A/N: So...I'm so sorry to those who have been waiting for an update. I've been busy this summer, but I finally got to writing a chapter. Please enjoy the read and feel free to leave some feedback!


Brotherly Love

Later that morning, after cleaning up the mess I had left, I went down to the station. After what had happened last night I reckoned Bonnie needed an account. I raked my memory for details; anything would help in this case. When I walked in, I found everyone in their usual laboring bustle. To the far end of the main office was a door leading to what Elizabeth dubbed the "Special Cases Unit". It was codename for Paranormal Victims Unit, lame cover-up if you ask me. I looked around at the intense faces of the detectives and officers wondering if they even knew their crooked station had a department for the supernatural; that walking into their unit right now was none other than a vampire and while they were out chasing armed criminals I was the composition of ten, simply equipped with a pair of fangs, super strength and alluring persuasion. It's sad, really, to be so ignorant of the dark existence in this town.

Just as I was about to enter the "Special Cases Unit" Matt Donovan, wearing a calculated scowl, traversed the door. Slightly stunned I took a step back, but once I got a look at his stupid face I rolled my eyes and sighed.

"What do you want Donovan?"

"Do you think this is a joke?"

"Do I think what is a joke—"

"Listen, Salvatore, I don't know what you think this is, but it's not seven years back when we were in high school. We're adults, responsible working adults, with people's lives in our hands—"

"Okay, Donovan, what's the problem here?"

"My problem is that you walk around without a care in the world, especially when you had an assignment last night. Did you forget you work for this unit?"

I stared at him long and hard until the twitch beneath his right eye became visible. He was livid and where I would normally understand why someone would be offended by my irresponsibility, I could not comprehend why he, out of all people, was boiling with rage. Last time I checked, I didn't owe him anything.

"I'm guessing Bonnie spoke with you," I finally said.

"She's my partner," he replied.

"Sure she is," I said side stepping him and going for the door.

"What is that supposed to mean," he asked.

I turned back slightly and said, "Exactly what you're thinking." Telling by the silence that followed I had squeezed just the right button to shut him up. He knew I could see right through his little crush.

"…If I were you, Damon, I would change my act real quickly, seeing as your freedom and life depend on it…"

Not seeing that one coming, I stood still catching his every word and a burn of realization took over me. He was right, my life depended on this, but I couldn't have him giving me orders. I held my head high and proceeded forward, shutting the door behind me. This wasn't the place or the time to sweep the floor with him, no, this moment I needed to find Bonnie—and I found her sitting at her desk, which must have been the first time I'd seen her there.

"So you've been talking to Matt," I said approaching her. As usual, she kept her head down, ignoring my presence.

"He's my partner," she said.

"So, what am I?"

She finally lifted her head, directing an intense gaze upon me.

"You tell me…"

"Well, if I'm not mistaken, I've been doing most of the work here, like mingling with your criminals."

"That you have," she said returning to a set of folders on the corner of her wooden desk.

"You mind consulting me first before you go off drawing up theories with Matt?"

"So what happened then?"

"Well…, well you might need pen and paper for this," I said enthusiastically, but again she gave me a menacing glare and I retracted my excitement. "Okay, I know you think I went on a blood-binge last night, but that was hardly the case. In fact, I don't know what it was—"

"I waited for hours last night," she argued.

"I've been living for over one hundred years. Trust me, you don't know time until you've lived that long—" I refuted and she sighed in anger.

"…Come on," I said noticing the autopsy room. I heard her groan then slide out of her chair. Shutting the door behind us, I found the room empty of corpses but lit by the same blue florescent light as before. Turning to me she said, "Okay, what is it?"

Then I began, "Well, for starters this little man-hunt you guys have going is a waste because it's nothing compared to what's really going on."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that Matt's little frenemy is just a piece of a large and I mean large puzzle," and at saying that her eyes widened.

"So there are others—in that house?"

"They call it the Crimson Manor and yes, but it's not just them, it's what's leading them—their guardian…"

"Guardian? Who?"

