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.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkPXDpz0SWg
"I can't believe this happened. What am I going to say to him?" she says to me.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4dIGr4LEwt
"Thanks for not ditching my family after I drove Ric crazy?" I say.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfWqwBfBMj0
Elena glares at me.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsy03XtRIn8
"You should have called Stefan," I add to her.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzk6BMBmwTg
"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."536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTmYLZN97Oj
"In all fairness, I mean, I think you killing him kinda trumps that. And you should have called Stefan."536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe6DNWRUwzt
"I don't trust him right now, Damon."536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoH9dNhNQHQ
Just then, Stefan walks in and we both look at him.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHPCHhxmeI5
Speaking of, I think to myself.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAuTIQJEDRO
"Hey," Stefan greets.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1jANMIx2ZV
"P.S. I called Stefan," I inform her.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXLx2MWQ9z8
Stefan walks over to Elena.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2IVH0DbE6T
"What happened? Why did you call me?" he asks.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuprfTejMzB
"I just-I need to go upstairs and shower. Clean all the blood off my hands," she says, before walking out of the room.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgBEkiQmY8S
A moment later, Jeremy wakes up.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfNiaMhDe2n
"Welcome back. How are you feeling?" Stefan asks him.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSxrR8yf5mD
"What happened?" Jeremy asks.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzENawxjO5G
"Long story, buy the e-book," I answer him.
I'm in the kitchen cleaning up the blood, when Stefan walks in.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcQ4LMaQHkU
"Where did Jeremy go?" I ask my brother.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo1hdpd70A3
"School. Bonnie has him volunteering for some occult exhibit," he answers me.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP85QIXQGvp
"Or maybe he didn't want to linger in a house where his sister just jabbed a knife in his neck," I say.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFBirGGJYiy
Stefan's phone rings and he tells me, "It's Klaus."536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLE8PgOAoEG
"Ooh, time to face the music. Pay the piper, dance with the devil," I comment.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlxnlLqYD30
"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."536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXbCMJ6k4dj
"Quit avoiding him, that means shady. Shady people get outed."536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgNpclONc24
Stefan takes my advice and answers it.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGnSR4sFm3C
"I don't want to talk about it," he says.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLPe01NdrA8
I ignore Klaus' part of the phone conversation, but listen to what Stefan says.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc7wGMxIEWE
"Well, it wouldn't have happened, if you hadn't sworn me to secrecy," he tells Klaus.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4mc5wbGCNp
He looks at me and I nod.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiganHwwp3R
"You're using your calm voice today. Who's getting killed?" Stefan says.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIXyYOwysiD
"What do you know about that?" he asks Klaus.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP4MKiHOPnl
"I'm at her house," he answers Klaus.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQSxIkFcxoA
Stefan hangs up when Klaus knocks on the door. Stefan then leaves the house with Klaus.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZbpQlCTcZU
I ignore their conversation outside and start finishing up with cleaning up the blood.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuPwwPx6mvq
A few minutes later, Elena walks into the kitchen.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjMsVesgLWV
"Damon..." she starts to say to me. She trails off and instead, yells, "No!" and backs away.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwliAOpjHF3
"What's wrong?" I ask her.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnzV7YXdEfY
Elena runs to the front door and I follow her.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNZyLwFJ6rO
"Elena!" I say.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJL2wnju7UO
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.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBNhyWdzAq3
I look at Stefan, whom looks around with a worried face.
