N: Hey guys, so, like the summary says, this picks up after the 5th episode, "the world has turned and left me here" just a few hours after the actual episode ended. This one shot – turned two shot because of the time limit – will have a lot of time jumps since I don't want to turn it into a multi-chapter story, hopefully it won't be too confusing, but if you do have any questions, please PM me and I will be happy to answer to you within 24 hours.

The next part will obs be on Elena trying to "seduce" Damon. There is going to be a road trip!

Enjoy and please review!

Too Late to Remember, Too Early to Forget

The door busted open and both Caroline and Elena jumped to their feet. Stefan closed the door behind him and once he turned to face them once more Elena noticed the grin on his face. She hasn't seen Stefan smile in a very long time. If she didn't know any better she would've guessed he got his hands on some pretty strong vampire drugs.

"Stefan, what_" Caroline started, but Stefan interrupted her, his eyes glued to Elena. It was clear to Elena that whatever Stefan was so pleased about was concerning her and not Caroline. Either that or they were both still in denial about their feelings for each other and they went from friends to avoiding each other. The mystery was made clear just a few seconds later once Stefan finished his sentence.

"Elena…he's back! Damon is back."

Elena frowned and Caroline gasped. As far as Elena was concerned they were both having normal reactions to the statement.

"What?"

"Damon, he is not dead, he is back. I swear, I touched him and everything_"

This time it was Elena's time to interrupt. "I…but how? What about Bonnie?"

"I am sorry, just him. I asked about Bonnie, but he hasn't seen her since…well, since the other side came crushing. I am not sure about how Damon got to come back or even if he was actually dead, I don't even know he knows. He obviously wanted to come straight here to see you, but I told him about the compulsion and told him it will be best if he waited for Alaric to get here first and give your memories back."

Stefan was too caught up in his happy bubble, but Caroline did notice the fake smile Elena gave him. If Caroline had to take a guess, her best friend wasn't thrilled about getting back her memories of Damon.

"Sure, I will call Ric in the morning," Elena said with another forced grin, but Stefan pulled out his phone.

"Already called him. He should be here any minute now."

Elena passed her hand through her hair and let her body fall on the edge of the bed. "I know, I felt the same," Stefan said softly, but Elena doubted they both felt the same. Before Elena had the time to say anything however, the door opened for the second time within five minutes. Alaric lost no time in asking the same questions Elena had.

"How the hell did Damon came back from the dead? Where is he? Is he the same?" questions came one after another and Stefan actually laughed.

"No idea, but he is Damon, that I am sure of. We…well, I decided that it will be better to stay away until you…well, until you give Elena her memories back," once Stefan said that, he moved out of the way and Alaric took a seat beside Elena. He looked her straight in the eyes and whispered: "Remember!" Elena blinked a few times.

"Who was Damon Salvatore?" Alaric asked.

"Stefan's brother, he was a monster," came her answer, clear for everyone in the room to hear. Alaric looked around confused for a second, but then he smiled and directed his attention back to Elena. "I should've known that's not going to do it," he said and licked his lips a few times before speaking as his eyes poured into Elena's once more. "On your birthday Damon gave you the necklace that meant so much for you and Stefan, he gave you hope and that was when you knew you loved him." Just like the last time, Elena blinked a few times after Alaric was done.

"Who was Damon Salvatore?" he asked, but once more Elena's answer was: "Stefan's brother and he was a monster."

Elena looked around confused. She noticed that Stefan's expression was no longer that of euphoric joy, but one of a sort of sadness Elena never encountered before. She looked at Caroline and got even more sadness and confusion. The blonde's mouth was slightly open as if she couldn't believe how screwed up everything was. Finally, she turned her attention back to Alaric.

"Elena, the compulsion is no longer there, what's blocking you from remembering is your own mind. Because of the time I had to alter and your deep feelings for Damon, I chose to use a mixture of compulsion and hypnosis with you. Whatever is stopping you from remembering about Damon is not supernatural, is psychological."

Elena threw a guilty look in Stefan's direction. He looked devastated. "I am sorry," she whispered. But Stefan didn't look at her, he looked at Alaric instead.

"Isn't there something you can do?" he asked, hope clear in his voice.

