I'm back! First off, I want to apologize profusely for my long absence. The deadlines just kept piling up higher and higher and I got overwhelmed. I never had longer than 20 minutes at a time to write, plus my muse had a minor power outage earlier. I think it's back now :) Secondly, I want to thank you and give all of you a big virtual hug for the tremendous response the last chapter received! It made me so happy. Review alerts really brighten my day, especially this past week (it was quite a downer week). On the bright side, some new episode stills and a handful of brief promos have been released for the season premiere! I was incredibly excited. 26 more days! My anticipation level can hardly get any higher. Let's just pray we get a little Delena thrown in there on September 9th! Love you all, hope this chapter doesn't disappoint. Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own any part of TVD. Trust me, if I did, you would've heard about the hostile takeover already.

Chapter 17: Aftershock

Previously:

…The façade fell when Damon's eyes reached Elena. She was hanging limply from Katherine's grasp, clad in only her underwear and drenched in her own blood. She had obviously passed out quite some time ago, and was alarmingly pale. Damon's stomach turned over, and he resisted the impulse to dry heave with great difficulty. He had to act fast.

…"Say you're happy to see me," Katherine commanded in a breathy voice. Damon leaned forward, his eyes widening as they came into contact with hers. His lips parted slightly, and he raised his eyebrows, about to speak. Then, so fast the movement wasn't visible, he whipped out a stake from inside his jacket and jammed it into her chest. She sucked her breath in with surprise before her eyes rolled back into her head and she collapsed, her skin turning gray and veined. "Pleased as punch," Damon informed her glibly.

…"I'll make it better, Elena. I promise I'll make it better." She whimpered in her sleep, then sighed, and he curled as close to her in the hospital bed as he felt was safe. He fell into a restless sleep, never leaving her side.

…

Elena's eyes rolled and flickered open to a darkened hospital room, completely silent save the heart monitor. A dull ache pulsed through her body, and she didn't make an effort to move in her half-conscious state. Suddenly aware of dead weight on her shoulder, she shifted her eyes downward. A dark, slightly mussed head came into view, and she could feel soft breaths dance across her collarbone. Damon's arm was stretched protectively over her stomach, his hand curving gently around her waist. Relief slowly pooled in her mind. She was going to be ok, and Damon was right there by her side. That was all that mattered. Comforted, Elena drifted back off into a deep, peaceful sleep.

…

Several hours later, Elena woke again to the same hospital room, though now sunlight streamed faintly through the blinds on the windows. Feeling alert and acutely aware of her surroundings, Elena lifted her right arm to find it bound in a bulky purple cast. Great. She looked to her left to see Damon still asleep; he had moved from her side to a chair drawn near the head of her hospital bed. His arms were folded against the side of the bed near her pillow, and his face was buried in the folds of the black sleeves of his shirt. A smile ghosted across her lips, and she tried to lift her head and bend to kiss him, but found herself too weak. Frustrated, she noticed something foreign in the back of her good hand. An IV needle. She hated needles; they only reminded her of the countless hours she had spent in the hospital when her parents died. She stiffly moved her broken arm toward the IV, trying to pull it out. Out of nowhere, a cool hand gently grasped her fingers, stopping them from yanking on the needle.

"You still need that." Damon's voice was thick with sleep, and he had barely finished speaking when a powerful yawn escaped his mouth, followed by a faint guttural noise.

"You still need sleep," Elena remarked, studying the dark shadows in his face.

"I'm not the one who just got the life nearly sucked out of me," Damon replied bitingly, yet they both knew that his anger was directed at himself. Even so, Elena shrank back against the pillow. She had gotten used to Damon's softer side when he was around her, and apparently this last fiasco had set him on edge. She bit her lip, holding back her anxiety.

Damon hung his head, shrugging. "I should've been there, Elena."

"There is no way," Elena gritted her teeth as she spoke, "That you could've known they would come back so soon. It's not your fault, Damon, and don't you dare blame yourself!" He finally brought his eyes up to meet hers, the shocking blue clouded with guilt and self-loathing. "And if you start brooding like Stefan, I'll dump you on your ass." Elena finished softly, but with conviction. But deep down, she knew she was too far gone to ever leave him, no matter what the reason.

Damon couldn't fight the tiny grin that rose to his lips at her last threat.

"I wouldn't dare risk being like Stefan and having to face your wrath," Damon reassured her, wiggling his eyebrows. "Plus, there's no way I could live with myself that way." Elena smirked.

"I would slap you right now, but lucky for you I can't." Elena huffed. Damon's face immediately fell.

"Not lucky. I would much rather you be slapping me right now."

"Please don't start talking that way, Damon. I am lucky. You're here," Elena stated simply, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Damon bit the inside of his cheek, keeping his gaze down. He was exhausted, but he'd be damned if he let his emotions get the better of him right now. He brushed his fingers lightly up and down her arm, and Elena closed her eyes and relaxed into the pillow at the soothing gesture. His fingers trailed to a stop at her inner elbow, and he opened his mouth to speak.

"You smell funny," He observed, his brow furrowing in disapproval. Elena's eyes snapped open.

"Excuse me? It's not like I ever got the chance to take that shower I was headed off to!" Damon grimaced at her words, and Elena immediately changed directions. "As soon as I get out of here I promise I'll clean up."

