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.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPwtc947wwv
"I can't believe this happened. What am I going to say to him?" she says to me.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3jbok9kPpD
"Thanks for not ditching my family after I drove Ric crazy?" I say.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ53kTi5NIc7
Elena glares at me.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXOabe0yZiw
"You should have called Stefan," I add to her.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUA9Cqz1BrP
"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."459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTc5e40aJFj
"In all fairness, I mean, I think you killing him kinda trumps that. And you should have called Stefan."459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP0SLSMk8DA
"I don't trust him right now, Damon."459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoei78eVFKp
Just then, Stefan walks in and we both look at him.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoh1driObpA
Speaking of, I think to myself.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWrkvq9n8wf
"Hey," Stefan greets.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡETB2Sfohbi
"P.S. I called Stefan," I inform her.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYnGa3GTiJ6
Stefan walks over to Elena.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEZ13pqUrEj
"What happened? Why did you call me?" he asks.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGN638SprAF
"I just-I need to go upstairs and shower. Clean all the blood off my hands," she says, before walking out of the room.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwMaIi7JMjv
A moment later, Jeremy wakes up.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv8SPQdUO2k
"Welcome back. How are you feeling?" Stefan asks him.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKleCyKKfiZ
"What happened?" Jeremy asks.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUX76cBVjt6
"Long story, buy the e-book," I answer him.
I'm in the kitchen cleaning up the blood, when Stefan walks in.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRsK9534QiM
"Where did Jeremy go?" I ask my brother.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ68AIIjiBCi
"School. Bonnie has him volunteering for some occult exhibit," he answers me.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGwRKenOjb8
"Or maybe he didn't want to linger in a house where his sister just jabbed a knife in his neck," I say.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlSq2iS77u4
Stefan's phone rings and he tells me, "It's Klaus."459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM53wGrOhxd
"Ooh, time to face the music. Pay the piper, dance with the devil," I comment.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡruIgse2O0m
"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."459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWxG8dvbk2l
"Quit avoiding him, that means shady. Shady people get outed."459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT3grcstNVC
Stefan takes my advice and answers it.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOyCzYDNaHa
"I don't want to talk about it," he says.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ26EkcfaMpu
I ignore Klaus' part of the phone conversation, but listen to what Stefan says.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkrKmTM7zzq
"Well, it wouldn't have happened, if you hadn't sworn me to secrecy," he tells Klaus.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZwRmNNUwBR
He looks at me and I nod.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGf4EDPOzvX
"You're using your calm voice today. Who's getting killed?" Stefan says.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTxR6GyYooG
"What do you know about that?" he asks Klaus.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlgGBlItvCi
"I'm at her house," he answers Klaus.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZVVXqOpFE5
Stefan hangs up when Klaus knocks on the door. Stefan then leaves the house with Klaus.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9DSYFjcf6G
I ignore their conversation outside and start finishing up with cleaning up the blood.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3hpZXDCqOR
A few minutes later, Elena walks into the kitchen.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2aD0Ggkpmw
"Damon..." she starts to say to me. She trails off and instead, yells, "No!" and backs away.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1VwcNB2nKw
"What's wrong?" I ask her.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSOdEQv279e
Elena runs to the front door and I follow her.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpGZbels6dF
"Elena!" I say.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWzu5UPyfxX
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.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Efa9z7eQN
I look at Stefan, whom looks around with a worried face.
