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I haven't given up on Do you Believe in Angels, for those who follow. I'll be updating it as soon as I get over my writer's block lol, sorry!

Hope ya'll like this chapter!

Elena was beyond livid as she punched out her frustration to the sand-filled bag.

How dare Stefan just...Urrghh!

His plan was suicidal!

He wasn't going to change his mind, a point made quite clear in the hour after the meeting when she had tried to talk some sense into him.

If the Darklings were dangerous without Damon's help, with him, they were unstoppable.

She didn't understand how Stefan couldn't see that.

The only way to successfully kill the Darklings off would be to do it quietly, one at a time.

Not a full on ambush!

And his plan to use her as...as bait?

She swung an air-kick at the bag.

There wasn't a more flattering word to describe the plan Stefan had laid out.

One that everyone, except for her, seemed to think was brilliant.

Stefan believed the Arcs stood a chance if Damon wasn't in the picture.

They were evenly numbered, and the moon's Light would help make up for the Arc's weakness.

All Elena had to do was keep Damon distracted...

"I don't care how you do it," Stefan groaned, "Fight him, goad him, make him chase you, whatever. The point is, he won't kill you, Elena. You are the only one of us who will be safe going against him."

She shook her head.

As if it were that easy.

But in a way, she could see the sense of it. Because she already knew Damon wouldn't hurt her.
Or he would have already had her killed.

It had been an accident, that night, the Darkling coming from nowhere.
She had been on her way to the clocktower, and ended up in a deadly fight.

"Ah!" she felt her arm twist as the Darkling threw her body to the side.
She forced herself to ignore the pain as she stood and dematerialized behind him.
Her arms wrapped around his neck, and they both fell to the ground in a struggle, and the man had flipped her, somehow managing to get his hand around her throat.
For the slightest of seconds, she was looking death in the eye.
Then a voice called out.
"Enough Kol!"
Her consciousness was fading, but she would know that voice anywhere.
"She isn't dead yet," the Darkling hissed.
"I said, enough," his voice commanded.
The hand around her throat released.
"I'll take care of this, you go help Klaus and Enzo with the other."
He left, and Elena must have fainted, because when she came to, she was on the roof, behind the clock tower.
And she wasn't alone.
"Damon?"
He stood a few feet away, gazing down at her.
She moved to stand, but he was near her before she could.
"You shouldn't move," he told her, but she wasn't listening.
"You're alive," she whispered, tears filling her eyes.
It had been months since he had disappeared, and everyone had assumed the worse.
"I can't believe this."
She reached a hand up to him, but he backed away before she could touch him.
"Don't."
"What's wrong?" She asked, and came to realize there was something different about him.

Something...Darker.

"Damon..." her eyes widened, realization dawning on her, "What happened to you."
"None of your concern," he told her, his voice clean of emotion, "Can you dematerialize?"
She blinked, "Can I- what kind of question is that?! Where have you been? We all believed you to be dead!"
He was quiet, turning his back to her, "The Damon you knew is dead...now, get back to the Arcs, before I have to kill you."

She stood, slowly walking over to him.
"What happened to you?"
His blue eyes turned to hers, "I am who I was always meant to be."
"I don't believe that," she shook her head, "You aren't one of them!"
He turned to walk away, but she grabbed him, "No! You do not get to leave!"
He span around, his hand closing around her shoulder as he shoved her against the back wall of the tower.

"You do not command me," he growled against her, "Now go to where you are safe, and do not come looking for me."
"Damon, this isn't you," she searched his gaze, but found it cold.
He had truly given up the Light.
"Please...come back to me."
His expression softened a little, but his eyes remained distant.
"I cannot be what I was, Elena..."
And to her luck, Stefan chose that moment to materialize.
"Elena, we need- Damon?"
Damon's head whipped back, as he saw his brother, then he glanced back at Elena once more, before disappearing.

The Light might be gone from Damon, but the part of him that loved her was still very much alive, and Stefan knew it.

And he wanted to use it.

