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.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdBWLtQdBok
"I can't believe this happened. What am I going to say to him?" she says to me.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtxq4GM6LFt
"Thanks for not ditching my family after I drove Ric crazy?" I say.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ929OsKm0Po
Elena glares at me.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ55xFWUpwz2
"You should have called Stefan," I add to her.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4Tin5z8Hyf
"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."505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFZT3e8F6HB
"In all fairness, I mean, I think you killing him kinda trumps that. And you should have called Stefan."505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCJUzOQExgw
"I don't trust him right now, Damon."505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRj6os59oAU
Just then, Stefan walks in and we both look at him.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPcjRoF7DE2
Speaking of, I think to myself.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzD6OiPuFNk
"Hey," Stefan greets.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ6FIO6awJG
"P.S. I called Stefan," I inform her.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcsSd4IkY51
Stefan walks over to Elena.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcSEA0XTXJ3
"What happened? Why did you call me?" he asks.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmlIaDRpNfx
"I just-I need to go upstairs and shower. Clean all the blood off my hands," she says, before walking out of the room.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJIla5qVki6
A moment later, Jeremy wakes up.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNeSjfymkk5
"Welcome back. How are you feeling?" Stefan asks him.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMr2idoLme1
"What happened?" Jeremy asks.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNmNYnX1wa9
"Long story, buy the e-book," I answer him.
I'm in the kitchen cleaning up the blood, when Stefan walks in.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrL7zyru7xX
"Where did Jeremy go?" I ask my brother.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLXeylmCQu6
"School. Bonnie has him volunteering for some occult exhibit," he answers me.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg3rV3piLM2
"Or maybe he didn't want to linger in a house where his sister just jabbed a knife in his neck," I say.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSGcmlFlagI
Stefan's phone rings and he tells me, "It's Klaus."505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP0zBXcPKBQ
"Ooh, time to face the music. Pay the piper, dance with the devil," I comment.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4vqXVV3Ceq
"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."505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqUymUhvBYA
"Quit avoiding him, that means shady. Shady people get outed."505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNVURBK8603
Stefan takes my advice and answers it.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8JOYqGAyEE
"I don't want to talk about it," he says.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWSy6PHQONi
I ignore Klaus' part of the phone conversation, but listen to what Stefan says.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ00jfN4KKZO
"Well, it wouldn't have happened, if you hadn't sworn me to secrecy," he tells Klaus.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbl6AKwBHkM
He looks at me and I nod.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBmIZOmCPhW
"You're using your calm voice today. Who's getting killed?" Stefan says.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡErR3aeU5SG
"What do you know about that?" he asks Klaus.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRpzGlJmx2n
"I'm at her house," he answers Klaus.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxZGbYQNlgh
Stefan hangs up when Klaus knocks on the door. Stefan then leaves the house with Klaus.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM48Aa10xVy
I ignore their conversation outside and start finishing up with cleaning up the blood.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡurC1h6LhZh
A few minutes later, Elena walks into the kitchen.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDH1EPS7CNh
"Damon..." she starts to say to me. She trails off and instead, yells, "No!" and backs away.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡr6o8r8sTJC
"What's wrong?" I ask her.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBx8NsJVGQV
Elena runs to the front door and I follow her.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpeWotjxKZX
"Elena!" I say.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo7QWDIL1jC
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.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDsLquzmhup
I look at Stefan, whom looks around with a worried face.
