Damon's POV:
The moment I awoke to my undead life, revealed the truth to me. My feelings for Katherine had been a fabrication; she had compelled me to love her and to fight Stefan, my brother for her affections. That realisation prompted me not to complete the transition, and I held out for 22 hours, I stayed sitting under the tree I had awakened under and sweltered through the midday sun. I watched what I thought was to be my last sunset when Stefan found me, his clothes stained with blood. Realising that I hadn't completed the transition and ignoring my refusals he disappeared for a moment only to reappear later with a servant.
I refused again and weakly stood up with my back against the tree trunk when Stefan savagely tore the servant's throat out; the blood flowed out. Stefan threw the dying servant at me when he saw that I'd turned my head away. Coated with fresh blood was too much and my control snapped. I drained what blood was left in the servant. When I realised what I'd done, I cursed and yelled at Stefan, and he fled. I sat back down at the base of the tree and noted the sun had set while I fed. In the middle of the night, Emily Bennett briefly stopped by with a message and a daylight ring. The message, cryptic at best and vague at worst made little sense and in the intervening years stayed in the back of my mind. Never forgotten but not thought of.
Noting a sense of urgency I left Mystic Falls behind without a backwards glance and for ten years tried to find the reason behind the feeling without any luck, just when I was about to shut my emotions off, I met Sage, an older vampire who took me under her wing and showed me the ropes. By the time we had parted ways I had held more power than most vampires and could control the elements. The sense of urgency I'd felt after completing my transition dulled almost wholly going away. It was a stop in a new city that I met Annabelle again, our first meeting since living in Mystic Falls didn't end well.
It was then I'd found out that the vampires hadn't been burned in the church the night I'd died but were trapped underneath in a tomb Emily Bennett had sealed. It was that information that brought back Emily's cryptic words back to the fore. The next meeting with Annabelle while still bumpy it ended better, and with an agreement between her and I., I confided the truth to Annabelle of what I realised upon waking after my death and how I wanted to help her get her mother out.
For the next few years, as we gathered as much information as we could on how to get Pearl out, we played siblings who'd just lost their parents. Playing the doting older brother when in public or around humans reminded me of how close Stefan and I had been growing up. A genuine friendship grew between Annabelle and me.
On and off throughout the next thirty years, Stefan would come crashing back into my life and usually with some problem or another needs to be dealt with. During one of Stefan's switched off ripper binges I met Lexi, a vampire trying to help Stefan both gain control over his bloodlust and also switch his emotions back on. She asked for my help, which I declined and we ended up in an argument. The next day I'd gone to visit a witch to find any more information about the tomb when Lexi appeared and killed the witch before I could, she stayed to rub it in my face. Lexi and my brother believed I was still in love with Katherine and was trying to find a way to free her from the tomb. Since I wasn't willing to help my brother, Lexi killed the witch to keep me from being able to release the supposed woman I loved. When Annabelle contacted me to catch up, I explained what had happened. While we had a good laugh at the absurdity of still loving Katherine, she was furious about Lexi killing the witch before I could find any recent information out.
Three years later and I was betrayed by one of my bastard half brother's descendants and brought to the Augustine Society, I met Enzo another vampire held a prisoner in the name of science. The torture and abuse that followed nearly drove the both of us mad. By the end of the third year, Enzo and I had made a plan of escape; the only thing was it would take a further two years to pull it off. As planned I managed to escape, and after throwing Enzo two of our captors, I drained another two. While feeding one of the fleeing humans knocked something that started a fire, the fire separated the room in two; Enzo was on one side while I was on the other.
Enzo yelled for me to go, to leave him and go. I tried anyway to help him, but it was in vain. He bid goodbye and as I left I shut off my emotions for the first time. Once out I hunted down every member of the Augustine Society including the Salvatore member. Annabelle joined me on some of the hunts after we caught up and she found out what happened there. Annabelle coaxed me to turn my emotions back on.
In1988 the dull urgency I felt the change, a sense of waiting for something replaced it. On September 13th the feeling strengthened, the shift in sensation brought me to speak to Sheila Bennett, a descendant of Emily Bennett and one of the many Bennett's I'd watch over from afar and help when I could. I arrived back in Mystic Falls two days later. Sheila greeted me warily at first before recognition sparked and she invited me in.
"Damon Salvatore, it's been a long time," Sheila said a fond smile is spreading across her face.
