Broken

A/N I do not own any of the characters of the Vampire Diaries

Damon held Alaric in his arms. Crying, hoping, grasping at straws that his best and maybe only true friend wouldn't die right here in his arms. "Alaric no! You can't leave me! Alaric please! I need you! Don't go!"

Damon's tears were what Alaric saw when he took his last breath. With barely a whisper he said to Damon, "Damon, it will be ok. I need you to be ok. I love you, you are my closest friend and I need you to trust me when I say it will be ok."

With those last words to Damon, Alaric Saltzman died, in Damon Salvatore's arms. Damon sat there for a long time, crying, and just holding Alaric. His last words right now, Damon couldn't believe. He wished he could turn off his humanity but Rose was right. When you are no longer a baby vampire there is no switch. He could never remember a pain like this. Damon felt as if a part of him was missing.

After maybe an hour of mourning alone with his best friend he had accumulated about 10 messages from Stefan. Elena must be either dead or a vampire. And right now. Damon could care less which one. He picked up Alaric's body and decided to do the one last thing he could think to do for his best friend.

The drive back to Mystic Falls was brutal. Damon alone with his thoughts was never a good thing. Alaric's death had made him realize that he was never in love with Elena, just the idea of her. No it didn't make much sense. But the fact is, is that he never loved her and now he can let her go.

He reached Mystic Falls after a small detour. He needed to pick up the most elaborate gravestone he could for the history teacher. He buried Alaric in silence, tears slowly streaming down his face. Before putting Alaric into the grave, one last time, Damon kissed his forehead, and whispered, "I love you too Ric, and I'll try my best to believe what you said to me." And then Alaric was 6ft under.

Now when they said I love you to each other, it wasn't like love as in, your true love, it was in the context of you are my friend and I love you. Damon looked at the grave of his friend one last time before returning the calls of his baby bro.

"Damon! Where have you been? I've been calling you all night!"

"Yes Stef, I'm aware. But I was otherwise preoccupied."

"With what?! Damon, it's Elena…she…Meredith lied and gave her your blood. Damon, Elena is one of us now. She is going to need us."

"Well Stefan. I was otherwise preoccupied with the death of Ric. You realize since Elena died that means Ric died. Or does Ric not matter to you. Just precious Elena."

"Damon, you know that's not true. Wait. Where is Alaric?"

"I buried him."

"What?! He's not just some random stranger Damon. He meant something to all of us. How could you just treat him like all your other victims."

"Screw you Stefan. I would never have treated Ric that way. He was probably my one and only friend in this forsaken town and he died in my arms and you have the nerve to accuse me of treating his body with disrespect? If you want to know where he is check the cemetery. And as for Elena, she has you. Im going home. I've had a long day of disappointments and I could use a drink." With that Damon hung up on his younger brother and went back to the boarding house for a nice glass…no bottle of bourbon.

Damon got back to his home to find Elijah sitting on his living room couch. "Elijah, if it isn't my favorite original. To what do I owe this honor?" he said with a mock bow.

"I heard that Alaric Saltzman was…well that his life has permanently ended tonight and I came to see if you were ok."

"Since when do you care about me?"

"Damon, I've cared for you since I spared your life that day Elena and Rose went on that suicide mission."

Damon really didn't know what to say at this point. He wanted to be alone but at the same time he didn't. He wanted someone there. To care about him for a change. To tell HIM it will be ok. He ran up to his room at vampire speed knowing Elijah would follow, and laid down on his bed.

As expected, Elijah was right behind him and lying next to him in moments. He pulled Damon close and softly nuzzled his neck. He could feel that Damon was letting tears fall. Elijah knows all to well what it's like to have no one there. And he knows that Damon is trusting him. Elijah's heart nearly fluttered. Damon just snuggled as close as he could to the original.

"Elijah, not a word of this to anyone."

"Damon, do you really think I'd tell and ruin your bad guy image?" he said with a smirk.

Damon smiled softly knowing he could trust the original. "Thank you Elijah, for being here."

A/N this is my second published fanfic and my fist TVD fic. Let me know what everyone thinks^^