There's something about fear that awakens you. You can see it, you can smell it and it's power is stronger than even love. I knew that the minute Stefan walked in the room. Even though I loved him, and I had spent so long loving him; in the end fear was what rang the loudest as I watched the wicked smile stretch across his face. As soon as we finally walked back out I looked up at Damon who's face read alarm. He had now realized what I meant by 'He's really gone now'. He had flipped the switch and now he wasn't the warm and loving Stefan I had known before but now an empty hollow shell filled with darkness. Damon's eyes softened for a small moment. He felt pity for me. I could see it written on his face. He felt genuinely sorry for me for losing the last bit of Stefan I had been holding onto. He pulled his phone from his pocket.

"Alaric, I need you to come pick up Elena. I'll explain when you get here." He said, and without a goodbye he hung up. I stiffened up feeling the fear sink back into me. Something about the idea of separating from Damon had me on edge. Maybe it was because not too long before he was carrying me out of the hospital, literally rescuing me from the blood being drained slowly from me. The image played in my mind, the feeling of relief and safety I felt when I woke up to see Damon leaning over the bed, picking me up and carrying me to safety. When did he become that shelter for me? When did I become afraid to leave Damon's side? Most of all, when did I become truly afraid of Stefan?

Damon sat down on the edge of the couch and looked at me.

"What's going to happen, Damon?" I asked, feeling completely hopeless for the first time. There had been a lot of opportunities to feel that way over everything we had all been going through but this was the first time that I was ready to give up completely. I watched Damon's face change from his troubled expression into a more softened look. A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth and he rested his hand on my arm. He was trying to look like he wasn't shaken and that I shouldn't be worried. In all honesty it did kind of help to see the familiar slightly mischievous look on Damon's face. It reminded me that Damon really doesn't let anything get to him, and I doubt he would do that even now.

"What's going to happen Elena, is you're going to go back to the house with Alaric, maybe eat some kind of protein." He said running his thumb across the dark circles under my eyes, caused from losing a lot of blood. I watched the troubled flicker of his eyes before the resounding confidence returned. "And then you're going to get some rest. You need it."

It wasn't long before Damon pulled the blanket away from me and helped me to the door, no doubt because he heard Alaric pull up to the house. Sure enough as soon as we stepped outside Alaric got out of the car and was walking towards me. The look of worry on his face was very easy to read.

"What's going on?" He asked, in almost a demanding way.

"Let me get Elena in the car and then we'll talk." Damon said. He helped me to the car and opened the door. I got in and rested my head on the back of seat feeling a little dizzy. Damon buckled me in and looked at me.

"I'll be by to check on you later, but don't wait up just get some sleep. I'll see you soon." I nodded. He began to back away to close the door but something made me grab his hand. A flash of the fear coming back to me. He leaned back in and looked at me a long quiet moment. He reached up and tucked my hair behind my ear. His blue eyes were serious as he ran his thumb across my cheek.

"Elena, I meant what I said. I will not ever leave you again. Please don't worry. I'm here." He said quietly. Then the fear washed away and I felt my eyelids grow heavy. I heard the door close quietly and I heard Damon and Alaric's muffled voices as they talked right outside of the car.

The next thing I knew, Alaric was quietly waking me. I sat up suddenly startled.

"Elena, you're fine. You fell asleep. We just got home." Alaric said.

My eyes focused and I realized we were sitting in the driveway of my house.

"Thanks for coming to get me." I said as my voice cracked out of on coming tears.

"Of course Elena. Let's get you inside."

DAMON & STEFAN

Damon walked into the house and up to his brothers room. Before he could turn the knob Stefan flung open the door and stepped out forcing Damon to take a few steps back.

"Can I help you?" Stefan asked, a sly humored look on his face.

"Yeah, um. I get that you've switched off and you've gone all evil and what not...but I just wanted to let you know...if you think for one second that I'm going to allow you to stick around and harvest blood off of Elena whenever you please..I'd like to remind you that your not the only asshole in town." Damon said walking closer to Stefan. Using the few inches of height he had on Stefan to his advantage.

Stefan laughed under his breath and nodded.

"Let me remind you of something as well." Stefan said looking right into his brothers eyes. "You can stand here and try to hold onto your big bad title all you want, but you know deep down the same thing that you've known all along. The same thing that has driven you wild since you've come back to this pathetic little town."

"Yeah? And what's that?" Damon said, welcoming the challenge.

Stefan smiled wider. "That to everyone else this seems to be a shock. Oh my...the Salvatores have switched roles." Stefan gasped out of mock horror and surprise. "But...what we've both known all along...is that you ARE the good one. You always have been. And this whole time, no matter what fell apart or went wrong you have always been the one unaffected. But...because I am your brother I know your deepest secrets and your deepest fears and I know that your biggest fear has always been me. The only thing that can make Damon Salvatore scared...is me. This...my dear brother...is what you've always been afraid of. So don't march in here acting all brave and threatening. You know that If I want something, dead or alive...I'll get it." Stefan said smiling. He turned away from Damon who stood like stone and walked back into his room slamming the door.

