Darker Side of the Rainbow

He had waited years for her to be his. Years, of torturous guilt filled waiting, for a woman that never cared about him; no matter how much he had convinced himself that she did. Elijah had torn himself to shreds over Katherine. As he thought back on it, the memory seemed like a distant nightmare, but it still loomed prominently in his subconscious. He had betrayed his brother with his love for Katherine, he had betrayed himself. Now, Elijah was not a man of self pity; it was the crippling weakness of both humans and vampires alike in his eyes. But when the tender subject of the specious Petrova came up, Elijah could never shake the slowly but surely diligently rising pity he had for himself. And somewhere, deep in the depths of his heart where it still seemed human, Elijah hoped that nobody would ever have to endure the same pain he had to all those centuries ago. But his seldom human hope fell in ruins before him as he watched Damon. He too, had loved a woman that could never be his. There was something about the elder Salvatore that forced Elijah's humanity to the surface, and he had no choice but to embrace it. Elijah wanted no more than to reassure Damon that the pain would get easier, and that in time, Katherine and Elena would only be blemishes in his eternal life. But Elijah knew that was only the naivety of a misguided dreamer. His cynical old age would not allow Elijah to believe that the pain of lost love would actually dwindle away, and a part of him didn't want it to either. His resentment, vengefulness, and hatred were what allowed him to live with himself. Elijah was no saint; not even a man with the most twisted mind would confuse him with one. But as he watched Damon slowly destroy himself, he felt as if he had a chance to do good; genuine good, with no hidden motive or large prize at the end. Something, deep down in Elijah compelled him to help out Damon; ease a dying man's mind. Elijah let out a sigh, and sat down on the couch next to the younger vampire.

"Not now, Elijah," Damon muttered distantly, fingering his bite, and seeming to count the atonements he wished he would have made. As Elijah watched Damon, he suddenly froze with discomfort. It wasn't like he hadn't been around dying and despaired men before. Elijah was fluent in the language of fading hopes, dreams, desires, life. But the difference now was that he actually cared who it was that was losing their once solidified immortality.

"Damon," Elijah replied trying to keep emotion at a distance, "if not now, when?" He left unsaid the words about Damon's rapidly approaching death. Damon lifted his eyes to Elijah seeming to hear the unsaid words floating in the room.

Damon sighed. There was no point in arguing, no point in trying to do anything. Damon was as good as dead. "What is it?" His incessant fingering of the werewolf bite ceased, yet he never took his hand from it. That wound, that godforsaken little bite was the reason Damon would soon be six feet underground. The thought did not sit easily with him, and it took all his might not to let the tears come rushing down his face.

"Look, we both know your time is coming to an end. But, it has not come yet. You still have much to learn, and I'm willing to teach you." Elijah's heart went out to the feeble vampire next to him. As he watched the Salvatore's flashing blue eyes, it occurred to Elijah how different he looked. Damon's face no longer held the permanent look of a powerful, conceited, undefeatable vampire. No. Damon's features now reminded Elijah of those of a fearful child. Damon's eyes begged and pleaded for some sort of hope; an answer that would keep him at least calm until his time came. Damon's lips no longer held a smirk, but rather a thin line that could morph into a quivering frown at any moment. Damon Salvatore looked helpless, lost, alone, dead. Elijah's fingers twitched with the urge to place them on Damon's shoulder to comfort the younger vampire, but Elijah would not allow himself to do it. Yes he wanted to help Damon, but Elijah was not about to risk getting too close to Damon; only to lose him in a short while.

"You want to teach me?" Damon replied tiredly, yet Elijah could see Damon's interest rising. "What is there to teach? How not to get bit by a vampire? To not allow goddamn emotions get in the way of you own life? I know it all." Damon's words were those of a miserable and defeated man, and it unnerved Elijah. In his long life, he had become a very talented people watcher, and Damon seemed to be the kind of man that would never dare admit his mistakes for fear of looking too weak. Elijah sighed.

"No, that is not what I want to teach you. Damon, life is a precious thing. Vampires tend to forget that, and get much too comfortable with immortality. Doing what you did for those two in the tomb was a heroic act. An act most humans would not even take. Do not blame your emotions Damon; they are your strongest asset."

