A/N I had this story in my head for a few months now, but I didn't believe that I would be able to write it. Anyway, this is different than what I usually write, but I hope you like it.

I did this without my beta, so please expect some mistakes...

Summary: Alternate ending for tvd series (Yes-the entire series). Damon made a choice and let Elena go. Now he is reliving the memories the two of them shared together.

See? I told you it was different. This is more of a down memory lane story.

To clear things up:

Present Day means the year 2512

Elena took the cure in the year 2013.

Mystic Falls, 18th January, 2512

Animal Attack?

What is being described as an animal attack is surely creating chaos between many people of various beliefs. Tara Hampton's death last week was the nineteenth animal attack this month. The victims are all young teenagers who are drained of blood, and found in the woods. The Mystic Falls police department is doing everything in their power to capture the deadly beast.

Damon sighed and folded the poster neatly in half. He was sitting at the Mystic Grill, and Caroline was looking at him with a wary expression written on her face.

"Don't look at me like that, Caroline," Damon sighed, sipping at his coffee. "Stefan isn't behind this. For all I know, he's in Europe now."

"I know, Damon. It's just that…Mystic Falls has been quiet for over one hundred years now. And then suddenly…nineteen teenagers gone missing and then found dead, drained of blood."

"It looks suspicious, yes," Damon sighed again, rubbing his face as he stared at the poster. "But I'm not in the mood to do this right now, Caroline. We have been working on these cases for five hundred years now, and we succeeded. We killed every vampire who was a threat a hundred years ago, remember? Just trust me on this. Whatever it is, we'll kill it. But not right now." He sipped at his coffee again quietly. He was not in a good mood at all.

"What's the date today?" Caroline suddenly asked, as if realization had just hit her.

"18th January." His words were cold, but Caroline saw right through him.

"Oh my God. I'm sorry, Damon," Caroline placed her hands on his arm, as if she had hurt him in any way. Of course. Elena had died on this exact same date.

Damon took a deep breath. "I was with her on that day, you know. She was still beautiful, even at the age of eighty four…there she was, her hair still silky, her face still young, somehow. She was on the hospital bed, surrounded by flowers and grandchildren. It's the Elena I always wanted to see."

He swallowed, hard. "It's been four hundred and thirty four years since her death, Caroline. And still, I can't forgive myself for letting her go."

"I know, it was hard," Caroline said, her hand still in his. "But you loved Elena. And it was the best thing you did for her-letting her go was the best, selfless choice you have ever made."

He sighed. "Yes, I suppose. She got the family she had always wanted-She married a human who grew old with her and who died with her. She got to have children. I wasn't able to give her those things and I knew it. That's why I had to let her go."

Damon stopped, letting himself get lost in the sweet memories, as Caroline listened…

Mystic Falls, 2013

"Elena," Damon smiled at her, and the girl turned to face him, her long brown hair clinging to her face. He kissed her fully on the lips, stroking her cheek. "Are you ready to become human again?"

"More than ready, Damon," Elena kissed him back with equal passion. "I have realized now, that I belong with you. I love you, Damon. I'm sorry you had to wait for so long to hear these words coming from my mouth, but I love you."

"I know that," Damon's eyes softened. "I love you too, Elena. And I'm going to take the cure, and we are going to have a mortal life ahead of us. We're going to start a family, Elena. Everything will be alright."

"So you've decided then?" Elena said with disbelief, "You are going to give up immortality for me? You are going to sacrifice everything to be with me?"

"The only thing that keeps me going is you, Elena," Damon said gently. "As long as we're together, nothing else matters." He stroked her face. "But, come now. Professor Shane is waiting for us, and I'm sure you can't wait to be human again," He continued softly.

"You're right, I can't wait," Elena smiled, and Damon led her to the dark cave, the dark cave that had taken them a year to find. They had been searching for the cure for an entire year, but now they made it.

"Ready?" Professor Shane asked Elena, and the witch Shane had asked for help started to chant as Elena nodded. The cave opened, and the witch took out some kind of leathered bottle and handed it to Elena. Elena looked hesitantly at Damon, but he only encouraged her.

The moment she had a sip of the liquid, Elena felt a burning sensation in her body. She could feel herself weaken, especially her eyesight, smell and touch-the senses that had heightened due to her vampirism. Damon caught her before she hit the ground, and steadied her.

