It's a beautiful day, as I stand in the living room with Elena. Elena is pacing the floor, worried sick about her brother, whom is lying on the couch on his back. He's dead. She accidentally stabbed him in the neck. She told me that it was an accident and I believe her, because it's Elena. She wouldn't hurt her brother on purpose. She also told me that she saw Connor, the guy she killed, before she saw Jeremy. That tells me that she's starting to hallucinate. Hallucinations aren't good, because it can make vampires do and say crazy things that they normally wouldn't do.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyGJ1UHSLyq
"I can't believe this happened. What am I going to say to him?" she says to me.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTC94JohIuv
"Thanks for not ditching my family after I drove Ric crazy?" I say.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFw3XRf8Qzh
Elena glares at me.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡijM22gcQsY
"You should have called Stefan," I add to her.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡscnWmqy1a7
"I don't want to talk to him. He has been lying to me and hiding things from me. He compelled Jeremy to forget God knows what."425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBniITklSF3
"In all fairness, I mean, I think you killing him kinda trumps that. And you should have called Stefan."425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu5mzEnj5Xs
"I don't trust him right now, Damon."425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUCRvVeGIsD
Just then, Stefan walks in and we both look at him.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ07VDroWUT9
Speaking of, I think to myself.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHIwldhaWPD
"Hey," Stefan greets.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSp2qW7koGy
"P.S. I called Stefan," I inform her.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡquLWSyc7n3
Stefan walks over to Elena.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUUiAbELrNk
"What happened? Why did you call me?" he asks.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVs8c9QP2ZV
"I just-I need to go upstairs and shower. Clean all the blood off my hands," she says, before walking out of the room.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYC9gN3zHWS
A moment later, Jeremy wakes up.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp2v45k3QQr
"Welcome back. How are you feeling?" Stefan asks him.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQjhXiMzAVV
"What happened?" Jeremy asks.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbAnCgdsNIo
"Long story, buy the e-book," I answer him.
I'm in the kitchen cleaning up the blood, when Stefan walks in.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjenwh5JsYR
"Where did Jeremy go?" I ask my brother.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2eSYTJWqA4
"School. Bonnie has him volunteering for some occult exhibit," he answers me.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0CkzwZ0F9L
"Or maybe he didn't want to linger in a house where his sister just jabbed a knife in his neck," I say.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMI3ZP6Y7X0
Stefan's phone rings and he tells me, "It's Klaus."425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFwp4tbSdCH
"Ooh, time to face the music. Pay the piper, dance with the devil," I comment.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡknX9Zpr4J6
"You know, I'm glad you find this amusing. If he finds out I told you about the cure, he'll kill both of us."425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpL7a1unWHD
"Quit avoiding him, that means shady. Shady people get outed."425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwT90dXTqiB
Stefan takes my advice and answers it.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZEEB6XYMcw
"I don't want to talk about it," he says.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEqAnePClNK
I ignore Klaus' part of the phone conversation, but listen to what Stefan says.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3JzLPVFGRL
"Well, it wouldn't have happened, if you hadn't sworn me to secrecy," he tells Klaus.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ1LrjHiDrE
He looks at me and I nod.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAVNfCzF3r0
"You're using your calm voice today. Who's getting killed?" Stefan says.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEHWCZ6NguS
"What do you know about that?" he asks Klaus.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrvBIkApYc7
"I'm at her house," he answers Klaus.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYiMHIEbtBq
Stefan hangs up when Klaus knocks on the door. Stefan then leaves the house with Klaus.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7xf84ru9SD
I ignore their conversation outside and start finishing up with cleaning up the blood.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxF8VBFbxUB
A few minutes later, Elena walks into the kitchen.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVU0iniJXx9
"Damon..." she starts to say to me. She trails off and instead, yells, "No!" and backs away.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwogCutonvN
"What's wrong?" I ask her.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5VkU1RRyY1
Elena runs to the front door and I follow her.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhwCyw8tjYw
"Elena!" I say.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWQxhwBMfaq
Stefan and Klaus are still outside talking, when Elena runs out of the house and onto the porch. She stops in her tracks, though, seeing both of them there. Then Klaus disappears with Elena at vampire speed.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgnTJzavYft
I look at Stefan, whom looks around with a worried face.
