Means to an End by asesina
Disclaimer: I don't own TVD.
Summary: Oneshot based on 5x22. Damon's thoughts before he crosses over to the Other Side to find Stefan.
Enjoy!
"Far away
This ship is taking me far away
Far away from the memories
Of the people who care if I live or die
And I'll never let you go
If you promise not to fade away
Never fade away"
Muse, Starlight
Damon holds his breath, or he mimics the motion like a creature that needs oxygen to thrive, and the air around him seems thicker, more restrictive.
He blows out the air from his nonfunctioning lungs and leans back on the hood of the Camaro.
It's cold under his palms, or at least it reminds him of how cold used to feel, and he wonders if Stefan is cold.
His little brother is somewhere else now, far away, and Damon wonders if the sky separates them.
He raises the whiskey bottle to the sky in a quick tribute to Stefan. It's the first honest thing he's done in a long time, free of sarcasm and snark, and he hopes that Stefan can hear him.
Damon shakes the thought. He'll see his brother soon enough. There's still a chance. He'll make it past the border and break on through to the other side, like Jim Morrison sang about all those years ago.
Still, he feels the need to say something, so he takes another drink and looks up at the sky again. It's deep tonight, a rich expanse of three-tone blue studded with stars that blur and twinkle at him.
"You know, I always figured that I'd go first. I'm the bad brother, after all," Damon scoffs. He thinks of his little brother's face and wonders if Stefan would laugh at his slurred words and hunched posture.
"Shut up, Stef. I'm not drunk," he says, shaking an accusatory finger at the sky.
"I'm sober enough to kick your ass, and that's exactly what I'm gonna do that if you aren't waiting for me," Damon adds.
A sly smile crosses his face, but he blinks back long-unshed tears.
"I mean it, little brother. I promised you an eternity of misery, so you better hold up your end of the bargain."
A gentle wind pulls at his hair, and Damon can't help but wonder if Stefan is there with him.
"Cut it out, Stefan. I'm coming for you."
With a flourish, Damon takes another swig from the bottle and promptly replaces the cap. Something tugs at his heart as he jumps off the hood of the Camaro and takes one long last look at the Mystic Falls sign.
Soon, he'll be far away from this place, but he doesn't care. His brother is out there, and he can't leave him there. He won't.
Damon climbs into the driver's seat and turns the key in the ignition. The night stretches out ahead of him in a straight line, and he inhales one last time. It's a mimicry of a breath, but the wind feels cold and alive inside his chest.
The world around him feels light, and he feels like he could fly away if he wanted to. Every doubt and regret falls away as he steps on the gas and speeds towards death and his brother and life again.
End.