Disclaimer: TVD belongs to whoever receives the royalties and that sure as hell isn't me. I just pretend while I'm writing.

Summary: She thinks that maybe she's doing them more harm and causing them more pain than Katherine ever did... and for what; something she thought was love?

Elena's journey to realization that she's in love with the other brother. AU from the moment Damon forces his blood on Elena. Prequel to Unsuccessfully Saying Goodbye, but can stand alone.

AN: Hello my lovelies here is the next chapter, it's a long one. I wanted to thank all of you that took the time to review... strange thing I just noticed almost all my fics are more often favourited than they are reviewed... I know; weird right?

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Unwillingly Succumbing to Truth

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sole survivor of the sacrificial sisters

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His smile is deceptively warm and it sends waves of chills down her spine. "Miss Elena." He says in a way that would make a stranger think they were old friends reuniting happily. The fact that the guy looks almost angelic is disturbing on so very many levels. Shit. The guy looked scarier in Alaric's body and frankly that is so frightening that she almost faints again.

She's quickly being hauled into the passenger side of an SUV. He hops into the drivers side whistling merrily. The guy is clearly a massive nut job. He starts the car and they're off. "Come on Elena lighten up. We're about to change the world." He says as if she should be happy that he's about to murder her in a brutal sacrificial ritual.

She snorts and rolls her eyes. "Don't expect the Nobel Peace Price any time soon." She says stupidly... then again what's he going to do? Kill her twice?

He chuckles and the sound is such a sweet one that she can't help but join in. Maybe she's a little bit crazy herself.

"My sweet little doppelgänger." He coos with a surprising amount of affection. "We'll have such fun until the time comes."

Her chuckles die quickly in her throat and she scowls at him as she crosses her arms over her chest. "Why did you have to ruin it by reminding me that I'm as good as dead?" It's odd how comfortable she is around this insane monster.

He shrugs his broad shoulders. "It was fun for me." He replies nonchalantly sending her a dazzling smirk.

Huffing indignantly she rolls her eyes. "Oh, come the fuck on. I have what? An hour of possible fun left and you have like... eternity. Give a girl a break." Somehow she manages to pull it off as playful and she's thankful for that. In reality she's depressed and terrified.

"An hour?" He questions with clear blue eyes sweetly gazing at her as he pulls in to a dirt road leading into the woods. "Sure, why not. We have an hour." He's clearly humouring her, but she doesn't give a flying fuck any more. She doesn't want to die. "So pick something fun then."

She scrunches up her nose cutely while contemplating what to do or say... or whatever. "Do you have any alcohol?" She asks hoping it will numb the tremors of fear coursing through her body.

"No, pick something else." His bright blue eyes glance at her pouting lips and he snickers quite adorably. This man can not be allowed to gain any more power than he already possesses. "We're here." He announces in a singsong.

She can't help but huff again at her own stupidity. "You lied." She says and he grins broadly at her like the cat that caught the canary. "Now you're just being petty, that wasn't even properly evil."

He snickers again... and it's still disturbingly adorable.

Greta pulls her out of her seat and shoves her further into the woods. For some bewildering reason she confesses that she wasn't in any need of saving. Biiiatch. She's almost glad that neither of the Martin men are alive to hear her say that... just almost. They never should have killed Elijah in the first place.

Then she spots her, the pretty blondette slumped in the middle of a grassy clearing. "Andie!" She shouts setting off towards the heap of slim tanned limbs that don't seem to be laying in the right angles. She quickly drops to her knees and searches the smooth skin for a pulse, ignoring how uncomfortably cool it is to the touch.

"She's in transition." The nasty witch says looking impossibly pleased with herself.

Tears prickle her eyes and tumble down her cheeks as she pulls Andie's limp body into what looks like a more comfortable position. Cradling her head gingerly and laying it in her lap she proceeded to stroke Damon's beautiful girls silky hair. He's going to break. She cries not only for Andie's inevitable and permanent death, but also for Damon's loss.

She's not sure how long it's been, but it feels like hours before Andie's lids sluggishly flutter open. "Elena?" She questions sitting up and looking at the crying little girl she barely knows.

"I'm so sorry." She chokes out and she really is. The halfway undead girl had nothing to do with this whole bloody mess.

Greta walks up to them slicing a gash into her arm. Andie's head snaps towards her as soon as the smell hits her nose and she launches herself at the bi... witch.