Bonnie, Stefan, and I are in the kitchen. Stefan called her over.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo85BlKGozx
"You lost her?" she asks us.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡumx98PwpJf
"Well, lost is a very strong word, we just technically don't know where she is," I answer the witch.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFQvGurAAAC
"I'm more worried about what Klaus said about this hunter's curse," Stefan informs her.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6jeKPWomCB
"How does Klaus even know about this?"459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfR0WeVVKNC
"How does Klaus know about anything? Guy's like a billion years old," I reply.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOH5w3M4XP0
"He said it was a witch's curse," Stefan informs us.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoSMWMhf5Pm
Stefan looks at Bonnie.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdOlGcf2X19
"You know if I could do anything to help, I would. But I..," she starts.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnWc7Jru8Lz
"But nothing, wave your magic wand, hocus pocus, begone hunter ghostus, whatever," I tell her, worried about Elena.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeryi5uVCl2
"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.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWzkiVZzTTX
"Great, you two do your thing," Stefan says to us both.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzaqxv6d04c
"Where are you going?" I ask him.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdl0H5BDNnc
"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.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzDBUw0vOdu
"You got this?" I ask Bonnie.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn8ckvqdzG9
"Yeah, I'll bring him to you," she assures me.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMLBFAENBcL
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.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc4aSYeI3dp
The students laugh and then Shane lets them go off on their own.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj2sGhGXdIq
I watch, as Shane walks up to Bonnie.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN2Xkuv3Hj4
"Hey, you made it," he greets her.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFdOv0EUxNo
"Nice cautionary tale. Qetsiyah sounds like a bad ass," she greets him.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt4W8mmuV90
"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.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzUaL1BLEvZ
"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.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT50KMHJnSx
I hold up the bottle for Alaric and then take a swig, before Shane and Bonnie enter the room.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw1v0xSfTfj
"Shane, this is my friend, Damon. He's kind of an expert on this stuff too," Bonnie says, introducing him to me.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0My3l1HK9l
"I audited your class. Very enlightening," I tell him.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuvreQZufTF
"That's right, I remember you. What's your specialty?" he says to me.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡix3qlMkrWU
"The origin of a species," I reply.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCgCuXgDCSH
"Ah, I think Darwin would arm wrestle you for that distinction," Professor Shane says.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9bYUAjRLAH
"Not that species," I inform him.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9Xvzz2cLCG
"You're into the monster stuff. Alright, awesome," he replies.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZSCssh4U9d
"I was kind of hoping you might have stumbled upon this at some point, maybe."459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkvxGR1pnxP
I pull out a piece of paper and hand it to Shane.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ0EPCGglJF
Shane takes it and looks at it.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYZPM3SM56W
"This is a Hunter's mark. Where did you get this?"459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQLAiZhkSgA
"Came to me in a dream. Do you know anything about the Hunter's curse?"459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDLziRBUUE5
"Why? You got a dead hunter in the trunk of your car or something?"
"Metaphorically, speaking."459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjv1hvQHMwu
"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…."459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdGhH4XAfR7
"Until?" Bonnie presses.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR3FVL8cKtd
"Until the new Hunter is awakened and their legacy is passed on. They're called potentials," he informs us.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbsbdgsN16v
I take out my phone, as Shane continues to speak.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡra5y8Ekw5O
"Listen, I have a bunch of research on it. Why don't I go grab it for you?" he says.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9pR6Fqs6CX
"That'd be great," I reply, before Shane gives me the paper that has the Hunter's mark and thanks me.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwfloGHOMkC
He leaves the classroom and Bonnie looks at me.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHv6RhX7Y4H
"How are we supposed to find a potential Hunter?" she asks.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVSjEauCOhi
"Yeah, about that," I comment.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcL2xRD1Eft
I call Jeremy and he answers it.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv1sQrfOziV
"Damon."459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAuD22SNO9s
"Little Gilbert, your services are needed," I inform him.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0vS9IIY5mw
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.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJaEoMwCejX
"How did I not know any of this stuff about Jeremy?" she asks after I tell her everything.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxhE67NP57F
"The witch who loses her powers gets left out of the important conversations."459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFwQTowHzFw
Jeremy runs into the room.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEt3TbtbBUn
"Is everything okay? Is it Elena?"459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq5Pkdc1pJf
"We figured out how to help Elena. You need to kill a vampire," Bonnie tells him.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy085464uok
"Great, give me a stake, I'll kill Damon right now."459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSId0el8zT2
"Easy, Van Helsing. We'll get you one. Don't worry," I tell him, not wanting to be killed.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt5DKf3Dks8
My phone rings.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb9oS4iPA9S
