Gone

Stefan was having trouble keeping up with Marcus. He was obviously much slower than the other vampire. Suddenly, Marcus pulled up to a full stop.

"They're gone. No one else is near us now," Marcus said.

"What does that mean?" Jenna asked.

"They have their target and they are going to her. I need to be with her. Stefan will have to carry you both." And Marcus was gone in a blur.

"Target?" Jenna repeated. "He means Elena, doesn't he?"

"Yes," Stefan replied. "He means Elena."

"We'll never get to her now."

"Sure we will," Stefan said as he motioned for Jeremy to climb onto his back and picked Jenna up. "I'm just not sure what we'll find."

Stefan pulled his phone out as he started following Marcus.

How do you Kill a Witch?

Damon came back to where Elena and Bonnie were watching.

"It was timed pretty well," he said. "It caught about six of them on this side, and a few more in the fire. We were able to take care of them with no problem."

"So now they're down to only what - 40 or so?" Elena asked.

"Or so," Damon said. "Stefan called. There were more near him, North of here, but they're gone now. He thinks they're coming this way – and has no idea how many."

"Not good." Elena said.

"Nope," Damon said. "But the number doesn't really matter. 40 or 140, the fire will either keep them away or not. And if it doesn't, we're in trouble."

"We're in trouble," Isobel said approaching the group. "It looks like some gaps are going to appear soon. The fuel we had available wasn't the best. I don't think it's going to hold up."

"Bonnie, can you do something about that?" Elena asked.

"About what?" Bonnie asked.

"About the gaps in the circle," Elena said.

"Like what?" Bonnie asked. "Throw fireballs at them? This isn't 'The Wizard of Oz'."

"Can you do anything with the fire?"

"I can move the air around it – maybe make it spread and maybe increase the heat. I don't think I could target the gaps, though. It would probably move in all directions, including to us. We don't want that. Fire burns humans and witches."

"Like in 'The Wizard of Oz'," Damon said.

"Fire did not burn witches in 'The Wizard of Oz," Bonnie retorted. "They were killed by houses, and water."

"Are you sure?" Damon asked.

"She's right, Damon." Elena said.

"Well they burned somewhere. Salem?"

"Not there either. Witches were hung in Salem," Elena said.

"Quit talking about how witches are killed!" Bonnie yelled.

"Oh, sorry," Elena said.

"I just broke the neck," Damon said.

"Damon!" Elena yelled as Bonnie glared.

They were interrupted as Isobel's cell phone rang.

"Katherine." Isobel said into the phone.

"I'm seeing a glow in the distance." Katherine said. " Do you know anything about that?"

"That's us," Isobel said.

"You're in a fire with Elena?" Katherine sounded startled.

"No!" Isobel said quickly. "We're on a hill. There is a ring of fire around us – as a defense."

"Is it working?"

"So far, but I don't know for how long."

"OK. We'll be there shortly. Maybe 20 minutes." Katherine said as she disconnected.

"20 minutes," Isobel said into the phone as Katherine disconnected. "Not going to be soon enough."

"The gaps are getting wider. Some will be able to enter through that one soon," Isobel said as she pointed and moved in that direction.

Damon started to follow her when Elena stood and pulled him back. "Wait just a minute. Help us work this out."

"Not much to work out Elena. They'll be in here soon – all whatever and 40 of them. We'll either last long enough for help to arrive or not."

"No Damon. I'm not losing you that easily. This isn't the Alamo."

"Then what, Elena? They're coming in and we can't stop them."

"Then we let them in and then we go back out." Elena said.

"The gaps will be full of vampires, Elena. How will we get out?"

"Not there," Elena turned around and pointed the opposite direction where the fire was strong. "There."

"Elena," Damon said with exasperation and pointed at the fire "Fire!"

"Damon," Elena said and pointed at Bonnie "Bonnie!."

"What?" Bonnie asked sharply.

"You did it on Founder's Day. You said a spell which subdued the fire in the building long enough for Stefan to get in and get Damon out."

"Which wasn't long," Bonnie said.

"But long enough given vampire speed," Damon said, thinking out loud. "Do you think your idiots will go into a wall of fire through a witch's spell?"

"You did," Elena replied. "And if they want to stay with me, they will, because that's where I'm going. And then Bonnie can do the air moving heat building thingie and…"

"And burn them all." Damon finished.

"Sounds so easy," Bonnie said. "I'm just a spell in a box."

"Bonnie," Elena looked desperate now. "I think it's all we've got. And you've done it before."

The witch surrendered. "OK. OK. I'll give it a shot."

Damon was smirking at Elena now. "Someone has got to tell Isobel your next plan for her. Can I?"

"Yes," Elena said, sighing. "As long as you keep her away from me until she settles down."

"Thank you," Elena said to Bonnie as Damon walked away. "I just hope enough are in when we leave to give us a chance out there."

"We need to draw as many in as possible," Bonnie said. "But we need them to leave us alone until we're ready to leave. We need another fire inside here before the gaps open too much."

Rumors

Stefan stopped. He was being careful. They could see the fire clearly now, as well as a mass of vampires gathering at one side as if waiting to be allowed inside.

"Found her, I think." He said.

"You think Elena's in there?" Jenna asked, pointing at the fire.

"The vampires seem to think so." Jeremy said.

"She's there," Marcus said, approaching them and shaking his head. "But we can't get in to help her that way," He added, motioning to where the vampires were.

"But we can help her if she comes out the other side." Stefan said.

"Now she walks through fire?" Marcus asked. "There are rumors about her. That isn't one of them."