Elena hit the punching bag, harder and harder, until she literally fell to the floor, her body giving out.

She forced herself to breathe.

But she didn't want to do this.

She didn't want to attack the Darklings, put everyone she cared about in danger.

And even if it worked, and they won, then what?

If Damon wouldn't kill her, he still might kill everyone else.

And then he would be the target. And she couldn't let Damon die.

Or even if he lived, in doing this she would have to destroy the one good thing left in him.

And she knew his humanity would be gone the moment he realized she had used his feelings as a distraction.

Because if the way he'd bossed around the other Darkling declared anything, it was that he was commanding them, and no leader wanted to watch his warriors die.

With that thought, and idea popped into her mind.

Even Stefan would call off an attack if there was no way to win, wouldn't he?

And the only way to ensure that, would be to take away the element of surprise.

She considered what that might mean.

God, could she really do it, though?

Her answer came in a shivering dawn of revelation.

If it saved the Arcs...if it saved Damon...then she had to.

She had to let the Darklings know what Stefan planned, and had to make sure that he knew that they knew.

And there was also an issue of her own safety.

If she went to their territory, there was no promise that a Darkling wouldn't kill her before even getting to Damon.

The room span as her mind reeled in its plans.

Perhaps she could pretend to have turned, or at least show a willingness to.

If they thought she may be on their side, she could have a chance…

A slim one, albeit, but she just had to reach Damon.

She would tell them that she had information to give them.

Maybe they would believe that.

It wasn't exactly a lie.

Damon would see her, if only for an explanation.

She would be close to him, for the first time in months...maybe close enough that he would listen to her.

Maybe then she could save him.

With renewed purpose, Elena stood herself up, having made her decision.

She would do this, and she would save them all.

Stefan watched as Elena left the training room.

His chest filled with guilt at using her this way, but he had to do what was best for the Arcs.

Elena was too emotionally involved, especially when it came to Damon.

Stefan knew there was nothing to be done for him.

It had become apparent that Damon was now leading the Darklings.
He was the enemy.

And if the rest of the Arcs ever wanted to go home, truly go home, the Dark had to be eradicated, Damon along with it, if that was what it took.

But Elena would never accept that, of course, not while Damon's ghost haunted her, seared white hot in her brain, staining her past reason.

She would never accept that holding on to Damon wasn't going to do anything but destroy her.

He sighed, running a hand through his hair, and decided to follow her.

He couldn't leave things the way they had...not when a bigger enemy loomed on the horizon.

She was in her room.

The room she and Damon had shared before he had disappeared.

Stefan's stomach churned at the thought of Damon with her, behind this oak wooden door.

Jealousy had riddled him since he'd learned what the emotion was.

But Damon was gone, and Stefan refused to feel envious of his memory.

He knocked, pushing the thoughts away.

"It's open," she called out, the anger dissipated from her tone.

He didn't announce that it was him, rather just walked in, as she finished donning her fighting gear.

His eyes trailed her curves almost against his will, but he had to admit, she looked good.

The tight body suit, the black corset top, and the thigh-high boots made her look as deadly as he knew she could be.

She was beautiful.

"Going somewhere?"

Elena shrugged, "Got bored, thought I'd do a perimeter run."

Stefan nodded, "Alright, but the dark will be strongest in a few hours, so take someone with you, or make sure you're back by then."

She rolled her eyes, "I know what I'm doing."

As she tried to move past him, he stuck his arm out, blocking her path.
"Elena, wait."

"What?" she asked, her hands falling to her hips.

"I'm sorry, that you disagree with me," he told her, "but you have to trust me. This is what's best for us."

Her gaze narrowed, "Assuming Damon goes for the distraction. What if he decides to fight back?"

"He won't kill you, you've said so yourself," Stefan reasoned.

"No, but he might turn on someone else."

"Then I'll do what I have to," he assured her, his voice tight with conviction.

Her gaze hardened, "You mean you'll take him out."

