MYSTIC FALLS 1864
In the woods, Stefan and Damon hid behind the trees while the town was capturing vampires. Jonathan Gilbert and other townspeople were putting a muzzle on a vampire's face and putting him inside a carriage. They heard one of them scream, "We have to get to the church. They're waiting." Stefan turned to Damon and plotted, "Circle around that way. I'll distract them. Go."
Damon agreed with his brother and did as directed without question. Stefan screamed and gained the attention of the group of men, "Over here! There's another one! Quick! Help me!"
Johnathan led the group towards Stefan, directing them to arm themselves. While the men followed Stefan, one man stayed behind, guarding over the carriage containing the vampires.
Damon snuck up behind him and knocked him out with a rock. He grabbed the keys out of the man's pocket and unlocks the carriage just as Stefan returned. Stefan reminded his brother that they didn't have much time but Damon ignored him, helping Sif out of the carriage. We don't have long. He absentmindedly noticed Stefan helping Katherine out and untied Sif, removing the muzzle too.
Stefan reassured the vampires that they would get them out of there and they heard rustling in the bushes. Damon jerked up, trying to spot any signs of danger when he is shot. Even in her weakened state, Sif noticed her fiance falling and gasped. Stefan rushed over to him but he couldn't help and Damon took slow, ragged breaths.
Stefan cried out and the men started to come back. He picked up a gun to fight back but he also is shot down. He stared at Katherine trying to reach her while Sif crawled towards Damon, feeding him her blood and crying when he died with her wrist still on his mouth.
She was so weakened that she didn't notice Damon gulping in some blood before taking his last breath.
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Elena, Sif and Damon stood in the cellar watching Stefan. Elena muttered, "It's so hard to see him locked up like this." Sif looked at with raised eyebrows and Damon reminded, "You're the one who locked him up." Elena defensively replied, "You helped." Damon shrugged, justifying his actions, "I couldn't have him running around chewing on people. While the town was looking for vampires, now, could I?"
Sif frowned at him and Elena asked, "So, It had nothing to do with you actually caring about him?" Damon waved it off, leaving. Elena decided to stay back while Sif followed him upstairs. She voiced her thoughts, "You know, I wish you didn't put up this 'I don't care about anything' front." Damon turned to her, wrapping his arms around her and murmuring, "That's not true. I care about you, don't I?"
Usually, Sif would swoon, but she knew that he was trying to charm her and stall. "That's not what I mean," she said, "You care about your brother. Everyone knows that, except Stefan. I wish you would show him that. And he should be a little lenient towards you too. You both used to be the best of friends and now you can't go through a single conversation without fighting."
He didn't reply, just put his head in her neck and tightened his grip on her. She sighed, knowing that he won't listen to her but leaving it be.
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MYSTIC FALLS 1864
Stefan awoke with a start. He looked around and noticed that he wasn't in the woods anymore. He opened his shirt and realized that the bullet wound was gone. He also noticed a ring on his hand and examined it. Emily arrived behind him, "Katherine had me make that for you weeks ago." Stefan asked her where they were.
Emily answered, "The quarry just north of town. My brother and I brought you here last night. We found you dead in the woods." Stefan asked for his brother and then asked if he was a vampire. Emily informed that he was in transition. Stefan confusedly asked her, "But how? I..." He didn't remember drinking any vampire's blood. Emily replied, "You had Katherine's blood in your system when you died."
Stefan immediately denied it and she gravely informed him, "She's been compelling you to drink it for weeks, Stefan." Stefan again asked for Damon and she guessed, "He had blood smeared on his mouth so Sif might have given him her blood in his last moments." Stefan accepted the answer and asked about his brother's whereabouts. She guided him towards the river and Stefan joined Damon.
They sat in silence and Damon spoke, "I woke up last night. I didn't know where I was. I went to the church. And I watched them drag her inside. Then they set fire to it. And the whole church went up into flames. They killed her, Stefan. She's gone." Tears dripped down his cheeks and he did not attempt to wipe them, mourning his beloved.
