Same Stars

So basically: In 3x22, Elena was never linked to Alaric (therefore Rebekah doesn't kill her). She never dies and becomes a vampire. Everything else is the same, Alaric dies, maybe the loophole is that he dies after "killing" Klaus? Honestly, I don't care too much for the mythology lol. No Hunters & Founders Council drama. We're just watching Elena face her decision of Stefan without the influence of the sire bond or struggling with her transition etc. Damon has a very specific override in his brain which is Elena's wellbeing which we saw take precedence in S4 so he stuck around and helped etc. Here, the bottom line is that she is okay and living out her own decision.

Starting from the night of 3x22. Just keep track of dates at the top of the scene. The line breaks indicate same day. Following the timeline of the show, found on Vampire Diaries Wiki page.

Lastly, any smut is a "fast forward" version, I'm just not the writer for the real stuff sorry. It's mainly there for plot relevancy.

Rating: M


Saturday 6th November

Time was frozen as Damon lay there. His clothes were still splattered with blood – his and Alaric's – and his fingers still tremored from where they'd clung to his best friend's dying body. The body had slumped forward, out of his feeble grip and fallen to the floor, and he'd squeezed his eyes shut as the painful tears forced their way through. When he'd opened them, Alaric was gone. He didn't know what that Original Witch with a B had done to him, but he was gone. Damon didn't know how long ago that was, minutes or hours, but still didn't think he could get up if he tried.

He inspected his hands, then his body, and finally hoisted himself into an upright position. He was fine. The Grim Reaper had other plans for the night it seemed. Damon wanted to revel in the relief of being alive, or even appreciate the told-you-so smugness of knowing Klaus had been lying, but his heart felt too sore. It sagged in his chest; his dying wish had been Elena's confession, and she'd confessed alright.

Finally, he dragged himself to his feet and stumbled to his car. He was exhausted, not just from the turbulent night of near-death action and emotional pummelling he'd just endured, but from the past few months. He'd been stripped to his most vulnerable self and all he had was a broken heart to show for it.

He drew his car into a nearby motel and made his way inside. Two hours on the road back to the happy couple, in the town that would never be home again, sounded like the last thing he wanted to do right now. He needed space to breathe. He ignored that scornful voice in his ear that sang of how she was probably tucked happily in Stefan's arms right now, and instead focused on compelling away the motel clerk's horror at his blood-stained attire and getting his room key.

He fell against the bed with a sigh and stared up at the ceiling. He'd heard it before, multiple times actually. It's always going to be Stefan. The last time had been excruciating, it had burned through his veins like acid and swept him into a storm. But this time was different, he just felt achingly hollow. It's what he'd always known, after all. In what world does Damon Salvatore get the girl? Much less, Elena Gilbert herself?

There had been fleeting moments when he'd almost believe it could be true – almost – and that night in Denver, he'd actually allowed himself one full glorious moment of real hope that that she could love him back, purposefully and absolutely, as he did her. Another sigh fell from Damon's lips as he then recalled how she'd retracted right back later that night, almost shamefully.

It felt like a lifetime he'd been in love with Elena Gilbert, though it was a mere two years of his 171. It had changed his life, it had opened his unbeating heart and brought light to a perpetual darkness. He had remembered what it was like to feel, and more importantly what is was like to want to feel. And it was over now; she'd decided so.

He wanted her to be happy. Through her months-long battle of fighting for Stefan, Damon supported her for that reason, and now she had him back, the man she'd always wanted. She didn't need him anymore. She had Stefan, her friends and her brother, the only redundant piece of the puzzle was himself. Though he could almost convince himself that it wasn't real, he knew a part of her struggled with some feelings for him and that fact had been hurting her, and one thing he was wholly resolute about was that he was not going to be the villain in Elena Gilbert's fairytale. She had made her decision to let him go, and now it was time he let her go.

Damon winced as the decision sent a pang throughout his body. His determination to move forward hadn't eased the pain in the slightest, he still felt it raw and incessant. It was resent, it was humiliation, it was disillusionment. It was his every looming fear come alive. The truth was, he couldn't see a future without Elena in it, and quite frankly he didn't want to. She was his world. But it was decided, he was finally going to face his fate as she embraced hers. Unequivocally, trying to change the natural order of things never ended well for someone like him.


