A/N Inspired by 2x22 As I lay dying – Extended Damon/Alaric/Elena scenes
Just loved the moments between Damon/Alaric and Damon/Elena in this episode so thought I'd extend them and give us a little more.
With a Little Help from my Friends – Chapter 1
"I need blood. "Damon pleaded his faced pressed into the dirt floor. "Please. Blood."
Alaric walked over to the refrigerator and pulled out a bag of blood. He looked at it for a moment then, making a decision put it back. He ran upstairs quickly gathering a few supplies from the kitchen and bathroom. Finally he grabbed a six pack of bottled water from the kitchen counter and returned to the basement unloading the supplies outside Damon's cell. He returned to the fridge, in the storage room, disentangled a pail from the mess of supplies on the storage shelves and filled it with blood bags.
Returning to Damon's cell he looked through the bars. Damon appeared not to have moved at all.
"Damon I'm coming in." Alaric said simply. "If you as much as twitch I will vervain you."
Alaric opened the door and began moving the supplies into the cell. Still lying prone on the floor Damon let out a painful groan and began wretching uncontrollably. He made a feeble attempt to push himself up and once again began spitting up blood. In an instant Alaric was at his side, supporting Damon with one hand on his forehead and with the other holding a cloth for Damon to cough into. When the bout of coughing subsided he moved Damon over to the wall and helped him sit up supporting most of his weight.
"Gonna be sick." Damon whispered frantically struggling to hold back a wave of nausea.
Alaric dumped the blood bags out of the pail and placed it in Damon's hands. Damon clutched it desperately vomiting wave after wave of bloody detritus. Alaric kneeled in front of Damon supporting his shoulders as he continued to wretch. Damon finally pushed the bucket away and collapsed back against the wall, his face pale and covered with a sheen of sweat, his body trembling uncontrollably.
"Feels like I just puked up half my guts." Damon groaned.
"Probably did." Alaric agreed unsmiling. He ripped open a blood bag, poured it into a glass and pressed it into Damon's shaking hand.
"Drink this." Alaric commanded. Damon sipped slowly but finally managed to drain it. Alaric immediately refilled it and shoved it back at Damon.
"Again." He commanded. Damon complied, draining this glass faster he handed it back to Alaric who refilled it again. They continued uninterrupted until Damon finished a couple of blood bags.
"A human plying a vampire with blood." Damon observed ironically. "What's this world coming to? He waved the glass away and relaxed back, still visibly exhausted, but the trembling had finally abated.
"You just lost several litres of blood." Alaric said pressing the glass back into Damon's hand. "We're a long way from replenishing it, so keep drinking. I'm going to dump this." He said picking up the pail and heading out the door.
Damon sat back and drank some more finally noticing the items scattered about the room.
"What's all this?" he asked when Alaric returned a few moments later.
"Buying some time." Alaric explained. "God you're a mess." He said observing the blood and dirt caked on Damon's face and hands. He filled a bowl of water and held it in front of Damon who gratefully washed his hands and face. Damon sighed and leaned back the effort obviously tiring him. Setting the bowl aside Alaric grabbed a towel and proceeded to dry Damon's face.
"I can do it." Damon protested but didn't make an attempt to take the towel.
"You have only one job right now. That's to drink." Alaric said gruffly handing the glass back to Damon.
"When did you trade up to a doctor's bag?" Damon teased.
"I improvise as circumstances require." Alaric grinned.
"So what am I supposed to do with all these?" Damon asked indicating the dozen unopened blood bags scattered on the floor.
"Drink them." Alaric said simply, sitting back down beside Damon.
"I've never been a glutton." Damon said quietly.
"Blood speeds up healing?" Alaric asked and Damon nodded in concurrence.
"I figure it like this. You need as much human blood as possible in your system to stave off the infection."
"Why are you helping me?" Damon interrupted.
Alaric just looked at him unwilling to respond.
"You know I'm never going to get drunk enough for that conversation." Damon said his eyes pleading.
"I got over it." Alaric said quietly.
Damon nodded with gratitude then suddenly buckled over in agony. Alaric pulled Damon against his body, supporting him until the pain passed. They continued like this for what could have been minutes or hours. Alaric held Damon when the waves of pain accosted him, then helped Damon to drink as much as possible in the moments of reprieve.
"Wouldn't you be more comfortable in your own room?" Alaric asked in a quiet moment.
"Safer down here. For everyone." Damon said harshly. "I'll be out of my mind soon. You won't want to be here for that."
"We'll handle it, just like we've handled everything else so far." Alaric said with determination. He filled Damon's glass from the last of the blood bags and handed it to him.
"I'll get some more." Alaric said. He quickly swept up the empties and other supplies and headed for the door.
"Thanks for the room service." Damon said.
"Anytime, my friend." Alaric said shutting the door.
"Lock it." Damon pleaded, then exhaled with relief at the reassuring click of the bolt.
Outside Sheriff Forbes' cruiser pulled up to the house.