"Are you ok?"

Elena was looking at herself as if she was seeing her reflection for the very first time. "I'm alive!" She cried, running and jumping into Damon's awaiting arms. "I'm alive!" Damon kissed her hair, thanking heavens that the cure had worked, that Elena was human.

He was about to drink the liquid when there was a scream, a voice he recognized as Bonnie's.

"Stop!" She screamed, "Stop! Damon don't!"

Damon stood still with the liquid as Bonnie rushed into the cave and pulled it from his tight grasp, panting. "It will kill you if you drink it, Damon. It only works on vampires who have turned in the last couple of years. Think about it, Damon-you're over a hundred years old. If you take the cure and you become human, you're useless in this world! No human has ever lived that long. If you take it, you will age and die. It worked on Elena because she was turned last year. But you…"

There was no one in the world, at that moment that could comfort Damon and Elena. The disappointment was huge, but Bonnie was right. If Damon did take the cure, he would be an old man of one hundred and fifty years old, which wasn't possible. Damon hadn't even realized that he was crying until Elena jumped into his arms and started to place kisses over his face and neck.

"I'm sorry," Professor Shane said sincerely, "I didn't know. I should've known better."

But neither of them paid attention. Elena kept hugging and kissing Damon, telling him that it would be alright, that she loved him either way. He stood frozen before he gave her a tight squeeze and told her how much he loved her and that he hated this-not being able to make her happy. It was truly a heartbreaking moment for the both of them.

Mystic Falls, 20th October, 2018 (5 years after Elena became human)

Damon woke up with his arms wrapped tightly around Elena. He was surprised by how much things had changed. Sometimes he couldn't believe that their story had ended up in this-in Elena becoming his. Elena had moved in with him after she had taken the cure, and they lived in the Boarding house. Stefan had moved out a few years earlier when he and Elena had broken up, and no one had heard a word from Stefan since. Elena had tried to contact him, but she soon realized that Stefan wanted to cut off all kinds of contact, especially when she realized that he had changed his number.

He smiled and stared at her as she slept. She was beautiful, and he never got tired of looking at her, of touching her and of being close to her. She was the reason he was alive-well, undead-She lit him up. And today, it was her birthday, and she deserved to be spoiled rotten, because despite everything, they had survived this. Sure, Klaus was still alive and Elena still had to be his hybrid bloodbag, but there was no other way. Damon had tried to kill Klaus just a week before because he was sick and tired of having his girlfriend treated like a bloodbag, but it didn't end well.

She stirred and Damon looked at her, planting a kiss on her forehead. She opened her eyes and smiled warmly at him.

"Happy twenty fourth birthday, my love," He said, leaning forward to kiss her.

She blushed. "Thank you, Damon. You know, it would've been much better if I'm not the only one growing old." She looked sad for a moment, but Damon grabbed her face and hushed her. "Shh. Don't ruin your day," He whispered, kissing her again.

"I know. I'm sorry."

"Don't be," He gently caressed her hair before, ever so slowly, he managed to pin her down on the bed, placing kisses over her face and neck. She giggled.

"Damon, stop," She said between giggles as his breath tickled her.

"Uh uh," He said playfully, kissing her beautiful lips again before his fingers found their way to her sides. Elena looked at him with desire in her eyes, but what Damon did next surprised her so much that she let out a childish scream.

"Oh God! No," She said as he moved his fingers on her sides, tickling her. She burst into laughter as his fingers moved to her stomach, teasing, tickling. "Stop!" She begged, "Please stop, you're going to kill me!" She said, chuckling loudly.

At that moment, Damon saw her as a child. She was so fragile, so delicate…sometimes he feared that he would break her, that he would hurt her in some way or other.

"Hmm, what if I don't want to stop, Miss Gilbert?"

"I beg you!" She said, her face red with laughter. "I'll do anything!"

Damon pretended to frown. "Anything, you say?" His face immediately turned into a smirk and his hands moved to her chest. "How about we start by getting you undressed?"

Elena smiled, letting him unbutton the first three buttons of her, actually his, pyjama top.

He immediately threw the top away so that he could kiss her, starting at her neck before working slowly down until he reached her stomach. "I love you, Elena," He breathed between kisses as his mouth once again brushed against her neck.