Bonnie, Stefan, and I are in the kitchen. Stefan called her over.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr96l0DgMjv
"You lost her?" she asks us.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYTyezEHw8E
"Well, lost is a very strong word, we just technically don't know where she is," I answer the witch.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1DQWHU3BTP
"I'm more worried about what Klaus said about this hunter's curse," Stefan informs her.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb9LV1uXCSW
"How does Klaus even know about this?"425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcQdEnqdGYg
"How does Klaus know about anything? Guy's like a billion years old," I reply.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBUrsJ9OP8K
"He said it was a witch's curse," Stefan informs us.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdI5EfQGMVc
Stefan looks at Bonnie.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAdcmRhTbvp
"You know if I could do anything to help, I would. But I..," she starts.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6eInwtMK3n
"But nothing, wave your magic wand, hocus pocus, begone hunter ghostus, whatever," I tell her, worried about Elena.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxjprNVmG0c
"The spirits won't let me do the magic I'd need to break the curse. But I can ask Shane for help, he knows everything about everything," Bonnie tells us.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ShFntNXde
"Great, you two do your thing," Stefan says to us both.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPePK1vIDv9
"Where are you going?" I ask him.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQRG6F9lMD6
"I'm gonna get her back," he answers me, before leaving.
Bonnie and I walk to where Shane is and stop not far away in the exhibit, after listening to his speech to some students.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeb7EgMJEOE
"You got this?" I ask Bonnie.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6HKfHeX5wh
"Yeah, I'll bring him to you," she assures me.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDecDVSBP8c
I walk away, trusting that she will do what she says. But then I stop in my tracks, hearing Shane tell them that they say that Silas will rise again, due to a certain rock that Shane has in his hand.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlplm4jOlCT
The students laugh and then Shane lets them go off on their own.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOnAGFicyKR
I watch, as Shane walks up to Bonnie.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwSGl7yJApw
"Hey, you made it," he greets her.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ06dGcEhzC3
"Nice cautionary tale. Qetsiyah sounds like a bad ass," she greets him.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlQf5ht9Bae
"Nothing compared to Silas," he tells her.
I go to Mystic High and walk into the history room where Ric used to teach History at. I sit at his desk and open a drawer where I find a bottle of Bourbon. I then smile and prop my feet up on the desk.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIDxLQa789K
"You're missing all the adventure, pal," I say, as if Ric is still here. He's not, though. Thanks to Esther, Klaus' mom, Ric became a vampire. Thanks to Rebekah killing Elena, Ric died a vampire.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡczkdhKWwpJ
I hold up the bottle for Alaric and then take a swig, before Shane and Bonnie enter the room.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg002Al8AwO
"Shane, this is my friend, Damon. He's kind of an expert on this stuff too," Bonnie says, introducing him to me.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVRdws4Tv2U
"I audited your class. Very enlightening," I tell him.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡws9h18MXmM
"That's right, I remember you. What's your specialty?" he says to me.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzr5BzLvppt
"The origin of a species," I reply.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6iB56jZVbK
"Ah, I think Darwin would arm wrestle you for that distinction," Professor Shane says.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ0HORct2NH
"Not that species," I inform him.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0jM5lERWGr
"You're into the monster stuff. Alright, awesome," he replies.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUZI5WPnIpf
"I was kind of hoping you might have stumbled upon this at some point, maybe."425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwxM2vuxwJn
I pull out a piece of paper and hand it to Shane.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQTGS2xs91v
Shane takes it and looks at it.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe3tb9f7jyZ
"This is a Hunter's mark. Where did you get this?"425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXQdg5qUTuM
"Came to me in a dream. Do you know anything about the Hunter's curse?"425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZTa2Pw57Ew
"Why? You got a dead hunter in the trunk of your car or something?"
