Very well, here it is, my first attempt at writing Damon. The fic is almost finished already so you can be sure you won't have to wait forever for the next chapter to come. On the other hand, it's not turning out exactly the way I had originally planned it...I hope it goes alright anyway.

The plan if for this to eventually become a trilogy, that is, if enough people like this fic when it's over and want me to continue it. I'm taking a few liberties in this story, breaking cannon a bit, especially regarding the family of some of the characters, as well as their past (and lets be honest, we know so little thus far we can get away with doing it). This fic takes off after "Fool Me Once" and I cannot promise it will be following what is to come after that, mainly because I'm planning a few things that would pretty much make that impossible. Hope you'll ike this anyway.

On another topic, for this fic I have the collaboration of Rachel-Blue-Flame, writer of the "Meetings" series, stories to which I'll make reference in some chapters, they can be considered as sort-of prequels for this.

Oh, by the way there is a song that will be alluded to every chapter, it's called "The Promise", sung by Tracy Chapman, it's like sort of the fics theme, you'll understand the importance of it eventually; but I can seriously recomend you listening to it while reading at least some parts of this story.

Dedicated to all Bamon fans around, lets hope L.J. Smith takes some pity on us and actually makes this cannon!

Disclaimer: Don't own Vampire Diaries, that belongs to the genius Lisa Jane Smith, and the CW for the show.

Now, let us begin!

Promises of Hope

By: Lalaith Quetzalli

Prologue.

Remembering

Your touch

Your kiss

Your warm embrace

I'll find my way back to you

If you'll be waiting

It was late at night, and most people were safe inside their homes, sleeping, however, that wasn't the case for two certain individuals, who seemed to have chosen that precise time to meet, in a small clearing in the forest, illuminated just by the moonlight, they faced each other until on an unvoiced signal, they connected, in a kiss.

It took them minutes to separate, and when they did both were gasping for breath.

Just seconds later he moved to kiss her again, and was pretty put off when she, unexpectedly, moved away from him.

"What's wrong?" He asked in a husky voice.

"Nothing." She replied in a very clipped tone.

"For someone who's usually so great at concealing things right now you're doing a terrible job at it." He told her half-joking, half-serious. "Now tell me, what's going on?"

"It's just that…" She raised her hand to caress his cheek, slowly, softly. "I'm gonna miss you so much…"

There was a shadow in her eyes, he could see it, he could practically feel it in the air, and he defiantly didn't like it.

"What are you talking about?" He asked, confused. "You're leaving? Why? When?" He shook his head vehemently. "Forget that, don't leave."

She sighed, a pain in her expression, as she opened her mouth to speak, but he didn't give her a chance, he'd stepped away from her and began pacing inside the limits of the little clearing.

"Come with me, right now." He told her suddenly. "We'll talk to my father. I'll explain things to him, everything."

"We can't do that…" She whispered softly.

"I know he'll give me hell about it, but eventually he'll understand, I'll make him understand. And I'm sure my brother will be on our side…"

"Please…please don't make this any harder…" She pleaded, more to herself than to him.

"Why? You know how I feel, why shouldn't I fight for that? You know I…"

"Sh…" She stepped to him and shushed him with a finger to his lips. "You knew since the very first day that this, that we didn't have any future."

"That's what you've been saying all along, and yet I'm still here. I'm not the one giving up on us, are you?"

"This isn't about giving up. It's about a battle that was lost before it was even fought."

"What?"

"This is a battle we can't fight, neither you nor I. We just aren't destined to win it. Fate has determined the outcome of it already."

"To hell with Fate! I may not have the kind of Power you posses, but I'm not about to just lay down and wait for things to happen."

"It's not about waiting for things to happen, but about knowing that they will, no matter what we do. Some things just are meant to be."

"No, not this."

"I'm so very sorry…" Her eyes turned glassy, with the tears she held at bay, things were hard enough without one of them crying. "You gotta believe me when I tell you, I care for you as much as you care for me, we just were never meant to be. I'm not your soulmate…"

"If not you, then who?"

