Impossible

Disclaimer: The characters and other things from The Vampire Diaries don't belong to me. Credit goes to the rightful owners.

Chapter 4: Star-crossed

Damon stared ahead, unsure of what reaction would be acceptable after a declaration like that. He froze and thought that maybe if he stayed still long enough someone else would figure it out for him. He didn't expect it or if he somehow did, he didn't think it would unfold as it did. But here they were—three people who looked like they were staring at the aftermath of an explosion, full of disbelief that it actually happened.

The shock stayed with Damon. It didn't not fade as the seconds passed and the prolonged silenced proved the rest of them felt the same way. But of all the things that were bouncing around in his mind, he was sure of one thing.

It was true.

It wasn't a lie.

In the middle of it all, Elena fell in love with him.

And he didn't know what to do with that knowledge.

Because even as he wanted it so badly, he still didn't believe it was right. His own words, the ones he compelled her to forget, echoed in his thoughts.

"I love you, Elena. And it's because I love you that I can't be selfish with you….why you can't know this. I don't deserve you. But my brother does. God, I wish you didn't have to forget this…but you do."

Damon watched her, wishing he could say the same words again and would end it the same way. He would make Elena forget, make her believe that she should be with Stefan and he would go on as a shadow in her life. He thirsted for the happiness that was finally within his reach, with the girl that kept trying to protect him even from himself, and he knew he had to push her away.

"Damon…" Elena said trailing off, hesitant and somewhat afraid. No, she was petrified with what she was seeing. Elena could see his struggle with the truth, his unwillingness to accept it even if he knew it was real. She knew that he was putting together the pieces and then taking them apart, trying to find that one combination that didn't involve his hand in hers.

And then Damon laughed, more like roared, as if he thought everything was one hilarious prank. He doubled over in fits of laughter that wouldn't end. It was a sound that not even Stefan heard from his brother ever in their existence. It was foreign and horrible all at the same time, the notes of his laughter crashing over them like waves, wild and unrestrained. He kept laughing until it became a strangled sound, full of hollow meaning.

"Damon, will you please calm down," Stefan finally said, "I should be the one losing my mind. Not you. This is happening and you can't pretend it's some kind of joke."

"It's true, Damon," Elena whispered, "What Stefan said was true…"

Damon sobered up as he took in her words, his face slipping into a more somber expression, "I know. I just figured if the impossible things are suddenly happening then we really must be close to the end."

"Do you really think we're that hopeless, Damon?" Elena said with the hint of a tragic smile, tilting her head to look at him.

"I really think we're that not meant to be," Damon started, wincing as he saw Elena's face fall slightly, "But there's something to be said about people who fight fate, destiny or whatever. It takes nothing less than everything to love someone you're not right for and somewhere along the way you change the world and rewrite history so that you can be together. In a word, epic. You really think that's us?"

Damon moved closer to Elena so that their faces were only inches apart, "Do you believe, with everything in you, that this will survive the Originals and whatever comes after? This isn't a fairy tale, Elena. With me there's no happy ending but an endless life of struggle until there's nothing and I don't exist anymore. Are you willing to face that life? I can make you laugh, happy and jumping for joy. But I can also torture you, do things that will make you cry and scream. I can make you hate me, Elena, just as much as I can make you love me. I still can't promise you the lives of the people you love if it comes down to choosing between them and you. Are you still willing to save me, Elena, knowing all that?"

"I…." Elena started, unable to finish, at a loss for words even when her heart was screaming for her to say yes. She looked at Stefan, who looked at her with a pained but encouraging expression, trying to be supportive and ever the martyr.

But the split second hesitation was enough to Damon to close off. He took advantage of it and brushed everything away as inconsequential, retreating inside himself as he stood up. Elena's hand shot out instinctively and held on to him.

"Wait," Elena said quietly, "Stefan can you give us a moment? Call Jeremy and ask to talk to Bonnie. Tell them to find a way to come here undiscovered. I have a plan…but I need to speak with Damon alone."

Damon raised his eyebrows in question but waited until Stefan left before speaking, "Did you send him away so you can steal a kiss from me?"

Elena glared at him and slapped his arm, wiping the smirk on this face, "Be serious, Damon. And while you're at it be sensitive. This isn't easy for anyone, especially not for him."

"I didn't ask for this, Elena," Damon exclaimed, "I was perfectly content with unrequited love and being the unsung hero until you decided to randomly bring back Elijah in this mess."

"Look," Damon said taking a deep breath, placing his hands on her shoulders, "Just make your deal with Elijah and bring him in so we can keep him close. Choose whoever, me or your math teacher…I don't care. Let's just figure out how to win this thing and the rest should sort itself out."

