Hello DE fans!

Oh wow... I was so nervous about my last chapter, I am ridiculously happy that so many of you liked it! I thought it'd be a little OTT (maybe it is.. but anyway) but i'm really pleased with your responses. You're all amazing, thank you for your support.

So here is the following Chapter. All in Elena's POV... uh-oh...

ELENA'S POV

The bright hospital lights stirred Elena from what felt like an incredibly deep slumber. Her hazy brown eyes slowly took in her surroundings. She was in a simple, clinical area with pale green curtains blocking them off from a bustling A&E ward. Everything seemed a little blurry. As though she were looking upon the world from the inside of a bubble. As she lifted her head ever so slightly, the onslaught of a headache melted through her brain. She was about to flop her head back onto her hard pillow until she noticed two figures in deep conversation at the end of her bed. A man and woman. She mumbled the first name that came to her,

"Damon?" she groaned, her voice barely above a guttural whisper.

The figures immediately came gathering to either side of her bed, grabbing her hands and holding them tight.

"Oh Elena, thank goodness you're back with us!"

Aunt Jenna. Without a doubt. Elena wanted to burst into tears already and hug her Aunt close. Her limbs felt heavy, like they were under water. She opted for squeezing her hand as best as she could.

She zoned in on the other person next to her. Disappointment trickled through her like tendrils of ice to find her Uncle John staring hard into her eyes.

Where was Damon?

"You'd better inform the nurse that she's awake, Jenna" he said.

Before Elena could mumble her pleas for Jenna to stay with her, she was already up and out of the room to find a nurse in the crowded hallways beyond the curtains that cocooned them. Surrendering to her Uncle's company, even in her woozy state of mind, Elena prepared herself for the hate about to be thrown her way. It was all out of the bag now surely. That the rumours Isobel had planted were indeed true - Elena Gilbert had been sleeping with Damon Salvatore. Her Uncle John would skin Damon alive if given the chance.

That is if Damon was even alive at all...

As that particular thought sunk in, Elena couldn't bear it.

"Tell me Damon is alive" she wavered, staring as hard as she could at her Uncle who bore a tired and drained expression. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat at the sound of her using Salvatore's first name. Elena shook her Uncle's arm when he didn't immediately answer. "Please tell me... is he alright?"

The silence that followed seemed to last an age. Time seemed to stop for them, but not for anyone else. The flurries of voices in the hallway, footstep after footstep, the bleeping and whirring of machines, the ring of a telephone. Everything was put back to normal speed as her Uncle sighed deeply and said,

"Yes. He's alive."

The tears fell freely and a smile beamed onto her face that only moments ago looked distraught and wracked with grief. Damon was still here. When all seemed lost. Damon was still with her.

"Alright, however, he is far from I'm afraid" John broke to her in the usual manner - tactless. Elena twisted her face angrily at him. Did he get a kick out of seeing her happy one minute only to bring her crashing down the next? As she formed the words 'you fucking asshole' on her tongue, he continued to speak. "I haven't been told the full details. But what I do know is that he is in surgery for multiple burns... and they are concerned there is serious damage to his respiratory system due to smoke inhalation."

Burns. Serious Damage. Smoke inhalation. Each word was like a dagger of panic stabbing through Elena's chest. For a moment she didn't know what to say, do, think... then she instantly wanted to get herself to her bruised and battered feet to find her Damon. He needed her and she needed him more than ever.

Her Uncle sensed this and placed a hand on her forearm.

"He's in surgery Elena, you'll be unable to see him until the doctors say otherwise."

Suddenly Elena found it hard to breathe with anxiety and stress for her lover. It caused her to think how he was stuck in the middle of that raging fire, engulfed in flames, struggling for each and every breath to survive.

"This is all my fault" she blurbed through deep, uneven breaths as she began to cry hard. Lost in her tears, she felt her Uncle John move her up into a seating position. He perched next to her so she could use him for support. "This is all my fault. Because of me, i've ruined everything for him!"

She didn't care if her Uncle was comfortable or not with her sobbing outbursts about Damon. She was upset for the man she would love unconditionally for the rest of her life and she didn't care who knew it.

"This is far from your fault Elena... I need you to listen to me."

He moved so he could look her in the eye. Elena was never able to read her Uncle, he was like a book with blank pages. She sniffled and wiped away the fat tears that continued to spill. As her breathing regulated, she waited anxiously for her Uncle to speak.

