A/N: This is Part One of Two for the final chapters. There was too much to wrap up to end where I wanted it.

There is more about Stefan and what happened to him plus Klaus and Caroline and Ric and Elijah now too so there is not as much Delena. But I needed to go back to some of my other characters to see where they were at.

I hope you like it. I have done a lot of research so I tried to get all the medical and technical stuff as accurate as possible.

Stefan's POV (He's Alive!)

The sun was bright in my eyes as I lifted my head and tried to roll over more. I felt the blood sticky along leg as I managed to shift my weight enough to reach it with my one hand. I stretched and groaned as I slowly gripped the sharp piece of metal as carefully as I could in my hand to pull it out. My hand was shaking and I shook my hair away from my eyes again to better see to pull straight.

Water was rushing up toward me with the tide and back out as I lay on the beach. I focused my attention on nothing but the metal moving glacially slow as I pulled it from my leg. I cried out, my other hand over my mouth and fell back onto the wet sand, tossing the jagged metal away into the ocean. It slipped beneath the surface and I grabbed the gun back in my hand again. My head sunk into the murky thick sand, coating my blonde hair with the thick substance as I had no strength to pull it up from the wet ground.

I lay there, staring at the dark and cloudy sky as the brightness of the day was hidden more and more. It had stopped raining but it still looked so dark and dismal and I felt the wind whip around me as another wave rushed up the shore. I shivered at the water soaking through my jeans and thin gray shirt again and again as each wave rolled in and back out. I was too weak to pull myself higher up the beach.

I closed my eyes slowly, grateful to even be alive. I had thought that it was the end the second they cuffed me to the chair in the helicopter. Watching those keys fly out the window and hearing Mason's laugh, I resigned myself to my fate.

All I wanted was to get Damon and Elena out of there and kill the damn cons. If I died, then I would finally be with my Lexi. There were so many times that the thought of crashing my car, or jumping off the roof of our office building raced ever fleeting through my head. I would always stop the thought in its tracks but the ache and the yearning to finally be with her came in waves and held me under its power like I was being drowned in my grief.

So the thought of dying to save Damon and his love, after my brother and I had made up and hugged after so long was okay with me. I had listened helplessly as I heard Kai literally try to force Damon to jump to his death from the chopper.

I had no weapon, no way to help him and could see Mason with his gun on me too just daring me to try some wild piloting maneuver to save my only family. I saw the fear in Damon's eyes as he was backed up toward the door. My heart was hammering in my chest, my hands sweaty on the controls.

Damon didn't deserve this. He had already been through so much and nearly died when he had been captured and now he survived being on an island with murderers and rapists and the worst of the worst. Through all that he had protected and fell in love with Elena, the prison doctor of all people and I could see so clearly how much she was as in love with him as he was with her.

I could not believe that my brother found love in such insane circumstances.

They deserved to live, to be in love and happy and make a life for themselves. I didn't even know what living felt like anymore. I had lost a piece of myself, my heart died along with my fiance, the moment I saw Damon exit that plane alone with the empty expression on his face. He didn't have to say anything, I just knew she was gone. And still after months...I had no idea how to even start moving on.

So I had done what I could and took the opportunity to protect Elena and steer to tip Mason out of the helicopter. I had smiled so wide as I watched him fall after seeing Elena stab him with the syringe. He was the one that had condemned me to my death in that chopper and I was damn well not going down alone!

Laying on the beach I turned my head more, feeling more strength in my legs and thought I would try to sit up. I had not even been able to reach my wound to slow the blood flow and I knew I needed to do that soon before I lost too much more. The gash was deep and thin but thank god it hadn't hit any major arteries in my leg. I looked over at the handcuff broken and hanging from my wrist.

It truly was a miracle I survived.

I had watched Damon jump with Elena out and into the water and I steered away from them right away as I felt the helicopter crash forcefully into the water. I had wanted to say so much more to my big brother. His desperate and helpless expression mirrored mine as our eyes met. I pulled my eyes away first, trying to show him I was okay. I was going home, to my love and all I wanted in the world was for Damon and Elena to go home too.

The helicopter started to flood right away, metal and glass were flying everywhere and I cried out as I felt something sharp rip into my leg. I shut out the pain and I had closed my eyes and felt the water rushing faster around me. I didn't even tug on the handcuffs and was prepared to just let the water swallow me up in its unforgiving and angry grasp.

Like tentacles of the Kraken, wrapping around its prey, I was ready to be taken down into the murky endless depths of the ocean.

I felt the coldness soak right to my bones as the helicopter sunk under the water hiding the afternoon sun under the darkness of the ocean. But just as the water was flooding past my neck I felt a light touch on my cheek. My eyes flew open, squinting out into the space in front of me.

"Stefan," a voice called.

I melted to the sound of that voice and my heart raced. "Lexi? Baby, how are you here?!"

I could see her sitting there, her long blonde hair in a thick braid, floating in the water, her eyes pools of sadness as she gazed on my face. Her hand stroked down my cheek and I whimpered and gasped, letting some water in my mouth as the cabin filled up to my chin by now.

"It's not your time," she breathed out as I stared mesmerized at her in front of me. I missed her so much. I lifted my own hand to caress her cheek and I saw the air swish as my hand went right through her. I wanted her to really be there.

I was imagining her. That had to be what was happening.

"It's okay Stefan. You can't die...not yet..." she whispered and I lifted my head, feeling the water bubble past my nose and eyes and I opened them under the water to keep gazing at her

"Go back to them Stefan. They need you and you need your family too."

I was screaming inside. 'I need you,' I sobbed silently, as the water flooded above my head and there was a rush of more water making the hull of the chopper creak and groan. I tried to hold onto her any way I could, like screaming for her not to leave would change the future somehow. Keeping my eyes open I held my breath just to stay with her a few more moments.

Even under the water I could still hear her sweet and melodic voice. "Stefan, I love you. Don't give up. You need to fight. We need you to fight. You can't give up!"

But I didn't want to fight. I was ready to die. I started feeling the water choke me, my breaths getting weaker. I reached out for her once more and my hand passing right through her again, closed over hard metal…

Bubbles rushed from my mouth already a few at a time and I pulled on the metal, feeling its shape. It was a gun!

I looked back and Lexi was gone. Had she wanted me to find the gun? Everything felt like it was happening in slow motion when it had probably only been barely minutes since the helicopter went under.

My body sprang into action. She wanted me to live! I cocked the gun and pulled the trigger feeling it kick back in the water as the bullet ripped through the chain between the cuffs.

I was free...just like that. Lexi wanted me to find the gun, like she was leading me to it somehow. It must have been forced up from the floor when the helicopter flooded and was pushed under the water so fast.

I dragged my body out the open door and kicked hard and fast for the surface. I saw the bright light above the ocean and fought to reach it. Sputtering and coughing I burst out of the water and gulped in mouthfuls of air. I looked around to see where the island was and pulled my weak body forward, cutting through the water as fast as I could. I knew there could be sharks around still, especially with how I saw Kai die.

