Chapter Seventy-One: Like the Angel

A beating heart and a microphone

A ticking clock in an empty home

Still tells of these times so long ago

Even though I've come so far,

I know I've got so far to go and any day now I'll explode

Like the angel you are you laugh creating a lightness in my chest,

Your eyes they penetrate me, never cease to amaze me

That's when I got up and left

~Rise Against

Her entire body was tingling. Her skin felt as if it was vibrating, sending little ripples of electricity through her bones. She wanted to keep her eyes closed and bask in this feeling. The warm air buzzed around her with its own energy. She felt light and free, as if she was floating. She never wanted this to end, but someone was calling her name, pulling her out of sleep.

"Nilly, darling," the voice said. "Wake up, baby girl." Nilly slowly opened her eyes to a blinding light. She squinted, confused because she usually slept with her curtains drawn closed. She felt someone swipe her bangs back, and she turned her head away from the harsh light expecting to find Elena waking her up. But she wasn't in her bedroom, she wasn't in a bed at all and Elena wasn't next to her.

"Mom?" Nilly asked, looking at the smiling woman above her. "What—?" Nilin's eyes widened in horrible realization. "Oh no," she said, sitting up slowly. "Oh, no, no, no."

"It's okay, sweetheart," her mother said, but her voice sounded strained as if she was preparing herself for the worst. "Shh shh," she tried to console her, her hand rubbing up and down Nilly's back.

"I... died?" Nilly pronounced slowly. "I died," she restated, this time more of a statement than a question. "Well shit," she breathed, shaking her head.

Nilin looked around her. It looked like she was in the meadow again, except it was more alive. Purple and white wild flowers budded all around them in the green grass. The trees were swaying in the light breeze and shinning in the bright sunlight. Other then her and her mother, there was no one else around. It was serene and stunning. "Where am I?" she asked her mom, running shaky fingers through her hair.

"We like to call it the Other Side," she answered, looking around the meadow herself. She turned to look at her. Nilin noticed her mom's copper hair float up with the breeze, glowing in the light. Her cheeks were pink and rosy, not pale and sickly like they were when her mom was alive. What she noticed the most was her eyes. They were an iridescent aqua color, the blues and greens swirling together.

All at once Nilly realized that this was a beautiful place.

She looked down at herself. Her clothes weren't ripped or bloody. There was no stab wound, no bruises, no bite marks, and no pain. Her skin was soft and clean, her hair was light and curled around her face, and her muscles didn't burn or ache. Nilly felt amazing and she had to run her fingers over her stomach, through her hair and down her neck to believe it.

"Magical, isn't it?" her mother said. Nilly could only nod dumbfounded. "I know it's too much to take in at once, that's why they just sent me."

"Who sent you?" Nilly asked. Instead of answering, her mother stood up, her white dress sliding down her legs. She reached down to Nilin. Nilly took her outstretched hand, allowing her mother to help her off the ground.

"Come on," she said, leading Nilin into the trees. Suddenly the scene changed around them and Nilly was enveloped in white.

"We've been waiting for you Nilin," a deep voice greeted her.

"No, no, no," Elena's voice shattered the atmosphere. She was hyperventilating, making sharp wheezing sounds. Stefan was trying to calm her down, but then she started yelling Nilin's name.

"Elena," he pleaded in an attempted to snap her out of the hysteria. But she wouldn't hear him.

"Damon, Damon, do something," she suddenly looked up at him. "There could still be a chance, we still might have a chance." Elena begged.

Damon remained quiet, kneeling next to the body. That's all that was left, a broken shell of a human girl. No, not just a human girl. This was Nilin. Nilin, whose final act was protecting them and whose final breath was used in an attempt to keep Damon good. Staring down at her, he placed the hand that was still in his gently in the grass. "There has to be a way," he mumbled. "There has to," he stood quickly.

"Damon," Stefan called his name. He didn't respond, he was mumbling to himself. "Damon!" Stefan shouted again. "Whatever you're thinking, don't," he warned, his voice struggling to remain strong as he held on to a sobbing Elena. "There is nothing we can do."

"Witches," Damon blurted out. "We have witches, they can… they can do something to bring her back."

"No they can't, Damon." Stefan said slowly. "It's too late."

Elena let out a sob, and began yelling and shaking Nilin, begging for her to wake up. Stefan wrapped an arm around her waist. He pulled her away, holding a frantic Elena in the grass. "Shh, Elena please," he begged, clutching her to him. The girl continued to struggle though. Her blood shot eyes were wet with fresh tears as she tried to get out Stefan's grasp.