"Metaphorically, speaking."425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVo6L4gCl9t
"Legend says that if a hunter is killed by that which it hunts, then that person will be cursed to walk the Earth in torment until…."425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡci6mhmD3vZ
"Until?" Bonnie presses.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7tP3Np1Yp3
"Until the new Hunter is awakened and their legacy is passed on. They're called potentials," he informs us.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpfeLFpMUex
I take out my phone, as Shane continues to speak.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoc6lj0H4Re
"Listen, I have a bunch of research on it. Why don't I go grab it for you?" he says.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXe9IClmJTQ
"That'd be great," I reply, before Shane gives me the paper that has the Hunter's mark and thanks me.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmiVzzWbaRh
He leaves the classroom and Bonnie looks at me.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbFqx03EzYM
"How are we supposed to find a potential Hunter?" she asks.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgNPvxBM4qo
"Yeah, about that," I comment.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmIS7Qdol4D
I call Jeremy and he answers it.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk8BPrF4Si5
"Damon."425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOGPeI2Cwax
"Little Gilbert, your services are needed," I inform him.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh7RLJbrm24
I give Bonnie a sly look.
Bonnie brandishes papers about The Five at me, as Bonnie and I stand in the hallway by the artifacts.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm7MzaKkbuG
"How did I not know any of this stuff about Jeremy?" she asks after I tell her everything.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrFdU3KSxwz
"The witch who loses her powers gets left out of the important conversations."425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0UpzTMRLa0
Jeremy runs into the room.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVVREpFWmSc
"Is everything okay? Is it Elena?"425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRkL4zwGqm0
"We figured out how to help Elena. You need to kill a vampire," Bonnie tells him.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxnOllbc3Ls
"Great, give me a stake, I'll kill Damon right now."425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQbuPSrGehw
"Easy, Van Helsing. We'll get you one. Don't worry," I tell him, not wanting to be killed.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpq8tb6bp6F
My phone rings.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKXmCkMSnO0
"Before you do this, you need to know what you're getting yourself into," Bonnie tells him.
Bonnie gives Jeremy the papers and I answer the phone and speak to Stefan.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWfJkUs2frd
"You can rest easy, brother. We figured out how to solve our little Elena problem."425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw7ejbvIbJo
"Yeah, well, now we have a bigger one. I lost her," he informs me.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj9hDh1mSqR
"What? Again?"425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgkqA4St4Qe
"She's in bad shape. I tried to help her, but she attacked me. Listen, you go find her, alright? Talk her down, she'll listen to you. Just tell me what I need to do to end this."
That night, I find Elena on the Whickery bridge and approach from behind her.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSYgZ90NOVt
"Elena," I greet.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3qU5cqv6vK
Elena turns to look at me.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY548t1YYKs
"Damon?" she says.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMZGOmhU4wS
She turns back to look at something I can't see. She's clearly upset, but looks back at me again.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvn4ewaljXH
"How did you find me?" she asks me.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡamq8dPGmSB
"Didn't take a genius to figure it out. Third time's the charm," I reply.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnaKD3bNgEb
"You were right, Damon. Vampires kill people. Stefan was right too. I can't live with myself."425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbRtPOmAlTi
"Look at you, being all glass is half empty. Let's just go talk about this before you do something stupid, okay?" I say, standing next to her now.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUV7U7WOnJ4
Elena turns her head again to look at something I can't see.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQT49JAYJJG
She nods and looks back out at the water.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaD8QKUa6MS
The sun starts to slowly rise and she looks down. I then look down at her hand.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8wRoYjO3d2
"Where's your ring, Elena?" I ask, scared of what she is probably attempting to do.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0rtH8Dxdsy
She doesn't answer me.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡASiFQzNJ3s
"We need to get you inside," I say to her.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOoygSQB41r
She looks at me.
