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.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTqfMuf0YU5
"I can't believe this happened. What am I going to say to him?" she says to me.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMWvjCwXG9b
"Thanks for not ditching my family after I drove Ric crazy?" I say.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGxnrx9VYzd
Elena glares at me.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIqQSk9u6Zz
"You should have called Stefan," I add to her.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSIoanjrPan
"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."446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2eG2qTJLyZ
"In all fairness, I mean, I think you killing him kinda trumps that. And you should have called Stefan."446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnZiO65WJb5
"I don't trust him right now, Damon."446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxzjHUbp19p
Just then, Stefan walks in and we both look at him.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV1dabiJSkz
Speaking of, I think to myself.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtePfcip2vR
"Hey," Stefan greets.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡen4M04Z61X
"P.S. I called Stefan," I inform her.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYZDxOFGpn4
Stefan walks over to Elena.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3kkDS6VgV0
"What happened? Why did you call me?" he asks.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRrF7JcoBwD
"I just-I need to go upstairs and shower. Clean all the blood off my hands," she says, before walking out of the room.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3mOqyewg3y
A moment later, Jeremy wakes up.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ54DCiwdti
"Welcome back. How are you feeling?" Stefan asks him.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTSISOBZ7Mi
"What happened?" Jeremy asks.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD2sY5DxrzI
"Long story, buy the e-book," I answer him.
I'm in the kitchen cleaning up the blood, when Stefan walks in.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjtRmYfonzj
"Where did Jeremy go?" I ask my brother.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUdFQELr5d3
"School. Bonnie has him volunteering for some occult exhibit," he answers me.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJoszzsEdur
"Or maybe he didn't want to linger in a house where his sister just jabbed a knife in his neck," I say.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLM7dxCAGJV
Stefan's phone rings and he tells me, "It's Klaus."446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Sh7PothPi
"Ooh, time to face the music. Pay the piper, dance with the devil," I comment.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPUTqmU7Kc9
"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."446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4l3RbPvyFP
"Quit avoiding him, that means shady. Shady people get outed."446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8jUDnujhr2
Stefan takes my advice and answers it.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNhSZlpxVtr
"I don't want to talk about it," he says.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKZDebaBfMr
I ignore Klaus' part of the phone conversation, but listen to what Stefan says.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyJg8L1Fdf4
"Well, it wouldn't have happened, if you hadn't sworn me to secrecy," he tells Klaus.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAOwJHacwU9
He looks at me and I nod.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmC9LPOQVXN
"You're using your calm voice today. Who's getting killed?" Stefan says.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCWP1TP4dcw
"What do you know about that?" he asks Klaus.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaHvijANlRg
"I'm at her house," he answers Klaus.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡscj6vWSgtR
Stefan hangs up when Klaus knocks on the door. Stefan then leaves the house with Klaus.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa1JjWg5fYc
I ignore their conversation outside and start finishing up with cleaning up the blood.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvjY0sPGNFx
A few minutes later, Elena walks into the kitchen.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeSg3LZRLF1
"Damon..." she starts to say to me. She trails off and instead, yells, "No!" and backs away.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsGGrSXGWfg
"What's wrong?" I ask her.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPn8BzNoBky
Elena runs to the front door and I follow her.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUEcd4Swi8o
"Elena!" I say.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyW8V5DcWWV
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.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡClbEZQf1QY
I look at Stefan, whom looks around with a worried face.
