A/N: I'm back! Sorry for my sudden disappearance but I had exams and I had to prepare for them I wanted to get a chapter up on the weekend of the 8th/9th but I was too busy preparing for my exam on the 10th. Then I had another nine but I'm all done now. I had my last one on Tuesday and as I reward for finishing them I plan on writing all my stories which will include a new one I'm doing on yet other tv show. But I don't start Uni until September/October so I have plenty of time to write. I will also be going to the boat most weekends now so I won't be able to update on weekends but I won't have much else to do other than write so... I finished this chapter a couple of hours ago but I wanted to finish a chapter for my other story first so I have a chapter for each before posting any. I promised to have a chapter up for both stories by the end of the week and I'm going to the boat tonight so I have to hurry now. this wasn't the easiest chapter to write but it should be better from here on out. So I will release you to read now. I hope you enjoy it and let me know what you think.

Disclaimer: I don't own the Vampire Diaries or any characters etc.

So on with the next chapter...

Chapter 8

They all waited semi-patiently while Bonnie chanted and the picture began to appear again. They immediately realised this was not in a setting they had seen in any of the other scenes.

A bar scene formed. Elena appeared looking not a day older than she had before. She was stood next to a pool table cue stick in hand. She was smiling at them.

The scene gave Stefan a sense of déjà vu. He was pretty sure he knew exactly what was going to happen. It wasn't just a nightmare planted by Katherine this time. It was real, it could be the future. He liked to think there was only a 50% chance that this was the future but judging Elena's reactions so far he wasn't so sure that was the case. Not that she would admit it, not yet anyway. He wanted to look away. He was almost sure he knew what was about to happen even if no one else did but somehow he just couldn't do it, whether he needed to see if he was right or whether he just needed to see it he didn't know.

She held the cue stick out slightly.

"It's your turn." She called cheerfully.

Damon came into view carrying drinks.

"Be prepared to lose." He put the glasses down on the side of the pool table and leaned in for a kiss.

Stefan found himself searching the scene for himself or Katherine. Anything that could tell him this wasn't really a scene from the potential future. It wasn't that he couldn't bear his brother and Elena being happy together. At the end of the day they were the two people that he cared about most in the world, if being together was what made then both happy he would eventually learn to live with it. Just as he knew Damon would, albeit reluctantly –not that he himself would be any better, if Elena were to choose him.

I was more that the idea that Katherine had been right all along. That a simple idea in a dream, or rather nightmare, could so vividly come to life. To be real. It made him question whether it was possible for this not to be the real future.

Damon was now helping Elena aim the cue stick and hit the balls. Not that she would have needed the help with vampire reflexes and skills. It was doubtful this was their first time playing pool in a bar. Still she didn't refuse the help, instead she appeared to welcome it, almost as though she was pretending she needed it.

"I still think this should be our song." She announced out of nowhere.

"How did you even get them to play this, it's like 60 years old?"

"I have my ways." She grinned.

"Oh I know. I still don't know why you think this should be 'our' song." He said referring to Bon Jovi's 'It's My Life' that was now playing in the background. "You know he's more Stefan's style."

She looked like she was about to speak before she paused.

'I ain't gonna live forever
I just want to live while I'm alive'

"I just think it's ironic." She shrugged.

"Ironic? Really?"

"Well we are going to live forever. And we aren't exactly alive either."

"And that makes it perfect for 'our' song."

"It's unique."

"Another argument I'm not winning." He sighed in mock irritation.

"But you know I love you."

"That's your response every time."

"And I stick by it." She smirked.

"I think he's rubbed off on you." Caroline stated.

"What do you mean?" Elena asked a little confused.

"She means that smirk." Bonnie clarified.

"You agree with her?"

"I guess after 50 years it was bound to happen." Caroline continued as though Elena had never spoken. She didn't seem to be talking to anyone in particular now.

So, what about Bonnie's birthday party?" Elena enquired innocently.

"No way!" Damon seemed very adamant about this one more so than he had in the past about Jeremy's anniversary.

"Come on, It'll-"

"Not happening Elena. She never liked me to begin with."

"Now that's just-"

"Completely true." He finished for her.

"Alright, it's a little true. But she's my best friend."

"It's not like she'll even really be there." Damon argued.

"Okay, now I'm confused. Why wouldn't you go to your own birthday party?" Caroline spoke up again. Bonnie just shrugged unsure of the answer herself.