Bonnie, Stefan, and I are in the kitchen. Stefan called her over.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs3TyTIx4Pe
"You lost her?" she asks us.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0J9enatiy0
"Well, lost is a very strong word, we just technically don't know where she is," I answer the witch.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3k5DHX5lxi
"I'm more worried about what Klaus said about this hunter's curse," Stefan informs her.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVsJnagON2L
"How does Klaus even know about this?"505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgIBuNnc34H
"How does Klaus know about anything? Guy's like a billion years old," I reply.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2SYYTXqnft
"He said it was a witch's curse," Stefan informs us.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3Z5Dqw9ADn
Stefan looks at Bonnie.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTDq37TvCe4
"You know if I could do anything to help, I would. But I..," she starts.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGEjZufcoQr
"But nothing, wave your magic wand, hocus pocus, begone hunter ghostus, whatever," I tell her, worried about Elena.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhAFEFjC2Ee
"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.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNzk8AbrTJS
"Great, you two do your thing," Stefan says to us both.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8TvRvphu8V
"Where are you going?" I ask him.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLTaIf4yeuh
"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.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa0mcGSYtY2
"You got this?" I ask Bonnie.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKnNSasYgKm
"Yeah, I'll bring him to you," she assures me.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMijLcLzMbF
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.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgetcTvrJmD
The students laugh and then Shane lets them go off on their own.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhXozkSm0GK
I watch, as Shane walks up to Bonnie.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxARp6V0mL0
"Hey, you made it," he greets her.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo3OCaEodr5
"Nice cautionary tale. Qetsiyah sounds like a bad ass," she greets him.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoPVy3AtByQ
"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.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvVG6qnhUWf
"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.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK1NVHUbI7a
I hold up the bottle for Alaric and then take a swig, before Shane and Bonnie enter the room.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡroxMwnEw6S
"Shane, this is my friend, Damon. He's kind of an expert on this stuff too," Bonnie says, introducing him to me.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2geSaVTemz
"I audited your class. Very enlightening," I tell him.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKmmcxp2rtj
"That's right, I remember you. What's your specialty?" he says to me.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqpozFCuAIR
"The origin of a species," I reply.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ6b00ulq6C
"Ah, I think Darwin would arm wrestle you for that distinction," Professor Shane says.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXtKhK8tpTM
"Not that species," I inform him.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN5G47lWwZf
"You're into the monster stuff. Alright, awesome," he replies.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUoeyFk9YM4
"I was kind of hoping you might have stumbled upon this at some point, maybe."505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiLiNNJdlOO
I pull out a piece of paper and hand it to Shane.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHG6VPWRkkj
Shane takes it and looks at it.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ70JRLrIpNb
"This is a Hunter's mark. Where did you get this?"505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtiEp4ObBcO
"Came to me in a dream. Do you know anything about the Hunter's curse?"505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7PKBD2UczZ
"Why? You got a dead hunter in the trunk of your car or something?"
"Metaphorically, speaking."505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjflrqqnl55
"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…."505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRpevegQwZb
"Until?" Bonnie presses.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDGIisUJVph
"Until the new Hunter is awakened and their legacy is passed on. They're called potentials," he informs us.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFobY3PpqOn
I take out my phone, as Shane continues to speak.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡw5xSslXpzI
"Listen, I have a bunch of research on it. Why don't I go grab it for you?" he says.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCGHUTPV5hL
"That'd be great," I reply, before Shane gives me the paper that has the Hunter's mark and thanks me.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxfqfXooYJg
He leaves the classroom and Bonnie looks at me.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyIu34z4mob
"How are we supposed to find a potential Hunter?" she asks.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrBuulDVIfR
"Yeah, about that," I comment.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhRatRSJrX3
I call Jeremy and he answers it.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ40kR0sezgY
"Damon."505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5uCQDtrQCv
"Little Gilbert, your services are needed," I inform him.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsEJAlSCCeE
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.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ450Q6gkGZC
"How did I not know any of this stuff about Jeremy?" she asks after I tell her everything.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmstxDjEZ7o
"The witch who loses her powers gets left out of the important conversations."505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2lIWFemMiP
Jeremy runs into the room.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrRfvevTJSB
"Is everything okay? Is it Elena?"505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf3CONVA9JR
"We figured out how to help Elena. You need to kill a vampire," Bonnie tells him.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXWEkg8PnBb
"Great, give me a stake, I'll kill Damon right now."505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡARwtKAgGkb
"Easy, Van Helsing. We'll get you one. Don't worry," I tell him, not wanting to be killed.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsX392IYXkB
My phone rings.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeShAs7kHGA
