The Love I Lost

Epilogue

DAMON'S POV-

"I wish you would stop arguing with my stepdaughter. I know I haven't been the stepmother I should have been to her, but she doesn't need anymore pain in her life. If all you two do is fight, then either try fixing it or do the right thing and walk away. She doesn't need you to be dragging her along if you're not committed to her. I mean well to her. I need to know that all the love and trust she's pouring into you is justified and that you do the same for her."

I had been confused by Meredith's text message, so I drove back to Elizabeth's house to see if she could explain. As far as I knew we weren't fighting. After Saturday, it was like we could never argue about anything again. I was confused at why her stepmother thought we were fighting. We hadn't fought since Friday night and, Meredith witnessed the last bit, we hadn't since then.

I would have given anything for an argument instead of what went on. I heard, of course, Andrew before I was even halfway out of my car. But it was too late. I was too late...

I took a deep breath as I watched the funeral go on from a distance. Daniel was in a wheelchair, his face pale and his hands clutching a tissue and the arm of the chair. Meredith stood beside him, an arm draped over a weeping Brian. Olivia stood beside her mother and uncle, staring sadly at her sister's cherry wood casket. Lily and Greta were leaning against Alex and Isabelle for support. I recognized the band near the back, their eyes red rimmed and in shock. Even Elena and Stefan were there, both standing still in the back.

Ms. And Mr. Ashwern were the last to leave. Lily and Greta stayed a long while, but left the parents to grieve. When Meredith and Daniel left, the casket was lowered silently into the ground.

I couldn't handle it after that and turned around and walked away.

The worst part was that the little bastard slipped away. But I was going to fix that. I would hunt him down like the low down dog he was and make him die a slow, agonizing death. I would make him suffer pain he hadn't felt since he was human. He was dead as soon as he began tormenting Elizabeth again. Now I was involved and his fate would be so severe that he wouldn't even think of inflicting it on another person.

And I would enjoy every second of his blood on my hands.