The Murder of One Leads to a Heart of Darkness

Jeremy drops his bags in the Salvatore's foyer, grimacing as he glances around the huge house. "Do we really have to stay here?"

Elena follows him inside, reminding him, "It's temporary. Once we figure out what to do next to help Alaric, we can go home."

"Speaking of, I still don't know what we're doing or why I'm here."

Stefan nods at Alaric as he enters the kitchen. "Morning. How you doing?"

"Slept like a baby and woke up myself. I'm assuming I didn't try to kill any council members?"

Stefan shakes his head. "Damon and I took shifts. You were here all night."

"Awesome. Well, looks like you guys got this under control. I'm gonna call the Sheriff."

"What?"

"I want to turn myself in. It's the right thing to do."

"You can't. We don't even know if there's a spell that'll work yet."

"I have a homicidal alter ego. Unlike some people in this house, I would like to take responsibility for the people I've killed."

Stefan tilts his head back, raising his brows. "You might want to get off your high horse there, Ric. If you really wanted to turn yourself in, you wouldn't be saying it out loud."

"Out of anyone, you and your brother cannot psychoanalyze me. I killed Caroline's father. I nearly killed Meredith. Everything's changed."

"You weren't yourself when you killed those people. Look, we need to know if a spell can work. If not for you, stay for Jeremy."

Sighing, he relents, "Fine. But, this conversation isn't over."

Elena finishes explaining the last few weeks to Jeremy, "So, we think Rose might know a spell to cure the curse from the ring."

He raises his brows, smirking. "So, I traveled across the country to come home and talk to a dead vampire?"

Damon walks in, sitting beside Elena on the couch. "Dead vampire is redundant, but yes."

Jeremy shakes his head. "Well, I can't. I could talk to Anna and Vicki because I knew them. I've never even met Rose."

"She and Damon were close, so maybe you can use him as a connection."

Damon leans forward, shrugging. "Sure. What do you need, Whoopi? Candles? Incense? Pottery wheel?"

Jeremy rolls his eyes. "That's not how it works. Do you have a picture of her?"

Damon sighs. "Picture? What, from a trip to Disneyland?" Leaning his head back, he yells, "Come on Rose, you're not gonna make us wait, are you? I know you miss me." Meeting Elena's gaze, he smirks. "How could she not?"

Elena rolls her eyes.

Jeremy requests, "Tell me something about her."

"She does this little thing with her tongue—"

Elena glares at him. "Something that matters, Damon."

"She spent her last day in paradise. Soaking in the sun and reminiscing about what it means to be human. And when death came, she didn't fear it."

Elena tilts her head back, her brows creasing. "I was with her on her last day and she definitely wasn't in paradise."

Jeremy smiles. "It was in the dream he gave her. She's here. She says she's heard about the curse, but doesn't know the spell herself. She's going to ask around. May take awhile."

Damon raises his brows, meeting Elena's gaze. "Awesome. Family bonding time."

Stefan walks into the library where Alaric sits with a book in hand. He holds out a bottle of whiskey.

Alaric smiles. "What the hell?" Taking a swig, he hands the bottle back. "You know, I'll feel decidedly less pathetic if I don't drink alone."

Stefan smirks, brandishing a glass. "Oh, I am one step ahead of you."

He holds his glass out and Alaric pours some whiskey in it. They both drink.

"What's goin' on with you and Elena?"

Stefan snorts, shaking his head. "I have no idea. I'll do anything to get her back. But, none of that matters if she has feelings for somebody else."

"You think she has feelings for Damon?" Stefan shrugs, dropping his gaze. Alaric raises his brows and shakes his head. "You didn't see her over the summer. Jeremy and I were a mess. She held it together for all of us. She cares about Damon, there's no doubt about that. But, you? She was willing to go to the ends of the Earth to get you back."

Stefan takes another long pull of his drink. "She's worried about Jeremy. She hasn't said it, but I know she is. We've all been counting on that ring to save the day."

Alaric shrugs. "Who knows? Maybe his alter ego is a pot smoking, hippie pacifist. I certainly wouldn't have guessed mine would be so hostile and militant."

"It actually makes sense. Your wife left you to become a vampire and your girlfriend was killed by one."

"He must really hate me. Here I am, the failed hunter slash drinking buddy of vampires."

"Eh, he's too judgmental."

Alaric chuckles, before shaking his head. "The thing is, he's me. I'm not compelled. I'm not possessed. There's no humanity switch. What drives him is me."

"No. He's not you. He's the darkest parts of you. The parts we all have. Ask any vampire, there isn't a real switch, it's just letting the darkness take over."

Elena sighs, unable to sleep. Sliding out of bed, she grabs her robe, walking downstairs to where Damon sits with what's left of the whiskey.

He pours her a glass and she takes it with a smile.

"You never told me about what you did for Rose."

"It wasn't about you."

"Why don't you let people see the good in you?"

"Because when people see good, they expect good. And I don't want to have to live up to anyone's expectations."

Damon caresses her face. Her brows crease as she meets his gaze. He leans towards her and she stands up, walking away. He follows her.

"Damon, don't."

"Why not?"

She turns back towards him. "It's not fair, Damon."

"I'm not worried about fair, Elena. I want to know how you feel."

"I feel—I feel like you got under my skin. I feel like you make me crazy and—"

He steps towards her. "Those are good things, Elena."