"I'm sure you're aware that I do not condone what you have been doing with Da- Mr Salvatore. He is an adult. You're a minor. It is illegal. When those rumours came out I wanted nothing more than to beat the living daylights out of him."

Elena could see him getting angry, but then a sudden rational look, matched with a calmness took over as he rubbed her shoulder soothingly.

"Yet as you were unconscious and whisked away to hospital, Miss Flemming's body was discovered with a lighter just inches away from her. Cue Bonnie's statement of how she discovered Isobel about to set the room alight with young Stefan and Salvatore inside. It made me think that if I thought... that if I thought Salvatore was evil, then what did that make her?"

As if giving her moment to think about his words, John released a breath he didn't realized he was holding from release. Elena looked up and for the first time, saw real emotion cross his features.

"While it is wrong. What you have been doing. I just cannot bring myself to confirm with the police that those rumours were true. I know I would cause unnecessary grief, more so than I already have caused for you in the wake of your parents death. And it would be as though I were granting Isobel a final win by putting Salavtore behind bars when the man is... is where he is right now."

The tears came falling once again as Elena rested back in her Uncle's hold. He was beginning to look from another perspective against all odds. She didn't think he was capable. He was so selfish and narrow-minded in the past. Yet now, after tonight's traumatic events, he was finally seeing things differently.

"I love him Uncle John," she whispered, conviction and truth behind her words. "I really do. He brought me back to life again. He is not a monster. He hasn't brain-washed me, or made me do anything against my wishes. He is a good man. He's a life-saver. Emotionally for me, and physically for Bonnie and Stefan tonight."

"I understand that. I know now" John said, "but while I am giving the man his freedom. There is something I would like to ask in return."

Elena felt her stomach drop for the umpteenth time that night. She expected him to ask about her parents inheritance, as he always used to. She was ready to pick a fight, her arms curling to fold across her chest as she braced for it. He inched backwards at her sudden coldness, sliding back into his seat yet taking one of her small hands into his.

"I would like to ask for you to finish school before continuing your relationship. I want you to graduate with glowing grades, grow up with your friends and discover yourself."

Elena concentrated on his request. What he was asking would still be technically breaking up with Damon, and that she could not bear the thought of. She felt, in a mature way, unable to function without him in her life.

"I'm not saying that I forbid you from seeing him. I just ask that you focus on building the foundations of your life for you. I don't think I am being unreasonable, considering the sheer gravity of this situation... do you?"

She paused for a moment, then sighed softly.

"No... I don't. But how can I trust you?"

"Because I am in on this too Elena,"

Elena gasped at the sight of her Aunt Jenna sliding into the room. She knew everything too!? This was too much to take in... and too good to be true. Was she still unconscious and this was all a cruel dream? Jenna perched on the edge of her bed and reached down to curl a loose wave of hair behind Elena's ear. The touch caused her skin to prickle with goosebumps. This was not a dream.

"As much as I struggle to take in what you've been up to Elena I... I just don't think I could live with myself if we condemned that poor man to prison, and take away something that I have noticed has made you incredibly happy. But I agree with John, for once in my life, that you should put the brakes on until you're a consenting adult in the eyes of the law."

Elena looked back and forth between her guardians. How could she disagree with them if it meant she and Damon would one day be together without the social stigma of a student/teacher relationship. They would be free to leave Mystic Falls behind and start afresh where no one would know anything about their tainted past. The thought warmed Elena deep inside. But she soon grew cold again - how could she cope without him for so long?

"It's going to be so hard" she whispered, blinking away fresh tears as she looked up into Jenna's eyes. "I agree with both of you and you have no idea how grateful I am. It seems so surreal. But I don't know how I'm going to tell Damon. Then to see him, but not be able to be the way I want to be around him... it's..."

"Elena honey," Jenna stammered, her voice a little shaky as she stopped Elena from speaking. "I don't think you'll have much of a choice on how you see or speak to Damon anyway. Not for a while."

"What... what do you mean...?"

2 days later...

