So someone requested that I write an epilogue for this story and since I recently finished up my other story I decided to give it a try. Forgive me if it isn't up to par with the rest of this story. I've been super busy getting signed up for classes but I wanted to give this story and end for you all. I hope you enjoy!

It has been two years since Damon and Elena left for Washington. Damon rented Elena and himself a house when they found her childhood home being lived in by an older man she had never seen before. They found Jeremy attending a local college. He had sold their childhood home for tuition money and had been attending school for the last two years. Jeremy had been ecstatic to see Elena, especially since everyone had assumed she died in the fire that burned down the house she was staying in. Damon had to do a lot of work to get her death annulled. Once all was settled, they told Jeremy the full story. At first he didn't believe Damon and Elena. So Elena insisted that Damon demonstrate. That ended up being a terrible idea since Jeremy freaked and tried to kill Damon.

Eventually Elena calmed him down and then over time Jeremy grew to trust Damon, maybe even like him a bit. It wasn't until after the 1 year mark that Elena brought up moving to Virginia. Jeremy was immediately against it. He wanted to stay in Washington with his friends, and finish school. Of course that meant Elena didn't want to leave. She had just gotten her brother back, she didn't want to leave him again.

Elena begged Damon to give her time to convince him, that maybe after Jeremy finished his senior year in college he would be more open to it. So Damon waited. After the two year mark Elena could see Damon was beginning to suffer. He spent a lot of time on the phone with Bonnie and Stefan in the beginning, but more and more he was ignoring their calls. When Elena had asked him about it, he had merely shrugged and said that he didn't know what to say to them anymore. She knew he wanted to go home. Suddenly Elena's heart was pulling in two ways and it was starting to cause problems between Damon and her.

He wouldn't try to but he would snap at her when his yearning for home would get too bad, or when he just couldn't understand why she wouldn't just leave. They started to fight more often than get along, so much so that ever Jeremy was starting to notice. One day Jeremy had asked Elena why they were fighting so much. "It's not his fault. He has given up a lot to be here with me. He just misses home." She had told her brother. The answer didn't seem to satisfy Jeremy. He had shifted awkwardly and furrowed his brow, but instead of saying anything he had just left for class.

Of course it wasn't all bad. After all Damon loved Elena, and though he missed his home, he was happy to be by Elena's side. They spent a lot of time learning about one another, and watching movies, or taking walks. He would cook for her and she would rub his shoulders. At night they would take a bubble bath together with glasses of wine. In fact it was in one of these baths that they had the conversation that changed the course of their lives.

"You're quiet tonight." Elena observed as she sipped her wine. Her bare back was resting against his chest. Warm bubbly water surrounded them. His arms were around her loosely but his head rested back against the tub. "Hm." Was his response. He absentmindedly ran his hand down her arm in a comforting gesture. Elena sighed.

"Damon, what's wrong?" She was growing annoyed with his obvious attitude that he'd had all day.

"Nothing Elena, just drop it." It wasn't that he'd been rude or mean all day. They'd had a fine day. He had cooked her dinner, and kissed her sweetly, then he had suggested the bath. Things hadn't been bad but he had been quieter than usual, he hadn't made his own sauce for the spaghetti, he bought it. Damon never bought canned sauce. He wouldn't kiss her for longer than a couple seconds, or meet her eyes for very long. Something had just been off about him all day.

"No. I'm not going to drop it." she said as she turned around and straddled him to face him. He looked up at her tiredly, though not without a glint of admiration.

"Please Elena I don't want to fight tonight." He pleaded. He tried to pull her against him but she pulled away and got out of the tub. She sat her wine glass on the counter and wrapped a towel around herself. Damon watched with shocked eyes as she left the room, a stern look on her face.

Damon followed her into their bedroom, a towel also wrapped around him, hanging low on his hips. "Elena."

"What Damon?" She was pulling on one of his T-shirts with her back facing him.

"Why did you walk out?" He asked.

"Because Damon you act like I can't tell when something is going on with you. Do you remember all the things we went through together? Do you know how much I love you? I know when something's really wrong, and you just shut me out, every time."

"Of course I remember. I'm not trying to shut you out. I just, I don't know how to talk about how I feel without fighting with you. And right now, I really just need to be with you." His words were so tinged in sadness it made Elena turn around. All the anger fallen away from her face and in its place just concern. "Damon." She crossed the room to him and touched his face lightly.

"Please talk to me. I promise not to fight with you." He searched her eyes, trying to decide if she meant it. Ultimately he knew he had to trust her.

"I talked to Bonnie today." He said. Elena grabbed his hand and led him to their bed where they both perched on the edge of it.

"How is she?" Elena asked. She was trying to hold back her surprise, he hadn't taken her phone calls in a couple months.

"She's in love." He said flatly. Elena furrowed her brow.

"Isn't that a good thing?"