Elena leaned her neck towards the side, pleading. "Please, Damon. It's been five years. I want you to do it."

"I don't want to hurt you, Elena."

"I told you a million times, Damon. I want to share all of me with you. I belong to you. Please, Damon-drink my blood. Show me how great it could feel, sustaining you."

He hesitantly stroked her cheek. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, Damon-I'm ready. Hell, I've been ready for a long time."

"You have to tell me if it becomes painful, ok?"

"Of course," Elena said, leaning to a side so that he had better access. Damon kissed her neck before letting his fangs elongate. Then, very gently, he pierced her neck and drank in her scent before letting himself enjoy her blood.

Elena felt the sting as he pierced her, but as soon as he started to drink, the little pain she felt turned into a sinful pleasure, so much that she feared that she might want him to drain her dry. He drank until he felt that he had taken enough, and then he looked at her with concern.

"Are you ok?"

"More than ok," Elena breathed, "Why did you stop?"

"Because it was enough. It would've been very dangerous if I continued." He kissed her lips and rolled off her. "Come on, birthday girl. Get up, and I'll make you breakfast."

She smiled and hopped off the bed, wearing just Damon's shirt.

"You look sexy wearing my clothes, Gilbert," Damon smirked, winking at her before he sped to the kitchen, preparing waffles for him and Elena.

Present day, year 2512

"What the two of you had was real, Damon," Caroline said with a small smile, but she wiped the tears away at the thought of her dear friend, who was now just a memory. "I know that I didn't use to get that, and God knows how many times I judged Elena when she chose you…But then I started to understand that you were each other's salvation and light. She changed you, Damon, and in return you changed her."

"Sometimes I hate what I did to her," Damon said, his voice sad. "I hate that I let her go, that I made her leave. If I didn't, then she would be here, with us."

"No, Damon," Caroline disagreed, "If Elena was here with us, she would be immortal-something that she never wanted at all."

"I know," He said. "I know. But I know how much I had hurt her. I had just asked her to marry me…and then I sent her away."

Mystic Falls, 20th October, 2018 (Evening)

Throwing on the expensive red dress Damon had bought her for her birthday, Elena smiled sadly as she stared at her reflection in the mirror. She was now twenty-four years old, and she was no longer the innocent teenager who got caught up in this vampire drama. Now, she chose to be here, with Damon, the love of her life. So many things had changed since she had taken back the cure, apart from Stefan being away. Jeremy had moved back to Denver hoping to pursue a career involving painting, while of course, visiting Mystic Falls often to strengthen his vampire-hunting skills. Bonnie and professor Shane were working together to make sure that Bonnie's magic will be used well, with the use of herbs and essences when possible. Caroline and Tyler went to Europe-and they seemed to like it because their so called holiday was taking longer than it should.

She sighed. So many things changed-Damon was now her soulmate, the centre of her universe.

"Ready, Elena?" He asked softly from downstairs, and Elena smiled. Yes, she was. She was more than ready to spend every second of every day with him. She didn't know what their future would be like, since they avoided all talks about immortality and mortality. But what she did know was that she will not spend a second without Damon on her side.

…

He took her to one of the most luxurious hotels in a small town a few minutes away from Mystic Falls. The food was divine, and when he took her in his arms and they danced all night long, Elena couldn't believe that he was truly her man.

She longed to become his wife, to marry him. She often dreamt of wearing the perfect wedding dress and marrying Damon in front of her loved ones-but she never got the courage to talk to him about marriage. She didn't want to scare him away. Marriage was something very serious-how would that make Damon, an over hundred and fifty year old vampire, feel?

"I have something for you," Damon whispered when they were the only ones left in the room, swaying with the soft music.

He took out a small, satin box from his jacket and handed it to her, and half of Elena hoped that she would find a wedding ring. She opened the box delicately and gasped in awe at the beauty of the necklace in the box.

It was a necklace made from the gem Jadeite- one of the world's most expensive gems. It was rare and Elena knew it.

"Oh my God," She gasped, taking the necklace delicately in her hands. "Oh my God. It's beautiful."

He took the necklace from her hand and clasped it around her neck. "Do you like it?"

"I love it, Damon," Elena said, kissing him on the lips. "Thank you."