She finally gave up and crumbled in Stefan's arms. "We were supposed to save her," she said quietly. He tried his best to soothe her. "It was supposed to be me," she whispered. "He was going for me."

"Elena, this isn't your fault," Stefan tried. "It all happened too fast." Suddenly he heard laughter coming from his brother. Stefan turned to Damon, who was manically chuckling to himself. He was rubbing the back of his neck as he shook his head.

"Tell me, Elena. How was a girl, who was so weak she could barely stand, able to push you out of the way?" he asked, eyeing her. "Hmm?"

"Damon!" Stefan yelled. "This isn't her fault. She didn't have a chance to do anything, none of us did," he shouted at him. The thought of Elena with a stake sticking out of her made him sick. But the overwhelming fear that was coming over Stefan, was what was making his entire being numb. Had he just watched his brother flip the switch?

Damon was laughing again, but there was something cold and sharp in his eyes. "Actually, you're right for once, little brother. This isn't Elena's fault entirely, it's this fuckers." And before anyone could make a move, Damon was across the meadow in seconds. "Son of a bitch," he cursed as he snatched a jagged tree branch off the ground and drove through Christian's grey corpses again and again.

He stepped back, then, with a roar of anger, Damon slammed his fist into the nearest tree. The wood creaked and moaned before splintering to pieces. Damon continued his assault on them, bellowing curses.

With each crack, Elena cringed closer into Stefan. She gripped his shirt and buried her face in his chest. The anger and the pain took over her emotions. Stefan pressed his face to the top of Elena's head and she could feel wetness drip onto her cheek. Again another tree snapped under Damon's attack, the sound echoing through the forest.

"That's not going to bring her back!" Elena finally yelled, untangling herself from Stefan and standing up. Suddenly Damon was right in front of her, his face inches from hers.

"Don't you think I know that," he growled at her. Elena cringed away from him, taking a step back but he just matched her step with one of his own. "She's dead!" he shouted. "Nothing more than a husk now, the way that every human life ends!" The murderous look on his face sent chills through Elena's body and kick started her heart.

She put her hands on Damon's chest to stop him, but he effortlessly swatted them away. "Damon," Elena warned as he continued his advance.

Suddenly Stefan was between her and his brother, pushing Damon back and grasping Elena behind him. "Back off, Damon," he warned, his eyes seething.

Damon just gave a detached laugh and rolled his eyes at his brother as he stepped backwards. "Like I'd really hurt her," he sneered.

Stefan wrapped his arm around Elena pulling her next to him securely. He took a step towards his brother who was staring across the field. "I know you won't hurt her. But you've been through a lot today, we all have. And we've all lost Nilly." Stefan spoke to Damon cautiously.

"What are you trying to say, baby brother? That I might snap?" Damon asked, opening his arms and facing Stefan. A smirk crossed his face. "Opps, too late."

Stefan kept a watchful eye on Damon as he approached him. "I'm trying to say that you're grieving and you don't tend to handle emotions well. You're—"

"Unpredictable?" Damon interjected. The cold smirk appeared on his lips again before his features returned to stone. "So I've been told, Stefan," he said emotionlessly before kneeling back down next to Nilly. Something seemed to change in Damon all together as he gently brushed the hair off Nilly's closed eyelids. "Get Elena out of here. Take her home. I'll take care of the bodies." Damon said numbly.

Stefan nodded, unable to comfort his brother anymore. He placed a hand on Elena's shoulder, but she shrugged it off and started for Damon. "What do you mean you'll take care of it?" Elena asked. "It's Nilin, for god sakes Damon! Not some nameless victim in a shallow grave."

"I said I'll take care of it!" he roared at her, his head snapping up. The pained crumbled look on his face made Elena's heart break even more. She could see in his eyes that he was hurting as much as she was. He loved Nilly, more than Elena or Stefan thought. The realization hit her and all she could do was nod, letting Stefan envelope her in a hug.

Elena watched as Damon dropped his eyes from her to Nilly's still figure. He placed a kissed on her forehead, lingering for a moment. As Elena turned away, into Stefan's arms, she heard Damon whispered something to Nilly that Elena couldn't make out. Then he looked back up at Elena and Stefan, his eyes icing over once more.