She meets his gaze, her brows tightly knit. "It's not enough, Damon. I fell in love with Stefan and it's always going to be Stefan." Damon sighs, dropping his head. "I love you, Damon. I do. But, I'm still in love with Stefan."

Raising his head, he asks quietly, "What if I didn't keep sabotaging things? What if there was no bump in the road between us?" She stares at him with wide eyes. "I'm sorry, Elena, but I don't want to make this easy for you. I'm not gonna screw this up and make the decision for you. You're gonna have to figure it out yourself."

Elena shifts restlessly beside Jeremy on the couch.

He hits her arm with a smile. She lets out a long breath, leaning back against the cushions.

"I told Bonnie everything Rose said. She's got this."

She nods, her eyes drifting towards the basement. "I know. You're right."

"So, what's up with you and Damon?"

"What do you mean? Nothing's up."

"Are you sure about that? 'Cause even Rose said something."

She chuckles. "What did she say?"

"She said I can't see it because I'm too young and I want to protect you." Her face falls as she murmurs his name. "You're my sister. I love you and I know you make him better, but I don't get you two, I really don't. Stefan, I can see, but Damon? He's—"

"—volatile, unpredictable." She meets his gaze, shrugging. "It's more than all that. He changes me, too. He challenges me, surprises me." She shakes her head. "I know how I feel about Stefan. I love Stefan. But, I just feel like Damon's one big question mark."

"He's either the best thing for you or the worst." Her head shoots up at his revelation. He shrugs. "Somethin' a ghost said once."

"I missed you."

He sighs, dropping his gaze. "You shoulda called me, Elena. When things first started going wrong with Alaric, I shoulda been there." Elena frowns, her whole body tightening. "I get it. You want me to have this normal life, but you're not the only one whose life's changed after our parents' accident. I lost Vickie, Anna, and Jenna."

"Jer—"

"No, Elena. You don't get it. None of that was your fault. And you can't protect me from any of it. Mom and Dad would've wanted us to stick together. I want us to stick together. And that means letting me in all the way. No matter how much you want to protect me. Because keeping me in the dark? That's what's hurting the most."

Tears fall down her cheeks as she reaches for him, hugging her brother tightly. He returns her embrace, letting her cry against his shoulder.

"You don't have to go through this alone, Elena. I'm here. Let me help."

She leans back, nodding and smiling as she wipes away her tears. "I really have missed you."

Bonnie walks into the living room, asking quietly, "Hey. You okay?"

Elena turns from the fire, nodding quickly and wringing her hands. "How did it go?"

"Rose said that all the dying and coming back to life might have chipped away at Alaric's psyche, making it easier for the darkness to take hold. So, the spell should help heal him and keep his dark side buried."

She nods, letting out a small breath. "That's good. Thank you, Bonnie. I know this was hard with everything else going on."

Raising her brows, she shakes her head. "Abby's transition was hard. I guess too hard for her. She did what she always does: runs."

"I'm so sorry, Bonnie."

She gives her a tenuous smile, before her gaze drops to the rings on her fingers. "Even if he does heal, is that supposed to make everything okay?"

"No. Nothing's okay. It's horrible and I feel horrible about it, but he's a victim of something supernatural. He didn't ask for this, it just happened to him. Just like Stefan or Caroline."

Scoffing, Bonnie shakes her head with a small smile. "Elena Gilbert, savior of the cursed and the damned. You're right. It just sucks."

Elena shrugs with tears in her eyes. "I can't lose him. I know it's insane, but he's all I have left."

Bonnie hugs her tightly. "You still have me."

Spotting Elena, Damon puts down his drink, asking sincerely, "How you holding up?"

She nods, sitting beside him. "Ok. I—Bonnie thinks the spell's gonna work."

"That's good."

"I know it's selfish." He meets her gaze as she continues, her voice soft, "I know that it seems like I'm stringing you both along. But I don't–" She shakes her head, looking away. "I can't bear the thought of losing you. I've already lost so many people."

Damon scoffs, his jaw tightening. "You choose Stefan."

She turns towards him, her voice low and insistent, "I love him, Damon. He came into my life at a time when I needed someone and I fell for him instantly. No matter what I feel for you, I never unfell for him."

"Yeah, I get it. Stefan. It's always gonna be Stefan."

"I care about you, Damon, which is why I have to let you go."

"I get it. After all this is over, I'll leave town. Let you two be happy."

Her brow furrows as she asks, "What?"

"You guys don't need me around bothering you."

"No." She reaches for his arm. "You are not leaving, you hear me? You are our family. You're my family. I don't want to go through any of this without you."

"I just complicate things, Elena."

"I don't care. We need you. Stefan needs you. I need you. You can't leave. I can't lose you. Don't make me—" her voice chokes and he reaches for her.

"I'm not—I won't go, Elena. I'll stay."

She nods, swallowing back tears. Letting out a stuttering breath, she stands. "I'm gonna go check on Alaric."

Damon nods, watching her go up the stairs.

"How much did you hear?"

Stefan walks into the room. "Enough."

Damon tips his drink to his brother. "She made her decision. Congratulations."

"She's right, you know. You're my brother. This is your home too. You should stay."

Damon shakes his head. "All this over one girl."

Stefan scoffs, smiling. "She's a pretty special girl."

"Yeah. She is."