and here's another time jump ;) plus a little added clichéness

Chapter Three

Ten Years Later

"Damon, where are we going?" Elena questions as Damon leads Elena somewhere with her blindfolded.

"Nowhere. Everywhere. You know how it goes, 'Lena. Now shush with the questions and just let me lead you." Elena smiles and squeezes Damon's hand as they continue walking.

"Okay, we're here. Allow me…" Damon removes Elena's blindfold to reveal that they were on top of the Falls.

"Oh my god...it's beautiful up here. And during a sunset? Damon Salvatore, you are really something." Elena says while smiling.

"Well, it's your birthday, Elena. The big 18, right? It should be special. You deserve special and much more."

Elena fans her eyes and blinks a few times. "Wow, I think you're going to make me cry." Elena suddenly gasps as she notices a tree with a swing on it. "Is that really what I think it is?"

"If you think it's a swing that'll go over the Falls, then you are correct. I remember you telling me that this is something you've always wanted to do."

"And you remembered...okay, you're really making me tear up here. This is amazing, Damon. Words cannot express how thankful I am for you just being you. And I sound really cheesy and cliché, but who cares." Elena wraps her arms around Damon's neck and hugs him tightly, slightly afraid that she'll blink and everything will just disappear.

Damon buries his nose in her hair and inhales her scent of green apples and honey. "So, I've kind of been waiting a long time to say this. I mean, honestly, I've been scared to, but I've known ever since you threw me my twelfth birthday party. I love you, Elena. And there are so many reasons why, which I could list for you, but that would take a while."

"I've known you for about 12 years now...and I think a part of me has been ready for you to say that ever since you punched Tyler Lockwood in the face for ruining my sandcastle. You have done so much for me over the years, and I think the thing that I love the most about you is how big your heart is. You know what I'm going to say, but I'll just say it anyways. I love you too, Damon."

Damon pulls Elena close and they kiss passionately. When they break away, both of them look flushed and wide grins are stretched across their faces. Damon continues to lovingly gaze at Elena when he remembers something.

"Oh, ahem, I also have your birthday present right here in my pocket." Elena opens her mouth to say something but Damon interrupts her. "I know I promised not to buy you anything, so don't worry. I didn't pay for it." Damon pulls out a jewelry box and opens it in front of Elena who gasps.

"Damon...I remember you showing this to me when I went over your house one day...it's your mother's necklace, right?"

"Yeah, it is. I just did some adjustments on the back of the pendant…"

"Damon and Elena…'I'll like you, always, but I'll love you forever'. Damon...I literally have no words. You successfully have rendered me speechless. I mean, you're giving me your mother's necklace?" Damon silently nods while Elena's eyes water again. "Put it on me, please?" Damon takes the necklace and Elena pulls her hair aside as he clasps it around her neck.

"Do you like it?" Damon questions with a small smirk.

"Like it? I love it. And you know how much I love sentimental items. Ugh, come here." Elena pulls Damon in for another hug and kiss. "I love you so much. Best birthday ever."

Damon's eyes are shining as he chuckles and holds Elena by the waist. "I'm glad you think so. Want to swing now?"

Elena nods and sits down on the wooden swing. She cautiously tugs at the ropes holding it in place. "This won't break...right? I'm not going to fall to my death?"

"Heh, nope. Don't worry, I reinforced it and tested it before. Plus, I'm pretty sure you're, like, half of my body weight."

"Right. So, okay, umm, push me? Lightly, though. I don't want to lose my shoes in the water," Elena jokingly warns him.

Damon gently pushes Elena on the swing, but she halts it to a stop. "Hang on, I'm just going to take them off. I'm more of a barefoot person, anyways." Elena slips of her sandals and sets them on the ground. "Okay, restart."

Damon pushes Elena again and she swings across the grass and above the waterfall. Elena laughs in delight as she leans her head back and closes her eyes, clearly enjoying the breeze. "Ohh, I feel so tranquil." Damon smiles and backs away, taking his phone out to snap a picture of Elena on the swing with the sunset in the distance.

He puts his phone away after taking numerous pictures and sits down on the grass. They both watch as the sun sets the rest of the way.

"Well, it's dark now and I can't see a thing."

"Hold on, I'll just use the flashlight on my phone." Damon turns it on. "Better?" Elena nods and they begin to walk down the cliff. She stops all of a sudden, realizing something.

"Wait, I forgot my shoes. Ugh, I knew I was forgetting something. I'll be right back, Damon." Elena stalks back up the hill and slips her feet into the sandals. She sighs contently and walks back down.

"Damon? Damon…? Wow, I cannot see a thing. Hello? Damon, did you just leave me here?! Well, if he left me here, how would he answer that? Nice, Elena. Damon! This isn't-" Elena abruptly shuts up as she sees two figures in the distance. "Hello?! Damon! Huh. He left me here." Elena sighs and follows the people walking ahead of her. She stops when they start talking. Or rather, when the female starts talking.

"You will not scream. You will not run." The woman bites her wrist and shoves it in the other person's mouth. Elena involuntarily gasps and the woman smirks when she hears her. Then Elena hears a sickening crack. Damon's body falls at her feet.

"Oh my god. Oh my god...what the hell?! No, no, no, damn it. Damon! What the HELL?! Who are you? What did...what did you do?!"

The woman steps into the Elena's vision so she can clearly see her face, which looks exactly like her. Elena's screams can be heard from miles away.

"Hello, Elena."

"What kind of sick joke are you playing?! What did you do to him?! And why the HELL do you look like me?!"

"Sorry, Elena. I can only answer one of the three questions that you asked me. What did I do to him? Easy. I killed him."

"...YOU DID WHAT?!"

"I killed him, Elena. K-I-L-L-E-D. Keep up, now."

Elena's eyes fill with tears instantly and she kneels down, brushing hair off Damon's forehead. "Why? W-why did you do this? Who are you…?"

"Hmm, that's for me to know, and for you to dot, dot, dot. See you around, Elena." The woman disappears.

"No, no, no, Damon. Oh, god, Damon, please don't really be dead. No pulse...no pulse...SHIT! Damn it, Damon! How did...why...no, no, no…" Elena breaks down in front of his body and cries. Hours go by and she's still crying. She shakily reaches for Damon's phone and dials.

"Hello? Damon?"

"No...no, it's me, Elena. Stefan…"

"Elena? What is it? What's wrong?"

"Everything! I don't even know, Stefan! He's just…" Elena chokes back a sob as she continues to stare at his lifeless body. "She did it...she looks like me, and she ruined everything."

"Elena, what're you talking about? Where are you?"

"Stefan, I need help...Damon, he's-"

Damon suddenly gasps and sits up. He looks around and his eyes land on Elena. "Elena?"

Elena's mouth drops along with the phone. It's eerily quiet for a few seconds and then she lets out a piercing scream. Stefan's still on the phone.

"Elena? Elena, are you still there? What's happening? Elena?!"