Chapter 25: Aftermath part two

"Jeremy?" Ashley called as she walked into the basement.

"I don't want to talk about it." He muttered from his room. He was sitting on the couch staring at a blank TV screen and sipping on a glass of blood.

"Please Jeremy." Ashley said quietly. "We have to talk about these things."

"No, Ash." Jeremy shook his head. "We don't."

"Jeremy why are you acting like this? You were talking to me about everything. Something changed didn't it? I could feel it. After you drank my blood you started looking at me differently." Ashley said feeling her heart beat pick up.

"It's not that.. it.. well it was." he sighed. "Look. I mourned Vicki. I was depressed over her death for a long time. But in my own way I dealt with it and moved on. But I never mourned Anna. I turned myself and controlling the blood lust and finding my sister took precedence."

"And now that your uncle is here.." Ashley started realizing what he was getting it.

"Don't bring him up." Jeremy muttered.

"Mourn her now then Jeremy." Ashley said. "I will be here with you every step of the way."

"That's the problem Ashley." Jeremy sighed. "I don't want to mourn her. I want her to be alive. I still love her and when I drank your blood I felt like I was being disloyal to her."

"Jeremy." Ashley said. "You drank my blood to save your sister and kill Katherine. Not for your pleasure."

"It still gave me pleasure." He said quietly. "Just like everything else you do. I love being around you. I had so much fun on our date today. I can see myself falling for you... but how can I do that when I still love Anna?"

"Anna is gone." Ashley said quietly. "But I am not. You are not being disloyal to her by moving on with your life. Don't you think she would want you to be happy?"

"I know she would." Jeremy said softly taking her hand.

"Then stop feeling so guilty about things you can't control. Instead why not feel good about what you did tonight?" Ashley said squeezing his hand.

"I don't want to replace her Jeremy." Ashley added peering into his eyes. "I understand if you still love her. I just want to be around you see where things go with us. But I will never judge you or get angry with you if you need a day to think about her."

"What about your life Ashley?" Jeremy asked. "You can't just throw it all away for me."

"Jeremy." She said kissing his cheek. "My life now has you in it. Whatever that entails. I'm not throwing anything away here. So don't throw me away okay?"

He looked at her for a long moment and finally kissed her softly.

"I won't." He whispered.

"So?" Ric asked as Isobel stood in front of him.

"I just wanted to thank you." She said avoiding his eyes.

"Thank me?"

"For helping my daughter." Isobel replied.

"I did it for Elena." Ric frowned. "Not for you."

"I know that." Isobel said. "But I am still appreciative."

"Ric I'm sorry." Isobel said.

"It's a little late for that now isn't it?" Ric muttered.

"Maybe." She nodded. "I've changed over the past year. When I became a vampire I shut my humanity off. I never intended to reopen it. Then I watched Bonnie erase Elena's life and felt regret for the first time in a long time. It opened some stuff up. The last time I felt regret like that was the day I left you."

"Am I supposed to feel better? Knowing you regretted it?" He asked.

"I hoped you would." She said. "I told you this before.. but I compelled you to forget. Ric I want your heart to be free of me. Move on."

"I already am." he said honestly."I am falling for Jenna."

"Good." Isobel said swallowing hard. "I want you to be happy."

"Good bye Ric." She said softly as he walked to his car.

Elena got of the shower and put on one of Damon's black t shirts. She sighed as she sat on the bed and opened her diary. She felt a gust of wind and looked up.

"What do you want?" Elena asked.

"I'm leaving. I wanted to say goodbye." Isobel responded.

"Bye." Elena said going back to her diary.

"Elena." Isobel said in a more commanding tone.

Elena looked up and Isobel's brown eyes were sad and distant she looked.. human?

"Thank you for forgiving me. I don't deserve it." Isobel said.

"I know you don't." Elena said. "But you are my mother."

"Your wrong by the way." Isobel said. "About the apple not falling far from the tree. You may not be cold and heartless like me. But you have an inner strength and a fire in you that I always had."

"I'm nothing like you." Elena said quietly.

"You were never fully satisfied in life.. always felt something was missing then was you met the Salvatore's and realized what that thing was." Isobel continued pressing something into Elena's hand.

Elena opened it and looked at the small silver locket with the beautiful lapis stone in the middle.

"Why?" Elena asked but Isobel was gone. Elena opened the locket and found a tiny picture of Isobel holding her as a baby and felt the tears slide down her face.

"Thank you." Elena said out loud knowing Isobel could hear her.

"Elena?" Damon came in quietly. "Was Isobel in here?"

"She gave me this." Elena said showing him the locket. His eyes widened as he looked at the picture.

"She loves you." Damon said softly. "She just doesn't know how to show it."

"I know." Elena said softly she buried her head into Damon's chest and felt his scent start to calm her.

"Is everyone gone?" She asked.

"Finally." He said. "Thanks for leaving me with your family."

She laughed slightly. "What you said you love family time remember?"

He chucked. "I had a nice little bonding moment with your father tonight."

"No way." Elena smirked. "You didn't hit him or anything did you?"

"No we bonded." Damon said again. "He asked me what my intentions were with you so I told him."

"Ah." Elena smiled. "And what did you tell him?"

"The truth." Damon shrugged pulling her into his arms and kissing her head.

"Which is?" Elena asked.

"That I will never hurt you and I will always make you happy." He said. "I promised him I wouldn't turn you unless it was what you wanted and I made sure he knew I would keep you satisfied in bed."

Elena laughed feeling the tension of the horrible night start to fade as she pictured John's face when Damon said that.

"I also asked him for his permission to marry you." Damon said quietly.

"Marry me?" Elena whispered.

"I don't mean right now. I know how young you are. Your my soul mate. Their will be no woman after you. I want to spend the rest of your life however long you decide that's going to be. With you and I want you to be my wife someday."

"You do?" Elena breathed.

"Of course I do." He said. "I'm not great with this mushy stuff. But you know how deeply I love you. I want to be the one who gets to hold you every night and take care of you...make you happy."

"I want that too." She said kissing his cheek a stray tear dripped down her cheek and he kissed it away.

He kissed her passionately running his hands through her long silky hair and smiling wider then he ever had.

"So when are you going to do it?" Elena asked.

"Hm?" Damon said nuzzling her neck.

"Ask me I mean.. when?"

"Ask you what?" He asked teasingly.

"Come on Damon." Elena laughed as he hit a ticklish spot. "Tell me.. I want to know how long I'm supposed to wait."

"That's for me to know and you to, dot dot dot" He smirked.

"Damon!" She admonished slapping his arm.

"Domestic abuse already?" He said holding his arm.

"Please?" She asked. "Just a general time range will work."

"That my dear Elena would take away the surprise." He said kissing her quickly.

"Fine." She sighed frowning slightly. "What did John say?"

"He gave us his blessing." Damon said sounding surprised.

"Really?" Elena asked.

"Yup." Damon said. "Then he punched a hole into the side of our house."

Elena chuckled. "Crazy vamp parents. I hope you realize what you are signing up for Damon."

"I know exactly what I'm signing up for princess." He said kissing her deeply.

"Just so you know. I'm not to young." She whispered into his ear.

His stared into her brown eyes full of her love for him and felt swept away. He leaned down and kissed her deeply.

"Good." He said his eyes staring intensely into hers. "I don't want to wait long."

~the end~

I hope you enjoyed! I am working on an epilogue and then this story will be completely wrapped up. I hope you liked the story and the ending! Please review!