Even though the skin wasn't his, Damon still felt the burn of his half brother's knife. A vampire's senses were heightened anyway, but at the moment even a drip of water was more Decibels that normal. Unfortunately the rule held true of the pain Zachariah was inflicting. The abandoned factory building he was being held in was dark and damp but to Damon it was a cacophany of sensation.

"What's your angle?" he asked Zachariah's companion, while fiddling with the vervain ropes around his wrists. The man didn't reply so Damon turned to Zachariah.

"He's what some may call a hunter. He kills all manner of otherworldly beings for a living. Can you believe that, brother?"

It was the last part that riled Damon up, "you do not get to call me that. You are related to me because father screwed some whore and made the best of a bad situation. You are only a Salvatore because Stefan and I were turned!"

That comment should have earnt a whole raft of pain but instead hurt crossed Zachariah's face in a millisecond. As stormy turmoil of sadness waved in Zachariah, Damon felt a stirring of power within. He realised at that moment where his heightened power had come from. Stefan was repressed under Damon's possession but consciously or not his power was combining with Damon's in a time of danger.

"Nobody messes with Stefan but me."

His hands were up and around Zahariah's neck before anyone could blink.

"You can't kill me. I will return. I thought you'd understand me. You used to hate Stefan. I guess humanity really does make a vampire weak," Zachariah croaked.

"You bore me," Damon said.

Before being able to snap Zachariah's neck, a wooden stake passed into Stefan's body from behind. The silent, apparently useless hunter had finally come into fruition. Stefan's heart burst open and life-giving blood leaked out. He let go of Zachariah and crumpled to the floor. Before Damon gave in completely he saw the burst of light as the factory doors opened. Someone or something came in. Friend or foe he hadn't a clue. It didn't really matter now.

When Damon awoke he figured Stefan and himself to be in some afterlife dreamworld. Stefan was nowhere to be seen though. The noises around him were as intense as ever. Someone nearby was in the throes of death. Damon listened as they breathed their last. He could smell spilled blood and feel the all too real soggy shirt he was wearing. Soggy from where a wooden stake had pierced Stefan's heart. He groaned and tentatively rolled over. His movement had attracted attention. Footsteps started towards him.

"Well you are an interesting creation, aren't you?" a masculine voice stated.

Elijah Mikaelson extended his hand in aid. Damon eyed him suspiciously.

"I made a promise to protect you once. I was around and it seemed you needed aid. You should show me some gratitude, Damon."

Zachariah and the hunter were both dead and heartless. Damon glanced at them.

"Zachariah is vengeful. He'll be back before long," he said.

Elijah pointed out that the two for one deal Damon and Stefan had was what kept them alive. It seemed at this point he was unstoppable. Then Damon remembered that Bonnie'spell had a limit. He only had a few hours to get Stefan back to Virginia before he was locked back in the boarding house. Hastily taking his leave he got in the car and floored it back to Mystic Falls.

Despite the ordeal of the last few days Stefan had no recollection of what had happened. He realised his consciousness had been taken over but for the time being he had no idea who by. He sat upright and brushed away the grass that was stuck to his face. He always thought the sight he was presented with would send him crazy. Although now he was faced with his older brother's grave stone he came to an acceptance he never thought possible. Stefan heard a rustling in the leaves behind him. Turning, he saw a face he once considered as the most beautiful in the world.

"Elena Gilbert." He smiled, bitterly missing times that had passed.

"Its actually Elena Lockwood now,"

"Did you put that there?" Stefan asked pointing to the long-stemmed rose on the grave.

Elena nodded. "Someone had to."

Stefan sighed. " I couldn't face things but now I know for some reason I have to. I was brought here by something. Someone."

Her face was set hard and now warmth was in her expression. "You turned your back, Stefan. I wanted to help you."

Stefan recalled the moment she was talking about. She was right. He'd been a mess.

"I miss him, Elena," he admitted. "I was desperate before but now I know I have to be smart. I can bring my brother back."

She smiled for the first time. "You need to speak with Bonnie. She's been working on your side longer that you know."

"Where is she? Tell me where Bonnie is."

"Here," Bonnie announced.

Stefan could feel the power radiating off of the young witch.

"We need Damon's ring," she said "But Stefan, there's something you don't know."

Stefan was alarmed. "What's wrong?"

Elena and Bonnie looked at each other. It was Elena who told him the bad news.

"Damon is no longer buried with his ring. My mother-in-law stole it on the night he was buried."