Chapter 10- Blood Brothers

Stefan was barely conscious.

He could feel pain building up within him. It coursed through him, and pulsed horribly, in time with his heart. It shocked him, like bolts of lightning. Stefan moaned as the pain became stronger, and shut his eyes tightly.

He didn't need to keep them open. He already knew what was happening.

Stefan could feel himself being pushed out of the car, and being hauled up like a piece of meat. Stefan hung like a ragdoll, weighing down the pathetic humans that tried to carry him. He didn't want to help them.

Two men dragged him, from each side. They did not seem to care for his well-being. Instead, they let knees encounter the cobbled bricks on the ground without a second thought.

Stefan heard low voices, keys being jangled, a door being swung open forcefully, and closed in the same manner. His knees now brushed against a polished wood floor, which made the job of carrying the vampire a lot easier.

"How are we gonna get him up there, Chief?"

The responding voice was not one that Stefan could place. "Carry him. And keep the noise down. Mrs Lockwood and Tyler are asleep, and we don't want to wake them."

Dimly, Stefan wondered if he would ever see his Elena again. He did not feel positively about it ever happening.

"I don't understand. What happened?" Alaric Saltzman raised his eyebrows and leaned back in his chair, bracing himself. Elena hardly ever bought good news to him.

"Both Damon and Stefan have been taken away. By the council, by the looks of it. They need our help, Mr Saltzman. We have to get them out, and alive." Tears sprung to Elena's eyes when she thought of Stefan, as he was dragged away from her. She had been useless, just when he needed her most.

Elena walked so she stood in front of him.

"But why do you need Katherine Pierce?" Mr Saltzman sat up in his chair and tucked his pen behind his ear. "Isn't that the woman who Damon spent the better part of last year searching for?"

"And the woman who Isobel was working for, yes," Elena finished. She took a deep breath. "She's back in town, Mr Saltzman. I don't know what she's back for, but we need her help. She'll know where they are. She'll help with getting them out safely. Without her, we'll never succeed." Elena stopped gesturing wildly with her hands and placed them flat on the table.

Mr Saltzman sighed. He knew what he was getting himself into when he moved to Mystic Falls. He knew that he would have to chase vampires, kill vampires, but never save vampires. He wasn't irked by having to save Stefan, but saving Damon went against his morals. The world was better off without a Damon Salvatore.

And working with the woman who had taken control of Isobel, and ordered her around like she was a slave wasn't a high-point either.

But he had morals as well, and only from hearing the shortened story of Elena, he knew that the council were up to something.

"Elena, I hate to be blunt, but have you considered that the council have already staked them? Why would they keep them around?"

Elena breathed deeply, and shut her eyes. This possibility had haunted her several times. Why would the council consider keeping two dangerous vampires alive? There had to be something in it for them, otherwise this wouldn't even be considered.

"It's a possibility, Mr Saltzman, but I'm not going to depend on that scenario. There is a chance that they're still alive." Elena opened her eyes to stare at her history teacher, willing him to see how desperately she needed the help.

"Okay, then. What's the plan?"

"You are stupid."

Stefan located the voice, and matched it to a person. His own brother.

He was confused, and achy. Stefan cracked his green eyes open slowly, which met instantly with the grey eyes of his brother, and the extravagant room. Panic rose when he remembered what had happened.

Elena!

He'd left her; abandoned her.

Stefan looked down to see that he was seated in a wrought-iron chair that was obviously created for looks and not comfort. He was bound by inch-thick ropes, with no room of compromise.

Ropes. How juvenile.

How could a few pieces of string keep him bound to the chair? It seemed ridiculous that a vampire- no matter what the diet- could be prevented from escape by ropes.

Stefan struggled then. He pulled and tugged, using his shoulders and chest to somehow dislodge them. Disappointment flooded through him when he realised how little headway he had made.

"Like I said, stupid. You're a little weak from the vervain, and lack of blood. Those ropes will not move. Stupid." Damon grinned at Stefan, silently taunting him.

"You were the one who got caught, inside his own home," Stefan retorted back. He bowed his head and shut him eyes, hoping that this gesture would dissuade Damon from talking to him.

"You've left Elena defenceless in Mystic Falls, which- need I remind you- lately seems to have become a vampire hangout." Damon was determined to make his younger brother feel bad.

"And you think I don't know that?" Stefan spat out. He could feel anger welling up inside him. "You are no better at protecting Elena."

Damon did not respond. Instead he scoffed and turned his face away.

"You just as well committed John Gilbert's murder yourself. You didn't know it was Katherine. You couldn't stop her," Stefan continued.

"Bullshit. I was a little distracted. I had almost been killed a mere hour earlier.I was going to-,"

"And by the way, why did you want to kiss Elena anyway?"

Damon snapped up his head at Stefan's tone. His eyes were dangerously narrowed, and he looked like he wanted to launch out of his chair and throttle his older brother.

Damon fervently thanked whoever had bound Stefan with the ropes.

"Why did you want to kiss her?" Stefan repeated. "Tell me, dammit! I don't care what your feelings are of her, because you take, and take, and take. You are not going to take her from me, Damon."

Damon was taken back.

Did he have feelings for Elena? he asked himself.

He did. He had always liked the spunky brunette angel. He had always teased her. He always wanted to know what her breaking point was, and so far he had found none. This had only interested him further.

Elena was beautiful, that was given. Katherine was beautiful too. But Elena was kind, and passionate and she was fierce about what she believed in. She had ambition. Katherine only had lies and deceit.

He found that he cared for her. He cared for her well-being and her safety. In fact, he hadn't stopped

Stefan's fierce voice and strong words didn't move him in the slightest. In fact, he was annoyed. He was aggravated. Stefan couldn't tell him what he could and could not do.

No, Stefan couldn't command him in any way.

He was Damon Salvatore, and he was going to get what he wanted; what he desired. And honesty wasn't going to be part of that deal.

The phone ringing shrilly was enough to jerk the brunette out of her daydream. She sat up in her armchair and flew to the phone that had been quite some distance away. The caller I.D showed an unknown number.

No big deal, she thought. Not unknown for long.

Katherine lounged against the antique table that was much too exotic for her taste, and flipped her phone open. She grinned before pressing it to her ear.

"Hello?"

The shallow breathing on the other side quickened slightly before responding.

"Katherine? It's Elena."

"I figured that out when I heard my own voice coming back." Katherine grinned again.

"I...I need your help."

Katherine relished at the words she heard. Her weaker, unladylike and annoying double was asking her for help. What justice would she do by saying no? And what fun could she have by saying yes?

Katherine caught her reflection in the mirror, and then glanced back at the books and research materials that were spread out on her desk.

"I'd be happy to help."

I knew this was going to be a boring filler from the moment I finished Chapter 9. I dread writing filler chapters. So, I'm sorry for putting so much dialogue.

So, forgive me for this crappiness. I had to get all the main characters up to speed with the happenings of Mystic Falls.

I think the plot is sorting itself out now. I hope everyone understands what is happening. :)

Thank you all so much for the reviews. Makes my heart do funny things, which is probably a bad thing now that I think about it. You're all AWESOME!

Until next time. ;)