Chapter 31

"You know there's something else we need to discuss." Damon said.

They had been talking about the unforeseen events of the day, sitting cuddled up on his bed.

"Oh?" Elena twisted from her position leaning back against his chest to look at him.

"I can't let him live Elena." He said quietly, avoiding her eyes.

She frowned, not immediately understanding what he was talking about.

"What? Who?" Her face puckered in confusion.

He gave her a 'really?' look and her expression washed with understanding.

"Damon." She sighed.

While she understood where he was coming from, despite everything her heart had gone out to that broken man who had so nearly taken her life. She couldn't even bare to imagine the pain he must have been in.

"It's not open for discussion, he wants you dead. I can't have someone who wants that wondering around alive and well. I won't take that risk." He continued, not allowing her to argue.

"He thinks I am dead." She reminded him.

"Doesn't mean he won't stop by and check at some point." He countered.

"No I don't think he will." She murmured. He glanced down at her questioningly. "He's spent every moment since she died focusing on revenge to stop himself from thinking about her. Now that he thinks that he's taken revenge you know what he'll be focusing on? Her. He'll just be thinking of her every second…" She trailed off, feeling a stab of sadness.

"You think he'll end it himself?"

"I would, if I were him. I mean I can't even imagine.."

Damon tightened his arms around her.

"I am truly sorry for what I did to him. But I'm not going to let him do the same to me." He whispered into her hair.

"I know." She said simply. She did know and she understood, she wasn't going to try and make him say or think something else, she accepted and loved Damon for who he was, every aspect and every side.

"When I think that all those people that I… if they all had somebody who loved them how I love you… I find that hard to deal with." He muttered quietly.

Elena stared at him in surprise for a moment, it was so rare for him to open up and share something so personal.

"That wasn't you. It wasn't who you really are, the man I love, the man who's looking at me right now, is a good man. I understand that it's a vampire's instinct to kill and the fact that you fight that every day just proves how good you are."

Damon's eyes seemed to caress her face, he was gazing at her in absolute awe.

"You're an angel." He whispered, impulsively pulling her into him and claiming her mouth with his own.

Damon gently traced his hand down Elena's withered cheek; she opened her beautiful brown eyes and smiled up at him.

"How are you feeling?" He asked quietly.

She reached towards him with a shaking hand; he took it in his and squeezed it lightly.

"I think it's time Damon." She murmured. Her voice was small and quivering.

He nodded and a silent tear slipped down his cheek. She reached up to brush it away, the movement obviously causing her pain.

"Don't." She whispered. "It's going to be ok."

He cupped her face, brushing his thumbs lightly across her cheeks. Age hadn't taken away her beauty; she still had her innocent Bambi eyes and warm smile.

"I love you Elena." He said fervently, his voice soft and almost furious in it's sincerity.

He didn't try to check the tears that fell from his eyes.

"I love you so much." She replied quietly, speaking seemed to be getting harder for her; the words were almost inaudible.

She shifted on the bed and he lay down next to her. Facing her, their hands entwined between them.

"You made my life so beautiful." She breathed, fighting to find the oxygen to say the words.

Damon had to close his eyes for a second to compose himself.

"You made my life worth living." He replied softly, the second he trusted himself to speak.

She closed her eyes and a contented smile rested on her lips.

Damon fought his instinctual panic as he heard her heartbeat slow. He forced himself to stay calm, even though he felt like his heart was being ripped from his chest.

"Damon."

If he weren't a vampire he wouldn't have heard the last word she ever whispered.

Her heart fluttered and ceased, her hands fell limp in his, the warm smile still resting on her lips.

He sobbed, yes Damon Salvatore sobbed. He didn't think he was capable of feeling that much pain. He had known that this day was coming, he had prepared himself for it but no amount of preparation could ever make him ready.

He didn't know how long he lay on the bed crying. He just let himself go, his mind plaguing him with images of their life together.