"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.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2fen9FgMxW
"You can rest easy, brother. We figured out how to solve our little Elena problem."459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMSu26M6oI5
"Yeah, well, now we have a bigger one. I lost her," he informs me.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKvPwiMRGJX
"What? Again?"459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrcLUq5WUfW
"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.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTQSgoydEb7
"Elena," I greet.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhCnWjUTyqi
Elena turns to look at me.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt4lBssDBDk
"Damon?" she says.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDD5D44F7Su
She turns back to look at something I can't see. She's clearly upset, but looks back at me again.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡauB9i9Z1ga
"How did you find me?" she asks me.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6No6cc8ypm
"Didn't take a genius to figure it out. Third time's the charm," I reply.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGtVVdQQSCh
"You were right, Damon. Vampires kill people. Stefan was right too. I can't live with myself."459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ321Tc473H9
"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.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4D0MWvDHV6
Elena turns her head again to look at something I can't see.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWgsTFkFl7M
She nods and looks back out at the water.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtkXyBsXdiA
The sun starts to slowly rise and she looks down. I then look down at her hand.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcTr86aoblF
"Where's your ring, Elena?" I ask, scared of what she is probably attempting to do.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2ruvAzNtRc
She doesn't answer me.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTTEzgWclfK
"We need to get you inside," I say to her.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKEACFQpvOp
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.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ96DYRULcFq
I look at the mountains to see that the sun has risen higher in the sky. I then look at her.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcvXPtwZorw
"Damn it, Elena," I say.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgzfBKH1Y9J
I rush at her at vampire speed and try to grab her, but she rushes around me and stays a good distance away.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjC7Z3mVEJJ
She closes her eyes.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuK60gP6p0P
A moment later, she breathes heavily and opens her eyes again.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3cIz2vRCGi
"He's gone," she informs me.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLk3jutnwfd
"It's okay," I say.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡabVb50SEgn
We both start to hear a sizzling noise and Elena looks down.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjP6zCOpGTA
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.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0QlAhdDaFR
"Damon?" she says with fear.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt64EarR3ly
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.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi9R7XHpKYv
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.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0y6iZpC52q
She slowly sits up in bed.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFGCG1WaYmD
"Fished it out of the river for you," I let her know.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzRejbmnioO
She looks at me.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY5743yTwRg
"A little tip, vampires hate to swim. How are you feeling?," I say.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPKUzi8W9Hk
"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."459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmo8wfHN26h
"Well, you know what they say about teenage suicide," I say. I sit on her bedside. "Don't do it," I add.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtfUfJEhBVT
Elena smiles at me.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzgFcPvCd8j
"I just can't believe I almost..." She starts, but trails off.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNb5cH08tIW
"You weren't yourself," I tell her.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡShdlAfhnSO
Elena takes my hand in hers.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTuLy4XWfIE
"Yeah, but if it wasn't for you..."459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeadLxNfzQf
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.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhtQ8idiP2R
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.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLi8nGzYoXw
Elena laughs at the killing and ashes part.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9f8RmwfSBw
"There may be a way out of this for you, Elena."459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBbMshv1411
Elena gives me a confused look.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQGOEz796AZ
"There may be a cure," I inform her.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ28lZeXoluy
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.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAsVF7TzNCR
"Bourbon," I tell the bartender.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbIcYajlcak
I look at the seat next to me.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWpyq4s9Y6B
"Make that two."459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7NUDpeTzA7
Matt walks up and stands on the other side of me.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuH8qbPub2k
"Still saving a seat for Mr. Saltzman, huh?"459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx2cBKNmufM
"I'd say I'm in the market for a new drinking buddy. You're not qualified," I answer.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC4tQzTtDJk
"I know that you don't like me," he replies.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHK4PZrnGpK
I move one of the Bourbons in front of the empty seat next to me.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOwUCYwLk2Z
"But I dug up some stuff about the explosion at the Young farm, I kind of need to tell someone about," he continues.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM8zuLFZBIf
I non-verbally encourage him to tell me about it.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡspIhjE0x3O
"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.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPVCHiOm2AV
"You're on the verge of impressing me. Drive it home," I comment.459Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTYhySCh0Zs
"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.
