Dawn of a New Day || Stefan Salvatore

5.1 - Quiet Separation

Vampire Diaries Fanfic | Dawn of a New Day | 5.1 - Quiet Separation 

Three days later at the Salvatore Boarding House, Stefan made his way into the basement and towards the cell where Zach kept all his vervain hidden from plain sight. As he neared the cell, a creaking groan echoed to his ears, letting him know the person lying on the floor inside was finally starting to wake up.

Inside the cell, Damon was beginning to stir and a painfully searing feeling was constantly running through his veins. He tried to remember the last thing that happened while also trying to figure out where the hell he was. And after a couple of seconds, he realised what had happened to him – especially when the numbing pain around his neck finally registered.

"Ugh," Damon grumbled, barely able to open his eyes, "That bitch." The last face he saw before darkness was Olivia – she must have snapped his neck. He had to hand it to her, though, he never thought she'd do such a thing other than really deeply think about it. Honest to god, he had been completely caught off guard and he gave her props for that. Not that he'd actually say that out loud of course.

His mouth felt like it was filled with cotton balls and as he looked down at his hand, he realised that a piece of jewelry was missing from his finger. "Where's my ring?" He mumbled almost incoherently, now fully aware that someone had stopped just outside his cubical looking cell. He could also see just how many vervain plants were in the same room as him now that he was starting to wake up – both his blood and the air was pumping with the stuff. His nose twisted with tired annoyance, officially wanting payback.

There was a moment of silence.

"You won't be needing it anymore." Stefan finally told his brother, leaning against the metal cell door from the outside while his head poked through the barred hole.

Damon let out a low groan, "How long have I been here?"

"Three days."

He already knew what was happening, but he couldn't help but ask, "What're you doing?" He rolled over on the floor, feeling his clothing and hair soaked with sweat – he really needed a shower but knew his brother would never let him have one.

"During the Dark Ages when a vampire's actions threatened to expose or bring harm upon the entire race, they would face judgement." Stefan watched as his brother let out a hacking cough, rolling back over onto his side. "They sought to re-educate them rather than to punish them."

Damon tried licking his dry lips but even then they burned, "You know what will ... will happen to me if I don't ... feed on blood." He forced out his words, his throat was scratchy at best.

"You'll grow weaker and weaker." Stefan nodded, already knowing the process from beginning to end. He hated both doing and seeing this happen to his own brother, but it's for the good of everyone for this to happen – he knew now that Damon was never going to change his ways. "And eventually, you won't be able to move or speak. In a week your skin will desiccate, and you'll mummify and turn into a living corpse."

"You'll be unable to hurt anyone ... ever."

"So, what?-" Damon coughed, feeling his energy drain even more as he continued to talk, "-you're just gonna leave me in the ... the basement, forever?"

"I've injected you with enough vervain to keep you weak and once your circulation stops, I'll move you to the family crypt. And then in 50 years, we can re-evaluate."

Damon let out a strangled chuckle, unable to help but find his brothers' words amusing – he could think of a way or two to get out of this place, it's not like it's the first time he's had to break out of a vampire jail cell before. "I'm stronger than you think." He boasted but because of how little blood he had in him, and the fact that he felt like falling asleep, his words didn't really have much of the impact as they usually did.