"Not really. It's up to her," he turned towards Elena. "It's up to you to remember," she nodded subtly, even if she had no idea why she was nodding. "Look," Alaric started. He grabbed her hand and Elena looked up once more. "It's like the victims of very traumatic events that don't remember what happened to them or they remember it happening in a different way. Their mind purposely hides the real memories to protect them. There's a reason why your mind refuses to give you back those memories and until you admit to yourself the reason, there is nothing I, or you for that matter, can do."

"I understand," Elena whispered.

"No," Stefan's voice came from near the door. "No," he said again only louder so that all three pairs of eyes turned towards him.

"Stefan, I_" Elena started.

"No, you can't do this to him, Elena."

"I'm sorry, I just… I need some time," and before anyone had the time to say anything more, Elena got out of the room. At the end of the hall, she bumped into someone. Excusing herself, she raised her head to look at the person she almost knocked over. It was Damon Salvatore. He seemed to be lost for words, in some sort of sock, because he was just standing there like a tricked without a word.

"Uhh…welcome back!" she mumbled uncomfortable and then used her vampire speed to get as far away from him as possible.

When Damon opened the dorm room about a minute later, she found Blondie, Stefan and Alaric all looking towards the door with puzzled, sort of sad expressions on their faces. He wanted to ask why, but deep down, he knew the answer.

"Damon," Stefan started, but Damon didn't hear anything after because Caroline's arms closed around him and her tight hug was keeping oxygen from getting to his head. For a few seconds, Damon was too shocked to do anything and after a quick consideration, he returned Caroline's hug.

"I can't believe I am saying this, but I am happy you are back," Caroline said as she finally let go of Damon.

"You and me both Blondie, you and me both," he pulled back a few inches to look at her. "I am so sorry about Bonnie," he said and she nodded, tears now pouring from her eyes. "Am I missing something?" he asked confused.

Stefan was the one to speak first. "It's about Elena," but before he got to his brother what had just happened, Alaric stopped him.

"Since it's my doing, I think I should be the one telling him."

"Telling me what?"

"Damon," Alaric started and Damon raised an eyebrow. He had a feeling that whatever his best friend had to say, he will not like it in the slightest.

"What's wrong?"

"I couldn't bring Elena's memories back."

A morbid silence fell over the room, or at least in Damon's head there was silence. He could see Alaric's lips moving and Stefan's hands pointing at him, but he couldn't hear a word they were saying.

"Alright," he said and made his way towards the door. Both his brother and his former best friend called after him. He turned around and smiled weakly. "I'll be fine," and with a loud clank, the door closed behind him.

***DE***

Damon spent hours trying to find Elena, but as dawn came, it became clear that she didn't want to be found. Finally, he compelled himself a room at a hotel nearby, took a shower and crushed. Apparently time travel was exhausting. Who knew?

Elena found two quarters in her packets and immediately pushed them into a pay phone, but then she realized she didn't know Caroline's number by heart. She called her own phone but no one answered. It made sense, she had it on silent since before she left. Admitting defeat she put punched the phone enough to make it fly a few meters away from her. She looked around. Happy that no one saw her she made her way back towards her dorm room.

She stopped in front of the building and listened carefully, but no noises were coming from her room. She hoped Caroline was back camping or away with Stefan. She wished her roommate was anywhere but in the room.

"Finally!" Caroline yelled as soon as Elena opened the door. She cursed under her breath, but got inside anyway. "I thought you were dead or something. Not answering your phone for five hours is not cool, Elena!" Caroline went in and Elena actually started to feel bad. She walked to the desk and picked up her phone.

"Sorry, I left it here," she said showing the device to a fuming Caroline. "I just wanted to make sure Damon wouldn't be here when I got back."

"Why?"

"I just…well, I don't see the point. His big reunion is not going to happen. I don't remember loving him. Gee, I don't even care about him." She raised her hands as if only words were not enough to express what she wanted to say. "He doesn't deserve a second change when Bonnie didn't get one! No, I don't want to remember the good parts, because nothing, nothing can make up for all the bad things he did," at this point Elena was yelling at her friend.

"You don't mean that," Caroline whispered calmly.

"Yes I do."

"This is not you, Elena! You are compassionate, carrying and forgiving. You see the best in people even when no one else does and you most certainly don't judge someone after you erased everything good about them from your memories. Now, I will be the first person to admit that Damon Salvatore has done some pretty horrible things, God knows we had our differences. Yes, he did those things, but he did good things too. There was nothing," she paused for effect. "Nothing he wouldn't have done for you, Elena. He would have given up his life if it meant saving yours and that is not something that people should be able to forget!" Caroline grabbed her handbag and walked towards the door. Once her hand touched the doorknob she stopped and turned around. "I will be away until you decide to get back to your old self. This selfish side doesn't become you, Elena."

