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.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUjK22rrljc
"I can't believe this happened. What am I going to say to him?" she says to me.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE7LGZfZN3v
"Thanks for not ditching my family after I drove Ric crazy?" I say.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSAOM08gcvn
Elena glares at me.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLLAU4ytgKQ
"You should have called Stefan," I add to her.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡATbiXQddts
"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."521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYFyh11aZRu
"In all fairness, I mean, I think you killing him kinda trumps that. And you should have called Stefan."521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡls7cFEriwc
"I don't trust him right now, Damon."521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaf3XwJSTMH
Just then, Stefan walks in and we both look at him.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡujOuxDxlzI
Speaking of, I think to myself.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzeEDCIi8u4
"Hey," Stefan greets.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw7RnTWfFEC
"P.S. I called Stefan," I inform her.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO1rF9QJANO
Stefan walks over to Elena.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡogU8TSmi39
"What happened? Why did you call me?" he asks.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6vFuATV99o
"I just-I need to go upstairs and shower. Clean all the blood off my hands," she says, before walking out of the room.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHz07frft4j
A moment later, Jeremy wakes up.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9MLttc1gpK
"Welcome back. How are you feeling?" Stefan asks him.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1zUSANwiW6
"What happened?" Jeremy asks.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDJeej9Vsvu
"Long story, buy the e-book," I answer him.
I'm in the kitchen cleaning up the blood, when Stefan walks in.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡggXYRa0WmY
"Where did Jeremy go?" I ask my brother.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡItsecoBF1E
"School. Bonnie has him volunteering for some occult exhibit," he answers me.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMbc07iwDLM
"Or maybe he didn't want to linger in a house where his sister just jabbed a knife in his neck," I say.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdtFkR5XKOO
Stefan's phone rings and he tells me, "It's Klaus."521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIvnLY4xByq
"Ooh, time to face the music. Pay the piper, dance with the devil," I comment.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡThrvjVOXvQ
"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."521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyFDkys0iv9
"Quit avoiding him, that means shady. Shady people get outed."521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaJdb730NRi
Stefan takes my advice and answers it.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEqHJhPSncz
"I don't want to talk about it," he says.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiOT8ZdoTaT
I ignore Klaus' part of the phone conversation, but listen to what Stefan says.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1kqofmPmPY
"Well, it wouldn't have happened, if you hadn't sworn me to secrecy," he tells Klaus.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlfmiWWdPoQ
He looks at me and I nod.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCjzWhpuSd2
"You're using your calm voice today. Who's getting killed?" Stefan says.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBaYHscsesr
"What do you know about that?" he asks Klaus.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgDDHs2FPRl
"I'm at her house," he answers Klaus.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQFfFSoGsTG
Stefan hangs up when Klaus knocks on the door. Stefan then leaves the house with Klaus.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwymiRXCTjl
I ignore their conversation outside and start finishing up with cleaning up the blood.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmEmOTqWYzx
A few minutes later, Elena walks into the kitchen.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2dyVKK55Jw
"Damon..." she starts to say to me. She trails off and instead, yells, "No!" and backs away.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXYPZJagtfy
"What's wrong?" I ask her.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNsUXSROP5G
Elena runs to the front door and I follow her.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXNghANM5FA
"Elena!" I say.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0XtCwRDEqi
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.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1j0hFJ3DbT
I look at Stefan, whom looks around with a worried face.
