A/N: I'm back again! (whether you like it or not te-he) I wanted to get another chapter up before I went away but it was just impossible so I had to write this chapter by hand while I was on the cruise and since I move into uni on Saturday I haven't had chance since we got home so here it is now. I have also written a one shot that I will type and put up hopefully before the week's up as well while I was away. I'm now back to my normal responding to reviews, I think I was in a weird mood for chapter 13 because normally I babble and give summaries but anyway I'm back to as normal as I'll ever be. Now to explain how this new complicated situation works from a reading perspective. In the DE future it's simple but in the SE (yes those are the only abbreviations I use for the couple names) there will obviously be two Elena's. Now this is were it gets confusing. When we are in Future Elena or Stefan's head they refer to Elena and Past Elena, whilst in Elena and Damon's head it is Elena and Future Elena. Now for the switches. Every time there is a line break the futures switch. Unless there is a heading to signify 'flashback' which will end at the next line break. I try to make it clear in the first few lines which future it is. The 'flashbacks' are labelled with how long from the present they are not the future. They will state which future they happened in as changes will obviously start to emerge. Okay, I think that's enough babble for the top, I think we all know by now how much I babble at the bottom so... I hope you enjoy it and let me know what you think.

Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries or any characters etc.

So on with the next chapter...

Chapter 15

Elena walked through her front door. She sighed as she closed it behind her. It was good to be home. It wasn't that she hated work and her job it was just that she would rather be at home. She had been human for about 25 years now and she had long since got over the fact that she would no longer live forever, well she had accepted it. It was somewhat ironic that she had never wanted it but once she had become one, and finally accepted and gotten used to it she found she never wanted to go back. However it had inevitably happened. A job was just part of it.

"Stefan!" She called.

"In here!" She heard him shout from the living room. She headed in that direction, leaving her keys and purse on the table by the door as she did. She gave Stefan a hug and a quick kiss in greeting, a habit she had formed long ago, then stepped back to examine him. Whether she liked the fact or not they had a routine and they stuck to it, so Stefan not immediately asking her how work was, whether either of them was really interested in the answer or not, rang alarm bells. Upon inspection she noticed he looked stressed and uncomfortable.

"Are you okay?" She asked already knowing the answer.

"I'm fine." He started. Before she had a chance to call him out on it however he continued. "It's just, I have to tell you something."

"Okay."

"Maybe you should sit down." He suggested. She sat warily, giving him a curious and somewhat nervous look. "While you were at work something happened. One of Bonnie's spells went wrong."

"Bonnie doesn't do magic anymore." Elena interrupted.

Damon and Elena looked at each other in surprise. They could hear everything being said in the living room but that one had stopped them in their tracks. It had never occurred to them that Bonnie would stop using her magic. But if they was the case, then how were they supposed to get back?

They were both pulled back from their musings by the sound of Stefan's raised voice.

"Elena?! Elena say something!" Elena grabbed hold of Damon's arm to stop him from going in to check her future self was alright. He turned to look at her and their eyes locked. Elena was desperate to pull away, lest he see in her eyes what she was not yet ready for him to see, but as always she was powerless to look anywhere else. Another voice broke them from their trance.

"What?!" Future Elena finally exploded. "That's not... How on earth... No Way!... Where are they?! I want to see them!" she demanded.

"Elena..." Stefan started to plead.

Both Damon and Elena looked at each other and nodded. It was time to make their entrance.

"We're right here." Damon said calmly as they walked into the room, Elena slightly behind him.

"Oh my god." Future Elena turned to face them from her position standing in front of Stefan, she had obviously stood up at some point when she started to shout, before she fell back on the couch, one hand covering her racing heart and the other supporting her in a sitting position. "OH my god." She whispered again.

"I better make the call, make yourselves comfortable. If you want anything Damon would be happy to help." Elena told them all before leaving the room.

"He would?" Damon called after her.

"Very happy." She called back to him, the implications clear in her tone.

"Do you need to know how we got here?" Stefan asked unsure.

"No." Damon answered as he moved over to pour drinks. "Blondie?" he asked, gesturing to the bourbon. Caroline nodded. Damon poured four glasses then handed one each to Stefan and Caroline before taking a drink of his own.

"Alright, do you need to know anything about us?" Caroline asked after taking a sip.

"Nope." Damon smirked. It had been a while since he had seen Caroline and he had forgotten just how much fun it was to wind her up. Even more so with this Caroline, still with her default team Stefan settings. This was going to be fun.

"Done." Elena announced as she re entered the parlour. She was aware of the tension, or rather annoyance, coming off Stefan and Caroline but she ignored it.

"So can you tell us anything?" Caroline asked frustrated.

"What do you want to know? Elena asked as she headed towards Damon instinctively. Damon smirked as Elena threaded her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest before taking his bourbon and turning her head slightly to face them without lifting it from its resting place. He reached for the fourth glass he had poured. It was a well practiced gesture. She always took his, never her own. He wasn't sure whether she had acquired a taste for it by now or whether it was just because he drank it.