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Damon and Sif were staring at the device which Pearl gave him and discussing theories about what it could be when Elena entered the living room. Elena looked at them and asked, "Did you ever figure out what that is?" Damon looked up from the device, "Nope. Whatever it is, it doesn't work." "Pearl didn't say anything else about it?" she questioned further. "She was useless," Sif answered, "She thought she was stealing his vampire compass, but that was a pocket watch. That Johnathan Gilbert was a crazy scientist."
Damon asked if she'd spoken to her uncle and Elena admitted that she'd been avoiding him. She also mentioned that it wasn't hard as she was spending most of her time at the Boarding House. Damon asked, "So, you'll be here again tonight?" Elena asked if that would be a problem and Sif nodded vigorously while Damon agreed, stating that Elena was a complete nuisance. Elena didn't seem to care as she told them she'd be back later and left.
Sif looked at Damon and said, "How long do we have to put up with her being there all the time?" Damon shrugged, "I don't know. But I need to go offer blood to Stefan. The faster he eats, the faster she leaves." He took a bottle of animal blood from the fridge and went downstairs to the basement to Stefan. Sif eavesdropped on the conversation and was very disappointed when Stefan refused to consume the blood. He would grow weaker without blood and his being on animal blood already sped up the process of desiccation. And that was not fun.
Damon came back up to the living room. His phone rang and he answered it, the caller turned out to be Alaric Saltzman. Damon asked him how he got his number and Alaric responded, "Ah, it's a mystery. Listen, I've, uh, been doing some digging on Elena's uncle. You and Sif interested?" Sif raised an eyebrow at the invitation and Damon questioned, "What kind of digging?" Alaric informed, "I've got an old friend from Duke. Who studied criminology when we were there together. Let's just say he's become a very proficient digger."
Damon asked if he found anything and Alaric responded, "Well, I had him run a track on John's cell records. He was getting a call from a number...The same number that Elena dialled to get Isobel. And then the number was disconnected." Damon rolled his eyes, "Isobel knows John. Whatever. We knew that." Alaric continued, "Right. Well, after that, he started getting calls from a new number. And I had my friend run a geotrack. Got the address. It's...It's an apartment in Grove Hill."
Sif furrowed his eyebrows as Damon asked, "Isobel's in Grove Hill?" Alaric admitted that he didn't know and was thinking they could take a look. Damon agreed, asking for the address and Alaric refused, saying, "Oh, so you can go without me? No. I don't think so." Damon fought, "I'm not going with you. You tried to kill me." Alaric countered saying that Damon did kill him.
Before Damon could respond, Sif's phone rang and Damon told Alaric to hold on while Sif answered her phone, "Who is this and how did you get this number?" She heard Elena's voice on the other end, "It's Elena. Stefan gave me your number. I was trying to call Damon but that was busy." Sif sighed asking Elena what she wanted and she responded, "I'm just grabbing some clothes, and then I'll be right over. How's Stefan?" Sif answered, "He's the same as half an hour ago. He won't eat anything." Damon went back to Alaric and instructed, "You drive. Pick us up in an hour."
Alaric agreed and Damon cut the call while Elena said, "He has to eat what's his favourite...Kind of, um..." She seemed uncomfortable saying blood and Sif smirked, asking her, "His favourite kind of what?" Elena sighed, "Type of animal blood that he prefers?" Damon said to the speaker, "Ew. Gross." Elena huffed, "Heh. Your joking doesn't help." Damon shrugged, "Helps me. Now, hurry up. We can't babysit all night. We have things to do." Elena replied, "I would say, "drop dead," but..." Damon mockingly laughed, "Haha. Stefan likes puppy blood. Little golden retriever puppies with cute, floppy ears. That's his favourite." Elena cut the call and Sif huffed amusedly.
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MYSTIC FALLS 1864
Stefan brought a pail of water over to where Damon was sitting and they washed out their shirts with the water. Stefan murmured, "I bet Johnathan Gilbert has told father by now. Wonder how he took the news that we're dead." Damon scoffed, bitterly replying, "As if he cares. He betrayed us." Stefan furrowed his eyebrows, defending his father, "He thought he was protecting us, Damon. He thought he was protecting this town." Damon rolled his eyes and changed the subject, "God. This sun hurts my eyes."