"You have?" Nilly asked, looking at the strange people in front of her. There were four of them, all cloaked in gold and white as they towered over her.

"We have, you have a very interesting life," the one who had greeted her said. She was sure it was a man, even though his face was obscured by the white hood he wore. The other three nodded in agreement.

"You weren't supposed to die in that meadow today," said the slimmer cloaked figure next to him. This one was a woman, her voice reminded Nilly of wind chimes. "Elena was," she finished.

"But you took her place and now you are here," said the cloaked form who seemed to stand with some sort of hunch. His voice was old and nasty as he waved a bony finger at her.

"You still have a duty to fulfill, a very important one," the last and smallest of the four giggled. Nilly reached for her mother's hand. She entangled their fingers together and her mom squeezed Nilly's hand.

"I don't understand." Nilly said slowly, looking at each figure. All of this wasn't making any sense. If she was dead, shouldn't she have gone somewhere else or no where at all. This isn't how she pictured the afterlife. The tall man laughed a hearty sound, stepping forward.

"We are giving you a second chance, Nilin. Your life was ripped from you too early, an unexpected occurrence," he told her.

"No one saw you taking that blow for your sister, not even I," explained the hunched over one.

"We didn't even think you were going to give yourself over to that low life form," the littlest one said sweetly. "That was a big surprise."

"So what does all this mean? I died, I made my choices and I can't change them. I wouldn't change them, I'd do it all over again." Nilin informed them. She knew that if anything had gone differently, someone else would have met the same fate as her.

"But you made the wrong choices, they led to your death," he old cloaked figure chastised her.

"I still wouldn't change anything," Nilin said squarely.

"Ignorant child," he sneered. The taller built man placed his hand on his shoulder. The hunched figure seemed to clam down at his touch.

"Now, now friend, it is alright. This child is correct. She made her choice and now we shall help her make another one," his strong voice boomed.

"She will bring great balance to the world," the slender woman chimed, nodding under her hood. Nilly was lost for words as the slight woman dropped her white cloak back revealing her long golden hair and sharp features. She stepped towards Nilly, placing her slim hand on Nilly's cheek. "You are going to be a special one, I can feel it."

"One what?" Nilly asked, her voice sounding raspy.

"An angel," the woman's icy eyes glistened. Nilly tried to turn her head to find her mother, but the woman held her face in place. "You're a Light Being now, Nilin."

"How?" Nilly whispered. "I—"

"Died," the woman finished Nilly's thought. "We can't bring you back fully," she said, dropping her hand from Nilin's cheek and stepping back. "Forever your heart will be beating its last beat, you'll be breathing you last breath."

"You are forever in between. We plucked you up before death fully sunk itself into your flesh," continued the bronzy man.

"Now your heart thuds slower, your blood is thicker, yet your mind is quicker," said the hunched old man, rising up on his toes.

"You posses immorality," giggled the small one. "But your skin is as fragile as a human's."

"Your senses are sharpened, each one." The slender woman spoke again. "Your mind the most," she touched her fingers to Nilly's forehead. "For it is where you draw your power from." She smiled with her thin lips at Nilin sweetly, letting her hand fall from Nilly's skin.

The largest cloak, with the booming voice, glided towards Nilly. He dropped his hood back, revealing a man with dark amber curls that fell on his forehead. He had square features as more amber hair stuck on his chin and jaw line for his beard.

He dropped his eyes to Nilly's. She was forced to crane her neck to look up at him. "You have a choice to make, Nilin," he said. "Fully embrace this chance that was given to you and live out your fate here with us. Or," he paused for a moment, placing his large hand on Nilly's shoulder. "Return to where your power is lessened and you will never reach your full potential."

Nilly eyes widen. "Wait, I can go back? I can see my family again?" she breathed.

"Yes, but we won't be able to protect you while you accomplish you're duty," he said to her.

"My duty? Which is…?" she asked, looking at the man skeptically.

"All we can tell you is that you're meant to restore balance," he answered her. "And if you stay here you will be safe and you have unlimited power. Never again will you have to experience a woe of the human world. You will be a strong and fearsome Light Being."

Nilly wondered if this was all some sick post-death dream as the hope built in her chest. She could live forever, she could be powerful. That was something she had never felt before. She wouldn't have to fear anyone or anything for eternity. But was immortality worth it if she was alone. She rather be weaker and be with her family than up here. Her mother and father were here though, along with her aunt and uncle.

