All the group of Mystic Falls appeared to be getting was one hit after another. First Jo, Elena's curse, and now Amelia was dying. Stefan volunteered to take Elena's coffin to the crypt, as Damon took care of Amelia. The Evans girl was trying her hardest to act strong, finding the strength to walk upstairs on her own, as both Damon and Caroline forced her to lay down.

As the blonde urgently made calls to New Orleans, Amelia sat on the bed she and Damon shared, writing intently on a piece of paper. Everyone was refusing to give up on the girl, none of them wanting to lose anyone else, Damon especially.  But, it seemed as though Amelia was accepting what was to come, and was preparing for the worst.

"You should be resting." A voice spoke from the doorway.

Looking to the side, Amelia smiled a small smile at Bonnie who stood there. "I'll be sleeping permenantly soon enough." She shrugged, holding her hands up at the look she received. "Sorry, dying girl humor. Probably a bit too soon for that."

"You aren't dying." The Bennett witch told her firmly, walking and sitting on the edge of the bed. "You are going to be fine."

Amelia simply held up her wrist, where the bite was growing worse by the minute. "Say that to this." She replied, pulling her sleeve down to cover it. The last thing she wasnted was to see what was causing this entire mess. "Where's Damon?"

"With Caroline, trying to contact Klaus." She answered, making Amelia furrow her brow in confusion."He's using your phone in hopes it gets a quicker response."

"Oh." She said, slowly nodding. Reaching forward, she took hold of Bonnie's hand and squeezed it tightly. "Bon, promise me something? I know everyone is saying I'm going to be fine, but I need to ask you this, just in case things don't go in my favor."

Bonnie looked at her hestitantly, before nodding. "Yeah, anything." She told her, squeezing her hands back.

"Look after Damon for me, okay?" She began, refusing to let any tears spill as she spoke. "If I-- when I die-- he's going to need someone. He's going to be emotional, he's going to be volatile, and he's going to act like he doesn't care. I need to know that when I'm going, someone is going to be there to make sure he doesn't go off the rails, and he moves on. Stefan will try, and he will get pushed out. I need you to be the one he can't push away."

Saddness fell upon Bonnie's face, silent tears slipping down her cheeks, as she knew this was Amelia's way of saying goodbye. After saying goodbye to Elena for good, she wasn't ready to say goodbye to some else. Especially not another girl, who she considered one of her best friends. Despite the urge to say she'd be fine, Bonnie nodded in agreement, making a silent promise do exactly as she said.

"And make sure you live, okay?" She added on. "You, Bonnie Bennett, deserve more happiness in life then I could ever express. You have one life, and I want you to give all you've got. Find love, have a family, see the world. Do everything you've ever wanted and more, and do not waste a second of any day. Make so that, when Elena wakes up, she gets to hear about the life you had and be proud of her best friend. Make me proud."

"I promise." She nodded vigorously, sniffling. "But, you're going to be here, okay? You're going to get to be with Damon, and see me live my life to the fullest."

Amelia smiled as she let go Bonnie's hands. "I hope so."

******

While everyone else was rusghing aorund, trying to find a solution, Amelia had spent the time preparing. With the strenght she had left, she'd laid things out for everyone to find once she had gone, as her final way of saying goodbye. When it was done, she laid down on the bed and tried to ignore the pain, or how hot she could feel herself getting underneath the sheets.

"Here." Matt said as he came in, holding a wet flannel in his hands. "This should help." He said, pressing it against her pale forehead, in hopes to bring down the temprature she had got.

She smiled weakly at the human boy. "Thanks Matt." Her eyes then glanced to the doorway, to see Tyler walking inside, a glass of water mixed with a little blood in his hands. "It's okay, Tyler. I won't bite."

He frowned at her choice of words, as he sat the glass down on the nightstand. "You don't hate me?"

"Hate you?" She repeated his words, and let out a weak laugh. "Of course I don't hate you, Tyler. You weren't to know what would happen when you gave your bite to Kai. It's him I blame, not you." She assured him, sitting up and taking a small sip from the glass. "Damon made you two my nurses?"

