DELENA POST 6X22: I COULD WAIT CENTURIES FOR YOU

Chapter 1: What Did I Miss?

Damon could remember the horrific words Kai had spoken while sneering at him like it was yesterday. I linked Elena's life to Bonnie's. When Bonnie dies, Elena will wake up. Your choice, Damon. His choice. He'd never choose such a scenario, nor wish it on his worst enemy. He could kill Elena's bestie and his new close friend and have Elena conscious and thriving, or he could wait. Damon decided to wait – not because he didn't think Elena wouldn't forgive him eventually, but because Bonnie had become his friend as well, and Elena had brought out his compassionate side. He believed he was proving just how much he loved Elena by saving Bonnie's life. He loved Elena so much that he wanted their friend to be able to live her life after the many sacrifices she had made for him, for Elena, for everyone really.

            But he couldn't shake the gut-wrenching feeling that plagued him for decades now – this feeling that half of him was missing and he could do nothing about it. He clenched his fists and let himself cry as he sat with his back to the coffin that had been sealed shut. His precious Elena was locked away safely, but he felt nothing but pain. He didn't turn off his humanity as much as he had wanted to. He spent the first decade running from everyone. He couldn't bear to be around the people that reminded him of Elena. Eventually he came back. He wasn't as strong as he appeared to be. Inside, he was a wreck.

            "Elena," Damon cried, throwing a pot across the Salvatore tomb where he had left Elena's coffin. He sank to the floor, his eyes flooding with tears. He didn't care about putting up a strong front for his brother and friends. He was alone now, and he was allowed to feel terrible. It had been 56 years.

            "Elena, I can't do this anymore. I can't do this without you!" Damon buried his face in his hands and wailed. He cried for the loss of the love of his life, for the fact that he couldn't even see her. No, he needed to. Damon got up and used all his strength to try to open the coffin.

            "Please, just open damn it! I need you, Elena," Damon wept, his face entirely wet with tears. He threw the bottle of bourbon he had finished to the ground with brute force.

            "Damon," a familiar voice said calmly. Damon felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see his brother looking understandingly at him. Stefan's heart broke when he saw his brother's condition – the rugged look was a clear indication that he hadn't slept well the past few days. Damon hadn't shaved in a week and his drinking was more than usual.

            Stefan hugged his brother and said, "You've made it 56 years, brother. Don't destroy yourself now. You know it's only a matter of time." Stefan didn't feel that good saying that, but it was true. Bonnie was quite old and would pass sooner or later.

            "What kind of twisted, sick monster does this? I have to sit here and wait for a close friend of mine to die before my girlfriend wakes up! Who does this?!" Damon was beyond angry, he was furious.

            "Kai's gone now, Damon. Don't let this break you – she wouldn't want to see you like this."

            Just the mention of Elena made Damon feel a small sense of hope in the midst of heartache. Damon softly responded, with hardly any energy left, "She's not here."

            "She will be, brother. Hold on to that. Come on, let's go visit Jeremy and Bonnie."