Chapter 9

I don't know how long I was laying there before Stefan and Damon came for Jenna's body. Stefan broke the chains that bound me to the slab with no hesitation. I ran over to Damon, his arms wrapping around me protectively.

"Is Elena alright?" I couldn't help but ask as I pulled away from his chest and looked at the both of them.

"She's perfectly fine… Physically at least." Stefan said before picking up Jenna's body. "Damon, you two going to be okay?"

"Yeah," Damon said before Stefan disappeared. I took his hand in mine before starting to walk away. He pulled me back to him, holding me close.

"What's wrong, Damon?" I asked, my smile fading at the look in his eyes. "What happened?"

He hand pulled free of mine and jerked the sleeve of his shirt up. A werewolf had bitten him. Most likely from Tyler when Matt and he had been rescuing Caroline and Tyler from being used in the sacrifice.

"Damon… We can fix this. It's an easy fix." I said quietly as I stood there, shaking.

"There's no cure, Asariel. Remember what happened to Rose?" He asked staring at me.

"There is always a balance, Damon… I'm a perfect blending of the species. If I'm not proof that there is a balance to everything, then what is?" I cried, backing away from him. "Damon, there is a cure for this… We just have to use our resources and find it."

"What resources, Asariel? Who can you actually talk to and find something out? You can't exactly go ask the witches because they're pissed at Bonnie for bringing Jeremy back from the dead!"

"They're pissed at Bonnie. Not me. I haven't done a thing to ruin the balance of things that would make them hate me." I sighed before I started back towards the cliffs. "Are you coming or not? We have a funeral to attend."

Narrative P.O.V.

Asariel stood with Elena to her right, sandwiching her between Bonnie and herself while Caroline was on her left. They walked slowly towards the graves that Stefan had already taken care of. Asariel had learned that morning not only had Elena lost Jenna but also she had lost her biological father, John Gilbert. She wrapped her arm around Elena's waist, holding her steady.

"It's okay, Elena," she whispered, tears coming to her eyes for her friend's pain. Bonnie and Caroline hugged her as well before Elena nodded and walked towards the graves.

Asariel fell back, moving so that she was next to Damon. Her hand found his injured arm, rubbing the spot where she knew the bite mark was gently. He hissed lightly before leaning into her touch.

"You said that more for yourself than for her." He stated, hand holding hers tightly.

"I said it for all of us." Asa said quietly. "I've done some reading…"

"Not here, Asa… Later." Damon said before pulling away from her and disappearing.

And it was back to the Gilbert house for the wake. Asariel sat quietly by herself on the porch, giving everyone else their alone time with Elena. She was to the breaking point. She'd come close to losing her best friend and now she was losing the love of her life. She was so caught up in her thoughts that Stefan startled her when he came out.

"What's wrong?" He asked sitting down next to her.

"I've read through every grimoire I've ever had, Stefan….. There is no cure that I can find for a werewolf bite." Asa sighed, trying to control her tears. "I can't lose him, Stefan… And neither can you."

"And in some fucked up way, you're right." Stefan said getting up. "We'll find a cure, Asa… You know we will."

"I just hope you're right, Stefan…. Because I can't lose someone that I love again." She said quietly. "Losing the Klaus I once knew… The Klaus that wouldn't do this… That had no mind set to break the curse… I lost him… And I'm not losing Damon." Asa stood up, staring at Stefan. "Screw the balance of nature, I'll figure something out or conjure something up to save him."

"Of course you will." Stefan laughed hugging her. "He'll be okay. We'll figure it out, Asariel."

Asariel P.O.V.

The next morning brought Damon's suicide attempt which now had him locked away in the basement. I'd sat on the couch for an hour and cried before going downstairs to check on him.

"We called Ric…. He should be here soon." I said staring through the bars at him. "Do you want me to get you anything to make you more comfortable?"

"You," He laughed before breaking into a fit of coughs.

"Can't… Least not until Ric gets here. I can't lock the door from inside and you know it." He looked over at me, smirking that little smirk that made my knees melt. "You'll be fine. Stefan and I are going to figure out a cure. He's talking to Bonnie as we speak."

"So you're on babysitting duty." Damon coughed, trying to sit up.

"Until Ric gets here, and then I'm joining Stefan to find that cure for you." All I wanted to do was open the door and hold him. He was my life now, even if it was tough for me to admit it to him or myself at times. "I won't watch you die, Damon… I can't watch you die."

"You shouldn't have to, Asa." His coughing filled my ears, my body flinching at the sound. "When Ric gets here, I want you to leave… I want you to find Elijah and leave Mystic Falls."

"I won't leave you, Damon… We're going to find a cure… And we're going to save you." I said quietly turning to the bars again. "I won't let you die."

"I want you to leave if you can't… I love you, Asariel… And I can't put you through losing me." Damon said smiling sadly at me. I nodded, fighting my tears.

"I will. I promise.. But it's not going to come to that, Damon. We're going to find a cure." I smiled, when I heard the basement door open. "Ric's here… And I'll leave you two to your drinking games."

Of course I was right. Ric was holding a bottle of Damon's favorite vintage bourbon and two tumblers.

"Don't take him seriously, Ric… He's pretty bad off," I whispered in passing before going to the house where the dead witches had once been.

Damon's P.O.V.

My suicide attempt had not been very successful. Asariel had come into the house right when I was standing in front of the window without my ring. Stefan had gotten to me first and forced me down into the basement, into one of the cells. I'd heard Asariel's sobbing for a good hour. When she had come downstairs… Let's just say she hadn't done a good enough job at trying to hide the tear tracks that had streaked down her face.

"So you've been put on suicide watch?" I joked before coughing up more blood.

I was near delusional as it was. I'd gone back into my memories of Katherine. I hoped I'd never have to admit that to Asariel. I prayed I'd never have to admit it to her. Stupid subconscious thoughts.

"Stefan and Asariel are just trying to help Damon," Ric said and I laughed.

"Yeah… Stefan's been trying to help since he convinced me to make the transition. And Asariel…" I trailed off at the mention of her. "Asariel needs someone better than me."

"She won't have anyone else after you, Damon… Even you should know that." He corrected pouring me a double shot.

"Don't know why…" I coughed out getting up to take the glass from him.

"Yeah, you wouldn't. The rest of us see what she has done to you, Damon… She's changed you without you even realizing it." Ric shook his head at my look of disbelief.

The next thing I knew I was running through the middle of town and Elena had found me. Of course all that served to do was send me on a spiraling path of Katherine memories…

We weren't home long before I started in on the one thing I knew I would regret. Elena and I kissed before Katherine showed up with the cure. Klaus' blood…

"Where's Stefan and Asariel?" Elena asked staring at Katherine.

"Paying for that little bottle," Katherine laughed. "I wouldn't plan on seeing either of them anytime soon."