A warm ocean breeze surrounded her as Audrey walked along the sand. She looked around and saw that it was the beach her parents would take her and her siblings every summer. She watched the waves crash along the shore and closed her eyes. It was always so peaceful here.

"Audrey?" A gentle voice called out. Audrey turned around and saw her parents walking towards her.

"Mom? Dad?" Miranda and Grayson smiled at her and watched as she ran towards them. Audrey ran to her mother first, embracing her tightly. Tears welled in her eyes as she breathed in her mother's familiar scent. "You're really here?"

"Oh sweetheart, we never left," Miranda said softly, kissing her daughter's head.

"Does this mean....am I dead?" Audrey asked, looking up at her mother.

"No, it's not your time yet," Grayson said. Audrey looked at him and hugged him next. "My little girl. I've missed you so much,"

"Everything's gone to hell since you two died," Audrey cried. "It wasn't supposed to be like this,"

"I know," Grayson said.

"I wish vampires never came into our lives," Audrey sniffled.

"You don't believe that," Miranda said. "You love Damon and Stefan,"

"Even if I do, it doesn't make up for the fact that they have brought nothing but destruction into our lives," Audrey explained.

"So does that mean you don't love Klaus either?" Miranda questioned knowingly.

"That's different," Audrey mumbled. "I was literally made for him,"

"He's probably caused more problems than Damon and Stefan combined," Grayson chuckled. "You love him though, just like you love Damon and Stefan. Even though, yes they're vampires, and they cause nothing but trouble, they've also kept you and Elena alive,"

"Elena," Audrey said, just realizing her sister was in the same accident as her. "Is she okay?" Miranda and Grayson shared a look.

"For the most part," Grayson answered. "Audrey, your mother and I want you to know how proud of you we are,"

"You've been so strong, darling," Miranda smiled. Audrey looked at her parents and felt tears beginning to form again. "We love you so much,"

"Can't I stay here?" Audrey asked, burying her face into her father's chest. "I miss you both so much,"

"What would your brother and sister do without you?" Miranda asked soothingly. "They need you more than we do, sweetheart," Audrey looked up and pulled away from her father.

"I don't know what to do," Audrey sniffled. Grayson smiled at his daughter and cupped her cheek.

"Open your eyes, Audrey," He smiled. "Open your eyes,"

-

Audrey slowly stirred awake and began choking immediately from the tube going down her throat. Damon jolted awake and smiled widely. "Little bird," He almost laughed out. Audrey continued to choke so Damon quickly pulled the tube from her throat. She coughed for a little bit before finally calming down.

"Damon?" She croaked out. Damon leaned over the bed and hugged her as best as he could.

"I thought I lost you," He said on the verge of tears.

"Audrey!" Caroline shouted as she walked into the room. Jeremy was right behind her, holding a bag of food. The two of them raced into the room and took turns hugging Audrey as well.

"What happened?" Audrey asked.

"After Matt's truck went into the water, Stefan saved you. Your injuries were really severe though and even after they gave you vampire blood you weren't breathing on your own. We thought it wasn't going to work, but looks like it did!" Caroline explained happily.

"And Elena?" Audrey questioned. Everyone immediately grew quiet.

"She...she's in transition," Jeremy said solemnly. "When she collapsed last night, it was from a brain hemorrhage. Meredith gave her Damon's blood and when she went into the water she didn't make it,"

"Oh my god," Audrey said softly. She blinked a few times and attempted to sit up. Damon quickly pushed her back on the bed.

"No moving! You could still be seriously hurt," He instructed. "We need to find a doctor and have them check on you,"

"I'll go find Meredith," Caroline said as she walked out of the room. Audrey looked at her brother and friend and sighed.

"How is Elena doing? I know she never wanted to become a vampire," Audrey said sadly.

"Well that's the thing. She's not a vampire yet. She's in transition and won't drink any blood because Bonnie's convinced she can make her human again," Damon explained, rolling his eyes. "It's a lost cause in my opinion and she should just drink the damn blood,"

"I know she should, but it's her choice. She has the right to decide what she wants to do," Audrey argued. Damon shook his head and sat down. "And...And Klaus?"

"Still dead," Damon said. Jeremy shot him a look and grabbed his sister's hand. Her chest took on a familiar pain and she felt like she couldn't breathe.

"I should be dead too!" She cried. "I-I-,"

"Audrey look at me," Jeremy instructed softly. Audrey shook her head and began to hyperventilate. She had just realized her feelings for Klaus and now...now he was gone. "Audrey!" Jeremy had grabbed her face and forced her to look at him. "You're going to be okay. You're going to be okay," He repeated over and over again until she was no longer having a panic attack. Tears welled in her eyes and she choked out a sob. Jeremy pulled her into his arms and held her to him as she cried. Audrey buried her face into her brother's chest and cried until she passed out again.

