Summary: Set in the last scene of the S4 episode "Into The Wild." What if Damon hadn't seen the tattoo and had killed him? Will they get the cure in time for Damon?
It was a dark night in the woods, as Damon Salvatore, hurt emotionally by not wanting the cure because of not wanting to lose Elena, as well as not wanting to lose his brother to the cure, walked through the woods.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjnhEdckEl8
He stopped, senses alert, senses telling him someone was there. And not very far away, he could hear a heartbeat. Then, a moment later, he was stabbed in the side with an arrow. He groaned in pain and took it out, tossing it to the ground.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJUlV7IKQSs
"Really?" he said, groaning in pain.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE1WNMrDXFb
Suddenly, someone tackled him to the ground from behind. That someone put an arm around Damon's neck. Damon grabbed the arm and twisted it to that someone's side. Then he let go and rolled on top of that person, before grabbing the stranger's throat, getting them both to their feet. Then, without question, he killed him by snapping his neck.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbdr9HjQqVE
After his body fell to the ground, he saw the tattoo on his hand.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4RDU86jUU2
"Oh, great," he said. "Just what I need."709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSWMFFDz9Hf
He knew he had to get back to the others. He had killed one of The Five and he knew what would happen soon. The hallucinations would start like they had when Elena had killed Conner.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7N1vAaUWQP
He started towards the direction of the camp. He wasn't feeling that great, so he didn't use his vampire speed.
Elena was worried sick, wondering where Jeremy, Bonnie, and Shane were at. So she headed towards the trees to go in search of them.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRqzxGZnmMi
As she walked through the trees, almost to the heart of the forest of trees, she heard something and followed the sound. Someone was close by, but it wasn't human. That meant it was a vampire. She could tell, since she couldn't hear a heartbeat.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUhdeJz8M8X
When she entered the heart of the forest of trees, she saw which vampire it was; the only vampire that she was in love with. He was leaning against the bark of a tree, eyes closed. She saw blood on the side of his shirt.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXukJM6YHZj
"Damon?"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJihI35b6Ts
She was instantly in front of him. She could tell something had happened and he wasn't feeling well, as she stood there and looked at him. She rested gentle hands on either side of his face.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAdeoc75ews
"What happened?" she asked.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOchsaqwOJs
"I didn't see the tattoo before I killed him. He attacked me first."709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDvHjPJeWDv
"What tattoo?"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLwvQRwaMEL
"One of The Five."709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡarLtGdK0gg
She realized what he meant and what had to be done about it.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡInKgLlDU1v
"I'll get Stefan and Rebekah, but right now we have to get back."709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfjTi8ATOvl
He opened his eyes and looked at her.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4jbJSbi5xh
"It started."709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVFT79elWuO
"We have to get back," she told him.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEvmDtFrVGd
She put an arm around him and he put an arm around her shoulders. Then they started slowly heading back together.
Half an hour later, Elena had him in her tent on a sleeping back on his back.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqBxWyEK16H
He groaned.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd2PaLPO3jA
"We'll fix this," Elena promised him. "Hang in there."709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM5vj0toad4
Elena took her phone out and called his brother.
Rebekah and Stefan were deep in the woods, when Stefan's phone rang.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNdG92h77BO
He sighed, seeing it was Elena.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY0rRWNw4h7
"Elena."709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJWTXm8ZDzs
"Stefan, we have a big problem. Damon went off alone. He was attacked. He killed him before he realized that he was one of The Five. And the hallucinations are starting."709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1nOJeXd3JS
"Where are you?"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL3bukgNo8v
"In my tent with Damon."709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVkRShPdzij
"Stay there. We'll find a potential and the others."709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9FyyU7MD2V
They hung up.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡioGiY43tyU
Stefan and Rebekah looked at one another.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyTGHaq3pIS
"We best get going," Rebekah said, having overheard the conversation both ways.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Rm15PbAPL
Rebekah and Stefan continued walking, searching for them first. They figured they could have Bonnie locate the potential. It would be so much faster.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvIuNDl5weF
Not long afterward, they found them. Shane was speaking to some guy whom had Jeremy chained with wrists and ankles chained along with his mouth duct taped.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkyQFfmByQC
"He's a witch," Stefan said. "Any suggestions?"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4VltW3YHMK
"I take Shane. You do the rest," she replied.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2FTvzbIe8F
At vampire speed, they both left the shadows of the trees. Rebekah pinned Shane to the bark of a tree, hand tightly around his throat.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkcixK9GfxU
"Call them off," she ordered, knowing compulsion wouldn't work.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtzldd2dnNa
"I thought you wanted the cure."709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8umllkra7N
"Not at the expense of this," she replied.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbXyzxIee4b
"Fine."709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVSJMQEe3uJ
He told the guy to go and Stefan and Bonnie helped Jeremy. Then she let go and left Shane alone.
Once at camp, Stefan headed for Elena's tent to see how everything was going. He had Bonnie doing a locater spell, while Jeremy stood at the entrance and Rebekah walked inside.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjLgnAWOcQP
"I heard," Jeremy told his sister.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5AFAcIRcPu
Elena looked at him.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh1DVMz0aXt
"Are you okay?"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtJeI6OHG3F
"I'm fine."709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQdMJTwG5EG
She sighed in relief.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzRLFBvu2hd
Her gaze went to Rebekah.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI70yRkBXay
"Thank you."709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ53u2ilfJF
"I didn't do much. I just told Shane to stop it."709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4eUtutcP3J
"Shane?"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡU8aHg8kA5U
"Yeah. He was about to do something. I don't know what."709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGoWWCeOgCQ
She watched the Original walk away.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDQ4tXV3dmH
"A massacre. He brought us here to do the third massacre. He told me earlier before you walked in on us. I was going to find out how to stop him," Damon informed Elena.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡA9vtKcbUGB
Jeremy left.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvQ7iyPG5ar
Elena looked down at him.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuJOSgQXeNX
"A massacre?"709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3M1IupoNMy
"He said he needs three massacres before he can raise Silas."709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE5wbbNsVdu
Rebekah and Stefan watched Bonnie do a spell to locate the potential.709Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNU7RizHity
Soon after, they found the potential close by, had him kill a vampire that would start the mark, and Damon was back to himself.
