Disclaimer: I only own my OCs

A/N: Final chapter of season 2! Can't believe we finally made it, so exciting :) We also get something that I know that you've been waiting for for a while ;) There is also some lovely twin bonding moments as well as some lovely Dalexa time, all the good stuff!

XXX

Elena's POV

I managed to slip out of bed without disturbing Alexa. She had shared the bed with me the past couple of nights, since the sacrifice. And unless something huge happened, I expected that she would be sharing the bed with me for the foreseeable future. She had barely left my side since I woke up. The only place where I was left alone was the bathroom. But I had expected this. And I craved it. It was reassuring to know that I was never alone. That I had someone to look after me. So I would indulge my twin in her overprotectiveness for now.

I quietly left the room, trying to make as little sound as possible. I knew that Alexa hadn't been sleeping well. Every time I woke up from a nightmare, she was already awake. Whether it was my death keeping her awake or her own, I didn't know. But the least I could do was let her sleep for as long as possible.

While I was up, I poked my head around Jeremy's door. He was sleeping peacefully and I let out a relieved breath. At least one of my siblings was able to relax after what happened. I knew that Bonnie had been helping him with his grief over John. But we all agreed that at least we didn't lose Jenna too. We had lost too many family members recently, losing Jenna would have been the last straw for us.

I went to close the door but caught sight of something in the corner of my eye. I opened the door a bit wider and saw Jenna. Our aunt was asleep in the chair in the corner, her hair covering her face. My heart went out to her. I knew that Jenna wasn't coping well herself, it was only her determination to look after us that stopped her from having a mini-breakdown. Her guilt was overwhelming, even though it shouldn't be. John had made the right choice by saving Jenna. We just had to convince her of that.

I crept inside the room, picking up a spare blanket that Jeremy had kicked off the bed. I draped it over my aunt before brushing her hair from her face. My guess was that she was having trouble sleeping, even with Ric staying over, so she came in here to keep an eye on one of her wards. She knew that Alexa had me sorted, so she decided to keep an eye on Jeremy instead.

Once I had her settled, I quietly left the room, letting the pair sleep. It was still early enough that I didn't want them to wake up and they deserved to get some sleep. I returned to the hallway and, with a sigh, turned around to head back to my own room. Only to jolt backwards as I saw that I was no longer alone.

Damon leant against the wall, his arms crossed and a weary look on his face. I rested a hand over my racing heart but gestured to the vampire to follow me. Since Alexa was currently in residence in my bed, I took Damon into her room. That way, we could talk without worrying about disturbing anyone else.

"How are they?" Damon asked as I closed the door behind us. I leant against it while the vampire sat on the end of my sister's bed.

"Well, they're sleeping, so that's something," I sighed, shaking my head and crossing my arms.

"How's Alexa doing?" the vampire looked at me, a serious look on his face. But I could see the genuine curiosity and worry in his eyes.

"She's become my shadow," I laughed humorlessly. "She barely leaves my side. But I guess that's her way of coping with what happened. She like that after the accident last year, so I know it'll fade soon."

"And her nightmares?" Damon glanced at a photo of my sister beside me, his eyes full of yearning.

"She won't talk to me about them," I shrugged helplessly, hating how ineffective I was at helping my sister. "I know they've been bothering her, but she doesn't want to worry me after what happened. I was hoping that you would be able to speak to her about them."

The vampire looked at me then, his eyes wide in surprise and I sighed, "It's just a part of the reason why I was hoping that I was hoping that I would get a chance to speak to you. I wanted to say thank you. For looking after Alexa while we were all dealing with the sacrifice drama. For putting her first and thinking about her. I know that I failed to do that… a lot… while everything was happening."

"You don't need to thank me for that," Damon smiled slightly, shaking his head. "I would have done it anyway."

"I know you would have, but I still want to thank you," I hesitated for a moment before saying what was on my mind. "Alexa doesn't normally get put first, and I hate that. So I am so grateful that you put her first in everything. That you look after her when I can't. And I just want you to know, that I trust you with her."

I think I had just shocked The Damon Salvatore into silence. He stared at me, his eyes wide and mouth hanging open. I shrugged and smiled at him. I didn't regret what I said and I meant every word of it. Damon's devotion to my sister was obvious, and I knew that she shared his feelings. And now that the sacrifice was over, I could force my sister to actually confront and admit them.

"Thank you, Elena," the vampire said softly, nodding his head. "I appreciate your words. And I want you to know that I would never hurt Alexa."

"I know," I smiled before pushing myself away from the door. "I'm going to put the coffee machine on. I'll leave waking up Alexa to you."

"Oh joy of joys," Damon muttered, rolling his eyes, but I could see the smile on his face. "Make sure that coffee is ready quickly."

XXX

Alexa's POV

I woke up slowly, reluctant to face the world. The sacrifice, despite it being over, continued to hang over my head. We had no idea where Klaus was, whether he was still in town or not. I knew that Elena was still suffering from dying, even if she wouldn't admit it. But I could hear her crying in the shower at times. Plus, I wasn't sleeping well after everything that happened. It was a combination of nightmares from dying for the third time and nightmares from Elena dying. Our goodbye still haunted my dreams and I would never forget that feeling of letting her go.

But an annoying persistent hand running through my hair stopped me from falling back asleep. So I let my grumpiness shine through and grumbled, "It's rude to wake a girl up, you know."

"If it helps," a male voice chuckled as I felt movement on the bed. "Coffee is on its way."

I paused before slowly opening my eyes. It took a moment for them to adjust to the light before I glanced to the side. Instead of my twin's face, I saw the familiar one of Damon. I paused for a moment to think before shrugging a shoulder, "Well, that does help."

My vampire chuckled, "Glad to know. Elena says that you haven't left her side."

"Elena's got a big mouth," I grumbled as I curled into Damon's side. He wrapped his arm around me and rested his chin on my head. "But she's right. I haven't left her side and I'm not happy about her disappearing act this morning."

"She'll be back soon," Damon was quick to reassure me. "With coffee."

"She better be," I rolled my eyes before letting my body relax completely. "But can you keep an ear out for her?"

I glanced up at Damon as he nodded, "I will."

"Thank you," I mumbled into his chest before silence took over. It was a comfortable silence. One that came from familiarity and care. I was able to relax, knowing that Damon was keeping an ear out of my sister, and I trusted him. He would take over Elena duties for the moment, letting me take a moment to look out for myself.

For once, it wasn't me that broke the silence. Damon said, so quietly that I almost didn't hear him, "I'm sorry."

I frowned and looked up at him, "For what?"

"For failing to stop the sacrifice," my vampire sighed, squeezing me a bit tighter. "I said that I would delay it, so you could find a guaranteed way to save Elena. And I failed to do that."

"Hey, no, you don't need to apologise," I grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze. "It all worked out. Yeah, it wasn't how we hoped it would or even how we planned it. But Elena survived and Klaus is gone. We think. But you don't have to apologise. You did what you could, and I really do appreciate that."

Damon looked down at me, his eyes so full of guilt that it made my heart hurt, "I could have saved John."

I sighed, "To be honest, once he was turned, I don't think John would have wanted to be saved. And there was no way that any of us expected him to be taken. You can't blame yourself for that."

"Klaus only took him because I interfered," Damon protested, looking like he needed to be blamed for something. I understood that feeling. It was one that I had often. You were drowning in your guilt and you just needed someone to blame you for something for anything. No matter how small.