"Come on, Elena," He said, taking her hand. "I still have a surprise for you."

…

"Can I open my eyes now?"

"No, not yet," Damon insisted, leading her to their bedroom.

He steadied her and then smiled. "You can open your eyes now, Elena."

Elena opened her eyes, to see the room filled with white and pink petals on the fitted carpet, and gasped in surprise at the words written in pink ink on her bed, along with a ring.

"Will you marry me, Elena?" Damon asked, grabbing the ring and kneeling down in front of her. "I promise that I will make you the happiest woman on this planet. I will cherish you forever."

Tears streamed down her face, but she was unable to speak. Emotion clogged her throat.

She was about to open her mouth when there was the sound of a window shattering. Damon stood up in an instance and in a moment Elena found herself hidden in the room they had behind the wardrobe.

"Shh, stay there," He hushed her, "I'm going to check this out, ok? But I need you to stay hidden."

"Oh my God...It can't be Klaus..." Elena whimpered, but Damon raised a finger to her lips. "Shh, it's ok."

…

Damon quietly went back to the parlor, only to find glass everywhere, on the floor, table and carpet. His thoughts went to Klaus and his hybrids. It was merely a week before that Damon had tried to destroy Klaus and his hybrids, feeling sick and tired of having to take Elena to the hospital every few weeks or so to have her blood taken for Klaus. Could it be revenge?

Before he got a chance to grab a weapon, Damon heard a wolf's growl, and in a mere second, he was pinned to the floor with the wolf on top of him.

"You know, Damon, I might not be able to enter, but my werewolves surely can," Klaus smirked. "So it would be better if you call your dear little Elena and ask her to invite me in, because it would save us all precious time. That way we can…negotiate. Because we had a deal, Damon, and you trying to kill us last week was not part of our deal."

"Go to hell, Klaus," Damon spat, but felt his bones crash under the wolf's giant paw. He screamed in agony, but remained determined.

"Very well then," Klaus smirked, and turned to one of the men next to him. "Search for the girl, Rupert. Don't let them stop until they have found her."

Rupert nodded with a grin-as the leader of the pack, it was his pleasure killing and hurting innocent humans for Klaus. It gave him great satisfaction, because Klaus respected him. At least, he thought.

He sniffed and his pack followed, searching every room.

"You're not going to find her, Klaus. She's not here." Damon called out, still pinned even though he was trying so hard to fight him off.

"Bullshit. There is her scent all over the place," one of the wolves said, "And it's still here and fresh, so she is still here."

There was a sudden silence before an evil laugh was heard from one of the bedrooms. "There she is," Rupert grinned, drinking in Elena's body before reaching out to hold her against him in a bruising grip. He smirked. "So this is the doppelganger. I must say, you're a beauty," He reached forward to brush his knuckles along her cheek, but she jerked back from him.

"Don't touch me," She hissed.

"Aww, the kitten has claws," Rupert smirked, grabbing her chin tightly in his hands.

Elena found herself in front of Klaus in a brief second. Damon's eyes pained when he saw her, but he urged her to stay calm. Klaus needed Elena alive-there was no way he was going to kill her.

"Now, that we're all together," Klaus smirked, looking at Elena and Damon, and at the wolf. "It's ok Kelly, you can let Damon go now." The wolf obediently jumped off Damon, but three other men surrounded Damon so that he wouldn't move. To make matters worse, one of them sprayed vervain in his face, effectively weakening him.

"Unless you want Elena dead in front of you, I suggest that you don't move," Klaus growled.

"Bullshit, Klaus. You can't kill Elena, you need her."

"That's true. But I love being creative, anyway." He smirked.

"This is how it's going to work, Damon. I need you to tell me how you were planning to kill us last week. You had the ultimate weapon," Klaus sighed, "Where did you get that? I thought that I had buried that sword with my long lost younger sibling, and that it was cursed for any vampire or human. A witch spelled it-It should've made your hand fall off, you know."

"I'm not telling you anything, Klaus," Damon said determined. "You can torture me if you want, but I'm not going to tell you anything."

Klaus sighed in annoyance. "And here I thought we could have a civilized conversation. I was wrong. Rupert, please?"

