Chapter One

It's been almost a week since Rose was bitten. Damon found himself pacing back and forth in the den of his house. He and Stefan had decided that placing Rose in the cellar in the basement was best for now. The wolf bite was affecting her in a way that no one could imagine. Rose had begun acting as if she wasn't even sure who she was anymore. Sometimes Damon could hear her screams from his room at night. Not only was Rose turning into something horrible, it was painful. Damon wondered what would have happened if he had gotten bit. Would he have been able to survive this long? Damon's gut wrenched thinking about it, that bite was meant for him and Rose interfered.

'I'm not even sure how to understand how I'm supposed to feel about that. Jules was coming after me; I egged her on if it wasn't for me she wouldn't even be in this situation. On the other hand she didn't have to be in my house, she really has a habit of breaking and entering.'

Damon couldn't think completely straight. He wasn't sure if the strange feeling he had in his chest was guilt or fear. His mind had been racing through thoughts lately without giving his brain time to sift through them. He had started to consider Rose a friend of his recently if she died that would just be one more name to add to the list; another person who left. Of course it wasn't like Rose was leaving voluntarily but it didn't make it feel any different for Damon. He knew everyone else was walking on eggshells around him; just waiting for him to spaz out and go on a killing spree. Damon wasn't even sure what he would do.

'They're all stupid.' He thought sitting down in an arm chair. 'They're all just waiting for me to mess up. I won't bother giving them the satisfaction.'He huffed aloud letting out a breath he was holding through his angry rant in his own head. He felt another presence in the room and quickly stood up and turned around to see who it was.

Elena.

"What do you want?" He said walking over towards his bottle of brandy that was already opened and waiting for him. "Shouldn't you be at school or whatever kids go to during the day?"

"Damon drinking before noon is never a good sign with you." She said walking over and grabbing the bottle from his hands. She could smell the alcohol on his breath already; the bottle was half way empty. "It's Saturday by the way. How much of this have you drank already?"

"Pffft! Yea, like you care." Damon shrugged and walked towards a cabinet he had near his arm chair. "I have a whole cabinet filled with different types of alcohol Elena." He opened the doors and glanced around not sure about which to choose. He was in the mood for more of that brandy, but he was going to have to settle for a little rum for now. He grabbed another bottle, this one more round and fat than the other, and poured it into a glass he had. "So what do I owe the pleasure of this visit from the amazing Elena?" He let the words ooze out of his mouth dripped in sarcasm. He had enough to drink to not care who was visiting him.

"I wanted to see how Rose was holding up." Elena, realizing holding his brandy hostage was useless, placed the bottle back on the table. "Is she any better?"

"You know the answer to that." He snapped. 'She loves just popping over here like she's allowed doesn't she? Like seeing her all over my brother isn't enough.'He downed the rest of his drink and poured himself another. He grabbed another glass and poured a smaller amount for Elena. "If you want to go down and see her, you'll probably need this." He walked over towards her and placed the glass in her hands.

"I don't need this to get through visiting a sick friend." She said giving him back the glass.

"Dying." Damon corrected. He could see the confusion on her face. "She isn't sick Elena, she's dying." Damon took another sip of his drink before tossing it aside not caring that the glass shattered on the other side of the room. He grabbed the other glass and poured some brandy in it. "We need to find that necklace or she doesn't stand a chance." He mumbled.

"Damon we're trying. You know we all have reading book, researching, going through all your vampire connections." Elena listed and fought back some tears. "She just needs to hang on a little longer, we're close I can feel it." Elena gulped a little hoping her gut feeling was right.

Damon was taken by surprise when she embraced him. He heard her utter, "You aren't alone in this," and he couldn't deny returning the embrace. He gripped his arms around her waist pulling her in closer. He couldn't help but feel himself taking advantage of the situation. 'Her hair smells like honey.'He breathed in and closed his eyes trying to hold on to this moment.

"Ahem." He heard someone clearing their throat. 'Stefan, no doubt.'He rolled his eyes when he saw his brother standing in the door way.

"Elena, we need to go now to visit that witch Bonnie heard about." Stefan eyed Damon as Elena walked over towards him. "Any change in Rose?"

"No." Damon said coldly and grabbed another glass. "No change at all dear brother." He gulped down his cup of brandy and watched Elena as she and Stefan left the den. He cracked his neck in frustration and threw his glass even harder towards the fire place shattering it everywhere. "You did the right thing." He seemed to have to tell himself this every day. Stefan deserved Elena no matter how much he himself loved her. He eyed her as she walked over to Stefan. He hoped his brother knew how lucky he was.

"Where is this witch?" Damon asked. "Is she powerful and does she know where the necklace is?" Damon was desperately waiting for a break; that hopefully they would be able to find it.

Stefan shrugged. "Bonnie said that this witch is extremely strong and old." Stefan explained. "Maybe her power can help us if anything.

Damon began walking towards the door. "Fine, I'm coming with." He declared wobbling passed the couple.

Elena grabbed his arm forcing Damon to turn around. "Damon, I don't think so. You're drunk." She said eying him.

"I'm not driving Elena." He scoffed and pulled his arm away. He hated the way she assumed she could make him do anything. Elena expected so much of him and yet gave him nothing. "I'm going." Damon began walking again. He made his way out the front door and towards the car. Bonnie was waiting in the back seat and immediately exited the car.

"I'm not sitting with him back there." She said staring at Elena. Elena gave her friend a sympathetic look and sighed quietly.

"Okay I will." Damon watched as Elena climbed into the back seat and followed. Everyone got into the car and awaited Bonnie for the directions. Damon decided that napping in the car wouldn't be too much of a problem. He would be able to be completely sober and well rested for this witch. He rested his head on the head rest. Damon peered to his left, gazing at Elena before drifting off.

A speed bump eventually forced Damon awake. He opened his eyes abruptly and took a minute to gaze at his surroundings. It was much later in the day, how long had they been driving for? He eyed a small house that their car was approaching and suddenly felt uneasy. Something was very familiar about this place.

Stefan pulled up to the house and quickly shut the car off. "Okay this is it." He declared and exited the car. Damon opened his door and stood up to stretch before finally trailing behind Stefan and Elena.

"Maybe you should knock." Elena said looking at Bonnie. "You're both witches."

Bonnie raised her hand slowly and gently knocked three times on the large wooden door. Footsteps were heard approaching the door. "Yea Yea hold your horses." A voice called out from the other side.

The door creaked open and a girl about Elena's age stood. "What can I do you for?" She asked looking at the four who stood in front of her. When her eyes met Damon's her face changed. Damon blinked a few times as he stared at this girl.

"This is impossible." He said aloud. Damon eyed her, she had long blonde wavy hair that reached her waist, crystal green eyes that were as large as can be, and that same pale skin. He was more than just confused.

"Wow, Damon Salvatore." Elena cast a look towards Damon. "So you two know each other?" Damon nodded in response to Elena's question.

"We're looking for Lana McGoven." Bonnie said deciding that finding this witch was more important.

"Oh, well that's me." The blonde in the door said smiling. Bonnie eyed her confused.

"She's supposed to be, um, old." Bonnie stated unsure how else to phrase it.

Lana smiled again. "Well I am almost 700." She said gazing up as if she were trying to remember exactly what her age was.