Chapter 7: The Revelation

All rights reserved by L.J. Smith and the CW Network.

OMG!? WHY JULIE PLEC WHYYYYYYY!? HOW COULD YOU BREAK UP THE BEST COUPLE ON TVD!? (said with hands and face pointed towards the sky). Can't wait until January 23rd. Kind of conflicted, though, on whether Katherine should die or not.

After seeing that rant you could probably care less about, here's the reason you're here.

Stefan's P.O.V

This day had gone oh so well, especially since Caroline had left early this morning, meaning she wasn't there to lock him in the safe. He had planned to head into town and stop by the Grill and chat with Matt until Caroline called. Though he didn't show it, Caroline's news had shaken him. Damon wouldn't just leave Elena. He had worked for almost three years to gain Elena's love. Something would have to have made Damon leave. He may hate that Elena chose his brother over him, but he knew that Damon truly loved Elena and would do anything for her, even die. Talking this Dr. Wes Maxfield was the only way to prove whether Damon has truly left Mystic Falls and everyone in it willingly, or if something terrible has befallen him. He also wanted to prove that he was better than both Elena and Damon, in regards to finding someone who needs true help.

Arriving at Whitmore College, Stefan quickly made his way towards Caroline's dorm, hoping that everyone was ready to carry out the plan. Upon reaching the dorm, Stefan knocked to alert the girls of his presence, though Elena and Caroline would have known he was there before he even knocked. So knocking was more for Bonnie's sake, as well as propriety, rather than necessity. Not even a second after he knocked, Caroline was opening the door and pulling him into the room. "So, we are almost ready to go. I'm just putting away all of my books and homework from my class. I got back not ten minutes ago. I tried to get some of my homework done while waiting for you to get here, but now that you're here, we can go question Wes," she yammered while putting the last of her books away. Looking at the two other girls in the room, Stefan saw that Elena's face was red and blotchy, probably from all the crying, and Bonnie had her arms around Elena and was silently comforting her. Finally speaking, Stefan said, "So, someone's going to have to lead the way since I have no idea who he is or where he teaches at." "Right," replied Caroline, grabbing her phone off of the nightstand and heading out the door. Bonnie and Elena followed Caroline out the door and Stefan fell into step, silently allowing them to lead the way.

After walking across campus, the group of four finally made it to their destination. Peering through the window, they saw that Wes was nowhere to be seen. Stefan looked at the three girls and asked, "If he's not here, where would else could he be." Elena, for the first time, spoke up and informed Stefan, "He's probably at his lab. It's where he experimented on Jesse and Damon tried to get information out of him. That's the last place I saw Damon too." "Then that's where we need to go," Stefan told them, motioning for them to, again, lead the way. Wes's lab was not to far from his classroom, but Stefan could tell that none of this wandering around like chickens with their heads cut off was helping his brother, that is if he actually needed it. Looking through the window pane of the door, Stefan could see Wes working at his desk. Turning the knob, he found the door locked, but with a little vampire strength, he quickly broke the lock and barged in.

Wes heard the noise and jumped out of his seat, simultaneously looking at the door. Wes showed only a little alarm upon seeing the four. "Elena, Caroline, Bonnie, what are you doing here? How did you get in? The door was locked," exclaimed Wes. Elena, finding her anger, used her vampire speed and strength to grab Wes and slam him against the far wall. Holding him four inches off the ground, Elena locked eyes with Wes and, barely containing her anger, compelled, "What have you done with Damon? You were the last one to see him. Damon wouldn't just leave me. Where is he?" Hardly able to breathe let alone speak, Wes choked out, "I don't know any Damon." Stefan, seeing Elena's rage begin to weaken, walked over and led her to Bonnie and Caroline. "How did you do that? I'm larger than you. There's no way you should have been able to lift me off of the floor? And who are you," Wes questioned, addressing the last question towards Stefan. "My names Stefan. What do you do here, by the way?" Stefan responded. "I teach microbiology and study diseases," Wes answered. "And you never answered any of my other questions. How did she just do that?" "I knew this wouldn't work," piped up Elena. "Damon told me that he compelled him to forget anything supernatural. Damon really has left." Upon saying this, Elena fled from the room. Bonnie followed after her.

