I don't own the vampire diaries and I don't own the characters.
This takes place after they find the cure and do the spell on Elena.
The main POV's are from Damon, Elena and Stefan. Sometimes you will see it from Jeremy or Caroline.
Enjoy.
Feedback is appreciated.

Chapter 13

Stefan's POV

Katherine is gone. I couldn't save her. As I'm laying here in the part of the cemetery where no one goes, where I had recently buried Katherine, I couldn't help but think about all the things I should have done differently. I had fallen in love with Katherine in 1864, it was the kind of love that consumed you and once you had it you never wanted to let it go. But I did let it go. I let her go, I shouldn't have. I should have been doing what Damon had been doing, been looking for her. I was scared to look though. I knew Katherine better than she thought I did. I knew that she would find me when and if she wanted to be found. I should have admitted a long time ago that I had never fallen out of love with Katherine. I should have told her that.

Everything that she had said when she got back to town was true. I hadn't moved on from her. I was dating Elena yes, but I can't deny anymore that the things I loved about Elena were traits that Katherine had. I feel horrible for not admitting this sooner and I know I can't admit any of it to anyone out loud because then they'd hate me, probably just as much as I hate myself. Katherine had said she came back to town for me, I should have believed her. Now she's gone and I can't do a thing about it. I want to turn it off, flip the switch, not feel anything, but I know I can't. I know it's not what she would want. She would want me to keep my humanity, she always told me she loved that I kept my humanity. I know she would want me to protect Elena, so I will. Katherine may not have gotten along with Elena but I know that to Katherine family always came first, so I know that she died for the right reason, to protect her family. I wouldn't let her death be for nothing. I would make sure the Petrova bloodline was still alive, even if it was as a vampire.

With that determination in mind I set off towards the boardinghouse. I see Damon's car is still gone so I assume that he and Elena are staying with Jeremy tonight. I walk in and head to my room but something feels wrong. I can feel that someone is in the house with me, maybe one of them is here after all. I walk up to Damon's room and the door is open, which automatically alerts me that something is wrong because they always keep it shut. I look inside and find Elena sitting at the desk writing a note, except I know for a fact that woman is NOT Elena. Since her chair was facing the door I could see her eyes, they gave her away. Elena had many different looks but not once had she ever had this one. This woman looked proud and dangerous. I caught her scent as she stood up and I didn'd hesitate to let the monster in me take over.

I rush in the room and pin her down on the floor by her throat. "Tatia! What the hell are you doing here?"

She smiles up at me and throws me off of her. I land in the bathroom and quickly get back on my feet. "I'm delivering another message my dear Stefan."

I look around for Elena but she's no where to be found. "In Damon's bedroom? What message is it, I'll make sure he gets it."

She shakes her head and jumps out the window without answering. I run to chase her but she's gone. "Damn it!" I knew Elena was in danger now, I had to warn Damon.

As I was leaving the room I passed his desk and saw not one but two notes. The first one was for Elena from Damon, he had gone to see Jeremy, so at least now I knew where to go. The next note, the one I assume Tatia had written made me see nothing but red in front of me.

DAMON-
THANK YOU FOR LAST NIGHT.
I WILL MAKE SURE ELENA KNOWS HOW GOOD YOU TREAT HER ENEMIES.
MAYBE WE CAN DO THAT AGAIN SOMETIME,
YOU ARE A FANTASTIC LOVER.
-TATIA

"That BITCH!" I yell as I throw the desk across the room. She pretended to be Elena and slept with my brother! "You will pay for this Tatia!"

I shoved the note in my pocket and ran quickly down the stairs and out the door. I left my car, it wouldn't be fast enough. I had to get to Jeremy's now. I had to tell Damon and we had to figure out where Elena is. I know now for a fact that Tatia has her, how else could she have pretended to be Elena. Another thing that crosses my mind is that she had to have played the part well if Damon couldn't tell it wasn't Elena.