The two exchanged a nervous look. They knew exactly what was happening downstairs, which is why they had volunteered to come check on Amelia. Neither of them wanted to tell her, as they didn't want to give her any reason to give up hope. But, they knew that they couldn't hide the truth from her for much longer, as time was slowly running out.

"They're working on getting hold of Klaus." Matt told her, lifting the cloth from her head. "He'll be up soon, he's just trying to speed the process along."

She looked between the pair, a knowing look in her eyes. "I amy be dying, but I'm not stupid." She reminded them both, making them both look down awkwardly, as to avoid looking her in the eye. "Klaus isn't going to get here, is he?"

"Hey." A new voice spoke, Jeremy walking in and giving her a look. "Don't talk like that."

"Baby Gilbert." She couldn't help but smile at him. "I thought you'd be back on the road to 'art school' by now."

"I couldn't leave without making sure you were okay first." He said, narrowing his eyes on her at the way she'd said art school. "How'd you know?"

"I didn't till now." She smirked in retort, making him chuckle. "You know what? As long as you aren't getting yourself killed, do as you please." SHe then looked between the three boys one by one. "Each one of you, you deserve to be happy, just like Bonnie and everyone else. And if that happiness isn't in Mystic Falls, then fine. Go, find it, make the most of it."

"What? And let this place fall apart without us?" The Donovan boy joked lightly.

"I think everyone will survive without you, as hard as it will be." She retorted, keeping up her facade that she was fine, depsite the worried looks they gave her. "This town, it's holding you all back." She looked at Tyler specifcally. "Go embrace the freedom leaving gives you, and don't use anything as an excuse."

"Oka-" He began to nod, only to furrow his brow as he eyes slowly slipped closed. "Amelia?" When no response came, the three boys shared worried looks, Jeremy quickly running to go get the others. "Hey, Amelia? Amelia? Wake up!"

******

"Damon, it's time to st-"

"Don't you dare say it." The eldest Salvatore snarled in warning, as he, Stefan, Caroline and Bonnie stood in the bedroom, where Amelia laid asleep on the bed. While she still had time left, she didn't have much longer, not long enough for Klaus or any original to get here from New Orleans.

Caroline yet out a sigh, running hand through her hair as she looked at her phone. "Klaus is trying, but he can't promise anything. We're lucky he can even get out of New Orleans." She told them, skimming through the messages the original hybrid had sent. "There's got be something else we can try."

"Look, Ric has gone to find Enzo, see if he can get Candice here." Stefan told them, looking at the sleeping girl on the bed sadly. She was as white as sheet, waking up every so often in a intense coughing fit. "I hate to say it, but we need to prepare for the worst."

"She is NOT going to die!" Damon snapped at his brother. "Blondie is right. There has to be something else." He said, turning to look at the Bennett witch. "Please Bon, tell me you have some idea."

"I can see if I can slow it down with a spell." She offered, thinking for a moment. "But,  it's not a permenant solution. If anything, it's just going to prolong her pain."

"Do it, anything." He spoke with no hesitation to his voice, his eyes trained on the girl that he loved instead of those talking to him. "If anything, it will buy us some time."

All skepitcal of the plan, Damon took Bonnie to go get her grimore, leaving Stefan and Caroline to watch over the Evans girl. Despite the conversation they'd had after locking Elena safe in the crypt, they weren't letting their situation get in the way of everything going on. Walking over Caroline sat herself down on the bed beside Amelia and took her hand gently, making sure not to wake her up.

She then nodded to Stefan to take her other, a clear plan in mind. Following her lead, he took her other hand and just like her, he closed his eyes opened his mind to the Evans girl. When they opened their eyes again, they found Amelia stood in front of them wearing a bright smile, looking so much healthier then she did in reality.

She wore the clothes she was wearing years ago, when she first arrived back in Mystic Falls, and stood in front of the bar in the Grill.

"Shouldn't you two be helping Bonnie find a spell?" She asked them, lifting herself up and sitting on top of the bar.

"You heard?" Stefan asked with a rose brow, as he and Caroline shared a glance.

