Author's Note: Hi guys, I'm back I'm Manado and I've caught up with the happenings of Mystic Falls. Now I'm anxiously waiting to see who will die in the mid-season finale A I'm sure many of you are.

Anyway, chapters might take slightly longer to be posted now because I can no longer kick back on a deck chair on the beach and write the day away. Thank you for the support. Please continue to review and tell me how you like the story and constructive criticism is always most welcome. Thanks for reading!

Chapter 9

Elena's Point Of View

The next day, I woke up to my phone ringing. I groaned as I stretched to get it. It was Damon.

"Hi Damon." I said as I flopped back against my pillows.

"Good morning Elena. You're still in bed?"

"It's 6am Damon. Of course I'm still in bed."

"Well lazy bones, I have a question for you. I've seen everybody so far but I've yet to see Alaric. Where is that badass vamp killer? Was he overcome with grief and skipped town? I'll hunt that bastard down if I have to." He said. He was slightly distracted. I could hear it in his voice.

I sat up. I had not realized that Damon did not know about Alaric. How was I going to tell him? Alaric and him were close friends. "Damon...I..."

"Elena, your brain is so sluggish at 6am. I've been up since 5am lifting weights. C'mon girl! Rise and shine!" He cried playfully into the phone.

"Damon, why don't you come over. I have to show you something." I said as I closed my eyes and rubbed my temple.

"You couldn't take being away from me for a night could you? I know, I know. I'm irresistible." He said cockily.

"Just shut up Damon and get your ass over here." I snapped.

"Ohh feisty! I like that. I'll see you in a bit." He said as he hung up.

I groaned as I stretched. I had no idea how Damon was going to react about Alaric's death and my part in it. I quickly threw on some clothes, washed up and grabbed an apple for breakfast.

I heard a quick knock at the door and then Damon walked in. Of course. He never waited to be invited in.

"An apple a day keeps the vampires at bay." He recited as he spotted my apple.

I rolled my eyes at him. "Shut up and let's go." I said.

We went out to his car and Damon got into the driver's seat.

"Where to, Buffy?" He asked cheerfully.

I hated to crush his spirit. He was so happy and I had to be the one to tell him that his best friend was dead. He began to drive out into the road. "Um...Mystic Falls Cemetery." I whispered.

Damon braked hard and I jerked forward in my seat. "Excuse me?" He asked, shocked.

I turned in my seat so I could face him. "I'm so sorry Damon. Alaric's dead." I then proceeded to tell him about how Alaric was turned into a vampire and made into an vampire hunter that would kill the originals and end the vampire race. I told him bout how my life was linked to Alaric's and how when Matt and I went over Wickery Bridge and I died, so did he.

Damon slumped down in his seat. "I should have been here. It's all my fault. I could have saved you. I could have saved him. It's my fault."

"Damon. Listen to me. It's not your fault. You couldn't have done anything other than be an observer. Look, we'll go to his grave together. You can say goodbye. Okay?"

He nodded numbly and we both got out of the car and switched places so I could drive.

"Are you sure you won't wrap my car around a tree?" He asked flatly.

"Very funny." I said humorlessly.

We drove to the cemetery and went to Alaric's grave. We stood in front of it together and I wrapped my arm around his waist to comfort him.

"How did he react when he thought I was dead?" He asked me suddenly.

"He was very upset. He drank more than usual. He was a wreck Damon. He missed you so much." I told him honestly.

He nodded silently. "Elena, could you give me a minute?"

"Sure." I said softly. "I'll wait in the car. Take your time."

I was surprised at Damon's show of emotions. He usually kept that under wraps. I trudged through the weeds but stopped as I saw the grave of my parents, Jenna and John nearby. I walked up to their grave and sat in front of them.

"Hi." I said softly. "I've missed you guys. It's lonely in the house with just Jeremy and I." I could feel a lump in my throat. "I think about you guys everyday. I'm so sorry I've become what I am. I never wanted this." The tears started to fall. I wiped them with my sleeve but more followed.

Just then, I felt someone sit down next to me. "Do you remember that before the ritual with Klaus, I fed you my blood so you wouldn't die? So that you would come back as a vampire?"Damon asked.

"Of course. I was so mad at you." I laughed half-heartedly.

"Well, you should know that I never wanted this for you. I may have back then but it was for selfish reasons. Now, I would give up my life if it meant you could be human again."

"I wouldn't let you." I whispered.

"I thought you hated being a vampire?"

"I do. But not enough to let you die."

He smiled slightly. "Let's go home." He got up and dusted off his jeans before offering a hand to help me up.

I accepted it gladly and we walked hand in hand back to Damon car.

Damon's Point Of View

Today Elena told me that my best friend, Alaric, was dead. I was shocked. No matter what, Alaric had always seemed to bounce right back. I never worried much for him because he was so good at looking out for himself. It was horrible to learn about his spiral down because of his ring and then his dramatic death. I myself had killed him about three times already. Once was even just because I was annoyed at the situation. He had always come back to life. He was always okay. He always forgave me.
Today was also the first time I had gotten to hear the full story about Elena's death. I was already angry at my brother for letting Elena die and become a vampire but when I heard that he had saved Matt over her, I was boiling with rage. I didn't know who I was more angry at. Stefan or myself.

On one hand, I was angry that I had trusted Stefan to protect Elena when I had left and he had failed. Especially over something that could have prevented. But on the other hand, I was furious at myself. If I had been here, Elena and Alaric would still be alive. I would never have saved that Donovan kid over my precious Elena. Never in a million years. Even if she hated me for the rest of her life for not listening to her, at least she would have been alive. I would have saved her in a heartbeat.

I remembered how we had always found a loophole for everything that was thrown out way in the past and I mentally kicked myself because I knew that had I been here, I would have been able to contribute to finding a loop for Alaric. I could have saved him. He could be alive. But I had left. I had left Alaric and I had left her. I don't think I could ever forgive myself for that. For not being here when the people I loved the most needed me.

Elena and I went to the cemetery together and I had asked Elena to give me some alone time with Alaric. When she was gone, I sat down next to his grave and talked to him.

"Hey buddy. It's good to see you again pal. I just wish you weren't underground.". I sighed as I reached up to brush some leaves off his grave. "So much has happened. I don't know if you ever will forgive me for leaving. I know I can't. I'm sorry I couldn't protect Elena from becoming a vampire but Alaric, I promise you, I will take care of her. I will stay here and no matter what happens, I will always be here to look after her. I know that's what you would have wanted."

Tears were filling my eyes so I quickly blinked them away, got up and went to find Elena.