"Listen, this entire thing is larger than us. Last night, what I saw was nothing I've ever seen. All I can say is, it's not human, but it's not vampire either. It's a…beast…"

She briefly turned and grabbed a stool to sit on. I figured the information was too much for her to take standing.

"They call him Grako," I proceeded. "…and as foreign as it sounds, believe me it suits him because it's foreign."

"What is it, then…," she asked with baited breath.

"It's a mixture of different creatures. All I can remember is how repulsively large he was; his black beaded eyes, the ironically sweet scent of his flesh and his even sweeter blood…" I noticed I had licked my lips and I found her staring at me in confusion. "…And what you saw last night was the result of it…"

Looking at her eyes I suddenly became timid at the thought of last night. Though it was clear nothing happened between us, I still felt this tinge of doubt. If not doubt, then it was awkwardness of the thought of us together…

"We'll write a report, but I'm afraid we have to go back. Do you know Waker's connection to this Grako…?"

"He calls him Lord," I said, my stomach still reacting with distaste.

"Wow, it's definitely a cult. Do you think they have some sort of rebellious plans?"

"Currently no, but Waker gave me this address to Mystic Inn," I said pulling out the crumbled piece of paper.

I straightened it then extended it towards her. At handing it over, our fingertips brushed, giving me goosebumps I had never felt before. It was like static traveling all over my body causing my ends to tingle. I found myself staring at her, mouth ajar, but she was too busy with the address to notice.

"Hmm…Why did he give you this?" When she looked up I immediately snapped my gaze and cleared my throat.

"Induction; you see, in order for me, your puppet, to get dirt on my fellow man, I need to be inducted. The 'blood of the beast' was my first step. Waker wants me there for further instruction…"

She nodded. "Go. Matt is going to have to wait on Waker's capture. Do you know how long he's been chasing him? And here you are personally meeting with him…"

"Yea, I have that effect."

"Ah-huh… Anyways, let's go today and see what he wants. I'll wire—"

"Shit, can't. I forgot. I've got a lunch-date with the brother today. I promised."

"Okay, then tomorrow, but no later! We've got them right where we want them…"

"Alright witchy, unless you need me for further espionage, I'll be on my way," I said heading for the door.

"Thanks, Damon. You're really a help," she said. I turned back before reaching door and she gave me a small smile. I wondered how much it hurt her to be cordial towards me, much less friendly. But, surprisingly, that didn't bother me…What the hell was wrong with me?

"Yeah, and I owe you for last night," I said and then felt my cheeks flush. Though blushing was not visible (cold blood and what not) the embarrassment must have been. "I mean, for getting me a bucket and stuff…" I tried to recover.

"Well yea…What else did you think happened," she said, her eyebrow rising and her lips revealing a slight smile.

"I don't know witchy," I said strutting to the door with my hands in the pockets of my leather jacket. "I am irresistible." I gave her a wink.


I stared at him intensely, still trying to cope with the difference. Normally, Stefan and I didn't look much alike. The only way you could tell we were related was that we were both pale as paper and hot as hell. Obviously the most attractive men of Mystic Falls had to be related—and vampires. But after his change we had nothing tying us together other than DNA. I was still pale and attractive and he—well, he was less attractive, having lost the silver glint of his green eyes, unblemished skin, and the power to enchant.

"Are you going to order something or just stare at me the entire afternoon," he said not lifting his eyes from the menu.

"Hey, I haven't seen you in years. I'm going to need more time to get use to this." I slapped the menu down on the table and leaned back in my chair. "Plus, I'm getting what I usually order: bloody stake. Baker will know what I want…"

"Damon, Will doesn't work here anymore. He's moved with his family to another state. He's even got kids."

My nose crinkled. "What'd he do that for…?"

"So…where have you been staying," he said elbows pressed on the table, fingers intertwined.

"Mystic Inn..."

"Nice."

Good, Elena hadn't told him about our encounter in the boarding house.

"How's New York. Did you work there…?" he said with a tone of disbelief.

I hunched my brows and said, "Briefly." I could not believe after seven years my brother didn't think me capable of any responsibility.