There was a boat further away and I tried to call out to get their attention. I felt like I was being dragged down more by the metal in my leg and could hardly keep my head above the surface. The boat was too far away and even waving my arms fast above my head, it faded further and further into the horizon.

My eyes refocused at movement closer to me. I nearly screamed as I saw a fin in the water coming closer and I pushed away from it, aiming and firing the gun over and over till it was empty. The shark was still and I could see blood. Had I killed it? I started swimming as fast as I could toward the shore, not wanting to look back but still feeling so dragged down by the metal buried in my leg.

Looking around now I saw my swat vest was being lifted up and down with the waves but still not being tugged out to sea. I grabbed for it and dug in the pockets for more mags of bullets. I snapped one into the gun and leveled it ahead of me and nearly jumped back as I heard the sound of a motor running. Did the boat from before come back? Had they heard me calling?

I collapsed to the wet sand as the whirring sound got closer. I wanted to jump up so badly but I had known that I was likely in enemy territory and had no idea if the boat coming was holding more enemies or the marines.

When I thought I was being pulled back under the water I had yelled for the boat nearby but now being able to think more clearly I realized it could have been the Serbians on that boat too. Or maybe it was Damon and Elena? Maybe they got captured!? I prayed that I was wrong. I needed them to be safe. I knew Enzo must have been the one to shoot Kai all the way down from the boat. I had seen the red laser light on the hull of the chopper and was so glad someone else was there and could help them.

But now though I had no idea who was coming. I could not take the chance that I could get captured. I was a high value prisoner with all I knew about CIA missions, protocols and procedures for this country. I was a goldmine of information to any terrorist organization.

Voices were coming closer I could tell, but taking one more glance around there was nowhere that I would have the strength to reach to hide before they found me. Damn it!

So I tucked the loaded gun under my body and lay on my stomach in the sand. The voices got louder till I saw two men come into view around the corner of a rock on the other side of the beach. Barely opening one eye I saw them leveling guns at me as they moved swiftly closer.

Shit what the hell could I do? I tried so hard not to shiver as I could feel their eyes on me, even through my closed eyelids. One man knelt and felt my pulse and told the other I was unconscious. He turned my head more to look at my face I assumed and heard a snap of a camera flash.

They were talking in low hushed voices. "Is this him?" I heard one of them say. "I thought the boss said he had black hair. We need to get out of here before the army arrive and look for their downed helicopter."

One man kicked me slightly and it took everything in me not to cry out. My mind was racing with all the ways I could somehow get out of this. The other man walked further away and I could just make out that he was looking at my swat vest as it still lifted up and down in the shallow water. It was still heavy enough to not be taken out with the tide.

I heard the sound of paper shuffling. Was the first man looking at pictures? He whistled the other man over and showed him something. They both looked back over at me and I shut my eye fast. Had they seen me?

"The other Salvatore...oh the boss will be thrilled," one man said said and I fought to hold back a gasp.

Shit they knew who I was!

"Quick grab him and tie him up. He could wake up any minute." I heard shuffling around me and saw the shadow of one of them leaning over me. He flipped me over onto my side, pulling at my arms I had tucked under me.

I whirled the rest of the way onto my back and shot fast... One, two bullets right in his chest and I spun as the other man was going for his gun and buried two more in him before he could even pull his gun from the back of his jeans to aim it at me.

My head fell back to the sand as I sucked in a shaky breath. They were dead. Thank God. These must be the Serbians. They were going to take me hostage! They knew Damon and me and must have been waiting for us!

I crawled closer to the nearest dead man to search their pockets for anything I could use. I found a phone and tried to turn it on right away, but nothing. I opened it and saw it had a lock code and I grabbed for his hand hoping maybe a thumb print would work too.

But pressing his limp hand to the screen nothing happened. Of course it wouldn't be that easy.

There was no id or anything else on either man. I ripped off one of their shirts and tied it around my leg to stop the bleeding, putting my belt up above the wound and pulling it tight. It hadn't even bled much yet and I was so glad the wound wasn't life threatening.

I held the gun up in front of me and looked around and there was no one else around or even any indication where these guys came from.

Pulling myself up to my feet I tried to put as little weight on my one leg as I stumbled through the sand down the beach. I had heard a boat, a motor so there had to be something nearby. I made my way around the rocks at the edge and saw a good sized motor boat tucked up near the shore and rocking back and forth in the waves. It was floating in the shallow water and just asking for me to take it.

Feeling the rush of being able to get away and get word to Damon that I was alive I raced forward limping and supporting my leg the best I could. I climbed aboard. It looked empty and I swung the gun in front of me as I checked all around the top deck and below for anyone else. I pocketed another gun and more ammo that I found in the galley below in a drawer. There was no sat phone anywhere and I cursed at that. I needed to let the CIA know I was alive. Damon needed to know!

I stumbled back up on the deck and put the gun down beside me to turn the dials and get a signal on the radio. In not even a minute I heard what I thought was someone on the radio through the static! Yes! Almost home free!

"Hello? Can you hear me, this is Special Agent Salv..."

I threw myself back mid sentence as I heard a gun shot and sparks flew up from the pole beside me. I ducked down grabbing my gun from the table and fired back. They fired at me again, this time hitting the radio and I heard the sound of more sparks and sizzles.

No! I needed that radio!

More bullets bounced off the boat and I looked wildly for a way to get away. The keys were dangling from the ignition and I twisted it fast and pulled hard on the controls launching us forward and away from the island while still staying down as more gunshots rang out. I was on the last mag of bullets when my next shot took the guy down in the sand. I didn't know if he was dead but he was down.

Staying low in case there were more men hiding by the shore, I steered as carefully but as fast as I could to get out of there. The wind whipped through my hair as I flipped it out of my eyes as the boat took off into the ocean. It started speeding faster and once I was out of range I stood back up and watched to see if the man would get up. Was there another boat? Were there more men still on the island? Could they follow me?

I wanted to race away back to the air craft carrier and make sure Damon and Elena were okay and tell them I had made it out, but this was as close as we had ever come to catching these bastards. The other two were dead, but this man might not be...

I wrestled in my head to go back. He could be my way to find the others. To reach the big boss and avenge my fiance's death. We might never get a chance like this again.

It was a huge risk, but I had to try. If he was alive he could be a valuable hostage.

I turned the boat around praying that I was doing the right thing and raced back across the water. Nothing had changed as I neared the beach again and my eyes scanned the surroundings for any other signs of life. I brought the boat right close to the shore and stumbled out swimming up to the beach before slowly moving toward the still figure.

It took some scrambling, swimming with him and struggling to keep both our heads above water, but I eventually got him into the boat and tied down in the galley. The bullet had ripped through his shoulder but he would live, at least long enough to tell me where the hell his boss was.

More sparks flew off the radio and I tried to call out again but heard only static. The radio was busted and had been hit by more than 3 bullets in different areas. There was no fixing that. At least I knew I couldn't fix it.