"I here I thought you'd be arguing how 'Stefan would be happy to go with you'" Damon couldn't resist baiting her.

"Well he probably would." Caroline pointed out, although less enthusiastically than before. Whether she was starting to see that a life with Damon might not be so bad for Elena or whether it was because she was still hung up on the fact that Bonnie was most likely missing her own party no one was sure.

"Come on Caroline's throwing it. Stefan will probably be there?" She said as though she was asking if it was a good enough reason to go.

"And that's supposed to make a difference because?"

"I know you miss him. Even if you won't admit it."

"And we both agree to let him have his requested space and let him come to us instead." Damon reminded her.

"Jeremy will be there?" She fished for another excuse.

"Again, why would that change my mind?"

"Caroline will skin us both alive if we don't?" She offered.

"We're vampires, we'll heal. I think I'll take the punishment."

"Have you heard anything from Caroline anyway?"

"Last I heard she was on a rehabilitate Stefan kick. With her three tier plan. Integrate him back into society, as well as a vampire can, stabilise him and surround him with friend and help him move on, though he thinks her definition is to set him up with someone else. Apparently the end goal is to bring him back home 'happy, healthy full adjusted' her words."

"He thinks?"

"Just because he's not ready to see us doesn't mean we don't talk on the phone Elena, it's the 21st century not the dark ages."

"He hasn't called me." She said obviously ignoring the last part of his sentence."

"I think Caroline made him call me in the first place. Part of her rehabilitation process." He explained.

"I guess that makes sense. You are his brother; I'm just the girl who broke his heart."

"Elena..."

"Don't worry I'm over it. I'm happy now. I wouldn't change this even if it would avoid that." She smiled softly at him.

"Good." He leaned down to kiss her again.

Even after 50 years it appeared he still needed to be reassured that he was her choice it seemed. Elena wondered if he would ever be able to truly believe it, without her needing to say it. Then again; after 170 odd years of hearing the opposite, 50 wasn't very long for him to start believing he really had been chosen. She glanced up at him. He seemed lost in thought as he watched it, not for the first time did she wish she could tell what he was thinking.

"So you really won't let me change your mind?" Elena persisted going back to her original question.

"We didn't go last year."

"That's exactly why we should go this year."

"Or why we shouldn't be expected to go this year."

"Are you totally sure?" She checked.

"The very fact that you're starting to cave about not going is proof enough that we aren't going."

"I just don't get why you are always so reluctant with this one, more than the others."

"Because the other events actually make sense, sort of, this one doesn't."

"She's my best friend."

"You haven't seen her in years."

"She's still my best friend. I feel sort of bad when we miss her things."

"And every time we do go you end up upset."

"Fine, we won't go." She accepted

Everyone looked at Caroline as if waiting for her comment. She turned to find everyone's eyes on her.

"What?" She asked confused by the sudden attention.

"We were just waiting for you to say something." Elena explained.

"Like what? I have nothing to say." Truthfully she had been a little lost in her own thoughts. What she had seen and heard of herself and her own life and views had confused her. When she had seen her future self in the first scene she had been too distracted to actually consider what she had said and how she had acted. Now looking at it she started to realise what she had seen. In the future she hadn't been against Damon and Elena being together. In fact in this scene she was actually trying to help Stefan move on, like she thought that was what was best. It had sounded as though not only had she accepted their relationship, she was almost happy for them. As though they were both expected to show up to events. Together. They hadn't mentioned anything about Elena bringing Damon along but that she had invited them both. It almost sounded like they were all friends. Or at the very least civil. She couldn't help wonder what had happened to change her future self's mind. She also couldn't deny that future Damon's logic on letting Stefan come to them and not going to the party to see him wasn't actually a bad idea. She was glad she was able to help Stefan.

Everyone looked at Caroline all with varying degrees of shock visible on their faces. It wasn't often that Caroline had nothing to say. Or that she would miss a chance to insult Damon and put Stefan in a better light.

"I'm bored with pool. Let's do shots!" Elena suggested out of the blue. It appeared that was the kind of mood she was in, in this scene.

"No way."

"Scared you'll lose?" She baited.

"I found out about your ability to unhinge your jaw like a snake to consume alcohol all the way back in Georgia" He reminded her.

"That wasn't that time you disappeared and no one knew where you were was it? You know when Stefan thought Damon had kidnapped you or something?" Bonnie enquired.