Stefan, seeing that Wes didn't seem to know anything, looked at Caroline and asked her opinion. "Maybe he's wearing vervain. He would have made sure to have vervain in or on him, especially if he knew we would come looking for Damon," she said, walking closer to Stefan and Wes. "Well the only thing that we could do to prove that he's not wearing any would be to strip him naked, and I'm not a big fan," Stefan told her. "I agree with Stefan," Wes spoke up. "Well then I guess we'll just have to take him with us," Stefan said. Before Wes could comprehend he had said, Stefan knocked him out. "Stefan. What are you doing? We can't take him with us. People will notice he's gone," Caroline countered. "It was your idea that he may be wearing vervain. Let's talk about this later. Right now, let's hurry and get back to your dorm, before someone sees us kidnapping him," Stefan responded, picking Wes's limp body up and vamp sped back to the dorm room. Caroline reluctantly followed.

Elena's P.O.V

Interrogating Wes had been pointless. After fleeing the lab, she ran back to her room to cry. This had been her only chance to discover whether Damon was being tortured, in some unknown place, or had left her. Before Stefan had mentioned the idea that Wes could be torturing him, like he tortured Jesse, it had been easy for her to channel all of her emotions into anger. Know, though, she was unable to decide what really happened. It hurt not knowing. Bonnie ran in a few minutes after she collapsed on the bed and immediately moved towards her. Elena didn't want to talk to anyone, but that didn't seem to deter Bonnie. "It's okay Elena. Stefan and Caroline will think of something. I don't believe that he would just leave you. Something must have happened, and we will find him Elena. I just know it. But you have to help," Bonnie told her. "How can I Bonnie. We have no leads and both situations are terrible," Elena sobbed. "I know, Elena, I know. The bright side is I haven't seen him yet, so he isn't dead," Bonnie tried to reassure her. It did little to comfort her though. They sat in silence for the next ten minutes or so.

That silence was broken when the door slammed open, revealing Stefan, who was carrying a limp Wes, and a worried blonde following behind him. When Elena saw who Stefan was carrying, Elena jumped from her bed and demanded what they were thinking when they decided to bring him here. "Well, Elena, after you stormed out, I had the idea that maybe he was wearing vervain and not telling the truth. So Stefan here decided that he needed to come with us," Caroline explained to Elena. After hearing Caroline's explanation, she felt even worse, due to the fact that she hadn't even thought about that. "What are we going to do with him," Bonnie questioned "Well first we need to wake him up," Stefan told them, grabbing a chair and plopping the unconscious man into it. "Do any of you anything that we could tie him up with," Stefan added. "Ya, here," Caroline responded, handing Stefan a scarf. Stefan looked at her for a second, but didn't say anything, and then continued tying to the chair. Having completed the task, he was suddenly pushed out of Elena's way. Elena, feeling that it was completely necessary, slapped the man until he was awake. Bonnie, Caroline, and Stefan didn't think that Wes needed to be woken up by Elena slapping him, but felt that it would be safer if they stayed out of Elena's warpath.

Eventually Wes woke up, but most likely wanted to pass out again after he opened his eyes and saw who was surrounding him. "Huh. What. Where am I?" questioned Wes, eyes glancing every which way. "We brought you here so that we can make sure you are telling us the truth, because we don't think you are. So Caroline check his pockets," Stefan responded. "Why are we checking his pockets again," Bonnie spoke up. "Because if he did capture Damon, then he'll have his phone. If he has Damon's phone then we can figure out where Damon is being kept," Stefan explained. That being a plausible reason, Caroline moved to check Wes's pockets. The closer Caroline got to Wes, the more nervous he got. "What's wrong Wes. Afraid of what we're going to do to you if we find Damon's phone in your pocket," Elena spat, moving closer to Wes. Watching Caroline do what she was asked, she couldn't help but plan all the ways she could get the information out of him. Jeez, she thought to herself, being around Damon sure is changing me. Caroline checked the both front pockets, but only found Wes's own cell phone. "He doesn't have it," Caroline exclaimed, standing up and moving away from the tied up man. "But you didn't check his back pockets," Stefan pointed out. "Well, I kind of can't reach them, now can I," responded Caroline.

