Matt closed his eyes, holding as tightly as he could onto his father, waiting for the final blow to come. But it never came.

He opened one eye, and looked at his father questioningly. As an answer, Peter Maxwell gestured toward Mystic Falls' big clock. Matt looked up just in time to see Hellfire come out of the bell and burst out of the clock – before it was mysteriously drawn back inside it.

Matt didn't know why. But he realized that he was alive, and so was his father. Slowly, a grin spread on his lips and he turned to his smiling father, hugging him like he never did.

Maybe his time hadn't come yet, after all. He hoped Tyler wouldn't be mad at him, wherever he was now. Their friendly reunion would have to wait some more.

Damon rose to his feet. Anger had completely taken over in that confused, crazy head of his.

Why would his brother do that? Why would she do that? How could she betray him like that?! It was his little brother's life she had bargained with, for fuck's sake!

She, better than anyone including Elena on this planet, knew how much Stefan meant to him. He was the reason why he had accepted to complete his vampire transition in the first place – because he couldn't abandon him.

The blue-eyed womanizer's thoughts were all over the place.

Bonnie. His best friend. The person he had the deepest bond with, surpassing any kind of relationship he had ever had with people ever since he was born. The person he had the most incredible and unexpected development with. The woman who had become the center of his life, in a good way, without him even realizing it. At least, not before very recently.

And Stefan. His little brother. His one and only sibling. The man he had sworn to protect with his life the minute he was born. The person he had failed the most. And still, Stefan had been willing to die in his place. He had sacrificed himself because he had refused to let him - Damon Dickhead Salvatore, go. And now he was dead.

Tears welled up in the vampire's eyes, but he held on. His brain was assaulted with memories of his brother – Stefan's genuine, bright smile; his always perfectly done hero hair; his romantic, cheesy replies; his brooding attitude; his loyal, unconditional love…

A tear threatened to fall, and he gave in. It rolled down his white cheek, lonely but meaningful, like the final period of an epic story. His thoughts wandered, hard and sad, but reality soon set back in.

Damon's supernatural hearing caught Latin chants from another room, and he straightened up immediately. His face became attentive, the former thoughts he had been dwelling on fading away as he focused on the singing voice. The vampire only needed a few seconds to recognize Bonnie's voice.

Alarmed, he strode toward the door and pushed it open with all his vampiric strength. He was caught off guard when the door opened easily and he almost fell forward. He expected it to be locked, but it had simply been closed without more precaution.

Phasmatos incendia movet. Phasmatos incendia moveto. Ego es vos. Vos es unos.

The words rang again in Damon's ears and he recovered from his momentary surprise. The urgency in Bonnie's soft voice reminded him of something – she was supposed to draw Hellfire here. Apparently, that part of the plan had been true.

Damon shook his bitterness away – now was not the time to linger on his anger or think about Stefan. What Bonnie was doing was very dangerous, and he wouldn't allow the universe to take her away from him too. He had to help her. Find her. And make sure she stayed alive.

If it was the last thing he did, it would be protecting her.

Damon ignored the little voice inside him troubling him and focused on the chants. Once he had spotted exactly where they came from, the vampire didn't waste a second. He sped to reach his best friend, hoping he wouldn't be too late.

As he passed the corridors at a dizzying speed, the taste of Bonnie's blood lingered in his mouth, feeding his motivation. Not a single other drop of her precious blood would be shed on his watch. He swore it. He was back into the action again; the previous, emotive Damon pushed into a corner of his soul for now – Bonnie was his priority, his goal.

The troubling voice never left his mind, though – You're in love with her, Damon. You love her. That's why you're reacting so passionately. You're in love with Bonnie, it whispered again and again as he ran.

The tears were still dripping from Elena's brown eyes. Stefan stood in front of her, silent. Mute. He hadn't uttered a single word after telling her he was dead, and neither had she. Her ex-boyfriend had merely stared at her, an unreadable expression on his face.

Elena sobbed for a few minutes, shaking her head again and again as if refusing to let reality set in. As if refusing to recognize Stefan's death.

He couldn't die. It was impossible. He didn't deserve it, not after everything he had been through. Mostly because of her.

Stefan hadn't been her first love, no – Matt won that title. He had been much more. Stefan Salvatore had been her first epic love, her soulmate. The vampire had popped up into her life the exact moment she had needed him to – as if it had been their destiny to meet at this point in their life.

She was a miserable, heartbroken teenager, devastated by the death of her parents. He was a miserable, heartbroken vampire, devastated by the never-ending war between him and his elder brother. They were both alive, but they felt dead inside. And the moment they had met, the moment they had fallen in love – the zest for life had rushed back into their heart. They made each other feel alive again. They healed each other's wounds.

And as much as she had tried to ignore it for the past few years, that feeling never went away. As hard as she had tried to convince herself, she had never felt the same thing with Damon. Truth was, deep down, Elena knew she would never love Damon as much as she had loved Stefan. Like a rule of Nature, it was indisputable. Damon made her feel a lot of things, but most of them were unhealthy, though very intense and passionate. Stefan had always been the one for her, the good one, the right one - and she knew that now.

Which was why she had been so determined to keep him in her life in any way possible – a friend, a confidant, a support, an adviser, her best friend's boyfriend... Caroline deserved him and Stefan deserved her. She wasn't jealous about that. Elena knew the ship had long sailed between her and Stefan – didn't mean she didn't love him anymore. It was all very complicated in her heart, but one thought summed it up pretty well - she simply couldn't live without him. And she would never completely fall out of love with him either.

"Elena…," Stefan finally whispered after the long silent minutes.

The sound of his voice instantly shook the brunette out of her thoughts. Elena raised her head and planted her eyes on the man who had turned her life upside down. She noticed the sadness and the love in his gaze – but most of all, the regret.

And suddenly, she knew what she had to do. It was like a spotlight had been aimed on the solution in a room plunged into total darkness up to now.

Elena stared at him, her mouth hanging slightly open as she realized she could save him. Waiting for a reply, Stefan now frowned in confusion.

She would not let him die tonight. Stefan would live.

Bonnie thrust her eyes open the second she felt heat overwhelming her. This could only mean one thing – Hellfire was here.

Her skin became hotter and hotter as she focused on the spell, her mouth chanting the same Latin words again and again. Until she saw it. Right there. In front of her. An immense ball of fire, the way she had never seen in her life. A boiling tornado. The face of what will probably cause her death – at 25 years old.

She could feel the mystical power gushing from it and slowly crawling toward her like a mortal virus. Bonnie shook her head vigorously. No. It wouldn't have her. It couldn't be it for her. Not after everything she had went through. A witch, a ghost, an anchor, a human… She had been so many things, and adding "burnt corpse" on the list wasn't her intention.

But still, Bonnie could feel herself getting weaker and weaker. It was as if Hellfire was sucking her powers away from her, drawing it to its hungry flames and eating it like the Holy Grail it needed to be fed.

Her nose started bleeding. Bonnie extended her burning hands in front of her and raised them up in the air, as if summoning a magical barrier between herself and the fire. But it was no use. She was losing strength, and with strength, confidence…

The Bennett witch felt her heart thumping violently against her ribcage as panic started to make its way inside her.

Maybe she wasn't powerful enough.

Caroline was leaning against the hood of the car, head in her trembling hands.

The atmosphere in the car had been – funeral-like. Ric had driven for half an hour, without pronouncing a single word. Caroline hadn't stopped crying, though she had done her best to do it silently, aware that the girls could hear her. They were already traumatized enough. Josie and Lizzie had finally stopped crying after a while, falling asleep from the energy it had taken from them.

Half an hour later, Ric had finally turned to Caroline and told her that he thought it would be best if they made a quick break right now. They hadn't been on the road for long, but considering the situation, he had figured Caroline needed some time alone. To think and grieve in peace, without having to mind him or the twins.

That's why Caroline was left alone, in front of the car. As soon as they had parked in front of a small shop, on an interstate rest area, Ric had taken the girls to buy some food. Judging by the fifteen minutes which had passed, Caroline knew he was taking his time on purpose. Probably to let her breathe a little. She was thankful for that.

The tears had stopped now. To be honest, Caroline thought she didn't have enough water left in her body to cry some more. Her eyes were red and swollen, and her cheeks stained with marks of dried tears. She had a nasty headache pounding against her temples, and she kept sniffing every five minutes. Not the best state she had been in. The worst one, for sure.

The blond mom lifted her head back up, sighing tiringly. She massaged her temples in an attempt to ease her throbbing headache, before running a hand in her messy blond hair. She didn't know what to do. The pain of losing Stefan wasn't gone yet – it probably wouldn't be before a long time. Years of grieving and nothingness were waiting for her, now that she had lost the love of her life.

