Okayy, don't hate me. I totally neglected you guys and this story for, what, like a week? I suck. I know.

Sorryyyyyy!

Forgive me? PLease.

And enjoy! ;)

When I woke up, I didn't feel all the way…there. The world was tilting and all in black and white through my half-opened eyes. Figures, faceless people, were running around. My skin was burning, but the pain in my wrists and head had evaporated. Smoke littered the air. I sighed and put my head back down on the cool ground. My throat was raw and achy—I was thirsty, or maybe hungry, I couldn't tell which. My head felt cluttered; it didn't hurt, but my thoughts were scattered like papers in the wind.

"Elena," someone's voice warped.

I opened one eye. The form a man dressed in all black swayed in front of me. He slipped into a crouch just inches from my tired eyes, but somehow I couldn't quite make out his facial features. "Elena." He reached out and shook my shoulder. Blue eyes stared back at me.

Slowly, the blurriness ebbed. "Damon?"

He groaned in relief and swiftly scooped me up into his arms. "Up you go. We need to book—now."

I nodded and my stomach lurched as he began to run. For the first time, when we were moving at this speed, I could still see as clearly as I could have if he was still. It was as though my eyesight had matured all of a sudden. I'd never experienced a run like this; it was a bit frightening.

The events that had unfurled mere hours, or perhaps minutes ago began to stream themselves back into my mind slowly and choppily. Disoriented, I examined my surroundings again. The clearing was all too familiar, and in recognizing it brought a sense of dread. This was a bad, bad place.

I was supposed to be dead by now, I recalled.

"Damon," I croaked. "Damon, what happened?" I pried one of my hands from his shoulders to rub the base of my throat with it. "Why do I feel like this?"

"Because you're an incredibly brave yet horribly stupid person, that's why," he muttered.

Then I remembered. The last thing I did before I passed out was throw myself into a ring of fire. To ensure that it hadn't all been a bad dream, I checked out the ground. The grass was singed a sickening charcoal color. I gagged.

I was transitioning to become a vampire.

I went into full-on panic setting, and my mind shut down on itself. I refused, absolutely refused, to think about my impending doom. Instead, I focused on the present, much like I used to do to distract myself from thinking about my parents.

I realized with a zap of surprise that I almost never thought about them anymore. I didn't know if that made me an insensitive brat or an actually mentally healthy person again.

I squeezed my eyes shut for just a second, exiling the thought from my mind like deleting a bad photo from a camera. When I reopened them, I locked eyes with Bonnie, just for the briefest of seconds. She looked frightened and confused, as though the compulsion had worn off and now she understood what she'd been about to do to me. I widened my eyes, as if to tell her that I forgave her. She turned away quickly and took off running, with Tyler Lockwood right at her heels.

I frowned. Why did she do that?

Then I saw him.

Klaus's features were a mask of pure fury. He barreled towards us, ignoring Bonnie and Tyler as they broke out of the field, into the thicket of trees. I heard leaves rustling and sticks cracking under their feet as they rushed to get out of dodge. Klaus didn't waste any time taking a second glance at them; he had his sight set on Damon and I as we tried to get to the woods before he could get to us. He'd be easier to run from in there, with all the coverage.

I didn't think I could still be used in his sacrifice, now that I wasn't exactly human, but I couldn't be sure. After all, I wasn't fully a vampire yet either. I was hanging in the place after life but before death, and something told me that this existence was more torturous than either of those other places.

I shook myself back to the real world quickly, because those thoughts were borderline dangerous. I would worry about my choice when I was somewhere warm and safe, somewhere that I could crumble without anyone seeing it.

The truth was, I didn't want to be a vampire, not at all. But I couldn't think about that right now. I had to focus, because Klaus was getting closer, and Damon was running slower. I was too heavy; I could tell that I was slowing him down.

"Damon," I whispered.

His face pinched as he strained to go faster. He didn't answer me.

"You have to let go of me."

He opened his mouth to object, but I slid my hand from around his neck to cover his lips with it before he could say anything. "Shh, listen. I have an idea, I think." He nodded, and I let my hand drop to the neckline of his shirt.