Bonnie, Stefan, and I are in the kitchen. Stefan called her over.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0FzSyEakE0
"You lost her?" she asks us.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzqx5ZTiFzt
"Well, lost is a very strong word, we just technically don't know where she is," I answer the witch.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdY4wrUSJwI
"I'm more worried about what Klaus said about this hunter's curse," Stefan informs her.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ091ZC9oKY
"How does Klaus even know about this?"521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5dqbHUaI6Y
"How does Klaus know about anything? Guy's like a billion years old," I reply.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmwDnEUshmx
"He said it was a witch's curse," Stefan informs us.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmlyLsTcJLP
Stefan looks at Bonnie.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbweaZ24XuL
"You know if I could do anything to help, I would. But I..," she starts.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM4flLuE2f6
"But nothing, wave your magic wand, hocus pocus, begone hunter ghostus, whatever," I tell her, worried about Elena.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs62T6M6SKT
"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.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ684AGHCsNQ
"Great, you two do your thing," Stefan says to us both.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk9S8DKEBql
"Where are you going?" I ask him.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPjf7LJKmNx
"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.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRfcAiG7ebA
"You got this?" I ask Bonnie.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2EX2Hsc5vQ
"Yeah, I'll bring him to you," she assures me.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP1SvFxT5KE
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.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡemjr5NPjaA
The students laugh and then Shane lets them go off on their own.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnvBthODQCc
I watch, as Shane walks up to Bonnie.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Lr3p4UAmO
"Hey, you made it," he greets her.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkGI9YFg9Cm
"Nice cautionary tale. Qetsiyah sounds like a bad ass," she greets him.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo5Ay3L8MQp
"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.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFIEbIcYvFR
"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.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBdy5Z08nQj
I hold up the bottle for Alaric and then take a swig, before Shane and Bonnie enter the room.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLgbRJXxnYS
"Shane, this is my friend, Damon. He's kind of an expert on this stuff too," Bonnie says, introducing him to me.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9jKl6UuP7g
"I audited your class. Very enlightening," I tell him.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJV5nKDHQmv
"That's right, I remember you. What's your specialty?" he says to me.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAaSQ2JqXpm
"The origin of a species," I reply.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrUAOommtH3
"Ah, I think Darwin would arm wrestle you for that distinction," Professor Shane says.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3PKvigzAEe
"Not that species," I inform him.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8yNSakLzMg
"You're into the monster stuff. Alright, awesome," he replies.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuPyBEo8z4Y
"I was kind of hoping you might have stumbled upon this at some point, maybe."521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡetT5SYDl6S
I pull out a piece of paper and hand it to Shane.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡULsRqaAQxh
Shane takes it and looks at it.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7cFjN6qPcu
"This is a Hunter's mark. Where did you get this?"521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjJenGfXfcL
"Came to me in a dream. Do you know anything about the Hunter's curse?"521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaGvPOJJvHs
"Why? You got a dead hunter in the trunk of your car or something?"
"Metaphorically, speaking."521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmwaoGLMEYH
"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…."521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxibFj0mTIH
"Until?" Bonnie presses.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyP7yDNszeo
"Until the new Hunter is awakened and their legacy is passed on. They're called potentials," he informs us.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ42IbJPP9bN
I take out my phone, as Shane continues to speak.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ76HqNmvVsx
"Listen, I have a bunch of research on it. Why don't I go grab it for you?" he says.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1NX3Lry8bF
"That'd be great," I reply, before Shane gives me the paper that has the Hunter's mark and thanks me.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXjH3R7ln0Q
He leaves the classroom and Bonnie looks at me.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKVlCeigeVx
"How are we supposed to find a potential Hunter?" she asks.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYHZ9hP9VOE
"Yeah, about that," I comment.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDR2CfaJ7ED
I call Jeremy and he answers it.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp8O3HZewsX
"Damon."521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGLyLT1RjNx
"Little Gilbert, your services are needed," I inform him.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZo4VFfrtfb
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.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeLUXTfjqlQ
"How did I not know any of this stuff about Jeremy?" she asks after I tell her everything.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuzCecah4dD
"The witch who loses her powers gets left out of the important conversations."521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW00RkjhORQ
Jeremy runs into the room.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo8VVv5SSWm
"Is everything okay? Is it Elena?"521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0xX4F2ljQK
"We figured out how to help Elena. You need to kill a vampire," Bonnie tells him.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHAki9VFqJW
"Great, give me a stake, I'll kill Damon right now."521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSDGedJfynP
"Easy, Van Helsing. We'll get you one. Don't worry," I tell him, not wanting to be killed.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiCHOiLterN
My phone rings.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf0ujUcK3Dv