It may sound cliché, but the feeling was very accurate – she felt like her heart had been smashed into pieces. It was broken to no repair. The last time she had felt so helpless, so devastated, was after her mom's death. Who she still missed terribly. She could feel pangs every time she thought of Liz Forbes, and her heart automatically clenched painfully when she remembered her. Now, it would clench for Stefan too.

Caroline stared ahead of her, admiring the stars shining into the night. The sky was very dark for June, and she couldn't help associating it to the tragic turn of events their life had taken tonight.

Was that really meant to happen? Was it really what Destiny had for them in store? After throwing so many obstacles their way, which they had all overcome? It was unfair. It was disgusting. It was awful. She didn't deserve that. Stefan didn't deserve that. No one deserved to die like that after a lifetime of misery. Not when happiness had finally showed up in their life. Not when true love had finally rung the doorbell and shown up at their door.

Suddenly, Caroline's depressive thoughts were interrupted by a surprising blast of wind. The former bubbly vampire closed her eyes and raised her arms to protect herself from its impact. When she opened them again, what she saw rendered her speechless.

Elena Gilbert was standing in front of her. Her brown hair was straightened, and she was wearing black jeans with a white top and a purple cardigan.

"Elena…?" Caroline whispered doubtingly, thinking she was hallucinating in her moment of despair. She let her arms loosely fall back to her sides.

"Hey, Care," the brunette smiled tearfully. "Yeah, it's really me," she nodded, confirming to her best friend that she wasn't dreaming, as if reading her mind.

Caroline brought her hands in front of her mouth in a shocked manner. Her eyes widened in disbelief.

"Oh, my god," she breathed out, still staring at Elena as if her mind was playing a trick on her. "But – what...? How…?" the blue-eyed vampire stuttered, unable to move.

Elena took a few steps toward her friend.

"I don't have enough time to explain," she said. "But I just needed you to know something," the doppelganger mysteriously started.

Caroline frowned, slowly starting to accept the reality of the situation. And the fact that, though she didn't know how nor why, she was talking with her comatose best friend. She even checked her hands to make sure she wasn't standing over Elena's coffin and holding her hand into her own, which would explain why all of this was happening.

"What is it, Lena? Is something wrong?" the blond asked alarmingly.

Elena shook her head negatively, and grabbed both of her friend's hands. "No, nothing's wrong. Trust me, everything's okay," the Gilbert girl reassured her.

"What is it, then?" Caroline pressed, squeezing Elena's hands to encourage her.

The brunette stared at her and took a deep breath. Caroline waited, uncertain of what was coming, nor what was really happening.

"I just wanted you to know that I love you, and I want you to be happy," Elena started, her brown eyes shining with sincerity and unshed tears.

A panicked alarm clock rang into Caroline's head. Why was her best friend telling her that kind of thing? It felt like she was confessing while knowing it'd be the last time she'd be able to.

"I love you too, Lena…But why are you telling me this now?" Caroline wondered aloud, eyebrows quirking worryingly.

"Just let me finish, please," Elena pleaded, squeezing Caroline's hands even tighter. "You'll understand soon enough, but I can't tell you," she added hastily.

Her friend nodded in understanding, though she was dying to have the answer right now. Elena smiled thankfully and resumed her speech.

"You're a wonderful woman, Care. And an amazing best friend, just like Bon. I was so blessed to have you both in my life," the doppelganger admitted fondly. Caroline smiled back. "Which is why I had to make sure you'd both get your happy ending, just like I had the privilege to taste mine before that magical coma," she continued, watching as Caroline listened attentively now. "You deserve to get what you long for, Care. And you will, trust me. I just wanted you to know that," Elena finished, and Caroline noticed tears threatening to fall in her eyes.

The young mom immediately started worrying again. Why was she so emotional?

"What does that mean, Elena? What is all of this about?" Caroline demanded again, stubbornly. Her voice had raised a little due to her nervousness.

"Don't worry, everything's okay," the brunette answered calmly, but her best friend could tell it was just a façade. "What it means is that I made sure you got your happy ending," she insisted, planting her gaze into Caroline's blue eyes.

"But – "the blond started again, but she was interrupted once more by the brunette.

"Just promise me you'll remember that," Elena urged her on, fighting to keep her tears from falling.

Caroline hesitated for a second, but decided to please her friend once she spotted the hopeful and desperate expression on her face.

"Okay, I promise," Caroline swallowed, nodding her head to Elena.

"Thank you. Be happy. I love you," Elena whispered, throwing her arms around Caroline's waist to embrace her.

Surprised but glad to be able to feel Elena again in her arms, Caroline responded to the hug and squeezed her tighter. After a few seconds, Elena pulled away and let go of her friend's hands.

"I love you too," was the last thing Caroline said to her as Elena disappeared from view in a blinding white light.

The blond vampire stayed still, her arms hanging vaguely along her body as she stared at the empty space Elena was standing in seconds before. She didn't know what that was about, but she had a very bad feeling.

The sound of footsteps pulled Caroline out of her thoughts, and she turned her head to see Ric and the girls walking toward her.

"We've got everything. Are you ready to go?" Ric asked her as he placed the twins in their backseats, before closing the doors.

"Yeah, I – hum… I'm ready to go," Caroline stammered, still shaken by her conversation with Elena.

She wondered if she should tell Ric about it, but then decided that it was best to keep this event to herself. According to her best friend, it wouldn't be soon before she saw what Elena meant, anyway…

Damon burst inside The Armory's study room. The first thing he noticed were candles placed on every table, and the intense heat in the air.

He jerked his head forward and widened his eyes in astonishment. Hellfire was standing a few meters from him, its giant flames cracking and twisting menacingly. It looked like the most tremendous ball of fire he had ever seen in his life. It was scary, frightening – even for an immortal vampire. Damon had never witnessed such a great demonstration of power.

And Bonnie was standing centimeters from it. One blast of wind and she was dead. Burnt to death. Swallowed by the dangerous tango of those deadly flames. Forever.

Damon's senses instantly went on high alert at the realization.

"BONNIE!" he screamed desperately, running toward her.

He was a meter away from her when his skin started to hurt badly. It was as if he was burning alive. The heat produced by Hellfire was too much to take, and he felt himself sweating like he never did before. The vampire stopped, panting heavily.

"BONNIE!" he yelled again, his throat hurting because of its dryness.

But the Bennett witch was too concentrated to hear him, and she kept her back turned to him. His eyes closed painfully, blinded by the light of Hellfire, and Damon felt himself losing strength and suddenly getting weaker and weaker…

He had to step away from that thing, he knew it. Or he'd die. But he couldn't. Not without Bonnie. Not before making sure that she was okay and safe. He wouldn't let that thing harm her, wouldn't let her martyr side taking over one more time. That time was over. Bonnie Bennett deserved to live, and she would.

Damon felt his knees tremble. He was about to collapse from the state he was in. But he tried to stand still, fighting this sudden weakness to stay close to his best friend.

"Damon!" her melodic, sweet voice echoed in his sensitive ears as he was about to give in.

And out of nowhere, he was back at the entrance of the room, away from Hellfire. All his symptoms of weakness and dizziness disappeared, as if he had only imagined them. He was back on his feet, steady as ever, and felt his immortality rushing through him.

Damon looked up and understood that Bonnie had sent him flying away from Hellfire. This thing had caused him to feel that way. He couldn't approach it without weakening. She was still in the middle of the room, facing the gigantic fire.

The vampire could tell that saving him had taken a lot of effort from Bonnie, which had made her lose concentration and allowed Hellfire to get the upper hand on her. Guilt washed him over. All of this was his fault.

Damon smelled blood and immediately froze. It was Bonnie's. He narrowed his eyes and noticed that blood was dripping from Bonnie's nose. Uh oh – not a good sign. Really not. His breath hastened and he shook his head. No way. You're not having her.

"IT. IS. NOT. MY. TIME!" Bonnie desperately cried, blinking and shaking her head as she extended her hands in front of her.

She was using all the power she had inside her. But it didn't seem to be enough, now that she had lost the advantage. Damon's sudden appearance had alarmed her – he wasn't supposed to wake up so fast. He wasn't supposed to be there. He was supposed to be laying in the bed, safe and sound, away from the thing who could destroy him for good – Hellfire. Seeing him so close to it had sent her over the edge of panic, and she had stupidly turned away to send him flying on the other side of the room. Back at a distance from which he was safe. Away from danger. But it had caused her to get distracted, and Hellfire had taken over.

"Ugh!", she screamed out of rage, and planted her feet even deeper in the floor.

Her arms hurt from being fully outstretched but she ignored it, closing her eyes not to be blinded. She had to resist. Even though all seemed lost now, she couldn't give up.

"Bon," she heard Damon call her again.