"And you only interfered because you knew that was what I needed," I countered, slipping out of his grip so that I could turn around and face him. I cupped his face and forced him to look me in the eye. "Look, if you need me to say it, then I will. I forgive you, Damon, for whatever it is that you feel like you need forgiving for. But I don't blame you for anything. And… I'm just grateful that you came back to me."

"Thank you," my vampire reached out to brush my hair from my face. "I really needed to hear that."

"Always," I smiled softly, stroking one of those mesmerizing cheekbones with my thumb. It wasn't often that I managed to get my hands on them, so I enjoyed every second that I did.

"What would I ever do without you?" Damon murmured, an odd look in his eye that I couldn't quite place, but it had my stomach twisting in an uncomfortable way.

But I pushed it aside and winked, "Obviously you would crash and burn."

"Hmm, obviously," my vampire rolled his eyes but I could see the smirk tugging at his lips. "I have missed that ego of yours."

"Well, I'm trying to get back to normal," I shrugged and reluctantly moved my hands away from the gorgeous face in front of me. "It's what John would have wanted. And I can't stay how I was, it wasn't healthy and lord knows that I'm one more crying session away from being forced into therapy."

"Does normal include following your twin everywhere?" Damon smirked at me, his hands grabbing mine. It felt like he was reluctant to let go of me, that he had to be touching me somehow. Maybe I was just imaging it, or even hoping for it, but either way, I was enjoying the constant touching. It was something that I had gotten used to recently and I wasn't ready to let go of it just yet.

"For now," I conceded gracefully, distracted by the movement of Damon's fingers on my palms. "But that'll fade in time. It did the last time. And the longer we can avoid drama, the quicker it'll fade."

"Is that even possible in this town?" the vampire asked with a small chuckle.

"One can hope," I couldn't help but join in with his laughter. It was definitely one of my favourite sounds and I enjoyed it every single time I heard it. I opened my mouth to say something else but I was interrupted by someone hollering my name from downstairs. I sighed and shook my head, instantly feeling regretful, "Guess that's my cue to go."

"Go get your coffee fix," Damon smiled softly and leant forward. He pressed a kiss to my temple before sighing against my skin. His nose dragged against my skin as he pressed another one mere millimeters away from my lips. I could feel my heart pounding my chest and I was frozen in place. For one blessed moment, I thought he would actually kiss me. But I was never going to be that lucky. My beloved pulled back but he reached out to cup my cheek. The look in his eyes had my heart constricting with worry, even as he smiled so sweetly, "I'll see you later, Ally."

Before I could open my mouth, he was gone.

I swallowed hard, even as my heart continued to pound. My mind was completely blank and I couldn't believe what had just happened. I didn't even know what to focus on. So much had happened in such a short amount of time. I just wished that I had seized my chance to actually kiss him.

XXX

After being bribed into baking cookies all morning, I had been forced to attend the Movie in the Square event in, you guessed it, the town square. It was something that they had been running since the weather improved. But since we had all been dealing with the sacrifice drama, none of us had attended. Not that we were missing out on much. They showed the old, traditional films. The ones that I never cared about watching.

Tonight, it was 'Gone with the Wind' that they had chosen. Caroline's obsession with the film had led to her forcing us all to attend. She also played the "it'll be a good distraction from what happened" card. The cheeky girl. But it had worked perfectly, and Jenna and Elena had forced me and Jeremy to attend.

Some of the local girls had dressed up in old time dresses for the event. Luckily, Caroline hadn't dared ask us to do the same. I followed my siblings through the square, not even bothering to pretend that I wasn't bored.

"You brought me to see a girl movie," Jeremy rolled his eyes as Jenna joined us, a basket full of my homemade cookies in hand. I had to agree with him. It wasn't exactly a Jeremy movie and the surrounding crowd was mostly female.

"We had to get out of the house, Jer," Ellie sighed, grabbing his hand to stop him from running home. "This is our three-hour distraction from reality."

"Is it seriously a three-hour long film?" I hissed at Jenna, feeling a lot more annoyed than I did before.

"Yep, it is," Jenna smiled over at me, looking like she was enjoying my misery far too much.

"Ugh, that is disgustingly long," I grumbled, crossing my arms and looking pathetic.

"Says the person that voluntarily watches the Lord of the Rings, which is closer to four hours," my twin glanced over at her shoulder at me, rolling her eyes.

"Yeah, but that's a good film," I argued. "This is not."

"Don't say that too loud, Lexa," Jer snorted, glancing around. "You may get your eyes scratched out."

"Lol, that's true," I looked around at the girls in the crowd and shuffled closer to my aunt.

"Look, guys, we need to do this, okay?" Ellie reached a suitable spot and took our picnic blanket out of her bag. "Breathe, eat, sleep, wake up, and do it all over again until one day, it's just not as hard anymore."

She was right. One day, the guilt and grief would fade enough that waking up would be easy. We had done it once before; we could do it again. And at least we still had Jenna to help us through it. We weren't alone in this.

Ellie sat down on the blanket, with Jenna next to her. I took my spot behind her, already reaching out to start playing with her hair. Jer sat down next to me, a resigned look on his face. Maybe he just needed the distraction of a family night, even if it was out in the square watching 'Gone with the Wind'.

I had just started plaiting my twin's hair when Caroline arrived, a couple of baskets in hand. She plonked them down in front of Jenna before sitting down next to Elena.

"Hey!" she smiled brightly, making herself comfortable. "There you guys are. Who's hungry?"

"Me," I immediately answered, my appetite having recently returned. And I had a lot of eating to make up for.

"Are we really doing this?" my baby bro turned his pleading eyes to our friend, hoping that he had found an ally. But the kid had picked the wrong person entirely.

Care shared an indulgent look with Ellie before rolling her eyes, "Yes, we are really doing this. We are going to take a page from Scarlett. We made it through the war." She opened one of the baskets and started handing out soda cans. "I know you guys went through hell, and my mom knows that I am a vampire, so basically, it's like Atlanta has burned. And yet, in spite of everything, we persevere."

That was oddly uplifting, even if I didn't understand the references. But she was right. Despite everything that we had been through, we had survived, we had persevered. And we were going to enjoy it. So, even if I didn't pay any attention to the movie, I was going to enjoy this time with my family.

It had even gotten through to Jeremy, who sighed and nodded his head, "What are we eating?"

"Something good," the blonde laughed as she pulled boxes from the Grill out of one of her baskets. "And, I even bought an apple pie."

"OMG I love you," I immediately grabbed the box that she held out and lifted the lid, inhaling deeply. "You always have been my favourite person, Care-Bear."

Caroline laughed and reached back to give me a one-armed hug, "Love you too, Alexa."

"You gonna share that?" Elena laughed as she tried to grab the box.

"Nope," I snorted, moving it out of her reach. "Not unless you make it worth my while. Besides, I spent my morning baking you all cookies. This is my reward."

"Yeah, cos you need rewarding for something that you enjoy doing," Jeremy, the little traitor, joined the others in trying to steal my apple pie. Which was uber mean because Caroline bought it just for me.

"I do when I spend hours doing it," I sniffed dramatically, clutching the box to my stomach. "And, I shall point out, I had no help in doing it."

"That's because you banished everyone from the kitchen," Jenna laughed as she started handing out paper plates.

"Meh, details," I waved off her words, my eyes daring anyone to try and make a move for my apple pie.

"It's definitely a good thing that I also got a peach cobbler," Care giggled as she revealed the second desert box. "You are far too predictable, Alexa."

Eh, there was nothing wrong with being consistent.

XXX

The movie was in full swing when the younger Salvatore brother appeared. He had a frown on his face as he approached us through the crowd. The sun was beginning to set and the lights were starting to turn on around the square. Jenna had pulled out the spare blanket to rest over our legs, as she knew our tendency to complain about being cold.

