Mad World
SUMMARY- Continuation of 'Be Proud of Me.' The cure was there, but Stefan couldn't move. After all that was said, he couldn't save his brother. Elena had to do it for him. But then Klaus finds out and isn't happy. Was it for nothing?
Okay, before you read this you have to read my one-shot, 'Be Proud of Me'. This is a continuation, so read that first. I didn't want to start this so soon, but I'll still try to update as quickly as possible. Now, and more importantly, let's get on with the story.
t.t.f.n.
Stefan could remember what had happened next.
He had seen Elena take the bottle from the cabinet surprisingly fast and when he looked up he saw her pouring the contents down Damon's throat. He didn't know whether his brother was still alive, but he didn't know what to do. He couldn't move or speak then, only watch. He thought Elena might have been yelling at him but he still couldn't be sure.
Part of him expected Damon to double over and cough his lungs out. The other part thought that nothing would happen. Both sides were evenly matched but he couldn't help but hope. After what felt like an eternity Elena had collapsed to the floor, the bottle now empty. Back them he had found this strange. He couldn't remember why though.
Damon hadn't moved by that point.
He still wondered if Damon would have lived if Elena wasn't in the room. If he would've saved him. Because the cure was right there next to him and he couldn't move. That was eating him up in-side. He wanted to tell Damon but his brother was still asleep now, so he would have to wait until later. He didn't know if it would help him with the guilt, but he needed his brother to understand.
He remembered that it only took a few seconds for Damon's eyes to open. His brother had probably coughed or moved first, but the first thing he took notice of was Damon's eyes. He remembered the way they looked up at him, almost with wonder at first. Then there had been that spark of either recognition or remembrance and Damon had smiled.
He never thought he'd see Damon smile again.
Damon had fallen asleep only minutes later, and Stefan had carried him to his own room so he could change Damon's sheets and find a way to get rid of the 'rotting flesh' smell, which filled his brother's room and most of the hallway. He hadn't taken much notice of it before then. Elena stopped him when he started to leave Damon and told him to stay. She left then, no doubt to do what he had planned to do. He whispered a thank you but he didn't think she had heard. He promised himself that he would thank her again later.
And that was where he was now, sitting on his bed and waiting for his brother's fever to slowly break and fade completely. He didn't know how long it would take for Damon to even wake up, but he was prepared to wait for eternity.
He was glad that he didn't have to wait quite that long.
It was only about an hour later when Damon groaned softly and opened his eyes. He searched the room until his gaze finally rested on Stefan.
"Hey… how are you feeling?"
Damon coughed a little, shaking his head.
"Horrible."
Stefan looked at his brother sympathetically.
"You'll feel better soon." He leant forward and brushed Damon's dark hair out his eyes. He frowned when he felt how hot Damon's skin felt. He didn't understand why Damon was still sick even after they had given him the cure.
"You're frowning again Stefan, it's making people miserable. What's wrong?"
Stefan couldn't help but smile a little. "The fever hasn't gone down, you're still hot."
"Are you sure, because I don't think I've ever been colder."
Stefan continued to run his fingers through Damon's hair, watching as his brother's eyes closed. Damon leaned into his hand, sinking back further into the pillows. His breathing deepened and he sighed softly. Stefan smiled again, sadly this time.
"I couldn't save you."
Damon opened his eyes only slightly, fixing them on his brother.
"I couldn't move. It was right there and I couldn't do anything."
Stefan was couldn't look at his brother's face. He felt like he was going to cry. He couldn't remember the last time he had cried, but he definitely didn't want to cry in front of Damon. Not after everything that had happened. So he stayed still, looking down at the bed sheets.
With as much energy as he could muster in his weakened state, Damon sat up slightly and pulled his brother into an awkward hug. Stefan didn't hesitate then. He wrapped his arms around Damon instantly and it felt right. He couldn't stop himself from sobbing into Damon's shirt as his brother tried to calm him down.
"I couldn't move Damon. If Elena wasn't there then you… you would've…"
"Stefan…"
"It would've been my fault, I would've killed you."
"Stefan"-
"I failed you, I didn't"-
"Stefan! Quit it, your guilt is giving me a migraine."
Stefan didn't say anything more but continued to silently sob into the front of Damon's shirt.
"Stefan… Stefan listen to me. You know it wasn't your fault. After everything, it couldn't have been." Damon spoke more gently this time, trying make his brother relax.
Stefan didn't move.
"I'm alive. See, everything's okay. I'm never going to leave you. I promised you an eternity."
"Of misery," Stefan whispered, starting to calm down. He wiped his eyes and moved up a little, so that he was hugging Damon properly. He felt Damon shrug and laughed a little.
They stayed like that for a long time, neither one wanting to move.
When Damon started to get tired again and was unable to hold himself up Stefan helped him lay back down on the bed. Damon didn't look any better, but Stefan didn't let himself get too worried. He watched as his brother sank back into the mattress, taking deep breaths.
"You hungry?" Stefan asked quietly.
"Thought you'd never ask."
Stefan nodded and stood up, making his way out of the room.
"And Stefan," Damon muttered, his eyes still closed. "You ruined my shirt."
Stefan smiled properly. He kept smiling as he ran down to the cellar. He didn't think he'd ever felt so happy. Damon was alive and everything was okay. He refused to think about Klaus or Katherine and focused good things. Damon needed to get better and that meant no frowning. He walked back at a human pace, drying his eyes on the way. A part of him knew that this happiness was too good to be true.
Unfortunately, that part of him was right.
When he walked back into his room he saw a note on his bed. What he didn't see was Damon. And instantly he knew that Damon wasn't no longer in the house and hadn't left of his own free will. He felt dread seize him and snatched the note, dropping the blood-bag in the process.
Two words were written in an ancient scrawl.
No Deal.
…
b.t.w. -Short but effective I think. :D