She opened her eyes alarmingly – but he wasn't standing next to her. She turned her head on the left and saw him standing a few meters away from her and Hellfire, leaning against a wall. From there, Hellfire didn't seem to affect him, and she sighed in relief.

Focusing not to break her concentration, Bonnie kept fighting Hellfire while looking at him. The sight of his blue eyes immediately soothed her, and she wanted to run into his arms.

"What are you doing here, Damon?! It's dangerous, you need to leave. Right. Now," Bonnie said sternly, though she wanted the complete opposite.

Having him here, by her side, provided her some sort of comfort. It made her stronger. It made her want to fight harder. Because it reminded her that she had to save him, but most of all – that she loved him. And she wanted to be alive to tell him.

"I'm not leaving without you, Bon," Damon answered passionately, his eyes flickering with something Bonnie wasn't sure she recognized.

The fire intensified and crackled even louder. Bonnie groaned and averted her sensitive eyes from its big flash.

"You have to, Damon. I've got this," the witch replied, swallowing hard as she stared at him.

"Yeah, right. Don't insult my intelligence, please," the vampire scoffed, shaking her lie off with a raised and disturbed eyebrow.

She could feel the distress and the urgency in his tone. He wouldn't drop it, she knew it. The young woman bit her lip and let out a frustrated breath.

"Damon, I'm serio- "Bonnie tempted again, but her insufferable best friend cut her off.

"I'm not abandoning you again, Bonnie. I promised, remember?" he stated, his expression defying her to contradict him. "I intend to keep that promise," he added with a serious look.

Their eyes stayed connected for a moment, before Bonnie looked down. He meant every word, she had seen it in his blue orbs. She was thankful for him, really. The fact that Damon wanted to honor his promise and refused to leave her side touched her more than he could imagine. It made her feel loved, and cared for, and worthy. But it was too dangerous, and she wasn't powerful enough – she'd lose, but she couldn't bring him down with her.

Hellfire roared in front of her, and Bonnie snapped her head back toward it. Her hands lifted higher and she focused to send another blast of power toward it. She knew she wouldn't be able to hold it back much longer. Damon cursed and stopped himself from jumping forward and grabbing her to speed them as far from this thing as possible. Though he knew it would be no use.

Her heart clenched tighter and she met Damon's intense stare. She almost forgot how to breath by how loving it was.

"I appreciate that," she gave him a small, thankful smile. "But I'm not powerful enough…" her voice cracked. "Hellfire is winning, and I can't be responsible for your death too," Bonnie confessed, tears forming in her green eyes as she thought about Stefan.

And her own upcoming death.

"Don't say that," Damon vigorously shook his head. Bonnie blinked and moved her feet as another wave of power left Hellfire. "You're Bonnie Sheila freakin' Bennett! You're the most powerful witch on earth! You saved me from Cade himself – you claimed my soul. You created your own realm for Enzo!" Damon passionately enumerated, stepping closer to her, careful not to stand too close to Hellfire.

Bonnie bit her lip as he stared admiringly at her. She could see the admiration, the gratitude and the love in his eyes, that he felt for her. It made her shiver.

"You can do it, Bon. You're my best friend – and everyone knows I don't choose them loosely," the vampire winked, and Bonnie laughed tearfully. "You're strong, and powerful – and you already know how much I respect and admire you for that, as I told you when you went all Rayna on me," his tone was more serious now.

Bonnie nodded, feeling her magic rushing more and more easily inside her as Damon spoke.

"I remember," she breathed out, panting from the effort it took her to hold back Hellfire.

"I meant every single word," Damon let out sincerely. He didn't know why but his heart and feelings were pouring out of him like a necessity. "I trust you, Bon. I have faith in you – you're strong enough," he encouraged her, smiling. "And I love you," the vampire gulped down the nervous lump that had formed in his throat.

He wasn't sure in which context Bonnie would take this declaration of love. Surely, not the one he meant.

Bonnie swore her heart jumped and forced its way out of her ribcage to reach Damon's. His last words hit her like a tsunami of love, strength and hope. It was indescribable.

"I love you too," she returned warmly, her lips lifting to the corners of her mouth.

Damon nodded, blinking. He wasn't sure whether he was hallucinating or not. But he'd take it anyway, no matter how she meant it.

"Besides, you're not exactly alone," he broke the meaningful silence between them, smiling knowingly.

Bonnie frowned in confusion. Damon ignored it and planted his eyes into hers. "Now use that witchy juju of yours, and make me proud," he smirked.

As soon as those words left his mouth, Bonnie felt something brushing her skin. She turned her head on the right, and gasped. Sheila Bennett, her Grams, was standing next to her. She smiled at her granddaughter and interlaced their fingers.

"Grams…" Bonnie whispered, staring at the dark-skinned witch in disbelief.

Sheila nodded and addressed her another loving grin. Immediately, a wave of unconditional love embraced Bonnie, giving her more strength. Bonnie watched as Sheila's gaze drifted to Hellfire, and she started chanting the spell without another word. Bonnie smiled understandingly and started doing the same, holding her Grams' hand as tightly as she could.

She turned her head to look at Damon, expecting him to stand a few meters away from her left. But he wasn't there anymore. Instead, a crowd of chanting, dead Bennett witches surrounded her, forming a powerful human chain. Bonnie glanced around to try and spot Damon, but he was nowhere to be found. At least, not in her field of vision.

She frowned worryingly, but that sensation went away the second she felt her cousin grabbing her free hand. Lucy Bennett winked at her while chanting and Bonnie returned her smile thankfully. She spotted Beatrice Bennett, her ancestor linked to Matt's, on the line behind. Her heart swam in a thousand kinds of emotions.

And suddenly, Bonnie knew she was strong enough now. Hellfire stood no chance against the Bennett line.

"Phasmatos incendia movet. Phasmatos incendia moveto. Ego es vos. Vos es unos. PHASMATOS INCENDIA MOVEEEEEETTTTTTTT!"

With a loud scream, the Bennetts stepped forward in rhythm, joined hands raised in the air, daring Hellfire to resist such combination of power and love.

Like a defeated King, Hellfire bowed down before the Rulers of Nature, and flew backward, retreating into the depth of Mystic Falls' giant clock.

Stefan watched curiously as Elena fixed him before closing her eyes. Her eyebrows quirked in what seemed like a concentrated state, and her forehead creased.

"Elena, what are you doing? What's happening?" the ex-vampire questioned, frowning worryingly as Elena kept silent for a few minutes.

When the brunette opened her eyes again, she gave him a warm smile and stepped foward until they were face to face. She stared at him lovingly, memorizing every inch and imperfection of his skin, before bringing a hand up to rest it against his cheek.

Stefan's forehead deepened in confusion and surprise, but he couldn't help himself from leaning against her touch. He had missed it terribly. He had missed her terribly.

"You're human again," she whispered, looking at her finger brushing his pale skin.

Stefan froze, taken aback.

"How- How do you know?" he stuttered, glancing down at her as his eyebrows furrowed even more.

Elena turned her head back to him and smiled knowingly.

"Your skin… It's warmer and softer. And your eyes – they're a shade greener. Just like when you were human," she stated with a shrug, as if it was an evidence.

"How can you know that?" Stefan let out in a moved, astonished tone.

"Well, I did fall in love with you, so I noticed that kind of thing. And I saw a picture of you in your childhood home, back in 1903. You were probably 10 or something, so human," Elena told him softly, as if it was completely normal for her.

Stefan couldn't tell what he felt in that moment, except that her words hit him full force and echoed in his human, dead heart like a soothing melody. He was amazed at how intimately she knew him. No one had ever noticed such details on his physique. No one had ever studied him so closely.

Out of a picture, she had been able to recognize the signs of his humanity. She knew him shade by shade, tone after tone. So deeply it made him realize how strong and profound their love had been.

"You're human again and you're dead. This is too unfair," her sweet voice pulled him out of his thoughts. She was still watching him closely, and stroking his cheek.

"No, it's not," Stefan gently shook his head. "I made a sacrifice, so Damon could get his happy ending. With you," he stated and smiled reassuringly.

Elena dropped her head and bit her lip.

She didn't think that she was Damon's happiness. In fact, she knew that she hadn't been for a while, and she was okay with that. And if everything went as planned, and everyone played their part correctly afterward, then Damon would get his happy ending anyways. He would finally have the person he truly loved.

"And I made sure you would get your happy ending. With him. And Caroline," the brunette revealed as she raised her head to meet his gaze.

"What do you mean?" Stefan frowned once more.

It just kept getting blurrier and blurrier in his brain. He couldn't understand a thing. But he knew something was wrong. Elena's aura had changed, he could tell. It was the first thing he noticed as he took a closer look at her. She looked brighter – as if she was an Angel.