Damon shook his head. "No, not like that." Elena raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Your blood smells off. They gave you several transfusions to replace all the blood you lost. I don't like it." Elena was moved by the possessive way he spoke. "Will that last long?" She inquired, her mind lingering around the idea of a blood exchange, which seemed more and more appealing every day.

"No, it should be back to normal in a week or two." Elena sighed. Her eyes softening, she struggled to curl her fingers into his. He obliged, lacing his fingers carefully to intertwine with hers.

"You, I'll never be able to thank you enough for everything you've done…for me."

Damon's face twisted, and he inclined his head toward her. "You don't ever need to thank me for anything, Elena." They exchanged a long look, and she nodded. Squinting, Damon turned his ear toward the door. "I can hear Jenna and Jeremy coming back."

Elena's eyes widened. "They were here earlier? When? Are they alright?"

Damon shook his head, marveling at her concern for her family's welfare when she was the one who had nearly died less than 24 hours ago. "They're just a little shaken up. When Jenna got the news, she was sort of…in shock for a while, but she's been better ever since they said you'd pull through. Some of your other friends came by this morning, but the nurses told them only family was allowed to visit for now, so they're coming to see you when you get home."

Elena cocked her head. "But if only family is allowed in right now, then how are you…?" Damon lifted an eyebrow. "Whatever. I don't want to know." Damon rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb, then leaned forward, pressing a light, lingering kiss on her mouth.

"I need to go take care of some things. Jenna and Jeremy should keep you company for awhile. You'll be fine without me for a little bit, won't you?" She nodded reluctantly. He kissed her again, this time brushing his lips along her cheekbone. "I won't be long." As he rose to go, Jenna burst through the door, followed by Jeremy.

"Elena, baby, you're awake! Are you feeling all right? Of course you're not, poor thing! We came this morning, but you were asleep and D-…he was here, and we were told to come back early this afternoon. I can't believe there was another animal attack! I thought that was over! Someone really needs to…" Elena let her aunt ramble on, and looked past her to Jeremy. So much between them was unresolved, and she saw in his eyes that he didn't know what he would've done if she had died before getting past their falling-out. She bit her lip, gazing up at him anxiously.

"I'm sorry, sis," He whispered quietly, looking at the floor but eventually raising his eyes up to meet hers. "Forgive me?"

"Of course, Jer. You're my brother. I love you." As she spoke the words, she felt the heavy weight pressing over her heart lift, and she sighed with relief. He nodded at her, and Elena's eyes drifted over to Damon, who was silently making an exit. I love you, she mouthed soundlessly, knowing he understood what she was trying to say. Gazing at her with soulful eyes, he mouthed back, I love you too.

…

Damon stepped back down into the lowest level of the deserted house once again, trying desperately to push away the memories that the dank basement held there for him. He wasn't entirely surprised to find his brother still there, sitting with a defeated air about five feet away from Katherine's corpse. Damon opened his mouth to spew a sarcastic remark, but closed it again when he saw the look on his brother's face.

"I'm sorry," Stefan murmured, mostly to the scratchy concrete beneath him. "I realize the trouble I've caused. I'll never forget it." He cast his eyes imploringly up to Damon. "But did you have to stake her? Did you have to take her away from me again, this time for good?" A pause fell between them before Damon responded.

"It was the only way to keep Elena safe. It was completely necessary." He let out a deep breath. "And I think we both know she was never really implicitly yours. Katherine never belonged to anyone besides herself." Stefan looked back down, frowning.

"That doesn't make it hurt any less." Damon just stood there, a peculiar feeling stealing over him as he looked on. Could this be…remorse? Damon realized, astounded at his recently rediscovered range of emotions.

"I'm going to take care of her," Stefan murmured, suddenly rising to his feet and gently scooping up Katherine's body in his arms. He walked up the stairs at human speed, and once he disappeared, Damon followed him in a delayed reaction. He found the front door ajar and quickly stepped out over the threshold behind his brother. Stefan slowly crossed the yard to a sunny patch, and taking a deep breath, he stepped into it. Katherine's body rapidly disintegrated, the ashes sifting through Stefan's hands in a matter of seconds. His arms falling limply at his sides, he turned to face his brother once more. Damon noticed with a twinge of sadness that his brother's eyes were glistening with unshed tears.

"I won't be coming back," Stefan whispered, staring sorrowfully into his brother's eyes.

Damon's eyebrows drew together, and he nodded solemnly. "Goodbye, Stefan." When Damon looked back up, his brother was gone. Bowing his head, Damon slowly turned on his heel, appeasing the pull that was drawing him back to the only girl in the universe that mattered.

…

So sorry this wasn't longer! I'm exhausted and this is all I could crank out at the moment. Hope it was enough for now! I should be wrapping this up in a chapter or two. It's been a brilliant ride, especially considering this is my first story. Ever. Thank you SO MUCH for reading. Please leave a review! They mean the world to me and encourage me to press forward. Ideas for my new story are flying through my head! It will hopefully start getting posted as soon as I finish this one. Once again, thank you all so much! I can't put into words how grateful I am for you readers, especially those who review regularly. You're all amazing! Til next chapter. In the words of one of my favorite FanFic writers, Feedback is love people.