I saw the clouds thickening in the sky, the whole sky getting darker as the wind started to pick up still more. There was what looked like a wall of rain in the direction I was headed and knew there must be a hell of a storm between me and the air craft carrier. I needed to get more men and get my hostage to Elijah so we could go after where the Serbs base was. I pushed faster at the controls revving the engine higher as the boat sailed through the water.

But suddenly it started to sputter and I turned back to the motor as the engine just slowed to a crawl before stopping entirely. What the hell was wrong now? I hadn't flooded the engine. I knew how much these boats could take. I loved sailing and it was a pastime I took full advantage of any weekend I could.

Making my way to the back of the boat I saw the motor looked fine and then gasped at the single small hole in the gas tank. Shit! One of the bullets had hit the gas tank and caused a leak! I snarled in anger at that and cursed out loud and slammed my hand on the empty tank.

We were not going anywhere.

Even if I hadn't gone back to the island to take my hostage I still would have been nowhere near the air craft carrier. If anything I might have been trapped closer to the storm.

Looking around I saw the swirling of the wind causing near zero visibility ahead of me and getting closer every minute, taking my breath away as waves started to crash up and over the deck. The rain was falling harder and faster. I grabbed for a rain jacket hanging on the hook by the radio and slipped it on, pulling the hood up over my already wet hair. I sighed, squinting through the sheets of rain falling.

I needed something to go my way. Damn it!

Sure I was glad to be alive and to have captured a Serbian to interrogate and maybe finally get somewhere in this case. But nothing was happening anytime soon. No radio, no phone that worked and now no way to get anywhere as it looked like a fucking hurricane was heading our way. All that...was between me and getting back to Damon and the aircraft carrier.

I pulled the sails down, buckling everything down before headed down below. My leg felt like hell with all I was pushing to do and I looked around in the cupboards for any kind of pain killers.

There was a bottle of antibiotics in one of the top cupboards and I swallowed a few down along with a few pain pills and turned back to my prisoner. I pulled a sturdy wooden chair up and swung my legs to sit backwards on it. My hands clutched at the high back of the chair as I studied my captive as he started waking up.

The dark haired man stared me down as I studied him. I stood up moving the chair back and walked as slowly and menacingly toward him. His eyes were wide as I cocked the gun I was still holding and wasting no time in introductions I pressed it against his knee and cocked it.

The man looked up at me from behind strands of his wet hair, his eyes slitted and angry.

"How badly...do you still want to walk after this?" I asked him calmly. I saw him gulp but he didn't answer me. I pulled the trigger and the gun jolted back in my hand as the man screamed out and cursed at me. He was glaring and panting as his leg was pouring blood.

I nodded to upstairs, not even flinching at what I'd done. "That storm outside...means I have all damn day to get you to talk… and believe me I am very motivated to get what I want from you."

I normally didn't do violent interrogations but everything as of late was not normal and this was as close to her killers as I had ever gotten. Carefully I pulled out the plastic bag in my jean pocket and unfolded it to take out the picture.

My breath caught in my throat at seeing her so alive and beautiful. The last picture I had of her. She was smiling in the bright sunlight at the wall of love locks in Serbia. No matter how many times I gazed at that picture I was always in awe.

Moving forward I rested my gun on his other knee and he tried to pull away cursing more and hissing in rage at me. I ignored his struggling "She was my world...and your boss took her from me. Your boss almost killed my brother too and has hurt so many more innocent people."

I forced the picture at his face. "Look at her!"

He refused and I hit him hard with the butt of the gun and I watched the blood drip down his cheek. I punched him again and again till his lip and face was as bruised as I remember Damon's girl's was from how much she had been hurt.

These people were scum and would not have blinked to torture me for years to get every last drop of intel about America from me before killing me.

"I don't want you...I want your boss...so you are going to tell me where to find him or we will see how many more bullets your body can handle." I smiled at him. "I have extensive training in torture so I can drag this out all night long if you want. It's up to you."

I aimed the gun again at his other knee. He was already groaning in pain from his other wounds and instead I decided to push the gun into the wound on his shoulder and he screamed out louder. I pressed it back to his good knee and raised my eyebrows expectantly.

"Alright! I'll tell you!" he yelled out in broken English. I pulled the gun back in my jeans and pushed the chair he was sitting in hard against the table nearby and slammed a piece of paper and pen at him. I released one of his hands.

"A map! Right now. Right to where your fucking boss is!"

The man started drawing and I leaned back pleased. Maybe we could finally find them and stop this madness before it got worse. I knew they were planning more attacks.

"Oh and last question." He looked up at me, blood dripping all down his face. "You get major brownie points if you know how to fix a radio...or unlock a phone."

The boat rocked back and forth as the waves tossed it up and down in the turbulent ocean. I just needed to wait out the storm and then I was sure the marines would find me if we couldn't reach them before then.

Damon would have sent rescue back this way if there was any chance I was alive. So all I had to do was wait and hope they could find me...and then I would go after the damn Serbians with all the men and firepower I had command of.

That bastard would wish he was never born after I was through with him!

Caroline's POV

The sun was falling in my eyes now, the darkness in the room that I had been accustomed to all night had faded. It was still cloudy with little slivers of sun peeking through the dense clouds. It was morning or maybe mid morning I had no phone or watch or anything and I couldn't see a clock in the room anywhere.

I pulled my head from the bed and stretched my neck. It ached from being in the same position for so long. Looking down I saw Nic was still sleeping peacefully. He didn't look to be in any pain and I was thankful the meds were helping. He had woken up for a few minutes last night and was coherent and seemed to recognize people, even me. He gave me a soft and weak smile and I nearly jumped as I felt him squeeze my hand. I had been waiting for hours after his extensive surgeries for him to wake up. But then his heart had raced and he started seizing in some type of panic so they sedated him and he fell back asleep shortly after.

It felt unreal that I was in a hospital, on the mainland, safe and away from the cons. Everything was over and we had been rescued.

I remembered feeling so scared when I heard the sound of his gasping breath as I knelt down beside him in the cave. Nic was laying at the side of a large underground pool of water covered in blood. I couldn't see even an inch of his t shirt that wasn't caked in the thick red substance. The sight of him so helpless, so broken, shook me deeply.

He had gone there by himself to save Damon's girl. Damon had been frantic when we found him tied to the tree and screaming that Kai had found Elena. And they didn't have keys right away so Nic, who had already saved me from Mason took off into the trees to save yet another girl trapped by the psychos on the island. He hadn't given one thought to himself and just volunteered since Damon was trapped.

I shifted my aching muscles and felt Nic's hand still entwined in mine loosely beside him. He looked like hell still but bruises all over his face and neck were the only sign now of all he had survived to save Elena and I. All the blood had been washed away and the blankets and hospital gown were hiding his injuries that were patched up and healing.

I sat up more in the chair and laid my hand on his chest feeling the smooth steady beats not just in my ears from the machines endless drone, but also under my palm, like I needed to feel that he was alive. He was so still, his chest hardly even moving up and down.