-

Damon looked down at his sleeping friend as he carried her up the stairs. Meredith had given him the go ahead to bring Audrey home an hour ago and he wasted no time to do so. Once she was safe in her bed he let out a breath of relief. Elena stepped into her sister's room and sighed softly. "She doesn't deserve this,"

"Neither of you do," Damon said, glancing back at the eldest Gilbert.

"Audrey and Jeremy both deserve better. They've been through so much," Elena said biting her lip nervously.

"So have you, Elena," Damon reasoned.

"But they've gone through a lot because of me!" Elena argued. Audrey heard the yelling and began to stir awake.

"Damon? Elena?" She muttered tiredly.

"Hey little bird," Damon smiled, sitting on the side of her bed. He reached out and brushed her hair back soothingly. "How are you feeling?"

"Exhausted," Audrey answered.

"That's to be expected," Damon smirked. Audrey looked over at her sister and smiled sadly.

"How are you doing?" She asked. Elena swallowed and looked away from her.

"Fine, considering. Bonnie wants to find a way to save me but I don't know if there is one," Elena explained. "All that matters right now though, is that you're alive and safe,"

"Yeah, what would I do without my partner in crime?" Damon teased playfully. Audrey smiled and sat up.

"You'd probably cry for years, decades even, because you'd miss me so much," Audrey said with a chuckle. Damon and Elena laughed with her. As her laughter died, a sad thought crossed her mind. "Klaus is dead,"

"I know," Elena sighed. "I'm sorry,"

"He was a dick. A selfish prick," Audrey muttered. "I mean screw him right? He gets me to fall in love with him and then dies!"

"What?!" Elena and Damon shouted.

"You actually loved him?" Damon asked with disgust.

"How could I not? He was my soulmate, Damon," Audrey said. "Like, literally apart of my soul," Damon rolled his eyes but didn't say anything else. "It's been a roller coaster of a year, sis,"

"You're telling me," Elena smiled. Damon looked at the siblings and quietly stood up.

"I've got to go take care of some things, but I'll be back later okay?" Damon said to Audrey. He glanced at Elena before leaving.

Audrey waited until she heard the front door shut before cocking an eyebrow at Elena. "Why does Damon seem off?"

"He's trying to make my decisions for me," Elena huffed. "You know, typical Damon," Audrey chuckled and nodded. "I've also....been remembering things. I haven't told him about them yet, but I don't know how to feel about them,"

"What are you remembering?" Audrey asked.

"All the stuff he compelled me to forget," Elena said breathlessly. Audrey was about to say something but Stefan walking in stopped her.

"Hey. How are you feeling?" Stefan asked the younger Gilbert.

"Better, thanks to you," Audrey smiled. Stefan smiled back and walked over to her bedside. Audrey took his hand into hers and gave him a big sarcastic smile. "Thank you dear Stefan for saving my life,"

Stefan shook his head and laughed. "What kind of world would this be without Audrey Gilbert in it?"

"That's what I said," Audrey said jokingly.

"You hungry?" Stefan asked both of the girls. They both nodded.

"I'll help you make something," Elena said. Stefan and her shared a look before heading downstairs. Audrey leaned back on her bed and tried to relax but it was hard to do when every time she closed her eyes she saw...him. He had become such a big part of her life in a short amount of time. She didn't know she was crying until Elena walked back into the room. "Hey, what's wrong? Does anything hurt?" Elena asked worriedly as she set down the plate of food beside the bed.

"I-I don't know what to do now," Audrey cried. Elena sat down beside her sister and hugged her immediately. "I loved him,"

"I know, shh, I know," Elena cooed softly.

"This isn't fair," Audrey sniffled. Elena didn't say anything else and just held her sister as she cried. When she eventually calmed herself, Audrey pulled away from Elena and wiped away her tears. "I'm tired of crying,"

"I know, me too," Elena smiled. A commotion downstairs had Elena stiffening.

"What's wrong?" Audrey sniffled.

"I don't know...I'll be right back," Elena said standing up. Audrey watched her sister leave with confusion. She was about to shake it off when she heard screaming.

"Elena!" Audrey shouted. She got out of her bed and stumbled a bit but managed to make it to the stairs weakly. Elena and an unconscious Stefan were being taken away by Pastor Young and some deputies. "What's going on?! Elena! What are you doing to her!" Audrey yelled as she walked down the stairs. Pastor Young nodded at a deputy and before Audrey could see it coming she was being knocked out.