She knows it's wrong, but she still smirks as Damon's girl rips brutally into the witches arm. Tearing skin and flesh into an ugly large gaping wound. Unfortunately Greta catches her bearings and gives Andie multiple aneurysms until she crumples in a screeching pile at her feet. She's sure their blue eyed boy would be proud; she is.

As soon as Greta stumbles away Klaus saunters into the clearing with a writhing Jules tossed over his shoulder. The fucker is still whistling. He tosses her unceremoniously to the ground and instantly rings of fire ignite and each of them is surrounded and separated from the other two.

"Ladies, welcome." He says giving a small bow seeming like the perfect host.

Jules mumbles something about not wanting Tyler to be alone and she doesn't want to care. The woman tried to murder Damon, take him away from her, she took Rose way from them. But she loves Tyler like a cousin she never quite understood so instead she says. "He wont be alone. Caroline will take care of him." She knows it. She may choose to close her eyes at times, but that doesn't make her blind.

Jules smiles bitter-sweetly and closes her eyes. "Good." She breathes and then she's writhing in pain again. Sweat dripping as the crackle of her shifting and breaking bones echo through the night.

She has to avert her eyes from the painful display and her eyes meet with a pair of blood filled ones.

The woman sitting in front of her is a horrific beauty. The intricate web of protruding veins and blood filled whites only seem to enhance her beauty giving her an unearthly air. Even the blood smearing her lips and running down her chin and neck do nothing to flaw her.

Andie winks conspiratorially before grinning and flashing her razor sharp teeth. "Don't worry cutie. I know exactly what's going on." She chuckles tipping her head back and staring up a the sky. "He told me everything. I know what to expect." He obviously told her about the humanity switch.

She furrows her brow in confusion... and something else she's not sure she wants to acknowledge. Not yet. "Damon told you everything?" She questions and her voice ends in some kind of embarrassing squeak.

"Everything." Andie says apparently knowing far more than she herself knows. She tips her head back down and gazes curiously at the doe eyed teenager. "I don't get it, but if you get out of here promise me to be good to him. Make sure to take care of him." Maybe the switch isn't fully flipped.

She nods sharply sitting up straighter and meeting the noob vampires gaze steadily. "Promise me the same. Promise me that you'll take care of Damon if you get out of here and I don't." She watches as a pleased smirk slides over Andie's flawless features.

"Oh, I will. Such a pity that you never told him." They don't have time to say more; to elaborate.

Klaus saunters towards them tsking. "Nonsense my lovelies. You're all dying tonight. No need for empty promises." He snatches the unconscious Jules out of her ring of fire and proceeds to rip her heart clean out of her chest. She's seen it so many times now that she doesn't even flinch as the spray from one of her arteries mists her face. Jaded doesn't even begin to describe her.

Andie hops to her feet looking very much the fierce and deadly vampire she is. She's hunched and ready to strike as she kicks of her expensive heels and pins the blond Original with a fiery glare.

Klaus chuckles looking far to pleased with his selection. He rubs his hands together and lets out an expectant purr of delight.

The second the fire drops Andie's off in a blur and within the blink of an eye she's sunken her fangs into the witches neck making her drop Jules' heart.

The sinister chuckle rising from the back of her own throat isn't one she recognizes. The truth is; she wishes she was as fierce as Damon's girl... maybe then she would deserve his love.

Klaus seems amused by Andie's antics as he takes his time to pry her off of the yelping witch. "I should have brought a spare." He mutters pinning her hands above her head with one hand. Right before his hand plunges into her chest she turns her head and winks cheekily still grinning with with bloodstained teeth. She should have taken the time to get to know her better.

The display gives her the strength to put up her own façade. She swipes her dark curtain of hair over one shoulder looking him dead in the eye as he approaches... she even fucking whistles earning herself a hearty laugh from the malicious hybrid. She isn't fighting, but she isn't either going down like a fragile trembling victim. This is her choice; her way. It's something the old Elena; the real Elena would have done. She isn't having a blah faze any more.

When he breaks through her skin he pulls her tightly to him; crushing her up against him. She can hear him moan and feel him harden against her. She successfully pretends that she isn't affected by any of it... that she isn't begging for this nightmare to be over. He takes his time emptying her of every single drop. As it turns out, dying this way isn't particularly painful... it's kind of nice.