"Hey," the vampire greeted us as he came to a stop at the edge of the blanket.

"Hey," Ellie beamed up at her boyfriend, looking relaxed for the first time in weeks. "Look who couldn't resist an epic romance."

And ain't that true. An epic romance was one way of describing their own relationship. And we all knew that Stefan was head over heels for my sister. Besides, judging from Stefan's hidden movie collection, he was a total sucker for romance movies.

Stefan didn't return the smile, he just gestured to the side with his head, "Can you and Alexa come take a walk with me?"

"Damn, I get to come too?" I asked as we climbed to our feet, linking my arm with my sister's. "Does that mean that you have finally seen sense and decided to date the better twin?"

"He already is, Lexa," Ellie glanced over at me with a smirk and I gasped in shock.

"Damn, I really need to get these recorded," I muttered, shaking my head. "Otherwise, no one ever believes me."

"And no one ever will," my twin laughed as we caught up with Stefan. "You know, I'm breaking the rules. Move night is supposed to be a distraction. Tomorrow we can return to our regularly scheduled drama."

"Yeah, Stef," I added cheekily. "You'll get us in trouble with Caroline."

I knew that the blonde vampire had heard me as, when I glanced over my shoulder, she gave me a dirty look and rolled her eyes. Lol, take that. Serves her right for making me watch 'Gone with the Wind' and confiscating my phone. She had hidden it in the picnic basket in front of her, preventing me from continuing my game. Which was very mean of her, as it was the only thing stopping me from falling asleep.

"I know," Stef sighed as he led us to a quieter area. "I wish this could wait, but it can't." The younger vampire looked at me then, his eyes so full of sadness. "Listen, um, the other night when Damon was helping Tyler, something happened." I could feel a pit forming in my stomach at his words. And I didn't want him to continue speaking, to confirm the dark thought in the back of my mind. "Tyler was starting to transform, and Damon was bitten."

Everything went silent. I could see Stefan's lips moving but I couldn't hear him. My chest felt tight and I couldn't breathe. My heart was squeezing in my chest and my legs felt numb. And I couldn't breathe. I clutched at my chest as everything hurt. And I still couldn't breathe.

"Alexa?" Elena wrapped her arms around me while Stefan helped me over to a nearby bench. "Lexa, you need to breathe."

My legs shook beneath me and it was only Stefan's strength that kept me on my feet. Everything still felt numb, except for me heart. It squeezed in my chest, feeling as though someone had grabbed it and was squeezing it. It only added to the tightness in my chest. I could barely gasp in breaths, my vision going shaky from it.

"I… can't…" I gasped out as tears started to form in my eyes and my body continued to shake. "Oh god, he's gonna die, isn't he? Damon is going to die. Oh fuck, Ellie I can't breathe."

"We'll find a way to save him," Ellie's face was determined as she crouched down in front of me, squeezing my hands. "I won't let him die."

"I saw him this morning and he just looked so sad at times," I knew that I was babbling and it hurt as my chest just felt so tight. But I just couldn't stop. "I didn't know why and I was so scared to ask why. And he gave me an opening, to tell him how I felt. I should have taken it. I should have told him that I love him. And now he is going to die."

"He didn't want me to tell you," Stefan sighed as he rubbed my back. "But I figured that if you wanted to talk to him, I… I wouldn't wait."

"Is there anything that we can do?" Elena looked over at her boyfriend, her eyes wide with a desperate hope.

"It isn't over," he confirmed with a nod as he tried to help me regulate my breathing. "There might be a cure, but I have to find Klaus to get it."

"No," my twin immediately shook her head. "He's gonna kill you."

"No, he had the chance to kill me, but he didn't," Stefan countered with a sigh. "Whatever Damon's done, whatever has led him here, I'm the one that made him become a vampire in the first place, so if there's a chance for a cure, I owe it to him to find it."

My sister understood, even if she still had reservations about Stefan going to see Klaus. But it was Damon's only hope. And I couldn't lose him. Not now, not ever. Ellie nodded and Stefan pulled her into an embrace, reaching out to bring me into it after a moment.

"Take Alexa to go see him," Stefan murmured and I tried not to feel like he was saying goodbye. "Just tell him that there's still hope."

I nodded my head, determination strengthening my body. I couldn't let go of this chance to see him, even if it is for one final time. If this was to be Damon's end, I wouldn't let him go through it alone. But I prayed to every single god in the sky above me, that Stefan would be able to find a cure. That I wouldn't be saying goodbye to the man I loved.

XXX

Damon's POV

I couldn't get my mind off of Alexa. She was finally smiling again, even with the loss of her birth father. But she had dealt with grief before. And her twin had survived. So she was able to start laughing and joking again. I was able to see the smile that I had fallen in love with all those months ago. I was glad that I was able to see it before I died. Especially since I knew that losing me would break her. And that wasn't just my ego speaking. I knew how much I meant to her and I hated that I would be hurting her like this. She deserved to be happy, she deserved to be with those she loved. God, I wished I could give that to her.

I had almost lost my composure, almost given in and kissed her. I was so ready to, to finally do something that I had been waiting so long to do. And I knew that she would have let me. But I couldn't do that to her. It would have been cruel of me to kiss her, to reveal my feelings for her, only to die not long later. I had wasted so much time, I had hidden my feelings for her for far too long. And now I would never be able to tell her.

I let out a low groan as my body shuddered in pain. My arm throbbed, pain radiating across my body. I wished that Stefan had let me end it my way. That he hadn't subjected me to this pain. It was unimaginable and my heart went out to Rose. The agony that she endured was beyond belief and I knew that it was only a matter of time before it drove me insane.

I stared at the cellar door and frowned as I saw that it was open. I felt myself moving forward and glanced through the crack in the door. Katherine sat in front of her dresser, brushing her long curly hair. She was in her underclothes, her corset visible and the exposed skin was pure temptation.

"Mr Salvatore," the lady met my gaze in the mirror, a cheeky look in her eye. "Spying on a lady is a sign of very poor manners."

I pushed open the door, bowing my head slightly, catching sight of my army uniform, "My apologies, Miss Katherine."

She smiled sweetly at me before standing up. Katherine smoothed down her dress as she gathered her hair over one shoulder. The movement drew my attention to her bust, to the skin that was hinting at the delights underneath the corset.

"But since you are here," she said, turning so that her back was to me and she was facing the long mirror in the corner. "My corset strings seem to be knotted. I wonder if you can undo them."

"Of course," I immediately agreed before stepping forward. I reached out, intending to grab the corset strings. But instead, I found myself touching smooth skin. I was mesmerized and couldn't take my eyes off of the beauty in front of me.

"Will you miss me while off defending the South?" Katherine asked softly, her voice breaking the silence. I glanced up, meeting her eyes in the mirror, even as I continued to stroke her skin.

"I shall," I confirmed, my voice just as soft. I missed Katherine every moment that I wasn't with her. She had captured my heart and I would forever be hers.

"Then I hope you will hurry back," the lady smiled while I sorted out the corset. "I fear I will be lonely with you away."

I frowned and couldn't stop the words from leaving my mouth, "I would think Stefan should be company enough."

The lady in front of me shook her head and turned around, grabbing my hands as she did so, "Is it so wrong for me to want you both?"

She looked so sincere, so earnest. I wanted to say that yes, it was wrong. But I didn't want to risk losing her. If I made Katherine chose, then there was a chance that she would pick Stefan over me. And that would just break my heart.

