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.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnqVVcDtPhc
"I can't believe this happened. What am I going to say to him?" she says to me.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOFQr6uMnWg
"Thanks for not ditching my family after I drove Ric crazy?" I say.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeZf64vuVNm
Elena glares at me.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFHdpVbWZ4P
"You should have called Stefan," I add to her.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡde0ddmFzCw
"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."423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNQ8u92Jn2S
"In all fairness, I mean, I think you killing him kinda trumps that. And you should have called Stefan."423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgrkYtZxHFt
"I don't trust him right now, Damon."423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcDZm7r6mf7
Just then, Stefan walks in and we both look at him.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY3xzuSd9wq
Speaking of, I think to myself.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbOcHDEdQOh
"Hey," Stefan greets.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAtPy1CLqI2
"P.S. I called Stefan," I inform her.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp74WbEJyIY
Stefan walks over to Elena.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKLo4WqduRj
"What happened? Why did you call me?" he asks.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP7kb1HoESG
"I just-I need to go upstairs and shower. Clean all the blood off my hands," she says, before walking out of the room.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqygnm3odIt
A moment later, Jeremy wakes up.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAfdnGGRFyb
"Welcome back. How are you feeling?" Stefan asks him.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6lKXS37IBk
"What happened?" Jeremy asks.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgKVniARbrQ
"Long story, buy the e-book," I answer him.
I'm in the kitchen cleaning up the blood, when Stefan walks in.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUV0i0YcF04
"Where did Jeremy go?" I ask my brother.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeALf7mvdvM
"School. Bonnie has him volunteering for some occult exhibit," he answers me.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWBwIj2NFOo
"Or maybe he didn't want to linger in a house where his sister just jabbed a knife in his neck," I say.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcSouHX3phA
Stefan's phone rings and he tells me, "It's Klaus."423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFLlThvqIWP
"Ooh, time to face the music. Pay the piper, dance with the devil," I comment.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0nV046bCqD
"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."423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ54FT4mIneP
"Quit avoiding him, that means shady. Shady people get outed."423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7dMDqivxJN
Stefan takes my advice and answers it.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS2ml48oEc1
"I don't want to talk about it," he says.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRZ1CFtg9BS
I ignore Klaus' part of the phone conversation, but listen to what Stefan says.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQhkukzjPC8
"Well, it wouldn't have happened, if you hadn't sworn me to secrecy," he tells Klaus.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGKaATop4jf
He looks at me and I nod.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡITsIX2mExz
"You're using your calm voice today. Who's getting killed?" Stefan says.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEnebVH1Veg
"What do you know about that?" he asks Klaus.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP18IgcSvHR
"I'm at her house," he answers Klaus.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOqYMoY2Gxd
Stefan hangs up when Klaus knocks on the door. Stefan then leaves the house with Klaus.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh5du7lu77n
I ignore their conversation outside and start finishing up with cleaning up the blood.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPSJJiamODm
A few minutes later, Elena walks into the kitchen.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIAqA3iGzcD
"Damon..." she starts to say to me. She trails off and instead, yells, "No!" and backs away.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡExdeFvhZcz
"What's wrong?" I ask her.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcm1dGwikOq
Elena runs to the front door and I follow her.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOj9v67Ccci
"Elena!" I say.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjqB5fQ5axh
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.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsrA6slusvQ
I look at Stefan, whom looks around with a worried face.
