~ Chapter 2 ~

"Damon, hei look at me. Look at me, its Elena" Elena whispered, caressing his cheek. Her eyes were already swollen and had begun to sting really badly. Her entire being was fixed on him. All she cared about right now was this raven-haired, tall guy who was sitting right in front of her. All she cared about was that Damon was alive and breathing.

"Who are you?" Damon finally spoke. With the innocence of a toddler. His eyes were fixed on Elena but saw her as a stranger, looking at her as if asked to decode a zip code.

"What are anda talking about? Its me, Elena" Elena spoke, her voice filled with relief and uncertainty at the same time. She shifted her gaze on Stefan who was standing there, clearly dumbfounded at the his older brother's words. "Stefan?" Her gaze shifted between the two siblings. "What is he saying?" With an astonished look, Stefan moved closer to Damon. He fixed his gaze at him. With nothing but curiosity flashed across his face, Stefan held out his hand and slightly stroked his shoulder.

'Oh My God.' 'Damon, anda are….'

'Get your hands off of me' Damon snapped. 'And who is this girl?' 'Tell me anda haven't seen spending all this time fantasizing over the female gender.'

Elena was taken aback sejak his words. Her hands went numb. She was already sweating at the claustrophobic atmosphere of the basement but what she had just witnessed, sucked all the oxygen in the air. It was all making sense yet was the most foreign thing she had ever heard. She knew it. She had feared it. Bonnie warned the cure comes with consequences. It comes with a price. But this was not a price she was willing to pay.

"Damon, its me. Its Elena. Its your Elena. I know anda remember me. I know anda do…" Her voice was breaking, her hands were shivering, the relief that she had gotten when Damon woke up was now replaced with anxiety and fear. Life-losing fear. Did Damon forget who she is? Did he forget everything about her? Did nothing about her matter to him? Her mind and hati, tengah-tengah were at war. But being anything but a quitter, she took Damon's face n turned him around so his gaze was fixed on her. 'Please tell me anda remember me. Please tell me anda remember my name. Say it, please' She was an emotional mess as her breaths got heavier and sobs got louder.

'Look, I don't know who anda are. I don't know your name. And I don't as hell have anything to do with you'

'No that's not true. I am Elena Gilbert and anda Cinta me. anda Cinta me Damon. Please say that again. Please say my name again'

'Why would I tell anda that I Cinta anda when I don't even know you? I have nothing to do with you' His gentleness was replaced with frustration and anger as Elena refused to let him go. He pushed her aside with the utmost ruthlessness 'I am going to go and take a pancuran, pancuran mandian and don't worry, I'll tunjuk myself the way' and with that, stormed out of the basement that smelled like old unpolished machines. The world started doing its slowest of somersaults. This couldn't be happening. After Jeremy's death, she couldn't deal with lebih pain before shutting it all off completely. The person she loved with all her life, with her entire being didn't remember her anymore? Had nothing to do with her, anymore? Her breath caught in her throat at those thoughts.

Stefan was in a similar position, not knowing what to say atau do. Just staring at the floor, the part of which ought to have broken into flames sejak now. Startled at his brother's state and lebih confused about what needed to be done to change the current situation, they found themselves in. Damon had come back to them but they felt lebih Lost than ever. Stefan quickly got up and as he took a step outside, he turned back to Elena. Gently grabbed her hand 'Come with me.' She obliged with her eyes and stood up, leaning on Stefan for support, as they went upstairs to find the most important person in their lives who, just minit ago, had become the biggest stranger to them.

Bonnie was waiting for her mother at the Grill as her phone buzzed. It was Stefan.

'Hey Stefan.'

'Bonnie, where are you?'

'At the grill waiting for mom, why?'

'We need anda here. Damon took the cure but now doesn't remember anything. I don't know what happened, but anda need to come here as soon as possible.'

As Bonnie spotted her mother, she spoke 'My mom is here, I'll be with anda in half an hour' And with that the call ended.