I don't waste the time to knock I just throw the door open. "Jeremy! Damon!" I call their names but no one answers. I hear someone running towards the stairs so I start up and run into Asher.

"Thank God you're here Stefan! I need your help, I have no clue what is going on!" He sounds panicked.

I follow him to Jeremy's room and I'm instantly at my brothers side. He and Jeremy are both out cold. I can hear Jeremy's heart beat and I can hear Damon's slower heart beat so I know they are alive, but why won't they wake up? "How long have they been out Asher?" I turn to look at him and he shrugs his shoulders.

"I don't know. Maybe, 15 minutes. I was at in the spare room playing one of Jeremy's computer games and all of a sudden I hear them both scream bloody murder. I ran in and Jeremy was already out but Damon was...well it looked like he was trying to claw his heart out. I tried restraining him but he was hurting himself, so I had to do something. I snapped his neck, I know he will heal but what the hell went wrong?"

This sounded strange, Damon would never try to do that, at least not of his own free will. "Magic. It has to be magic. I'll call Bonnie, maybe she can help."

Within minutes I hear Bonnie outside and go to meet her. She looks horrified, that instantly tells me she knows whats happening. She looks at them both and turns to talk to me while setting up candles throughout the room.

"Stefan. Where is Elena?"

"I don't know." I answer her honestly. "Bonnie what's wrong?" When her eyes meet mine I'm not sure I want to know anymore.

"Whoever has Elena linked her and Jeremy together, like she was linked with Ric. What happens to one happens to the other."

I nod. "Damon..."

She sighs and turns to face me completely. "Did he tell you about the soulmate bond?" Oh God. I nod my head, she continues. "Well when they bound themselves to each other by blood it linked them too Stefan, but stronger than the linking that any witch could do. He's feeling everything she is feeling but it's probably 10 times worse."

No. This can't be happening. "Can you break the links so that they don't feel it?" She nods but the way she's looking at Damon, there's something that she's hiding. "Bonnie. What is it?"

"Stefan." She takes a deep breath and grabs my hand. "To help Damon I'd have to break their bond. I'd have to break their blood bond and their soulmate bond."

"Bonnie there has to be another way!" I pick up the grimoirs but before I can open them she starts talking again.

"That's not it Stefan. There will be...after effects if I break their bond." I look up at her in alarm. Effects? Like what? I know she see's the questions in my eyes but she doesn't break our eye contact. "He won't remember her Stefan. He won't remember meeting her and he won't remember falling in love with her. It will be as if they had never met."

I shook my head. They wouldn't want that, but I know that Elena wouldn't want Damon to be in pain. I know that Damon would, after some convincing, go through with what she wanted. But I couldn't do this to them. They had just got each other back, that's when it hit me. Bonnie only said Damon wouldn't remember, "Elena would remember. Wouldn't she Bonnie?" She doesn't need to say anything I can see the truth in her eyes. Damon wouldn't remember falling in love with Elena, caring about her, but Elena would remember it all.

That's when I heard the gasp. Damon had regained consciousness.

"What's wrong Stefan?" I looked at him and for the first time in our lives, I didn't know what to tell him.

Damon's POV

I was wrestling with Jeremy and all of a sudden I felt the fire. It was hot, too hot. It was everywhere. I couldn't get away. Jeremy. I had to get him away from the fire. I looked for him but I couldn't see him, I could hear him screaming though. I don't know when I started screaming but I had to get away. It was consuming me. I started to try to claw my way out of the flames when I felt pressure on my arms. I fought against it but my attempts were useless. Suddenly everything was black. I didn't feel anything anymore.

I could see pictures. They weren't clear. It was like watching the fuzzy channels on the TV. I saw me, and Rebekah. Why would I fucking be with Barbie Klaus? It's no secret we love to hate each other. Then the picture changes. Elena! I try to scream out to her but I don't know if she can hear me or see me. She's running and she's scared. I want to help her. I want to protect her. Then the picture freezes. She's not moving anymore and neither am I.