Stefan nodded, explaining, "It's part of it. The muscle aches, the sick feeling. Emily says it's our bodies pushing us to feed, to complete the transition." Damon shook his head, "That's not gonna happen." Stefan asked quietly, "Is that your choice, then? To die instead?" Damon looked over at his brother, "Isn't it yours? I wanted to be a vampire so I could spend eternity with my fiancee by my side. But she's gone. I couldn't save her and there's no point in eternity if she's not here. I want it over."
Stefan looked at his brother with pity and Damon turned his head away, not wanting his younger brother to see the tears he couldn't stop. Being in transition made it harder to keep the grief away. He just wanted to die so he could be with Sif again. He hoped the day would pass faster.
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Elena, Sif and Damon were sitting in the living room, talking. Elena had gone to the basement to check on her boyfriend and try to make him eat but like every time, he refused. Stefan told her that he wanted to die and she had come up to talk to the couple about it. Damon brushed it off, "He's just being dramatic. He's not gonna starve himself." Sif couldn't help but disagree. She remembered teaching her friend, Darren, how to control himself and he'd told her multiple times that he didn't like hurting people and had tried to kill himself multiple times.
Elena asked, "Why would he say that?" Damon replied, "He feels bad about hurting that girl. It's a very typical Stefan martyr stuff. It will pass." Sif agreed with him, this was just a stage and eventually, Stefan would come to terms with himself and wouldn't want to starve himself. Elena doubted it as she asked, "Will it? Because he seemed to be in a lot of pain." Sif answered, "Well, that will pass, too, when he feeds." Elena shook her head, "I didn't mean physical pain."
Sif replied, "I know what you meant. If he feeds, he'll be stronger and I can teach him how to control himself, he just won't agree. It would help with his pain if he learns how to control himself." Elena didn't reply and Damon spoke up, "Look, are you gonna be okay here if I have to run out? We have to go run an errand with the teacher." Elena furrowed her eyes, "The teacher? Alaric? Are you guys friends now?"
Damon rolled his eyes, "We're not friends, Elena. We're just going on an errand." Elena nodded and Damon continued, "You should stay up here. You shouldn't be down there by yourself." Elena determinedly said that she'd be fine. Damon observed, "You know...You're very trusting of him, given the circumstances." Elena countered, "So are you. Otherwise, you wouldn't be leaving." Damon promised that they won't be long and the couple left just as Alaric texted Damon that he was outside the boarding house.
They went to the car, Damon sat in the passager seat and Sif took a seat at the back. Alaric started driving as he said, "I don't know what we'll find but try not to use violence please." Sif replied, "Why? The violence is the best part. It adds entertainment to life." Alaric looked at her through the rearview mirror, "I don't need that kind of entertainment in my life. Please just hold back for tonight." Sif pouted but complied anyway.
Damon started some small talk conversation with Alaric and Sif spent the rest of the time on her phone. She found the device fascinating and was exploring new features in it. They reached the apartment earlier than she had estimated. Alaric stopped the car and got out, followed by Damon and Sif. "This is the one here," he said, "The records show it was paid 3 months in advance." Damon grimaced, "This is where it gets tricky. We may or may not be able to get in." Alaric looked confused, "Yeah, how does that work? You always have to be invited in?"
Sif explained, "Once. By the owner or the person of entitlement. Short-term rentals and hotels are a bit of a grey area. It's a 50-50 chance. You just have to take it." Alaric nodded, "Again, could we not kill anyone tonight, please?" Sif rolled her eyes, moving forward and opening the door. Alaric peeped inside, "It doesn't look like anyone's home." Damon and Sif put their feet through the threshold and sighed in relief when they could enter, "Yeah. We're good. No permanent resident."
They stepped inside and snooped around. Sif picked up a few books kept on the shelf and Damon opened the fridge and saw blood bags. The two vampires noticed the movement together and were about to warn Alaric when a man jumped on Alaric. Alaric pushed him off and stabbed him with wood knuckles. The man groaned and fell to the floor but got back up and tried to attack again. Damon throws him off of Alaric.