Bonnie, Stefan, and I are in the kitchen. Stefan called her over.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaJbzaegdHZ
"You lost her?" she asks us.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZbXKXXtx2K
"Well, lost is a very strong word, we just technically don't know where she is," I answer the witch.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvAv7Z1d1Qd
"I'm more worried about what Klaus said about this hunter's curse," Stefan informs her.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtP5CdQx3DQ
"How does Klaus even know about this?"446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6RB2FWPYzo
"How does Klaus know about anything? Guy's like a billion years old," I reply.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoSlnt7t2Sw
"He said it was a witch's curse," Stefan informs us.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡudK8cAMWxL
Stefan looks at Bonnie.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcJMsfkQw1x
"You know if I could do anything to help, I would. But I..," she starts.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQLxnkdCKu3
"But nothing, wave your magic wand, hocus pocus, begone hunter ghostus, whatever," I tell her, worried about Elena.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCYySm8Ns9H
"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.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWb0TWV21lw
"Great, you two do your thing," Stefan says to us both.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkYF66XwD7l
"Where are you going?" I ask him.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxs73Am5Oq0
"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.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT5I6g4HqMh
"You got this?" I ask Bonnie.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM13xlBM6DC
"Yeah, I'll bring him to you," she assures me.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1QujgGis9G
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.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQrASWeN1H6
The students laugh and then Shane lets them go off on their own.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdwEUhRMxC7
I watch, as Shane walks up to Bonnie.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Ea4U3K0w7
"Hey, you made it," he greets her.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQajNxKc6wI
"Nice cautionary tale. Qetsiyah sounds like a bad ass," she greets him.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkaNchZd5yB
"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.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe541SrUalg
"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.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTFnoyA9ere
I hold up the bottle for Alaric and then take a swig, before Shane and Bonnie enter the room.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ00pxYD2MBF
"Shane, this is my friend, Damon. He's kind of an expert on this stuff too," Bonnie says, introducing him to me.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfkoHoR7zCK
"I audited your class. Very enlightening," I tell him.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡab03GriMaX
"That's right, I remember you. What's your specialty?" he says to me.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8o8xVjVe4c
"The origin of a species," I reply.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbuVAUhE6p5
"Ah, I think Darwin would arm wrestle you for that distinction," Professor Shane says.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIHVLiEuhqZ
"Not that species," I inform him.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgNhPiBlWs1
"You're into the monster stuff. Alright, awesome," he replies.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA9Zc90ClAJ
"I was kind of hoping you might have stumbled upon this at some point, maybe."446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmLzhdSC2HF
I pull out a piece of paper and hand it to Shane.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIOKhuX1VXK
Shane takes it and looks at it.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn5kfYMKZwA
"This is a Hunter's mark. Where did you get this?"446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkzUkZ7EBH0
"Came to me in a dream. Do you know anything about the Hunter's curse?"446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoQXrQrDrp6
"Why? You got a dead hunter in the trunk of your car or something?"
"Metaphorically, speaking."446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgM6L6Rm0el
"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…."446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKkxnDpiDdM
"Until?" Bonnie presses.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM83RwXN9di
"Until the new Hunter is awakened and their legacy is passed on. They're called potentials," he informs us.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUng1NkNwAf
I take out my phone, as Shane continues to speak.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTswpwA9mUy
"Listen, I have a bunch of research on it. Why don't I go grab it for you?" he says.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLZlOTypPSs
"That'd be great," I reply, before Shane gives me the paper that has the Hunter's mark and thanks me.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Z75TJkpal
He leaves the classroom and Bonnie looks at me.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMKK2yST2yL
"How are we supposed to find a potential Hunter?" she asks.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNrpIWVlbML
"Yeah, about that," I comment.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhzZ14bsNEs
I call Jeremy and he answers it.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL1W20eipWG
"Damon."446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡII6QKGHeEl
"Little Gilbert, your services are needed," I inform him.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzcQ8aHEKK5
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.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ScxQ9EPQk
"How did I not know any of this stuff about Jeremy?" she asks after I tell her everything.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk4yUa6uL0M
"The witch who loses her powers gets left out of the important conversations."446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkkdEsGb8rP
Jeremy runs into the room.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwiq1K2n0Dx
"Is everything okay? Is it Elena?"446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwp6bZNlaT0
"We figured out how to help Elena. You need to kill a vampire," Bonnie tells him.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3y1NajlILK
"Great, give me a stake, I'll kill Damon right now."446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfAszTOzat8
"Easy, Van Helsing. We'll get you one. Don't worry," I tell him, not wanting to be killed.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡozQhojka1z
My phone rings.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGvYyShrdqe
"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.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnfE33ebFr1
"You can rest easy, brother. We figured out how to solve our little Elena problem."446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN3TrbEd6xc
"Yeah, well, now we have a bigger one. I lost her," he informs me.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡevnYCq5woL
"What? Again?"446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfuo0ayA7X5
"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.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx3ORlm41sd
"Elena," I greet.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAwPdGGcaTg
Elena turns to look at me.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRsLTwqankT
"Damon?" she says.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoyyGXM6lwb
She turns back to look at something I can't see. She's clearly upset, but looks back at me again.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEqVDyaRBPF
"How did you find me?" she asks me.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHT4A8p5SKP
"Didn't take a genius to figure it out. Third time's the charm," I reply.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyJegsP67YZ
"You were right, Damon. Vampires kill people. Stefan was right too. I can't live with myself."446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgx0O4wxTl6
"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.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJo8TwYHEmF
Elena turns her head again to look at something I can't see.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCdhT7Y0wwA
She nods and looks back out at the water.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuhv88NZ1bP
The sun starts to slowly rise and she looks down. I then look down at her hand.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3vh8Ng4KXk
"Where's your ring, Elena?" I ask, scared of what she is probably attempting to do.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxIQ7X7zx1u
She doesn't answer me.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwb5xsbciLI
"We need to get you inside," I say to her.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLOfMIoK2UL
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.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDikIVQKL4X
I look at the mountains to see that the sun has risen higher in the sky. I then look at her.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuYfONmEemC
"Damn it, Elena," I say.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4CsXUFH8KX
I rush at her at vampire speed and try to grab her, but she rushes around me and stays a good distance away.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDB3U19sDRA
She closes her eyes.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw2i57KVZ2q
A moment later, she breathes heavily and opens her eyes again.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡazzYV0Ez0D
"He's gone," she informs me.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡswEdV4cW6c
"It's okay," I say.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg25ekjWogM
We both start to hear a sizzling noise and Elena looks down.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhj0SWpozo2
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.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF3FUXlMx3f
"Damon?" she says with fear.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAeOLoe9Fdg
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.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKZU3tAs1FP
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.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoSyyynkFmm
She slowly sits up in bed.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPRA4C5o4Bx
"Fished it out of the river for you," I let her know.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhnZw7cyMGH
She looks at me.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU2VKjjrSZe
"A little tip, vampires hate to swim. How are you feeling?," I say.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCEY5L8JbUH
"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."446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6nzBR2AjHR
"Well, you know what they say about teenage suicide," I say. I sit on her bedside. "Don't do it," I add.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeHdz512gnH
Elena smiles at me.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrjP2Q5DFR2
"I just can't believe I almost..." She starts, but trails off.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXiqutNzC2A
"You weren't yourself," I tell her.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc7FenekfLE
Elena takes my hand in hers.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzYMqPlpuWk
"Yeah, but if it wasn't for you..."446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAcHQjd0TFw
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.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtz6u9rSyZ3
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.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC4a85Fhugm
Elena laughs at the killing and ashes part.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxu1XAy7naJ
"There may be a way out of this for you, Elena."446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYvL05XkZTg
Elena gives me a confused look.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9puCSyXbcE
"There may be a cure," I inform her.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZzKInpg812
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.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1J7YLKs8vV
"Bourbon," I tell the bartender.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi3YksMFFQw
I look at the seat next to me.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPBv3nkKThh
"Make that two."446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZqjTjrX0sl
Matt walks up and stands on the other side of me.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4SWmxtjG7O
"Still saving a seat for Mr. Saltzman, huh?"446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFSdT6tVSOJ
"I'd say I'm in the market for a new drinking buddy. You're not qualified," I answer.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ39E6Hnv08s
"I know that you don't like me," he replies.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkbqNEVBgLR
I move one of the Bourbons in front of the empty seat next to me.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Tu3l0pOvc
"But I dug up some stuff about the explosion at the Young farm, I kind of need to tell someone about," he continues.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡofB1RqnLwL
I non-verbally encourage him to tell me about it.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxMwlShSVTd
"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.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgy8pArDoY2
"You're on the verge of impressing me. Drive it home," I comment.446Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡATVlxVmOoL
"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.