The past 48 hours had been a blur. Elena had learned that Stefan, from his hospital bed, had given a statement to the police admitting he was an accomplice of Isobel's to threaten Damon, though he did not know that Isobel intended to take the situation to the extreme level that she did. For all the lies and horrible things Stefan had done lately, Elena whole-heartedly believed him. As did Bonnie who witness everything after she went looking for Stefan, which she clearly explained in her statement to the police. It was becoming clear that Isobel Flemming was an emotionally unstable woman with an unhealthy and obsessive infatuation for Damon Salvatore. Any and all mentioning of Damon's relationship with Elena were nothing but a distant rumour left on some scrap paper in people's high school lockers - Elena could not believe their luck in that respect.

Sitting on the bottom step in the hallway of her house, Elena carefully shifted her bruised feet into her converse. They were swollen, but healing well. As she tied the laces she heard the heavy footsteps of her Uncle land before her.

"Are you ready to go?" he asked.

"I am" she said, standing to look in her Uncle's eyes that were far easier to meet these days.

As they rode in the car to Mystic Falls General, Elena felt her fear become apparent. She nervously twisted the end of her wooly scarf that lay in her lap. She hadn't seen Damon since the school dance, and last heard his voice as he called to her from inside the burning building. The memories caused tears to burn in her tired eyes. Then followed by thoughts of what state he was in now, they began to fall freely.

The moment her Aunt Jenna was about to explain something about Damon, a young female doctor breezed through the curtains to explain to Elena herself. It didn't matter how much empathy and thought Doctor Meredith Fell put behind her words, the information she delivered made Elena want to leap out of her bed, barge through any force standing in her way and find Damon and never leave his side.

It wasn't long until her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the car engine turning off. They were already there. Elena gathered the few things she'd brought with her and carefully exited the car. A large part of her wanted to rush through the automatic doors to find Damon. She had missed him more than ever. He was her everything. Yet apprehension tugged on her limbs as she slowly approached the building by her Uncle's side. She knew she couldn't entirely brace herself for what she may see. She knew it was silly, but she felt scared. Frightened, even. Which then made her feel so guilty. Then the tears would start again.

As the salty tears brimmed around her red-tinted eyes, Elena entered the building to find none other than Alaric Saltzman leaving. He slowed down his pace as he saw her, a tired look over his features.

"Hello Miss Gilbert" he said, his voice lower that usual as he smiled sadly at Elena. She returned the smile, pleased to see her friend.

"We won't be interrupting anyone who is visiting will we?" John asked as the three of them stood awkwardly in the hospital's busy reception area.

"Not that I'm aware of. I thought i'd come to visit now before I left to see the relatives for the holidays" Alaric replied, attempting to spring some life into the conversation, but Elena was in no mood to talk. She just wanted to see Damon. And not see him at the same time. Tears threatened to fall once more.

Her watery eyes saw Alaric step forward to bring her in for a hug. She didn't hesitate to wrap her arms loosely around his waist, allowing a few tears to fall as she rested her head against his chest.

"Hey" she felt his voice rumble, she moved out to look at him "he is going to be fine. Do you understand me?"

She nodded as he gave her arms a reassuring squeeze.

'Merry Christmas Mr Saltzman"

"And to you Elena. See you soon John"

The men exchanged a quick hand shake before Alaric swiftly left the building. Jonathan gestured for Elena to lead the way. She knew exactly where she was going - The Burns Unit.

As she and her Uncle walked through the polished hallways in a relatively comfortable silence, Elena allowed her mind to cast over some of the amazing times she had experienced with Damon. Their first encounter and the way they couldn't keep their eyes off one another, the chemistry coming off in waves with each stolen glance and touch. Their first kiss that blew Elena's mind, creating a feeling that she'd never thought possible. Their first time making love, the way he touched and embraced her throughout the night, and each and every time they made love afterwards. She smirked at the thought of his smirk, the way it created flurries of excitement in her stomach. The eye-thing, the cocky yet amusing attitude that was addictive to be around. Swimming in the lake, holding her when she cried, stolen sexual encounters in his classroom, caring for him when he was weak, the exploding feeling of love from her chest when her eyes met his as she walked up those steps to the school dance. Damon Salvatore could never be replaced. She was desperately in love with him and she knew that would never change.

They finally reached their destination, in bold print a sign that read BURNS UNIT loomed over her -Elena wasn't afraid anymore.

A wave of relief blew over her as she entered the ward. It was fairly quiet. She took a few tentative steps further inside, her Uncle following, leaning to look around the corners to find a sign of life. Sure enough as she spotted a dark-haired woman coming towards them, she realized it was Doctor Fell.