Even though this was probably one of the most tense moments we'd ever be in, he still shivered when my fingertip grazed his neck, and it still made me smile in spite of my self.

"I think I'll be able to go as fast as you can, because I can already feel my old body changing. My eyesight has improved, and I feel different; sturdier, maybe. I think I'll be able to keep up." He nodded, confirming that I could run at a greater speed while I was transitioning. Encouraged, I went on. "Please, Damon, trust me. We'll both go faster this way."

His eyes flashed with desperation as he realized that he had to let go of me. "Listen to me very carefully, Elena Gilbert. I'm going to toss you a few feet in front of me in about ten seconds. You will not fall behind, because if you do, I will come back for you. And I will gladly die for you, if that's what it takes for you to get away. So don't screw up."

I nodded uneasily and waited, testing my muscles in anticipation.

"Three…" he breathed, squeezing my hand. "Two…" Klaus made a grab for me, his fingertips just brushing my hair. "One!"

I was flung so quickly that it took a second for my mind to process what had happened. Instead of feet, I landed yards in front of Damon. I was bicycling my legs in the air before my toes even touched the ground, and then without a pause as I landed, I ripped up grass, flying. My hair whipped behind me, and wind flooded my ears. I could smell the dirt in the forest, it was that close. Just a few more feet and Damon and I would be home free.

Then I stopped hearing Damon's footfalls behind me.

And I skidden to a complete hault.

Klaus had his hand wrapped around Damon's throat, and he used it to lift Damon five feet in the air, and then drive him into the ground hard enough to make the trees in the forest quake.

I cried out as Damon cringed in pain. He rolled backwards quickly, flipping onto his feet. My heart pounded. I couldn't stand there and watch him die, but…what could I do? How could I help?

I watched, feeling utterly hopeless.

"Elena!" I whirled at the sound of my name, surprised enough to take my eyes off of Damon. There stood Caroline, with eyes the color of blood and fury crossing her face.

I gasped. "You're…you're a—"

"Yeah, I know."

I turned back to the fight quickly. "Car, we need to talk about this later."

"I didn't come here to talk," she laughed. "I came here to save all of your asses."

I turned to see Stefan behind her. I blinked. "You're…going to help us? But—you could die!"

Stefan didn't waste any time at all; he sprinted and tackled an oblivious Klaus as soon as he saw the two of them.

"They're family," Caroline offered as explanation. "Kind of."

Then, in a blur, she was over there, too, and suddenly it was three on one. I cursed under my breath but quickly joined in like the idiot I was. Caroline threw me an approving smile as she ducked a punch. Damon caught the fist that had hit empty space, and twisted Klaus's arm behind his back. Stefan hit Klaus from behind, tackling him. Caroline took his legs, holding them down. I held Klaus's other arm. His fingernails grew into claws and sliced into my skin. I bit back a shriek and pulled tighter on his arm in response. He cursed nastily. I thought we had him beat, but then he bucked, and Stefan went flying. When he slammed hard into a tree, Caroline's head snapped up and Klaus took the opportunity to get his foot out from under her and use it to hurl her off. She tumbled a few feet away. Finally, Klaus ripped his claws all the way down my arm until the pain was so severe that my own instinct was strong enough to force my fingers off of him. Once free, he dug those nails into Damon, and I gasped.

"Stop! Please, Klaus! Stop," I begged.

He growled at me as he tapped a talon against Damon's heart. "I would kill you now," he threatened, "But I want you to watch her die first."

I almost felt relieved that I didn't have to see Damon die, but I knew that I couldn't let this happen. I wasn't finished living. I had to find a way out.

"Elena!" Caroline shouted, and I turned to find something hurdling towards me. A brand new reflex kicked in, and I grabbed the object one-handed right out of the air.

"Ouch," I said, a splinter rubbing off on my thumb. I examined the sharp, pointed object in my hand. It was carved of a light wood, and its tip was almost elegant. It had been made to slice through the thickest of skins.