"I'm dying, not deaf." She told him, rolling her eyes. "Of course I heard. And I also know, that Damon isn't going to give up, not until it finally hits him that he had no other option. So, I need you two to do me a favor."

"Hey, no." Caroline instantly shook her head. "We aren't going to let youn act like all of this is okay. It is not okay."

"It's not okay, Care. But, I've already came to terms with that." She told her blonde friend with a sad smile. "I know you all want me to fight, and I am. I am going to fight until I take my last breathe. But I am only hanging on so that I can say goodbye to everyone. Klaus isn't going to get here in time, and you all know that."

"Amelia..." Caroline trailed off, tears falling down her face. Walking forward, she wrapped her in a hug, and Amelia hugged her tightly back.

"You're going to be okay, Caroline." She muttered as she hugged the Forbes girl close. "I know everything sucks right now, and missing your Mom is never going to stop, but it will get easier. You are going to do extrordinary things, and make her beyond proud of you. More proud then she already was, if that's even possible."

When they pulled away, Caroline disappeared, leaving Stefan and Amelia alone together. "Why is saying goodbye to you Salvatore's never easy?" She asked, breaking the silence they'd been left in. "I've done it before, and I hoped I never would have to again."

Stefan walked over and stood beside her. "Then don't say goodbye."

She looked confused for a moment, before beginning to smile at his words. "You're right, I won't say goodbye. We'll see each other again, Stefan. You, me, Damon? We always seem to find one another again. It just may take a little longer this time." She rested her head on top his shoulder, still manaing to keep herself from crying, though she felt like bawling on the inside. "Look after Damon and Candice for me? They are both going to need someone. Damon will try to push you away, and I've asked Bonnie to help with that. Don't let either of them fall apart."

"I'll try." He promised her, leaning his head on hers. "Nothing is going to be the same without you."

"You'll move on." She told him knowingly. "You all will, and I want you all to. Be happy, Stefan. I swear, if you spend another decade brooding and self loading, I will come back and haunt your ass." She threatened, making him chuckle despite it all. "Don't think I won't."

"I don't doubt it for a second."

Slowly, Stefan returned to reality, and look at Caroline for a moment before looking back at Amelia. He didn't think it would be that hard.

******

They were out of time, and everyone knew it. Her breathing was laboured, she was pale and covered in sweat, coughing up more and more blood each time. It had finally set in for the eldest Salvatore, that he couldn't have Bonnie do the spell, and leave her in that state for much longer. He knew better then anyone what a wolf bite was like, and thinking about her going through that pain for even longer then needed, broke his heart.

As did the thought of letting her go, but he knew he had to.

"What is happening?" Turning, Damon looked to see Candice stood behind him, staring at the state of her sister horrified. "Damon?"

"She's dying." He answered bluntly, turning to loko at her with a glare. He was angry, and she was about to bare the brunt of it. "You and my Mother made a deal with Kai, and she is one of the people paying the price for it."

"You think I wanted this?" She asked, blinking at him in disbelief. "I was angry at her, Damon. But I never wanted her to die. He never said he was going to hurt her." She stepped back till her back hit the will, shaking her head and beginning to sob. "I-I.. I don't want to her to die, Damon."

The Salvatore let out a small scoff, despite the fact he could hear the honesty in her voice. Ignoring him, Candice walked forward and knelt down at Amelia's beside, taking her hand and squeezing it tightly. He didn't say anything, he just took a step back and watched, knowing Amelia would want to know Candice was there.

"I am so sorry, Amelia." The youngest Evans girl began, silent tears spilling down her cheeks as she spoke. "I kept saying how I needed my family, how you were being selfish by keeping them from me. I never thought of how hurt you would feel, or how much I should of made the most of the time I had with you. I have been a terrible sister to you, and I wish there was something I could do to help you. More then anything in this world." Slowly, she pressed a kiss to her sister's head, pulling away as she rose to her feet. "I love you, big sister."

With that said, she let go of her hand and placed it gently back on the bed, and turned to look at Damon once more. Only, this time he wasn't alone, as the rest of his and Amelia's friends had filed into the room. She why they were all coming in, and shaking head once again, she brushed past them and out of the room.