"Damon."

The new voice had me glancing over my shoulder. Alexa stood there, her arms crossed and a soft look on her face. She kept her gaze on me, refusing to look at the girl behind me.

"Alexa?" I murmured, pulling my hands from Katherine's grasp and stepping forward.

"She doesn't want you, Damon," Alexa sighed, her eyes so full of sorrow and guilt. "She was just using you. You have to see that. You have to walk away from her. She isn't worth it."

I stared at my girl, a confused frown on my face. I heard what she was saying and I understood it, deep down. But I just couldn't believe it. I didn't want to. It would mean that I had wasted so many years of my life.

A gently hand touched my cheek, drawing my attention back to the lady behind me, "Promise me that you will return quickly."

I started at Katherine, the words leaving my mouth without my permission, "I promise."

The lady smiled up at me and I couldn't stop myself from smiling back, even if it felt like something was missing from her gaze. Her smile was missing something. But I just couldn't work out what.

I shook my head and blinked. But when I opened my eyes, I was back in the basement. I groaned as another shiver wracked my body. My arm throbbed and I pushed up my sleeve. The bite was getting worse quickly. I knew that it would only be a matter of time before it took over. Before I lost all sense of who I was.

"Well, that looks bad," I glanced over to the cell door and saw Ric standing there. His eyes were full of sympathy as he looked at the bite on my arm.

"It feels worse," I groaned, quickly covering it up. "MY subconscious is haunting me, Ric. Please tell me you have something for that."

The teacher smirked before holding up a glass. It was full of scotch and I immediately nodded. That would definitely help with my subconscious. Ric also placed something next to glass and I couldn't help but roll my eyes. It was my daylight ring, the one I had thrown to the side earlier. Obviously my younger brother was using Ric to persuade me to fight, to stay alive.

"Double shot," my friend confirmed as he poured me into the glass. Now that was even better. Couldn't have him denying me, not right now.

"That's good," I smirked weakly as I pushed myself to my feet. I could feel my legs shaking beneath me but I refused to fall back down. I couldn't let anyone see how weak I was right now. There was only one person that I would ever show weakness to, and she wasn't here.

I reached the door and sighed at the sight in front of me. I knew what was expected of me, so I picked up my ring, slipping it onto my finger. I stared down at it for a moment before sighing, "Oh good," I picked up the glass of scotch and downed half the glass, "So my brother sent you for suicide watch?"

Ric looked awkward but determined. It was an interesting mix, but one the teacher slash hunter made work, "He's just trying to help."

I snorted and shook my head, "He's doing what he always does, trying to right the wrongs of the past." I went to drink more but doubled over instead. The glass fell from my hand as I realised that I was crying out in pain. It was getting worse, soon, I wouldn't know what was real and what wasn't. "You should want me dead. I nearly got Jenna killed. I did get John killed."

"That wouldn't have been your fault," Ric sighed, his eyes soft and full of pity as he took a sip from the bottle in his hand.

"Of course it would have been my fault," I hissed, wrapping an arm around my stomach and everything burned. "Let's not forget that I turned your wife into a vampire. You must really hate me for that one."

For a moment, there was a hard look in Ric's eye. But he shook his head and held out his hand, "Okay, give me your glass. Neither one of us is drunk enough for this conversation."

In his attempt to persuade me to drop the subject, Ric got too close. I knew that he would make the final blow if I gave him enough incentive. I just had to force his hand. So I shot forward, ignoring the pain as I tried to end it all. I grabbed his neck through the gap in the door, squeezing as hard as I could in this condition.

"Kill me," I begged, unable to hide the desperation from my voice. "Please."

The hunter shook his head and choked out, "Screw you."

In a move that I probably should have expected, Ric whipped out a vervain dart and stuck it deep into my arm. I staggered back as I felt it start to affect me. In my weakened state, I had no chance of stopping it's effects from working.

I feel to the ground, my cheek resting on the dirt and frowned as I saw green eyes staring at me through the door, "No, Alexa?"

I faintly heard Ric's next words, before darkness took me, "Alexa isn't here, Damon."

XXX

Alexa's POV

Elena had left me on the bench while she went to tell the others what was happening. Despite my determination and my desire to see Damon, my body still felt weak. I knew why. My apparent panic attack had wiped me out. It had happened before. But this time, I couldn't let myself rest. Damon needed me, that was more important than relaxing.

I glanced up at my sister as she approached. She shared my determination. Whether it was for my sake or Stefan's, I didn't know. And I didn't care. Either way, my sister would help me speak to Damon and find a way to cure him. This wouldn't be the end of my love; I wouldn't let him die this way.

"Stefan said that he's in the Boarding House," Elena said as I shakily got to my feet. My legs felt unsteady beneath me but I refused to let them stop me. I would fight my body if I needed to, but I wouldn't miss this opportunity to see him, to look after him. My twin hesitated before sighing, "He was forced to lock him in the cell in the basement."

"What? Why?" I frowned as I followed her to her car. "Why did Stefan lock him up?"

Ellie refused to look over at me as she answered my question, "Damon tried to kill himself. He took of his ring and stood in the sun. Stefan thought that it would be the only way to keep him alive until he found a cure."

"Oh god, he what?" my hands shook as I opened the car door, but my mind was spinning in shock. My vampire tried to kill himself? Oh poor Damon. We all knew what Rose had gone through, Damon had clearly wanted to avoid going through the same. But the information only motivated me to get to Damon quicker. He needed me and I was going to be there for him. "He isn't alone, now, is he?"

"Ric is with him," my sister was quick to confirm, grabbing my hand to give it a squeeze. "And very soon, we will be with him too."

"How soon is soon?" I smiled weakly as I tried to stop my body from shaking. "Cos if you want to break some speeding laws, then I won't tell on you."

"You're so generous, Lexa," Elena sighed and shook her head, but I noticed that she put her foot down on the accelerator a bit harder. Which I appreciated. Because the quicker I got to Damon, the quicker I could stop my heart from pounding its way out of my chest.

The ride to the Boarding House was silent. Neither of us were up to speaking. I didn't know what was on Elena's mind, but all I could think about was Damon. How I could be losing him. Once again, I had waited too long, I had let my fears control me. I never told Luke that I loved him before he died, now there was the danger that it would happen again. But I had to get to Damon before that happened. Even if he did die, he had to die knowing that I loved him.

It was a relief when the Boarding House came into view. I was so close to seeing him, to being there for him. I was itching to just leap out of the car, even though Elena was still parking up. But my sister knew me far too well, and had locked the doors just before we reached the house. I had to wait as she parked up in front of the building before I could get out. I was barely able to wait for her to also exit the car before marching toward the Salvatore home.

Ellie quickly appeared next to me, her hand on my shoulder. She didn't say a word but I could see the understanding look in her eye. She knew why I was in such a rush. If it was Stefan in this position, she would be doing the same thing. We were so powerless when it came to the vampire drama. But being there for the ones we loved, that we could do.

The hand on my shoulder squeezed tightly for a moment, as Elena forced me to a stop. She turned around to look behind her, and I followed her gaze. But there was nothing there. I don't know what my twin had heard, but it must have been in her head. Which was something that I just didn't have time for.

I turned back around only for a hand to land over my mouth. My muffled shout must have drawn my sister's attention as she also spun back around. But her mouth was also covered. The sheriff had a stern look on her face as she silenced my twin. One of her deputies held me, their hand still covering my mouth despite my attempts to gnaw at it.