Damon barely had a chance to turn his head towards Elena's direction when he heard her scream. But when he did look, he saw Rupert making a large cut in Elena's stomach, ripping her shirt in half. Blood instantly pooled in the area.

"This is how it's going to work. Rupert's going to continue to torture Elena until I get the truth out of you," Klaus smirked, "Your choice, Damon. Again, Rupert, please."

Another agonizing scream was heard.

"Stop it, I'll tell you whatever you want to know," Damon screamed. "Just stop hurting her."

"No, Damon, don't!" Elena begged him, pain in her eyes. "Don't!"

"So, you don't think this is enough?" Klaus smirked, reaching forward to touch Elena's face, "Do you want more, my dear?"

"Rot in hell, Klaus," She spat blood in his face.

"Very well then. Rupert, you know what to do."

Elena closed her eyes, expecting another cut, but her breath caught in her throat when she felt the werewolf behind her, pressed up against her. His hands went to zip of her dress, and he started to inch it slowly down. Elena let out a gasp and she struggled against him, but he had her pinned. His hands started to scrunch the sleeves until her back and shoulders were bare. He dipped his head in her neck and placed kisses there, before letting his fangs elongate, at the same time touching Elena's body as if she was a toy.

"Stop," Damon yelled, still weak from the vervain, "Stop! I'll tell you everything."

"That's the spirit," Klaus smirked and shook his head at Rupert. The latter stepped away from Elena, and the girl shivered in fear, feeling too exposed with her back and shoulders bare. She crossed her arms as a form of protection.

"It was written in the Gilbert journals. It's true that the sword was spelled, but it can be used by a vampire or human of a pure heart; and that the intention of killing was justified."

"You? Pure-hearted?" Klaus laughed at his face. "Are you serious? Don't you remember how many innocent humans you killed?"

"He's changed now," Elena said in a shaky voice. "He's done this for me, so yeah, the reason why he wanted to kill you was to protect me-his family."

"Aww, that's so tragic," Klaus mocked her, wiping an imaginary tear from his eye. "You're so stupid, Damon. Look at her-Weak, mortal, naïve.. Do you think you two can have a future together? Do you honestly think you're good for her, Damon? Don't you remember the many supernatural and mortal creatures you have killed in your life? I'm not sure if you know, Damon, but there are people searching for you, for revenge. And if they can't get to you, they will use Elena. Do you think it would be fun to come in this house and find her dead, crumpled under the stairs?" He laughed as if it was a joke. "You're not good for her and you know it. But you're selfish. We all are. Vampires are not made to love."

"That's not true," Elena spat courageously from where she was. "He loves me. He's done a lot for me."

"If he truly loved you, then you wouldn't have been in this position, sweetheart. He would've let you go."

Mystic Falls, 2512

"Oh my God, Damon," Caroline gasped, "That's why you left her…."

"Yes, Caroline," Damon said bitterly. "I realized that I had to let her go. She was never going to be safe with me. Klaus's words were cruel but true. God knows how many people I had killed, and how many supernatural creatures I had tried to murder. I feared that their families…their ancestors, would come for me and use Elena as revenge. It was bad enough that I had to see that bastard unzipping her dress in front of everyone-I knew what his intentions were. He could've raped her, because of me. Because I made them mad."

"You were trying to protect Elena, Damon. That's why you tried to kill them."

"And it cost Elena cuts on her body and humiliation."

Caroline bit her lip.

Mystic Falls, 2018 (After Klaus's attack)

"How bad is it?" Damon asked indifferently. They were both surprised that Klaus had let them go, but Damon wasn't even talking to Elena now.

"It hurts," Elena whimpered, "But he didn't cut too deep. Otherwise I wouldn't be here."

"That's because his intention was not to kill you, but to torture you as I watch," Damon snapped, ripping into his wrist and holding it out to her. Elena refused it.

"Why are you talking to me like I've done something wrong?" She asked, hurt. "This is not my fault, Damon."

Her words broke his heart, and he calmed down. "Just drink for me."

She took his blood and walked away from him. "You're mad at me."

"No, I'm not mad at you. I'm mad at myself for letting myself fall in love with you!" He said in desperation, knowing that his words didn't make sense at all. "This shouldn't be happening. Elena, you're supposed to have a human, normal life with someone who is actually alive! You're supposed to marry and have children, and be whatever you want to be in life."

