I Won't Be Okay

Banner By: Ziva21
Title: I Won’t Be Okay
Rating: PG-13
Author: Sxymami0909
Fandom: Vampire Diaries
Pairing: Damon/Elena
Word Count: 865
Song: “Just Say Yes” by One Republic



I’m running out of ways to make you see
I want you to stay here beside me
I won’t be okay and I won’t pretend I am
So just tell me today and take my hand

She stood leaning against the doorframe of the bathroom door, damp cloth in hand as she gazed across the room. Damon was spread out above the covers, a frown marring his face as he tossed and turned on the sheets, eyes closed tightly.

Elena could see the pain on his features and when she pushed away from the doorframe moving closer to the large bed she caught sight of the beads of sweat on his forehead. She paused sucking in a deep breath, her mind flashing back to Rose’s last few days after she was infected by the werewolf bite. It hadn’t been pretty.

Her stomach clenched, chest tightening as she imagined Damon going through that. A strangled sound leaving Damon’s throat had her shaking her head and moving forward until she was at the edge of the bed. She lowered her body slowly, the mattress dipping just slightly at her weight.

She placed the cloth gently over his forehead and watched as his eyes fluttered open slowly. Damon opened his mouth and winced, the dryness of his throat making his voice scratchy as he spoke a hint of confusion in his voice.

“Elena?” She nodded gripping his hand in one of hers and stroking his cheek reassuringly with the other. “I’m right here Damon.” He nodded stiffly. He was glad she was there. He knew he was dying and he couldn’t think of anyone he’d rather spend his last few hours with.

All this time he’d been trying to win back Elena’s affections, gain her friendship once again, who knew all it would take was a death sentence from a werewolf? He felt her fingers thread through his and his eyes slid shut again as emotion built in his throat.
He needed to tell her. He didn’t want to be selfish but if these were going to be his last for hours he didn’t want to head to his eternal resting place with any regrets. The women next to him, taking care of him had somehow become the most important thing to him. He was in love with her and she had a right to know.

He opened his mouth and a sharp pain caught him off guard as his muscles spasmed sending his body into convulsions as he reached up coughing blood into his hand. Damon heard her horrified gasp and when blue eyes met brown he could see the fear on her face. He swallowed hard but held her gaze.

Elena could see him wasting away and it was eating away at her. She couldn’t lose someone else she cared about…someone else she loved. She took the cloth from his forehead, hands shakily cleaning off the blood on his hand. If Stefan didn’t find the cure for Damon…she wouldn’t be okay and wasn’t sure she’d be able to pretend she was.

Sure Damon had done a lot of questionable things lately and just because he was dying it didn’t make those things right, but she’d been harsh on him when she knew that the motivation behind everything he’d done thus far was his own twisted way of protecting her, keeping her safe.

And now here he was, sick, in pain and there was nothing she could do to make it better and it made her want to scream. Elena took a deep breath as she placed the cloth on the bedside table before moving back towards the bed and climbing fully on it so she was lying next to Damon.

He could smell her perfume and when he pried his eyes open again he caught her glassy brown eyes watching him. He tried to clear his throat before speaking, “You shouldn’t…be here. I’m dangerous…” Elena placed her hands under her head and shifted slightly closer to him.

“I don’t care,” she whispered while reaching out to him, her hand grazing his arm lightly, “We’re going to fix this Damon…I promise, Stefan is going to find a cure…everything is going to be okay…it has to be.” Damon swallowed heavily at her words as he slowly took her hand from his arm, placed a light kiss on it before moving it between them as he held it in his.

He knew she needed to believe that they’d find a cure and so he’d let her believe it for now, and he’d tell her soon when he felt his body nearing the end…he’d tell Elena that he loved her…that he’d always love her no matter where he was. He gave her a weak smile nodding as his eyes slid shut yet again. “I believe you…”

Her lower lip trembled, her heart clenching as she brought their entwined hands closer to her body not quite ready to let him go as a new thought occurred to her. Rose had been right all along…yes Elena loved Stefan…but she loved Damon too, probably slightly more than she should. And so, she wasn’t letting him die…not anytime soon and not on her watch.