Elena, thinking of an idea, pulled her phone out and called Damon's number. After two rings, she heard it. Damon's ring tone. Moving as fast as the blink of an eye, Elena had her hands around Wes's throat. Just like in his lab, Wes was barely able to breathe. "Where is he. You have five seconds to tell me where he is, or I'm going to be performing some of my own experiments on you," she screamed at him. Stefan, Caroline, and Bonnie could only stare at Elena, never having seen Elena act this way, even when her emotions were turned off. "Five, four, three, two….," Elena began to count down and with every number she said, she increased the pressure on his neck. Before she reached one, however, Wes, whose face was turning blue, choked out, "Stop. I'll tell you where he is, just let me go." Hearing this, Elena gave one last squeeze and let him go. "Start talking or I'll get the information out of you by force," she told him.

"If I tell you, I'm signing my death warrant, so you have to help me in return," Wes told the room. "What do you mean you're signing your own death warrant," asked Bonnie, with a look of confusion on her face. "Augustine told me that if Damon escapes again, then I'll be the one held responsible. He's still sore that Damon escaped from him in the fifties," Wes explained. "What," exclaimed the three girls in the room. "What are you talking about?" Stefan questioned for the three of them.. "Damon was fine in the fifties." "And how would you now Stefan. You didn't see Damon again until the what, nineties. How would you now if he was a subject here or not. I would be glad to share his file with you one day. I must warn you though, it isn't very pretty," Wes fired back at the shocked brother. Stefan fell silent after Wes told him the truth.

Elena, who was still surprised at this ghost of Damon's past, suddenly became tired of Wes's know better than though attitude, began to walk slowly towards him. Wes noticed her and blurted out, "Augustine's keeping him in the basement in the older part of the building." "All right, than that's where were going. I suggest if you want our help than you had better do everything we say, which includes leading the way," Elena told him, moving to untie him from the chair. "And don't forget, if you're lying to us, than I get to try my hand at torture." Elena turned towards the three other people in the room and said, "Let's go save Damon." She motioned for Wes to lead the way, and followed him out the door. Stefan, Bonnie, and Caroline all shared a look that collectively said, "Oh my gosh." They then turned to follow Wes and Elena.

Damon's P.O.V

Breathing. Such a normal bodily function. You won't notice it until it's gone. Damon was able to experience these thoughts first hand. He could also appreciate what Stefan went through for three months straight, while stuck at the bottom of the quarry, unable to escape the safe. Every few hours, Damon would jerk awake, only to suffocate to death all over again. The pain of suffocating to death was horrible. With no real lungs, it was a much quicker death than it would have be had he a pair of lungs. His lungs would take at least a week to three-weeks to completely heal, seeing as he was weak from vervain and was only given a cup of blood a day. He knew that wouldn't deter Augustine any, and he would most likely be back on that medical gurney in a short whole.

Stuck in the dark and dreary cell, Damon was unable to tell how long it had been since his lungs had been cut out, but he guessed that a day must have passed. Elena was his only hope, and that hope was decreasing daily. If she did come for him, than she would become a lab rat just like him. Jerking awake, for like the tenth time, he heard a noise. As he began to lose consciousness, he saw Augustine opening his cell door. The last thing he saw was Augustine's spiteful smile.

I loooooove reviews. So please, leave me one telling me if I should add or extract certain parts of the story, or what you loved about it. Heck, you can even talk about the latest TVD episode or the preview for January 23rd. We can start a conversation about it. Thanks everyone!