I woke up in the hospital with my Aunt Meredith standing over me, "Aunt Meredith?"
She smiled stroking my forehead, "Shh, shh. Your running a fever after last night's stunt. Try not to move or speak and let it run it's course."
I nodded, "Thank you."
"What on earth were you doing out in the cemetery without a jacket in the middle of winter. You could've froze to death. You know how weak your immune system is, not to mention the ripped stitches and infected wound. You are honestly lucky to be alive right now."
"I'm sorry, I've been a little depressed lately."
She stroked my cheek, "I know. The Sheriff told the Council what you did. You killed Logan because he had been turned into a vampire. I know you were close with him and I'm sorry, it shouldn't have been you who did that."
I sighed, "I had to, he was a Fell and attempted to turn Caroline. I had to do it. How long have I been asleep?"
"A full thirteen hours. You were tired. I'll bring you something to eat in a little bit."
"Thank you, Aunt Meredith."
She left me alone in the dark room and I shifted to lay on my side, but coughed and was forced to lay back on my back. I shivered and pulled the covers closer around me when a voice spoke, "Wow, don't you look pathetic."
"Ugh, get out Damon."
"Not until I run a little deal by you." He sat on the bed and I glared up at him as he spoke, "I found another way to release Katherine from the tomb, but I could use some help tracking down a lead. You help me get Katherine, and only Katherine, and I promise that your descendants will want for nothing."
I shook my head, "No, I want nothing to do with you. You broke your last promise to me. How do I know this one is any different?"
"Oh, have a little faith. What happened to us being partners in crime?"
"Our partnership died when you looked me in the eyes and told me that I deserved death because of my ancestors butchering vampires 145 years ago." I shivered some more as my stomach twisted, "I think I'm gonna be sick."
Damon grabbed me and whooshed me into the bathroom as I began puking. Damon rubbed my back asking, "What the hell is happening to you? I've never seen you like this."
Once I could breathe, I wiped my mouth and answered, clutching the toilet bowl, "I've always had a weak immune system. If I catch any little cold, it'll knock me on my ass for at least a couple weeks. This time I've got a couple infected cuts and mild hypothermia, so who knows how long I'm gonna be in here."
"Do you want me to heal you?"
I furiously shook my head, "No. No more vampire blood, I don't wanna turn. There's another vampire in town, the one who turned Logan. I won't risk it." I chuckled humorlessly as my eyes started to drift closed, "I guess you know my weakness now. Don't tell anyone, okay?"
"Tabitha? Hey, stay awake!"
I shook my head, "No, too tired."
I could feel him pick me up, "At least let me get you to bed first." He laid me down gently in the hospital bed and wrapped me up in the covers, "Sleep well, Lady Fell. I'll be back tomorrow."
I felt slight pressure on my forehead before hearing him leave the room and I drifted off to sleep.
I was gently shaken awake later that night by my Aunt feeding me some warn chicken soup. Aunt Meredith had been assigned to my care ever since I was a child and I trusted her to know what to do and how to take care of my when I got sick.
Matt came to visit me the next day after school, "Hey Tabs, how you holding up?"
I took his hand, "Just fine, Matt, thank you."
"I, uh, got some big news."
I smirked, "What?"
"I got a job at the Grill the same time you take your shift, as a busboy."
I smiled, "Oh Matt, that's great! I look forward to working with you."
He chuckled, "Thanks Tabs, are you sure you're gonna be okay?"
I squeezed his hand, "It's just a little cold, Matt, I'll be over it in a couple of days. Quit fussing over me."
"It's nothing you haven't already done for me. In my eyes, you're family Tabs. And I won't lose anymore family."
I brought him in for a hug, "I'm sorry you've been alone these past couple months, but if you ever need to talk, I'm here. I promise, I'll always be here."
He hugged me back, "And that is why I love you. Because when you say you're going to stay, I believe you. I can always count on you."
A voice then interrupted our moment, "Aw, how cute."
I rolled my eyes and snickered, "Shut up Tyler, you're just jealous that Matty cares about me more than you."
"That's not true, right Matt?"