Bonnie, Stefan, and I are in the kitchen. Stefan called her over.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpOJyvi3NGh
"You lost her?" she asks us.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKIuny6kmpd
"Well, lost is a very strong word, we just technically don't know where she is," I answer the witch.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkhsfzQe5Yx
"I'm more worried about what Klaus said about this hunter's curse," Stefan informs her.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡACAoo06QLi
"How does Klaus even know about this?"423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxeL3vLduA7
"How does Klaus know about anything? Guy's like a billion years old," I reply.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGyUKAsGFgM
"He said it was a witch's curse," Stefan informs us.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz1d8oemAJH
Stefan looks at Bonnie.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFWNyko6KbS
"You know if I could do anything to help, I would. But I..," she starts.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIbkZ9EjsDG
"But nothing, wave your magic wand, hocus pocus, begone hunter ghostus, whatever," I tell her, worried about Elena.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqvWVW623MR
"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.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAZW2PXv76e
"Great, you two do your thing," Stefan says to us both.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMlsXPnGNXd
"Where are you going?" I ask him.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnjZfJsOwnZ
"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.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxWo2GOdLxW
"You got this?" I ask Bonnie.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUHQ98y2fNv
"Yeah, I'll bring him to you," she assures me.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLtwAcF7LsS
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.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGsZy5vYAuV
The students laugh and then Shane lets them go off on their own.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpuab06HGzb
I watch, as Shane walks up to Bonnie.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVMqXFNuhi9
"Hey, you made it," he greets her.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjfBwYpabBE
"Nice cautionary tale. Qetsiyah sounds like a bad ass," she greets him.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmVP7nhXKSm
"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.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ybAAm89XO
"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.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi8Mt7ArdEE
I hold up the bottle for Alaric and then take a swig, before Shane and Bonnie enter the room.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5rq2JyTiYl
"Shane, this is my friend, Damon. He's kind of an expert on this stuff too," Bonnie says, introducing him to me.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhghd2TFT5d
"I audited your class. Very enlightening," I tell him.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ84D3rNA5Ac
"That's right, I remember you. What's your specialty?" he says to me.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEop6wYoNrS
"The origin of a species," I reply.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFNf9Nvmerg
"Ah, I think Darwin would arm wrestle you for that distinction," Professor Shane says.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS0EuDqmTRs
"Not that species," I inform him.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNi5ifOw29j
"You're into the monster stuff. Alright, awesome," he replies.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkucVkJKZ4i
"I was kind of hoping you might have stumbled upon this at some point, maybe."423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlkZHGHaEgl
I pull out a piece of paper and hand it to Shane.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvLtrb9vgg4
Shane takes it and looks at it.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBcEDccnLc6
"This is a Hunter's mark. Where did you get this?"423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmNVRHmxmtQ
"Came to me in a dream. Do you know anything about the Hunter's curse?"423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR6AYTvic0L
"Why? You got a dead hunter in the trunk of your car or something?"
"Metaphorically, speaking."423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1FvHeSI6xF
"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…."423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa3k61McdPq
"Until?" Bonnie presses.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq394fATbJi
"Until the new Hunter is awakened and their legacy is passed on. They're called potentials," he informs us.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTF7IQHUzzk
I take out my phone, as Shane continues to speak.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrgD6gN6STo
"Listen, I have a bunch of research on it. Why don't I go grab it for you?" he says.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRbazAXRfF7
"That'd be great," I reply, before Shane gives me the paper that has the Hunter's mark and thanks me.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxxoVpFYBsu
He leaves the classroom and Bonnie looks at me.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPO1Z6aZbB3
"How are we supposed to find a potential Hunter?" she asks.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKT42enXmU0
"Yeah, about that," I comment.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsMFEVgyyqp
I call Jeremy and he answers it.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0l89Rmrnpx
"Damon."423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHSIQb4ZiaG
"Little Gilbert, your services are needed," I inform him.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdxrbKi9EL3
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.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFGU1o8jsHU
"How did I not know any of this stuff about Jeremy?" she asks after I tell her everything.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDhnUovgq7e
"The witch who loses her powers gets left out of the important conversations."423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgxjC1lnHfI
Jeremy runs into the room.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAVFnflrjsM
"Is everything okay? Is it Elena?"423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRJsC1TwU2c
"We figured out how to help Elena. You need to kill a vampire," Bonnie tells him.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyu95E7nW5V
"Great, give me a stake, I'll kill Damon right now."423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt1X5Rq36dK
"Easy, Van Helsing. We'll get you one. Don't worry," I tell him, not wanting to be killed.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwtFh6t2Q1g
My phone rings.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgUAC7hH1RL