She couldn't be there to watch her go.

"Damon..." Stefan began quietly, looking at his brother, who was staring at Amelia with a numb expression on his face. "It's time."

Nodding quietly, the Salvatore walked over to the bed and climbed on it beside her, carefully pulling the girl into his arms. Placing his hands either side of her head, he closed his eyes and allowed her into his thoughts, preparing to do the one thing he never wanted to do.

Say goodbye.

*********

It wasn't a surprise when Amelia found herself in the old Evans estate, the house looking brand new. She was dressed in the clothes she was wearing for the wedding, in the pristine state they were in, before Kai had detroyed everything. Sat in their spot on her old porch, was Damon, wearing his once pristine tux.

"I couldn't think of anywhere more fitting for this." She admitted, as she walked down the gravel pathway toward him. "We shared our first kiss here, we grew up here."

"And now I get to say goodbye to you here." He finished, entwining their hands together as she sat down beside him. In this moment, there was a million things Damon and Amelia wanted to say to one another, but neither of them could find the words. So, the Salvatore said the one thing that summed up everything he was feeling. "I don't want to live without you."

"You're gonna have to, Damon." She smiled at him sadly, squeezing his hand. "I know it is going be hard, and you are going to struggle, but I know you can do it. You survived over a hundred years without me in your life, you can live without me again."

"This is eternity." He pointed out. "I can't do that. I won't do that."

Taking his face in her hands, she looked at him with glassy eyes, shaking her head. "Yes, you can and you will. You are going to live the rest of your life, however long that will be, and you are going to make the most it. You are going to have your brother, and your friends at your side. You won't be alone. I've already asked them to keep an eye on you, even when you get mad and you push them away. I've asked them not to give up, and to move on, and I want you to do the same thing. Promise me, Damon."

"I promise." He muttered, despite how much he wanted to say no. "But don't ask me to move on from you. Because no one, Amelia Evans, is ever going to be able to replace you in my life."

She let out a sad laugh, nodding. "Okay, I won't." She promised in return. "Somewhere in in my things, you'll find a stack of letters, all of them adressed to you. I wrote them to you when I thought you had died, as a way to cope. Find them, read them, maybe reply to them. I signed them off the same way each time, you know.

He rose a curious brow at her. "How did you end them?"

"I put 'Forever yours'." She told him. "Because, no matter what, I was always going to be yours. No one was ever going to come close to making me as happy as you did. And, even though I am going to be gone, I'm still always going to be yours. Forever, Damon."

Silent tears rolling down his own cheeks, he repeated two words to her. "Forever yours." He spoke emotionally.

Getting to her feet, she pulled Damon up, and placed on hand in his and other on his shoulder. Silently, she started to lead them both in a dance, making the smallest of smile creep onto his lips. Resting her head on his shoulder, she kept a teary eyed smile on her face, as they danced along the gravel path, making the most of the time that they had left.

Spinning her out, he spun her under his arm multiple times, before pulling her back in and dipping her back. She smiled a toothy smile at him, as he pulled her back up and lifted her up into her air, her hands resting on his shoulders.

"You ready for this?" She asked, as he slowly lowered her to the ground.

"Never." He told her, stroking some hair out of her face. "How am I ever meant to be ready to live my life without you again?"

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she leaned her forhead against his, pressing her lips against his. He kissed back with each bit of passion he could find, the two of them kissing for several minutes before either attempted to pull away. When she did, Amelia leaned her head against his chest once again, as she felt her entire body grow weak. She knew exactly what it meant, the entire scene around them slowly beginning to fade.

"I love you, Damon Salvatore." She said one last time, her eyes slowly falling shut in his hold.

As Damon came out of the fantasy, he looked broken as Amelia's body turned grey in his arms, slowly beginning to dessicate. Pressing one final kiss on her forehead, he pulled away with tears clouding his vision. He ignored the sound of Bonnie and Caroline crying, aor the fact his brother and friends were even there at all. He just focused on the love his life.

"I love you too."

....

I have nothing to say. Keep a eye out for the epilogue, still more to come before this book is over.