Stefan knew she didn't want to hear it, but she was living a fantasy if she thought Damon could be spared, "He's one of them now. The Dark has to be destroyed."

Elena's expression was now one of ice.
"Will you truly not fight to save your brother?"

"He stopped being my brother the moment he chose them."

Elena raised a brow, "Is that so? Or is it just more convenient for you to have him out of the way?"

Stefan blinked, "And what is that suppose to mean?"

Her expression was challenging, and she tensed, as if for a fight.

"It just seems like a rather big coincidence, doesn't it?" she pointed out, "Damon leaves, and you take his place, ruling over the Arcs, and attempting to claim me."

Stefan hissed, "I took up leadership, because someone had to. Damon didn't leave us much of a choice!"

A short breath, to control himself, "And yes, Elena...it is no secret what I feel for you. And I will not apologize for wanting you, or for wanting you to love me."

She only nodded, as if he'd confirmed her thoughts.
"I don't expect you to apologize," she told him, then surprised him further, by adding, "And I admit, loving you would be easier...safer. But I can't, Stefan."

And wasn't that just the problem.

"Because of him."

"Yes, because of him," she shot, with a certainty in her words that he despised, "Because Damon is the love of my existence, and I can't write him off as easily as you did. And you could be right, he may be my downfall, I've considered it, but then again, there's the smallest of chances that I might be his salvation. And as long as there is even a fraction of hope, I have to keep trying."

Stefan swallowed, as he stepped closer to her, "I hate that he has this power over you...if you just tried to let him go, Elena, just try...you could be happy. We could go home."

Her head was shaking, "I can't."

"Why?" a desperate plea had filled his tone.

"Because I can't be without him," she fought to explain, "And I could never love another, Stefan. Not after Damon...his love has ruined me for anyone else."

With a sigh, Stefan cupped her face, "Look, I know you believe that now...but it might not always be so. You have to try, Elena."

"You ask the impossible," she whispered, "I could no sooner stop loving Damon, than I could cast away my mortal heart, and still expect to live."

She didn't for his response before walking past him, to the door.

This time, he let her go.

Damon let out a sigh, "This is your area of command, is it not, Enzo?"

"Just wanting your opinion," Enzo smirked, shooting his turn at the pool table as Damon nursed a glass of whiskey.

"And I don't care," Damon rolled his eyes, finishing off the glass, "If the boys want to be with the whores that crawl the alleys of this city, it's their problem...we've all been damned to this realm...why suck the little fun they have away from it."

"What little, indeed," Enzo sighed, leaning back so Damon could take his shot.

Just then, Rebekah entered the room, her blond hair swishing with each step, Kai and Mason following closely behind her, "We have a problem."

Damon looked up at her, "What kind of problem?"

"An Arc," her lip curled at the word, "just crossed our boundary line, to make a request."

This was surprising, "A single Arc?"

Rebekah nodded, "She claims to have come alone, but Connor and Alexander are doing a perimeter check, just to be sure it isn't an ambush."

Damon's brows furrowed, "Who is it; what request do they maske?"

"It's the brunette," Rebekah said, "Sage and Finn are holding her outside. She wants to speak to you."

Damon straightened.

Elena...

"Bring her to the ballroom, unharmed," he ordered, his tone dropping deadly.

"Of course," Rebekah assured him, turning to leave.

"Kai," he addressed the other man, "You and Mason check the area with the others. If this is some sort of attack, we need to be on guard."

Enzo glanced at Damon as Kai nodded, "You really think they'd attack so close to the peak of Dark? Their powers are weak..."

Damon looked over at him, "No...I don't think they would launch an attack this late, not if they were smart...but an Arc doesn't normally wander to us willingly. Something must be going on."

Enzo nodded, "But if this were an attack, she would be the one they'd send to you."

"Probably," he allowed.

Enzo's voice didn't change, "I'll come with you to the ballroom then?"

Damon gave a swift nod, and set aside his pool stick, "Let's go."

Elena tried not to show fear as the blonde Darkling returned.