He played peacemaker, "Boys, boys, that's enough." He took one look at the other vampire and muttered, "I know you." The vampire looked at Damon with recognition and asked, "Damon?" Damon nodded, "Your name is Henry. You were in the tomb. We were friends." Henry nodded, "Yes, sir. What are you doing here?"
Damon couldn't think of what to say. He was busy thinking of 1864 when he and Henry were great friends. They were in the war together. Sif noticed him distracting and answered, "Uh, John Gilbert sent us." Alaric and Damon looked at her confused and she shrugged. It's not she had a lot of time to think, she said the first thing that came to her mind. Luckily, Henry trusted her from the brief friendship they shared in 1864 and the tomb and seemed to believe it as he asked, "So, how do you know John Gilbert?"
Alaric leaned against a wall and Sif and Damon sat down. Damon answered, "Well, I've known him for years. He's a good friend. How do you know him?" Henry took out a blood bag from the fridge and replied, "I met him right after I got out of the tomb. He's been helping me out." Alaric questioned what he meant by 'helping out' and Henry responded, "Adapting. It's a whole new world...Cars, computers, match.com. There's so much to learn." Sif agreed, "I know right. It's fascinating how the world moved forward. No one uses a carriage anymore and only very few people have servants."
Henry agreed with her, "It's very complicated and overwhelming. John helped me get this place and got me a phone too. He's been a huge help." Alaric suspiciously asked, "So, do you live here alone or is there someone else here?" Damon intervened, "That's my friend's very passive-aggressive way of asking, uh, do you know a woman named Isobel?" Henry shook his head, "Uh, no. No, I don't know an Isobel. I know John. He's my only real friend. He showed me the ropes...how to use a microwave, separate my whites."
Sif said, "If you ever need another friend, reach me. Most of my friends are probably dead and I don't know how to reach the others so I need more friends." Henry smiled and nodded. Alaric continued with his questioning, "What else do you do for him?" Henry looked at him, "I help keep an eye on things...You know, with the others." Damon asked about the others and Henry explained, "From the tomb. They're still pissed at the founding families for trying to burn them alive. I'm cool, but those tomb boys, they want revenge."
Sif suggested just killing them if they get too annoying but Alaric cut in once more, "What does John want with them?" Henry casually replied, "He's just keeping an eye on them, you know? Trying to make sure they stay out of trouble." Damon chuckled, "Well, that's John. Heh. He's such a do-gooder." Henry's phone started ringing and taking a look, Henry informed that it was John calling.
Damon asked for the phone and henry readily gave it to him but got suspicious when Damon didn't answer it. He asked Damon if he was going to answer it and Damon looked at his two companions, "Am I gonna...answer that?"Alaric shook his head while Sif nodded her head, wanting to bait John. It's not like he could do anything against her. He was giving her all the information she needed. She just didn't need a lot of information John had to offer.
Like he knew about Isobel and where Katherine was but John had no knowledge of the whereabouts of her family. The only real information he had of the Mikaelsons was what Katherine wanted him to know and made Isobel tell him. He was almost useless now.
Damon became confused when got two answers. Was he supposed to answer the phone or not? He apparently took a lot of time deciding as Henry got suspicious. "What's going on?" he asked. Henry seemed to sense a trap and ran at Alaric. Damon grabbed him from behind. Before anyone could do anything, Alaric stabbed him with a stake. Damon looked at Alaric, "Let's not kill anyone tonight. Your words. Just pointing that out."
Sif was a little bummed that Henry died. Henry was the only one in the tomb who didn't try to kill her or turn on her, even when she drained three vampires. And all because he was friends with Damon and Sif back in 1864 and didn't want to bring them pain. But she didn't pay that much mind to it. She wasn't one to get attached and she was sure she would get over it the next morning. Damon didn't seem that shaken either. Probably because after living for almost 200 years not giving that much thought to someone, you tend to forget stuff about them.