Her head is pounding and and it feels like her veins are filled with liquid fire. She groans and her fingers convulse and clench around silky fabric. "Ah, you're awake." A familiar voice that she can't quite place says.

"No." She moans miserably as the pounding in her head increases. "It hurts." She whines helplessly hoping that whoever the voice belongs to can help her; will help her.

Something soft, warm and wet is being gingerly pressed against her lips. "Drink up, my dear. We have very little time." Whoever this is, she trusts him.

She opens her mouth and lets the sweet syrupy liquid trickle into her mouth swallowing once before suckling gently on the source.

"That's it. Almost done." The voice coos making everything seem warm and fuzzy; safe.

The fire in her veins subsided quickly with each pull of her lips as does the pounding in her head. Once her head feels clear she opens her eyes to see Elijah's serene face above hers. She takes a final pull and swallows before moving his wrist from her mouth. "Thank you." She says and she really is. She's not dead.

"You OK?" She questions wondering if he'll ever get over killing his own brother.

His eyes dart to the side and he averts his gaze. "I couldn't." His twin pools of obsidian dart back to lock with hers. "He has them somewhere safe." He confesses and he doesn't need to explain anything else. She gets it.

She takes his hands in hers noting that the wound on his wrist has already knitted. "Be careful. Believe it or not; I don't want you dead." His eyes dance with amusement as she gives him a small smile.

"I was wrong about you." It rings loud and clear in her mind and she giggles involuntarily at the sensation in her head... it tickles.

She slides her arms around his neck and squeezes tightly. "Be safe Elijah." She wants to tell him to come back to them, but she doesn't knowing he already knows.

He smirks and nods. "I'm sure our paths will cross again." And then he's gone.

She looks around the clearing. The faint scent of blood and magic lingers in the air. She glances around spotting both of her sacrificial sisters in the grass as well and Bonnie curled up sleeping soundly in the shade of a leafy tree. She tiptoes over to her sleeping friend, easily finding her phone without rousing the sleeping witch.

She scrolls through the contacts after noting that Bonnie's called her brother only a half an hour ago. She's not as surprised as she would have been a week ago finding his number on her phone.

"Hello?" A raspy voice questions. He seems to be quite out of it, maybe she should have asked Elijah exactly what he did to her boys.

"Can you come get us?" She asks hopefully chewing on her bottom lip.

There is a brief silence. "Elena?" His voice is still raspy, but it's gained some of it's velvety quality back.

She swallows thickly. "It's me. I'm not..." Her gaze falls on the once beautiful girl quickly turning to dust as the sun begins to rise on the horizon. They need hope. "I'm not dead." She says lamely. "But we need shovels." She finishes wishing she weren't the one who'd have to break the news that yet another of his girlfriends has died because of her.

She hears his sigh of relief and hates that she'll have to take it away from him... later. "Fuck. Where are you Elena?"

She smiles sadly remembering her promise. She'll take care of him. "We're in the woods. I can hear the falls in the background, but I'm not really sure."

"I'll find you." He says and she can still feel him there in her veins and heart. Fitting perfectly where he was always meant to be.

Once she's off the phone she tries to find something she can gather the once gorgeous reporters ashes in. She deserves a proper grave and not to just be scattered in the wind. Oddly enough she finds a rusty bucket at the edge of the clearing. She has no other choice but to gather the quickly disappearing remains with her hands. She doesn't actually mind it much. Humming softly she scoops handful after handful into the bucket. She'll be good to him.

She's almost done when she hears her name being shouted. It's not the voice she expected to hear. "I'm over here." She shouts back and doubles the speed at which she's scooping up Andie's remains.

Just as she stands up after depositing the last handful and reluctantly wiping her hands on her jeans, she's being embraced quite painfully. She pushes hard on his shoulders as she tries futilely to draw a breath.

"Sorry." He says letting go of her and flashing his green eyes sheepishly in her direction.

Drawing a deep breath she steps back, needing more space... of every kind. "I actually still need to breathe." She says searching behind him for the other brother. "Where's Damon?" She finally asks when she can't see him anywhere.

Stefan's features harden and she can see the faint traces of dark veins beneath his pale skin.

Sighing heavily she rolls her eyes. She so doesn't need this right now. "Don't you dare." She says quietly, it's been a long time since she's heard that hard threatening tone in her own voice. He sure as hell hasn't heard it before. "There's a reason I called your brother to come get us and not you."