"None of that matters if I'm not with you!" Elena snapped.

"No, Elena. I can't do this anymore. I don't want to see you hurt."

"This is Klaus's words, Damon. It's because I'm not good enough for you, right? That's why!" She screamed, turning to storm away, "This is because I can't give you what you want, this is because I am fragile and weak! I wouldn't have taken the cure if I knew that I can't turn into a vampire now that I've taken it!"

"Elena, this is not because of Klaus. This is me worrying about you. This is never going to work, do you understand? Hell back there you could've been raped, in front of my eyes. And what about me, Elena? What am I going to do once you die?"

Elena flinched.

"Do you even stop and think about it for a second, what it'd be like, watching you grow old and die and I can't do anything to stop it?"

"We'll find a way to turn me back to a vampire when the time is right," She reasoned. "If I knew that the cure wouldn't work on you, I would've stayed a vampire. Damon, you just asked me to marry you, why these sudden doubts?"

"Because I now understand the danger I'm putting you through, Elena. They will come for me, and they will come for you."

"We'll fight together."

"No we won't. You'll die. They will torture you and kill you, for revenge. I've done so many bad things in my life, Elena."

"Damon please, don't leave me," Elena begged, tears forming in her eyes. "I can't live without you, please Damon…"

"Shh, Elena, don't make this harder…"

"Please don't leave me…"

"This is for the best, Elena. I will always love you, and I want you to know that. But I can't stand the idea of having you killed because of me."

"No, Damon I won't allow this!" Elena cried, "I love you. Please, don't make me go away. I love you!"

"Shh," He said, holding her close, kissing her lips lightly. "I love you too. I will always love you, but I can't be selfish with you, Elena. You deserve a normal life."

Before she had a chance to protest, he grabbed her face gently and forced her to look at him.

"You're going to move on. You are just going to remember that we were in love, and that I had to let you go because I loved you. You are going to find a man, a man that you deserve, and have a normal, human life. You won't miss me, and you won't remember my face."

Mystic Falls, 2512

"And that was it," Damon said with tears gathering in his eyes. "I made her forget. I remember that I compelled Jeremy and her human friends, and I was out of Mystic Falls by the next dawn. I knew that I was leaving her unprotected, but I was not in my right state of mind."

"And then, years later, you still managed to kill Klaus."

"I knew that she was still Klaus's hybrid-making machine. I kept searching for another way to kill Klaus for three years. And I did-I found a spell to paralyze him forever, similar to what Bonnie casted once."

"Why didn't you go back to her, Damon?" Caroline asked sadly.

"Because I was afraid. And when I returned to Mystic Falls, she was happy. She was married and pregnant."

"I know," Caroline sighed, "She never once mentioned you. I never knew you compelled her. That's why all of a sudden nobody knew of you."

He nodded, and continyed "I kept eyes on her and her family for years-especially on her first born, Jenna."

"You're a good man, Damon," Caroline said, her coffee untouched. "I never knew why you two broke up. It seemed unreal to me."

"I was so lost without her, hell, I still am. I miss her everyday."

"We should go to the cemetery. It's been a while since I went to visit her grave. It's sad that the people we used to know are dead and we aren't." Caroline sighed, thinking of Bonnie, Jeremy, Elena and Matt, as well as her parents.

"I know. How's Tyler doing by the way? It's been a while since I saw him."

"He's still in Europe. We made a home there, you know? But sometimes I like to come and visit. He…on the other hand, he says that this town brings so many memories."

"I can't blame him," Damon said, his eyes pained. "So many things changed, though. This grill…it's so different than the one we used to hang out in. I know it's reasonable, because it has been five hundred years."

Caroline sighed. "I can't believe it."

"Me neither."

They sat in silence for a few minutes. "Damon, I have to go. It's been nice…catching up. We'll meet again tomorrow if you want."

"Sure, Care," Damon said, "Do you need a place? Where are you staying?"

"It's ok, I'm staying at a hotel," She smiled warmly, but before picking up her bag and leaving, she said, "Damon, if I were you, I'll find Stefan again. You need your brother, and I think he needs you."

She left before he had gotten the chance to answer her, but in his heart, he knew that she was right.

Review?

This is a two-shot.