ELENA

After a small meal, or at least what I could get down, I made my way up to my room and took a long shower. Leaving the bathroom I heard my cell phone vibrating in my jean pocket on the floor. I wondered if it was Damon calling and I jerked it out and looked at the screen. It was Caroline. I couldn't help but to be a tiny bit disappointed. I rejected the call. I loved Caroline but I was exhausted and I just wanted to lay down. The phone rang again and I saw it was her.

"Hello?" I answered feeling a small bit annoyed.

"Hey, Elena? You're up!" Caroline said sounding surprised.

"Um, yeah...I mean at least for now. I was about to lay down." I said.

"Oh...well...okay. I'll let you get some rest." Her voice fell in what sounded like disappointment.

I rolled my eyes, I was so tired but I could tell something was up. "What's going on Caroline?"

"Well I was just kind of hoping I could talk." She said.

"Alright, well...what's on you're mind...besides the insanity that was tonight." I said sarcastically.

"Oh, well I didn't really mean on the phone." She said.

"You want to come over?" I asked looking at the clock. It was nearing 1am.

"Well, I'm kind of standing right outside of your house."

Caroline walked into my room and sat down on the bed.

"How are you feeling?" She asked looking worried when she saw my face.

"Tired." I said. "What's on your mind?" Her face fell and she looked down tracing her fingers along the pattern of my bed spread.

"I'm worried about Tyler." She replied. "After he was turned hybrid his attitude was just so strange." She said looking back up at me.

"How so?"

"He was just so happy, energetic and cheerful." She answered.

I couldn't help but to smile a little. "Why is that a bad thing?"

"I guess it's not, but he just didn't seem like himself. And after something like that happens to someone I don't think pure joy would be the first thing you would feel...I mean right?" Caroline said.

"Yeah I guess not. Maybe he's just really happy he survived. I mean he knew their was a chance he could die so maybe it was just the adrenaline. Just wait until tomorrow and see how he's acting. I'm sure everything will be fine Caroline, really I do." I said trying to sound as comforting as possible. The truth was I didn't know what was going to happen, to Tyler, to me, to anyone. Not anymore.

"I'm sure you're right." She said quietly. "I'm sure I'm just over reacting. You know me. I guess it's just that I love him Elena. I'm so happy to have him and I guess I'm just afraid something is going to happen and I don't want to lose him." She looked back down, almost like she was embarrassed.

"Hey look on the bright side. At least he hasn't turned into a homicidal maniac." I said, only half kidding.

She tilted her head and looked at me, her eyes falling sad.

"Your right Elena. I'm sorry. After everything you've gone through tonight I don't know how I could whine because my boyfriend is acting a little too happy." Caroline rested her hand on mine in sympathy.

"No, no Caroline don't be sorry. Really I'm fine." I said.

"Except that you should be sleeping." Damon said suddenly standing in the room.

"Wow, you even managed to sneak up on me." Caroline said.

"Sorry, girl talk." I said gesturing to Caroline.

Damon smiled, one of those smiles I knew he wanted to hide.

"Well, that's just adorable but you should seriously get some sleep." He said trying to sound stern.

Caroline looked at me, with one of her whimsical smiles. "Mmhmm. I should go." She winked at me, causing me to roll my eyes.

"I'll call you tomorrow." She said sliding off my bed. As she reached the door she turned and smiled at Damon.

"Good night Damon." She said in a sing song voice.

"Later, Caroline." Damon said, his brows pulled together in confusion for her behavior.

"What was all that about?" Damon asked

I could feel my face go red, knowing exactly why Caroline was acting that way.

"Oh, just Caroline being...Caroline." I said shrugging. Damon nodded, but I noticed he looked a little worn. He sat down on the bed. "Did you talk anymore to Stefan?" I asked. I noticed Damon cringe a tiny bit when I mentioned Stefan's name. Then he purposefully smiled just to appear okay.

"Don't you worry you're pretty little head about that miss." He smiled.

I laughed at his exaggerated southern accent. "Fine, but eventually you will talk to me about it." I said.

"That's a deal. But for now...go to sleep damn it. You are worse than a sugared up five year old." He said.

"Oh yeah, that reminds me, I need to mow the lawn." I said jumping up and running towards the door laughing.

"No you don't" Damon said suddenly grabbing me around the waist and tossing me back into the bed. The room suddenly filled up with our laughter and just for a tiny moment, I forgot that the world was crumbling around me. He sat back down next to me as we quieted. It was when he looked at me then, in the quietness of the room, the seriousness on his face that I felt like my heart would fall right out of my chest.

"It's nice to see you smile." He said in almost a whisper. "Now seriously. Lay down." He said, his eyes widening in a playful threat.

I smiled and leaned back, getting under the covers. He remained sitting on the bed and he took my phone and switched it to silent and laid it on the table next to me.

"Thank for everything Damon." I said as I got comfortable under the sheets.

"Sleep tight and don't worry. I won't be far away." He said.

He leaned down and kissed my forehead. I felt a tingling warmth spread throughout me. He pulled back and traced my face with his eyes. They settled on my lips and I felt energy like lightning running through me. He was only inches from my face. He looked back up at me. His eyes were a mesmerizing ocean of blue. Then he reached over and turned of the light and he was gone. At least from my room. At first I felt panic but then I remembered him telling me...he wouldn't be far away.