UNDENIABLE ATTRACTION - DELIJAH (B1)

Part 15: Goodbye

2999 words

Damon POV.

I made my way to the cemetery. Elena.was there with Bonnie and Caroline, they tried to comfort her, Alaric was trying to be brave, brave for Jeremy and Stefan were getting the funeral started.
One by one we all went and placed a rose on Jenna's Tombstone, Elena came over to me and cried on my shoulders, I hugged her to comfort her, Stefan came over almost instantly.
"Elena, it's time to go," he says
"Hey Elena, this is difficult, you are allowed to cry, you will get through this," I tell her. She nodded before leaving with Alaric and Jeremy.
"Damon, what next? I mean what happens when our next enemy comes or Klaus finds out she's alive? I mean who is gonna die next?"
Stefan rants. I shrug, I know he is right.
"No"
he shakes his head
"I can't let Elena lose anyone else."
"A bit too late to make that promise brother",
I sigh
"Tyler Lockwood bit me"
revealing the bite.
"We will find something Damon, A cure, anything. You won't die to this."
I nod but I doubt it, there is no way I will make it.
Stefan walks off and I go to find Bonnie, I need to start saying goodbye. I don't see her but I see Caroline. I walk up to her.
"Hey Blondie"
she slaps me
"Ow?"
I look at her confused
"That's for making me lie to everyone, I swear to God Damon you better tell someone or I will, we will find something Damon there has to be a cure you can't die, not like this."
I nod " I told Stefan."
She looked at me sympathetically
"Hey listen Barbie Vampire, I am Damon Salvatore we will get through this."
I tell her smirking she smiles before shaking her head and coming to hug me.
"And here I thought you would be glad I am finally dying."
I hug her back. She pulls away and rolls her eyes.
"So, if you are dying I need to ask you something. You and the original vampire huh?"
It's her turn to smirk now.
"Caroline."
I groan
"What? I mean I don't blame you. You got attracted to his extremely Sexy body and face. Or was it the suit and tie? Damon Salvatore is hot and heavy with Elijah Mikaelson. Who else knows?"
She giggles.
I sigh
"Nothing happened Caroline, we said goodbye yesterday. No one else knows there was anything, except you and Bonnie, so don't you dare tell anyone. Now go home."
She pretends to zip her mouth and walk out of the cemetery. I look up at the sky before heading home, I'd rather spend the day alone and when it gets too much I'll stake myself, goodbyes are too hard.
I was unaware of the time but it had started to get dark. I was at home in my room and I fell asleep. My body was sweating a lot, I had a fever and was burning up. Hallucinations had begun. Moments of my life I did not wish to relive. Times with mum and dad, I had to relive my father's abuse. Tears fell from my face. I was trapped in my mind. Sleeping caused nightmares but staying awake was too painful. It's time. I grabbed the stake from next to me and placed it on my chest. I'm about to drive it through my heart when it is thrown from my hand.
"You didn't think we wouldn't find out did you?"
And standing in the doorway of my room was Elena and the rest of the mystic gang.
"Leave. At least let me die in peace."
I struggle to sit on my bed.
"You're not going to die, Stefan is searching for something, don't worry he will find a cure. We are staying, we will be with you every step of the way. You are not alone."
Elena tells me. They all come into my room and sit on my bed and the chairs. I let them, despite everything these guys are my family. We sit in silence for a while, it is tense, everyone is worried, anxious and nervous. Elena is next to me with a cool towel wiping my face, getting rid of the heat.
Bonnie broke the silence.
"I remember when we opened the tomb and grams died. I blamed you, Damon. Then I realised you were just as much of a victim, you were searching for someone who wasn't there, so I forgave you and now you are my best friend. That night when I was fighting Elijah's witch, you came and stopped me because you cared more about my life than Katherine or the moonstone."
Her voice started to break
"and Damon I am so glad that I got to know you.".
I smiled feeling my own eyes tear up
"Bonnie Bennett, you are an amazing person and one of my greatest friends, I am so glad to have you here and to call you my best friend, I love you Bonnie Bennett you are amazing."
She smiles tears falling from my face.
"I vowed, to always hate you and never forgive you after what you did to me, Damon."
Caroline began, I was about to apologise when she continued,
"wait let me finish. I wanted to hate you but I couldn't. You convinced my mother I was not evil when I turned and you became such a good friend to my mum, you saved me and all the good things you did meant I didn't care about what you did and I forgave you. You saved me from Klaus and let me save Tyler causing you to get bitten, I am so sorry Damon, I'm sorry." she begins crying.
