The Original

I Still Need You

For this chapter, listen to Atlas: Touch by Sleeping At Last.

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Life is a funny thing. You go about your life, day by day, thinking you have all the time in the world to do the things you really want to do. Never worrying about tomorrow because you always believe that there will be a tomorrow. Even when you have forever, you still never take the time to do what you want to, because you think why not just wait a little while, I have plenty of time. Then suddenly, there is no 'tomorrow'. There's no 'that can wait'. There's only the end. There's only death. And there's no coming back from that.

As she lay there dying, Eirene thought about her life. She'd seen and done so many things, but most of them were things she didn't want to do, and places she didn't really want to see. When she was a child, all she wanted was to fall in love, and have a family. To grow old and die someday, knowing that she'd lived a fulfilling life. But that never happened. And now it was too late.

She was drifting in and out of consciousness, her breathing ragged, and blood pooling beneath her. Circe had been shoved off her, already dead, and she lay a few feet away, her eyes still open.

Damon was on his knees, pulling her into his lap, his hand holding hers, and his other one grasping her cheek trying to keep her head up. 

"No, no, no, no, stay with me, stay with me," Damon pleaded as he held her close, rocking gently back and forth.

She reached up and touched his cheek, wiping away the tears that fell down his face. Never in her life had she seen him cry till now.

"It's okay," she rasped. "I'll be okay, Damon. It had to be like this."

"No, we could've figured something else out, we always do!" he cried.

She weakly shook her head, a light chuckle escaping her lips. "Damon Salvatore, trying to save a life. You should know," she coughed, "you can't cheat fate.

He bent over her, weeping, as he cradled her.

"Thank you," she whispered in his ear," for the time you gave me. For showing me what real love is. At least we got to say goodbye."

"I'm not ready to say goodbye," he whispered back. 

When she didn't reply, he lifted his head. But it was too late. Her head lolled back, her eyes closed peacefully, but a small smile still plastered on her face. Her hand had let go of his, her entire body going limp. Her other hand slipped from her stomach and fell with a light thud on the ground, her skin already turning pale.

Outside of the cave, the sky turned black, and rain began to pour heavily from the clouds, as thunder boomed and lightning cracked. Even nature was mourning. 

Stefan placed a hand on his brother's shoulder in silent comfort, wishing he could fix everything.

"Stefan," Damon croaked. "Will you do me a favor, please?"

Stefan paused at the fact that his brother, who never asked for anything but always did exactly as he wanted, said please.

"Anything, brother."

"Will you get some wood for a pyre?" 

Stefan was taken aback, but when he locked eyes with Bonnie, she nodded slightly, encouraging to do as he asked.

Stefan disappeared for a bit, along with Klaus to help, reappearing a few minutes later with plenty of lumber. They stacked the wood, then made way as Damon carefully lifted Eirene and carried her to the pyre, setting her gently on top.