Humanity // Delena

Civil War

My father burst into my room and said, "Damon! Put your uniform on. You leave today."

I turned to face him as I was just staring out of the window, wondering how I will tell Elena. "I am leaving for where, father?" My father rushed over to my wardrobe and opened the door as he murmered curse words under his breath. He lifted out a uniform that I was all too familiar with. "The civil war," I muttered so it was inaudible. Wait! I can't leave. I spoke up, "Father, I have changed my mind. I do not wish to go into war."

My father turned to face me with rage riddling his face, "Nobody wishes to go. All men from the age of 16 to 45 must go. Damon, you are not a coward."

I smiled, "Of course not. You are excused to let me change my clothes." My father left. I bolted it out of my room and into Stefan's. He stood looking into his mirror with his full uniform on. I smiled and walked up behind him. I said, "Stefan, we cannot go into war."

"Damon," he turned around, "You will be executed if you do not go. You have to."

I turned and walked to the room where Bonnie was staying. She was standing in her undergarments which are basically for nuns in today's time. I said, "Bonnie, I'm a human. I leave for the civil war today. I can't refuse or I'll be killed."

She looked at me with a shocked expression, "Damon, if you go then you're a dead man. Elena needs you."

"Tell her I love her," I said, making up my mind. I have to go. I will be killed on the spot if I don't willingly go. "Bonnie, you are the best friend that I could ever dream of. I've read you a letter I wrote to you once and I don't think I could ever write something more accurate off the top of my head again. Just know that you are... and forever will be my best friend. Thanks for making my life better, Bon Bon."

"No Damon, you are not going," she started to blub a little bit, "I need you. We all need you. I will bring you back to Elena one way or another."

"Sure I'm like the fever you can't shake," I quoted from a long long time ago.

She smiled and sniffed back the tears, "A disease." We both laughed as we remembered the most stupid of our conversations... well one of them. "Don't die. I'll find you."

****

I sat in the same place in the same wagon. Two benches facing each other. Terrified faces surrounded me. I sat with my elbows on my knees. I think random sentimental pieces must have came back with me as my daylight ring was sitting on my dresser beside the letter I wrote to Bonnie when I decided to decay with Elena. However, I was playing or more cradling the last thing I must have brought with me; Elena's necklace.

I looked diagonal to me to see Stefan staring straight ahead of him. He was always much braver than me. I miss this side of him instead of him having to be my babysitter, trying to keep me in order. 

I was startled by a dark haired guy speaking up from right beside me. "That your wife's necklace?" I looked up at him. I didn't remember him. He had hair like mine and green eyes with a scruffy beard which looked pretty cool. 

"Hopefully one day she will be my wife. Her name is Elena," I smiled as I looked at her necklace. "Do you have a family yourself?"

He smiled proudly, "Two boys. Eleven months and three years old. I need to come home for them. My wife passed away during my youngest, Arthur's birth."

"I am terribly sorry for your loss." I patted him on the back, "Let's just make sure we get back then."

"So tell me about this Elena," he smiled.

I chuckled, "I don't know where to start. She's the love of my life.  Well, she was the love of my brother's life but I guess in a way, things just got complicated. My life was complicated. But she makes it very... uncomplicated in some ways."

"Marry the girl that will make life easy," he chuckled, "I did so."

"My life is far from easy," I shrugged. "But you will never have a clue."

That first day, we travelled for hours into the middle of nowhere. When we arrived, it was dark and I remember this scene like it was yesterday. The whole night we spent digging trenches in the cold and dark conditions. It seemed like just yesterday that we did this. We did this for a week straight.

****

I sat with Stefan in a dug out. I said, "Little brother, I am so proud of you."

"Damon," he chuckled, "Don't get emotional. Turn your emotions off-"

"What?" I asked in shock. He shouldn't know about this.

"Take a deep breath and forget about all your feelings. I do that at least one hundred times a day. I miss Miss Pierce," he sighed.

"Forget about Miss Katherine. We have each other. We do not wish to have the burden of a woman," I laughed, "Believe me."

"I heard your goodbye to her before you left. The two of you drunk just acting fools. It was cute," He smiled. I forgot how drugged up on vervain he was back then. I simply smiled and patted him on the back.

I remember this war. It was just as painful as being in hell itself.