"Don't make a sound," Sheriff Forbes ordered quietly as more deputies appeared out of the darkness. I struggled against the man that held me, desperate to escape his grip. I shouted muffled profanities, trying to catch the attention of someone inside the house while also voicing my displeasure. But the deputy held me firm as he forced me towards the side of the house. Clearly the police had been waiting for the perfect opportunity to sneak inside the house. Which meant that they were going after Damon. They wanted my Damon.

My desperation grew and I struggled fiercely, needing to get to my vampire. He wouldn't be strong enough to defend himself from them. I had to save him. I was cursing the sheriff, hoping that she could hear me. But I was firmly ignored as she gave my sister to one of the other deputies.

With one last look at us both, she turned around and walked toward the Boarding House. Most of her deputies followed, leaving just two with us. I tried screaming, desperate to warn the occupants of the Boarding House that they needed to run. But my efforts were useless. All I could do was watch as they entered the house, hunting down the man I loved.

XXX

In a move that surprised me, we were taken to the Sheriff's office. Maybe it was because it was vampire business, and they had no legal reason to be arresting us. Or maybe it was because she had known us since we were little kids. Either way, I didn't care as to the reason. All I cared about was the fact that they had taken me away from Damon. The man I loved needed me, and I couldn't help him. I wasn't strong enough to fight the deputies.

I could only hope and pray that he had gotten away somehow. That Ric had let him go free or Damon had found another way to escape. I couldn't bare it if he died alone, without me by his side. Even more so, I needed to tell him how I felt. I couldn't let him die without knowing the truth.

I paced back and forth across the room, knocking random things off of the sheriff's desk every time I walked past it. It wasn't much, but it helped me keep as calm as possible. The petty acts of revenge were enough to calm the buzzing beneath my skin until I could confront her. Until I could curse her out and make her feel the pain that I was feeling.

Elena was leaning against the wall by the window, her arms crossed and a worried look on her face. I could feel her eyes on me, never taking them off of my constant movements. I knew what she wanted to say, that he would be alright, that I would be able to see him, that Stefan would find a cure. But they would be empty words and she knew it. Until Damon was in my arms, I wouldn't believe anything that was said.

It wasn't until the door was opened that I stopped pace. I spun around, a fierce look on my face as I stared at the sheriff. Caroline's mom sighed and closed the door behind her. She didn't look regretful of her actions, but she didn't look like she was ready for a fight either.

"Where the hell is Damon?" I hissed the moment the door was shut. "What did you do to him?"

Ellie appeared out the corner of my eye, her hand on my shoulder and a cautious look on her face.

"I was going to ask you where he could have gone," Sheriff Forbes squared her shoulders and crossed her arms, putting on a stern demeanor.

My heart relaxed in my chest as I realised what that meant, "He got away. Oh thank god."

"Why do you even care?" the sheriff frowned, glancing over at my sister. "Why do either of you care. You know what they are, what they do, what they are capable of."

"I understand why you hate them," my twin said, making an effort to keep her tone peaceful. But from the tight grip that she had on my shoulder, I could tell that she was frustrated too. "But you're wrong."

"They're murderers, Elena," Sheriff Forbes scoffed, shaking her head. "End of story."

"People are murderers too, but I don't see you killing them indiscriminately," I immediately snapped back, ignoring my sister's hiss in my ear. I knew that I was being reckless, but I just couldn't help myself. "Humans can be just as bad as vampires. In my experience, the Salvatore brothers have done a lot to save this town. And how do you thank you? By trying to kill Damon. I'm so disappointed in you."

"You're disappointed in me?" the sheriff looked shocked and actually took a step back at my words. "I'm just trying to keep the people in this town safe."

"Killing Damon isn't going to do that," I disagreed while Elena gave up trying to make me see sense. "He's been one of the best people protecting this town. Maybe if you actually used your brain, you would realise that. Because I'm willing to bet that you know a lot more than you are letting on. I know Matt told Caroline everything that he told you."

"You know about my daughter," she shook her head, and for a brief moment, I saw the grief in her expression.

"I know that Caroline is exactly the same as she was before, maybe even better," I crossed my arms, knowing that I had to chose my words carefully. "She's even stronger than she was before, more confident. Your daughter is amazing, sheriff, don't do something that you will later regret."

Before Sheriff Forbes could say anything, one of her deputies knocked on the door, opening it at her order, "Damon Salvatore was just spotted outside entering the Grill."

The sheriff nodded and turned around to face her deputy. My heart froze in my chest at his words. They had found Damon. He was in danger again and I had to do something to help him. It was my one chance, I had to take it.

"No, you've gotta stop!" I protested loudly, stepping forward to grab the sheriff's shoulder. "Please, let me come with you. Damon's sick, okay. He isn't acting like himself. Please let me come with you."

Sheriff Forbes looked at me and for once brief second, I thought that I had gotten through to her. But I was kidding myself. She shook her head before shaking off my hand and looking at her deputy, "Keep them here."

With that said, she walked out of her office. I stared after her with wide eyes, feeling my stomach sink at my failure. My hands started to shake again and I sighed in despair. I tugged at my hair and hunched over.

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see my twin marching forward, a determined look on her face. But the deputy quickly blocked her path, a stern look on his face.

"Move out of my way," my sister demanded, crossing her arms. But her words were ignored. The deputy just closed the door, not saying a word.

XXX

Every second felt like a lifetime. I could only pray that Damon escaped again. Because I had failed to help him. For the second time. I had to save him, but I kept failing. And now I didn't even know if I would get to see him again. With the werewolf bite, he didn't have long left to live. And life kept stopping me from going to see him.

I couldn't stop myself from moving, my body was filled with frantic energy. I paced back and forth, running my hands through my hair and tugging on it harshly. I felt sick with worry and I knew that I was just moments away from my second panic attack of the night. I just couldn't get the fact that I had failed him out of my head. I was supposed to give him hope, I was supposed to save him from those that wanted to hurt him. I hadn't done either of those things.

I wasn't even aware that I was gasping for air until my sister's hand settled on my shoulders. Her worried face appeared in front of mine, "Hey, Lexa, you've got to breathe."

"I can't," I wheezed, shaking my head, but I reached up to grip my twin's wrists as I tried to steady my breathing. "I need to help Damon."

"I know," she soothed, rubbing my shoulders with her thumbs. "And I will get you to him. But first I need you to breathe."

"Okay," I nodded shakily before closing my eyes. In front of me, Elena slowed down her breathing, encouraging me to copy her movements. I knew the drill; it was something that I had done a few times before. But the worry in my heart made it a lot harder this time. Ellie murmured soothing words, they were nonsense words really, but they gave my mind something to latch onto while I tried to calm down.

I didn't know how long it took, but eventually, I managed to get control of my breathing. I opened my eyes and gave my sister a nod. I felt a pang of guilt at the worried look in her eye. I didn't want to worry her, not after everything she had been through. I was supposed to be strong for her. But I got one piece of bad news and I was breaking down. Although, to be fair, it was more than bad news. It was heartbreaking.

"I'm good, Ellie," I tried to smile, and I think I did well at faking it. But my twin didn't look convinced. "Honestly, I'm fine now."

"Oh Lexa, you really aren't," Elena sighed, reaching out to brush my hair from my face. "I wish that there was something that I could do to take this pain from you."

"Just get me to Damon," I nodded sharply, my mind now consumed by the thoughts of the man I loved. "I'll be fine when you get me to him."

"Okay, I can do that," there was a hard look on my sister's face as the determination took over. My sister could be so incredibly stubborn at times. It could sometimes be annoying for me. But there were times, like now, where it helped. I knew that Elena would get me to Damon. She would not let herself fail me. And I loved her so much for that.