"I made a sacrifice too," her voice cracked as she lifted her other hand to frame his face. "I switched places with you," Elena blurted tearfully.

Stefan's heart dropped. Question marks popped up into his mind as he wondered what in the hell it meant, and how it was even possible. The only thing he knew was that it was tragic, and painful. But shock and incomprehension made it all unrealistic.

"What? I-I don't get it. What does that mean, Elena?" he swallowed, torn between this feeling of confusion and the overwhelming pain, grief and sadness which slowly made their way up to his heart and brain.

Elena took a deep breath, and laid her soft, brown eyes on his helpless expression:

"I don't know why nor how, it just came to me. But I figured a way to save you, and I know it'll work," she started with difficulty. The emotion in her voice was hard to control as she looked at him. "This place, it's weird," she waved around them. "I don't really understand how it works, but I know this – the only people who stay here are the ones who truly deserve it," the brunette continued, closing her eyes to find the strength to carry on.

"Elena -," Stefan interrupted but Elena shook her head and placed a finger on his mouth to shut him up.

"No, don't. Let me finish, please," she demanded weakly. Her eyes were glassy.

The young Salvatore nodded in defeat, a nervous lump forming in his throat as he waited for her to continue.

"You don't deserve to stay here, Stefan. All you've done in your life is try to save people and make them happy, while taking blows after blows," tears started to fall from her eyes as she fought to keep talking. "And everyone sacrificed so much to save me and make me happy – you, Damon, Matt, Tyler, Ric, Caroline, Bonnie… You've all lost so much for me," Elena shook her head, thinking back to all the people who had died for her, willingly or unwillingly.

Matt had lost his sister. Bonnie had lost her only family – her Grams. Her mom had been turned into a vampire. Caroline had been turned into a vampire. Tyler had become a werewolf, and then a hybrid. She had broken Stefan's heart. Jon, Jenna and Isobel had died because of her. Everything was her fault, because everything had always been linked to her. Directly or indirectly. The people she loved had suffered to guarantee her happiness, and it was time to stop that.

She was aware of everything she had caused. She was ready to pay the price. She was ready to make amends for everything they had endured.

"So, now it's my turn. It's my turn to sacrifice myself for each one of you," Elena swallowed hard, as tears rolled down her cheeks. But she held on. "I've decided to die, Stefan. To save you. Death will take me now, not you," she cried, brushing her thumbs against his smooth skin.

Stefan gaped. He blinked. His eyes widened and reality finally set in. Elena had chosen to die at his place. It meant he would wake up. It meant he'd never see her again. But how was that possible? How had she done it?

"Elena, I…," Stefan tried to speak, but his voice got stuck in his throat. Tears rolled down his cheeks and he brought his hands to interlace them with Elena's, on his face.

"The death of a doppelganger is enough of a powerful and mystical event to destroy whatever is happening in Mystic Falls. I can't explain it, but I know it," she forced a soothing smile to him. "I know I have the power to save you, and everyone. I know I have to do this. It feels like my destiny. The ultimate sacrifice I need to make to guarantee my happiness, and the one of the people I love," her voice was trembling.

They were both crying now. Their cheeks were wet from the tears cascading down their face like fatal drops of despair. The pain was unbearable, heartbreaking. It was overwhelming, so present that Stefan couldn't shake it off even for a second. It made him crazy, desperate. Pain weighed on their heart as if they were stuck under a big truck.

"No, Elena, no…. You can't do this," Stefan whispered brokenly.

He was shaking his head vigorously, refusing to let her go. Refusing to face reality, to accept her choice. It wasn't supposed to be like that. He felt completely powerless, and empty.

"There has to be another way…You just can't die," he cried, grabbing her hands. "Not for me. I can't let you do that," he added quickly. But Elena was determined.

He felt her hands tighten around him in response, and his heart broke. It was the last time he would get to touch her. Hear her. Feel her. See her. This never-ending circle of grief was unbearable. He couldn't get out of it.

"There's no other way, Stefan. It's my time, I can feel it. It's my redemption," Elena's tears fell on their joined hands as she squeezed them.

"No…," Stefan murmured weakly, in a last attempt. It held such despair in his tone that it broke her soul.

Elena untangled their hands and brought her arms around his neck, hugging him as tightly as she could. Stefan encircled her waist, and held on for dear life. She placed her chin on his shoulder and leant her head against his. He bent his head to bury his face into her delicate neck, and smelled her scent.

They both closed their eyes, and cried into each other's arms. They cried until there was no water left in their body. They cried the loss of their once epic soulmate. They cried the death of their love. They cried the harsh separation of their joined souls.

Damon was panicky.

One second he had been staring at Bonnie, and the other, she had vanished out of sight. He had felt a strange but powerful energy overwhelming him, and then several Bennetts had appeared in front of his unbelieving eyes. He had instantly known that they were here to help Bonnie, which had taken a weight off his mind. He had been reassured.

However, out of nowhere, right after he had addressed his best friend to warn her about her ancestors' presence, she had disappeared. All of them.

The room was suddenly empty, and he was left alone. He wondered if it was an invisibility spell, like the one the Heretics tended to use. His heart hammered furiously against his ribcage, as his eyes narrowed and searched every corner of the room, in hope to spot Bonnie.

But there was no one. Not a single soul.

"What the fuck?! BONNIE!" he yelled as loud as he could, but he got no answer.

He was starting to get very worried. His feet moved without him being conscious of it as he paced back and forth impatiently. There had to be an explanation. She couldn't have just vanished into thin air….

That's when he heard it. This voice. Her voice.

"Damon…," it called him delicately, in an almost inaudible murmur.

Damon jerked and snapped his head toward the familiar sound. His eyes widened and he lost the ability to speak for a few seconds.

"Elena…," the vampire breathed out, unable to move any member of his body as he stared at her.

It was impossible. He was dreaming. He had to be. She couldn't be there. And yet… She looked so real.

"Yeah, that's me. And I'm really here," her brown eyes welled up and she crossed the space separating them. "I missed you so much," she confessed, before hugging him tightly.

Damon swallowed and blinked. His arms hung loosely along his body, still not processing what was happening. His body and mind didn't seem to react for a minute.

But then she pulled away and looked at him, and everything suddenly became clearer. She was standing right in front of him. It wasn't an illusion, she was here. He didn't know how, but she was.

"I missed you too," the vampire finally managed to say as his gaze fell on her.

Elena smiled tearfully and nodded.

It was good, seeing him again. Feeling him again. Hearing his voice again. She knew it'd be the last time, but it didn't hit her the way she thought it would. Maybe she had prepared herself to this, years ago, when Damon went into her mind to tell her about Kai and her magical coma. She had always had the impression that they wouldn't get their happy ending.

"I need to tell you something," the brunette sighed, shifting her gaze to the ground.

"Wait a minute," Damon cut her off. He lifted her chin with his finger, and planted his icy blue eyes in her brown ones. "First, you're going to tell me how you are here, and what happened," he demanded gently, stroking her chin with his finger.

"It's a long story but… To make it short, I chose to visit you. Mentally," Elena explained, watching as he frowned.

"Since when can you do that? Why didn't I know before now?!" Damon wondered loudly, his face contorting into a hurtful expression.

Elena took his hand and squeezed it. She bit her lip and offered him a sorry smile.

"As I told you, it's a long story," she shrugged. "But this is not important. That's not why I'm here," she continued before Damon could retort.

His lips closed into a thin line. He disagreed. It was important to him.

He was annoyed at ignoring what was going on precisely. This reunion between them seemed too good to be true, but above all, too soon. That's what stopped him from enjoying it the way he should. That's what made him behave so distantly, so detached from her. It wasn't the reunion he had imagined.

"You're probably going to find it weird, but I'm here to talk about Bonnie," Elena told him, sounding determined. She ignored the crazy look he was sending her.

"Bonnie?" Damon's brows furrowed, the subject that their conversation was taking arousing his interest. "What about her? Is something wrong? Did something happen to her? Is she okay?" he bombarded her with questions, his voice full of concern and worry.

"No, nothing happened. She's okay," Elena reassured him with a small smile, and he realized she wasn't holding his hand anymore. "I'm talking about you and Bonnie, as a relationship," she explained, looking at him with knowing eyes.

"I'm afraid I'm not following you, Elena. Me and Bonnie are best friends, you know that. You said it yourself," Damon replied, confused.

Elena listened attentively and smiled when she picked up the uncertain note in Damon's answer. She knew it. She had known it for quite a while now. He was lost in his feelings. He was in denial.

"Are you, really? We both know that's not the truth, Damon. Come on," the doppelganger insisted softly, shaking her head.