***DE***

A few days after Caroline stormed out her their room, Elena found herself alone on the room reading about lungs and pulmonary infections. She almost missed the soft steps approaching the door. There was nothing special about the way they sounded, yet Elena somehow knew exactly who it was on the other side of the door. Damon. She stood up and hesitated only a few seconds before making her way towards the door. Despite her best judgment her heart picked up speed. She placed her palm against the cold wooden door, resting her forehead on her hand. She didn't know for how long she stood there, probably long after Damon had gone. He had been trying to see her for days, but she refused. He thought that if he got to talk to her, hold her, and touch her, that maybe her memories would come back. He was wrong. They would never come back, not of she had anything to say about it.

***DE***

"You're avoiding me," Damon said and Elena shrugged. There was one thing that was bothering Damon more than the fact that his girlfriend didn't remember ever loving him and that was the fact that she was avoiding him. Which meant no opportunities for him to get her to change her mind. And now that they were finally in the same room together, just the two of them for the first time since he came back from the dead, she was avoiding his eyes.

"So what if I am?" she asked defiantly.

Damon laughed sadly. "Why?" he asked.

Elena looked confused for a second. "I thought it was obvious," Damon raised an eyebrow. "I don't like you, why would I want to spend time with you?"

"Like me? You don't even know me!"

"I know enough. You killed my brother!" she shouted.

"And you forgave me for it."

"I shouldn't have." Her words managed to cut through the indifferent façade. He took a step back as if she physically pushed him.

"You did it because you understood me, because you loved me."

"So I keep hearing, but I don't understand how…why?"

"Because I always put you first," Damon answered quickly. "Because I changed for you, I wanted to be a better man for you. Because I have always accepted who you were, the good and the bad. I pushed you and made you stronger. And because I spend half a year with you, helping you find my brother. Despite the fact that was madly in love with you and I wanted you more than I've ever wanted anything in my whole God dammed life. Because, Elena," for some reason, the way he just said her name made Elena shiver. "I almost died to make sure you get the cure. A cure that would've meant losing you."

Elena opened her both a few times just to close it right back. When she finally did spoke, her voice was slightly unsteady.

"I can't do this," she whispered and before Damon could stop her, she disappeared.

***DE***

Elena opened her eyes wider. She was in a forest that much she could tell. It was almost impossible to see much more than a few trees and rock because of all the fog around her. She looked up just in time to see a human figure descending from the sky. It looked like a woman in a dress. As soon as the figure came close enough, Elena was able to tell that it was a woman in a puffy, red dress. She had a thick veil on her face so Elena wasn't able to see who it was and when she spoke, her voice was like a bird's song.

"One day, you will realize the reason you loved him. One day the reason why you couldn't leave without him will be made clear and everything you don't want to remember will come at once."

Gasping for air Elena rose in a sitting position. She looked around confused until she remembered that Caroline was wasn't as if it would've made a difference, she couldn't tell Caroline the real reason she didn't want to remember Damon and how she felt about him. No one could know. They would try to talk her out of it, as it is they were already making it their mission in life reminding her that she needed to remember that she needed to go back to being "that" Elena. Her decision was made. She didn't care who Damon Salvatore really was, she remembered him as a monster with no redeeming qualities and that was the way it will stay.

***DE***

Damon just ignored the shy knock on the door. To his irritation the door opened and Caroline made her way inside letting the door close behind her.

"Hey," she mumbled and Damon rolled his eyes. "How…how are you?"

He smiled sarcastically. "I am great Blondie, walking on sunshine. I died," he made a gesture with his hand that if the situation wasn't so fucked up Caroline would've found deeply amusing. "And I came back from the dead to find that my brother lost it, my home town, my house, is off limits, the woman I love more than anything in the world doesn't want anything to do with me and basically told me I should've stayed dead, because my best friend compelled her love for me away and the only person who remains the same is you," he laughed again. "Although, you seem happy I am back, so I am still not sure it's really you." This time it was Caroline's lips that formed a grin on her face.

"It's me."

"See, that is exactly what the impostor Caroline would say."