My twin led me over to a chair at the side of the room and forced me to sit down. I put up a bit of a protest but a stern look had me keeping quiet. Elena had her game face on and I could see the different plans swirling through her mind. I was suddenly so grateful that she was letting me go see Damon because if she didn't approve, then it would have been incredibly hard for me to get to him.

I didn't know what my sister was planning. We knew that the windows were locked and the deputy was still on the other side of the door. Every time we tried to open the door, he gave us a stern and disapproving look. And then promptly shut the door. Before moaning about us to his colleagues on the other side of the door.

But then my twin made a move that I would never have expected of her. Elena Miranda Gilbert, the self-proclaimed sensible twin, picked up a chair and threw it through the window. Yep, you read that right. My sister threw a chair through the window, shattering the glass.

I just sat in my chair, staring at her in shock. My mind was blank and I just couldn't think of what to say. This was something that Elena just didn't do. She didn't damage stuff like that. She was the sensible one that thought through all of her options in a calm way. She didn't go throwing chairs through windows.

And then she just stood there looking satisfied. I let out a squeak, gesturing between the broken window and her, a shocked look on my face. I just didn't know what to say. But I did appreciate her gestures. Ellie had lived up to her words, that she would get me to my Damon.

"What?" Elena shrugged, looking uncomfortable and proud of herself. "I couldn't think of another way to get us out of here."

"Aww Ellie," I finally found my words and got up to give her a hug. "You're so sweet. I can't believe you committed criminal damage for me."

"I'd do anything for you, Lexa," my twin smiled, biting her lip. "Now, let's get out of here before someone comes to investigate the noise."

I paused before nodding. Now that I thought about it, I was surprised that no one had to come to find out what the loud noise was already. And I wasn't about to hang around for that happen. This was my chance to get to Damon. I wasn't going to give that up. Not for anything.

So I nodded at my sister and followed her out of the broken window, making sure to avoid the jagged glass around the edges. The last thing I needed was another injury.

XXX

Once we were far enough away from the police station, we had split up. Elena had been reluctant to leave my side, which was a feeling that I returned, but acknowledged that it was the best move. There was a lot of ground to cover and it would be easier to do it separately.

I took one side of the square, the side that the Grill was on, while Elena took the other. We didn't know what state Damon would be in when we found him, so Ellie tried to make me promise to call her if I was the one to find him. She also tried to order me to not approach him alone. I had vaguely agreed to do so but I knew in my heart, that I wouldn't. If I saw Damon, then I would be going to him. I knew that it wasn't sensible, but I couldn't let him suffer alone.

I pushed my way through the crowd that had gathered to watch the movie. It was so long, that it was still playing. The people that weren't bothering to watch the dull movie were just chatting amongst themselves. There were various food carts scattered around the square, providing meals to those who had turned up. I ignored all the sights and smells and sounds, keeping focused on my goal. I prayed that Damon was still around. Yeah, it was dangerous for him to be here, with the deputies and sheriff on alert. But if he was still here, then I could look after him.

As my search continued to yield no results, I couldn't help but tug on my hair in despair. I needed so desperately to find him. It was physically hurting my heart that I couldn't. And I knew that yet another panic attack was approaching. This was turning out to be a really shitty night.

I pushed my way behind the screen, where it was slightly quieter. I needed a moment to just calm the fuck down. Because if I didn't, then I wouldn't be of any use to Damon. And I needed to help him. My vampire needed me, I had to be there for him.

But just as I started to try and even out my breathing, I heard a weak voice utter my name.

"Alexa."

I spun around with a gasp and my heart relaxed in my chest. Damon stood behind me, looking dead on his feet. Pun not intended. His face was sweaty and he looked so incredibly pale. My heart, that had previously relaxed, started racing again. Rose had looked like this towards the end. I knew that my Damon didn't have long left. God, I hoped Stefan found a cure soon. Before I lost the man I loved.

"Damon," I breathed out, rushing forward. The vampire immediately wrapped his arms around me as he supported most of his weight against me. I immediately felt better, having him in my arms. Even if it showed just how weak he was really feeling. "Hey, I've gotta get you out of here, okay? It's not safe for you here, you have to hide. I'll take you to the witch house, no one will think to look there."

"Where are we going?" Damon slurred, his voice sounding so quiet and yet there was an innocence there, one that I didn't normally hear. I glanced up, meeting his gaze, to see his eyes were unfocused. I cursed as I realised why. He was hallucinating. Rose had done so, I just hoped that he didn't get all murder happy with his hallucinations.

"Somewhere safe," I murmured as I lead him forward, desperately trying to keep him moving. Damon was surprising pliant in his hallucination and I couldn't help but wonder what he was seeing.

"Wait for me, I want to come with you," he muttered, tripping over and stumbling. I tightened my grip on him, silently thanking the weight training that I had been doing. Without it, I didn't know if I would have been strong enough to support him.

"Easy baby," I murmured, not paying attention to what I was saying as I just focused on getting him to safety. "It isn't safe here, we've gotta leave."

I was just glancing around, making sure that no one was paying any attention to us, when I was shoved against a nearby lamppost. Damon had moved me using his vampire speed, taking my breath away. His eyes were glazed over still and my heart raced in my chest. He had no idea what he was doing, he was caught in his mind.

"Why must you always run from me?" Damon's voice was quiet while his wide eyes scanned my face, seeing someone else's. While one hand kept me pinned, he used the other to stroke my face. His skin was clammy and I knew that we were running out of time.

"Damon, we have to go," I hoped that I would be able to break through his hallucination. I couldn't break his hold so the only way I could get him to safety was if he let me go.

"Then let me chase you forever," Damon's next words clued me in on who he though he was talking to. "Feed me your blood."

He was with Katherine. Back when he was human. Back when she had her claws deep in him. I couldn't help but wonder he was seeing, what memory he was reliving with her. But those were thoughts for another time. When he was safe and I could properly ignore the jealousy that was burning in my stomach.

"I choose you, Katherine," my vampire spoke, a loving look on his face that just broke my heart. I desperately wished that he would look at me like that one day. That it wasn't a look that just Katherine would see.

"Hey, come one, you've gotta come back to me," I reached out to cup his cheek. "We need to go, baby, I need to get you somewhere safe."

But my words had no effect on him, "Promise me you will not tell my brother."

Then the veins under his eyes rippled. My breath got stuck in my throat as his fangs extended, his gaze fixed on my neck. I knew what was going to happen and I had to stop it. I couldn't let him bite me. Damon would never forgive himself when he realised. I couldn't let that happen.

"Damon, don't do this," I whispered, unable to speak any louder.

"I have to," he breathed against my neck, his fangs scraping against my skin. "If we are to be together forever."

"We can be together forever, Day," I didn't pay any attention to what I was saying, I just kept my tone soothing in an attempt to get through to him. "You don't have to do this. Day, please, don't do this. Come back to me. You have to come back to me."

His fangs scrapped against my skin, the sharp pain causing me to gasp, but that was it. There was nothing else. No further pain. I held my breath, praying that my words had gotten through to him.

"Alexa?" Damon groaned against my skin, releasing his hold on me only to fall to his knees. I quickly followed, grabbing him as he swayed. I rested his head against my chest while I looked around. By some miracle, no one had spotted us. So I dug my phone out of my pocket and called my sister. We had to get him somewhere safe, somewhere that wasn't here.

XXX

Elena had quickly arrived when I called, a worried look on her face. It took one glance at the dying vampire for her to shoot forward. She crouched down next to me and glanced over with worried eyes.