Stefan and Elena entered the Boarding House in a trembling silence, thick with emotion. Elena had reached him some hours ago and fell to him in distress. She'd laced her fingers through his and smiled at him with all encouragement she could muster as they awaited the verdict of time. As the sky began to lighten and it became clear that everything was going to be alright, they'd both released their withheld breaths, bid their relieved farewells to their friends and made their way home.

With no words spoken, Stefan knew what had happened. He felt a distant twinge of pity for his brother, but it was clouded by his elation. His Elena had come back to him. He'd known she would when it came down to it, and Elena and Damon had known it too. Holding her to him again somehow felt better than he'd imagined it and his mind reeled with the excitement of their future together.

Firmly pressing his heels into the ground to stop them rising into the air in glee, he snuck a glance her way. She looked tired and nervous, and the tell-tale red rims of her eyes revealed the tears she'd clearly cried earlier. He softened, he knew some part of her felt for Damon and that part must be hurting right now.

She fidgeted for a second before lifting her eyes to his, "Stefan—"

"Hey," he said gently and pressed his hand against her cheek. "We can talk in the morning, alright? Let's just sleep for now."

Her eyes fluttered close as she gave a grateful nod against his palm, and he smiled as he led them upstairs. Nestling under the sheets together, Elena's heartbeat slowed to a steady drum, and Stefan let the sound lull him to sleep.


Sunday 7th November

Sunlight splashed Elena's skin, lifting her from her slumber. Rest had soothed the heaviness she'd carried home in her chest. She opened her eyes and found Stefan still asleep beside her, a look of complete peace painting his face. It pulled at her heartstrings, she hadn't seen that look in a long time and she knew she'd inspirited that sense of happiness in him.

She slipped out of bed and tiptoed downstairs. She couldn't stop herself from peering into Damon's room, only to find it empty and unslept in. She frowned as worry began to seep in that he hadn't come home last night. Stefan, Caroline and Tyler were alive which meant so was he, somewhere.

She slumped on a kitchen stool and finally allowed herself to reflect on what she had done last night. She had known the moment would come, though it had taken death delivering her at a physical crossroad to finally choose. It was selfish of her to have been stringing them both along as she had been, and as always, Katherine appeared in her mind as a wicked, nauseous reminder. And just as always, she tried to reassure herself that she was nothing like Katherine. She just didn't want to lose another person.

Damon, she allowed herself to admit at last, she didn't want to lose Damon.

Because she knew, with every intoxicating gaze and intimate twilight moment she lost herself in with Damon, that she guiltily indulged in and selfishly never wanted to end, she knew it was wrong. She couldn't – shouldn't – love Damon.

It was always going to be Stefan. Stefan was her true love, a good person and perfect boyfriend. Through his ordeal with Klaus and his bloodlust and inhumanity, he'd come back to her, he'd expected her to be his constant and he deserved that, as he would always be for her. Thinking of him made her feel warm and content – that was love, wasn't it? On the other hand, thinking of Damon put her entire body on edge, it consumed her and uprooted all inhibition – and she didn't know what that was, she had never experienced anything close to it.

Suddenly, Stefan appeared in the kitchen beside her. He greeted her with puffed morning eyes and a bashful smile. He leaned his head close to hers, lips wavering above her cheek for a second as if allowing her to resist, and then brushed them across her soft skin.

"Good morning." He said, reaching for some cups. "Coffee?"

"Yes please." She smiled up at him sweetly.

As if he'd heard her earlier worries, he added, "It was a long night, Damon probably just crashed somewhere on the road." He smiled at her reassuringly and Elena's stomach flipped as she stared at her lovely boyfriend.

He loved her. He had gone through a hard time. When she was going through a hard time, he had soothed her back to life, and she was going to do the same for him. She remembered kissing him at the top of the Ferris wheel, but it had felt like the top of the world.

As he handed her her cup, she leaned up and pressed her lips against his, she felt his smile as he melted into her kiss. This was right, this was where she belonged… she was sure of it.


A/N: What do you think of Elena's thought process? Very Stefan-orientated huh? Eye-roll. Anyways, next chapter Damon and Elena will see each other, exciting. Don't worry besties the story gets fun. Leave reviews, you can do it as guest if you're not logged in.