It was starting to annoy him. He had no idea what was happening, but it was weird and he didn't like it. He didn't know what to think of this situation. He couldn't tell if it was real, the fruit of his imagination, or both – all of this made no sense. And where the hell was Bonnie?! That's her he needed and wanted to see right now.

That's when he realized what Elena meant. His last thought had given him away. But though he knew what his girlfriend was insinuating, Damon wasn't sure he was ready to confront it. To face his feelings. To face Elena. He didn't want to hurt her. He didn't know how to tell her without crushing her heart. Without putting a harsh end at their dream – reuniting after Bonnie's death to live a long and happy human life together. That's not what he wanted anymore, and he had understood that only recently.

He had no idea how Elena knew, but even if she did, he still loved her enough not to want to hurt her. He may not be in love with her anymore, but she was still someone very important in his life. Someone he cared and would always care about.

"Elena…Don't," the vampire pleaded her, tearing his eyes away from her to look at the floor.

"Hey, it's okay," she whispered, placing a hand on his cheek. "I'm not mad at you, Damon. It's life. It's destiny. You don't choose who you love," she smiled understandingly, stroking him tenderly.

Damon leaned into her touch and sighed deeply. He didn't regret falling in love with Bonnie, but he regretted putting Elena in that position. He didn't like being the one to shatter their perfect illusion.

"I'm sorry, Elena. I didn't want to hurt you," he murmured, grabbing her other hand to squeeze it affectionately. That's all he could do.

"I know," Elena nodded, and a tear escaped her eye. Damon wiped it off with a brush of his thumb. "We just weren't meant to be together, after all," she shrugged helplessly and her voice cracked a little.

"I really do love you, Elena. Just not – "

"Not the way you used to anymore," she ended his sentence, and the vampire nodded slowly. "I can't be mad at you, because it's the same for me. Being in that coma, all alone, it made me think," she admitted, glancing around before settling her eyes on Damon again. "Sometimes people know they're wrong for each other but they stay together anyway, because they're in love with the image that their love story conveys," the brunette stated in a fatal way.

"Why are you telling me this now?" Damon wondered after a few silent moments.

Elena stared at him and dropped her hand from his cheek. It fell to her side, like a resigned rope that has been cut off its long-time holder.

"I'm telling you this now because I want you to confess to Bonnie. I want you to get your happy ending, because soon, I won't be there to watch it. I need to make sure you both get it before I go," she revealed to him with a genuine smile.

Damon looked at her closely and spotted this expression on her. The defeated, fatalistic expression that people who know they're going to die wear. He suddenly felt like his heart had landed on his stomach. His throat went dry.

"'Before you go?' What do you mean? Where are you going?!" his voice raised worryingly.

"Just promise you'll act on your feelings. You deserve it, and so does Bonnie," Elena ignored his questions as she brushed his cheek one last time, before squeezing his hand.

"Elena, what- ", Damon started.

"Please, Damon… Just promise," she cried and he nodded, defeated.

His forehead creased as tears cascaded down Elena's face.

"I promise, I promise," he repeated, taking Elena's face between his hands to calm her down.

"Thank you," she whispered heartbrokenly, trying her best to hold back her sobs. "Goodbye, Damon," she said, throwing her arms around him to hug him tightly.

This time, Damon returned her hug and wrapped his arms around her waist. He stroked her back and told himself to stop worrying, that this was not what he thought. It was not a final goodbye.

Elena pulled away and Damon squeezed her hand one last time. She smiled and he leant to press a kiss on her forehead, causing them both to close their eyes. "Goodbye, Elena," he said after taking a step back.

Their hands parted and brushed together one last time, before Elena vanished into a blinding, white light. The vampire had to close his eyes and protect them by lifting an arm in front of him. He couldn't help thinking that it really did look like a final goodbye.

When he opened his eyes again, the first thing he noticed was Bonnie. Lying unconscious, on the floor. He rushed to her side.

It was a familiar, cheery voice who broke Elena and Stefan apart.

"Wow... That was beautiful," the feminine voice commented warmly.

The couple immediately let go of each other and Stefan's head jerked around as Elena gaped. The two pairs of eyes settled on a slim, tall figure with white legs and long, straightened blond hair. Her famous black clothes and leather jacket betrayed the rock style she loved so much, and there was no doubt who it was.

"Lexi!" Stefan exclaimed with a grin, and he ran to her.

She smiled and they laughed happily when he picked her up in his arms and whirled her around in the air. Elena observed them with a grin, her heart clenching at the happy reunion before her. She was glad they had the opportunity to see each other again.

"I've missed you so much," Stefan whispered into Lexi's hair, once he had settled her down.

"I've missed you too, Hero Hair," she returned jokingly, hugging him closer to her.

"So, why are you here?" he asked her after pulling away from their embrace.

Lexi looked past his shoulder and pointed to Elena.

"I'm here for her," she announced gently as Elena raised an eyebrow. "Figured I couldn't let her go on her afterlife journey all alone, and I'd guide her to it," she winked at her in a friendly way.

Elena smiled and walked toward them. Once she was in front of Lexi, the brunette extended her arms for a hug. Lexi smiled and embraced her softly.

"Thank you," Elena told her, before Lexi pulled away.

"Of course," the blond nodded. "It's good to see you again, Elena," she stated with a small smile.

Stefan put his hands inside his pockets as he watched them interact. Seeing his long-time best friend again had lightened the painful weight on his heart. It had made him forget about the current situation they were in for a moment. That's what Lexi's presence always did to him – it made his life lighter, and better. She had always been a cure to his misery and problems, and she would always be. She was his best friend, her partner in crime for life.

"So, you said you were guiding me to my afterlife – what is it exactly?" Elena wondered curiously as she tilted her head to the side.

"Where do you think you're going, girl?!" Lexi exclaimed as her eyebrows lifted. Elena frowned and the blond girl sighed dramatically. "To Heaven. The obvious and only place Elena Gilbert would end up into," she answered with a smirk, as if it was the most logic thing on earth.

Elena's eyes widened and she shared a look with Stefan. He was as surprised as she was.

"So, it does exist? For real?" Stefan questioned, disbelief evident in the tone of his voice.

"Of course, it does, Mister Pessimist," Lexi replied with a playful scoff. Stefan rolled his eyes but felt his lips lifting into a smile at her nickname habit. One of the rare common points she had with Damon. A fact she liked to ignore. "Does it really surprise you that much, after everything you've encountered? If Hell does exist, why wouldn't Heaven too?" she shrugged with an amused look.

"Good point," Stefan admitted and Lexi shoved him gently. He smirked.

"So, I guess it's time to go, huh?" Elena said sadly as the ground started to shake a little, and the high school's hallway became darker.

"Yeah, it is," Lexi confirmed in an apologetic tone as she took a quick glance around them.

Elena nodded and turned to face Stefan. "Be happy, Stefan. And tell Bonnie I love her and to live her life to the fullest. I don't want her feeling guilty about me," the brunette told him and he nodded.

Bonnie was the only one she hadn't been able to see, before going for good. She had focused enough to use the new gift of ubiquity she had discovered she had as a comatose girl to talk with Damon and Caroline, but it had drained all her energy and she hadn't been able to see Bonnie one last time. It was her biggest regret before dying. But at least, she left Bonnie a beautiful present – a happy and long life with Damon and all their friends. It was the best way she had found to thank her best friend for everything she had done and sacrificed for her. She hoped it was enough.

Lexi stepped in front of Stefan and raised her hand for a high five. Stefan chuckled and high-fived her, before gently pulling on her hand to draw her into his arms. They hugged tightly and Lexi kissed his cheek as he placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Take care of you, Stefan," the blond vampire told him.

"I will," he nodded. "Don't have too much fun without me," he joked with a playful tone.

"Don't worry, I'll be waiting for you," she winked.

"See you again when I die," Stefan stated, and that's when he realized he wouldn't see her again before a long time. Same for Elena. But he pushed those thoughts away.

"I'll be here to welcome you," Lexi replied with a smile.

They parted and Stefan walked toward Elena to embrace her again, and kissed her hair. She closed her eyes and placed a loving kiss on his forehead.

The ex-couple stared at each other one last time, before Elena moved to stand next to Lexi. Stefan watched them with tearful eyes as they turned toward the high school's doors. Lexi glanced at Elena and grabbed her hand, smiling. Elena took a deep breath, before nodding to her with a smile. And they walked toward the doors.

Stefan watched their backs walk away, powerless. It was the end of their epic story.

When Lexi pulled the doors open, a blinding white flash engulfed them, and they were gone. Stefan stood still, a single tear rolling down his cheek.

"Goodbye, Elena," he whispered into the silence.

And everything went black.

"Bonnie! BONNIE!" Damon yelled desperately, as he kneeled beside her. "Come on, Bon, wake up! Please wake up! You can't die right now!" he shook her with trembling hands, his eyes planted on her closed ones.

