"Stefan," I whispered. Damon, Elena, and I decided to visit Stefan, but he seemed to be in his own little world.
"Stef," Damon whispered, also trying to get Stefan to focus.
We realized it was no use getting him to pay attention to us, so Elena said some parting words, "Stefan, I love you." We walked out of the cell but Elena was still there looking at him, hoping to wake up. "It's so hard to see him locked up like this," Elena said, shaking her head.
"You're the one who locked him up," Damon said.
"You helped," I said, looking at him.
"I couldn't have him running around chewing on people while the town was looking for vampires, now, could I?" Damon retorted with his signature smirk.
"It had nothing to do with you actually caring about him," Elena scoffed and shook her head in disbelief.
"Your thing, not mine," Damon said, then walked away.
****
I walked into the living room and started packing some clothes to take home when I saw Damon fidgeting with the thing Pearl gave him. "Did you ever figure out what that is?" I asked, folding a pair of jeans.
"Nope. Whatever it is, it doesn't work," Damon said, still observing the object.
I sighed, "Pearl didn't say anything else about it?"
"She thought she was stealing his vampire compass, but it was a pocket watch. That Johnathan Gilbert was a crazy scientist," he said. I laughed a little as I folded another pair of jeans and then shoved them in my bag. "Have you talked to your uncle lately?"
"I've been avoiding him, actually. That, and I've been here most nights," I replied, shoving some shirts into my bag.
"So, you'll be here again tonight?" He asked. I couldn't help but hope that maybe he wanted me here, but my hope is probably false.
"Is that a problem?" I masked the happiness flowing through me.
He turned to look at me, "Yes. You're a complete nuisance."
I fake laughed, "See you later."
****
I had walked into the house and decided to call Damon, see how Stefan was doing and grab clothes. The phone rang until he answered, "What?"
"I'm just grabbing some clothes, and then I'll be right over. How's Stefan?" I spoke into the phone, dumping some dirty clothes into my hamper.
"Extra broody. Hold on." The line was silent for a bit when I heard him continue, "He won't eat anything."
"He has to eat. What's his favorite. . .kind of, um. . ." I felt awkward asking what his favorite type is.
"His favorite kind of what?" Damon asks, playing dumb.
"Type of animal blood that he prefers?" I asked, folding some tanks and shirts and putting them in my bag.
"Ew. Gross," He joked.
"Haha. Your joking doesn't help."
"Helps me. Now, hurry up. I can't babysit all night. I have things to do."
"I would say, 'drop dead,' but. . ." I picked up some jeans and folded them and put them in my bag.
"Haha. Stefan likes. . .puppy blood; little golden retriever puppies with cute, fluffy ears. That's his favorite." I could tell he was smirking. I rolled my eyes with a scoff and hung up the phone. I turned around and Uncle John was just standing at my doorway.
"Sorry," He apologized, but I knew he wasn't actually sorry.
"Uncle John. I didn't see you there," I said.
He walked closer saying, "I thought we could talk. We haven't had a chance to catch up."
"I'm actually just heading out, so. . ."
I started to walk out but he spoke up, "Well, it won't take long."
I reluctantly turned around, "What did you want to talk about?"
"Well, I know you know," he said, picking up a frame of my mom and dad and then putting it down.
"Know what?" I shrugged, playing dumb.
"It's really silly to keep pretending. What do you think your mother would say if she knew you were hanging around vampires?"
"Which mother?" I said, then turned around and walked out. I assumed Elena was already in the car.
****
"He's just being dramatic. He's not gonna starve himself," Damon said. Elena went down to visit him earlier and he didn't want to eat because he didn't want to live anymore.
"Why would he say that?" Elena asked, shrugging.
"He feels bad about hurting that girl," I replied to her.
"It's very typical Stefan martyr stuff. It will pass," Damon added on.
"Will it? Because he seemed to be in a lot of pain," Elena shook her head.
"Yeah. Well, that will pass, too, once he eats," I said, trying to reassure her.
"I didn't mean physical pain," Elena says.
I sigh, "I know what you meant."
"Look, are you gonna be ok if I run out? I have to go run an errand with the teacher," Damon said.
"The teacher?" Elena furrowed her brows.
"Alaric? Are you two friends now?" I asked, looking at him from where I was sitting.
"I don't have any friends," he said, grabbing his jacket.
"Right," Elena muttered. I kind of hoped he would say I was his friend, but that was a stretch. He probably considers Elena a friend more than he does me. I have to not be not so disappointed when he says stuff like that. Matter of fact, having feelings for him is signing up for disappointment.
"You should, um, you should stay up here. You shouldn't be down there by yourselves," Damon said to us.
"We'll be fine," I said.
"You know. . .you're very trusting of him, given the circumstances," Damon said, turning to leave.
"So are you. Otherwise, you wouldn't be leaving," Elena said, shaking her head a little, making Damon stop.
"I won't be long," he said, leaving. I guess no comeback.
****
I was in the living room by the fireplace sketching some antique Damon had when I heard him announce his presence, "Ugh. God. You're still here?" He walked over and picked up my feet and set them on his lap as he sat down.
"Were you expecting anything else?" I retorted.