"We need to move him," she said before looking around.

"I know, but we need his help," I sighed before stroking my Damon's cheek. "Hey, Day, we need to get up now. Okay?"

"Where are we going?" he slurred against my skin, his head nestled under my chin. I could only think of one place to take him. It might not have been the safest place, but it was somewhere that he could be comfortable. And that was the most important thing. That he was comfortable.

"Home," I replied as I carefully eased one of his arms over my shoulders. "We're gonna go home."

The vampire nodded shakily while Elena did the same with his other arm. We gently hoisted him to his feet, keeping our grips gentle while his legs shook. While we moved, I kept on whispering. It was a load of nonsense, but it was something for him to focus on.

When we got him away from the crowds still hanging around, I glanced around. It occurred to me that we had no way of actually getting to the Boarding House. Which had me cursing.

"Don't suppose the cops brought our car back into town?" I reached forward to glance at my twin. She shook her head and I spat out another curse. "Fuck, what do we do?"

"I still have the key to Jenna's car," Ellie looked like she was deep in thought. "I can run home and get it."

"You think that will work?" I couldn't hide the desperation in my voice, even as I tightened my grip on Damon. He was leaning on me more and more, his strength failing him.

"It'll work," Elena nodded in determination as we took refuge in one of the alleys. "I'll be as quick as I can."

"We'll be right here," I watched as my sister left, her hair swishing behind her as she ran. It made me worry, the fact that she was running home on her own, in the dark. But we had no other choice. Damon was in no state to vamp speed us to his house, and no one else was answering their phone. We couldn't risk putting him in a cab, so Jenna's car was the only option.

I carefully eased my beloved back down to the ground, returning to our previous position. Damon wrapped his arms around my waist as he settled back against my chest. I could feel his sweat soaking through my top as he breathed against my skin. I held him close to me, the feel of his breathing helping to ease my worry, if only a little. I had never seen Damon so weak, and it felt so unsettling. It felt wrong. My Damon was not weak. He was strong and sweet and caring. He looked after me and made me feel like everything would be okay. Now, he could barely keep himself upright. So it was up to me to look after him.

I sighed into his sweat-soaked hair as I realised that he was caught in another hallucination. It wasn't a Katherine one, but this was more heartbreaking.

"Mom," he slurred, reaching forward with one arm. "Where are you going?"

I brushed his hair back, hoping to ease him through the pain of this hallucination. I remembered him telling me about his mom. She had gotten sick, very sick, and had to go away. She had died not long later, leaving the boys without a mother.

"Please don't leave me here," Damon's words had my heartbreaking and I clutched him closer. "Not with dad. Take us with you."

I cursed this disease for doing this to my vampire. I knew that his childhood memories troubled him. And I hated that he was being forced to relive them. This bite was destroying his mind and his body. And I hated it. I wished that there was something that I could do, but I was utterly powerless.

My Damon's next words were mumbled and I couldn't hear them. But I just continued to run my hand through his hair, soothing him best I could. God, I hoped Elena hurried up. The sooner she got here, the sooner I could get him settled at the Boarding House. There, I could get him some blood. Hopefully that would help with the hallucinations.

My phone buzzing in my pocket had me cursing. I had to move Damon from his comfortable position, which was not something that I wanted to do. He had finally stopped mumbling and I didn't want to disturb him. I slipped my phone from my pocket and answered it, "Ellie."

"I'm nearby," she immediately said and I let out a relieved breath. "But I can't get too close. Can you meet me at the other end of the alley?"

"We're on our way," I confirmed before hanging up and glancing down at my vampire. "Hey Day, we've gotta move again. Okay? You can rest soon, I promise."

Damon nodded weakly against my chest and tried to push himself up. But he didn't have the strength to do so. I slipped myself under his arm and carefully eased him up. He rested most of his weight against me as his legs shook. But I didn't mind.

He was letting me help him. That was the most important thing. He was letting himself be weak and he trusted me to get him to safety. And I refused to betray that trust. So I eased him forward, a step at a time. I kept on talking, encouraging him to move forward while keeping as patient as I could.

Elena met me at the end of the alley, the headlights of the car illuminating her worried face. At my reassuring nod, she held me get Damon into the backseat. I quickly followed, reluctant to be away from his side. I looked down at the man I loved, the streetlamps illuminating his pale face, and prayed to every god in the sky above that he would survive this.

XXX

We got Damon settled in his bed and I was relieved that he was finally comfortable. Ellie looked down at him, a sad look on her face, before she glanced over at me, "I'll give you two some privacy."

"Ellie, you don't have to leave," I protested softly, even as I sat down next to my vampire.

"You two need to talk," she smiled gently, reaching out to squeeze my shoulder. "I'll go get some blood. Just yell if you need me."

"Always," I nodded at her before watching as my sister left the room. I sighed and looked down at Damon. He was unconscious but I knew that it was only a matter of time before he woke up again. But for now, I could wash the sweat off of his face.

Even though I didn't want to leave his side, I forced myself to go to his bathroom. At least I didn't have to go far. I grabbed one of the face cloths and ran it under the water. I knew that he would feel better once I had wiped his face. I certainly did.

"Alexa," Damon's weak voice had me rushing back to his side. I grabbed his hand and gave it a squeeze.

"Hey, I'm right here," I reassured him softly, as I used my other hand to dab at his forehead. "I'm here, Day."

"Alexa, no," he shook his head, but his eyes showed a lucidity that I hadn't seen in a while. "You've got to get out of here. I could hurt you."

"You're not gonna hurt me," I replied confidently, completely believing my words as I continued to wipe the sweat from his face. "I'm not going to leave you. I'll be here, no matter what happens."

"No," he wheezed, his eyes begging me to go. "Get out of here."

Before I could say anything, he let out a hoarse scream, followed by ragged coughing. The sound of it pierced my heart, ripping it into pieces. I immediately dropped the cloth to the side before moving forward. I eased myself behind my vampire, pulling him back against my chest. I clutched him close, stroking his cheek as I eased him through the coughing fit.

"Hey, hey, Day, just breathe, okay," I murmured soothing words, keeping as calm as I could. "It's okay, it's gonna be okay. Just hang on, baby. It's okay."

"It's not okay," Damon shook his head weakly and my heart clenched at the pain in his voice. "It's not okay. All those years, I've blamed Stefan. No one forced me to love her. It was my own choice."

I didn't know what to say to that, but I forced myself to say something, to give him the comfort that he desperately needed, "You don't need to feel guilty for that."

"I made the wrong choice, Ally," Damon whispered into my chest, his hand clutching at mine. "You tell Stefan that I'm sorry. Okay?"

"I'll tell him," I promised softly as I fought against the tears that wanted to fall. "And then you can tell him after, okay?"

"I'm not gonna make it that far," my vampire murmured, shaking his head weakly.

"Yeah you are," I countered softly as Elena poked her head around the door. I nodded for her to come in. Damon glanced to the side as she held out a glass of blood. But as he reached out for it, the shaking his hands grew worse. So I carefully took the glass from my sister's hand. Ellie looked down at the vampire, her eyes so full of guilt and misery, before disappearing from the room.

I held the glass to my beloved's lips, gently urging him to drink. He reached up to grab to grab my wrist, but Damon let me feed him the blood. He sipped at the liquid within, taking it slowly. Which was probably a good thing. I remembered how much Rose puked up and I didn't want Damon to do the same. He needed to hold this blood down, it could help keep him going for a bit longer.

Damon gently pulled my wrist away when he had enough and I placed the glass to the side. I stroked his hair back from his face before pulling him closer.