His heart was pounding furiously, so fast his head hurt from all the blood it sent everywhere in his body. This couldn't be the end of it. Not like this. Hellfire was gone. Bonnie couldn't die after her most incredible magical prowess. She couldn't die when the town was finally safe, and everyone with it. And definitely not when he was finally ready to love her.

Damon leant over and placed his ear against her lips, while he put his hand on her chest. He sighed with the most powerful relief he had ever felt. He could feel her heartbeat under the palm of his hand, and the air tickling his ear proved that Bonnie was still breathing. She was alive.

"Thank God," the vampire whispered softly. He brought a hand to his mouth and pierced his wrist with his fangs. You can never be too careful. "Come on, gorgeous, drink this," he said, as drops of blood fell from the cut.

After some seconds, green eyes opened slowly then blinked confusingly. Bonnie looked at him with a strange look. Damon was grinning, and he was stroking her cheek delicately.

"Damon?" the brunette beauty murmured hesitantly, still a little bit dizzy.

"Yeah, that's me, Bon," he nodded with a smile.

Bonnie looked up and noticed the concern in his eyes.

"What happened?" she frowned, unable to move for now. She felt like her knees would give up the moment she tried to get up.

"I don't know. I just found you unconscious and gave you my blood. You're okay, now," Damon told her as he gently brushed his fingers against her skin. "You're okay," he repeated in a reassuring tone.

Bonnie didn't know if it was to comfort her or himself, but the relief she heard in his voice was enough to warm her heart. That's when everything came back to her and she remembered why she was here in the first place, along with Damon. Her eyes widened and she was suddenly able to move again as she sat up straight in one, rapid motion.

"Oh, my God! Hellfire! Mystic Falls! The spell – has it worked? Is everyone okay?" the witch rambled, panicked.

"Woah," Damon exclaimed, immediately encircling her waist to keep her steady as she rubbed her forehead distractingly. "Slow down, Speedy Gonzales!" she glared at him after her dizziness had faded away.

Damon saw the worry in her eyes and became serious again. He took her hand in his and kissed it softly.

"Don't worry, Bon. You worked your nice little witchy juju just fine, and it worked!" he smirked at her.

"Good to know," Bonnie rolled her eyes at him. "But are you 100% sure about that? You didn't leave The Armory, did you?" she stated with an impassible raised eyebrow.

"No, I didn't," Damon started and she sent him a look, which he ignored. "but I know you were amazing, and you had your ancestors with you. Plus, we're both still alive, which means one thing – Hellfire's gone, otherwise we'd both be ashes by now," he pointed out with a "duh" look.

Bonne frowned, before nodding. "You're right," she sighed.

"I told you – you're a wonderful woman, remember?" Damon winked and she smiled.

"Help me up?" she asked with her hand raised.

"Of course, Milady," Damon smirked before taking her hand and drawing her in a standing position.

He purposely pulled more than necessary on her hand, and she landed very close to him. Their chests were pressed against one another, and their noses were almost touching. He was still holding her hand.

Bonnie's breathing quickened and she got lost in the intensity of his blue eyes for a moment, before coming back to her senses. She cleared her throat.

"Hum…We should – we should go," she started with difficulty. "Check on the others, I mean," she bit her lips and glanced around to avoid Damon's funny expression.

Damon could feel she was troubled. It was a good thing. It was now or never. He had to tell her. He needed to know. It was the right moment – they were all alone, nobody to judge them, no one to interrupt them, and no danger to tear them apart before they could finish.

"I need to tell you something before we go," the vampire stopped her from pulling away. He tightened his hold around her hand, and Bonnie swallowed.

She was nervous. He was looking at her the way she knew she had been looking at him lately. As more than a best friend. And for some reason, she didn't feel the need to run away from what it meant anymore. She wanted to know. She needed this moment to happen. It was time. Time to stop denying her feelings. Time to let go of her insecurities and her doubts. Give love another chance.

"Go on," Bonnie said in the most casual tone she could manage in this situation.

She knew what was coming, and she wanted it, but it was still nerve-wracking as hell. As was the longing of any veridical moment between two people in love with each other.

Damon took a deep breath to try and calm his nerves, before planting his blue eyes in her awaiting green ones. The second he looked into them, he knew she was ready. Ready to hear it. Ready to accept what he was about to tell her. It gave him more courage.

"What would you say if I told you I had been denying and hiding some important things from you, lately?" Damon started vaguely as he brought their joined hands up.

"I would ask you 'what things?'" Bonnie tilted her head to the side, eyebrows raised in mocked curiosity.

"And," the vampire wrapped his arms around her waist, drawing her nearer. Bonnie had a hard time breathing again. "what if I answered you that someone helped me see clearer on my feelings for a very important woman in my life?" he asked with a smirk.

The brown-skinned woman chewed on her lips and pretended to think for a second. She looked up and shrugged:

"I would ask you 'who's that woman and what are those feelings?'" her free arm unconsciously wrapped around Damon's neck. It looked like they were about to dance now.

Damon untangled their joined hands and lifted his to rest against Bonnie's smooth cheek. He brushed it gently, causing shivers to run down Bonnie's back. The other one was still locked around her waist, which he squeezed lightly. Bonnie swallowed hard – something was definitely happening below her waist, and in the depths of her heart.

"And," Damon leant his head closer so their noses were touching, and their mouths were only inches apart, "what if I told you the woman I'm talking about is my best friend, and I realized I was madly in love with her?" he whispered, brushing his lips tentatively against hers.

"Hum, well…," Bonnie lost the ability to speak at the sensation.

She had shivers all over. Her heart swelled alarmingly in her ribcage, ready to explode with joy and love. Damon's husky voice and the way he was whispering was driving her crazy. The feeling of his delicate, pink lips caressing hers seductively annihilated any faculty to think or breathe.

Her eyes dropped to his lips. The need to kiss them was overwhelming. She was mentally begging him to put an end to her misery. She blinked. An answer. He was waiting for an answer.

"I guess I would admit being in love with my best friend too," Bonnie finally managed to say as she looked up at him.

His eyes were full of love, and desire. Damon smirked and slid his hand under her chin. He tilted it up with a finger, and traced them with his thumb. Bonnie forgot how to breath. Their eyes locked and stayed that way for several seconds, before Damon dropped them to her cupid-bow lips. He fought the urge to groan – they were so kissable.

"Hmm," he hummed, causing some of his air to blow on Bonnie's awaiting mouth.

Her eyes closed in agony, and she felt him smirking. The tease. She couldn't wait anymore. A rush of need and irritation took her over.

"Oh, for God's sake!" the brunette exclaimed before attacking Damon's mouth passionately.

The second Bonnie's lips hit his, Damon closed his eyes. He tasted them avidly and savored their flavor as if eating a delicious ice cream. His lips moved against hers, their head tilting here and there, making sure to make a buccal cartography of each corner of the other's mouth.

Until Damon had enough and bit Bonnie's lips, causing her to moan lowly and open her mouth. His tongue invaded her savagely and she returned the favor as eagerly. Their tongues danced together for what seemed like forever; they pushed and pulled inside, licking and sucking every bit of lips, tongue, teeth and membrane of their partner they could reach.

Bonnie's hands tightened around Damon's neck and brought him closer as he grabbed both of her cheeks and angled her head to kiss her even deeper. The witch felt herself swoon from the intensity of the sensation, heat roaming her entire body in desire and pleasure. She felt like Damon was penetrating her soul.

The vampire growled deeply, in satisfaction and euphoria. Never had he felt something as true and precious as this moment. That's how he knew Bonnie was the one for him. She had been all the way, he just hadn't realized it until now. Katherine and Elena had been the guides who showed his heart the right path, and led him to Bonnie. They had been loves he'd had to experience before understanding what he truly wanted and who was his veritable soulmate.

Bonnie felt the exact same way. Kissing Damon was like applying balm to her oldest and greatest wound: seeking unconditional love. She finally felt loved and worthy, and actually believed it. Their love wasn't born out of teenage drama like Jeremy or circumstantial events like Enzo – it was born out of friendship. It had been a slow-burn, with a hell of a development, but it had always been there, waiting to blossom. All of this made her think that it was meant to be, that they were meant to be. They had overcome each obstacle that the universe had thrown their way, and now they were finally reunited the way they should. At the finish line.

After minutes of making out, Bonnie was lacking air and forced herself to pull away. They were both panting heavily as they stared into each other's eyes. Both were still blown away by their kiss. They didn't know what to say and refused to break this comfortable, powerful silence between them. Their hearts beat as one.

So, they simply grinned at each other, so hard their cheeks hurt, and locked lips again.

2 years later…

Everything was mind-blowing.