They started to snoop around a little more to find something valuable. Something that would lead them to Isobel. Sif would be honest, she kind of wanted to meet Isobel now. With the way everyone described her, she seemed like a smart woman and could lead her to her family. Sif wanted to reunite with them more and more every day but she was enjoying this short freedom she had right now. As they looked around, Damon asked if they found something and Alaric replied that the place was clean. There was no evidence or clue anywhere. Damon chucked a bottle of alcohol at Alaric, "Well, I found this. Behind the blood in the fridge." Alaric sat on the couch, dejected, "Oh, man, this was a real dead-end."
Damon advised, "I wouldn't beat myself up over it, man. What did you think you were gonna find, huh? Isobel with a cigar and slippers?" Alaric shook his head, "Oh, man. I...I gotta stop this. I can't...I can't keep searching for her." Damon said, "Really? After only two years? That's actually moderately healthy." Alaric looked at Damon and Sif, "What did you get at? 145?" Damon pulled his fiancee closer and shrugged, "Well, I only had to wait for 145 years. I knew where she was, time was the problem. Now that's over."
Alaric said, "Ahh. I mean, no answer is enough. I keep thinking I wanna know why, when, you know, the precise moment. When my wife decided life with me wasn't enough." Sif looked at him sympathetically and Damon supplied, "She charmed me, your wife Isobel. She talked a good game, man. She was smart. She had this excitement in her eyes. I probably should have known there was something different about her, some tie to Katherine." Alaric stopped him, "That's enough, Damon. I don't wanna hear anymore. I just don't want to waste any more of my life. Searching for answers that I don't really want. I'm through with Isobel. I...I'm done with all of this. Yeah." He got up and left the apartment
The couple followed him and they were back in Mystic Falls in no time. They went into the Boarding house to find Elena writing in her diary. Sif groaned, "God. You're still here?" Elena looked up, "Were you expecting anything else?" Damon admitted, "Not really." The couple took a seat on the couch and Elena asked, "So, how was the "errand"?" Damon replied, "Futile. Although, I think we witnessed the teacher having an existential crisis. Has Stefan eaten yet?"
Elena said, "I thought you didn't care." Damon countered, "Chalk it up to morbid curiosity." Elena answered, "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 Sif getting caught." Sif looked confused, "I told you I don't blame Stefan for getting caught. I blame Katherine. Don't tell me you still hold that over him. Damon, the poor boy already has so much guilt. Tell him that it's not his fault." Damon looked between the girls, feeling ganged up, "This is my fault now?"
Elena shook her head, "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." Damon got up from the couch, "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? Sif, even you don't know this part." Elena recalled Stefan saying there was more to the tale and Damon scoffed, "Yeah. That's an understatement." Elena spoke, "Damon. Tell me."
Damon started, "After Stefan had turned..."
Stefan returned to the quarry with a girl, compelled and bleeding. Damon got up from where he was seating, "What are you doing? Who is that?" Stefan looked at his brother, "I brought her for you. She's a gift. Have a seat, please." Damon asked, "What have you done, Stefan?" Stefan desperately explained, "Damon, I've been to see father. He came at me. I didn't know my strength. There was blood everywhere. He was dying, and the blood was too strong. I needed it. I had to have it." Horrified, Damon stated, "You fed."
Stefan nodded eagerly, "Yes. And it's incredible. My body is exploding with power, Damon. I can hear things from far away. 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. Katherine was right. It's a whole another world out there, Damon." Damon retorted, "Katherine is dead, Stefan. And she took Sif with her. There is no life without Sif." Stefan shook his head, "No. You can turn that off, too. You don't have to feel that pain anymore."
Damon denied it, "I don't want it." Stefan tried to persuade his brother, "You're weak. You'll be dead soon. You need this." Even when Stefan stated that Damon would die, Damon still refused. Stefan begged him to feed, not wanting him to die but Damon stayed adamant on his decision. Stefan brought the bleeding forward, tempting Damon, "Don't fight it. We can do this...together." Not being able to control his urge to drink, Damon drank the blood of the girl.
"...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 finished the story. Elena gasped, "Oh, my God. He said he wanted to die. That's why he won't feed. Now I understand why, but..." Elena trailed off, deep in thought. Damon spoke, "His choice. If he's stupid enough to make it, so be it." Elena snapped at him, "Don't do that. Okay? Don't pretend like you don't care." She went down into the cellar and found Stefan is gone. His ring was still on the cot. Elena picked it up and ran out of the cell.