I groaned, realizing I should have taken the nurse up on laying down on the bed opposite him in the private room. I would have slept better and not been so sore. I still felt the tenderness on my cheek from Mason's fist or his hand around my throat. He had terrified me in the time I was trapped with Kol in the cave, waiting for Nic to come back to us.

If only I hadn't gone to wash and bath in the river nearby, then maybe I would have never gotten captured…

But Matt told me later that they had seen movement at the cave we were hiding Enzo in and they would have found me there anyway if it hadn't been by the water. The other guard had said to leave us alone and help him capture and kill more prisoners so he hadn't headed to our cave till they went separate ways that following morning.

Everything that happened yesterday was so clear in my head despite the fear that was rushing in my veins at each new crisis.

As I waited for help down in the cave after Damon left, I was holding my shirt to Nic's bullet wound when Matt who said he was one of the guards in the prison climbed down to help. At least he said he wanted to help and he stripped off his guard uniform shirt and offered to me to soak up more blood as it kept seeping from the wound in Klaus' stomach. He apologized for scaring me before back at the river the night before and they had meant no harm. They had only wanted to protect me.

But so had Klaus and in that moment the prisoner that had his arms around me, hiding in the tree felt safer than the men chasing me.

I blinked and tried to concentrate on what Matt was saying right then but I really could have cared less. My focus was solely on Nic and keeping him awake.

I looked back down to see Nic's eyes barely open as he lay so weak beside me, his head turning to lean against my side. I had shook his head, while cupping his jaw firmly and nearly yelled at him to keep his eyes on mine as I saw them starting to roll back in his head. He had groaned my name and reached for me as I kept pressure on the wound.

I didn't really know why I was reacting so strongly to seeing him like this. I barely knew him at all and it took me so long to trust Tyler after what I had been though.

It took me so long to trust anyone.

But this man saved my life on multiple occasions since we had been here and I found myself growing closer to him with fighting to survive and seeing how much he had risked to protect me as well as Elena. I knew that all he wanted was to get me safe and then go back after his brother.

Seeing him run off to save Damon's girl, knowing his brother was still out there needing help really affected me. He had been so selfless right then and it was showing me more of who he was in every circumstance we faced.

"Nic!" I called louder again, shaking him and even lightly slapping his face. I watched his bloodshot eyes weakly find mine again and he coughed and groaned as I helped him lean over more.

"Caroline… I can't believe you're...here" he managed to choke out. He gagged again and I heard him retching but it was so dark I couldn't tell if it was blood or not that spilled from his lips and onto the rock I was kneeling on.

"Yes, I'm here. God, Nic what happened? How did you get shot?"

I thought maybe getting him to explain would help him stay awake. I didn't know how we went from him brushing his hand down my cheek and promising me he would be back...to him laying pale and losing so much blood barely a half hour later.

"I was reaching for her..." he gasped out and sat up slightly, his hands running down my arms. "She was climbing up the rocks...to me, screaming that Kai was behind her."

My eyes were so wide as I heard him recount what happened. The pain meds must be helping or I doubted he would be this able to tell me what they lived through.

Nic tried to sit up more, and gagged to puke more blood up but fell back down, breathing heavily. "I almost had her...she was so close and had grabbed my hand." More choking and I tilted his head again for him to gag as he started shaking.

I saw his whole body tremble and I didn't think of anything but helping him. I laid over him, holding him, warming him with my body as I felt him cough more.

"It's okay Nic. Its going to be okay," I mumbled against his shoulder as I laid there holding him for the next few minutes. I felt his fingers in my hair and when I lifted my head to look at him seeing his lip was quivering.

"Is she...okay? Did Damon get her back?"

I studied him realizing he must not be thinking straight. Damon had just been down here in complete panic and Klaus knew that Kai had taken her away. Yet his eyes were so wide and seemed unaware of his spotty memory.

I wanted to lie to him and tell him Elena was fine and Kai was dead. I was scared he might not make it and I didn't want the last thing he did was fail to save her. I could see the desperation in his eyes as they were locked on mine.

But instead I opted for truth and shook my head sadly, my gaze falling from his.

"I'm so sorry Nic. I haven't heard anything. Damon went after Elena I'm sure. But I've been down here with you so I have no idea."

He nodded and his head fell back down to the ground. I moved to sit more beside him and pulled his head in my lap stroking his wet hair from his face. I wanted him to know he wasn't alone.

I had felt so alone after almost being raped years ago. I laid there on the cement barely clothed and waiting with a stranger for an ambulance to come. I felt like I had been beaten so much I could barely breath and all I wanted was someone familiar to be there for me. Ric and Jenna were right there in the hospital but until I finally saw them I had never felt more alone in my life.

Nic had no one else right now so I was determined to be his person through this.

I sat in near silence listening to his jagged and shallow breathes as I continued to press as hard as I could to his wound. I was mumbling soothing words telling him he was okay and that we would be rescued soon and I was right there. He nodded weakly back at me, trying to smile as I could feel Matt's shirt now already nearly soaked with blood under my fingertips.

I had no idea what else to do or how to get Nic out of here. Matt had gone up for help I thought but I couldn't remember. My head was spinning from so much happening and how scared I was that I didn't know why no one was coming down. It felt like I had been there with him for hours already after Damon raced away.

"Ric!" I screamed out but the roar of the water nearly blocked out my cry as I saw my friend at the mouth of the cave. He was halfway down the rocks already when he looked back at me calling my name as I saw him scramble carefully down till he jumped down to the floor below.

"Ric, we need to get help. Nic needs a doctor!" He nodded and saw how hard I was pushing on the wound that was still bleeding and he gently pried my hand off and I sunk back, taking deep breaths. I saw Klaus moving his eye lids slowly and I had been careful to make sure he stayed awake even in the silence as we waited for help.

We didn't have to wait much longer and I saw a group of men rappel themselves down into the cave.

Damon's brother. It had to be.

I let out a cry of relief as men in full swat gear raced closer and two of them began checking on Nic and examining his wounds.

We were up and out of the cave, Klaus on a stretcher they brought in and Stefan introduced himself to me while draping a blanket over my shoulders.

I smiled in thanks and he smiled back before his radio sprang to life and he started talking in his head set. He put his hand on my arm and squeezed it.

"You probably saved his life," the blonde man stated plainly with an air of awe in his tone. I watched his green eyes steady on me before he turned away to speak to another marine.

Several others heard him and were looking at me. I had just done what I would have wanted done to me. Then I heard more groaning and I found myself following behind Nic. Maybe he needed me, my hand in his, or anyway I could show him I was there for him. I saw his hand stretching out into the open air toward mine.

Everything after that was a blur of activity. I saw Stefan speaking frantically on the phone as we were rushed out of the cave and I stumbled after them as Ric helped Enzo and I both back down toward the shore. It was at least a half hour walk and the men carried Klaus on a stretcher as fast as they could. We arrived to see a boat and were ushered on quickly.

