a/n: So this is the last real chapter I have. I plan on posting a short epilogue later to give a little light as to what happens in the future. I hope you enjoy this chapter and please review!

Chapter Nine Overcoming Demons

Running, always running, into the distance,
Stop me before I bleed, again,
The echoes of my voice,
Follow me down…
This horror must not remain.
-The Arms of Sorrow by Killswitch Engage

Damon heard the gun fire just as he saw Stefan collapse to the ground. He looked around wildly until his gaze landed on Alaric.

"What was that?" Damon gasped.

A grin crossed Alaric's lips as he untied Damon's bonds. "I tipped bullets with vervain. I wasn't sure if it would work, but it appears to do the trick."

"You do realize how hard it'd be to actually hit a vampire with a bullet if he was paying attention."

"Which is why it's a good thing I had you to distract him."

As Damon stood up, he shrugged off the ropes. Then, he looked Alaric square in the eyes. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he nodded. Then, he arched an eyebrow in confusion. "Where's Elena?"

"With Katherine," Damon replied matter-of-factly. "I just don't know where that would be."

"She's at the graveyard," Jenna spoke up softly as she moved into view. Her eyes were laced with worry. "Anna took her there to meet you. I'm assuming you never got there."

Damon cursed. "Do you have any more weapons?"

"Yes."

"Then let's go."

With a wicked grin, Katherine tossed her knife to Anna. Anna fluidly caught the blade and held it in her hand.

"What's this for?" Anna asked as her confused eyes took in Katherine's form.

"I want you to cut her," Katherine shrugged. "Prove your allegiance to me."

"I've already proven whose side I'm on."

"Well I want this too." Katherine pouted. "I'm not up for you playing games now. I sent a vampire to collect Jeremy's body a little while ago. Hurt her Anna or I'll hurt Jeremy."

As the knowledge raced through her mind, Elena tried to conceal her shock. The vampire that was supposed to take Jeremy had been killed by Anna.

Maybe there's still a chance, Elena thought. She eyed Katherine with her brown eyes and waited for Katherine to make some sort of move.

Slowly, Anna closed the distance between her and Elena. She seemed intent on stabbing Elena, but at the last second, she turned toward Katherine and offered her the weapon.

"I have a better idea," Anna smiled as she nodded toward Bonnie. "Compel the witch to hurt her."

"I do like that," Katherine purred as she grabbed the knife and sauntered toward Bonnie. "But first I'm going to give her a choice." Her brown eyes glistened with insanity. "Do you want to hurt her Bonnie or am I going to have to make you?"

Tears were flowing from Bonnie's green eyes as she accepted the knife and stood up. Her movements were slow and calculated. Elena could tell that Bonnie was trying to buy them some time, but Elena wasn't sure how much time they had.

"I'm so sorry I got you into this," Elena spoke softly as her friend approached her. "I never meant for any of this to happen."

"I know," Bonnie nodded. "And I'm sorry for this Elena." When she was only a few feet from Elena, she dropped the knife to the ground. "I can't hurt you."

"You're not doing this right!" Katherine shrieked as she grabbed Bonnie by the hair and pulled her back. "You're supposed to be hurting her!"

Katherine threw Bonnie's body to the ground and raced over and grabbed onto the knife. She came back and stabbed Bonnie in the shoulder with the sharp blade. A gasp escaped Elena's lips, but Katherine didn't pay her any attention.

"Don't defy me again," Katherine spat. As she turned around to face her vampire fiends, a frown crossed her face. Both of her henchmen lay in a mass on the ground.

Elena saw movement on the hill and had to hold back a sob when she saw Damon walking toward them.

"Damon," Katherine purred as she walked toward him. "I take it you're the winner?"

"Of course I'm the winner," Damon replied. He quickly took his place beside Katherine. "Why wouldn't I be?"

To that, Katherine truly grinned. "I've missed you Damon."

"You have no idea how much I wanted to see you again." Slowly and precisely, Damon embraced Katherine in a quick kiss. When she tried to move away, he held onto her and prevented her from escaping.

