Disclaimer: I don't own anything!

AN: I know I am awful posting another new story before updating Beauty and the Beast but i promise I'd post the update soon.

Second chances

Chapter 1

Katherine was gone. Her gloating still sounded in Elena's ears. She tried to ignore it. There was no use wallowing over her words. They were poisonous and meant to hurt. Instead, she focused on the bottle in her hand. The cure. Stefan had paid with his being, his freedom for it. Elena only hoped that Damon appreciated it.

She turned to him surprised he was not up yet. She raised her eyebrows.

"Don't you feel better?" she asked.

"No" his voice was strained. "I don't think it is working."

"What do you mean it is not working?" Elena was starting to panic. "It has to work. I can't lose you both."

Damon smiled weakly.

"Perhaps I should take a little more."

She handed him the bottle but he shook his head. It was too much of an effort to move. And it was too painful. Elena sighed and sat on the bed. She eased him up and brought the bottle to his lips. To her greatest surprise he obediently drank. "He must really be feeling awful." she thought. Her hopes went up as he drank because he seemed to be ok. But only after a few sips he started coughing badly and pushed her hand with the bottle away.

"What is it?" Elena asked.

"I can't take anymore" whispered Damon letting his head drop on her shoulder.

Truth be told he looked if possible even worse. He was pale, his pupils dilated, cold sweat running down his face. Elena felt he was shivering. She sighed and eased him carefully back on the bed. Although she tried to be as gentle as possible he still flinched with pain.

Elena rose and brought another blanket to wrap him in.

"Maybe the cure takes some time to have any effect. Why don't you try and get some sleep? You may feel better when you wake up." she suggested.

"I hope" Damon obediently closed his eyes and his ragged breathing slowed a little bit.

Elena rose quietly and retreated from the room.

"Or I may not wake up at all" Damon whispered when he was sure she could not hear him.

...

A few hours latter Elena entered Damon's room, her fingers crossed. Her hope faded when she saw him though. He was still in bed, shivering and obviously in pain. His pale face had become ashen.

"I don't think it's working" Elena whispered dejectedly.

"No" Damon's answer was barely audible.

"I am sorry" she murmured as she settled next to him brushing the sweat off his forehead with a towel.

"No" he caught her hand. "I am sorry that Stefan had to sacrifice all he had for nothing. It wasn't worth it. I wasn't worth it." he added.

"Don' t talk like that!" Elena exclaimed. "It is not true."

"It is true and you know it as well as I do" he pulled away from her. "Leave me, please." he whispered with his eyes closed.

Elena sighed and left the room.

...

Back in the parlour she paced back and forth desperately. She couldn't just leave him die. She couldn't take another grave to mourn especially now that Stefan was lost to her. And she had grown to love Damon in a way. She had to at least try and help him. But she couldn't do it alone. She needed help. Picking up her phone she called the only person whom she could count on.

"Rick, I need you help. Damon needs your help."

...

Less than an hour latter the trio was gathered in the parlour.

"So now Klaus has Stefan and Damon is still going to die?" Caroline asked.

"Yes" Elena nodded gravely. "And Katherine is on the loose again."

"We need Bonnie" Alaric said quietly.

"It is absurd, Rick" Elena nearly shouted. "Bonnie hates Damon. She'd never agree to help."

"But she is our only hope" Caroline pointed out. "So we have to make her agree."

"There is nothing any of us can do to help Damon. We can just sit and watch him fade and die, Elena. Bonnie's the only one with the ability to change the situation." Rick interfered.

"But..." Elena seemed to be trying to come up with another reason why calling Bonnie was a bad idea. But Caroline interrupted her.

"We don't have a choice. We've got to call her" she said and picked her phone.

...

"There should be something you can do" Caroline nearly shouted in the receiver. "Look, Bonnie, I know how you feel about this but you've got to help. Come here as fast as you can and bring Emily's book with you, will you?"

Caroline huffed with annoyance as she hung up. She took a deep breath and turned to the other two with a smile.

"She is on her way."

Ten minutes later Bonnie stormed in the house with Emily's Grimoire in hand. Caroline met her with a smile and grabbed the book.

"You can't make me do this, Elena." Bonnie turned to her friend with accusation.

"I...I" Elena seemed at a loss about what to say.

"There is no cure. I don't know a spell that can set this right. You've got to understand that I can't help." Bonnie seemed overly agitated.

Rick watched her reaction carefully, his head tilted to the side. Sometimes the young witch could be very stubborn. So much that she reminded him of Damon. That in itself was saying a lot.

"HA" Caroline's shriek made them all jump. "Look what I found."

She handed the book to Bonnie who scanned the text skeptically.

"I don't know, Caroline. It sounds too far fetched. I don't think it would work." Bonnie shook her head.

"Well, I don't understand what this is" Caroline said. "But it says "werewolf bite" and "cure". If there is even the slightest chance that this might help we have to try."

Bonnie just stared desperately at Caroline.

"Yes" Elena suddenly joined in. "It could be our only hope to save Stefan. We won't stand a chance without Damon's help."

"I am sorry, Elena"

Bonnie seemed broken. She took a step back as though to leave. At that moment Caroline rushed at her and cornered her by the nearby wall. Bonnie looked at her surprised.

"Caroline, what has gotten into you?"

"You are my friend, aren't you?" Caroline asked seriously.

"Yes" Bonnie answered without hesitation even though she was taken aback by Caroline's seriousness. Both Alaric and Elena observed the scene without daring to breath.

"And you love me, right?"

"Of course! How can you even ask?"

"Then if it is true you've got to at least try and help Damon. After all, he got hurt while trying to protect me." Caroline's tone was so insistent that Bonnie's automatic response froze on her lips. She took a deep breath and looked up at the blonde vampire girl.

Reviews, please!

AN: Tell me if you think I should continue this. I am still not sure if I should go on so I would like to know what you think!