I don't know how long everything stays frozen but then I see movement. Jeremy is moving towards her too. I hear the stake before I see it. It's heading right for Elena, but I know it won't hit her. Jeremy has leaped forward and unless I act now, I know it will hit him and Elena would lose him forever. I remember telling her that she wouldn't lose me, I want to keep that promise. But I won't let her lose her brother. I gather my strength and leap. I push Jeremy back but I twisted the wrong way. I feel the stake hit my heart as I fall to the ground. I can see Elena's lips moving but I can't hear her. Then it's black again.

I open my eyes and gasp. I look around and I'm still in Jeremy's room. There was no fire, it was a dream or hallucination or something, but something had happened. Stefan is there with Bonnie and Asher. They look like someone died, or is about to. I wonder briefly if I can talk or if this is another dream. "What's wrong Stefan?" It takes him a moment to answer. It's bad.

"Damon. Elena is missing."

She's at the boardinghouse, isn't she? "No she isn't Stefan. I was with her last night, she's probably still sleeping."

He pulls a note out of his pocket. "No Damon. It wasn't Elena." He hands me the paper and I read it.

Shit! I quickly recap last nights events. Had there been something off about Elena, or now I know it was Tatia? She had been playful but Elena had a playful side too. I was almost positive that I would have noticed if I wasn't inside Elena. As I keep our, well it's not love making if it's not Elena, so our sex show on repeat in my head I go over each detail. It hits me. The eyes. Her eyes, I should have noticed last night. After it was over, they looked proud and spiteful and happy but I know what was missing now. They never once showed the love. Elena's eyes whether she was being playful, gentle, or sexy as hell always showed love.

I get up and run out to the backyard. I need air. I find myself on my knees throwing up. I feel disgusted with myself. Elena's going to hate me. I should have known. How can I love her so much and not be able to tell her and Tatia from each other? I'm a horrible son of a bitch. I deserve to burn in those flames I thought were engulfing me. I feel Stefan behind me so I turn to face him.

"Damon. There's something I have to tell you."

"Well spit it out brother. It can't possibly make me feel any worse than I do now."

He sits down on the grass and starts to speak. "The witch working with Tatia linked Elena and Jeremy together. But you and Elena are also linked together by the bond. You both felt what Elena was feeling but for you it was 10 times worse. Bonnie can break the links but Damon, for you she'll have to break the bond between you and Elena."

What could be wrong with that? I can't keep being in pain if I need to find her. "Okay she can do it then." Is he crying? "Stefan. There's something else. What is it?"

"You won't remember Damon."

What the fuck does he mean I won't remember, what could I forget? "Remember what Stefan?"

"Elena. You won't remember her at all. You won't remember you love her."

Shit. I don't realize I'm crying until I feel Stefan pull me in for a hug. I can't do it. I'd rather feel the pain. I need to remember her. I need to remember that I love her, that I want to marry her. I need to remember that she loves me. "I can't do it Stefan. I know it's selfish but I need to remember." Stefan doesn't speak, I don't think he knows what to say. This is the closest we've been in a long time. It feels like we are brothers again.

"I'll make sure you remember. You can trust me Damon." Jeremy.

I turn to look at him. If anyone can help me remember Elena it's him. I took a bullet in the head for the kid, and even though I think he's afraid to admit it, he got back at Kol for compelling me by killing me. I know he cares, and I know I can trust him. I get up and walk to him. There is one sure fire way that he can make me remember Elena. The ring. I take it out of my pocket and hand it to him.

"Give this to me afterward and tell me to give it to the one person who is worthy of it. It's always been your sister and it always will be." He nods.

I go inside and find Bonnie in the living room. I know she doesn't want to do this but I know Elena is her best friend and she'll always do what Elena would want her to. I sit on the couch next to her. She's doubting herself I can tell. I put my arm around her shoulders and give her my signature Salvatore smile.