"Sheila Bennett, the last time was on your wedding day. I'm sorry I didn't stay to watch the ceremony or go to the reception afterwards." I reply, she waves her hand before sitting down.
"I understand, too many witches without knowledge of your friendly status. I have a small idea as to why you're here, but why don't you explain from the beginning." Sheila states as she stirs a cup of herbal tea, that sat freshly brewed.
"I'm guessing the spirits warned you like I have to ask." I say with a grin, causing Sheila to laugh, "of course they do." She replies. I then launch into the story everything from Emily's cryptic message the last time I saw her, to what I'd done over the years.
Sheila sat back when I finished; her eyes looked over my shoulder at someone I couldn't see. She seemed to be listening before she took a sip of her tea and turned to me.
"Emily said it isn't time for you to know the meaning of her message yet when the time is right I'll be told to pass it onto you. Right at this moment, I can only tell you that the change you've noticed is fine. You are part of something much larger, and you're waiting for the others involved to be ready. The spirits ask that you not turn your emotions off again, you may miss a change or a flux in intensity that you feel if you have them turned off;" Sheila explains.
I nod resigned, "Of course, I know neither you or the spirits would lead me astray. Thank you, Sheila, is there anything I can help you with?" I ask watching as Sheila sighs before she shakes her head. I leave a few minutes later, feeling like something kept from me. I decided not to stay in town and flew back to my apartment in New York. I contacted Annabelle; the phone rang twice before she answered.
"Hello Damon, or should I still be calling you big brother?" the laughter in her voice caused me to smile. "Hello, Anna, whichever you prefer. It was fun to play the doting older brother to you throughout the years. How have you been, keeping out of trouble I hope." I asked, knowing she would laugh. Her laughter sounded hollow through the phone, and I worried.
"I'm okay mostly; I dropped off some more blood to the tomb. There is a vampire that shouldn't be let out, Fredrick. He wants to cause the streets of Mystic Falls to run with blood before burning the town down. He's too dangerous to be free, he has a small following of other vampires, but I think if they see the danger of following his plans we might be able to keep the town safe." Annabelle said the sigh in her voice caused my heart to clench.
"Anna, we will get your mother out. I promise even if it kills me, you will be reunited. I know you are older than me, but I see you as a little sister. You certainly are a better sibling than my brother. Do you remember when I mentioned the hollow feeling I had since my transition?" I asked, knowing that changing the topic would help Annabelle from becoming too depressed.
"Yes, I still find it strange. I've asked others, and no one has had it ever happen to them. Has it changed?" Anna asked the curiosity in her voice caused me to smile.
"It has changed, its replaced by a tugging sensation. I visited Sheila Bennett, and she said it's not time for me to know yet, that the feeling will strengthen and fade over time. I won't follow it for a few years, just until I've worked out a pattern and then I want to try. Anna don't mention the change to anyone, I don't know what it means, and I don't know what will happen." I said as I sat down rubbing my brow.
"Of course big brother. I hope it means the wait will be short for you." Anna said before she rang off.
Six years passed and I found a pattern, the tugging always strengthened on the 13th of September and would fade on the 14th. Annabelle would ring and check in and see if I had any luck finding where the tugging was leading me. Over this period she would stop by and stay for a few months, in those few months we'd play siblings. We kept dropping off blood to the tomb vampires, one of the times I went I spoke to them and found Frederick to be unshakable in his goals if he got free. I kept practising my powers; Anna was in awe of how much power I could control. I spent the rest of our time together teaching her, showing how to gain a familiar and other talents that I knew. One thing she couldn't do was control the elements, she could cause fog to blanket a small area, but that was it, though she loved being able to do just that.
Eight years after that, I moved back to Mystic Falls. There I found my brother had enrolled in high school and was dating a girl that was Katherine's twin. Annabelle came with me; she didn't stay at the boarding house with me but met and befriended Sheila and stayed with her. Bonnie, Sheila's granddaughter, wasn't happy with the arrangement, but she couldn't do much about it.
Annabelle and I had a plan to get her mother Pearl out of the tomb the night Hailey's comet passes over the town. I had gotten Sheila on side and Annabelle, and I had confided in Sheila the truth, she was unsurprised and reminded us that Emily's spirit and Nature told her everything she needed to know. The night the comet passed, changed everything. Annabelle and I got her mother out; I pretended to be distraught when Katherine was nowhere to be found, keeping everyone but Annabelle and Sheila in the dark about the real reason the tomb was opened. Later that night Sheila Bennett died after laying down to rest. Bonnie Sheila's granddaughter blamed me for Sheila's death and had already tried to burn me to a crisp.