"What you're going through is a curse. We know how to break it, but we just have to get you inside," I inform her.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdCoQYdLzex
I look at the mountains to see that the sun has risen higher in the sky. I then look at her.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpULfzUzIhC
"Damn it, Elena," I say.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTcxLOYeUAQ
I rush at her at vampire speed and try to grab her, but she rushes around me and stays a good distance away.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHhoJ3ataBo
She closes her eyes.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4rqesmw5Lb
A moment later, she breathes heavily and opens her eyes again.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6X5CKuWBEV
"He's gone," she informs me.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGpEXxbkfNf
"It's okay," I say.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGNHyJBtjFx
We both start to hear a sizzling noise and Elena looks down.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCWMz4QkS4W
I look over at the mountains to see that the sun has risen. I then look at her face and see that she's starting to burn.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5gpoIaplRD
"Damon?" she says with fear.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIXSc9kcWcb
I rush at Elena, grab her, and throw both of us off the bridge to save her life, and the water splashes as we land in the water. Being under water keeps her from burning in the sun. Then she blacks out and I gently hold her against me, as I swim deeper in search of her ring. I'd give her mine, but I don't feel like burning myself and dying or almost dying.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOHTrJzbbFJ
Once I find her ring, I put it back on her finger and surface with her. Then I get us out of the water and gently pick her up in my arms, before carrying her, heading for her place.
A few hours later, Elena wakes up in her bed and looks at her hand at her ring. I'm leaning against her window. When she wakes up though, I go to stand by her.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKtQR4KXCKC
She slowly sits up in bed.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvIOG31rbpH
"Fished it out of the river for you," I let her know.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlZlBJwPq4P
She looks at me.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOCfHH8nFzI
"A little tip, vampires hate to swim. How are you feeling?," I say.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ03eQz7ly6S
"My head's clear. I can remember everything, but not like I lived it, like it was a really bad dream." She pauses for a few moments, before saying, "You saved me. Thank you."425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAIyAmu393P
"Well, you know what they say about teenage suicide," I say. I sit on her bedside. "Don't do it," I add.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOPqOrqNCfZ
Elena smiles at me.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4oTqTKalb9
"I just can't believe I almost..." She starts, but trails off.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY8d8VKfS3I
"You weren't yourself," I tell her.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3LzSb8dCuw
Elena takes my hand in hers.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUKREk4kHwE
"Yeah, but if it wasn't for you..."425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFoJPvQfnkA
I look down at her hand that's holding mine and she does likewise. I then hold her hand up and start rubbing my thumb in circles over the back of her hand.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFmGtOMkxuF
I sigh, before saying, "I'm about to take a very high, annoying road and tell you something." I take my hand from hers and put my hand on top of hers. "Because I know that you think Stefan's been lying to you. Which, yeah, he has, but this rough patch that you two have been going through is not what you think. Everything that he's been doing, he's been doing for you. To help you. And after he kills me for telling you this, I want you to throw my ashes off of Whickery Bridge, okay?" I continue.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVkhabGSpFh
Elena laughs at the killing and ashes part.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnNZDBFIQBJ
"There may be a way out of this for you, Elena."425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUEzpCrur9w
Elena gives me a confused look.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvVP09VZ23Z
"There may be a cure," I inform her.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5ukN0YZZVI
Elena gives me a surprised look.
That night, I go to the Mystic Grille for a drink. I take my jacket off and sit down.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2XVPjgxjMe
"Bourbon," I tell the bartender.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK1NkiA7BIe
I look at the seat next to me.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoy8YJoy4EU
"Make that two."425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkeeVEzTPYe
Matt walks up and stands on the other side of me.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVSDr8vD9pv
"Still saving a seat for Mr. Saltzman, huh?"425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVAKjprGSRr
"I'd say I'm in the market for a new drinking buddy. You're not qualified," I answer.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkDRgHxkodq
"I know that you don't like me," he replies.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJtbY4thlEc
I move one of the Bourbons in front of the empty seat next to me.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpxdyIXlYjQ
"But I dug up some stuff about the explosion at the Young farm, I kind of need to tell someone about," he continues.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPh0ggYgScD
I non-verbally encourage him to tell me about it.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiOYx02MvPj
"So, April mentioned that her dad knew that Professor Shane guy. Which wouldn't be creepy, except, he had all that info about the Hunter's curse, and we live in a town where, you know, anybody who knows stuff is creepy until proven otherwise," he continues on.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡarpq074z5e
"You're on the verge of impressing me. Drive it home," I comment.425Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBJxKZWHVSQ
"I got the sheriff to dig up the pastor's phone records. Turns out, he made like a call a day to the same number the last month he was alive. And on the day that the Council got blown up at the farm, he called it ten times. The office of Professor Atticus Shane," he finishes.