He looks absolutely startled and a bit frightened, which is ridiculous. She's not much more than human.

Just then she spots an amused Damon swaggering out of the woods resting a shovel on his broad shoulders. He's heard them. The tears are instantly back and she moves around the younger brother to meet the other.

He stops dead in his tracks as soon as he sees the state of her. "'Lena?" He questions dropping the shovel on the grass, never letting his perfectly blue eyes avert from hers. She's about to break him.

The tears tumble down her cheeks and she steps closer reaching for his hands. "I have to tell you something." She's just stalling and she knows it. She entwines her fingers with his and she can see that he knows it's something really bad. "Andie." Is all she manages to say before her voice breaks and she shamelessly throws herself into his arms. Drawing him close and burying her face in the nook of his neck.

He gently tries to push her away, probably to look into her eyes and search them the way he always does. She wont let him. "Tell me." He whispers giving in and pulling her even closer.

She swallows thickly before she speaks. "You would have been so proud. She tried to save me." Her voice is muffled, but she knows he can still hear her. "She was magnificent and he just killed her." His arms loosen the tiniest bit and she knows he's breaking. She can feel him breaking. "I'm so sorry." She'll tell him allof it when he's ready. She tightens her grip on him and weeps silently into his shoulder and he lets her. Eventually his arms tighten back around her and she thinks that maybe she just might be able to hold him together like she promised.

"What's going on?" It's Bonnie's drowsy voice that forces them back.

She reluctantly untangles from his embrace, giving him a last squeeze before she steps back from him and faces the other two standing in the clearing. She can't do this. It's too much... so she walks back over to the bucket of her Andie... yes, she is hers now too... and picks it gingerly up hugging it tightly to her, careful not to spill any of her precious goods. She slowly returns to his side.

"I tried to get as much as I could so that we can bury her somewhere nice." She says sniffling slightly. "Jules is over there." She nods at the pile of decomposing wolf girl. "Stefan could you..." She says pushing the shovel towards him with the toe of her shoe.

Stefan nods in understanding as he walks closer to them. "I'm sorry brother." He says as he reaches his stone faced brother and gives his arm a reassuring squeeze. "The three of you should head home. I'll take care of this." He says and she's so thankful that Stefan can be good to his brother when it's needed. Right now, it's really needed.

She smiles in thanks before turning on her heel and following the two others out of the clearing. It's times like these that made her think that what she felt for him was love. There's a painful twinge at the thought now that she knows how it's supposed to feel. Forever without that is just too long.

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As she walks with them to his car the hazel eyed witch watches her friends curiously, not that she's likely to ever admit that to him, but yes, he is her friend too... he has been for a while. Elena can't seem to be able to keep her hands off him; like she needs to touch him in order to keep calm or something. It's that or something that she just can't put her finger on and Damon is just too broken to notice.

She's never seen him this way before. It's like he's all out of juice, not that he's some vacant shell going around on autopilot. No, he's hurt and grieving. She'd lean forward and hug him if she weren't so afraid of breaking him completely.

Yet being as distraught as he is he manages to find a pack of tissues and offer them up before he drives them home. He's taking care of them. They all sit silently while the two girls wipe off the blood and tears staining their skin and he just drives. Briefly she wonders if he's always been like this... was she just to blinded by... she doesn't know what, but she knows she has a tendency for emotional blindness and she's been so angry with the glacial eyed vampire for far too long. It's time to let all that crap go...

How did they all manage to forget Andie?

Then again she had shamefully enough forgotten all about Matt, Tyler and her other best friend who would all be dead if he hadn't remembered for them. She'll have to hope that NO ONE EVER FINDS OUT. She'll thank him later for that though; when he'll actually hear it. He certainly deserves all the praise he gets... secretly she was very relieved when Stefan snitched and told her that his evil brother had force-fed her BFF his blood. At least she would be back... hell, she's sitting right next to him not dead.

Yepp, they all owe him a big ass thank you. Perhaps letting him know that he has more friends than he thinks wouldn't be the worst thing in the world.

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AN: I'd love to know what you all thought of my murdering Andie and breaking Damon into tinie tiny little pieces yet again... how about my pro-Damon Bonnie. Thoughts? Opinions?