Running Up That Hill - Placebo (listen to it while reading this. it improves the atmosphere ;) )

I know, guys, I know this is very overdue, AND I'M SO SORRY.

there's just been exams, and requirements, and all this hassle with moving out, it's just been HELL here.

so without further a due, here's the second to the last chapter! :)

I DO NOT OWN THE VAMPIRE DIARIES OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS INVOLVED IN THIS STORY.

It doesn't hurt me…

You wanna feel how it feels?

Caroline was gentle with Matt. She even set him down by a tree trunk, which was not a very smart idea considering Damon was right beside it, smiling wickedly at him, then me. Resisting the urge to punch him, I settled for a cold-hearted glare. And while Damon remained as smug, Stefan's and Elijah's eyebrows furrowed into these thick lines. It almost made me laugh.

"Hello, Matt." I said, sighing as I walked up to him and leaned in, whispering, "How's the whole Rebekah thing?"

You wanna know, know that it doesn't hurt me?

"Elena? Wha—Rebekah? She's… we're fine… Where are we?"

The whole play of being stupid wasn't very believable. They probably already knew that, but I decided to rub it in their faces, particularly Damon's. So: "Did you drug him or something?" I pointed out, laughing as I poked Matt on the arm. Looking back to Damon, I saw him flash me a half smile, while Stefan's and Elijah's remained blank and deadly serious. Rolling my eyes, I said, "You two don't know how to laugh."

"Actually I did," Stefan said, "before you left, that is."

"Likewise." Elijah continued.

I narrowed my eyes at him, wondering why he was even there, before pointing my glare to Stefan. "So, why are you here?"

You wanna hear about the deal I'm making?

You, you and me…

Of course, Stefan just couldn't resist his urges of talking to me again. And something inside me knew that he was just hurting inside. And whereas, if I hadn't turned my emotions off I would be snuggling close to him in an effort to calm him down, now, I merely watched his inside struggle with himself to not kiss me.

"Well," he started, "Caroline here just would not stop bugging me and Damon to give it another try. So we thought, why not?"

I smiled to myself. "You all really are a bunch of idiots." Stepping away from the tree, I spread my arms wide out just to show how wide their bars of idiocy were. "Do you really think I'd want to change back to the old Elena you all held dear? My life, for three months, was absolutely perfect. No anger, no fear, no love"—I looked to Elijah, feeling a sense of self-satisfaction at the recognition that flashed in his eyes—"perfect."

And if I only could make a deal with God, and get him to swap our places.

I'd be running up that road, I'd be running up that hill, I'd be running up that building…

The look on Caroline's face was so absolutely pleasing I just had to go on. "Aw, don't be sad knowing that my life was hell with you and Bonnie, Caroline. Know this though:" I leaned closer to her face until our noses were practically touching. "It was hell, and I have no regrets in leaving. The world's so much more enjoyable without Bitchy and Bitchier at my side."

The tears that surfaced in her eyes were prominent. I gave her a big pout, and she sniffled, the same way that she did when she came to me when she had Tyler problems before. She asked, "Isn't it lonely?"

If I only could…

Grinning from cheek to cheek, I answered, stepping away and looking to Stefan. "No, actually. I always took the time to pull out a hot, and so incredibly gullible, guy in the street before taking him back home and, you know, getting it on." I didn't miss the way Damon scoffed and the way Elijah looked away, bringing his hand to his jaw and rubbing it. I most certainly didn't miss the way Stefan snapped his head up to look at me, hurt evident in his eyes. It had been way too long since I had that much fun. I decided to push it further. "You'd know all about that, won't you, Stefan? You were called the 'Ripper of Monteray' for a reason, weren't you? I'm surprised that you quit the job, honestly! Do you mind if I take your spot?"

"Enough!" I heard Elijah exclaim from behind me, followed by a grunt that distinctively came from Matt. I whipped my head to the side, hoping to see the snapped neck of the blonde-haired, blue-eyed boy I cared nothing about. Instead, I saw the older Mikaelson sibling holding him up like a pig for slaughter by the scruff of his jacket. There was something in his eyes that looked like the red haze of anger. It was refreshing enough to see him like that compared to the other times where there was only emotionless brown staring back at me.

"You are acting like a spoiled brat, Elena Gilbert." He said, and for the first time, he raised his voice.

"Well lookie here! The big, bad Elijah Mikaelson finally decided to show his anger towards me!" I yelled, raising my eyebrows to Stefan, Damon, and Caroline in mock-surprise.

You don't wanna hurt me? But do you see how deep the bullet lies?

"You think that we can't punish you?" Elijah asked, effectively wiping the smile off my face. "Maybe not… but it would be very easy to punish him." His finger found its way towards Matt's neck. Something happened that I never thought would ever happen again after that fated night. A large pit grew in my stomach. I could feel its hollowness as I stared at the boy who had done nothing to deserve what was about to happen to him. Something cracked inside me. My composure, my heart, my lungs...

... The dam.

"Elena…." My name came out of Matt's mouth, barely a whisper beneath his panicked heartbeats.

Unaware that I'm tearing you asunder, there's a thunder in our hearts, baby.

I sighed, forcing the dread to go away, forcing myself to believe that they really wouldn't hurt Matt. "Seriously, guys, this is—"

"Silence." Elijah's hiss stopped me from saying anything else, and that was when I felt another crack. I knew that Damon and Stefan would never have the heart to hurt Matt, but would Elijah? He was an Original, after all, a man who had lived on the face of the earth for more than a hundred years. He had nothing to lose after having lost his Katerina. "I am finished acting the godfather for you, Elena. Turn your emotions back on right now, or so help me God, I will give you something to be sad about." His hand tightened around the back Matt's neck, and I stifled a gasp at the back of my throat.

There's so much hate for the ones we love. Tell me, we both matter, don't we?

You, you and me, won't be unhappy.

Something told me that he wasn't joking. "Elijah…" I started, putting on my best 'I'm not impressed' look. It didn't work.

He forced Matt onto his knees. I heard Caroline start sobbing beside me, and knew that this was really happening. Elijah shook his head, a sad smile forming on the corner of his lips. "I'll do it, Elena. I swear on my remaining family's existence, I will do it." Damon had muttered something, but I was too out of focus to actually notice.

And if I only could make a deal with God, and get him to swap our places…

And yet, I still refused to yield, thinking "Elijah would never do something like this." How stupid I was at the time. Raising my chin, I all but spat the same words that he had told me that time at the lake house, "I'm going to have to call your bluff, Elijah."

There was a gruesome snap, and then Matt fell onto the ground, dead.

If I only could…

so yeah, this was kind of based on what Damon did to bring back Elena's humanity, but Delena is so mainstream! and i like Elejah better anyway. i changed most of the dialogue to make it sound like an Elejah interaction ;)

anyway, review :)