Chapter 26: The Answer

A/N: Okay so I'm sorry to say guys this is the last chapter :( I'm sad to see this story end but I didn't want to drag it on forever. I may do a three chapter tops sequel…flashing forward some years. But it all depends on your reviews! ;) I hope you liked the way I ended it, if you don't…eh! Lol please review and let me know if you're on board for the sequel!

Love you guys, you are awesome I'm so thankful for all your support and all of you dedicated readers!

P.S: I have a new story coming soon called The Rope. Please check it out it's gonna be good! Thanks!

Vanessa

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One Month Later

Icarus was dead, and life was slowly getting back to normal. Bonnie, Tyler and Alaric all returned to their homes, Isobel was staying in a place just outside of Mystic Falls, Elena and Jeremy moved into the boarding house and Caroline was here whenever Stefan was…which was a lot.

Jenna's funeral was a couple weeks ago; she was cremated and buried beside Elena's parents. Damon was there to support her the entire time, holding her hand and answering questions people continued to ask her: 'What happened? Are you okay? Where are you going to live? You poor thing.'

Katherine had left shortly after defeating Icarus, something everyone was relieved about. She wasn't trying to kill them but her presence still made them all uncomfortable.

Stefan waltzed in the door with Caroline after going for a run, both of them laughing and holding on to each other. "That is so funny!" Care giggled. "I couldn't even imagine you in the 80's, with the hair and the clothes!"

Stefan nodded in acceptance. "Yup, it was bad...a part of my life I never want to relive again." He chuckled. They moved into the parlor room and stopped stunned.

Katherine turned around from the fire with a glass of blood in her hand. "Hello Stefan. I hope you don't mind I helped myself." She took a sip and focused her eyes at the blonde. "Caroline."

Stefan felt his girlfriend grip his hand a little tighter. "What are you doing here Katherine?"

She smiled sweetly. "Just visiting. I wanted to talk to Caroline actually."

Stefan shook his head. "Not happening."

Katherine strolled up slowly placing one foot in front of the other. "Come on Stefan…it's just girl talk, I promise…Caroline doesn't mind, do you Caroline?" her eyes swung to the blonde's dangerously.

Caroline took an unnecessary deep breath. "It's okay, Stefan. I'll talk to her."

Stefan turned to her and shook his head. "Care…you don't have to do this because she demands it." He tucked a curl behind her ear, and ignored Katherine's roll of the eyes.

Caroline nodded. "I know…I'll be fine." Stefan kissed her once before glaring at Katherine as he left the room. "What do you want Katherine?" she questioned harshly.

The older vampire smirked. "Who says I want something?"

Care raised an eyebrow. "Don't you always?" She crossed her arms over her chest and watched Katherine carefully.

She shrugged. "True." Katherine stood right in front of Caroline staring her down. "This thing with you and Stefan…enjoy it while it lasts because it will end. You don't love someone for a hundred and forty-five years and then just stop." She explained confidently.

Caroline smirked back feeling buoyancy she never felt in Katherine's presence. "Damon did." She shot back.

Katherine grinned and looked at her from under her lashes. "And look at his choice in a lover. The Salvatore's will forever be wrapped up in the web of a Petrova…a Forbes doesn't fit anywhere in that equation." She said snidely. Katherine giggled when the blonde stayed silent. "I'll be seeing you Caroline. Bye Stefan!" The elder vampire called out before she sped out of the house leaving Caroline stunned.

She couldn't help but feel like Katherine was right. How does one love another for so long and then just stop? Stefan came back into the room with his hands shoved in is pockets. "Don't listen to her, okay?" he told her with worry on his face. Stefan didn't want her feeling threatened by Katherine.

"How can I not, Stefan…she has a point." She admitted sadly.

Stefan shook his head. "No, don't let her get to you, this is what she wants." He insisted rubbing his hands up and down her bare arms.

She rolled her eyes. "And doesn't she always get what she wants?" she asked rhetorically, holding back the tears that threatened to spill. She averted her eyes and pulled away from him. "I have to go." She turned to leave but Stefan grabbed her arm. "Please Stefan?" she begged quietly. So this is what it was like for Elena…to be so afraid to be with him for fear that Katherine would go to extreme measures to get him back. "I just need to go home…be alone."

Stefan nodded somberly, letting her go and watching her quickly walk out the door.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Elena sat on Damon's bed cross legged and facing Damon who was in a similar position. "Are you ready?" Damon asked her seriously.

Elena nodded taking a deep breath. "Yeah, I'm ready." She scooted a little closer to him.

"How do you wanna do this?"

"Quick." She replied. "Like a band-aid."

Damon shook his head as he rolled up his sleeve. "I can't believe I'm doing this." He mumbled to himself.

Elena reached out and squeezed his hand. "I know this must be hard for you." She felt bad that she was making him be the one to do this but she wouldn't have it any other way.

Damon pinned his gaze on her. "I'm about to kill my girlfriend. Hard doesn't even begin to describe what I'm going through." He huffed, letting his fall to the duvet cover nervously.

