Epilogue

Damon stared at the fireplace, unblinking, an even more furious flame roaring in his eyes. His chest heaved with his uneven breaths and the ache at his temples rendered his thoughts sluggish and painful. He'd had everything, right there at his fingertips, he'd just had to reach out and hold onto it firmly. And just like always, the biggest monster in his life - himself - had sabotaged his chance at happiness.

A snarl ripped out of him and with a hard flex of his arm, he slammed his bourbon glass into the fireplace, watching the tiny shards explode like tiny raindrops swallowed into the flames.

Another minute passed, and then another, until finally Damon's breathing levelled and he was able to begin to calm down again.

I love you. He recalled her declaration. The words from her lips were staggering and knocked the air out of him entirely. He'd felt the world stop on its axis, apart from those three words.

Damon played her voice over again in his mind. I love you. I love you. The words caressed him tenderly, soothing him into contentment. He allowed the happiness of her confession seep into him until it filled him whole. It was a feeling of lightness and liberty and warmth and joy, it felt like being complete. It was a feeling that only she lit up inside him.

I love you, she'd said.

Elena sighed as she pulled her hair into a bun, too drained to run a brush through it right now. She stared at her reflection, illuminated only by the dim light of her en suite. In her pyjamas now, her face was clear of make up, the streaks of mascara and blotchy foundation had run off her soapy hands and into the sink, leaving her skin bare and a little raw looking. Her eyes looked the same, they stayed on her hands fiddling with her hair. With a painful swallow, she dragged her gaze away and switched off the bathroom light.

Elena padded around softly, wilted, all strength had drizzled out of her. The loaded weight in her chest kept her centred on the ground, she thought, or she may have been knocked over. Her room was cold but she let the breeze dance around her tingle her skin. Grabbing her diary and pen from her nightstand, she at last nestled into bed and sprayed them on her lap. Her pen was heavy as she lifted it to the surface of the blank page, as if it physically contained the emotions she longed to release. She stared at the tip of it, at the tiny blotch of ink that blurred into the spot her pen rested.

"Dear Diary, Damon is the biggest dick. I tell the bastard what he's always wanted to hear and he practically spits at me."

Elena stilled, her heart picking up at that voice coming from her window sill. And though upset, the familiarity of him being there, the rightness of it, felt as safe as a hug.

He crossed the room and settled into the bed beside her like it was the most natural thing in the world. And pulled her to him.

She melted silently into his arms. Suddenly she wasn't cold at all anymore. They breathed each other in and relished the feeling of their bodies pressed to one other.

"I love you Elena, more than anything." he said softly. "I'm so imperfect. I'm a mess, and you make me even more of a mess. I fall apart in your presence. God, things were simple before I met you, it was easy to not care."

He pulled away slightly to tilt her face to him, brushing his thumb gently over her lips and chin, in a gesture so delicate and loving Elena felt herself quiver.

He continued, "I don't know if I can ever be the man you deserve, but I'm going to try. If… if you'll have me."

Her head was in his chest and she buried it there for a second. She had wept enough tears, there were none left to cry. And yet, she felt a floodgate deep inside her, ready to overflow. She balled his shirt into her fist, and he stroked her hair patiently.

"Forever, Damon." she whispered.

"There's a lot of pain there, and hurt. I've hurt you so much, and I've got a lot of hurt in me. Stefan- he's the man I could never be, the son my dad wanted, the man Katherine wanted.. and then you." He shook his head. "There's a lot in the past and, I'm sure, a lot in the future. But we'll work through it, together. We'll take it slow. Day by day. Everyday."

"Tonight, Let's just start with that dance." He pressed a light kiss on her head. She was confused at first, when he started to move, not ready for him to let go of her yet.

That was until he stood at the side of her bed now, holding out his hand. She stared at his fingers outstretched towards her, and then up at his gorgeous face, still unable to speak. He had a way with words so beautiful it rendered her speechless.

Forever. She meant it in a way so true it felt dangerous, she would love him forever. She would die for him; but more importantly, she would live for him.

Elena trembled as she took his hand and they walked up into the middle of her floor. It was a love and romance she couldn't have asked for. Time melted away and she felt music filling the room. The sweetest love song, not one she could hear, but one she could feel. It pulsed inside her with every heartbeat, she could see in his smile he felt it too.

She lay her hand on his shoulder and he pulled her close. And they began to sway.

A/N: Da-daaa completo. This was the last scene of the last chapter, I was supposed to upload them together sorry, now it's our epilogue.

And okay I didn't mean for the story to take a turn so similar to the show but I was just letting the characters lead and it just turns out the writers did a perfect job with them? Now we know why this story is called Same Stars, because I think that no matter the circumstances, no matter what, the same stars would lead these two back to each other. "Damon, I somehow always find my way back to you.'

I kept the story in-character (I just gave Damon the ability to have female friendships boo). I know some of you wanted something else from Elena, maybe she would've fought for him tomorrow, but Damon would go to her tonight.

Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed! Leave reviews! I'll be posting full-length better-written fics soon, I just aimed for 20k for my first one. I've got a fun AU full fic and post S8 mini fic in the brewer. Follow me to stay updated and let me know if you have any ideas you want to see. Much love. -14again.