A white, wrinkle-free carpet spread out on the perfectly mown and green grass, leading the way up to a magnificent flowered arch. There were white and red rose petals scattered everywhere on the floor, adding small touches of color to the bright landscape.

On each side of the celestial alley, were rows of chairs, meticulously placed perpendicularly and symmetrically. The chairs were covered in a silk, white fabric which fell graciously to the ground like a royal dress. A red ribbon was draped around them in the middle, forming perfect bows.

And finally, at the end of the wedding altar, a splendid, white arch stood majestically. It was flowered with roses of all sorts and colors – white, red, yellow, pink. The mixture formed a beautiful crown of plants, hugging the arabesque's form to perfection.

Saying Caroline was proud of her work would be an understatement.

The evening started to show its shadow on Mystic Falls, but the Salvatore House's garden was nicely illuminated with street lights. All of them were decorated with bows and connected to each other with flickering garlands. And an immense banner hung from one tree to the other, signaling the entry. It read: "Welcome to B&D's wedding".

The rendering of this wedding place was one of a fairytale. No one could dream better.

"We are gathered here tonight, to celebrate and formalize Bonnie Bennett and Damon Salvatore's love for each other," started a foreign, old voice. "And what better way to do it than marriage? Marriage – the eternal union of two souls who fell in love with each other, in life and afterlife. A never-ending dream whose context is the pursuit of the most precious thing God ever gave us – love. Blessed you are to have been hit by the most powerful, incomprehensible and indescribable emotion of humanity," the old, grey-haired man continued.

He closed the book in his hands, turned to place it on a small reading desk, and faced the couple again.

"You may express your wishes now," he addressed them with a kind smile. "Mr. Salvatore, you are first," the clergyman gestured toward him with his hand.

Dressed in a black Armani suit, a red rose poking out of the chest pocket, Damon took a deep breath and locked eyes with his other half:

"Bonnie Bennett," he gulped, his hands moist from nervousness. "words will never be enough to describe how you make me feel, and what you mean to me," his blue eyes stared at her intensely.

Her gaze caused words to flow out of his mouth as easily as breathing was.

"As I told you once - but you never let me finish because it was just one of your moments," the crowd laughed and Bonnie shook her head with a smile, "– 'see the history that we have, that depth of feelings?' Well, it is romantic," Damon smirked, and Bonnie nodded in understanding.

She'd never forget that moment between them – the first time he ever told her he loved her.

"Our love is that passionate, intense, dangerous, and profound ball of fire who will never stop burning. But it doesn't consume us, it makes us feel alive," the vampire continued after clearing his throat to calm the audience. "Before you, I loved toxically. I considered love a form of control, of self-satisfaction. You taught me that love was all about liberty and self-acceptance. You literally saved my soul," he winked at her and Bonnie offered him a teary smile. "So, I've finally figured out what I truly want in life – you. Your love, your affection, your respect, your heart, and your body. Forever. You're the missing piece of my soul, and the purpose of my existence, and I'm so sorry it took me so long to realize it. I admire you, I believe in you, and I love you," Damon ended passionately.

The throw-back caused Bonnie's heart to stop for an instant. His eyes were emotional and held a genuineness that shook her. Never in a million years had she imagined being this important for someone, let alone for Damon Salvatore. Life was full of surprises, good or bad – but always phenomenal.

Damon gave her a loving smile and she got lost in his eyes, as always. Tears were running down her cheeks – he really was something. Then the voice of the clergyman brought her back to reality.

"Very beautiful, Mister Salvatore," he congratulated him, to which Damon smirked proudly.

No one would ever know he worked on this for days and asked Blondie's advice to make sure it was perfect.

"Miss Bennett, you may recite yours," the grey-haired man turned to her with a happy expression.

"God, it's going to be really hard to do better than this," Bonnie chuckled while wiping off the remaining tears, and the crowd laughed with her.

She smoothed her wedding dress – a white, lacy bustier dress with beautiful patterns which closed in on her waist to hug her perfectly-shaped ass, gradually falling down on her right, in a shading of length. The brunette glanced around at the audience, caught Caroline's encouraging smile and Abby's tearful brown orbs, before planting her jade-green eyes on Damon.

"Okay, here goes," she said after letting out a long, trembling breath. "Damon Salvatore, you're everything I never knew I always wanted before falling in love with you. Our story is of the less expected kind, but they usually turn out being the most powerful ones," the witch started with a grin. "With you, I feel loved, worthy, important, respected, independent and invincible. And that's exactly what I need in my life. We complete and understand each other in a way none other could ever have, and that's how I know you're it. No one gets it but us, but you're my darkest part and I'm your brightest one – nothing negative in neither of them," Bonnie confessed with a cracking voice as Damon listened wholeheartedly. "I found in you the unconditional love I've been yearning for my entire life. I found in you the strength and affirmation I needed to be the woman who stands before you tonight. In many ways, you helped me grow and be a better person, not because you influenced me but because you made me want to. And every day I spend with you, every hour, every minute and every second, I feel showered with love, admiration, respect and happiness. And that's why you'll always be my number one, my first and only choice - because to me, you're the better man. The man of my dreams, the love of my life, and the goal of my destiny. I love you, soulmate," her voice trembled with emotion and the tears were back again.

This time, Damon couldn't contain his own eyes from crying too. A single tear dropped from his two eyes, but he didn't care. It was their moment. He smiled at her and squeezed her hand. He wanted to grab her and kiss her passionately, but he knew he couldn't. Not yet. So, he brushed his thumb against the back of her hand, and felt her shiver. She licked her lips, tasting her salty tears, and blinked.

Caroline was crying like a fountain, and Stefan had a hard time hiding his own teary eyes as they observed the couple from the closest seats on the first row.

"Very well. Now is the moment to pass the rings," the old man announced. "Rings, please!" he called.

Two small, blond silhouettes then crossed the altar, holding a red cushion on which stood a bright, black velvet box. Caroline grinned as Lizzie and Josie passed her and climbed the steps to place themselves in front of Bonnie and Damon. Lizzie opened the small box, and two identical, diamond rings glittered into the darkness of the night, similar to the shining stars in the sky.

"Thank you, Ladies. You may stay right here and give the ring to the respective person in front of you when I say so," the clergyman winked at them and addressed them a small smile, before turning to Damon. "Damon Giuseppe Salvatore, do you take Bonnie Sheila Bennett for your lawful wife, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you apart?"

"I do," Damon answered loudly, grinning like an idiot.

"And do you, Bonnie Sheila Bennett, take Damon Giuseppe Salvatore for your lawful husband, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you apart?"

"I do," Bonnie nodded tearfully.

"Very well. Ladies, you may give the rings," the old man gestured to the twins, who grinned happily.

They respectively gave the rings to Bonnie and Damon, who thanked them with a smile and a wink.

"Perfect. Now, you may exchange the rings in the right order, with the words you chose to say," the clergyman stated and stepped back a little.

The photographer payed for the occasion flashed them with pictures as Damon raised the ring and Bonnie extended her hand.

"Bonnie Sheila Bennett, receive this ring as the symbol of my love, my sincerity and my fidelity," he recited as he placed it on her finger.

Bonnie smiled and withdrew her now marked hand. She lifted the one holding Damon's ring, and Damon extended his hand for her to go on.

"Damon Giuseppe Salvatore, receive this ring as the symbol of my love, my sincerity and my fidelity," she returned and put the ring on his finger.

"By the will of God, and the power confederated to me by the State of Virginia, I now declare you Husband and Wife. Please applaud Mr. and Mrs. Salvatore," the clergyman declared with a grin. "You may kiss the bride," he added with a wink to Damon, who smirked and lowered his head to take Bonnie's lips.

Bonnie laughed as his lips slanted over hers, kissing her hungrily. He dived her to the floor and they both drowned in their happiness, completely taken in their intimate bubble. They were even oblivious to the crowd standing and cheering as they clapped their hands loudly, celebrating their union.

"I love you," Damon whispered as he brought her back up. His arms wrapped tightly around her waist, and she encircled his neck.

"I love you too," Bonnie breathed out, brushing her nose against his before kissing him again.

The black crow above them settled on the arch surrounding their heads, and croaked happily as they crossed the altar in a wave of applauds, Damon holding Bonnie bridal-style.

5 years later…

"Mommy, why are we bringing flowers today?"

"Yeah, mommy – is it a special occasion?"

"Remember what I told you about honoring the dead, babies?"

"'Always pay respect and homage to the people that you loved and who left your lives, and don't ever stop loving them for the sole reason of them being absent physically'," the blue-eyed girl recited proudly.

"I remembered it, too! You just want to show off because you couldn't levitate that toy, and I did!" her green-eyed sister deadpanned with a smirk.