Ric stayed back with Enzo and I barely hugged him before we were speeding away. He had promised to meet me at the hospital but he needed to stay with Enzo who was determined to stay and help Damon and Elena no matter how many people tried to talk him out of it.

It felt like forever being in the waiting room alone. The nurses looked at my wounds too and gave me antibiotics for my leg and otherwise I waited till Nic was out of surgery. It had taken hours and even longer for him to wake up.

I laid back down, sitting in the chair my head on his bed, after using the bathroom and stretching my legs. I fell asleep almost instantly and woke up possibly hours later to the feel of fingers tangling in the strands of my hair. It looked darker in the room, the clouds outside even darker as I heard rain pattering on the window.

Lifting my head from his bed my eyes found his and he offered me a half smile.

"Hey," he breathed out, his eyes barely open and already falling more closed.

I nearly gasped with relief that he was awake. "Hey yourself," I mumbled quietly.

Nic was gazing down at me as he shifted in the bed and groaned. I immediately helped him to lay down again, pressing him back down into the pillows gently.

"Relax, you don't want to tear your stitches," I whispered. I felt his hand seeking mine out again and I allowed him to tangle our fingers again. I wasn't sure about any of this but I wanted to offer him what I could to comfort him.

He lifted our joined hands up to my cheek and stroked it with the back of his hand.

"Caroline." I saw him wince slightly as his hand brushed my bruised cheek. "He hurt you..I'm so sorry." His eyes were so deeply blue mirroring the sadness I heard in his cracked voice. His finger trailed down my bruised and soon to be black eye, to slide down the damaged skin of my cheek before he barely tugged on my split bottom lip.

I shook my head in reply. "I'm fine. Really. You saved me. You helped save Elena too Nic. All you need to do is rest. You have been through hell and the doctors need you to sleep and heal." I had already pushed the call button to alert the doctors that he was awake. A nurse came in a minute later and smiled at him as he weakly smiled back.

I got out of her way, untangling our hands and moving back to let her work. I walked into the hall and leaned back on the wall closing my eyes. I rested there, slipping down the wall to the floor and just sat in silence my head spinning from all that had happened.

I wasn't sure what was happening between us. I was scared to let anyone in ever again knowing I could lose them. But I still felt like I needed to be there for him now and I saw Nic as such a selfless and caring man.

Suddenly there was a shriek and small voice as I heard pounding feet heading my way. I opened my eyes fast to see little dark haired 2 year old Ty running faster than his feet looked like they could carry him! His arms were wide stretched and his little overalls slipping down one shoulder as his smile grew.

"Auntie Carelyn!" He squealed at the top of his lungs in a hospital no less.

"Ty, sweetie!" I bent down and the little name sake of my precious husband ran right into my arms. I held him tight and smiled at the little boy smell of his hair as his small arms were wide and tight around me.

I looked up to more foot falls coming closer and saw Jenna almost running toward me. Her face was a picture of sadness and joy mixed in equal measure as she sunk down beside me and her son and hugged us both with tears slipping down her cheeks.

Ric was next to step forward and was smiling and sniffling up tears as he knelt down and put his arms around all of us. "Morning," he smiled at me though it might be afternoon or later I had no idea. I hadn't seen him since he left me a muffin and juice in Nic's room earlier and now I was so happy his family had gotten her safe and sound.

"We made it in just before the hurricane hit and just got to the hospital now. I'm so glad you guys are safe," Jenna was stroking her hand up and down my back as she spoke.

"Me too," I mumbled back at her and leaned into their embrace. Jenna and Ric had always been my soft place to fall after Tyler died and right now was no different. It had been hell on that island and I still could hardly believe we were okay and alive and going home. My 'family' was here and that was all I needed in the world.

"Wait there's a hurricane nearby?" This was news to me. They both nodded and hugged me again.

Ric spoke up. "Its further out in the ocean but it started building yesterday already and it looks like we won't get much more than some wind and rain here."

I felt a little hand on my cheek and I looked down into the deepest brown eyes. "You have owie, Auntie Carelyn?" Ty's little palm was gentle on top of my bruised cheek.

I smiled sniffling at him and loved his tenderness. "Yes Ty. I got hurt but its getting better. Its even better now that you are here." His little smile widened and he cupped my cheeks in his hands.

"Kiss it all better, like mommy does," he stated firmly and pulled my face to his and gave me wet sloppy kisses. He was beaming as he backed up his expression curious. "All better?" he asked.

"Yes sweetie, all better." I saw Jenna and Ric grinning at their son who decided to nuzzle in against my chest, tucking his little head down. He sounded like he was humming softly and I smiled so wide seeing him rocking back and forth. He was rocking and singing to me to sooth me and I could not get over how cute that was.

Jenna kissed his forehead softly before turning back to me. "I was so worried Care. Are you sure you are okay?" She leaned back and I could see she was studying my bruises.

"I am, Jenna. Believe me it could have been so much worse. The man that saved me nearly died. Damon, the agent that got us rescued, his heart stopped. His brother who came with the marines died to save him. Even another guard who was also an agent was shot almost in the heart and should have died."

Jenna's eyes could not have gotten any wider at all I had just told her and she reached back and hugged me again.

"I got out really lucky too babe," Ric said to his wife. "I managed to save the plane from a full on nosedive and had avoided getting too close to the cons a couple times. Care is right. We were the lucky ones."

Ty must have thought he had rocked me enough and decided to run back in his daddy's arms as we talked and Ric lifted him up cuddling him to his chest. Jenna stayed by my side on the floor and leaned her head against mine.

I saw Elijah slip quietly past me as I was curled up on the floor by the door. I had met him last night when Nic had woken up the first time and was barely able to say anything before panic took over and he was sedated again.

Klaus' brother was tall with light brown hair and soft tired eyes. He was dressed to the nines in a tailored suit that fit him like a glove although it was now rumpled from him sleeping in it. He had loosened the tie last night as he sunk down at his brother's bedside and tossed the suit jacket on the back of a chair before rolling up his sleeves.

He looked exhausted then and that was when he broke the news to me that Kol had died. He needed to find a way to tell Klaus about it when judging by the look on his face he had barely grasped it himself.

Elijah thanked me over and over for being there and said the doctors told him I had saved his life. If I hadn't stayed with him to keep pressure on his wound and keep him conscious they doubted he would have made it and then he would have lost two brothers.

I told him I was happy to be there for his brother and shared for more than an hour how Klaus had been there for me and others on the island ever since we crashed. I explained how he saved my life over and over since we had crashed and that he had tried to save Elena when he had gotten shot and nearly drowned.

Elijah was kind and had a soft but weary smile and I felt safe with him. I was so grateful for all he had been doing for all of us. I believed him when he said all the cons were either arrested or killed and I could sleep and relax. He had a guard stationed just outside the door too for our protection.

