(Sometime in the future)

Death.

It was something I was used to.

Everyone around me was dying, everyone I knew. My dad, Elena's parents, the Founding Family kids, and now I would join them in the afterlife.

I knew that if I stayed in California, I wouldn't be dying right now. But then, my friends would have died, and I never would have met Damon. No matter all the heartache and pain he caused me, I don't regret meeting him, and falling in love with him.

I would never, ever regret that.

As I lay there on the ground, the bullet in my chest burning, my blood slowly and painfully spilling from my body, just waiting to die, all I could think about was Damon.

I was dying for him, and, no matter what he said, he was worth it. He was worth anything.

I moaned out in pain, as I slowly died in agony. I guess I deserved this, after all the shit I've done, all the people I've hurt, I deserved this pain and suffering.

I guess Victoria was right, all the Ellis women who were "gifted" this curse, would end up dead, and not painlessly either. Of course Victoria was a psycho who murdered two family members, but that's beside the point.

I knew I had little time left until I would finally die, and I wish it would come faster. I hated the feelings that I was feeling. Besides the obvious physical pain that was taking me over, I also had to deal with the emotional pain that had tears gushing out my eyes; anger and betrayal. I still shocked me that no matter how close we weren't, she would still do that to me. I'm glad Damon killed her.

Short breaths escaped my mouth, and it became painful to breathe. This was it; I was going to heaven, or hell. Depends on how merciful god would be feeling. Maybe I saved enough people to land a spot in heaven. Or maybe I would just wander about in limbo, watching as my friends moved on and grew up.

I started gasping, which soon turned into coughing, and blood started splattering all over the place. Tears came down, which were now tinted red. I was crying because of the pain, but not because of dying. I had almost died more times than I can count. It was about time I ran out of lives.

I was also crying because of Damon. We were so close to our forever. Things were just getting better between him and Stefan. I couldn't even imagine how my death will affect that. But, I also was a little upset because I would never see him again. He would never know how much I loved him.

I would never be able to see his infamous smirk on his lips ever again, or that sexy thing he does with his eyes, or when I'm in his arms I feel so safe, when he's supposed to be so dangerous. I would never be able to see his smile -which was so rare- or feel his touch, or his kiss, have his arms around me, or feel his bite… and the sex. God, I would miss the sex.

I would miss him. I would miss the good things and the bad, because I loved him more than anything, heart and soul.

So as my spirit left my body, I whispered so softly, I barely heard it, "I love you so much..." my voice hoarse.

And with those words, I close my eyes. And then I, Hailey Ellis, died.