Author's note: This is the last chapter you guys! The sequel will be called "He's the air she would kill to breathe"

EPILOUGE

*Three years later*

Sebastian followed Damon outside as he prepared to give his son a little hunting practice. Sebastian sat on a log and watched as his father sped away. He was back in under ten seconds flat with a scared looking prostitute.

"Now son, you really ought to pick out someone who deserves it, someone you won't feel bad if you accidently kill. I know you're young and your mother would die if she knew I was telling you this, but you need to understand that with vampirism comes a lot of sometimes unpleasant things. Accidents happen, okay?" Sebastian was staring wide-eyed at his father but he nodded.

"Look into the persons eyes and concentrate very hard. It's important that you stay strong on blood so that this works all right? So that means no pulling an Uncle Stefan and trying the bunny-eater diet…that just isn't healthy. Once you have her in a daze, compel her. Tell her that everything will be fine, and that she will feel no pain." Damon demonstrated on the girl. Once she was calm he tilted her head to the side.

"Then it's time for dinner." He finished with a smirk, his fangs protruding and puncturing her neck. Sebastian cocked his head to the side as he watched Damon drink.

"Daddy?" Damon pulled away from the girl's neck and smiled, loving to hear his son's sweet bubbly voice.

"Yes?"

"How come I don't have fangs like you? I want to eat the way you do." Damon's heart melted and his eyes glowed with love. Sebastian had been trying to be like and mimic Damon since the day he learned to walk. Damon absolutely adored how close they were.

"You will get your fangs, don't worry, it's just an age thing. Until you're a little older you'll stick to blood bags. But you know, I drink blood bags too, so you do eat like me." He said with a reassuring smile, kneeling to be at eye level with his son. They grinned at each other, but the moment was interrupted by female squeals.

"Ian! Ian!" Scarlett screamed in a high pitched giggle, tackling the slightly younger boy to the ground.

"Scar, my name is Sebastian!" He grumbled. Damon laughed.

"That's my boy." Scarlett pouted, something she had no doubt learned from Katherine as she pushed her long curls from her eyes.

"You know you like it…Aunt Elena calls you that too, even Mommy and Daddy do."

"But my Daddy calls me Sebastian." He stated proudly, folding his arms in annoyance. Damon grinned wider than a Cheshire cat and picked up his son.

"I love you." He chuckled as Sebastian hugged him tightly around the neck.

"I love you too." Scarlett, who was immensely fond of her uncle, reached up for him too. He smiled adoringly down at her and moved Sebastian on to one hip and the picked Scarlett up and placed her on the other. Damon walked towards the house and Elena met him at the door with a kiss.

"Dinner's ready." He rested his forehead against hers.

"Thank you beautiful." He let the kids down, who ran off to play in the living room and Damon pulled her into him. His tongue traced her bottom lip and she fisted his hair. They kissed for a little while until Stefan walked into the kitchen.

"Smells great, Bunny." Elena shot Stefan an incredulous look. He'd started calling her that three years prior, right after he came home stating "I used to eat bunnies and I used to eat you, so I thought it fit." Of course that had caused Damon to punch him in the face that night.

"Excuse me?" Damon hissed and Elena was about to scold him when she burst into laughter. Stefan had hair pins and rollers all in his hair. Scarlett and Sebastian bounded in gleefully.

"Isn't Uncle Stefan pretty, Mommy?" Elena laughed harder, doubled over, and Damon shot him a smug look.

"Oh yes, Steffy is one gorgeous hunk of a woman." Stefan gritted his teeth but put on a smile for the children. Scarlett took hold of her father's hand and tugged.

"Come on Daddy, Ian and I are going to paint your fingernails." Damon tried and failed to suppress a snicker but then the horrible look on Stefan's face made him feel sorry for him.

"Leave Stefan alone, kids, let's go to the park." He and Elena were still giggling as they took the kids hands and walked toward the door.

"What about dinner?" Stefan asked.

"You and Katherine eat it; I'm in the mood for a nice walk with my husband." Elena said as she gave Damon a warm smile. He returned it, rubbing her cheek gently and pulling her in to another kiss. Damon then opened the door, guiding the children outside until he heard Katherine come up behind him.

"No sir, Scarlett is staying here and eating what Elena cooked, she didn't eat ANYTHING yesterday." She said with a motherly glare at her daughter.