Looking at my family around me I knew I should get back in there. Elijah had said he needed to tell Klaus about his brother and give him a chance to say goodbye. I knew Nic would want me to be there for him then. I wasn't sure what I was feeling for him at all but my heart hurt for his pain.

I still hated even being in hospitals because it reminded me so much of Tyler's suffering. But I told myself to be strong so I could be there for my rescuer. I was the last person to see Kol alive and I needed to tell him what he said to me too.

I leaned in and whispered to Jenna that I would meet them in the cafeteria in a few hours and she nodded and smiled at me. Ty was pulling on Ric's arm trying to get away from him to run down the hall but daddy had firm grip on his little guy.

I slipped back into the room in time to hear a gasping cry coming from Klaus. The nurses looked to have left and maybe the doctor was coming soon but right now it was just us three in the room. Nic's glassy eyes found mine and I moved closer to sit on the bed beside him.

Elijah was holding his hand and squeezing his shoulder, his expression just as solemn. "I'm so sorry brother," he mumbled, his head down.

"How? Did he…? I was coming back..." Klaus shut his eyes as a tear slipped out and his head fell back to the pillows behind him.

He sniffled and sat more up almost instantly his eyes wide and fiery. "Who? Elijah...who killed our baby brother?!"

Elijah was shaking his head.

"Mason!" Klaus spit out and looked back at me as he squeezed my hand. "Mason had you and Kol hostage! He shot him. Did he just let him bleed out?!"

Now it was my turn to shake my head. "I did everything I could. I held pressure to his wound and tried to keep him awake just like I did for you. But Mason had someone come and drag him out of there, away from me before you helped me escape and I don't know what happened to him after that. I'm so sorry Nic."

"That bastard just let my brother die? He can't be dead! He can't." I could hear his heart beating faster through the machines.

The doctor chose that moment to step through the door.

Klaus was fuming and floundering in his shock and I saw him shaking his head more that he refused to believe it. "Not now!" he hissed at the doctor. "Yes I'm awake. I'm lucky to be alive..." he snapped, his voice full of tension. "You think I care about me right now?! My brother is dead!"

The doctor nodded respectfully to give him a few minutes and slipped back out the door. I was rubbing his arm as he shut his eyes again and bit his lip, his breaths panting out of him.

"Nic, you need to relax. You are still weak and healing," I called out to try to get his attention. "You can risk more complications. You need to get better."

Elijah stood up and leaned down to give his brother a hug. He looked hard into his eyes. "She is right brother. I knew I had to tell you but please relax. I can't lose you too."

A nurse came in right then and added something to his I.V. and his eyes started closing as his breaths slowed.

"I want to see him..." he begged, looking back and forth at both of us. "I need to see him...to say I'm sorry..."

Elijah nodded wordlessly in agreement to him and Klaus mouthed thank you to his brother before he turned to me, his mouth barely opening.

"Will you come with me Caroline? Please?"

I sucked in a breath at that, reigning in my fear. The morgue? That was the last place I saw Tyler…cold and dark, his body so pale. Once he was made up for the funeral he didn't look like himself. Not as deeply as I could see him. The morgue was the last place I saw my husband and I had never even set foot in a hospital for anything since, let alone went back down to the dark and chilling place full of death.

I nodded too and squeezed his hand. Of course I would. Somehow I would find the strength to do that for him. He had fought through so much for me.

I gently pushed him back down to lay in the bed. He had just had major surgery and I didn't want him to relapse again. His panic at night when he barely woke up was enough already. I felt so fried from everything we had been through too.

Klaus let me push him back down and I saw another tear at the corner of his eye as the tension faded from his face.

His lips curled up in an exhausted smile. "Thank you Caroline," he breathed out and leaned his head closer. I could barely make out his words he was so quiet. "I need to let go of Cami too...I know I do. I know she is gone, just like Kol is. I think I'm finally ready to let go..."

I smiled at him watching his eyes close and heard the deeper breaths of sleep soon follow.

He was braver than I ever was. I didn't want to ever let Tyler go. If he had been brain dead like Cami I didn't know if I would have had the strength to watch the nurses pull the plugs and hear his heart beat fade. The world was too dark without him. Just laying on his chest and feeling his chest rise and fall even knowing he was already gone would have still soothed me, however unreal it was.

Nic was ready to move forward. He wasn't a criminal either like I had first thought. Elijah had delivered that bombshell to me last night already when he introduced himself as head of MI 6 and that his brother was an agent with them.

My mouth must have hit the floor in my shock. I knew Nic had told me he was just acting to pretend to be one of the cons but I had no idea he was an agent! A lot more made sense very quickly and I found myself not holding back the feelings that had steadily bubbled up in me with each crisis we had faced.

I had been fighting my feelings that seemed to have a mind of their own, thinking they were for a convict that was going back to prison. But now I knew he was a hero for his country, for me and so many others. That would take some getting used to.

I stood back up and leaned over the bed and kissed him gently on his forehead. Elijah smiled at me sadly before his phone went off again and he excused himself and was out the door. I was exhausted and sore and everything still hurt so I decided I would finally try the other bed to get some sleep.

I moved back from him and laid down on the bed opposite him and curled my hands under the pillows. I pulled the blanket up to my neck and let out a deep breath. I could see his closed eyes as he lay facing me and I stayed turned on my side to face him as I relaxed into the soft mattress and was asleep in seconds.

Damon's POV

We had fallen back asleep after she curled into my arms and laid down against my chest. I felt like I could sleep for a week after everything we had been through. I didn't know what day it was or if it was even night or day. I could hear rain hitting the windows but the sky was so dark it could be night. It might be night as far as I knew too I had been so in and out of it for hours already. But I was finally thinking more clearly and didn't feel dizzy anymore and my head felt like more like myself.

Looking around the room there was no one there but us. Enzo I remembered had slipped out before we fell back asleep saying Bonnie was so close to having their baby. I wondered now how long it had been since he had left. I was sure he would be running in here to tell me the big news the second he could.

My Beauty sighed in her sleep as I bent my head to see Elena snuggled up in the crook of my neck, her eyes still closed. I wondered how she was able to stay in my bed with me when I was pretty sure that was against policies at any hospital. Had the high ups like Klaus' brother made that happen? However it happened I was so glad to have her in my arms.

Her hair was tickling my face as errant strands moved anytime she shifted in her sleep. I lay in silence just gazing down at her sleeping face.

God, she was so beautiful.

I was seeing past the bruises and the cuts and scraps in her skin and took in the soft eyelashes, her little breaths against my neck, her kissable lips brushing the skin of my collarbone and her little moans in her sleep. Her hair was splayed out over my arm and down my back and smelled sweet and uniquely her, like the first time I remembered it.

She had fought so hard, through SO much to get us here, safe at the hospital. I was even told there were guards at the doors and they were taking no chances that the terrorists could get to any of us.