She went out of the house ignoring Damon and Sif calling out to her. They looked at each other confused. Sif spoke, "What just happened? Did she have Stefan's daylight ring with her?" Damon shrugged, looking at the door. They stayed in silence for a moment before Sif spoke, "I get it." Damon looked at her confused. She elaborated, "I get why you hate Stefan now. When my parents turned me into a vampire, I didn't have a say. And I hated my father for forcing me to feed. But I understood why he did it. My parents just didn't want to lose their children. I don't think my mom would have minded if I died, but my father loved me. And I knew that they would not be able to bear losing another child."
"I could never tell him, but if my father was the same person he was when we were human, the one who loved me and cared about me? I'd hunt him down and tell him that I forgive him for making me feed and then I'd kill him for abusing my brothers. But my father became even colder after turning. And now I wish he'd rot in hell. Stefan is still the same boy he was when he was human, please tell him you don't hate him."
Damon looked at her shocked. He knew she didn't like talking about her parents. Her siblings, she could about for hours but she didn't mention her parents at all. He hugged her as she was lost in thought, thinking of her family. He probably could tell Stefan that he didn't hate him anymore. Staying alive for eternity at least got him back together with Sif and if he would have died, she would have stayed stuck inside the tomb forever. He remembered when he promised Stefan an eternity of misery.
After turning his brother into a vampire, Stefan asked him, "How do you feel?" Damon admitted, "You were right. It is a whole new world." Stefan smiled hopefully, "We can explore it together." Damon continued, "You got what you wanted...You and me for all eternity. But here this, brother. I will make it an eternity of misery for you." Shocked, Stefan gasped. Damon didn't give his brother a chance to reply as he left, ignoring his brother's pleas for him to stay.
Sif went to bed while Damon stayed in the library, waiting for Elena and Stefan. They walked into the library and he drawled out, "Little boy lost." Elena wished them good night and went upstairs. Stefan thanked his brother and Damon retorted, "No, Stefan, thank you. You're back on Bambi blood, and I'm the big badass brother again. All is right in the world." Stefan insisted, "I mean it. Thank you. For helping her take care of me."
Damon replied, "You brood too much. Everything on this planet is not your fault. My actions, what I do, it's not your fault. I own them. They belong to me. You are not allowed to feel my guilt." Stefan asked, curious, "Do you feel guilt?" Damon admitted, "If I wanted to, it's there. Emily waited till after I turned to tell me she'd been successful in protecting Sif with her spell. She didn't want me to know about the tomb. She thought it would impact my decision."
Stefan realized, "She didn't want either one of us to turn. She said it was a curse." Damon chuckled bitterly, "Witches...Judgy little thing." Stefan asked, "Why didn't you tell me?" Damon replied, "Cause I didn't want you to know. Cause I hated you." Stefan grimly stated that he knew. Damon continued, "Because you forced me to turn when all I wanted to do was die. Because I was grieving and when I fed, it intensified and I turned it into anger towards you."
Stefan seemed shocked that his brother shared that much and he grew even more shocked when Damon took a deep breath and stated that he didn't hate him anymore. Stefan didn't reply, just looked at him shocked. Damon gave his reasoning, "I hated you because I had to survive an eternity and the only person who made me want to live was gone. But now I have her back and there's no point in hating you anymore.
Damon turned around and went to his room. He changed and got in bed where Sif hugged him and whispered, "I'm proud of you. I know it's hard to say what you feel but you did a good thing. Maybe now Stefan won't be so cold towards you." Damon didn't reply, just pulled her closer, burying his face in her hair and drifting off to sleep. Sif was happy Damon confessed this to Stefan. Maybe this could mend the relationship of the Salvatore brothers.
[A/N: I didn't really see the point of Damon hating Stefan when he doesn't want Katherine, so I changed it and added a brotherly moment. And there were flashbacks and honestly, this was supposed to be a filler chapter, I had no motivation to actually write it but it's long and I like it so here you go! Hope you enjoyed the chapter! The next chapter is going to be badass!]
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