"I had some hot blood with coco that Uncle Damon made me Mama…doesn't that count?"

"Scarlett Mary!" Katherine said in a raised voice, giving Damon an I-Will-Kill-You-If-You-Ever-Feed-My-Daughter-Chocolate-Ever-Again look. Scarlett looked down dejectedly and walked back inside. Damon winked at her and mouthed "I'll make you a surprise later" causing her to break out in a small smile and wave as Damon, Elena, and Sebastian left.

Damon had Sebastian's left hand and Elena had his right, swinging him along as they walked to the park. Damon smiled happily as he listened to his little boy's giggles and caught glimpses of his wife's beaming face.

"Daddy, Mommy, will you sing to me while we play in the park?" The couple grinned, knowing exactly the song he wanted. Elena had learned the words from listening to Damon the last three years.

"Heaven's gift to me, just the way you are." They never finished, accidently bumping into someone.

"I'm sorry, we weren't watching where we were going…" Elena trailed off realizing that the person they'd bumped into was Klaus. His eyes were shinning brighter than usual, and his expression was twisted into an evil smile.

"Ah, if it isn't the Salvatore's. I've been looking for you, mates." Damon instinctively stepped in front of Elena and Sebastian.

"Go away Klaus." He growled. Klaus cocked his head to the side.

"Is that any way to talk to the man who holds your family's life in his hands?" Within an instant two of Klaus's hybrids had Elena and Sebastian. Damon bared his fangs.

"Let them go." He growled, enticing a laugh from Klaus.

"Or what? You can't kill me, Damon. I believe I've proved that on multiple occasions." Damon glowered at him.

"What do you want? I'll give you anything, just don't hurt them." He pleaded, his heart breaking as Sebastian burst into terrified tears.

"I want you to make a choice, Damon. Sebastian or Elena, in order for my plan to work one of these lovelies has to die…take your pick." Damon's eyes filled with tears.

"Please don't do this…I can't…please…" Damon's eyes were filled with horror, knowing that if he made a move for one of them the other would die. Sebastian sniffled.

"Don't cry Daddy…" He whimpered out.

"Chose Ian…Damon. You know that's the right choice. You have to let me go." Elena said quietly. Damon looked at her with broken eyes.

"Elena I can't chose…I can't kill you, and I can't kill him. Klaus please…take me instead." He begged.

"Sorry mate…how about I just make the decision for you then?" Damon screamed no but it was too late. The hybrids drew stakes and shoved them through both Sebastian and Elena's hearts. Elena whispered an "I love you" before both of them turned gray and fell to the floor. Damon ran to them.

"Ian!" It was the first time Damon had ever called his son by Elena's name for him. He shook his tiny shoulders and sobbed.

"Ian look at Daddy…please, you are not dead!" He cried, stroking his son's cheek and kissing his forehead. The he looked over at Elena.

"Princess? Elena please say something, anything. Elena! I told you I couldn't lose you…you promised me I'd never lose you." He sobbed harder, deciding that in his desperation he'd pretend it was a fairytale. He'd let himself believe true loves kiss could bring her back. He gently pressed his lips against hers…their final kiss. Nothing happened and Damon nuzzled her, caressing her hair whispering "I love you" over and over into her ear.

"I failed you both." Klaus walked over to where Damon was kneeling.

"Give it a rest, they aren't coming back." Damon lunged for him.

"I'm going to fucking end you! I will make you pay for taking them from me if it's the last thing I do." He spat.

"Good luck with that…as if you'd even be able to find me…or their bodies." Damon looked behind them quickly and noticed that the hybrids had vanished with Elena and Sebastian. Damon through all his strength into a punch but fell on his face. Klaus had disappeared too.

And there Damon sat, completely and utterly alone. Everything and everyone he'd ever loved had been taken from him…his only two reasons for existing had been ripped from his arms. Elena and Damon's souls had been connected…so whatever pain he'd had felt after her death anyway was increased by 20 fold. His life no longer had meaning, he was an empty shell. Unable to carry the weight of his love any longer, unable to handle the suffocating agony, all there was left to do was turn it off. He could practically hear Elena's voice in his head.

I choose you, Damon. It will always be you.

Those were the words that had given him life, so he figured they may as well be the ones that gave took it away.

"It's always been you, Elena. And it will be forever." He whispered, his very last words before flipping his switch and shutting off every emotion he'd ever known.