"No," He mumbled, but I heard him.
"So, how was the 'errand'?" I asked.
"Futile. Although, I think I witnessed the teacher having an existential crisis," He said. I raised my brow at that as he asked, "Has Stefan eaten yet?"
"I thought you didn't care," I said, focusing on my drawing.
"Chalk it up to morbid curiosity," He shrugged.
I nodded slowly, "I think he's getting there. But he's got a lot of guilt that he has to deal with. And it doesn't help that you've spent the last 145 years punishing him for Katherine getting caught."
"This is my fault now?" Damon asked in disbelief.
"No, it's no one's fault, Damon. I'm just. . .saying you're not exactly innocent. You've made it your life's mission to make him miserable." His brows were furrowed in disbelief.
"Let me ask you a question. In all this important soul searching and cleansing of the demons of Stefan's past, did you ever manage to get the rest of the story?" He stood up and looked at me.
"He said there was more," I shrugged.
"Yeah. That's an understatement," he said, walking away.
"Damon. . ."I got up and rushed towards him, grabbing his arm and turned him around, "Damon. Tell me."
*Flashback*
Damon
I could hear footsteps behind me. My head was pounding, but at least it's dark now and the sun won't hurt my eyes. I turned around and saw Stefan with a smug look on his face with a girl beside him. "What are you doing? Who is that?" I asked him.
"I brought her for you. She's a gift," he says, my brows furrow at his answer. "Have a seat, please," he tells the girl who obeys.
"What have you done, Stefan?"
"Damon, I've been to see Father. He came at me. I didn't know my own strength. There was blood everywhere. He was dying, and the blood was too strong. I needed it. I had to have it," He explained.
"You fed," I concluded.
"Yes. And it's incredible." I looked down in shame at his answer. "My body is exploding with power, Damon."
"No," I groaned to myself. I knew what he was trying to do and it was not gonna happen.
"I can hear things from far away," He continued, "I can see through the darkness. I can move, like it's magic. And the guilt, the pain-Damon, I can turn it off like a switch." He came closer to me as he spoke, getting in my face. "Katherine was right. It's a whole 'nother world out there, Damon."
I stood up, panting, "Katherine is dead, Stefan. There's no world without her." I was walking away but he grabbed me, turning me around, and putting his hands on my throat to keep me in place, thankfully not blocking my airway.
"You can turn that off, too. You don't have to feel that pain anymore."
I moved one of his hands off, "I don't want it." He put his hand back on the same place.
"You're weak. You'll be dead soon. You need this," He shook me roughly, his hold on my throat getting tighter.
"No," I grunted out.
"You'll die," he said, it almost seemed as if he couldn't live without me.
"No. I can't," I said.
He turned to look at the girl sitting. "Please," He called the girl over. He looked at me and then back at the girl, sinking his teeth into her neck. I could smell the blood. I looked right at it, dripping down her neck. He looked over at me, "I won't let you die."
I shook my head, "No. I can't."
"Don't fight it. We can do this-together," he said, moving the girl closer. I looked at the blood, I could feel myself moving closer and closer. My lips landed on her neck, tasting the sweet blood. I drank more and more, feeling my head not pound and everything becoming clearer. It was the best feeling.
*End of Flashback*
Rose
"From the moment Stefan had his first taste of human blood, he was a different person. I suppose I should thank him. It's been a hell of a ride," Damon said, chuckling.
"Oh my god. He said he wanted to die. That's why he won't feed. Now I understand why, but-" I said, but Damon cut me off.
"His choice. If he's stupid enough to make it, so be it," He poured himself another glass of bourbon.
"Don't do that. Ok? Don't pretend like you don't care," I said, walking off and going downstairs to the cellar. I opened the door but he wasn't there. The hell? I looked at his bed and saw his ring on it. Who gave him that? It finally dawned on me. Elena. I ran back upstairs and Damon was on the chair, drinking. "Where's 'Lena?" I asked him.
"Probably in Stef's room. Why?" He looked up at me and I showed him the ring. His brows furrowed as he stood up. I ran upstairs for Elena with Damon following and saw her sitting down reading a book. I showed her the ring. She got up and took it, looking at me. "Well go," I said, shrugging. She quickly ran out and went to find Stefan. Hopefully she can convince him not to be burnt to a crisp.
I looked at Damon, "Did you tell Elena the other half?"
"Yea, today actually, earlier," he says as I nod and hum.
"Would you ever turn me?" I question him.
"Yea, actually," he says, going downstairs. Huh, maybe one day I'll take him up on that offer.
****
I look up to see Elena and Stefan walking in. "Little boy lost," Damon says, tinkering with the object Pearl gave him.
"I'll be upstairs, ok?" Elena says to Stefan, rubbing his arm and walking off.
"Uh. . .same," I say, running after Elena. What a day, I'm ready to hit the sheets.
A/N
And that's a wrap for this chapter. This is definitely one of the shortest so sorry for that but most of the chapter was flashbacks so yeah. I am going to start school soon so...but I am going to try my best to update. I'm going to try and like 'stock up' on chapters that way I can post every Wednesday. But I hope you enjoyed this chapter and pls vote, comment, and all that. Please don't be a silent reader!