"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.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwuyJA5A0TH
"You can rest easy, brother. We figured out how to solve our little Elena problem."423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjEdOZypRBb
"Yeah, well, now we have a bigger one. I lost her," he informs me.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkeKODCIPV8
"What? Again?"423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1YzjluBzZM
"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.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYLX3LRVuJE
"Elena," I greet.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvZVE97aGRZ
Elena turns to look at me.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNmylcSxXDF
"Damon?" she says.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFO5QHxi1kQ
She turns back to look at something I can't see. She's clearly upset, but looks back at me again.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGiaZFfZJYE
"How did you find me?" she asks me.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBR1olsuETs
"Didn't take a genius to figure it out. Third time's the charm," I reply.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ExJRMT7xr
"You were right, Damon. Vampires kill people. Stefan was right too. I can't live with myself."423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJTTbVU2w9O
"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.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2PDkwSWtix
Elena turns her head again to look at something I can't see.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc4uCX46GkQ
She nods and looks back out at the water.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVQi00x6UkL
The sun starts to slowly rise and she looks down. I then look down at her hand.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkt4vPAw6Yz
"Where's your ring, Elena?" I ask, scared of what she is probably attempting to do.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9kV7eIMtOr
She doesn't answer me.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSXEpb8hEVn
"We need to get you inside," I say to her.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnFFRbnDsY1
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.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm4ZqETqr7k
I look at the mountains to see that the sun has risen higher in the sky. I then look at her.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQYYzJsfoFm
"Damn it, Elena," I say.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7L7u9Xfw4y
I rush at her at vampire speed and try to grab her, but she rushes around me and stays a good distance away.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLFzLr4eqho
She closes her eyes.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY4kRrGibfD
A moment later, she breathes heavily and opens her eyes again.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJBV78KqC3i
"He's gone," she informs me.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz4pOSQp5pk
"It's okay," I say.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIjq0F438uo
We both start to hear a sizzling noise and Elena looks down.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdJ4K8JVmyE
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.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTL1W4kTOyY
"Damon?" she says with fear.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfnLyX12OyK
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.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ75QwhJg3jr
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.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrzWArQsBe8
She slowly sits up in bed.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ59pFx4dHOG
"Fished it out of the river for you," I let her know.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUdaP4JrFn9
She looks at me.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWt09BeJlIg
"A little tip, vampires hate to swim. How are you feeling?," I say.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1uEYxpPopC
"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."423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0UGsMBMVwv
"Well, you know what they say about teenage suicide," I say. I sit on her bedside. "Don't do it," I add.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGHfC7dLKIQ
Elena smiles at me.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLRdBsNNOI9
"I just can't believe I almost..." She starts, but trails off.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhpQ2wOownb
"You weren't yourself," I tell her.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQecKTa4noC
Elena takes my hand in hers.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5KlW4E97QN
"Yeah, but if it wasn't for you..."423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb4F7Pfc1aC
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.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLziWkqdlxM
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.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEJtzFhr4aw
Elena laughs at the killing and ashes part.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZdfHFp2l6U
"There may be a way out of this for you, Elena."423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5MdXq7Hv7P
Elena gives me a confused look.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6NRti3qVOV
"There may be a cure," I inform her.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqUahR9AYpG
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.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzE6fjpZfFF
"Bourbon," I tell the bartender.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1BvI589kEb
I look at the seat next to me.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXlFlYG8Mjg
"Make that two."423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy3Pu3THO9G
Matt walks up and stands on the other side of me.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaKtUkJzEiX
"Still saving a seat for Mr. Saltzman, huh?"423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6xehmVRMxO
"I'd say I'm in the market for a new drinking buddy. You're not qualified," I answer.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpFpRqh1OB1
"I know that you don't like me," he replies.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWVCXUV1JoH
I move one of the Bourbons in front of the empty seat next to me.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsIGME74sG3
"But I dug up some stuff about the explosion at the Young farm, I kind of need to tell someone about," he continues.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOxMnf2NR6e
I non-verbally encourage him to tell me about it.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8uQzxwekEx
"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.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBD7bqDq8Z5
"You're on the verge of impressing me. Drive it home," I comment.423Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZhqzUCjTAm
"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.