Elena turned his face back to her and smiled brightly. "I'm coming back Damon…what are you so afraid of?" she was trying to be optimistic about this but she could tell Damon wasn't completely okay with this.

He rolled his eyes. "Nothing, it's stupid."

"Tell me." She demanded firmly.

He threw her a lopsided grin. "How do you do that? You're going to be really good at compulsion I know it." Damon sobered when she didn't fall for his attempt at throwing her off the subject. "I'm just afraid that…" he hesitated. "One morning, ten, fifty, a hundred years from now, you're gonna wake up and realize I'm not what you want anymore." He rushed out, locking his blue eyes on her chocolate ones.

She took his face in both her hands and crawled into his lap. "I'm doing this for you Damon, okay? I wouldn't leave you even in a thousand years." She exclaimed happily kissing him soundly. Elena rested her head on his shoulder, nuzzling his neck with her nose.

Damon frowned in deep thought. "Ooh, well that's a long time; I might get sick of you by then." Elena pulled away to look at him with a gaping mouth. "All the nagging about missed anniversaries-" he continued to ramble, teasing her mercilessly.

Elena smacked his chest. "Damon!"

"I'm kidding!" he laughed. "I promise…I can deal with the nagging." He persisted.

Elena climbed off his lap and leaned back against the headboard. "I briefly considered offering you a vein…any chance you had at that just few out the window." She gestured to the window with her hand.

"Oh come on! You know I was joking." He prowled closer to her on his hands and knees, pinning her beneath him. "Let me have a taste."

Elena pushed against him playfully. "Not when you say it like that…creepy, stalker guy." She let her hands rest on his chest, running up and down his abs.

Damon raised a brow devilishly. "You know there's another way of doing this. The sexy, less painful way." He waggled his brows in the way that made butterflies flutter in her belly.

"And you know this from personal experience?" she couldn't stop the words from coming out, even though she knew she didn't want the answer.

"Well when I turned…" he started casually before cutting himself off. "Never mind."

Elena gave him a look of horror. "My mother?" she nodded to herself. "Yeah definitely out the window."

Damon sat back on his haunches. "Well you brought it up…you know my track record isn't even remotely spotless." He defended himself with a pout.

Elena sat up a little and played with her hands in her lap. "I know, but I didn't really care to hear about my boyfriend's sexual experience with my mother." She mumbled looking down to her lap.

Damon pulled her into his arms. "I'm sorry. Never to be spoken about again, I promise." He vowed melding his lips with hers. "So how about we go out and do something? Get out, grab a bite…" Damon started to get up but Elena pulled on his arm.

She laughed. "If you think that was enough to distract me then you've been seriously misinformed." She pointed at the bed. "Sit." Damon made a show of rolling his eyes and plopping back onto the bed.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" he gave her one last out.

"Absofuckinlutely." She repeated one of Damon's words. He smiled and brought his wrist up to his mouth, biting down with his fangs.

He brought it to Elena's mouth and she gripped his arm as drank down his blood. Damon loved the feeling of her drinking from him; it was exotic in a way he couldn't describe. She let go licking her lips clean and stared at him with lust in her eyes. "Let's do this the sexy, less painful way." She stated seductively.

She tackled him to the bed, straddling him and kissing him passionately. Damon wrapped his arms around her; tunneling his hand in her chocolate mane. He kissed down her neck, licking and nipping her gently relishing in her soft moans.

She straightened up and whipped her shirt off and threw it across the room. She brought her hands down to rake across Damon's chest, deftly undo the buttons. Once they rid themselves of their jeans Elena sunk down on him with a content sigh.

She let him manipulate her body, guiding her hips over him, but letting her have full control. Damon loved when she took control. Elena had so much fire in her and he loved watching her unload it on him. When she was close to her peak she rested her top half on him, her breast pressing against his chest, while her hips still grinded on his. Elena's neck was exposed to him. "Do it…" she panted in his ear. "Please." She begged.

Damon didn't have to be asked twice. He let his face change and bit gently down into her supple flesh. She moaned in pleasure instead of pain, as did he, letting her blood coat his throat. It was the most epic feeling ever for both of them: moving together and so wholly being a part of each other, sharing an intimate moment like this.

Elena's walls fluttered around him and he held her tighter as he climaxed with her. He could feel her heart rate slow but knew he couldn't stop. He had to keep drinking while she was still high with euphoria.

She was limp against him but her heart was still beating slowly, her face peaceful like she was sleeping. When he was done drinking, he rolled her to the side gently. He brushed her hair away from her face. She opened her eyes slightly and a small smile graced her lips.

"See you soon." She whispered. "Love you."

Damon couldn't stop the tear that fell. He gave her a lasting kiss before lying down beside her, and listening to her heart beat fade.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"Are you insane, Damon? Why-why would you do that?" Stefan shouted in the kitchen. Damon had come downstairs to grab Elena some blood for when she woke up.

"Because she asked me to, Stef." He replied calmly. "What am I supposed to say 'No Elena…get old, live your life, but don't worry I'll still be here, taunting you with the life you could've had', come on Stefan…this is what she wants, who am I to deny her?" he leaned on the counter crossing his arms.