"You haven't met her yet, and you won't for some time yet. But trust me, when you see her you'll know, because the moment you do you'll be unable to look at anything, anyone else; you will feel as if the whole world turned around her, as if nothing but her mattered…"

"But that's exactly what I'm feeling already!"

"No, you're not. And that's alright. Trust me, when the time comes you'll know the difference. She'll be the light that breaks your shadow, she'll be able to bring all your walls down with just one look, you'll be willing to go to hell and back for her, and she'll make everything in your life, good and bad, worth it."

"So, you're just giving up, and trying to justify it by saying some day I'll find this soulmate? What about you?"

"I don't matter. This is about you."

"Of course you matter! You always do. Don't undermine yourself, not the way others do it you, you know I've never been able to stand it."

"Alright, I won't."

"And don't think I believe a word of what you've told me."

"You don't need to. It'll happen all the same, and you won't even notice."

"I think I would notice if I were to suddenly have feeing for a woman different to the one that already means the most to me!"

"Not if you forgot me…"

"Never! That'll never happen. I'll never forget you, it's just not possible."

She didn't answer, but there was such a deep grief in her eyes that he was left breathless.

"Promise me one thing." She said suddenly.

"Anything." After such depressing conversation he was willing to do anything to forget all about it, to go back to normalcy.

"Promise me that no matter what happens, you'll always protect my Lineage."

"What?" What the hell was she talking about now?

"Just promise me please. Promise me you'll do everything in your power to protect my Line. You need to, for in the end of it, lies your one hope for salvation."

"What are you talking about now?"

"Don't worry about it, you'll understand it all one day. When you're wandering through the shadows, when you feel the walls closing in around you, remember my words: The End of my Line, holds the Hope for your Salvation."

It was obvious he wanted to question her further, she was being so cryptic, even more so than usual, and it wasn't helping at all with his mood.

"Just promise me, please, promise you will protect my Lineage."

"I promise you, forever."

She smiled, for the first time in the whole night, and still, the smile didn't reach her eyes, for those still held the grief that had been present ever since they had met earlier.

"And I still say there's no way I could ever forget you." He retorted. "In fact, I promise…"

"Stop." She shushed him again. "Don't make promises you won't be able to keep."

"I still say there's no way that can ever happen." He insisted.

But before he could argue anymore she leaned forward, kissing him, slowly, tenderly, as a lonely tear finally escaped her eye.

And then, before he could ask her anything else, she had turned her back on him, practically melting into the shadows of the late night.

.---.

A few days later, it was early afternoon, when a lone woman hurried through the halls of a beautiful manor. She was holding her skirts with one hand, obviously in a rush to get to wherever it was she was going, so focused she was on her task she didn't seem to notice the person walking in the opposite direction in the next hallway before she bumped into him. It was quite lucky that they just stumbled backwards and not fell down.

"Oh I'm so sorry sir, I'm afraid I wasn't looking where I was going, my Mistress called for me and I'm already late…" She began apologizing, head down, like she had been taught.

"It's quite alright miss. I'm in quite a hurry myself, so if you'll excuse me."

"Of course, of course." She answered right away.

Finally she raised her head just enough for her hazel eyes to meet his stormy-blue ones, he held her look for a second, and if someone had walked in on them in that very moment they would have believed something had to happen right then.

Yet nothing did.

The young man nodded curtly and without a single word more he turned his back on her and continued on his way.

She, on the other hand, seemed to suddenly forget she had somewhere to be as well, as she just stood there, in silence, tears falling steadily down her cheeks, there was so much grief and despair in her eyes that one would have cried with her just seeing her.

One lone word left her lips, unheard in the empty halls:

"Damon…"

Together again

It would feel so good to be

In your arms

Where all my journeys end

If you can make a promise

If it's one that you can keep

I vow to come for you

If you wait for me