Bonnie glanced at Damon and he smirked at her, making the resemblance with the little girl even bigger.

"Told you that one was my spitting image, even though she has your eyes," he winked playfully and Bonnie rolled her eyes.

"Sheila, don't talk to your sister like that," she scolded her daughter with a finger raised.

Damon observed with an amused look. Sheila was the most rebel of the twins, while the other was more discreet but had her temper too – just like her mom. The vampire kept being astonished by how much their daughters resembled them, both physically and mentally.

"But she started it by reciting-," Bonnie raised a stern eyebrow and Sheila stopped, looking down at the ground. "Sorry, Lucy," she mumbled reluctantly.

"That's better!" Bonnie conceded.

"Look at you being all bossy. You can't imagine how much it turns me on," Damon wiggled his eyebrows and brought her closer by the hand.

He planted a searing kiss on her full mouth.

"Huh huh, we're not home yet, handsome! And not in front of the kids!" Bonnie smirked, gently pushing him away.

"Kill joy," the vampire muttered, earning a small jab from Bonnie. He chuckled and she shook her head once more – as always.

The two five-year-old stopped walking and turned toward their parents. They were meters away from the hidden cemetery in Mystic Fall's forest. One only their gang knew existed.

"So, was I right, mommy?" Lucy asked curiously and her sister looked at Bonnie, interested.

"Yes, you were, baby. Today we are honoring the dead. Aunt Caroline and uncle Stefan are already here with Lizzie, Josie and Ric, if you want," Bonnie answered with a smile.

"Really?! Come on, Shelly, let's go!" the green-eyed brunette exclaimed happily.

"Yeeeeaaaaahhhh!" her blue-eyed sister yelled excitedly.

They both ran off to their cousins and the couple watched them go, laughing. Bonnie wrapped her arms around Damon's waist and rested her head against his shoulder, as he squeezed her shoulder and kissed her forehead tenderly.

"I've never been this lucky. Thank you for everything, gorgeous," he whispered to her.

"And I've never been this happy. I love you," the brunette returned softly.

"I love you too," he smiled and she raised her head to meet his lips.

Half an hour later, everyone was here – Bonnie, Damon and their daughters, Caroline, Stefan, Ric and the other twins, Matt and his fiancé Mila (a witch from another coven that he met on a mission) along with their son Sean, and Jeremy.

They were all gathered around a beautiful, marble-made tomb. It read:

ELENA MIRANDA GILBERT

June 22nd, 1992 – March 8th, 2017

*** A loving and amazing girlfriend, friend, daughter and sister. Now at peace. ***

A bright blue daylight ring shone on the stone, resting on an old diary. Behind them stood a picture of Elena. The atmosphere wasn't sad, but warm and filled with happy memories.

"Is it Aunt Lena's grave?" Lucy asked with a frown.

"Yes, it is, sweetie. Today is her birthday, which is why we're all going to celebrate it with her," Bonnie nodded and stroke her daughters' cheeks.

"But how can we celebrate it with her? She's not alive anymore, is she?" Sheila's brows deepened in confusion. She pouted cutely.

"No, she isn't. But just because we can't see her doesn't mean she's not here. I believe that she'll be here with us," Bonnie gave them a small smile.

"You mean as a ghost? Like Grams?" Lucy guessed with wide eyes.

"Something like that, yeah," the witch nodded mysteriously.

The twins glanced at each other, judging for a moment if they wanted to believe that, before settling their gaze back on their mother.

"Cool. Did you bring cake?" Sheila finally said, a sheepish look on her face.

"Yeah, we did, baby," Damon laughed behind his wife and the girls jumped in joy.

"Aunt Lena seemed like a very fun aunt. I'm sad I didn't get to spend time with her," Lucy pouted, imitated by her sister who nodded in agreement.

"I'm sure she would've loved you girls," Caroline stated from a corner. Stefan nodded and winked at them.

"And we would've loved her for sure," Sheila replied in a certain tone.

Everyone smiled at that and they formed a circle next to Elena's grave, which was followed by Tyler's. One by one, they recalled their memories with both of their friends, and Bonnie made feathers levitate around them and the tomb as they sang Happy Birthday and ate the cake happily. Who said honoring the dead had to be a sad thing?

While everyone was busy talking or playing with the kids, Bonnie came to kneel in front of Elena's grave. She lifted a brown hand and brushed the word "peace" with her finger, on the epitaph.

"I hope you found it," she whispered with a smile.

The wind blew softly and the leaves moved reassuringly. In the distance, looking at this small group of happy people, a familiar figure stood, smiling. They could not see her, but she did, and that was all she needed. Her brown eyes watched lovingly as sounds of laughter, animated conversations and smiling faces echoed in the forest, spreading waves and waves of hope. Then, they settled on the kneeling figure in front of her grave - Bonnie.

"Oh, I did," was Elena's answer to her best friend's words.

And as on cue, Jenna, Miranda, Grayson and John appeared at her sides, holding her hands or stroking her shoulders. They stayed like that for a few seconds, and observed these living people enjoying life. Elena was smiling warmly at them, like an angel looking over her friends.

Then, she turned around and disappeared with her family in a blinding white light, a smile still plastered on her face.

*** THE END ***

Hey, readers!

So, here's the final chapter - hope you liked it. There's a few points I'd like to clear up and explain.

First, I know this was supposed to be a centered Bamon fic (which it is :p), but the TV show finale was such trash for every character that I've decided to give them what I consider a better, more loyal ending. I'm talking about Stelena and Steroline. I did my best to try and pay them homage, because I felt like they deserved it. I'm sure you all thought Stefan would really die (saw some of the reviews from the previous chapter who weren't really thrilled about that), but come on, you should've known I would change that awful decision the writers made! I got ya! ;)

So now I reach my second point - Elena's death. I chose to kill Elena because I felt like it was the best way to go, considering everything that happened with the triangle. I didn't want Delena to be endgame because they're obviously as toxic as poison, and wrong for each other, but I didn't want to make Stelena endgame either (though I know many of you wanted it) because I felt they wouldn't be healthy either. Even though Stefan has always been the one for Elena, and they were good for each other, putting them back together after she slept with and dated her brother wasn't healthy, which devalidated their relationship to me. But I made sure to make a difference between Stelena and Delena, as to show which couple I support and which I consider soulmates in the end. Also, I wanted to end that finale rewrite on Elena sacrificing herself, because as I wrote, it was my way of giving her a redemption. It was my way to make her forgivable to your eyes (for those who hate her for rightful reasons). After everything her friends and family had risked and done for her, Elena doing the same for them (especially Bonnie, duh) seemed to be the perfect way to end her story. Hope you get the idea. And I really didn't want Stefan to die, and Caroline deserved to live a happily ever after with her hubby!

Third point - the actual context in which Elena died. I know this one may have seemed confused to you while reading. The idea is that Elena's sacrifice is the ultimate thing she had to do before dying, meaning that it was her destiny, it was written. She was never meant to wake up and reunite with Damon. She was meant to learn from her mistakes and to pay amends, which she accepted willingly. So, in this weird place she's been since her magical coma ( - a place between life and death for supernatural beings, remember chapter 1?! ;p), there's really no rules. Elena decided to make a sacrifice, and Destiny's power made it possible, so this place allowed her to switch places with Stefan, because that's what was meant to happen.

Now about Bamon - I obviously couldn't end that finale rewrite without a Bamon wedding and cute Bamon babies! I worked hard on that part, so I really hope you're not disappointed and that it's written well enough for you. I admit I'm trying to work on my writing skills, it's hard. ^^ I chose to give Bamon babies the names of Sheila and Lucy, in honor of our famous feisty Grams (one of my fav characters though she died in season 2!) and Bonnie's cousin, who died too soon and was completely disrespected by TVD writers in my opinion. Now that might be too cheesy and predictable for you, but that's it. Also, I hinted at Bamon's daughters having powers, but I never explained how Bonnie and Damon were able to have kids while he was still a vampire. That's because I wanted to let you imagine that part the way you wished. I didn't address the problem of Damon's immortality and the fact that Bonnie is gonna die one day, but that's also for you to imagine whatever you'd like. To me, Bonnie extended her life as far as she could, became such a powerful witch that she created a spell to make Damon human, or Damon took the cure. I couldn't imagine Bonnie accepting to give up her witchy side and become a vampire, but that could be it too if you prefer.

So, I hope it's clearer now! If you have any questions, please ask them privately or to my twitter : Manon_Diaries (KatemonLazuli). :)

Naturally, I expect you to tell me what you thought about it, if you liked it or not, and any other thing you want to say, by reviewing !

*** REVIEWS MUCH APPRECIATED ***

See you soon, and thanks for reading !

Kisses, KatemonLazuli.