Nilin looked off to her side where her mother was standing silently. She smiled at Nilly and nodded her head. Her eyes no longer sad, but sparkling with life. Nilly turned back to the man, squaring her shoulders.

"I've made my choice," she told him.

"Elena, it's getting dark." Stefan said, placing a hand on her back. She didn't look up at him as she remained knelt in the grass. She wiped her cheek with the back of her hand.

"I just need another minute," she whispered as she clutched Nilly's cold pale hand to her chest. Elena's fingers repeatedly stroked Nilin's forehead. Stefan didn't know how much longer he'd be able to watch this. He was barely holding it together as it was, but for Elena and his brother to lose it too, it worried him.

Damon hadn't said a word since he instructed Stefan to get Elena out of the clearing. He had been too busy burning Christian's body. Now he stood on the other side of the field, staring down at the smoldering ambers. Stefan squatted down next to Elena, tucking her hair behind her ear to get it off her tear stained face.

"Elena," he said softly, running a hand up and down her back. She looked at him, the blues of her irises standing out from her blood shot whites. Elena nodded her head, before turning back to Nilly's body. She leaned down slowly and placed a kiss on the top of her forehead. Then she allowed Stefan to help her off the ground as he began to lead her away.

She let out a startling sob and Stefan wrapped a secure arm around her. The sky was starting to dim with the setting sun. It threw shadows everywhere, the last rays of light peeking through the trees. A gust wind blew around them, chilling the air. He felt Elena shiver into him and he hugged her tighter as they made their way across the meadow at her pace.

Just as Stefan and Elena made it to the edge of the meadow a flash of light erupted from behind them. It filled the entire field with blinding white light that forced them to shield their eyes. Then a low keen whistle shattered their eardrums. It caused Stefan and Damon to fall to their knees, clamping their hands over their ears. As quickly as it started it ended, the light reseeded along with the awful noise.

"Stefan?" Elena gasped, helping him to his feet again. "What was that?"

"I don't know," he answered shakily. He gathered Elena closer to him, looking out across the meadow to his brother.

Damon was dusting himself off, anger flashed across his face as he met Stefan's eyes. "What the hell is going on?" he shouted, making his way over to them.

"I don't know," Stefan reiterated.

Damon went to respond, but it was drowned out of the startling gasp that came from Elena. Both brothers' eyes snapped to her, but she was staring wide eyed past them. Sharp intakes of air were whizzing through her lips. Stefan had looked to where she was, his mouth seemed to drop open in a state of pure shock.

Time around them slowed. Damon turned to join the other two. What he saw left him breathless. There had always been horror stories told of vampires completely losing there sanity. That must be what was happening to him. There was no other explanation. Damon had finally gone mad. But, then again, crazy people don't question their sanity.

He had become aware of the sounds coming from Elena who had stumbled next to him. Her gasps had turned into sobbing noises. Damon wasn't able to make any noise at all as he stared out at the meadow. The body that had once been cold and lifeless in the grass was now sitting up, frantically grabbing at her chest.

She was hyperventilating, her chest moving up and down raggedly. Her eyes landed on the three of them across the meadow. Even in the dimming light, Damon could see the flex of gold in them. Her pale lips trembled as if she was attempting to speak but couldn't form the words. A dirty slim hand laid on her chest, over her once lifeless heart.

Elena had managed to form words between the sobs that poured out of her mouth. To Damon's ears it sounded like some sort of prayer. It was cut short as they all watched the girl struggle to stand on her feet. She looked just like Nilin, except Nilin was dead. Damon had watched the life leak out of her, he had heard her last heart beat.

Though he desperately and unconditionally wanted it to be Nilin, there was just no way. He watched as she looked down at herself, hands frantically probing her ripped, blood stained shirt. She pushed the bottom of her shirt up, revealing her flat stomach. No blood or gaping wound marked her skin.

Her face was smudged with dirt and dried blood, but it no longer held any bruises or cuts like Nilin's had. Dark drying blood still stuck to her flawless skin. Her clothes were torn and tattered, stained red from vanished wounds.

Her lips started to move again. They trembled as a shaky sob slipped through them. Damon caught movement from the corner of his eye. Elena had covered her mouth with her hands, trying to muffle her own crying. Then in the next second she was racing across the field, through the long grass.