They both smiled. After a few moments of silence in which Damon offered Caroline a drink and she accepted, the blonde vampire was the first to talk, taking Damon by surprise. "Alaric told me you asked about the Gemini coven."

Damon looked at her frowning. What was Alaric's problem? Did he really have to go tell Blondie his every move?

"I did."

"Why?"

Over the days following his return to the 2000s Damon thought about telling Caroline about Bonnie many times. He might not like to admit it, and wouldn't say it out loud even under torture, but Caroline Forbs was a tough cookie. She took after her mother. She was as brave, just and ready to help as her mother and just as stubborn as her father. He knew even before "landing" back in modern day Mystic Falls that he would not be telling anyone about Bonnie. After all, what exactly was he to tell them? Oh, by the way, Bonnie was with me and she died again just so that I can get back home. But as the days passed he founded harder and harder to look for a way to bring back someone who might be actually dead for good with no prospect of returning to the land of the living. A few weeks ago he told Stefan. That turned out to be a mistake. It seemed that his brother's optimism ran all out and all he kept telling Damon was that he needed to give up and move on.

"Caroline, maybe you should take a seat," Damon said and Caroline raised an eyebrow. She couldn't even remember the last time Damon called her "Caroline" whatever he needed to say to her was serious, that much she was sure of. She finished her drink in one gulp and took a seat on the comfortable sofa. Damon filled her glass with the same amber colored liquid and handed it to her. "You'll need it, trust me!"

As soon as Caroline's finger's closed around the glass, Damon started his story. He told her everything. How he and Bonnie held hands as the other side was collapsing around them. How they were transported into the 1994 Mystic Falls to leave the same day over and over again. He told her about Bonnie and him discovering they were not alone. He even told her about the pancakes and about their trips to the supermarket. From time to time he would stop to take a generous gulp of bourbon directly from the bottle. All through the story Caroline's eyes never left his. She opened her mouth from time to time, but no sounds escaped her lips. She stood still, asked no questions, made no nose or funny faces, she just allowed him to tell the story in his own was and for a moment Damon was more grateful towards Caroline Forbs than he'd been to anyone since he came back.

After he was done Caroline finally moved. She drank all the bourbon in her glass and handed it to him to pour another.

"You were right, I do need it," she said simply.

***DE***

Over the next weeks Damon and Caroline spent almost every day together. Either trying to take down the mystical barrier to Mystic Falls or doing more research on the Gemini coven.

Caroline and Elena had their second fight since Damon's return to the land of the living and when Elena opened the door to her room to find her only remaining best friend on the other side, she had a feeling they were about to have another fight. She was right.

After a few more exchanges of "You are not being fair, Elena" and "I can't believe you are doing this" the words Caroline promised will not reach Elena's ears finally came rushing through her lips before she realized what she was saying. She told Elena about Bonnie when she promised Damon she wouldn't and she felt terrible about it.

***DE***

It took Elena a few days before she felt brave enough to confront Damon about what Caroline told her. The first place she looked for him was his apartment, but he wasn't there. He went to Mystic Falls border next, knowing that's where Caroline was likely to be and her and Damon were almost always together these days.

"Elena?" Caroline asked surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"I am looking for Damon."

"He went to talk to meet Liv. I am pretty sure Alaric told them they can use his classroom."

"Oh, thanks," Elena mumbled and ran all the way back to the campus.

*DE*

By the time Elena arrived at the University Damon and the witch were heaving a very heated discussion, loud enough for her to hear them from the main hallway. She stopped deciding that she could wait until Damon was done fighting with Liv. She didn't plan to eavesdrop, she just chose not to stop hear supernatural hearing from picking up their voices.

"You don't understand, the Gemini coven are not tolerant to vampires. I don't mean the way Bonnie was, I mean in the way were they will kill you without asking questions," Live yelled and Elena heart Damon's mouth made a weird clank noise before he spoke.

"No, you don't understand. Bonnie Bennett gave her life for mine. I am back home because of her. When she chose to send me back, she was bleeding to death, but I am thinking that if Kai didn't die, then there is a chance that she didn't die either. So she is still there, living the same day over and over in the company of a psychopath with the ability to take away her magic," there was a short pause and Elena expected to hear the witch's comeback, but it was Damon's voice once more she heard. "I know ok? I know that the chances she is still alive are minimal, but I have to try. If there is anything I can do to bring her back, I will do it, no matter what."

"They well kill you!"

"Been there, done that. Twice, it didn't take."