"I'm trusting you Bonnie Bennett. Let's do this thing witchy."

Jeremy's POV

I have to help him. I can't let him forget. I have to do it for Elena, but I also owe it to Damon. He doesn't know it but he brought my sister back to life, and he brought us closer together. After our parents died we both changed. She lost her...spunk. She was broken, she didn't understand why she lived and they didn't. She put on an act for everyone else but she couldn't for me. She needed something to make her feel alive. As for me, I gave up. I turned to drugs and pushed everyone out, especially Elena. I blamed her. I told her it was her fault and I was a horrible brother.

Along the way something changed in Elena. At first I thought it was Stefan, but then I saw her with Damon and I knew. He put the life back in her eyes. She was able to be herself with him. I never told them this but when I read her diary it wasn't just the stuff about Vicki that I read. Yes, I read that she had Damon erase my memories to help me cope with Vicki's death, but I also read what she felt for him. She was denying it but as her brother I was excellent at reading between the lines. She was falling in love with him.

He brought us closer together. After everything that we'd been through he had always made sure of one thing. He always made sure we had each other. He did anything and everything to make sure I had Elena, and even though he had always called me her annoying little brother, he always made sure Elena had me. No matter how much it might cost him, in the end he wanted Elena to have what she deserves, her family.

So that is why I'll help him remember. I keep a tight hold of the ring he gave me. It was no surprise to me that Damon wants to marry Elena. I had spent a lot of time with Damon recently and while everyone else was convinced that her feelings were just a sire bond I knew different. I had never met the Damon that she talked about in her diary, but ever since Elena turned I began to. He doesn't know I know this and I don't think she knows either, but he's never left her side. Every night since she woke up after drowning he'd sneak in her window.

At first I didn't get it but then I saw it. He didn't want this for her. He never really wanted her to be a vampire but he'd help her through it. I saw how he looked at her and how he helped her. He never let her go too far. I was afraid that I'd lost her after she killed Connor but he'd saved her yet again. That's when I knew for sure that this was the kind of love everyone wanted.

I was brought out of my memories when I heard Damon wake up from the spell. I slowly got up and sat on the coffee table in front of him.

"Damon? Do you know who I am?"

He raises an eyebrow at me. "Jeremy Gilbert. What do you want?" His voice is cold. It's not the way it usually sounds when he's talking to me.

"I want to help you." I hold out the ring. "We're going to be family once you give this to my sister, remember?" He doesn't take it from me but he looks at me skeptically.

"Right. And who is your sister?"

"Elena. You love her."

"Hmph. Right. Give me the ring Gilbert."

I shake my head. "Not yet. You told me something I had to tell you."

"Then tell me and give me the damn ring!"

"Give it to the girl who you've always known is worthy of it. Elena."

He looks at me and shakes his head. Before I can pull it back he grabs my wrist and pry's the ring away from me. He grabs me by my throat and holds me in the air in front of him. "Listen carefully. No one is worthy of this ring and I don't know any Elena. Now get the hell out of my face." He drops me and I fall to the ground. Stefan is there beside me and we watch Damon walk out of the house.

"I have to help him remember Stefan. He's family and I know he still loves Elena. I know it's in there somewhere."

He nods as he looks out the door. "We'll find a way Jeremy. They're still soulmates. And we both know Elena won't give up on him, and he won't give up on her even if he doesn't know who she is I believe he will still feel for her somewhere inside him."

I know he's right. I just wish I didn't have to see the pain in Damon's eyes. I know that no one else saw it but I did, and it killed me. I wish I could have taken his place. I wish I could have shown him his memories, then it occurs to me that I can. I run upstairs and grab her diary. I know Elena won't care and I know he wants to remember.

I set off towards the one place I know he'll be.

Wickery Bridge.