After a while his tears stopped, he had no more left to shed. He picked himself off the bed, feeling hollow and meaningless. He pulled his ring off his finger and set it next to her still body.

He plucked one of the deep red roses from the vase that sat by her bed. He leant down and brushed his lips against her cool forehead, before placing the flower in her lifeless hands and leaving the room. He didn't hesitate as he walked through the house, didn't pause as he threw open the door. Didn't blink as he stepped into the sunlight.

"Elena." Was the last word he whispered before his body became ash.

Elena sat up in bed, tears pouring down her cheeks. Her chest heaved and she struggled for breath. The images of her heartbreaking dream tearing at her mind.

"Elena?" She felt Damon's arms snake around her waist and she threw herself against him, burying her head in his shoulder, her body shaking with sobs.

Damon pulled her into his lap and cradled her protectively against his chest.

"It was just a dream baby, you're safe. Just a dream."

He stroked her hair, and murmured soothingly as she soaked his shirt.

She pulled away abruptly, her eyes wild. Her hands clutched at his arms and her gaze was intense as she spoke.

"Turn me." She commanded, her voice unwavering.

Damon stared at her completely flabbergasted.

"What?" He spluttered, wondering whether she had fallen out of bed and hit her head without him noticing.

"Turn me into a vampire, right now." Her voice took on a desperate edge and her watery eyes gazed up at him all pleading and determined.

He reached across and flicked on the bedside light. She blinked against the sudden brightness but set her jaw in determination.

"Elena what the fuck are you talking about?" he snapped, too tired and blindsided to know what to think about this conversation.

"Damon I want you to turn me." She announced, yanking her hair to one side of her neck and exposing the delicate skin at her throat.

He backed away from her, watching her cautiously from the other side of the bed. The very idea of killing his Elena went against every instinct in his body. While of course he had considered what their future could be like, he wouldn't ever dream of asking her to become like him.

"Elena you had a bad dream and you're not thinking clearly. Why don't we just go back to sleep ok?" He tried to sound reassuring.

She shook her head.

"No Damon I'm serious. I want to be a vampire…I want to be with you forever."

He would be lying if he said that those words didn't make his heart leap with joy. But there were so many other things to take into account, Elena deserved so much more…a normal life, growing old, children. Could he really just take all of that away from her?

"Think about what you are saying." He tried to reason, sure that with a little time to think she would change her mind.

She sighed and reached for him, he pulled away from her.

"This is a huge thing to decide…" He stalled.

She tilted her head, revealing the soft expanse of olive skin that covered her pulse point.

"Please." She begged, her eyes wide and beseeching.

Damon compulsively licked his lips before abruptly looking away.

"I most certainly will not do it right now." He said almost indignant at the very suggestion.

She sighed and let her hair fall back around her face. She crawled towards him, sliding her hands up his chest. This time he didn't back away. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him softly on the cheek.

"But you will at some point?" She asked softly.

He didn't reply, but brought his hands up to stroke through her hair.

She pushed him back onto the bed and straddled him, before kissing down his neck. Dragging her lips gently against his roughened skin.

"Elena." He groaned.

"Will you?" She asked, nipping at his earlobe.

He tried to pull her lips to meet his but she resisted.

"Tell me Damon." She whispered.

"We will talk about it properly tomorrow." He conceded.

"Promise?"

"I promise." He sighed before spinning them around and pressing her into the bed, crashing his mouth to hers.

She sighed in pleasure as his lips moved to trail down her jaw, she would be able to convince him, she was sure of it. The decision to change hadn't really been something she had thought about much before. But when the harsh reality of what would happen if she didn't was thrown in her face, there wasn't an ounce of doubt in her mind.

She would do anything for Damon. Including die. If she got to spend forever with him, she would be happy forever, knowing that she could tell him that she loved him every single day of eternity and watch his beautiful eyes light up.

:) How was everybody's Christmas? x