Bonnie, Stefan, and I are in the kitchen. Stefan called her over.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1wrW64PYHW
"You lost her?" she asks us.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLoJPHo1Q9v
"Well, lost is a very strong word, we just technically don't know where she is," I answer the witch.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp6xhRCiT5b
"I'm more worried about what Klaus said about this hunter's curse," Stefan informs her.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMfHVmHsOKv
"How does Klaus even know about this?"536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP4OqZPiUGU
"How does Klaus know about anything? Guy's like a billion years old," I reply.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWlxJ57aABo
"He said it was a witch's curse," Stefan informs us.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvoAuyn5II7
Stefan looks at Bonnie.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnkYwJmTDdB
"You know if I could do anything to help, I would. But I..," she starts.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnRT1xn0OBJ
"But nothing, wave your magic wand, hocus pocus, begone hunter ghostus, whatever," I tell her, worried about Elena.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8XiOxRFC0H
"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.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkwW9UjztR6
"Great, you two do your thing," Stefan says to us both.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUbUAD7jYLq
"Where are you going?" I ask him.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZWa9SnzwUc
"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.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0RWnZsXDbC
"You got this?" I ask Bonnie.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQGgYYIaN9O
"Yeah, I'll bring him to you," she assures me.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMoO8oXK4f9
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.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsxEDVp8bdm
The students laugh and then Shane lets them go off on their own.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUzB0y1fQYz
I watch, as Shane walks up to Bonnie.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ07Rny0RITD
"Hey, you made it," he greets her.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPkZIppeEr8
"Nice cautionary tale. Qetsiyah sounds like a bad ass," she greets him.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpil57dTDHF
"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.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl8XtHjtt9b
"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.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq6PEwJVDa9
I hold up the bottle for Alaric and then take a swig, before Shane and Bonnie enter the room.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWWeKiAOBMn
"Shane, this is my friend, Damon. He's kind of an expert on this stuff too," Bonnie says, introducing him to me.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ34EKAwqfFc
"I audited your class. Very enlightening," I tell him.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYBB5ODobEg
"That's right, I remember you. What's your specialty?" he says to me.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7rHqK5vdsr
"The origin of a species," I reply.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQrSRFWANSX
"Ah, I think Darwin would arm wrestle you for that distinction," Professor Shane says.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDW2A1IsZCb
"Not that species," I inform him.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPTVLvySBzm
"You're into the monster stuff. Alright, awesome," he replies.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG7GIe58R8a
"I was kind of hoping you might have stumbled upon this at some point, maybe."536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡieFl4raF89
I pull out a piece of paper and hand it to Shane.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTEcm40GU6f
Shane takes it and looks at it.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSWXrILiMY5
"This is a Hunter's mark. Where did you get this?"536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkEfJMm9YLb
"Came to me in a dream. Do you know anything about the Hunter's curse?"536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGIesuSyskg
"Why? You got a dead hunter in the trunk of your car or something?"
"Metaphorically, speaking."536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtpnH0Ta7Gr
"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…."536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5M1eGzEjEU
"Until?" Bonnie presses.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlz1DXNZ6PA
"Until the new Hunter is awakened and their legacy is passed on. They're called potentials," he informs us.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5QIETAG9wT
I take out my phone, as Shane continues to speak.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsKTHK4WCFD
"Listen, I have a bunch of research on it. Why don't I go grab it for you?" he says.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkyghIVqXyt
"That'd be great," I reply, before Shane gives me the paper that has the Hunter's mark and thanks me.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb11h3I1O22
He leaves the classroom and Bonnie looks at me.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqB7XxaOEv3
"How are we supposed to find a potential Hunter?" she asks.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa7Nv7b9yN8
"Yeah, about that," I comment.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF5HtRVzfVP
I call Jeremy and he answers it.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9kzaGBzAZ5
"Damon."536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOui5ywGMDs
"Little Gilbert, your services are needed," I inform him.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKZW4qnUiiG
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.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR4kyx2thjG
"How did I not know any of this stuff about Jeremy?" she asks after I tell her everything.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnZGC4MKLBN
"The witch who loses her powers gets left out of the important conversations."536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ8tLFRq4u8
Jeremy runs into the room.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI5eyXP8Zfc
"Is everything okay? Is it Elena?"536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRHwCyLuv8V
"We figured out how to help Elena. You need to kill a vampire," Bonnie tells him.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSd96ujaWqN
"Great, give me a stake, I'll kill Damon right now."536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAEtBBbt37t
"Easy, Van Helsing. We'll get you one. Don't worry," I tell him, not wanting to be killed.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDPO8LOwqVF
My phone rings.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQJ1ShN1Ivo