"And how do you reason that?" Damon deadpanned, "because I don't see it. They're the reason I'm in this situation." His mind was everywhere and nowhere all in one moment. There were so many things he still wanted and needed to do. He had to be there for Elena, but now, that could never be. Damon promised himself he would wait for her until she had finally seen the light; even if it took centuries. But now, he didn't even have enough time to wait for the next episode of NCIS. And even though there were all of these dire issues he would have to abandon forever, a part of him felt compelled to even try and complete them.

"But they are also the reason you still speak to your brother, returned to Mystic Falls, and somewhere deep down, have forgiven everyone who has wronged you. Death always comes faster than anyone wants it to, but that doesn't give us the excuse to end our lives before it actually does. As I said, you're not dead yet." Elijah was amazed at how warm he felt inside. No matter what happened after this, Elijah could rest assure that he had helped someone reach salvation.

"So what are you saying I should do? Make a bucket list and go sky diving? Look, I've had 145 years to do all the insanities I want. "

"That may be true, but you haven't said I love you to Elena." Elijah saw Damon's eyes subtly widen. "It is no secret the feelings you have for the doppelganger. So, do not keep it a secret from her and let it die with you in the grave. Trust me when I say it will turn out to be one of your biggest regrets on your deathbed."

"I- I can't. I've done enough damage already. I don't need me telling Elena I love her just adding to my mess." Damon shook his head sadly. Even now, when he had nothing to lose, he still couldn't tell Elena those three precious and sacred words.

"You have no excuse for not being able to do anything now. It is not an option. You can either tell her your true feelings, or die an unsettled man. The choice though, is yours."

"Elena," Damon said weakly, "can I talk to you for a second?"

"Yeah, sure Damon, what is it?" Since Elena had found out about Damon's bite, she couldn't look at him the same. He embodied everything she ever wanted to say or do to Damon. He symbolized every unborn or unused dream, and now it was too late to reverse any of it. Elena felt herself dying along with Damon. He had been every desire, ever wish, everything that should be right, and now he was leaving her forever.

"I," Damon sighed. How was he to begin? Should he just come right out and say it? His scrambling thoughts wouldn't allow logic to be a voice in this decision, so he relied solely on instincts. "Elena, I know people have told you that I love you. And somewhere in you, you know that it's true. But I wanted to tell you the truth; the full truth. I do love you, Elena. It's not because of Katherine or because of Stefan. I love you for who you are, and what kind of man you make me. It's because of you that I saved Caroline and Tyler. And you, that I stayed in Mystic Falls. I meant it when I said that I would always choose you, and I always will. No matter if I'm here, or somewhere- somewhere else. If there is one sole thing you remember about me, let it be that." Damon tried to keep the tears back, but his century old strength finally died, and the tears came streaming down.

"Damon," Elena chocked in reply letting her own tears fall. "It would be impossible for me to only remember one thing about you. You deserve so much more than one memory, and I promise you that I'll never forget. I won't forget the way that you are a hero if there ever was one, and how you are filled with so much passion that everything you do seems godlike. And if there is one thing that you remember about me when- when- when you die, I pray that it's that I forgive you; for everything. I forgive you, and I-" Elena paused. Was she really going to tell him this? Was it worth the sacrifice? Of course it is, she told herself. "I love you, Damon. No matter what. I choose you, Damon." With that, her last bit of remaining strength fractured, and she burst into tears. They flowed relentlessly from her eyes, blurring Damon's perfect image. Damon quickly embraced her, and he felt her head lean against his shoulder. She loved him. Every single tear that fell from her eyes was for him. Years of pain, agony, hatefulness, and anger were let go of with one swoop of Elena's love. She loved him. The thought made Damon's muscles tingle, and his dead heart flutter to life.

No matter what happened from this point forward, whether Damon would truly die from this bite or not, the world seemed right. Elena loved Damon, and he loved her. The future didn't seem as unforgiving as it once had.

Okay, so I don't know what exactly possessed me to write this, but I had to. Damon's potential death has completely depressed me, so I guess this is me venting. And I know that the characters may be OOC, and that some of the dialogue was a bit cheesy, but hopefully the story could still be enjoyed. I'm thinking of turning this into a multi chapter story but need opinions on if you think I should. Hope you all enjoyed it!

Remember, reviews are love, people! ;)