ALMOST IS NEVER ENOUGH | TVD [3]

XXII • HOME

Still on the other side, there is suddenly a rumble and trembling. No. This can't be it. Stefan tries to prop himself leaning on a column. It doesn't work, as he is being dragged through the hall in direction of a window, where he will be sucked into oblivion. He's lifted up in the air and he tries to hold himself at a wall corner. Right when he's about to not hold it anymore, a young woman-- a ghost reaches out and grabs him by the wrist, "I got you!"

She's able to pull Stefan out of the unknown danger which awaits any supernatural soul, and he looks surprised to see that the woman is his blonde best friend, Lexi, "Looks like I've now saved you from both metaphorical darkness and actual darkness. I think you owe me a beer."

Alexia Branson. Always the true hero for Stefan Salvatore.

****

Whitmore College, Bonnie, Caroline and Elena's Dormitory Room

An upset, amidst-grieving Damon kicks a wooden chair and breaks it.

"Damon, stop." Luka Martin advised desperately to get him to calm down while defending his frightened, hopeless sister closely next to him now.

He has a long metal rod that he uses to break a flower vase on the mantle above the unlit fireplace. He turns around and points at Bonnie, with her own brother beside her, with the metal rod, "You said you both had a plan."

"Uh, yeah, we had a traveler who knew the right spell." Luka snapped in defense, "Until she hit a bump in the road, thanks to the doppelgängers."

"This isn't their fault!" The vampire pointed out furiously in his own defense, along with his brother's; how could it be the trio's fault?

"We didn't lose her. She was sucked into oblivion like everyone else on the other side. Unless you want to be next, I suggest you put the rod down." Now, Luka strictly demanded at him with attitude out of his annoyance.

A scoff of disbelief escapes Damon, "Then find another one!" ASAP.

"It's more than just knowing the spell. Markos was able to come back because dozens of travelers were willing to sacrifice themselves in order to overwhelm me. I doubt they'll be willing to do that for a bunch of supernatural strangers. Don't you think?" Bonnie reminded him, annoyed.

Damon is still pointing at her with the rod, "You know who needs motivation?" He gets dangerously close to her with the rod pointing at her neck, "You need motivation because if the other side goes away, everyone we know there, including you, goes away with it." And he can't have that.

A scoff of disbelief escapes Luka also, "Tell us something we don't know."

Bonnie slowly shakes her head in denial, "Do you think I want to die?"

"My brother is over there." The poor vampire pointed out desperately.

"I know that!" The vulnerable Bennett girl retorted in return, "We know."

Damon lowers the rod and he throws it across the spacious room in frustration, "So is Alaric, and so is your grams." Their loved ones...

"And Jesse, and Lexi, Mason Lockwood, and so is Ben." Luka resumed on.

"We know that, Damon." Bonnie slowly nods with her arms folded.

Enzo, who remains present around the anchor and the witch, clears his throat, "Let's not forget who else is at the top of the search and rescue list."

The Martin witch sighs in a tired manner, "Your best friend's here. Say hi."

Damon quickly turns around in the direction where Enzo is, though he cannot see him, "Well, if it's not Mister Butterfingers himself. How'd it feel to have your only hope of coming back literally slip through your fingers?"