"Is this the part where you say that blood heals?" my vampire murmured, but I could hear the amusement in his voice.

I laughed softly, "Well, it does, doesn't it? I remember an incredibly wise person saying that before."

"So it takes me dying for you to admit that I'm wise?" Damon's words pierced my heart, even if he did sound like he was smiling when he said them.

"You're not dying, Day," I was quick to counter as he grabbed my hand. I could feel his trembling, but I just squeezed harder. I could feel his strength failing and it was killing me to see it. With every minute that ticked by, Damon got weaker. He shivered, despite the blanket covering him.

My vampire shook his head, obviously wanting to argue against my words, but another coughing fit hit him before he could. He hunched over to the side, his body shaking with the force of the coughs. I ran my fingers through his hair, muttering sweet nothings to get him through it.

The pain on his face made me want to cry. But I knew that I had to stay strong for Damon. He needed me to be strong for him, to look after him, to get him through this. He had been strong for me so many times. His strength had gotten me through the sacrifice. I had to do this for him in return. I owed it to him. And I wanted to. Damon deserved to have someone look after him. And I would do that for him.

Once the coughing had stopped, I eased him back against my chest. Damon curled his fingers around mine while I rested my chin against his head. His breath rattled in his chest and I prayed for Stefan to come home with a cure quickly.

XXX

"This is even more pitiful than I thought," Damon sighed, breaking the heavy silence that had fallen. I had my cheek pressed against the top of his head while my hands continued to grip his.

"There is still hope, Damon," I muttered into his air. "This isn't the end."

My vampire turned his head against my chest and I could feel the edges of his mouth twitch up into a smile, "I've made a lot of choice that have gotten me here. I deserve this. I deserve to die."

His words broke my heart. I couldn't even blame this on the venom coursing through his veins. This was how Damon truly felt. And it killed me. If he was going to die, I refused to let him die believing that. So, despite the burning behind my eyes, I carefully moved out from behind Damon. I shifted so that I was laying down next to him, propping myself up on my elbow.

I reached out to stroke his cheek, encouraging him to meet my gaze, "Oh Day, you don't deserve to die. You deserve to live."

"It's okay, Ally," his fingers twitched and I reached out to grab them. "I know I deserve to die. But it's okay. Because if I had chosen differently, then I would never have met you. And you have done so much to brighten up my life. Even if my mere existence has darkened yours."

My lips twitched up into a tiny smile as I tried to keep him positive, "Every dark day has been worth it, Damon. Because you have made them worth it."

Damon's eyes turned so serious, that it had my heart clenching, his hand squeezed mine as our eyes connected, "I love you, Alexa. I want you to know that. No matter what, I love you. I have done for a while. I just wish that I hadn't wasted so much time."

His words broke the damn. He loved me. He returned my feelings. God, if only I hadn't had been such a coward. I could have told him so long ago. We could have been together. We had both wasted so much time and so many opportunities.

I smiled through my tears, "I love you too. I've been so scared to admit that, but god, Damon, I love you so much."

"I'm sorry I waited so long to tell you," he whispered, his lips twitching up into a smile.

"We both waited too long," I shuffled closer so that I could wipe the tear that fell from the corner of his eye.

"You should have met me in 1864," Damon's voice turned thoughtful even as his breath rattled in his chest. "You would have liked me back then."

"I don't need to have met you back then, Day," I countered softly. "I love you now. The man you are right now is the one that I fell in love with."

"That's sweet of you to say," he murmured before his eyes fluttered shut. I knew that I was running out of time. Stefan wasn't here with a cure and Damon didn't have long left. I was going to have to say goodbye to him. Even if it would break my heart.

I glanced down, looking at his lips before glancing back up. Damon's eyes were still closed but he continued to breathe. I didn't want him to die without him feeling this. My love deserved every bit of happiness he could get before he died.

So I leant forward, being ever so careful, and pressed my lips against his. There weren't any fireworks or sudden explosions of happiness. Instead, as Damon's lips melded against mine, it gave me the feeling of coming home. This was where my heart belonged. Damon was everything I had been craving, it was the soft warmth that made you feel at peace.

I reached out to stroke his cheek before giving him one final kiss. I pulled back and stared down at the man I loved. I could feel the tears streaming down my face as I realised that I was going to lose him.

"Thank you," Damon whispered, his eyes remaining closed, but his hand squeezed mine.

"No, thank you," I sighed softly, stroking his hair back. I watched as his face took on a peaceful expression and my heart clenched in my chest.

"Well, it's me that you should be thanking," the painfully familiar voice had me spinning around. I kept my body between Damon and Katherine. The vampire leant against the doorframe, twirling a vial of red liquid in her hand. "I mean, I'm the one who brought the cure."

My heart froze in my chest and I stared at my sister's doppelganger with wide eyes. She brought the cure? There was actually a cure? Damon wasn't going to die? I wasn't going to lose him?

I was barely aware of Katherine moving forward, walking over to Damon. I just stared at her, unable to process the fact that Damon was going to live. I knew that my heart would explode with happiness once it sank it. But I had prepared myself to say goodbye. I was emotionally wiped. It would take a moment for me to truly realise that Damon would be okay.

"I thought you were dead," Katherine remarked and it was then that I realised Elena had appeared in the doorway. She watched the vampire with narrowed eyes, her arms crossed in front of her.

"I was," Ellie replied cautiously. I knew that my sister wanted to say something else. But she couldn't risk Katherine running away with the cure. I liked to think that she wouldn't do that to Damon. But you just couldn't be sure with the bitch.

"You got free," Damon whispered weakly as Katherine sat next to him. His eyes were full of suspicion. But I could see the hope buried within. We all so desperately wanted to believe it, but Katherine wasn't exactly the most trustworthy person. But even she couldn't be this cruel.

"Yep, finally," she rolled her eyes as she popped open the vial. She carefully took a hold of his chin while she poured the liquid into his mouth.

"And you still came here?" my vampire asked after he had swallowed the mystery liquid.

"I owed you one," Katherine shrugged, but there was soft look on her face as she reached out to touch my vampire's face. I knew that she never loved him, but maybe Katherine did have a soft spot for Damon. Either way, she cared enough that she brought him the cure.

"Where's Stefan?" Elena asked as she walked further into the room. Katherine got up, her usual bitchy look back on her face as she looked over at us.

"He's paying for this," Katherine held up the vial, swishing the liquid within. "This is Klaus' blood, the only cure for werewolf bites. And he gave himself over to Klaus to get it. So I wouldn't expect him anytime soon."

My heart froze in my chest at her words, even as Damon squeezed my hand. Stefan had given himself up to Klaus. Had we just lost Stefan?

"What do you mean 'he gave himself over'?" Ellie questioned behind me, but I could hear the pain in her voice. She understood, even if she didn't want to accept.

"He just sacrificed everything to save his brother, including you," the doppelganger shrugged, her sharp eyes staring at my twin. "It's funny, your twin gets her man back even as you lose yours. Don't you love how the world works? Goodbye Gilberts."

With that said, Katherine tossed the vial at Elena before disappearing from the room. I stared down at Damon with shocked eyes as he propped himself up on his elbow. We had Damon back. But we had lost Stefan to Klaus.

Well.

Fuck.

XXX

A/N: Ah it's been a wild ride this season! Unfortunately, this will be last update for a while. In order to get some chapters in my backlog, I won't be updating again until the 4th September. I have made a start on season 3 and it's going to be uber exciting! Thank you for the reviews, please keep them coming :) Hope you enjoyed this chapter and this season, until next time xoxo