My Elena kept telling me I was her hero, but she had been my strength the entire time I had been in prison and on the island. I was in awe of her fighting spirit, her facing her fear and running through the plane during the turbulence, her ability to shoot Brady up on that hill, to scream at me and beg me not to leave her down in the cave alone, to stab Kai in the stomach, to stand in front of me as Kai had his gun right on her chest. She protected me from him and put herself between us even after she broke down from him cutting her so horrifically. She would rather take Kai's wrath than having him hurt me when he had already nearly destroyed her.

She had stabbed Mason in the eye and then saved me again by giving Kai an air pocket in his vein. She had even run back to the helicopter when I was being rushed off the air craft carrier and I knew she was terrified to face a helicopter after what we had all been though. She had run back and did it for me. Fought her fear to stay with me and I was so proud of her. She was just as strong as she claimed I was. We were a hell of a team.

I noticed my recollection and brain was working better now so I took that as a good sign of my body healing too.

I moved lower in the bed, cringing slightly at the pain in my stomach, the pulling I felt from the stitches. I knew I should move around and even get up and walk around. The doctors were adamant that I needed to at least get up once today I was told since it would help me heal faster.

But for now I curled her under my arm so I was laying right in front of her as she slept. She moved more on her side, moaning again in her sleep and I held her against me, my arm pressing her as close to my body as she could be. I thought I saw the hint of a smile at her lips as she breathed deeper and I nuzzled my nose against hers just mesmerized at all the little movements she made as I watched her sleep.

I breathed her name as I leaned in to kiss her cheek. I wanted her to wake up as much as I knew she needed this sleep just like I did. I was aching to see her deep, chocolate eyes in all the hues of brown as the light reflected in them.

I nuzzled her nose again, my lips brushing against her bruised cheek. "I love you so much Lena," I breathed out.

My heart clenched with the simple joy of being safe, my arms around her and watching her finally have no fear on her face. Since her panic and ripping her bandages in the shower she hadn't shown any more PTSD signs at least yet. But I knew we had a long road ahead of us that I was determined to be there for her in any way she needed me.

Damn, how could I ever show her how much everything about her meant to me? It would take a lifetime and that was what I wanted more than anything to give her.

All of me.

My strengths and weakness, my good and bad days, my pain and joy, nights laughing and sharing, waking up with her in my arms just like now, making love to her and showing her none of her scars would ever diminish my love for her. I wanted to give her everything I was to raise a family with her and make a house a home and grow old with her.

My girl had been alone for too long and I was her family now and she was mine. We had both lost so much and I think it made us cling to each other even more knowing how fleeting and uncertain the future could be.

I reached out and ran my finger along her face, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. She was my hero. She loved me and I didn't think I would ever find someone like her in this whole world. She was so brave and strong and loved me as madly as I loved her. It felt unreal and now after the hell on earth was over we could be there for each other to heal and grow our love and plan our future.

I bent my head to rest my forehead against hers and closed my eyes. All was right in the world with her in my arms.

"Damon?" her soft soothing voice whispered, her breath warm against my face.

My eyes opened instantly as my own breath flooded from my lungs as I saw her warm brown eyes staring back at me. "Baby," I rasped out. "Sorry I woke you..." my gaze fell from her eyes bashfully. "I just missed you. You can go back to sleep."

She lifted my chin with one finger till I met her eyes again. She was shaking her head, but looked like she winced in some kind of pain.

"No its okay, I missed you too." She smiled at me, her head on the pillow beside mine and she moved in so our foreheads were touching again.

"Are you okay?" I asked her. "Are you hungry, achy, in any pain baby? Is there anything I can do?"

She smiled again, the beauty of her smile like a balm on all my worries I was carrying about her.

"Mmm nnn. I just feel so sleepy Damon. Like in your arms I could sleep for days." Her eyes were steady on mine. "I am a little achy but otherwise just being here with you is helping so much. I can't believe they let me stay in your bed."

I smiled back at her, lifting a brow. "I know. I love that you can be so close. We need to find out who to thank for breaking the rules." My expression grew more serious as I took in more pain on her beautiful face. "Where does it hurt Elena? I can massage more if you want like I did when I washed all the blood off."

She was already nodding to me and lifted my one hand that was resting on top of her hip over the blankets as we had slept. Elena moved my hand down to her lower back and she laid more on her side.

I moved my fingers up and down on top of the hospital gown rubbing the muscles in her back. "Like that?" I asked her.

She answered in a whimper as I continued to tug the knots from her sore back. Her face relaxed slowly, the muscles there releasing the tension as I watched her. She had been in so much pain, beaten, bruised, her body cut and bleeding before that I was so happy to offer her any kind of comfort.

Shifting my I.V. tubes further away on the bed so I could move my hand enough to rub her back up and down I started to unknot the strained muscles.

"It wasn't hurting much before but when I woke up it felt so tight and hurts every time I breath now," Elena said with another shaky gasp. "My back nearly seized up since Kai spun me around and I landed on the floor of the helicopter when he tried to inject the air in my vein."

I sat up more, to lean over her, turned her slowly more on her stomach at my side and parted the fabric of the thin hospital gown. She was right, there were some big bruises along her spine. "He probably slammed you into the side or the bottom of one of the metal chairs. You have some pretty big bruises like you landed on a pole or something."

I closed the gown again seeing she was only wearing the men's boxers I had put her in before underneath and rubbed more on her back on top of the fabric. "Just tell me where else it hurts or if I rub any spot that is bruised okay?"

She nodded to me wincing again and I wondered if I should just get the nurse to see if she could have more pain killers.

I rubbed in wider circles, slowly and tenderly making sure I wasn't hurting her more. "I'm so sorry baby," I murmured, my eyes soft on hers. "What else can I do?"

She stared deep in my eyes, her stress seeming to be melting away as my fingers worked. I could feel how tight the muscles were and slowly moved only an inch at a time to untangle each knot. She cried out as I must have found a particularly sensitive spot and I pulled my hand away.

"No Damon, its helping I can feel it is. Don't stop please." She lifted my hand and moved it back to her lower back, this time slipping it under the gown.

I pulled my hand back again, unsure and shaking my head.

"Please Damon." Her eyes were wide and pleading. She wanted me to touch her skin there? I wanted everything to be her choice with her body after how much she had been forced to endure.

The scars were hidden right now and the bandages crinkling between us as we lay facing each other but we both knew they were there and Kai's name could be on her skin for a long time yet.

"Are you sure baby?" I asked again and she looked almost upset in her insistence. I would do anything for her I just didn't want to hurt her more emotionally or otherwise. "Yes, please. My muscles feel so tight. Maybe just talk to me. Get my mind off the pain."

I nodded hesitantly and moved my hand back, parting the gown again and massaged her soft skin between my fingers. I moved my thumb slowly up different muscles on the side of her spine, being careful not to touch any bruises that I had seen there. She curled in closer, nuzzling her head in the crook of my neck and curled her one arm over my waist.

"Okay, okay Beauty. Umm." I saw her eyes close again and my head raced through what to talk about. "Our future..." I blurted out, trying to think of something happy. I felt her body freeze in my embrace before her head went up, her eyes seeking mine. I smiled before she could say anything. "Tell me your dreams, what you can see already. Can I convince you and Ian to come live at my apartment?"