"It's a wonderful thing. She sounds so happy. And I'm missing it." He avoided looking at Elena, afraid of how this last sentence hit her.

"Damon, you can visit them any time."

"No I can't." he said gruffly. "If I go back, I won't want to return here don't you get it? Ive spent my entire life at my brothers side. Sure we have been separated before, we go weeks without seeing each other but our lives have always come right back home, and with each other. And Bonnie? She's like my little sister, i've never loved a human so much in my life until you. I'm missing big things, I'm not there, what if he breaks her heart? Bonnie has no one, who will be there if she gets hurt?" Elena pursed her lips as he explained his pain to her. She didn't think this was so real to him, unless he was angry he always seemed fairly content to just be with her. Elena could see now that there were some major parts of him missing, and it was because of her.

Elena kissed his head. What could she say to him now that would help him? She was doing this to him, and at this very moment she couldn't stop it. "I'm sorry Damon." She said, and then clad in only underwear and his T-shirt she walked out of the room, closing the door behind her. Damon sighed and dropped his head in his hands. He knew he was being ridiculous about all of this. People move away from their family all the time, but he couldn't help it. He had had no intention of moving away from them, he wasn't ready to. He couldn't leave Elena though, he wouldn't. Damon needs Elena, no matter how much being away from his family hurt. Bonnie had sounded perfectly happy, and had even assured him several times that it was fine that he was staying with Elena. "Damon, I told you you deserved happiness. Your place is by Elena's side. Stefan and I are both happy if you are, no matter how far away you go." She had told him on the phone. But he wasn't happy, not without them.

With another sigh Damon picked himself up and threw on a pair of clean boxers. He didn't know where Elena went but he really didn't feel like tracking her down and discussing anything any further. Instead he crawled into bed and fell asleep.

"Jeremy, can we talk?" Elena sat on the back porch of her home and had her cell phone pressed against her ear. Her hand was shaking, and tears were flowing down her cheeks.

"Sure Lena whats up?" He asked his voice breaking a little through the cell connection.

"It's about Damon and me, and Virginia." She said. She bit her lip as the other end of the phone fell silent.

"Elena, I'm not moving to Virginia." Jeremy said.

"I know Jer, It's just Damon, he misses his family. He hadn't really planned on staying here."

"So why don't you two go back?" Elena took a deep breath.

"Elena you can't attach yourself to me for the rest of your life. You are alive, and safe, and happy. That is all I ever wanted. I can come visit you, and you can come visit me whenever. I lived three years thinking you were dead. If you are living here or halfway across the world I am happy just knowing you are living. Besides I wouldn't trust anyone more than Damon to keep you safe. Neither of you are happy here, don't stay because I am." Jeremy stopped and waited for his sister to respond. She wiped some tears off her face.

"I just didn't want you to feel abandoned. I'm sorry I was gone for so long, I'm sorry you were all alone." She cried.

"Aw Elena. None of that was your fault, and you are here now. You don't have to actually be here for me to know that. I love you sis. So you need to do what's best for you, for once in your life." Elena took a calming breath and let what her brother was saying sink in. He was right of course, and Elena knew it. Damon had risked a lot for her, and he put her life back together. Now it was her turn.

"I love you Jeremy." Elena said earnestly.

"I love you too Elena. I got to get some sleep. I'll come by tomorrow okay?"

"OKay. Goodnight Jer." She said.

"Goodnight." Jeremy ended the call.

Elena sat there on the porch for a while afterward. She looked up to the stars and tried to count them. As she did so her breathing returned to normal and the tears dried on her cheeks. When she had made it passed 10,000 she gave up, knowing that none of them were actually alive anymore anyway. She made her way back into the house and up the stairs slowly. The house was quiet, she assumed Damon had gone to bed. She crept into their room and was rewarded with the peaceful face of her sleeping boyfriend. All of the worry and pain from earlier was gone. His lips were barely parted and his hair was a mess atop his head. Elena smiled at the man she loved more than anything. How could she have been so selfish?

Elena crawled into bed carefully so she wouldn't wake up. He was on his back with one arm resting on either side of him. She lightly took one of his wrists and wrapped his slack arm around her as she snuggled up to his chest. He let out a sigh and instinctively tightened his hold on her. She could feel her body relaxing with every steady breath he took. "I love you" She whispered. He turned his head and kissed the top of hers. "I love you too" he murmured half asleep. She looked up quickly in surprise. "I'm sorry." She whispered "I didn't mean to wake you." He smiled lazily.

"Didn't really." He mumbled with his eyes still closed. She smiled at his sleepy face and settled back onto his chest. Elena knew what she had to do. Damon deserved it, after all this time. And as she started to fall asleep she began to picture the boarding house, and Stefan, Bonnie and the beautiful woods of Virginia. Before sleep overtook her she knew it was what she wanted too.