Elena was sprinting, she didn't realize her legs could carry her that fast until that very moment. In a matter of seconds she was all but slamming into Nilly. Both girls fell to the ground. Elena managed to sit up, pulling Nilin with her. Her shaking hands framed Nilin's dirty face. They moved to clutch her shoulders and then gripped her hands in a bone crushing hold.

Tears poured from their eyes. "Nilin," Elena cried. "Nilin, it's you." Nilly couldn't speak, she just nodded her head and pulled Elena into a hug. "Oh god, I thought I lost you," she cried as Nilin held on to her. "I thought I lost you."

"You did," Nilin finally spoke, her voice weak and shaky. "I was dead. I died," she said. Elena noticed that Nilly had began to shake. She started to repeat those words over and over again.

Elena held her out at arms length. "Nilly, shh it's okay," she tried to consol her, but she kept saying it repetitively.

"This isn't real," she started to cry. "I was dead. There was so much blood. It was cold and painful. And I died. I said goodbye. I died," she said hysterically.

Elena shook her and Nilin's eyes returned to her. "It's okay, Nilin," she said, slowly. "This is real. I'm real," she promised.

Nilin seemed to clam down. She wiped the tears off her cheeks before grabbing Elena's hand again. "There— there were people there, in cloaks. They spoke to me, they told me something… I… I can't remember, but they sent me back." Elena tried to hold it together as she watched Nilin stumble and stutter over her words, trying to make a coherent sentence.

"We'll figure it out," Elena said, wrapping her arms around Nilin again. "We always do." Nilin's head rested on her shoulder. She had started to cry again and Elena could feel her shaky breathing. "Shh, it's okay," she whispered. Nilin just nodded, holding her tighter.

Elena heard movement behind her. She turned to find Damon walking towards them, a blank look on his face. Nilin saw him too. She tried to stand, but had some trouble. Elena untangled herself from Nilly and helped her up. She saw the smile that broke out on her face.

Damon had stopped dead in his tracks, watching the two girls. Nilin started for him, taking her steps slow, then she picked up speed. But as she advanced towards him, Damon took a step back. Nilly slowed down, only a few feet away from him. Her smile dropped, as she looked eyes with the vampire. His eyes were cold and hard.

"Damon," she said slowly. "It's me," she assured. Nothing in him changed, his eyes just scanned her over. "Damon," she said his name again, taking a step towards him. He didn't back away this time, so she took another; and another until they were a breath away. He was stone hard and rigid. Tears involuntarily leaked out of Nilly's eyes.

She slowly reached down and took the clenched fist at his side. She smoothed his fingers out and gently laid his hand on her cheek. "It's me," she breathed. Up close, she could take in his disheveled appearance. His eyes were worn and tired looking, as they scanned up and down her body. His mouth was in a hard tight line. Dried blood crusted his hands and shirt.

"You were dead," he said, emotionlessly.

Nilin could almost feel herself smile a little as she took his hand and laid it over her beating heart. She took in a shaky breath as Damon's façade started to break. His eyes sparked with something. The corners of his lips twitched up as a low hiss of air passed through them. "See," she said quietly.

Slowly, Damon brought his other hand up to cradle her cheek. His thumb stroked her tear stained skin as he little by little declined towards her. "Hi there, stranger," she trembled, her eyes beginning to water. His other hand came to frame her other cheek. A smile had broken out across his face. She could see Damon coming back to her.

"How?" he breathed, the feeling tingling her new senses. She looked into his eyes, those midnight eyes that haunted her.

"I always keep my promises," she told him.

Finally, Damon closed the space between them and captured her lips in a searing kiss. Nilin's hands went to his chest, trying to hold him closer to her. She could feel his hands slip off her cheeks and press against her back, leaving no space between them. Nilin pulled away from his for a minute, trembling.

He ran his fingers through her hair, his eyes taking in every inch of her. "I love you," he breathed before capturing her lips again.

Author's Notes:

GUYS THIS IS THE SECOND TO LAST CHAPTER! NEXT WEEK'S IS THE LAST ONE! So much has happened these last couple chapters. It's been really intense. Nilin died, she was told she has a duty to fulfill and then came back. The sequel I'm working on is going to focus on Nilin dealing with this, at the same time it will be following the plot line at the end of season one. So keep an eye out of updates about that.

I can't believe that this first story is ending though. I'm so sad, I don't know what to do with myself. Thank you all for everything, let me know how you think I've done. I want to know what you think. This is so amazing, thank you thank you thank you. I love every last one of you.

Favorite, Follow & Review

RLS