"Are you asking me to move in with you Salvatore?"

I grinned and rubbed the side of her waist, spreading my fingers wide to mold the skin in between my fingers. "I'm pretty sure I asked you to marry me Elena."

I held up her hand with her ring just in case she needed reminding. "Are you telling me you want to go back to your brother's apartment when we get back? I promised you I would never leave you again...so I thought that meant you moving to Washington with me."

Elena's eyes closed again as I kept rubbing. "Mmm, that feels so good Damon. Thank you..." She opened them again. "I just didn't want more drugs to numb the pain. I can hardly feel anything lately but that included happiness and peace too when the drugs make me feel so numb."

It was like she didn't hear what I said so I debated repeating it. "If you don't want to live in DC. we don't have to. I want what you want."

I studied her wishing I knew what she was thinking and tried another approach. "What do you think of tattoo rings? I have been thinking about this a lot and I knew our marker ones wouldn't be forever. I wanted to get you the most beautiful diamond too babe but I thought we should get tattoo rings that would be there all the time...forever."

Well that seemed to snap her focus to something else and she practically sat up as I kept rubbing all along the sides of her back and waist, rubbing up the sides of her spine till my hand was resting on her fabric covered hip right now.

She had given me no signs that anything I was doing was uncomfortable at all and I was glad.

"I love it Damon. And yes I love the idea of Ian and I at your apartment. It just feels so weird that we can actually talk about all this now. It feels surreal." She lifted her ring to study it and I kissed the inside of her palm. "Can we get the same design that we each made now, for our permanent ones?"

I could not stop grinning at her wide smile. "Whatever you want," I replied and loved the idea too and could not wait to have her in my bed in my place with locked doors, safe from the world like we had wished for.

She lifted her head more so she was laying right beside me on the pillow. "You wouldn't have to get me a diamond Damon. I don't need an expensive ring to know how much you love me."

I massaged her hip in my hand as I spoke, my palm staying on top of the boxers and I saw her relax still more to my touch. "Yeah, that feels so good. Its so tight there," she whimpered.

"It isn't about money baby. I just want to spoil you really. I haven't been able to do that at all yet. Being in prison and then on a deserted island isn't really conducive for dating and flowers and chocolates. I couldn't even take you to dinner and a movie. I don't even know what movies you like. Hell I don't even know what takeout you like!"

I did my sexy eye thing I knew she loved so much as I looked at her. "How could I be marrying you and yet I don't even have your take out choices memorized!"

She laughed at that. I had missed the sound of her laugh so much. I loved seeing her smile. I rubbed more on her hip and waist, the skin loosening slowly but surely and I knew I was releasing at least some of the knots. She hadn't cried out in pain in a few minutes now yet either.

"Well Damon we need to remedy that once we get back. I would love to go on a date with you..." She wiggled her eyebrows at me, her eyes sparkling. "Just like you said to me the night you were poisoned. I rejected you then but I was just scared then, scared of opening myself up to hope and love and happiness again and I certainly didn't think I would find that all in a prison."

I lifted my hand back from her hip and moved to tangled my fingers with hers and bent to kiss her fingertips one by one as my eyes stayed locked on hers. "No more reminders of prison…anymore finally!" I said happily, showing her the wrist that I had the hand cuff on for days. They had literally sawed it off so I could use the CT and MRI machines. My wrist felt naked in a way after having it on for so long. That hand cuff had saved her life.

She grinned at me. "I know Damon. I saw that...no more chains or cuffs or anything." Elena ran her finger down my cheek. "Are you free to be mine?"

I paused a moment, enjoying our sharing and the banter but was I free? I needed to talk to the CIA and Elijah at MI 6 too. I was still supposed to stand trial for the assassination attempt. The way I felt now about my fiance I would rather run than risk destroying her by leaving her again. I prayed it would not come to that ever.

Elena snuggled closer, our fingers laced together, our foreheads touching again. "Promise me this is forever?" she whispered. Her breath was warm on my face as she gazed adoringly at me.

I knew I shouldn't, not till I was truly free and clear from any crimes but I just couldn't break the hope and faith she had in our future that I saw in her eyes.

I cupped her face in my hands, caressing her cheeks with my thumbs. "I promise."

I meant that with all my heart and soul.

If I couldn't beat the charges the right way...I would run with her. I would never leave her alone again. There was no way I would let her go and I only felt like I was truly beginning to live now after so long. She brought me back to life just like I did to her. We saved each other.

I rubbed my nose to hers again and pulled the blankets back up over us. I didn't want to think about anything else except her in my arms. All I wanted to do was sleep. We could face the world together later.

My Beauty's eyes had already fallen closed and I smiled watching her sleep just like I had before. I would never tire of watching her so perfectly peaceful in my arms.

We still had so much more to face, her fears, Kai's scars, counselling, the government, and Elijah I was sure would be visiting soon if he was here. I had been praying for news about Stefan and my thoughts though I tried to keep them focused on my love, drifted to my brother often since I had woken up from surgery.

But no one had told me anything and truthfully I was scared to ask. Ignorance at least for now was bliss and I wanted that feeling to last just a bit longer. There had been too much grief and pain to last a lifetime in the last few days. I knew I couldn't let it in if somehow they found proof that Stefan had died. But until there was proof, I was going to keep believing that he was alive. Accepting that loss was just too great.

I smiled and brushed a kiss to her lips.

"Damon?" she whispered, her eyes still shut.

"Shh," I soothed her, kissing her face in a path down her cheek. "Just sleep Beauty...just sleep."

I nuzzled down, my head against hers, our arms around each other and closed my eyes again. I felt like I could sleep for days in her arms after everything and that was just fine with me.

A/N; There you go. Busy work week ahead so I wanted to get this out before then.

You know the drill :)

Please review and let me know what you thought of this chapter and if you do in fact want a sequel.

I have lots more of this story I could tell and lots of great ideas. It would continue to be CIA and terrorist related but not nearly as high intensity as it has been with so many enemies on one island with our heros. We would go back home and explore more relationships and healing and find out what the terrorists do in fact want and have allies working together and Elena working through her PTSD and fighting through her fears herself, with Damon and her new family.

I am behind on my own reviewing of stories I love but with all that is going on in real life I had to focus on my writing now and will catch up all over once this final chapter is complete. I was also going to update my post finale series for Mothers and Father's day and those stories will be coming yet too just later than planned.

Check out JustinaKorax Things You Felt While He Was Gone

Foreverfirstloves All Is Fair

scarlett2112 Welcome to the Jungle and her one shot Renegade

faith2727's Bring The Floor Up to my Knees

There are so many more awesome writers on here too but those are just a few that are keeping DE alive for the rest of us to enjoy and escape to.

Hope you had a safe and happy weekend! Best of everything for those of you in exams and the busyness of end of school or university. Summer is coming!