Until Death

I don't own anything or anyone from The Vampire Diaries.

Apologies for the wait! I really wanted to post this sooner but I was having trouble in what direction to take with this story, I think I have made a decision now though so hopefully the updates will come between less time than I have been doing with this story lately!

My eyes widen in shock at the sensation of someone choking me, I gasp and splutter on the ground, placing my own hands around my neck as I try to relieve the strong hold that is gripping me but there's nothing there.

The grip gets tighter and tighter and I thrash around, desperate to stop this pain, this death grip that is literally choking me.

If I wasn't already dead, I know that I would be by now.

At least in my human life.

The hold finally relents and I start coughing, crawling into a ball on the ground as I struggle to catch my breath.

What the hell was that?

Before I can fully get my breathing back however a strike crosses my face and I go tumbling back into the mud.

"Ah!" I gasp in pain as shots of pain attack my body and when I look down I'm shocked to see blood oozing out of me.

I roar in pain as I place my fingers in one of my wounds and I'm shocked to pull out a bullet.

A wooden bullet.

"Who is doing this?!" I wail out in pain, another thud hitting me, this time into my back and I crawl along the soil, finally getting my baring's.

I'm on the road outside of my old house.

Where I died as a human.

"Who's there?" I shout out into the darkness, fear overtaking me as I can hear footsteps but I can't see anyone or anything. "Tell me!"

Another bullet hits into my shoulder and I scream in pain before pulling it out, gasping in pain as I hold it in my hand.

"Damon."

I look around quickly at the sound of that familiar voice but no one is there.

"Damon."

I climb to my feet, walking around in a circle frantically, my eyes darting around the darkness but there is no one there.

"Damon Salvatore. Do not ignore me."

I get what feels like the back of my hand crossing my face and I stumble back a little but manage to stay on my feet.

"Stop this!" I shout out, the wounds from the wooden bullets earlier still making my entire body ache. Apparently I don't heal as fast as a dead vampire.

Now I hear a low dark chuckle and I gulp slightly because I would recognise that sound anywhere.

"Father? Is that you?"

Then everything goes black.

The next time I wake up, I'm lying down on something comfortable and my eyes close in satisfaction as the feeling of someone playing with my hair soothes me.

It takes me a moment to realise that I am hallucinating again and when I open my eyes again I freeze when I realise I am in my childhood bedroom.

Lying on my old bed.

"Damon? Sweetie?"

I jump forward at the sound of that voice, my eyes darting around the room frantically.

"Honey, don't be scared."

"Mother?"

"Yes. It's me." Her voice is calm and soft, just how I remember it. "Come and sit down dear."

I slowly walk back over to the bed and nervously take a seat, my eyes still darting around the room, trying to see her, but I can't.

"What's going on? Why is this happening?"

"I don't know, dear." She replies and I close my eyes as I feel my hair being played with again and I realise it was just like how she used to do it when I was a child and I couldn't sleep.

"I'm sorry, Mom." I clench my eyes tightly shut.

"For what, dear?"

"For everything. I know I've disappointed you." I open my eyes and look down at my feet in guilt.

"Oh sweetie, you haven't disappointed me, you could never disappoint me."

"But I've done some terrible things, I've hurt people, I've killed people."

"No. That wasn't you, Damon, that was your disease. My boy, he couldn't hurt a fly."

I clench my jaw and try to stop tears from escaping my eyes, because even now, I need to be strong for her. "No you don't understand, it was all me."

"No dear, my boy, my Damon, he wouldn't hurt anyone." She says again, her voice quiet and calm.

"But I have!" I argue. "I've hurt a lot of people, innocent people, I've even hurt Stefan."

"Why dear?" her voice is still calm but there is more of an edge too it this time. "Why would you hurt your brother?"

I look away. "I don't know…"

"Yes you do."

"I don't want to talk about Stefan right now." I deflect her comment. "How are you here? How come I can hear you but can't see you? Are you ok? Are you happy? Are you in a better place?"

"So many questions my child."

"Sorry." I apologise meekly. "I have just missed you so much, Mother, I love you."

"I know dear, and I have missed you also. I love you sweetie, I always have."

"You were the only one to do so."

"You know that is not true. Your father, he loves you, he just never knew how to show it. He is a stubborn man, and he has great difficulty expressing his feelings."

"He hated me. I was a disappointment to him, I didn't lead the path he wanted for me and he couldn't love me anymore for it."

"He just wanted you to be the best man that you could be."

"And I failed him."

"No dear, you fell in love."

I cringe, thinking about all the mistakes I made back in 1864 when Katherine took over my life.

"That was not love, Mother."

"No, I guess not. Tell me dear, how did you get here?"