"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.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKuS45SyXMC
"You can rest easy, brother. We figured out how to solve our little Elena problem."505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIyT1IC8n3E
"Yeah, well, now we have a bigger one. I lost her," he informs me.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPB5fHaDeUi
"What? Again?"505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡR4K61qzlo3
"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.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzF4FkeBqsT
"Elena," I greet.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGffhu83dXq
Elena turns to look at me.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQQUYhr9GGi
"Damon?" she says.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBrdFXSt2hu
She turns back to look at something I can't see. She's clearly upset, but looks back at me again.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlALDSQZ8T2
"How did you find me?" she asks me.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYXDXG2McsX
"Didn't take a genius to figure it out. Third time's the charm," I reply.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFREUOcKUMZ
"You were right, Damon. Vampires kill people. Stefan was right too. I can't live with myself."505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY5jjBll0JE
"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.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAo9yXlnfgd
Elena turns her head again to look at something I can't see.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ91IGEDSM0l
She nods and looks back out at the water.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsdyrrY0xsx
The sun starts to slowly rise and she looks down. I then look down at her hand.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKTRg0zeNuu
"Where's your ring, Elena?" I ask, scared of what she is probably attempting to do.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpI2Z9oKbLm
She doesn't answer me.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQzxIaIlfx9
"We need to get you inside," I say to her.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5PZCuUbHN5
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.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiSPq91ihb6
I look at the mountains to see that the sun has risen higher in the sky. I then look at her.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNFoqOBwN3z
"Damn it, Elena," I say.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnksKorlndz
I rush at her at vampire speed and try to grab her, but she rushes around me and stays a good distance away.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡewWeow5rtP
She closes her eyes.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmP9GHG3JGf
A moment later, she breathes heavily and opens her eyes again.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡizYwalwZ8Z
"He's gone," she informs me.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9aLMbg8Rc0
"It's okay," I say.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDcd75KvTJ9
We both start to hear a sizzling noise and Elena looks down.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlBSQ8acy11
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.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTE402aoJST
"Damon?" she says with fear.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4DTgfZhjnM
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.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVKFsUgCfTV
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.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkYduzfVlFQ
She slowly sits up in bed.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuSYlxU6XSO
"Fished it out of the river for you," I let her know.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXG920KZRnn
She looks at me.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjqGjB4vnm9
"A little tip, vampires hate to swim. How are you feeling?," I say.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMVwDcPfRaq
"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."505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBJZFk8p5ct
"Well, you know what they say about teenage suicide," I say. I sit on her bedside. "Don't do it," I add.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHy5B3mJQze
Elena smiles at me.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdRHFaJ0Nbv
"I just can't believe I almost..." She starts, but trails off.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCGFL73j0bf
"You weren't yourself," I tell her.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUgWhdfwRLI
Elena takes my hand in hers.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcxviW3mLJr
"Yeah, but if it wasn't for you..."505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWn1Lur7TPQ
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.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeMkolVYyUB
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.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ZUmoNFsYI
Elena laughs at the killing and ashes part.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8EpdSTICV9
"There may be a way out of this for you, Elena."505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjYKj0cjxiq
Elena gives me a confused look.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcJmbKwuuJp
"There may be a cure," I inform her.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6tg6wfRVdH
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.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqMljrRyvkQ
"Bourbon," I tell the bartender.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvi2pda0K8D
I look at the seat next to me.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK18yXlQFyP
"Make that two."505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFTE5KA0sza
Matt walks up and stands on the other side of me.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn1lCqiQU4d
"Still saving a seat for Mr. Saltzman, huh?"505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRjzSV1uOG7
"I'd say I'm in the market for a new drinking buddy. You're not qualified," I answer.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaglnNCfP6S
"I know that you don't like me," he replies.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDznXAevwl3
I move one of the Bourbons in front of the empty seat next to me.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPJDgAR2Y1v
"But I dug up some stuff about the explosion at the Young farm, I kind of need to tell someone about," he continues.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdq0urqvRQ2
I non-verbally encourage him to tell me about it.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1D2eV7xhDT
"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.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgtK531LTt7
"You're on the verge of impressing me. Drive it home," I comment.505Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ42QCA8aHhe
"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.