Elena didn't tell Damon right away, per Jeremy's request. His graduation was in a few weeks and he wanted them there for it. He also told Elena that he had a surprise for Damon. So Elena decided that it could wait the few more weeks. She didn't really want to miss Jeremy's graduation anyway.

On the day of the graduation Damon took the trio out for an expensive dinner. They laughed and talked and had a good time. Damon had been pretty normal the last few weeks. He hadn't been quiet, distant, or angry since that night. As the dinner was coming to a close Jeremy cleared his throat.

"Damon, I know this is a little backwards, but I have something for you." Jeremy said, looking admirably at Damon. Damon smiled.

"For me?" He asked incredulously.

"Well for you and my sister, but mostly you."

"Jeremy, its your graduation, you didn't-" Jeremy cut him off by raising his hand. When Damon reluctantly shut his mouth Jeremy handed Damon an envelope. Damon gave him a skeptical look. Jeremy made a gesture to indicate that he should open it. Damon pulled out a folded piece of lined paper. "That part is for you only." Jeremy qualified quickly when Elena tried to lean over and see. Damon mocked pulling away offended from Elena. She laughed and slapped his arm playfully but sat back into her own chair. Damon unfolded the paper.

Damon,

My sister and I have talked about this many times, and i know you two were hoping I'd go back to virginia with you when I graduate. Sadly this will not be the case though. My heart is here in Washington.

That being said though I understand that yours lies in Virginia. Elena is scared to leave because she feels like she abandoned me. She didn't do anything wrong though and as the time goes by I can see her heart also isn't here in Washington. I don't know if its in Virginia either but I do know one thing. Its with you. She wants to go as much as you do but her fear and love for me keeps her here.

That is why I have taken the liberty of buying your way out. I already convinced her that this was the right choice, but I was worried she wouldn't actually make the move so I did. I appreciate everything you have done for my sister Damon. You saved her life and as if that weren't enough you've given her something to live for as well. She gets so lost in trying to take care of other people, you are going to have to keep her from doing that. Remind her that its okay to choose herself every once in awhile.

Accept this gift, and have an extraordinary life. She's an extraordinary girl and you are extraordinary for her. All you have to do is promise to stay in touch, and both of you come see me every now and again. I love you both.

Damon looked at Jeremy with emotions swimming in his eyes. Elena watched her brother questioningly, wondering what the letter could possibly say. Then Damon reached back into the envelope and pulled out two plane tickets. Elena's eyes went from the tickets to Jeremy, wide with shock. "Jer." She said. He merely smiled. Damon stared at the tickets movingly. Elena leaned over and confirmed her suspicion. Two one way tickets from Washington to Virginia. "Jeremy, I-I I dont even know what to say." Damon uttered.

"Just take good care of my sister." Jeremy said with a smug smirk. Damon's eyes had tears in them and he stood and embraced the other man.

Damon stood nervously outside of the familiar door. His hands were shaking and his cheeks were starting to hurt he was smiling so much. A few seconds went by before he heard footsteps on the other side of the door. This of course only made him smile wider. Damon knocked again to hurry the person along.

"Alright alright I'm coming." The door swung open impatiently and the person standing behind it stopped in their tracks. Green eyes bore into Damon's blue ones. "Damon?" Bonnie asked, not believing what her eyes were seeing. "The one and only." He tried to sound smug but it came out more breathless. Bonnie's face broke into a smile and thens he threw herself into his arms. Her legs were off the ground and around him and his arms were around her back. The hugged each other hard. They were laughing and crying all at once. When they were both a little calmer he set the young witch down and looked into her green eyes again. "I've missed you so much Bonnie." he said. They were smiling at each other like idiots. Then Bonnie seemed to remember something and her smile fell away. She furrowed her brow. "Where's Elena? Did you? Is she?" Bonnie wasn't sure how to ask what she was asking. Damon stayed smiling though as he turned to look behind him. At that moment Elena came walking up her front steps, Stefan in tow.

Bonnie's smile returned. "Elena." She squealed and pulled the girl in for a hug. Stefan and Damon smiled at each other as they watched. Damon had called Stefan the night they left. They needed someone to pick them up from the airport. "What are you guys doing here?" Bonnie asked when she pulled away from Elena.

"Eh" Elena said smiling "I got tired of all the rain, besides Damon needed to be home, so." Elena's sentence broke off when she met his eyes. Damon was watching her with so much love, happiness bringing him to life.

"Wait so you're staying?" She asked. They nodded together and Bonnie squealed again pulling Elena back into a hug. The girls laughed and the boys watched happily, happy to just be near each other again. "Missed you brother." Stefan said quietly.

"Missed you too Brother." Damon replied simply. But Damon knew that that was all over. Elena met his eyes over Bonnie's shoulder. Damon mouthed a silent thank you, to which Elena mouthed back her own silent You're welcome.