Without even thinking, I lunged towards Klaus. He vanished before I could make contact. I caught my balance before I toppled over, and looked around. There was no trace of Klaus. I frowned. I'd really scared him.

Before I could contemplate it, I was in Damon's arms. He tackled me with a force that made my heart drop to my stomach, sprout wings, and fly all the way back up to my throat. His lips found my eyes, my cheekbones, the tip of my nose, my forehead, my neck. My breath caught. He pulled away, his nose just baely grazing mine.

"I watched you die," he whispered.

That's when I lost it. I couldn't help it. I began to sob his name, and I hid my face in his neck. He smelled good, soothing. He rubbed my back and let me cry all over him. "Damon. Damon, I—I don't want—"

He smoothed my hair. "I know."

I cried until I felt dizzy and until we were alone in the clearing. He frowned at the darkening sky. "We need to get you human blood—fast."

I swayed. "O—okay." I didn't want to be a vampire, but I wasn't ready to die either. I'd known what I was setting myself up for when I'd jumped into that fire. However, that didn't mean that I was happy about it.

Damon carried me away in his arms. I felt bad, but I didn't object. I needed the closeness, and I could see that he did, too. A few times, he would look down and smile at me, or place kisses on my lips, or move my hair from my face with his pinkie. He had a car waiting for us about a mile from the clearing. He laid me carefully in the passenger seat. He backed away to close the door, but then changed his mind and ducked back in to press his lips to my mouth. His hands cupped my neck and I kissed him back, wrapping my fingers around his wrists to try to pull him closer.

"Keep this up and we'll never get you to a blood bank in time," he whispered.

I giggled, of all things, and he kissed me again as though he couldn't help himself.

"Mmm," he moaned, and then vanished, only to reappear in the driver's seat next to me, grinning like the Cheshire Cat.

I rode in peace for a few moments. He drove calmly, as though he weren't at all concerned about a surprise visit from Klaus, but I could see the tightness in his eyes that gave away his fear. I gazed at him shamelessly, quite enjoying the view. His eyelashes hooded his eyes, which often gave away all the feeling he tried to hide.

Our banter always seemed so playful, but I knew that it was a front of his. He felt things so deeply, but he couldn't stand for anyone to know that. That was why when he spoke, he made sure he sounded as careless as could be. Damon was the kind of man who wasn't afraid to be that bad guy, if it would save someone he cared for. He was an all in or out type of guy. He wasn't afraid to roll the dice when he needed to, and I loved that about him. It also scared the hell out of me sometimes. I feared that I would be the death of him. I had no doubt in my mind that he would've died for me today, if I'd have let him. I had to find away to protect him from me.

"Elena?"

I blinked. "Yes?"

He met my eyes for a second. "Are you okay?"

I sighed. "Honestly?"

"Of course."

"No," I answered coldly. "I don't know what to do. I'll just take things one step at a time, I guess."

He reached for my hand, and I held his. "I'll help you. We'll get through this. Okay?" He lifted our hands and kissed the back of mine. "Together."

I nodded. "Damon?"

"Yes?"

"Are you okay? Honestly."

His face stilled and I knew he was debating whether to say anything. Finally, he murmured, "No." He drew in a deep breath. "I never wanted you to have to do this. I wanted you to grow up, get married, have children. To be a wife, a good friend, a mom, a grandmother even. I wanted you to have a future as a human, but now you're stuck, just like I am and I…I wish that you weren't."

That stung a bit. "You wish that I'd died tonight?"

He nailed me with a steely look. "You did."

"You're mad." My breath began to shake. "How is any of this my fault?"

He looked at me sharply. "Are you insane? None of this is your fault, Elena! I did this to you." He ran his hands threw his hair. "I should have walked away from you the moment I knew that I was in love with you. But I didn't, and now look at you!"

I tilted my head to the side, mouth slightly open in awe.

"What?" He finally bit.

I straightened and licked my dry lips. "I love you, too, Damon."

His face cleared completely, and he squeezed my hand. "Thank you."