At Sheila's funeral, the tugging sensation got stronger; it wasn't until I was at the gravesite I was able to look around, yet I couldn't see anyone unknown. I stayed by the lowered coffin until most of the crowd had left. I felt like whoever the tugging was coming from was right beside me and yet I was alone. The next shock came when Sheila's lawyer called me to go for the reading of the will as I was mentioned. Bonnie glared at me when I entered the boardroom at the lawyer's office.
Mr James was a middle-aged average looking man.
"I have two letters one for miss Bonnie Bennett and the other for Mr Damon Salvatore," Mr James started, he handed the letters over before looking over the last will of Sheila Bennett.
"To miss Bonnie Bennett, the house in Mystic Falls, one trust Sheila has in your name and the families' diary collection. There is a trust for one Lucy Bennett, a letter for an Abigail Bennett. There are two letters one for an Emma Swan and the other to Isabella Swan; the two Swans also receive property and heirlooms. There is a package to a Mr Mikaelson that I've sent off. Mr Salvatore has received a small piece of land outside of Mystic Falls. That's everything, thank you for coming." Mr James finished, he handed lists and copies of the will out to everyone present. With a handshake and signing over the deeds I left, Sheila's letter in my pocket.
I waited until I was back in my bedroom at the boarding house before I opened it.
'Dear Damon,
The spirits warned me that I wouldn't survive the night of the comet, but I wanted to do something meaningful in my last few hours. I'd been ill for a while. Annabelle knew, and I swore her to secrecy, she offered her blood, but it didn't help. Don't blame her for not telling you. There is a piece of land adjacent to the one I willed to you, I couldn't afford to buy it, but I had planned to buy it and will it to Annabelle. I thought it would be a good idea so that Pearl and Anna could start fresh in town with a house of their own.
Before I died, the spirits warned me of events that are coming. I know of the pull you have, and I understand why, and whom it relates to, I'm not able to let you know. The spirits warn against turning your emotions off, the balance of nature depends on you keeping your emotions on and not to leave Mystic Falls for a few years. Soon you'll understand, and the tugging will no longer be an issue.
When a special someone enters your life, look after them well. She already has another after her, and this person will need to be dealt with not long after you meet your match. Follow your instincts, and know she will be able to get guidance from the spirits and I. Trust the feelings you have around your match.
Your friend,
Sheila.'
The letter created more questions than it solved, but I took the hint Sheila had left for me and went to the city hall and bought the land, placed the deed into Annabelle's name. When I arrived at Bennett's house where Annabelle had been staying she was standing at the doorstep begging the person inside about something.
"Bonnie, please allow me to gather my things and then I'll leave. I had no idea that opening the tomb would kill your grandmother." Anna said, she turned when she saw me her eyes were red from crying. I pulled her into a hug and hushed her, no matter that she had her mother back and that we weren't indeed brother and sister. She was a sister to me, and so I comforted her.
"Bonnie, Sheila was ill long before she opened the tomb. She knew she'd pass away and wanted to reunite a mother and daughter in her last few hours. I know you hate me and want me dead but please just let Annabelle gather her things." I said looking at the new witch peaking through a crack in the doorway.
"I don't believe you, my grandmother was fine," Bonnie said he glare at me softened as she watched how Annabelle calmed.
"There are a lot of things you don't know in this world Bonnie, some of these things are hidden for the safety of others. Your family has been friends of mine for many years, I've watched over and helped different members of your line since Emily helped me after I transitioned. If you don't believe me ask the spirits, they'll explain things to you." I said as Annabelle moved to the side, brushing away the last few tears.
"I'll talk to the spirits first, and then I'll decide," Bonnie said before she shut the door, Annabelle's shoulders slumped as she turned to look at me.
"What do I do now, all my belongings are here, and I have nowhere to stay. Mother is still trying to adjust to this time." Annabelle said.
"You and your mother can stay at the boarding house until everything is sorted," I said as I led her towards my car. We arrived at the boarding house after having picked up Pearl who had been hiding in the forest nearby. I showed them to a couple of rooms, let them settle in before I showed them both the letter from Sheila and the deed in Annabelle's name.
A/N: *peeks from behind furniture*
Sorry, it's been so long since I've updated, real life got in the way.