Part 2, coming right up! Thank you so much to all of you who left reviews, you mean a great deal! It's hard to continue writing if you know that no one is reading. I tried to reply to all of you, but for some reason my review reply won't work. I wasn't too pleased about that. Oh, and less than a week until new episodes! I think I've read so many teases and spoilers that I'm about to burst with curiosity. Well, off we go then!

… … …

Elena stepped outside onto the patio, her shoulders sagging in relief at the gust of fresh, cold air. She'd been at the Grill for only an hour, and she was already sick of the crowded, stifling atmosphere inside. She wasn't really thrilled about spending her new year's eve with a hoard of giddy, drunken townspeople, but there really wasn't anywhere else to be. And, she didn't want to miss Damon in the off chance that he might stop by.

But it was already 10 o'clock, and she was exhausted and beginning to lose hope. She sank into one of the wrought iron chairs, pulling her coat closer to her body as the icy wind picked up, making her eyes smart.

She hadn't seen Damon since Christmas Eve, and she was beginning to worry. She'd driven over to the boarding house a few days ago only to find it empty, Damon's Camaro still parked in the garage. She had no idea where he'd been getting off to, and his absence was starting to take its toll. She didn't have many people left that were close to her, and she wasn't about to lose him too.

She sighed, tiredly lifting her chin up to look around. She gasped when she saw Damon sitting across from her, his gaze unreadable.

"I was beginning to think you weren't going to show up," she said breathlessly, twisting her hands in her lap.

"Well, here I am," he smirked, crossing his arms, his face readjusting to an expression of nonchalance.

"For once," she grumbled, shooting him a sulky glance.

His face immediately fell. "Elena, come on. You know why I can't be there. Remember?"

"Like I said before, no, I don't! I honestly don't know what you're talking about." She huffed, looking away.

"There's no use in arguing," he tried to soothe her, a pleading note in his voice.

Elena stood up, moving to the railing that blocked off the patio. She stared off into the night, wrapping her freezing fingers tightly around the rail. Only a few seconds later, she felt strong, leather-clad arms wrapping around her middle from behind. He rested his chin on her shoulder, and at his touch, tears sprang involuntarily to her eyes. She tried to repress the accompanying sob from escaping her lips, and a pathetic whimper issued from her throat instead. His arms pulled her even closer to him, cradling her like the breakable creature he knew her to be.

"I'm so sorry, Elena," he said softly in her ear. "The world never seems to cut you any slack, and I hate it for that."

At his velvety voice, Elena leaned back, her shoulder blades resting against his chest. She blinked, and the tears fell, making shiny tracks down her cheeks.

"Promise you won't leave," she blurted in a whisper, desperation tugging at the edges of her voice. "Everyone always leaves – not you, too. I can't handle that, Damon, please don't make me!"

He slowly turned her around, his hands leaving her sides to grasp her icy fingers. Their faces were inches apart, and she could see the conflict raging in his eyes. His brows drew together, his lips drawn.

"I won't leave you," he finally promised, unlacing one of his hands from hers to bring it against the side of her face. "I'll be right here." His thumb ran over her cheek, brushing a tear away. "You ask, I come, remember?" he said, a sad, crooked smile gracing his lips.

"You're easy like that," she quoted, a tiny quirk tugging at her own lips. He pulled her closer to him, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, just as she had all those months ago, that night outside the tomb, when it was his heart that was breaking. He stroked her hair, his chin resting atop her head. They stayed that way for what could've been minutes or hours; neither knew nor cared.

Elena was startled by the ringing of the bell attached to the Grill's front door, which jingled cheerily, strangely offsetting the mood. Damon's arms suddenly disappeared, and Elena found herself standing alone. She swayed on her feet, reeling. She whipped around, looking up and down the abandoned sidewalk, her eyes darting frantically.

"Elena?" Bonnie called, her footsteps growing nearer. "Were you talking to someone? …Who are you looking for?"

"It was Damon – he was just here, I swear! Did you see him take off?" Elena looked up and down the street again, her forehead wrinkling.

"Oh, no," Bonnie whispered in alarm, burying her face in her hands. She looked up with wild eyes, steeling herself as she joined Elena at the rail.

"Elena. Elena, look at me." Elena turned abruptly to face her friend, alarmed at her tone.

"What is it? Can it wait? I have to go look for Damon-"

"You won't find him," Bonnie said forlornly, biting her bottom lip.

"What do you mean?" Elena asked slowly, her heart skipping erratically.

"He's gone."

Elena shook her head vehemently. "No, he's not. He just promised me he wouldn't leave. He's not gone, Bonnie."

Bonnie blinked hard, swallowing loudly. "Yes, he is Elena. He's not going to come back."

"Why wouldn't he? He promised." Elena crossed her arms petulantly, resembling a frightened child.

"He's dead, Elena."

The words rang in Elena's ears, pounding in her brain.

"No, he's not. He's immortal, remember?"

Bonnie sighed, taking hold of Elena's shoulder. "I've heard that it's normal that when someone loses a…a loved one, that they often think they see them, or have hallucinations about them as a way of coping with the shock and the grief-"

Bonnie's voice faded as memories flashed in front of Elena's eyes: Anxiously waiting for news while everyone else was at homecoming; her shock when she found Katherine at her doorstep, actually looking sad for once; Katherine telling her that Damon had successfully staked Klaus, and that…and that it had killed Damon too…

"I remember," Elena gasped, unable to catch her breath, the realization slamming into her like a train. The tears started up again, stronger than before.

"Elena," Bonnie said quietly, her voice trembling. "I'm so sorry." Elena remembered that Damon had spoken the same words just minutes ago, and she began to sob – strangled, body-racking sobs.

"He's not coming back," she choked out, salty tears wetting her lips. "He's not coming back. He promised!" She suddenly screamed, doubling over. "He promised he wouldn't leave, he did! I heard him! He promised!" Her voice cracked, and she sank to her knees, scraping them against the concrete. Bonnie sank down beside her, wrapping her arms tightly around her shoulders and rocking her back and forth, making shushing noises.

"It's gonna be okay, Elena, I promise," she whispered into her hair, rubbing her back.

"No it's not," Elena cried in a low, thick voice. "No, it's not. Da – he's gone. It can never be okay." She could never be okay. There was no more world, if there was no more Damon. He was gone now; he was just another ghost. And yet somehow, she knew she had to go on. She had to go on, knowing that she never told him – that she loved him too.

… … …

Well, there you have it. I know it turned out to be pretty dark, but I've never really written a major character death before, and I wanted to try my hand at it. Plus, I've always wanted to write a piece where Elena was the only one that saw Damon – because she wanted to, even after he was gone. Sorry for such depressing stuff around the holidays, but I'm planning a full-blown story next up, one involving more characters, and Klaus forcing Elena to make a choice. Sorry if there are a lot of mistakes in this, it's very late and I have no beta. Happy New Year to you all, and please be kind and drop me a line before you go!