"Maybe." Elena tried to evade.

"So while everyone at home worried about where you were you and Damon got drunk?" Caroline asked, only a hint of disapproval in her tone.

"We didn't get drunk." Elena denied.

"No, I didn't get drunk. You on the other hand..." Damon interjected.

"Hey. I was not drunk!"

"'because your tolerance is way up here!'" He mimicked her voice and actions from that night.

"You seriously did that?" Caroline laughed.

"Okay, I may have been a little tipsy."

"Actually it sounded like the old Elena. Before everything happened."

"I guess for a little while there I was." Elena admitted thinking back.

"Maybe I'll let you win."

"It's too early for shots Elena."

"What's this. Damon Salvatore saying it's too early for Alcohol? Is the world ending and no one told me?" She teased.

"I said shots not bourbon."

"And the difference is?"

"You'll still end up getting drunk and making me take care of you."

"But you do it so well. And what makes you think you will be any better off?" She challenged raising an eyebrow.

"I've had and extra century and half's practice."

"Not a whole century and a half."

"And that's what you're picking up on?"

"I can't believe I'm actually saying this but it looks like you and Damon actually have a lot of fun." Caroline conceded.

"I can't believe you said it either." Elena agreed.

"What will Stefan ever do without his cheerleader."

"Shut up Damon." Stefan responded before anyone else could. The scene started to fade, everyone turned to Bonnie. Noticing everyone's eyes on her she turned back to the grimoire with the spell in it. Truthfully she probably could do it without the book after how many times she had said it now but the spell already volatile enough without risking her remembering a word wrong.

"Last one?" She asked checking everyone was ready.

Okay, I hope you liked it. There are hints about Bonnie. And Caroline is starting to think, at last! It's not the last one next chapter but they don't know that yet. Also I am considering continuing this story after chapter 13 which was to be it's original end, obviously there will be a twist if that happens. let me know whether you think I should continue it or end it there. Now I will move on to the guest review responses and my random ideas paragraph.

Again I will have to number you by order of first review to most recent. But you should know if I'm talking to you anyway. So To Guest 1 I'm glad you like it, yes they can be quite cute. I think in a way they are quite cute next chapter although it's a little more sad. To Guest 2, I'm glad you enjoyed it and that you liked Elena being a vampire I have always thought with Damon she would have to be a vampire where with Stefan she would have to be human. And I'm glad you like Damon reading Caroline. Yeah, I thought Stefan as a pet was quite funny, he got a little hung up on that, I can't imagine why te-he. and now he's got past that only to see one of his nightmares come to life, poor Stefan. I'm glad you liked Damon and Elena in both tenses. I try to keep them in character whilst there are slight changes in the future that comes with time passing. Overall I'm glad liked it. Thank you. To Guest 3, I'm happy you liked it. When you can't pick a favourite it means I'm writing it properly. So thank you. hopefully this has added some more. And Last but not least (I still never get why people say that) To Guest 4, thank you and here it is, I hope you liked it.

Right, I'm going a second paragraph for my random ideas. In keeping with my ideas of putting the characters in different times. It would be interesting to put present Damon in the beginning of season 1, with his season 1 self. I can just imagine the end of episode 1. Damon throws Stefan on the ground then walks into the house and our present Damon comes along and helps him up. Just imagine the look on Stefan's face. It would be hilarious. Also a really random idea that popped into my head whilst reading 'Off by a Single Degree' which is awesome. It would be funny if you took a scenario where her parents didn't die then during some kind of confrontation about it all with vampires and Elena and her parents etc. and sort of brought in the scene from the sacrifice so one second they are all arguing and the next second all the characters in their situations appear. Like Klaus about to do the ceremony and suddenly he's somewhere else. And Damon with his werewolf bite. And Tyler as a wolf and suddenly it's not the full moon so he's turning back. and Jenna's a vampire. etc. It would be funny and an interesting story. I think I get carried away sometimes. You could also bring everyone in from the season finale, although personally I would leave Silas. Just imagine the mess. suddenly everyone knows about vampires and Elena is with Stefan then Elena is also a vampire and is with Damon and her parents are there to see it and Elena who didn't necessarily know about it. I'm getting carried away again. Anyway, as always feel free to write, request, comment or refer.

Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it, let me know what you think and see you in the next chapter.(*smiles*)

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