"She might if she has a witch." Stefan said, remembering that Bonnie had cleared the way through fire for him before. "Either way, let's make sure the path is clear on the opposite side from the where the others are trying to get in."

Marcus followed him, shaking his head.

Blaze of Glory

"Well," Isobel told Elena, giving her daughter what she thought might be a final hug. "At least we're going out in a blaze of glory. I wouldn't have it any other way."

Isobel left to gather the other vampires, who were busy fighting those that had managed to get in.

Damon was ready to ignite the fuel when the other vampires arrived into the last safe area. One of the idiots that had helped prepare the area for the second fire would also help with the ignition. Damon hoped they had calculated right, that they had enough room in the area for the vampires to all gather safely while Bonnie cast the spell.

He didn't have long to think about it. He saw the blur and heard Isobel say "Now!"

The fire was immediately lit. Only three of the enemy made it into the circle – better than he had expected. They were able to take them out quickly.

Most of the vampires in the area were nervous as they looked around them, and it was getting hotter.

"I'm ready - just tell me when," Bonnie said as she began a soft chant.

Elena looked at Damon and Isobel. She was hoping they could tell when enough of the vampires were inside to give them a chance outside.

"They're coming through fast now." Damon said. "Two pretty wide gaps."

"And a third," Isobel said.

"Do we need to do it now just to make sure there is enough fire inside the circle?" Elena asked.

Neither vampire responded. So she just held her breath for a few more seconds until Isobel said "Now?"

"Now." Damon confirmed.

"Now Bonnie," Elena said as she was scooped up into Damon's arms.

As the chant progressed and got louder, the gap appeared. Damon was through first, followed by the idiots who immediately passed him and began to form their circle around Elena. Finally Isobel picked up the still-chanting Bonnie and carried her through the fire.

"You can close it now," Isobel said.

Bonnie stopped and allowed the fire to return. Then she started another chant, stopping only when she thought she heard shrieking noises from the other side and knew she was being carried away by Isobel.

Reunions

Katherine gasped as she saw the brightness of the fire increase. She increased her speed even more in her alarm. The vampires with her did the same.

They were immediately caught up in fighting. There were some of the enemy vampires attacking Marcus and Stefan, and she saw that some of those she had sent with Elena were fighting as well. She knew that wherever Elena was, those vampires would be with her. For the first time all day, she began to feel some hope.

Elena was with Jeremy and Jenna now, Damon and Bonnie still at her side, Damon calmly holding her hand. She was confused by the commotion around her. She had no idea who was who out there.

Stefan had found them quickly as they exited the fire and directed them to where Jenna and Jeremy waited. Damon told her that it seemed to be going well, that almost all of the enemy had been trapped in the fire. Those that weren't or that somehow made it out were being handled by Katherine and those with her.

She believed him. She had to think that he would be in there fighting – if he thought he was needed. And there were still some idiots with her.

Elena was worried when Katherine approached. First she had to face Jenna, who hadn't really said anything yet, now Katherine. But Katherine passed her without a glance and nodded to Damon to follow her. He dropped Elena's hand and did.

They had walked fairly far away from Elena's group and the last of the fighting before Katherine stopped and spoke to him.

"I guess she's decided."

"She has," Damon said.

Katherine only nodded.

"What are you going to do now?" Damon asked.

"What I did before. Wait. This time it should only be what – 70 or 75 years? Half of what I waited for last time."

Damon laughed and shook his head. "There's always Stefan."

"Yes. And I can be compelling. But in 75 years, I can have my pick. And I'm sure I'll have to wait for all of it. With people like you around her, it appears Elena can survive anything."

Living the Life that She Chose

Elena found herself alone with Katherine. Katherine had made her wait – dreading. She wondered if it was some kind of punishment.

Elena looked into the mirror image she knew so well, yet still found so uncomfortable.

"Eventually I'll get used to you doing what you want, Elena." Katherine said.

"It's more doing what I think is right." Elena said.

"And eventually I'll learn that, no matter what you do, it works out. I'm starting to trust your instincts."

"Thank you."

"I only wish I had figured it out before I sold your soul."

Elena was startled. "What?"

The vampire smiled slightly. "Well, not your soul, really. Just a bit of your time. I have promised you would help Nathaniel with something in exchange for him helping me keep you alive."

"Oh." Elena calmed down some. It helped to know that Katherine trusted him. "With what?"

"Don't know yet. But right now I need to call him and tell him to call back whatever vampire army he has sent to Mystic Falls."

"What?" Elena cried. "I just went through that to keep vampires out of Mystic Falls and more are coming?"

"His and mine. But we'll stop them," Katherine said, trying to soothe Elena. "We'll stop them before they get to town. I'll call now," she added, pulling out her phone and motioning for the human to return to Damon.

Elena hugged Damon before standing next to him and looking at Stefan and Jenna. They were both staring at her.

"This is going to be hard." Elena said squeezing Damon's hand.

"What? Ripping his heart out or taking whatever Jenna has in store?"

"Both," she replied. "And neither of them deserves it. Could I have done any worse?"

"Want some company while you do it?" Damon asked.

"No. Just comfort after. What kind of life is this?"

"You're just living the life you chose." Damon said.

"You have got to help me choose better, Damon." Elena said as she kissed him and turned to face the music.

"Choose better? But you chose me. Better than me? Not even possible." Damon said as she walked away.

End of Part VII - Livin' the Life that She Chose. The Epilogue Introduces the Next Story.

Though not really directly. I really thought this would be the end, so the epilogue was more of an end than a beginning. I was wrong about that - couldn't quite give it up. I'm wrong a lot...