Stefan glared at him. "You killed her Damon! You took her life; I hope you can live with that." He yelled angry at his brother for making this big decision and not telling anyone.

Damon shrugged. "If she can live with it then so can I. You think I didn't try to get her to change her mind, I tried but she was dead set on it. No pun intended." He added as an afterthought and with a smirk. Damon sobered up. "It wasn't easy…letting her die. Every part of me was desperate to save her life…but this is what she wants. We both have to except that." Damon grabbed the glass and headed back upstairs.

He entered his room to see Elena sitting cross legged in the middle of his bed. She looked up and grinned at him. "Hello there."

Damon smiled back, leaning against the door frame. "Hey, how do you feel?"

Elena shrugged. "Really good actually…I'm starving though." She complained, putting a hand to her stomach instinctually.

Damon smirked. "I can fix that." He walked over and handed her the glass, sitting on the bed beside her.

Elena looked at the glass in interest, cocking her head to the side. "Is it human?" she asked as she took the glass from him.

Damon nodded. "Yeah, wouldn't want you to end up losing it like a certain someone. Plus you need human blood to fully transition." Elena cautiously brought it to her lips, licking them and tasting the blood there. As soon as the blood hit her tongue, Elena eagerly guzzled down the rest of the glass and wiped the remaining blood off her lips. "Someone's hungry." He teased.

Elena mock glared at him then frowned when her face tightened. "What's happening?" the white in her eyes turned red, and the skin underneath protruded with veins.

"You're in transition." Damon took the glass out of her hands and put it on the nightstand, then held her hands in his.

"Ugh!" she moaned as her fangs grew out of her gums, causing pain she'd never felt before.

Damon wrapped an arm around her, soothingly rubbing her back. "I know, I know…just relax." Elena swallowed hard, and exhaled slowly. Once she had calmed down her fangs receded and the skin under her eyes smoothed out. "There you go, all better."

Elena glanced at Damon with worry in her eyes. "Is that going to happen every time I drink blood?"

"The pain is over, but you're face will change, after some time your body will be able to control it." He explained, brushing the hair out of her face.

The new vampire glanced at the closed curtains. "What about the sun situation? Am I housebound again?" she joked.

Damon grinned. "Nope. I already got it covered. Bonnie spelled you a ring." He watched Elena's face light up with excitement.

"Can I see it?" she asked sitting up straighter. Damon reached into his front pocket and held it out on his palm for her to see. "Wow…it's beautiful!" The ring was white gold and hugged a rounded triangle-cut red diamond surrounded by small diamonds. She slipped it on her ring finger. It fit perfectly.

Damon gazed lovingly at her. "It's a red diamond…they're pretty rare." He admitted.

Elena's head shot up to look at him. "It's a little extravagant for a daylight ring, don't you think?" she questioned narrowing her gaze at him.

Damon widened his eyes playfully. "Maybe it's not just a daylight ring." He relished in the way her mouth dropped open and she jumped into his lap.

"Is this what I think it is?" she prodded, straddling his lap and linking her arms around his neck.

"Well, what do you thing it is?" This was so much fun for him. He loved seeing her get so excited, especially when he was the one that made her that way.

Elena looked at her hand, and the diamond glistening brightly. "Is this an engagement ring? No, it's not…" she shook her head in absurdity. "Damon Salvatore, popping the question." She laughed to herself before sobering up. "You aren't…are you?"

Damon shrugged. "I might be…really depends on your answer." He squeezed her hips a little, uncharacteristically nervous about her answer.

Elena's face lit up, but she quickly hid it, wanting to play with him a little more. "Well…" she kissed him sweetly. "If you are asking, and this is and engagement ring…then I would be saying yes." If she wasn't a vampire her heart would be pounding and her face would be red.

Damon played it off like he was nonchalant, but inside he was incredibly happy. "Then I guess I'm proposing then." If he was being totally honest with himself, he always wanted to get married. But since it was what his father wanted he went out of his way to defy him.

Elena squealed loudly and tackled him to the mattress kissing him all over. "I love you…so so much!"

Damon chuckled, letting her kiss down his neck and chest. He could get used to the new Elena. "I love you too, but I just have to say one thing." Elena sat up a little looking down at her fiancée and bracing her hands on his chest. "This isn't going to be a huge thing with three hundred guests and a church-" he said with disdain.

Elena shook her head vehemently. "I wouldn't even dream of it. Nothing traditional." She stated firmly.

Damon gazed at her curiously. "I thought you'd fight me on that a little more. I pegged you for wanting a traditional dream wedding." he fiddled with the ring on her hand, slipping it from her right hand to the left, while Elena watched him with a dazzling smile.

"It was…but we're not a traditional couple, are we?" she whispered as she leaned down and kissed him ardently. She pulled away feeling the happiest she had in a while.

"Not even in the slightest." He responded against her lips.

A/N: And that shall be all for now readers! I hope you liked it…remember to look out for The Rope.

P.S: for a look at the engagement ring, check out the link on my profile. Or here if it works just take out the brackets

(http:/)www(.)yourfashionblog(.)com/the-magic-of-ruby-jewelry/

Vanessa