"New York was…different." Different indeed; like their limited supply of woods and their only hiding spot being a well known river. Hopefully they hadn't found her, but knowing New York City law enforcement and the fact that I killed the Mayor's daughter (not some regular Jane), I highly doubted that… And I wondered why he thought me irresponsible

"Your turn," I diverted. "How's it like being married?"

He looked down and smiled then looked at me and said, "Great."

"Great?"

"Yes. It's good to finally be at her level, you know. She didn't have to sell her soul for me."

"Well you sure did…"

He glared at me.

"Com' on, man. You're telling me you rather trade in the power, the strength, the blood and the sex for a ball and chain called Elena?"

"Hey!"

"Marriage, dude, I meant marriage…" No, I meant Elena.

"I didn't sell my soul."

"No, you just traded all that glory for the simple life…"

"And I like the simple life. I'm happier than I've ever been. I don't need any of those things."

"Really," I said eyeing him suspiciously. Then with my hypersonic- hearing I caught a conversation ten feet from where we sat outside. "See those girls over there…" I said eyeing two giggling women at the bar inside of the bistro. He spotted them and said, "Yea…"

"Know what they're talking about?"

"Um, nope."

"Exactly! Do you want to know what they're saying?" He shook his head no. "They want to fuck us Stefan. Fuck us… Right there, out for you."

"No thanks."

"No thanks? Did you forget how easy it was to have any woman you wanted? How easy it was to get them to go home with you? How fascinating it was that they, without protestation, took off their clothes at the drop of a hat? That they let you feed on them…"

"Sounds great," he sarcastically said as he took a sip of water.

I stared at him again, this time trying to grasp the fact that my brother truly lost his gonads in his quest for change.

"Honestly, did the process just change you into a human or did it require castration as well?" I said out loud.

"Why are you so unhappy," he snapped. Suddenly I felt the tension in the air. It had seemed like everything around us had gone silent and all I could hear was the rattling of the forks and knives on the table as he pounded his fist upon it.

I swallowed and said, "Chill little bro, I'm only kidding. I get it, you're happy—"

"Honestly, I don't understand why you refuse to be so yourself, or at least let others be…"

I clenched my teeth in anger and I knew had I been the Damon from a few years back, I would have flipped the table between us. However, I didn't notice I had picked up my fork until I felt the pressure on my thumb. I clenched it so tight—the tines burying into my thumb—and I felt it tare the skin.

"What makes you think I'm not happy," I said still twisting the fork within my thumb.

"Because you're not."

I quickly dropped the fork. Tiny holes had embossed upon my skin, droplets of blood on the surface.

"If you weren't too busy hurting yourself, Damon, you'd realize that you too want happiness…" he said as he eyed my hand. I quickly pressed my thumb upon the napkin beside my plate, my hands shivering. I couldn't think straight and I attributed to the rage I had built up. But it wasn't only the rage, Stefan had done it again; made me self aware.

"You know, ever since I came I've only been getting shit from you…" I said through gritted teeth.

"I'm only dishing it back—"

"What did I do to you? Why—" I said, halting the elevation of my voice, "do you hate me so much?"

"I don't hate you Damon, but I'm not going to pretend I'm happy about your return."

"Believe me, this was the last place I wanted to run off to," I said getting up from the table.

"Running off—"

"And by the way, little brother, I'd check up on your little wife. She's not as innocent as she seems; would've probably been a thought before you went out and sold your soul for her."

Those were the last words I said before storming out of the bistro. Once again I couldn't look back. I couldn't bear staring at the face of the brother I once knew transformed into another.

When I got back to the house, after stopping at the bar for a few drinks, I found Bonnie lying on the couch, dressed in her pajamas, with her feet kicked up on the arm rest and her hair tossed over her face. She appeared almost lifeless until I inched closer and saw her chest rise with oxygen. Her arm, which draped down towards the floor, hung beside a half empty glass of wine. Had she finally lost it...?

"What's wrong with you witchy?" I asked tossing my jacket onto the armchair. She slowly flipped her hair back with her hand. She looked exhausted which was another first for me.

"Long day at work and I have a headache," she said.

"Wine though?" I said picking up the bottle from the coffee table.