Caroline scowled and Stefan clenched his jaw at their actions. Both worsened when Elena took a sip of her, or Damon's, bourbon then leaned up for a kiss. They kissed for several moments, seemingly forgetting their company until they were interrupted by Caroline clearing her throat.

"How did you become human, or where is Tyler? I know I'm supposed to be looking for him right now." She spoke, only a hint of irritation showing through as she tried to keep their attention.

"Well, that's the same story." Damon said vaguely, smirk still intact.

"Should we tell them? Or do you think it will mess things up for us?" Elena asked, her tone playful and teasing.

Future Elena now sat back on the couch, her eyes were fixed on Damon and Elena's presence wasn't even being acknowledged. Elena took this opportunity to analyse her future self, the one she may, or should, never become. It was always strange seeing herself older but seeing it in person was something else. Elena studied the look in the older woman's eyes. She flicked over to Stefan's face briefly and noticed him avoiding looking at his wife's face, it was weird to think of herself as his wife now. The woman's eyes held so many emotions. It was hard to imagine a human feeling so acutely. Elena caught herself at that thought. She wondered how she could ever become human again now, after how used to being a vampire she had become, of course the people with the answers to her questions were right in front of her. She looked back at her future self. She could see something akin to awe as well as joy and a strange sense of sorrow in her eyes. She cleared her throat to make her presence known.

Damon watched as Future Elena jumped a little at the noise and refocused her attention on the source of the sound. There had been something in the Future Elena's eyes that wasn't there in his present Elena's, something aimed at him, he just couldn't quite work out what it was but he had the strong desire to go over to her and hold her hand much like he had seen himself do in the scene of her death. His eyes trailed back to Elena as she began to speak. She had subconsciously moved closer to him as though she had an innate need to mark her territory even it was only to her future self and he was not hers to mark, at least not yet anyway. He was still clueless to her choice.

"So Bonnie cast a spell that went wrong and sent us here so I'm thinking we will need her to send us back." Elena explained.

"Like Elena said, Bonnie stopped doing magic a long time ago. We don't even know where she lives or have her number anymore. She cut contact after her wedding." Stefan explained.

"So there's no way to find her? None at all?" Damon asked, a little condescension creeping into his tone.

"I would have to contact her through Caroline." Stefan revealed clearly dreading it.

"And that's a problem because?" Elena continued.

"We don't see a lot of Caroline. She's not exactly forgiven me for... something." He finished.

"Well suck it up we need her." Damon told him bluntly.

"But-"

"Just call her!" Elena demanded. Stefan grumbled before casting a glance at his wife to check she was okay then left the room to make the call.

"I'm guessing you have a lot of questions." Future Elena directed at the both of them.

"Yes, like how did I become human? Why did Bonnie stop practising magic? Why is Caroline mad at Stefan? Why don't you remember doing this spell?" Elena began to rattle off her questions.

"I wish I knew the answer to the last two but I don't know if I should answer your questions though."

"Why?" Damon wondered aloud.

"I don't want to mess with time, change the future and all that." She explained, affection clear in her eyes as she looked at him.

"Well what if it's too late. I mean it's already been changed if you don't remember coming here and I'm here." Elena pointed out. In truth she had already made her choice. She knew this future should never come to pass, so what did it matter if she learned more about it?

"I called her, she's going to try and bring Bonnie." Stefan told them as he walked back in.

"They want to know how it all happened Stefan." Elena informed him. He glanced at Past Elena and Damon. He knew what she meant by 'what happened'. The event, or events, that changed everything. They only lasted a couple of days but it made the world they knew into one they didn't. The last time they were all together.

"I don't know 'Lena."

"What can it hurt? They're already here." He nodded in consent so she started, "IT was 25 years ago..."

5 Years into the Future- Both Futures

Elena marched into the parlour of the boarding house. She headed over to the bar and poured herself a glass of bourbon. She never really like the stuff but it felt somewhat appropriate to drink, she needed it.

She had known this day would come at some point since sooner or later Klaus would want to make hybrids and since Katherine was no longer an option he would be beck to her. Now he had finally found another way to turn her back. This ritual was somewhat reminiscent of the one to release Klaus from the hybrid curse and naturally, there was no guarantee that she would survive it but if she did, she would be human. If it worked Klaus got his human, if not, well, she was no use to him as a vampire anyway.

The problem was that she no longer had any desire to be human again. She was perfectly content to remain a vampire. Naturally Stefan and Damon were trying to find a way around this. Still Elena knew Klaus would get his spell done. Klaus always won, she needed to be prepared for if it didn't work. If she didn't make it. There had always been the old last resort in the past, turn her into a vampire but now she was one, there was no second chance when she really died this time.