"Elena Gilbert, so good to see you" she greeted, taking the young girls hand warmly. Elena smiled her appreciation. "I assume you're here to see Mr Salvatore?"

"We are," Elena said shyly, trying to be too over-excited. Damon was strictly a teacher whom she was here to visit.

"Then please let me show you to his room" Doctor Fell smiled, Elena noticed it subtly waver. She glanced back to her Uncle John who again, gestured for her to lead the way.

Elena felt the blood beat through her ears as she followed Doctor Fell. It was difficult to ignore some of the loud mechanical breathing noises that echoed from closed rooms. From the corner of her eye she noticed a room with the door open, a patient inside almost bandaged from head to toe. It send a chill through her. She kept her focus on the petite figure of Doctor Fell in front who began to slow her pace.

She stopped outside a door that had it's blinds closed. Elena didn't know if that was significant. Was he so horrifically injured that they closed any sight of him? No, don't be silly. They aren't like that scolded her brain. Doctor Fell clasped her hand around the handle and inhaled to speak,

"As I've explained previously, Mr Salvatore's respiratory system was severely damaged during the fire. Intubation and high-frequency ventilation was required due to the burns he has sustained. We're keeping him on the ventilator until we're confident that he can breathe independently."

"Is he awake?" Elena blurted out, somewhat knowing that was a ridiculous question given what Doctor Fell had just told her.

"I'm afraid not Miss Gilbert. We're keeping him sedated for now. These are very early days in his recovery, it will take time" she explained. She had the perfect tone of voice for explaining these things. Elena tightened her grip on the bag she had brought and composed herself. She was ready.

Doctor Fell reassuringly smiled at Elena before quietly opening the door to Damon Salvatore's room.

Taking a deep breath, Elena closed her eyes and walked through. She felt his presence, though she kept her eyes closed, taking in the unavoidable sound of Damon's labored breathing through the ventilator. It was beginning to make her crumble inside. She took three footsteps further into the cool room until she heard the sound of the door click shut. Only then did she open her eyes.

And there he was. Her Damon.

He was so still. So incredibly still. Before Elena could take much more in she saw Doctor Fell wander over to Damon's bedside. She checked something on the machine before seeming satisfied enough to say,

"I'll leave you to have some privacy with Damon. Please press this" she indicated to a small, green button above Damon's bed, "should you need my attention."

"Thank you" Elena whispered, then drawing her attention back to Damon laying before her.

Stepping a little closer, Elena saw his chest slowly rise up and down... up and then down again in a steady, yet chilling rhythm with the ventilator. It was hard to stomach that fact that without that machine right now, Damon would surely die. Elena inched closer towards him, frightened that the slightest movement she made could do some harm, even though she wasn't touching anything. He seemed so fragile amongst the apparatus that was keeping him alive.

Without looking, without taking her eyes off of Damon, Elena sat in a leather seat beside his bed. It was so strange to be sat next to him, yet he did not register that she was there. It was difficult to see his beautiful face with the mask that encompassed his mouth and nose. All she could see were his eyes that remained closed, and would remain closed for who knows how long. Oh to see those baby-blues right now. Elena would give anything.

"Hey you," she whispered, a part of her hoping he would react in some way to the sound of her voice... but there was nothing. Not even a slight alteration of the 'bleep' of his heart monitor. Everything remained as it was.

With a sudden feeling of sadness and pain Elena stood up from her seat to brush his raven locks from his forehead and to place a kiss above his brow. It was only then, as she leaned over him, that she finally saw the right side of his body.

"Oh God..." she gasped, her chest constricting heavily as she felt faint. Her Uncle, who she'd all but forgotten was there in the room, held her steadily from behind.

"It's okay, it's alright" he said as Elena steadied herself. She wanted to burst into tears. "would you like to leave?"

"No. Never" Elena stammered, suddenly feeling angry with herself. "It was... it was just a shock. I didn't expect it to be so... I'm alright. I'm alright now" she said evenly. Allowing herself to be composed before returning to his side.

However as she approached the side of his body that she sat next to only moments ago, she stopped. Instead she leaned down to collect her bag and moved to sit to his right.