"Yea I know…Hope you're not mad. I had to grab from your collection…"

"Be my guest," I said then fetched a glass in the kitchen.

"But, why don't you just use magic to cure that headache?"

"Because—" she said then sat up, "I don't practice it anymore."

My eyebrows rose in shock. Witchy not using magic? Using the name now just seemed ironic.

"Why not? Didn't you use it the other day when my heart stopped?" That other day was actually yesterday, though it seemed like ages ago. I went on my little blood binge relapse stopping my heart and Bonnie, surprisingly, didn't let me die.

"Yea I did. I'm surprised it worked. I was real rusty not having used it in years, but I couldn't let you die…"

"You should have. That way I'd be out of everyone's lives," I said gulping a glassful of red wine.

"What happened?"

"Nothing, just that Stefan hates me."

"He does not hate you," she said shaking her head.

"No, but he sure doesn't want me around. He's too good now because he's a married man and what not."

"No, Damon, you think he's 'too good because he's a married man' and because he seems happy. Besides, being married isn't all the talk. So don't feel jealous."

It wasn't the marriage that had me jealous, but that my brother settled for the girl I loved. The girl I wish I could completely erase from my life….

"I guess I do envy his joy," I said chugging another glass down.

"Why? Just be happy for him. Besides, he's only mad because you didn't go to his wedding…"

"Seriously? Why?"

"Are you honestly asking that question?"

"Right…"

"Your brother wanted his best man there—you." She smiled at me which made me feel even guiltier. I didn't realize that missing my brother's wedding was a big offense. I abandoned the armchair and relocated beside her on the couch. I wasn't planning on putting the moves on her, no, but maybe she could relieve my guilt.

"What should I do," I asked surprised that I actually wanted to make things right.

"Apologize," she said. My hopes for a less shameful reconciliation dropped and I slouched.

"Oh, come on, it's not that bad! Have you ever said sorry in your life?"

"Ew, no."

"Not even to your father, mother, brother, girlfriend; because I've never heard you say it to me…"

I leaned back in disbelief. "What do I need to apologize to you for?"

"Um, I don't know…last night? Years back when I was in high school and the shit you put me through. I worked my butt off to save you guys from trouble and not once did I get an 'I'm sorry' or a 'Thank you' from you…"

"Okay…sorry," I said not really meaning it.

"It's okay; I know you don't really mean it…"

"Am I see-through?"

"Why," she chuckled.

"Because you always seem to know what I'm thinking…"

"I'm really good at reading you Damon," she said pressing the glass upon her lips. Her eyes flirted with me above the bottom edge of the glass. I couldn't tell if I was imagining it or it was really happening…

"So, who was the best man?"

"I don't think you want to know…" she said placing the glass on the table. She sighed then smiled.

"I do," I said real curious and slightly angry because I knew whoever it was would make me mad.

"Matt…"

I spit out a load of wine into the glass.

"That little shit? What the fuck?"

"Yea…"

"Why not Jeremy, if not me?"

"Jeremy was out of town and he only made it the day of the wedding… and Matt and Stefan had become real good friends. We've all made it a habit to have dinner with them every Sunday."

"Awesome…"

"Listen, don't let that get to you," she said placing a hand on my wrist. The touch made me momentarily jerk. The tingling feeling again…

"Are you okay," she asked in concern.

I nodded yes then got up from the couch. I didn't understand what was going on with me and I didn't want to find out. Bonnie was having an effect on me that I couldn't explain. It must have been the strange dream that had me reacting this way.

"Well I'm going to bed," I said.

"Okay. So will you be apologizing to your brother?"

"Not any time soon. I've got bigger fish to fry. Waker tomorrow," I said pointing a finger at her and she nodded. "Alright sergeant I'll see you tomorrow morning."

She tipsily saluted me goodnight and then I trotted up to my room. Pushing the door shut I took a deep breath and then exhaled. My emotions were getting out of hand and I needed to tame them before I lost control again. But to my sudden surprise I didn't feel any craving for blood—at all— and usually in these stressful moments I would grab a bag or neck and drink…

I could question it all night, but I melted onto my bed, and with that shut away what was left of the day.