Elena struggled, wanting to tell him so much but instead she found her hands moving up to his face, pulling him towards her in a kiss that she never knew she was waiting for. Damon was taken by surprise, leaving him motionless in her touch for a few seconds until he let go of everything. Their lips moved in a dance that was tinged with desperation, fear and an explosion of promises they would die to keep.

"I was right, you wanted to kiss me," Damon said teasing her as he pulled away slightly, leaving only their foreheads touching.

Elena placed her hands on either side of his face and spoke, "Damon, listen to me. I hate that I had to wait for things to get so irreversibly bad for me to find the courage to actually be honest about what I feel. I know how destructive we are for each other. I know I can push the right buttons to make you lose control and you know exactly what will make me fall to my knees. But I love you and—"

"I love you, Elena," Damon said softly, interrupting her, straightening up so he could look at her properly, "It is what it is— imperfect and uncontrollable."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Elena said with a smile, "So are we okay?"

"I believe so," Elijah said coolly, appearing as if out of thin air, "Unusual choice but not completely unexpected. The Petrova women have this unfortunate tendency to fall for the wrong men. But there it is."

"How did you get in?" Elena said as Damon pushed her behind him, keeping himself between her and Elijah even as he moved around casually, picking up random things, "I didn't invite you in."

"Simple," Elijah said as he settled on the couch, "I was inside when you changed the ownership and the spell merely believes I've always been an occupant. Now, please, sit. We have much to discuss."

Before Elena could react, she found Damon strangling Elijah, choking him as if he were dealing with an ordinary vampire. But that lasted only a split second because in the next moment, Elijah threw Damon clear across the room and then dusted his coat serenely.

"I have no qualms about killing you, Damon. Only my word to Elena is keeping you alive and one misstep will change all that. I'll end you with the dagger you used to put me down. The only difference is that for you, the death will be the lasting kind. Are we clear?" Elijah said gravely, his eyes surveying his face for a deceit.

Elena shot Damon a look, asking him silently to cooperate before turning to Elijah, "So what do we do now? We just wait for Klaus to show up at my doorstep?"

"You would do well with a bit more patience about these things, Elena," Elijah said calmly, "Take a page out of Katerina's book. How do you think it is that she survived this long if she weren't patient in carrying out well-laid plans?"

"Just answer her question," Damon said irritably as he stood up, "and spare us the we-have-all-the-time-in-the-world speech because in case you're still not updated, our numbers are dwindling. Your manwitches are gone. And we are down a witch, a vampire hunter and an evil bitch vampire. Time is definitely not on our side."

"You still have the doppelganger," Elijah said with a wave of his hand, "everyone else is simply… replaceable."

"Why is the doppelganger important, Elijah?" Stefan said slipping back into the room and stopping to stand beside Damon with his arms crossed in front of his chest, "If you're going to sacrifice her to break the curse, at least give her the courtesy of making her understand why."

"In time," Elijah said standing up, "Elena is not yet ready to know. But I promise you, Elena, you will. In fact, it won't work unless you know the reason why you have such an important part to play."

"I know you think you can fool me," Elijah continued, "You think I don't know Bonnie is still alive and that you've somehow tapped into the power of the dead witches. You think that you'll figure out a way to stop Elena's inevitable death and kill me along with Klaus in the process. I welcome you to try but I would prefer if you didn't. I will tell you now that it is quite unlikely you will succeed but not impossible. But do you really think that will be it? Elena is the doppelganger. She will never be completely safe. She will inevitably die. It's just a question of who will be the one to accomplish that."

Silence descended on the room, the only sound were the footsteps of Elijah as he was leaving, stopping only briefly one last time, "Oh, and I would advise against turning yourself into a vampire. That was Katerina's lucky mistake. But it won't work for you because you're the last doppelganger. It ends with you and there's nothing you can do to change that."

"I dare you to be more cryptic, if that's even possible," Damon muttered under his breath.

"I heard that," Elijah said with the trace of a smile, slowly turning to face Damon.

"I know," Damon retorted, "I wasn't trying to be discreet. I'm tired of your mind games. Give a straight statement just once, Elijah. Make me believe that you actually know what you're talking about. Why is Elena the last doppelganger?"

"Because she's found you." Elijah said, "See, I can be more cryptic, Damon. Look it up…find the first Petrova who wore that face and read her story…see how all this mirrors that. You'll understand. And you'll know why her blood will be on your hands, not mine."

Elijah turned to Elena before he finally left, "These violent delights have violent ends. And in their triumph die, like fire and powder, which as they kiss consume," he said, "Shakespeare had it right, don't you think? Like star-crossed lovers, I know you never had a choice in loving him. You just do. But it doesn't change the fact that it is doomed. Enjoy what little time you have left with Damon."

A/N: The quote is from Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet :) Hope you're enjoying the story so far!