BEAUTIFUL LITTLE FOOLS {km daughter story}

1.12 AS I LAY DYING

chapter twelve, as i lay dying
tvd s2, e22

MARIAN HAD NEVER FELT SO USELESS IN ALL HER YEARS OF LIVING. She was dying, and she was sure that because of her part in breaking Klaus' curse, the witches were making her die slowly. She could barely see, the sound of muffled voices soft in her ear.

She felt a warm hand enclose hers as she lay still on whatever she'd been laid on. Suddenly, the dull blurred colours around her changed. She found herself sitting on the steps of the Salvatore Boarding House, only it was different. Older.

Looking down at her lap, she noticed she was wearing the dress she'd picked out for her wedding. Her family didn't have a large amount of money, but by no means did that mean her dress wasn't extravagant. She remembered how much she'd loved the way its layers upon layers of fabric comforted her.

"You know, when I said I didn't care ..." Turning slightly, she was met with a younger-looking Damon. He was wearing a grey tuxedo with a large white flower in its pocket, a pale green vest under the blazer. She smiled; she'd loved that vest to no end.

"I know," she said simply. "I'm sorry for being so rude to you. You can be a real dick sometimes." Her voice was slightly deeper, confirming that she was indeed a little older than she was in this life.

"I guess denial and deceit runs in your family," he said with an amused huff. "Elijah ran off with Klaus. We lost." Marian nodded, looking ahead. She wasn't sure if she was glad or disappointed: she loved Klaus, but he had done too many terrible things in her lifetimes that had harmed her beyond reason.

"And Elena?"

"Alive. And human." She nodded, noticing the slight tension in his jaw.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"I just—is it bad that I wanted her to become a vampire?"

Marian smiled softly. "Is it bad that you wanted her to die? Yes." He gave her an annoyed look. "But is it bad that you want to spend the rest of your life with someone you love? No."

He looked up at her. "I don't love Elena," he denied.

"Please, you look at her the same way you used to look at me." She looked away from him, swallowing a lump in her throat. "Our wedding day, huh?" she asked.

"Call me a sentimental old fool," he said. "But I really miss twenty-three-year-old you. You were so sexy."

"So what's sixteen-year-old-me?" she challenged.

"A pain in the ass." Marian laughed.

"Imagine if you'd actually married me," she said. "That would've been a nightmare." She snorted. "Little Damon Salvatores running around. God, I think I'd die."

"I'm not that bad," he argued.

She rested her head on his shoulder. "I guess not."

They sat in silence for a while, watching as the Sun began to set and fall below the trees, a brilliant yellow and orange glow spreading across the sky.

"Damon?" He hummed. She took both his hands in hers, turning her whole body to face him. "Don't hate Elijah. He's a good guy, he's just trying to bring our family back together again."

"He ruined our plan," Damon reasoned.

"But he did it for his family. You'd do it for Stefan, wouldn't you?"

He said nothing, looking into the distance. She could feel her throat hitching with every shallow breath she took, her strength withering away.

"I don't want you to die," he told her after a moment.