can skip to the second part."

"Which is?"

"Finding the cure. Since Elena is alive and well, I'm going to find Katerina and retrieve the cure."

"Why would I help you with that?"

"Because by the look of those bags over there," he says gesturing into the hall where my bags lie scattered over the floor, "along with Stefan and Elena's absence and Bonnie's death at your hands, I'm assuming that not only has the lovely Elena has reconciled with Stefan, but that you're also not the most popular of vampires in Mystic Falls right now."

I sigh and scowl lightly at him, frustrated still at his sixth sense for these things.

"So, since your bags are already packed and you have past experience dealing with our lovely Katerina, I believe in this instance you could actually prove useful. So... what do you say, Damon?" he says getting up from his seat and looking at me expectantly, waiting for my response.

I'm determined to say no, after all I don't care about the cure anymore and I certainly don't want to do anything to help Klaus, but I find myself standing from my seat, meeting his eyes and giving him a firm nod as I reply, "I'll do it," which causes a snide and victorious grin to come across his face.


A/N: I slightly altered the origins of the cure and the Silas/Qetsiyah plot to suit the story. It's pretty simple so hopefully there's no confusion, but if there is I'm willing to clarify any questions you have.