'Bonnie, what is this about?' Abby spoke with an emotionless tone.

"I need to talk to anda about my powers" Bonnie berkata bluntly.

After a brief scoff, she spoke "I warned anda to stay away from dark spirits. I warned anda to prioritize your safety. Bonnie, this dark magic, the one that anda have indulged yourself in, has very severe consequences and outcomes. anda shouldn't have taken this risk upon yourself.' Abby finished, fuming with anger and concern for her daughter.

'I was doing that for my friends, Mom. They are my family and the people I will always prioritize above myself.' Bonnie spoke louder than she had expected. She earned a considerate gaze from Matt, who was busy serving drinks, she gave him a calm smile before turning back to her mother. 'Look mom, my powers are gone. After the sacrifice, the ones for Silas, I can't practice magic atau do anything. I need your help'

'That's what happens when anda try and displease the dark spirits. I can't help anda with this. The lebih anda stay away from this stuff, the better and safer anda are.' With no apologetic saat glance, Abby stormed out of the Grill.

Clearly disgusted sejak the lack of sympathy on her mother's part and the unproductive conversation they had just had, Bonnie pushed her way to the Parking lot and headed towards the Salvatore Mansion, knowing that there was nothing she could do to help them. Knowing that the news she was about to give them would worsen the situation. Without her powers, she was like an athlete without limbs. Powerless and weak.

There was silence in the fireplace. Almost a symmetrical scene to just a minit ago. Stefan was walking across the room and Elena sat on the couch, as they waited for Bonnie. Silence suited them best right now and was the easiest way to deal with the situation at hand before Bonnie could find a way. They both could hear Damon taking a shower, humming. Hearing his sweet voice again and thoughts of him being naked, brought a seductive smile on Elena's face. She was broken out of her thoughts as the door opened and Bonnie made her way inside, with a blank expression. Suddenly, every inch of Elena's body was aching with hope. Hope that Bonnie could fix this, could bring her Damon back to her, Bonnie could fix even the worst of situations and being very honest with herself, they had survived way worse than the current one.

'Hey.' Bonnie spoke, her voice filled with fear and apology.

Without greeting her, Stefan began 'Damon doesn't remember anything anymore. He remembers me but not Elena, I think he has Lost all his vampire memories.' Taking no gaps in between for air, he continued 'I don't even think he remembers Katherine, otherwise he would've called Elena out. But he didn't.'

Bonnie broke him off 'Look there's something anda need to know.' Elena's mind began to spiral, she was being strangled inside out with every second. 'I don't have my powers anymore. I Lost them all because of the sacrifices. I called my mother today for help but she refused without giving any proper explanation.' Bonnie moved closer to Elena who was looking at her hands now, 'I really want to help you. I am going to try and find a way but I can't promise anything. I am really sorry Elena.'

All Bonnie got in a reply were tears, tears of hopelessness in Elena's eyes. She closed her eyes and took her head between her hands. She felt lebih dizzier than ever. Outside events Lost their meaning. Every ounce of hope, of strength, of belief she had some how built inside her was swept away like air, in a flash. All she could think right now was that she had Lost someone again. Maybe not physically but all thoughts about her had been erased from Damon's memory. She had been erased from his memory. She had, yet again, suffered another loss. Now she was torn between desperation and solution. Damon did not remember her. He did not remember the girl that he would gladly lend all the air he breathed, to keep alive. He did not remember the girl that had taught him happiness, taught him love. He did not remember the girl for whom he would stand toe to toe with death, for her happiness. He did not remember her. All the right and wrongs had been finished. All the soalan had been left tidak dijawab because Damon Salvatore did not remember anything about Elena Gilbert. It was as if she was being punished for some unknown hypocrisy.

When Elena didn't utter a word except hot tears running down her gentle, clear cheeks, Bonnie got up and with one last, comforting glance to both of them, left. Stefan let out an exasperated sigh. The silence broke as Damon's voice caught both of their attention.

'So, someone better start talking.'