Tangled Fate

As I Lay Dying

AN: This chapter took me longer than usual to actually write. I knew what I wanted to do and as much as I was looking forward to bringing this fic to a close, part of me didn't want to. I've had fun plotting this out, writing it and sharing it with you guys. Your responses have been so great and encouraging and I thank each and everyone of you for sticking with me.

But all good things must come to an end, as they say, and here is the very long overdue season finale of Tangled Fate.

━ ➶ 𓆉｡˚ ✧ ༉‧₊˚. ━

April 29, 2010

Damon's immortal life was quickly coming to an end, an ironic oxymoron he couldn't help but smile bitterly at. He took a sip of bourbon and looked out his bedroom window, watching as the sky slowly turned dark and dusk fell over Mystic Falls. He grounded his teeth and a painful shiver wracked his body. The poison from that mutt's bite was spreading even further and the dark sickly veins were now covering his entire arm. Damon placed the bourbon down and tugged at the sleeve of his shirt, attempting to cover up the veins that were beginning to branch out over his hand.

"Louise." Damon announced when he felt her presence.

The vampire kept his gaze fixed at the darkening sky outside the window, not bothering to turn around to look at Louise. Curiosity however, finally got the best of him, like it usually did, when she didn't say anything for a long time and didn't move an inch.

Turning around, Damon took in Louise's appearance. She was standing in the doorway with her arms folded across her chest, a look of anger, hurt, and confusion etched across her beautiful face.

"Louise..."

Louise unfolded her arms and with a few long strides she was across his room standing right in front of him. Without a warning or any hesitation she lifted her hand back and slapped him across the face, hard. Normally it wouldn't have hurt too bad or at all, but because of his rapidly deteriorating condition, Damon felt his cheek burn.

"Why didn't you tell me?" The words hung in the air, clear and succinct and bleeding.

Damon opened and closed his mouth a few times, adjusting his jaw, and looked at Louise. His eyes grew dark for a moment. "He told you." He meaning his brother Stefan.

Louise wanted to scream at him, wanted to be angry. She wasn't to counter that clearly he had no respect for her, no confidence that she could handle this. She let out a mix between a huff and a sob, grabbing Damon's wounded arm. He hissed at the pain, but Louise ignored it. She pushed up the sleeve of his shirt and her hand flew up to clap over her mouth when she saw how bad it was.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she repeated, this time softer.

Damon turned his back to her. "Because you didn't need to know."

"What do you mean I didn't need to know? Damon, I-"

Damon spun around and firmly grasped the brunette's shoulders. She gasped in surprise but made no effort to try and get away from him. His eyes bore into hers. "Because you've already lost enough." He released her, his arms falling limply to his sides.

"This is not how it's going to end. Bonnie! There has to be something she can do. She can-"

"Do you not remember Rose?" Damon cut her off. "Do you not remember what happened to her? There is no cure, Louise. There is nothing that can be done."

"No." Louise shook her had furiously. "We'll find something." She can't lose him. He looked at her, and she could tell he was breathing her in. She nodded and repeated. "We'll find something. You didn't lose me and I'm not going to lose you."