"Hey, hey, Caroline, it's not your fault, I don't blame you. You have the biggest heart and you are the kindest person I know. Thank you for forgiving me. You are a strong, beautiful, kind and generous person and I am so glad we are friends. Now stop crying, or I will haunt you when I die."
I tell her smiling, she laughs through her tears and wipes them.
"A year ago, at the miss mystic falls Pageant, you saved me from embarrassment. Stefan didn't come because he couldn't control his bloodlust, you stepped in and danced with me, that moment was magical, I had so much fun with you that day, that was the day I knew how much I love you as a friend. That day we went to Atlanta, that was the first time I felt so free after my parents died, you taught me to live again thank you."
Elena said tearfully.
"Elena, thank you for being here. My baby brother is so lucky to have you, you are compassionate and loving, your human and Stefan needs you. You are nothing like Katherine, having you in our life reminded us what it's like to be human. You saw the good in me and fought for both Stefan and I's humanity, thank you Elena Gilbert and I hope you get everything you want from life. You should've met me in 1864 you would've liked me then."
I tell her truthfully
"Hey,"
Elena wiped my head with the towel,
"I like you know exactly how you are."
I looked around the room, everyone was in tears, even Matt and Tyler were upset.
"You know, for a bunch of people who supposedly hate me, I did not think you all would be this upset."
I joke to lighten the mood.
"If we're sharing stories of the infamous Damon Salvatore I would like to say this. I hate that you are my best friend."
Ric says.
"When I came to town I wanted to kill you because you killed my wife and you killed you watched me die. Then I fell in love with Jenna. I had to see you every day at the grill drinking, eventually, you grew on me and well you became my drinking buddy. My favourite memory is of the time we went to the duke, the girl, she attacked you with a vervain dart, you were about to kill her but you didn't, after that, the day we spent in duke was fun."
I smiled remembering the day.
"I love you too buddy."
I say
"You killed my sister. Everything bad that happened is because of you. I should be glad you will be gone. You grow on people Damon, it is impossible to hate you."
Donovan says shaking his head, they all laugh and suddenly the mood isn't so sombre.
Tyler sighs.
"Go on Lockwood, add what you have to say."
I tell him. He shook his head.
"I don't want to say, goodbye, not like this. This is all happening because of me, I bit you, Damon, I am so sorry. You shouldn't have to die."
I sit upon my bed properly with Elena's help,
"let's not play the blame game."
I explode into a coughing fit, coughing out blood, my eyes start to flutter shut, I can't respond to their panic. I hear them screaming my name, rushing around, giving me blood and begging me to stay with them. I can't give up not yet.
"It's ok. I'm here, I'm still here."
They let out a sigh of relief.
" You guys are my family, I wish that this wasn't the way we had to say goodbye but we do for now at least, I'm sorry for everything."
"No, if we have to say bye we are not doing it in this way, let's do a toast."
Jeremy says
"don't tell Stefan I said this but To Damon Salvatore the fun brother"
Jeremy began.
"To Damon Salvatore trustworthy and reliable vampire"
Tyler added
"To Damon Salvatore king of nicknaming"
Matt said
"To Damon Salvatore the best drinking buddy"
Alaric added
"To Damon Salvatore the most arrogant and cocky vampire but incredibly protective."
Caroline said
"To Damon Salvatore, a friend, a leader and amazing person who taught us a lot"
Elena joined in
"To Damon Salvatore, my unexpected best friend."
Bonnie finished the toasts. All of them were crying now, not ready to say Goodbye.
Another voice came
"To Damon Salvatore the brother everyone deserves"
"Stefan, you came"
I exclaim
"There's a cure, we need to get it. It's Klaus' blood, Klaus is blood is the cure."
He says,
"you're not going to die, brother."
"What do we do now?"
Caroline asks
"Yeah, I mean Klaus won't give us his blood just like that."
Tyler adds
"I have an idea, it might work. I need to make a phone call. Everyone else leave for now please, go downstairs. Caroline you can stay."
Caroline looks at Bonnie knowing who she wants to call, I gather she is talking about Elijah. The rest of the group seem confused but leave.
"We will get the blood."
Elena reassures Stefan on their way out.
I feel weak now I can barely speak or move. My fever is high and the shivers are uncontrollable. The last thing I remember hearing before falling back into unconsciousness was Bonnie's voice
"Elijah?"