A gunshot echoed through the night and Elena saw Katherine's form go limp in Damon's arms. He quickly dropped her to the ground and watched her go still as the vervain took control of her body. He shoved a vervain dart into her body to accelerate the process and she let out a muffled sob.

"You have tortured me ever since you turned me," he spat. "I hate you Katherine and I'm glad I'll never have to see you again after tomorrow morning." A smile crossed his lips as she glared at him. "You heard me right, Katherine." He ripped her lapis luzi chain from off her neck. "When the sun comes up Katherine, you're going to burn."

As Damon said his last words to Katherine, Elena had rushed to Bonnie's side.

"Are you okay?" Elena asked as she lightly touched the deep wound.

"I'll be fine," Bonnie said softly. "I just need to get to the hospital. And soon."

Tears were flowing down Elena's face, and she offered Bonnie a weak smile. She turned around and looked back at Anna. She hadn't move from the location she had stood in, but her eyes took in Elena's form.

"I'm so sorry Elena," Anna spoke. "I just wanted him to be safe."

"I know," Elena nodded. "I don't blame you for this."

"Then come back with me and we'll drive her to the hospital." Anna's gaze moved to Damon. "He'll be busy for a little while anyway."

Elena stood up as she debated how they were going to get Bonnie out of the graveyard. When she saw Alaric and Jenna racing down toward them, a rush of warmth raced through her being. With all the love she felt around her, she didn't see how she had ever thought they would lose this battle.

Alaric carefully picked Bonnie up then and led them out of the graveyard and into a happier future.

Elena sat in the waiting room at the hospital for some news on Bonnie's condition. Alaric and Jenna both sat close by, although they had drifted into sleep a few minutes ago. Anna had left almost the instant she was at the hospital to try to find Jeremy. She had yet to return, but had called a little while ago to tell Elena that her brother was still alive.

As someone else entered the room, Elena turned her attention to the man. Damon sat down beside her and offered her a weak smile.

"How are you holding up?"

"Surprisingly well," Elena nodded. "With everything that has gone on lately, this doesn't seem like that big of a deal."

The pager in Elena's hands vibrated then and she motioned toward the desk. "I need to go hear what they have to say," she spoke as she walked toward the nurses.

"Miss Gilbert," the elderly nurse nodded. "We just received word that Bonnie came out of surgery. She's going to be fine, but she's not allowed to have visitors for a little while."

"When will I be able to see her?"

"Around morning," the nurse replied.

"Thank you." Elena smiled before she walked back to Damon and once again took a seat. "It feels like all of this is a fairy tale," she spoke softly. She knew Damon had heard the news about Bonnie so there was no reason to repeat it. "We're all getting our happily every afters and the evil villain is dead."

"Technically, she isn't yet," Damon shrugged. "But she will be soon. And then you'll be completely safe."

Elena nodded as she thought back to everything Alaric had filled her in on. "What about Stefan? What is he going to do now?"

"He's already left Elena," Damon said slowly. "He's going somewhere to cleanse his body from these horrible memories he has. I don't think he'll ever come back."

"Do you want to go with him?" Her brown eyes searched Damon for answers.

"My relationship with Stefan has changed greatly since we met you. I want the best for him, but I want to be with you more. I'll check on him occasionally, but for the most part, I plan on staying here."

"Will more people come now that Katherine is gone?"

"I'm sure many people will come. We won't have to worry about that for a while though."

"I'm thankful for that."

"Me too."

Nodding, Elena leaned her head against Damon's shoulder. As he rested his head on top of hers, she felt her feelings for him envelop her body. She had always known that she cared for him, but only now did she truly realize how deep those feelings went.

Slowly, she pulled away and looked deep into his eyes.

"I love you Damon."

He arched an eyebrow, but the smile on his lips was unmistakable. "I love you too Elena."

With those words, Elena knew nothing could come against them. Whoever threatened her family and friends would be destroyed.