"Is Caroline going with you?" Liv asked.

"No, I don't want anyone else getting hurt."

There was more talking, but Elena couldn't hear it anymore. Her head hurt the same way it did when a witch was frying her brain. Her vision became blurry and distorted.

She barely made her way to her room before she collapsed.

***DE***

"Elena!" Caroline placed her could hand on Elena's cheek. "Elena!" she called again and finally, Elena's eyes flew open. "Thank God! I was about to call 911."

"I remember," Elena murmured, her voice shaky and a bit hoarse from her screams of pain. "I remember," she repeated.

"Remember? What? Elena, are you ok?"

"I remember, Caroline. Damon…oh God," Elena's voice broke and she started crying softly. Caroline's hand closed over her mouth in realization of what Elena remembered. "I," she sobbed. "I should have known. I did know, because of the dream," she knew she wasn't making much sense, but to her it made perfect sense.

"Dream," Caroline whispered.

"Yes. It started a few weeks after Damon came back. In the dream, there was a woman. I couldn't see who because of the veil, but now that I thing about it, it might've been me. She told me that one day I will realize why I loved Damon and that when that will happen all my memories will come back."

"Do you know what triggered it?" Caroline asked.

"Yes." Suddenly Elena jumped to her feet. "I have to go. I have to find Damon or it will be too late," and she left, leaving a very confused Caroline behind.

***DE***

Once Damon opened the door, Elena lost no time. She jumped him, hugging him tight enough to stop his blood circulation. She buried her nose in the crack of his neck taking in his scent. She thought she will never be able to do that again, but before she had the time to enjoy the feeling of him properly, he pushed her away.

"Elena, what the hell?"

"I remember Damon!" she said excitedly, Damon's face remained emotionless. "I remember everything," she went on, but her words had the same reaction as her previous ones.

"Well, good for you."

"I love you," she said softly, fear taking over her mid like the fog in her dreams. Why wasn't Damon happy about her getting her memories back, living him again?

"Elena, I have been back for month now. I did everything in my power to convince you that you should get your memories back, but you refused. Look, I understand. I did all those things Elena, so I understand. I died, and you moved one. You have a new…boyfriend, you have your studies, you have a new life and that's fine. It took me a while, but I finally came to terms with that. I moved on."

By now Elena's eyes were no longer capable of keeping in the tears. It was too late. Damon gave up on her. But didn't he understand why she couldn't let the memories in? Of course he didn't. He was Damon Salvatore and the one thing he always lacked was confidence in the fact the he could be loved as fiercely as he loved.

"I need to go," he said and moved towards the door expecting for her to move out of the way, but she didn't.

"Damon, I am sorry. I know what I put you though and I_"

"I really do have to go, can we do this some other time?" he asked and she nodded, not trusting her voice enough to talk. She knew that if she did say something she will burst into sobs and never stop, not until he took her back. Once the door close behind him Elena let her body lean against the door. She slid to the floor and finally broke down.

Damon could hear her sobs long after he got out of the building. It took every single ounce of self-restrain he had to not turn around and console her, kiss her, hug her and anything else he'd been wanting to do to her since he came back.

***DE***

"What did you expect, Elena?" Caroline asked, but Elena didn't move. Her vacant look remained focused on the table centerpiece. "Are you listening to me, Elena Gilbert?"

"Uh?"

"You know what you have to do, right?"

"What?"

"You have to fight for him, the way he fought for you so many times."

For the first time in days Elena smiled. "You are right," she said with a huge grin on her face. "You are right, I need to fight for him. I need to show him how much he means to me and how sort I am for what I put him through."

"That's the spirit. You better start soon though, he got a lead on the Gemini coven and he is leaving soon," Elena didn't hear anything after the word "lead" and she didn't have to.

"No, I just got him back, I can't lose him again."

"What? Elena he'll be back."

"He didn't tell you?"

"Tell me what?" Asked Caroline confused.

"Lic told Damon that the witches in the coven are really not fond of vampires and they most certainly kill him, no questions asked."

Caroline contemplated for a few moments. "So that's why he refuses to take me with him," she whispered more to herself than to Elena.

"Well, he can refuse as much as he wants to take me, I am not taking no for an answer," and with that she vanished.

N: I am sorry for any mistakes you found. Obviously, it is not betaed and I wanted to poste before tomorrow, when I get to watch the next episode and all this will stop making sense even more than it already isn't.