His right arm was almost completely bandaged. The skin that she could see was inflamed and a far cry from the smooth, porcelain skin that she remembered. She could see the dressing extend over his shoulder to his back. Through tearful eyes she travelled down the length of his body. His torso was almost completely wrapped up and she couldn't believe she hadn't noticed as she walked in. Or maybe she had, but it was so much to take in. Her poor baby was so damaged she could barely think straight. The dressing stretched along the right side of his neck and slightly onto his face. The biggest relief was that his face was completely fine. Say for a few scratches and angry red marks, his face had survived any direct contact with the flames. But even if his entire body had been destroyed beyond any recognition, Elena would have loved him all the same. You never, ever give up on someone you're in love with.

She gently reached across to brush back his unruly dark hair and smiled down with overwhelming happiness.

"I'll leave you alone for a while. Keep an eye out for nurses" John warned.

"I will" Elena whispered, not evening looking up, just staring down at her man and wishing she could kiss every inch of him.

The moment the door shut. Elena felt free to talk.

"I feel like I'm in a movie when I ask if you can hear me..." she began, continuing to stroke her thumb over his forehead, occasionally messing her hand through his soft hair, "but I really hope you can Damon, because I want you to know that I am here. That you're safe. That you're always going to be safe - and that I love you with everything that I have."

She paused to watch for any change. She hoped too much that he would suddenly twitch his hand, or his heart rate would go up, or his eyes would open. Everything remained the same. She reached her freehand down to his, but flinched away as she was greeted with the rough texture of bandages that wrapped around his fingers. Before she exploded into more tears, she hurriedly reached down for her bag.

"I brought you a few things you might like," she sobbed, tucking a loose hair behind her ear. "I brought you a photograph of us" she said, reaching into her bag to pull out the photo. It wasn't in a frame, as she knew he couldn't have it on display. "It's the one from the log cabin. The one Alaric discovered, yet it's our favourite" she chuckled, staring down at their faces in the photograph. Her head was turned to kiss his cheek while he smiled into the camera. His eyes were so blue in the photograph. As clear as the sky. She wished he would open them now. Even for a second. "I'll put it in your hand for you to hold" she said, wandering around to the left side of his bed. Even though he was unresponsive, she still felt electricity sparkle her skin as she touched him. She curled his fingers protectively around the photograph... he didn't respond.

"Um.. then I brought a few essentials of yours. For example.." she picked out a pair of Calvin Klein's and stretched them a little at the waistband with a smirk "I know you don't like to wear any other kind of boxers. Please try not to go commando with such a cute nurse looking after you. Then I brought your old friend Mr Leather Jacket. I know you hate to be parted with it. I have no idea when you can wear it but.. but yeah, I brought it. I know how much you love it... um.." she felt herself become more upset as she unpacked the few clothes that she'd brought for him. His clean, masculine scent washing over her as she unfolded them and placed them in the small drawers beside his bed.

"And finally I thought I'd bring a little reading material..." she felt nervous about this one as she trailed her fingers along the worn in spine of Gone With the Wind. His mother's favourite book and his own. "I'll read a little now to you if you like? I'm sure it'll be more interesting than hearing me going on and on," she giggled, flipping open the book to page number one.

She read to Damon for a long while, becoming engrossed in the book herself, enjoying reading to him even though she had no idea whether he could hear her or not. A slight rapt on the door broke off her trail of reading as her Uncle John stepped into the room.

"Visiting hours are almost at an end," he said quietly, clearly not wanting her to feel rushed.

Elena glanced over to Damon who remained as he was. She didnt want to leave. She wanted to stay every minute of every day until he was better.

"Can I visit tomorrow Uncle John?" she asked, closing the book as she looked over her shoulder. John nodded silently.

Elena brushed her thumb along the book that she knew was precious to Damon and carefully placed it in his top drawer.

"I have to go now Damon," she whispered, not bothering her spare her Uncle any awkwardness as she leaned down to place a soft, gentle kiss on Damon's forehead. She inhaled to breathe in his scent... but it wasn't there. Just the faint smell of ash. She placed several quick kisses in succession above his brow as she mumbled how much she loved him. "I'll be back tomorrow. I promise."

Staring down at his beautiful face, Elena carefully slipped the photograph from his hand.

"I love you so much," she said, placing one final kiss on his head before leaving him alone once more.

So there you have it! He's aliiiiive!

I'm already struggling with the next Chapter. It may be the epilogue, but i'm not entirely sure. We'll soon find out. Hope you enjoyed the latest update!

Anna xxx