"You're in luck, Arc," she smiled venomously, "Damon will see you after all."

Fighting to keep the relief off of her face, Elena nodded.

"Follow me," the blonde commanded, "And if you try anything, I will kill you."

Elena met her gaze, "I do not plan harm to anyone here. That is not my purpose tonight."

The blonde smirked, "Now, why don't I believe you?"

Elena let the comment slide, and followed the woman when she turned toward the house.
It was an enormous place, she had to admit, even compared to where the Arc's stayed, and surely it was heavily protected.

She sent a silent prayer to the Light that Damon would not reject her.

"Ah, Rebekah, look what you caught," a man purred at the door.
Elena thought he seemed familiar, but couldn't place him.

"Back off, Kol, Damon doesn't want her harmed."
Kol?
Wasn't he...

"Wait a moment," Kol pressed, "I know this one..."

Rebekah rose a brow, "What are you rambling about?"

"This is the Arc Damon wouldn't let me kill...said he'd take care of it."

Rebekah glanced at Elena, then back at Kol, "Does she look dead to you?"

Kol's eyes hardened, "No...That's what concerns me."

Rebekah wasn't having any distractions though, "Whatever Kol, you can speculate later, I need to take her to Damon."

The man behind Elena, Finn, she thought was his name, pushed her forward as Kol shot Rebekah a look.

"Right through here," Rebekah ordered, and Elena stepped past the foyer, barely having time to be impressed by the grand staircase before being led into an enormous oval room with finely decorated walls, and a high chandelier with polished floors.

It was truly grander than anything she'd seen in this realm.

"You look impressed," a voice called out, and her eyes narrowed, shooting toward it, and there he was, his light skin in contrast to his dark clothes.

Damon.

Her heart jumped, seeing him again, after so many months.

"And you're confused," she guessed by his expression, as he crossed the room to the middle where she was.

She tried to ignore her body's reaction to him as he came close, but it was impossible.

No matter what he had become, he was still Damon.

The cold stare he gave her was the only indication that something had changed in him, though even it held a turmoil of emotion.

"Well, it's not often that an Arc graces us with their presence so willingly," he pointed out.
Their.

As if he wasn't once an Arc himself.

She wondered how he could appear so calm, when she felt as though her heart was about to give out.

Could he hear it pounding against her ribcage?

"No, I don't expect we do," she allowed, before getting to the point, "I wanted to speak with you...privately."

He towered over her, "Were you followed here?"

"No," she promised, "I am alone."

He eyed her speculatively, then sighed, looking up at the others.
"You are dismissed. She is no threat."

Rebekah nodded, leaving the moment Damon told her too, Finn and the red headed woman following.

Elena was alone with Damon and another man.

"Let us go somewhere less open," Damon told her, offering her his hand.

Cautiously, she took it, and warmth spread through her fingers.

He led her past the Darkling, who followed them through a doorway, that opened into a den, with a mirage of furniture.

Elena eyed him as Damon took the seat opposite of her on the sofa, leaning back as if he owned the place.

"Enzo, this is Elena."

"The one you told me about," the man, Enzo, raised a brow.

"The same," Damon confirmed, and Enzo chuckled, "You were right about her bravery.
He walked closer to her, "Why are you here, little Arc?"

She met his brown eyes with her own, "I wish to speak to Damon, alone."

"Too bad," Enzo smiled, "Now speak, or die. It makes no difference to me."

She shot Damon a look, and he deliberated, deciding something, then spoke, "Enzo...back off. She came here close to the sky's Darkening, all alone...she means no harm. There's no reason to prod her."

Enzo shrugged, and backed away.

"But he has a point, Elena," Damon continued, his eyes calculated, "Why are you here?"

Elena swallowed.

This is where she would sink or swim...but first she had to make the jump into the churning waters, and pray it wouldn't mean the death of her.

"I...I came to join you, Damon. I came to join the Dark."

Slight cliffhanger lol

Sorry, but at least it was a long chapter!

I'll update soon, I promise! Enjoy :)