"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.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnQMbBgKJkp
"You can rest easy, brother. We figured out how to solve our little Elena problem."521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrKVCjlZUir
"Yeah, well, now we have a bigger one. I lost her," he informs me.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFhOJMmo0Jg
"What? Again?"521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4k6s75j4Vd
"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.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwXG4oOuP7r
"Elena," I greet.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHaI8A4BuvK
Elena turns to look at me.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx03yFWO1qT
"Damon?" she says.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNSnhxKRPx7
She turns back to look at something I can't see. She's clearly upset, but looks back at me again.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmGdi7jQo2Z
"How did you find me?" she asks me.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDIkZTCAaEW
"Didn't take a genius to figure it out. Third time's the charm," I reply.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdlcJwOGzpQ
"You were right, Damon. Vampires kill people. Stefan was right too. I can't live with myself."521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvSre1TdkHj
"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.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ08ewVJEFVf
Elena turns her head again to look at something I can't see.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡujiwQ1tUjm
She nods and looks back out at the water.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtPtlun16eC
The sun starts to slowly rise and she looks down. I then look down at her hand.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCWiIboSfiX
"Where's your ring, Elena?" I ask, scared of what she is probably attempting to do.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBTPzCiNQmo
She doesn't answer me.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1ciFIuowXA
"We need to get you inside," I say to her.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO3wbL118vB
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.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXsdNHQuajl
I look at the mountains to see that the sun has risen higher in the sky. I then look at her.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLttkxPZk8C
"Damn it, Elena," I say.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrOqdVPZ2o7
I rush at her at vampire speed and try to grab her, but she rushes around me and stays a good distance away.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuJ8oZD7vmt
She closes her eyes.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡohhTisAC5Z
A moment later, she breathes heavily and opens her eyes again.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxP4mMQnZOZ
"He's gone," she informs me.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ6Bybu9p6A
"It's okay," I say.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqVcRYZUVMG
We both start to hear a sizzling noise and Elena looks down.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvNxk0ztMDu
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.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmiNGf3WKwV
"Damon?" she says with fear.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY3maOlpH6Q
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.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYsa3eMCobi
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.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHvwMsRcwWz
She slowly sits up in bed.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiVcA7YDZHj
"Fished it out of the river for you," I let her know.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ49vbFXbbtO
She looks at me.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBUJR2VPklB
"A little tip, vampires hate to swim. How are you feeling?," I say.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjHkRRRXlYU
"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."521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdkphuidck9
"Well, you know what they say about teenage suicide," I say. I sit on her bedside. "Don't do it," I add.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvde7qJ5J7y
Elena smiles at me.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ53u51SbwTL
"I just can't believe I almost..." She starts, but trails off.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXgQJ2HziaF
"You weren't yourself," I tell her.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlBARh3n6TB
Elena takes my hand in hers.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9LiCh8tupA
"Yeah, but if it wasn't for you..."521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhxny3jlyhw
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.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡURrxSgltBF
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.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYHAxp89CDu
Elena laughs at the killing and ashes part.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzOinldppUZ
"There may be a way out of this for you, Elena."521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4A8Y6MKrxs
Elena gives me a confused look.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR3xTJzB740
"There may be a cure," I inform her.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhbruBBok3k
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.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhyiI6tluMr
"Bourbon," I tell the bartender.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKCNoN1hIj2
I look at the seat next to me.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg7WFD1vTv2
"Make that two."521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrQ7nDE8qPw
Matt walks up and stands on the other side of me.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh2DFR1ysge
"Still saving a seat for Mr. Saltzman, huh?"521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRvUndIDC07
"I'd say I'm in the market for a new drinking buddy. You're not qualified," I answer.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMMHjFp4TM2
"I know that you don't like me," he replies.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmZHaExVshQ
I move one of the Bourbons in front of the empty seat next to me.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdrzeBiHbld
"But I dug up some stuff about the explosion at the Young farm, I kind of need to tell someone about," he continues.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfsDjte4nLF
I non-verbally encourage him to tell me about it.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTHlIOyBkQ5
"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.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOfZnq3cENz
"You're on the verge of impressing me. Drive it home," I comment.521Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0I2AAQ1Bmi
"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.