"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.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF1GRlGMKCh
"You can rest easy, brother. We figured out how to solve our little Elena problem."536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgkN0AMrKZD
"Yeah, well, now we have a bigger one. I lost her," he informs me.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvrFICu9Mey
"What? Again?"536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD9o3IKKWiA
"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.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlUSyQVJGrv
"Elena," I greet.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4FowoOVeUw
Elena turns to look at me.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3bWOTheoTS
"Damon?" she says.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYy2MPOzrbm
She turns back to look at something I can't see. She's clearly upset, but looks back at me again.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ3FGWUakDS
"How did you find me?" she asks me.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZp2C21Rv1r
"Didn't take a genius to figure it out. Third time's the charm," I reply.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL65j62FcbY
"You were right, Damon. Vampires kill people. Stefan was right too. I can't live with myself."536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnZU9EriBIy
"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.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ08pJcVfJan
Elena turns her head again to look at something I can't see.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdeQv3n9evi
She nods and looks back out at the water.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHFU1zmNBH9
The sun starts to slowly rise and she looks down. I then look down at her hand.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv1TRe3VXeU
"Where's your ring, Elena?" I ask, scared of what she is probably attempting to do.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdp82yGbDee
She doesn't answer me.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl1jmLVeLgu
"We need to get you inside," I say to her.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKi8WeyKw7A
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.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwUEWoIPEWc
I look at the mountains to see that the sun has risen higher in the sky. I then look at her.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5VfPN2NU2I
"Damn it, Elena," I say.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9gqiIhhVxW
I rush at her at vampire speed and try to grab her, but she rushes around me and stays a good distance away.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyJEfFh0uSv
She closes her eyes.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWq6cMz3sYd
A moment later, she breathes heavily and opens her eyes again.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVcFtBjQCxy
"He's gone," she informs me.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYlbIFoH5wq
"It's okay," I say.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡplDRuCbVU0
We both start to hear a sizzling noise and Elena looks down.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFWhe0NcyPa
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.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7n5TRyLRLi
"Damon?" she says with fear.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡchOj72ErRQ
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.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡppV9QkYpm1
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.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGXusP4Ksdc
She slowly sits up in bed.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG0AjRkVkJF
"Fished it out of the river for you," I let her know.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOm6qgstHCL
She looks at me.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdnXZuma9Sl
"A little tip, vampires hate to swim. How are you feeling?," I say.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrniWCcXkTG
"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."536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8bRgj1Pk9B
"Well, you know what they say about teenage suicide," I say. I sit on her bedside. "Don't do it," I add.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZvZyAGOtrC
Elena smiles at me.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT7dxbY5RVQ
"I just can't believe I almost..." She starts, but trails off.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxTlEB5KN9q
"You weren't yourself," I tell her.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡupfjHffESZ
Elena takes my hand in hers.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjcQlaLYwLB
"Yeah, but if it wasn't for you..."536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh7JqGj2qci
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.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgtxIZmi01Q
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.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1bH6MzUXNW
Elena laughs at the killing and ashes part.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMYjqHbCgAu
"There may be a way out of this for you, Elena."536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg9I1hnOym0
Elena gives me a confused look.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZFLWxRMdDf
"There may be a cure," I inform her.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXQ5sFM8q0t
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.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH07wEvUzKF
"Bourbon," I tell the bartender.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2HlP0MVKhQ
I look at the seat next to me.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrYnoO4k40L
"Make that two."536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRhKB8TUHCX
Matt walks up and stands on the other side of me.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR4VY92a4Z1
"Still saving a seat for Mr. Saltzman, huh?"536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR7gBoawfX4
"I'd say I'm in the market for a new drinking buddy. You're not qualified," I answer.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmlsElH455B
"I know that you don't like me," he replies.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEeASMMUKEe
I move one of the Bourbons in front of the empty seat next to me.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUhYgEPQ4fP
"But I dug up some stuff about the explosion at the Young farm, I kind of need to tell someone about," he continues.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡABocsFGdJt
I non-verbally encourage him to tell me about it.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1bw7pQqYOZ
"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.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwEfvBGBJxo
"You're on the verge of impressing me. Drive it home," I comment.536Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhIgBZu0ETt
"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.