Once more Elena had to choose between the Salvatore brothers. This would be the last time, she knew that much, either because she died or because it was finally time for the brothers to part ways again and as a human she probably wouldn't live to see them get over her choice. She too was ready to move on from the back and forth. She knew if she lived she would be human again, she also knew neither brother would ever turn back human if the spell did work. As much as Stefan used to say he would become human for her the truth was he could never do it unless Damon did. The only one whose life he valued above her own was his brother's. They would never become human again and leave the other. And she could no longer imagine Damon ever being a human again, he thrived on being able to use his vampire abilities and from what she had learnt of his life as a human he wasn't the same person, he could never go back after everything that had happened to him and everything he had done. Stefan was different, he had never really let go of being human; he could go back if only it didn't mean leaving his brother. There bond was still just as insane, valuing each other's life above pretty much everything while to the casual observer they seemed to hate each other. It was a complicated dynamic.

"We'll sort this." Stefan assured her as he followed her out of her musings.

"You are not doing to die." Damon added walking alongside Stefan. She raised an eyebrow in response a doubtful expression on her face, despite the heart almost believing what he told her; reminding her he had never lied to her. She pushed it down in favour of logic and reality.

"You know you can't promise that." She reminded them her eyes lingering slightly longer on Damon before she took a swig of her bourbon.

There was a knock on the door that diverted Caroline and Stefan's attention and stopped Damon and Elena's account of the events surrounding Elena's account of the events surrounding Elena's becoming human again. Elena stood and headed to the door.

"She's here." She announced to the room just before she opened the door to reveal a woman in her mid twenties who bore a striking resemblance to Bonnie. "I told you, you should stay in town a little longer." Elena greeted the witch cheerfully.

"Because I exist for your convenience right?" she hit back.

"Naturally." Damon added with an eye roll.

"How is she here?!" The woman suddenly went rigid a she saw who was slumped on the couch.

Okay, yes you may have noticed differences in the two futures already. And yes they link to where the 'flashbacks' split off which they will in later chapters, oh how fun that will be for me to write. I know it seems like if she makes a choice in 5 years then her choice now seems kind of redundant. It doesn't, it has a direct effect on her choice later, I will explain how it has all worked out at the end if they don't put it together before. Hopefully it wasn't too confusing, I seem to be a master at doing that. Also I know future Elena seemed to have a lack of a reaction, don't worry she will react and have a real talk with them, when Stefan can't see or hear. Okay also I worked out when this story has to be set. Basically it's after she slept with Damon and they found out about the sire bond but before Jeremy died. Because after Jeremy died she immediately turned her emotions off, and she didn't act surprised that he was alive, and that the moment she turned them back on it was graduation like the next morning so no time for this then. So yes I know she's still under the influence of the sire bond but that's why she's being thinking about it all so much. And if you pretend this story is canon it makes a lot more sense as to why she is so sure of her feelings for Damon regardless of the sire bond. Also I wrote most of this chapter at night when I had gone back early to the cabin just after midnight generally and cocktails are just part of a cruise so I blame them for any weird bits. (I wasn't drunk, I thank dad for that gene, but I still blame anything on that. And I talk about alcohol way too often, I only drink in the presence of family-although going to uni will change that.) Right now I will move on to guest review responses and my random ideas. (Yes they are back)

To Guest 1, thank you. I'm glad, I know she may not have had the biggest reaction, yet, but she has to be careful in front of Stefan. After they go back she still has to spend the rest of her life with Stefan and I get the feeling that some of the things she could say to Damon would make that impossible if they were said or did in front of Stefan. She's got pretty good over the years at holding her feelings in. Thank you again. To Guest 2, Thank you and you're welcome, I'm sorry you had to miss it but I'm glad you did. (if that makes any sense, and that's not my sadistic side talking) As I said Future Elena hasn't had her proper reaction yet, she's sort of holding it in until Stefan isn't around to see it and she's sort of gotten used to internalising feelings and things (Hey, sound like anyone we know? I just came to me). Yeah, Caroline and Stefan will be having an interesting, and no doubt infuriating, time with them. Yes, Elena needs to talk to Damon but when that will happen and whether she sticks to her decision to talk to Stefan first is anybody's guess. Thank you again.

Okay now my random story ideas. As always feel free to write, request, refer or comment. As you may have noticed I love the brothers' relationship almost as much as I love Damon and Elena together. and in reading a story about their pre vampire life I suddenly had an idea. A young Stefan, like between about 6 and 10 years old, meets present day Stefan and Damon, like they come back somehow. I just think it would be funny to see young, innocent, naïve Stefan who gets on so well with his brother to see them as vampires who outwardly seem to hate each other and who frequently fight, violently, and almost kill each other. I can just imagine them being like these imaginary friends he can't tell any one about and stuff. Then of course Elena sort of turning up there looking for them. I think it would be fun. I've always wanted for Elena to sort of witness their (okay maybe more Damon's) life as a human without actually interfering. I think she would understand everything a lot better that way, plus I love reactions as I've said before and that just sets up the perfect story for them. Now I believe I had another idea floating about but I will save it for next time if I remember it.

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