"I made a lot of bad choices." I look around my old small bedroom and I grip onto my old bed sheets tightly. "There is this girl…"

"Ah." I hear the realisation in her voice. "It is always down to the love of a woman."

"She's…she's special." I smile a little thinking about Elena. "I love her, more than anything and anyone in this world."

"And which world is that, Damon? This one? Or your old one?"

I frown at her choice of words. "Why, both worlds Mother."

"You must choose, Damon." Her voice is more serious now. "You must make a choice."

That damn C word again.

"A choice between what? I don't understand."

"You can either come with me and we shall be reunited or you can stay here in this purgatory you're stuck in. The hallucinations will get worse, and before you know it you will be stuck in a hell that is greater than any other."

I frown, thinking about what I found out from Rose that the only way I get to leave this place is if Jeremy Gilbert dies.

"I thought I was stuck here? As part of the hunters curse."

"Dear, you should know by now that I am very much aware of the supernatural world and have been before I even passed. I know a witch, a very powerful witch, and she can do a spell to break you free from this curse and bring you over to us, where you belong my dear, you should have been here when you died as a human, you and your brother."

"But if I go with you…then I won't be able to be go back…I won't be able to be resurrected…"

"No." she confirms. "But dear, why would you want to? That world…it's turned you into a monster, that is not you, not my son. You died in 1864 sweetie, you don't belong there."

"But Elena…"

"Isn't 150 years old." I feel her hand on mine, and even though I can't see it, the comfort is there and it gives me a warm feeling in my stomach, something I haven't felt in so so long. Something which I have missed and craved since the moment my mother took her last breath. "She hasn't lived like you have, dear. You've had your time, Damon, you need to move on, it's time."

I gulp and think about her words. "I can't leave her, Mom, I love her." just the thought of never being able to see Elena again, to never hear her voice again, physically hurts my heart.

"Why do you think I'm here, dear? I'm no part of this hunter's curse; the curse is just what my witch has used to grant me access into this world. I have come to save you because I love you, because I don't want you to continue being the monster that that disease makes you be. Dear, I love you, you are my son, my Damon, and I am asking you, as your mother, to come over with me."

"I don't know, Mother." Tears fall from my eyes. "You don't understand, Elena she…I can't leave her."

"I shall give you some time, time to experience this world for yourself before you make up your mind. Goodbye my sweet Damon, I shall hopefully see you very soon."

"Damon?"

"Ric?!" I jump to my feet to see Alaric walking towards me across the empty Grill. "I can see you!"

He frowns at me confused "You've always been able to see me, Damon? Are you ok?"

I realise now that my I'm sweating, my entire forehead is soaked as is my the edges of my hair and I gulp slightly thinking back to the words from my mother.

This can all stop.

"Jeremy's mark is complete, Damon." He tells me with a smile. "He and Elena hatched up a plan to kill Kol Mikaelson and it worked, he's dead and Jeremy's mark grew from all the deaths of Kol's descendants. They are going to some island tomorrow with Professor Shane, and they are going to bring you back. This is it, Damon."

I gulp slightly at his words because this is happening now.

I can get out of here.

Before I can say anything, a wave of pain overtakes my body again and I look down shocked to see more bullet holes all over my chest and stomach, blood oozing quickly out of it.

"Damon!" Alaric must be able to see it because he quickly runs towards me but when he touches me he removes his hand quickly in pain. "Vervain." He looks at me shocked. "Damon? What is going on?"

"Ah!" I gasp in agony as pain overtakes my head, almost like Bonnie is doing her witchy joo joo at me, add that to the pain coming from the vervain covered wooden bullets and my entire body is screaming in anguish. "Make it stop!" I beg Alaric who looks down at me in distress. "Please! I am begging you! Make it stop!"

"Damon I…What's going on? What's happening?" he looks around the Grill and I'm shocked when he starts shouting. "Jeremy!" he looks around desperately and curses underneath his breath as I writhe and squirm on the floor. "Damn it, ok, I…I'll be right back ok? I'm going to access Jeremy and bring him here!" he disappears before I can argue and I scream loudly in pain as more bullets attack my body.

I gasp as I feel what seems like a foot crush my hand, and when I look over at my arm that's lay on the floor I jump in fright when I see that there's a black boot pressed on top of my hand. I slowly lift my eyes up, the intense pain calming down as the bullets have stopped attacking my body.

Once my gaze reaches the top I choke on my own breath.

"Father?"

He bends down so he is crouched down in front of me, a stern look on his face as he eyes me up and down as I lie pathetically on the floor.

"Hello Damon."

Sorry it's a little short! The next one will be longer I promise!

Thanks for everyone who reviewed, you're all awesome and it's really appreciated! Let me know what you thought of this chapter, your feedback means a lot :)

Until next time!