Matt stayed quiet, but shrugged and I laughed before deteriorating into a fit of coughs. Matt was back at my side with Tyler next to him. I didn't realize I was coughing up blood until I saw Tyler burst out of the room and Matt turn me on my side so I could breathe. Aunt Meredith came bursting in and ushered Matt outside. A couple other doctors came in and I listened to their orders as they began to work on treating me.
(Damon POV)
I arrived at the hospital and noticed the quarterback and idiot best friend standing outside Tabitha's room. I quickened my normal human pace and asked, "What's going on?"
The quarterback answered, "I-I don't know. We were just talking and laughing and then she started coughing up blood. I've seen her sick before, but never like this. It's like one thing after another."
Tyler then grabbed Matt's shoulder, "It's alright buddy, you know she'll pull through. She's Tabitha Fell, she'll get through this. She always does."
Matt nodded, "I know, but I'm gonna call Caroline." Matt walked down the hall a little bit pulling out his phone. I looked in through the window both seeing and smelling the blood on the floor and the pillow. "How bad has she been before?" I asked to no one in particular.
"Why do you care, Damon? Didn't she dump your ass?"
I glared down at him, "We might not be a couple anymore, but I still care about her." I looked back inside the room, "There's just something about her."
Tyler chuckled, "You got Fell'd."
"What?"
"Fell'd. Ever since we were little, Tabitha's always had this air about her. Most kids saw her as a freak because she would always be in and out of the hospital and hardly ever in school. She didn't have a lot of friends for a long time, but suddenly, one by one, people began to be friends with her. We called it getting Fell'd because all you have to do is spend a couple minutes with Tabitha and you fall in love with her. You'd honestly have trouble finding someone who wouldn't lay down their life for her if she asked."
I scoffed, "You'd die for her?"
Without any hesitation, he replied, "Of course I would. If I could trade places with her right now so she could be out enjoying her life instead of being trapped in some lonely hospital bed hooked up to three different machines, I would. Wouldn't you?"
I thought back to last night and remembered how shocked I had been to see her as pale as a ghost and fighting to stay awake. I was used to seeing her as the strong, confident woman with a silver tongue and a quick wit. I sighed, "I had no idea she was like this."
Tyler shrugged, "She doesn't advertise it. She wants people to think she's strong. And don't get me wrong she is strong, emotionally, but not really physically. She pushes herself too hard sometimes. I'm just surprised she didn't get sick that whole time she was a substitute teacher. She got sick every three months just between working three jobs and school, plus a summer job during the summer and daily morning runs."
I thought back to that time. That was when she was working with me and I fed her my blood every other day. She didn't get sick because of the constant vampire blood in her system fighting pretty much everything. She didn't get sick because my blood had been acting as her immune system. I handed the blanket in my hands to Tyler, "Make sure she gets this, will you? It's an electric blanket to keep her warm. I'll be back."
"Whatever, dude," came his reply and I rolled my eyes. Was 'dude' the only intelligent thing in his vocabulary? I raced back home and called, "Stefan! Do you know where Zach kept that chemistry set with the test tubes?"
He came down, "What? Why?"
"Tabitha's not doing so well. I need to help her."
"And where do the test tubes come in?"
I began searching Zach's study, "I'm gonna use it to secretly feed her my blood, so she heals. Give the doctor a little compulsion to slip it in her medicine everyday and she'll be back to her perky self by the end of the week."
"Does she want your blood?"
"No."
"Then don't give it to her, Damon. She should get to choose how she gets better. Slipping vampire blood into her medication will only put her at risk of coming back as a vampire if she dies."
"She's not gonna die, Stefan. I'm gonna make sure of that too."
"Oh are you? Why help her?"
I growled, throwing a couple things around, "Because I broke my promise to her, Stefan! And I don't know how else to fix it."
Stefan's eyes widened slightly, "You feel guilty about what you did and don't know how to apologize, I get that Damon, trust me. I'm on her bad list too after knocking her out, but instead of doing this and having her eventually find out and hate you more, why don't you just come with me to apologize to her face sincerely once she starts feeling better?"
"I don't want her to reject me."
"Did she reject you before? The last time you apologized to her?"
"No."
"Then put more faith in her. I'll let you know when I go to apologize. Goodnight Damon."
Despite Stefan's warning I snuck back into the hospital and put my plan into action. I compelled a doctor to feed her my blood and fed her some myself before leaving.