Walking Wounded – Inspired by episode 3x18 – Murder of One.
Damon, Stefan and their friends help each other deal with the physical and emotional consequences of the recent events in their lives. Damon/Stefan/Elena/Caroline/Bonnie/Matt/Alaric.
CHAPTER 11. DAMON, ALARIC
Caroline manned the laptop with the others hovering around her. "Seems like a standard relational database with a few customizations." Caroline said thoughtfully.
"How do you know all this stuff?" Matt asked impressed.
"Years of event planning. Pick up a few things here and there." Caroline shrugged. "Profiles are organized alphabetically. Here we go...Salvatore."
"What does it say about me?" Damon interjected walking into the room with Elena, his arm still around her shoulder.
"It's not always about you." Caroline snipped.
"If I'm going to be featured on IVDB, I'd better make sure that at least the photos are hot."
"You're no movie star." Caroline countered then returned to her work. "Okay. Stefan Salvatore. Born Mystic Falls 1847. Descent Italian. Father Giuseppe Salvatore. Know residences Mystic Falls 1864, 1957, 2009, Monterey 1917, Chicago 1922, New York, Rome. Turned 1864 by Katherine Pierce nee Katerina Petrova. There's a hyperlink." Caroline clicked on the link bringing up Katherine's profile and scanned it quickly. "Turned by Rose. Hmm. No hyperlink to Rose. Perhaps there are some genealogical charts." Caroline began scrolling through the menus.
Alaric quietly stepped away from the group and sat on the sofa closing his eyes momentarily. Instantly sensing a change Damon followed him. "Ric?" he asked.
Alaric opened his eyes and gave Damon a look of utter hatred.
"What's your name?" Damon asked sharply the others now congregated tightly around him. Alaric smiled the hate in his eyes making his expression grotesque.
"Where's the stake?" Damon ordered.
Alaric spit in Damon's face with the force of all his revulsion.
Damon grabbed Alaric by the shoulders. "Your days are numbered!" He snarled." You do not get to highjack my friend!"
Alaric blinked once and looked at Damon's face in horror. "Take me downstairs. Now!" He pleaded.
Stefan and Caroline pulled Alaric off the sofa and led him out of the room. Alaric took a couple of steps then grabbed the nearest lamp and swung it viciously breaking it against Caroline's back. He fought maniacally when Stefan dragged him downstairs and shoved him into the cell. A roar of defiance reverberated throughout the house.
Damon backed up and stormed out through the French doors. He wiped his face roughly with his sleeve and furiously shoved his foot into one of the planters shattering it into pieces. He picked up the fragments and flung them across the yard then moved on to the next planter, breaking, destroying , his face a mask of agony.
It was dark when Damon returned to the house. He sat at the top of the stairs leading to the cellar listening. After hours of silence the Alter had finally begun talking.
"We will get it out of you." Stefan said his tone menacing.
"You won't hurt me because if you do you will hurt him." The Alter said with cold confidence.
"I know you." Stefan said just as coolly."I know how you think. And you won't win. Where's the stake?" He asked again.
"I have all the time in the world, while you are rapidly running out of time. You've already lost. You just won't admit it to yourselves. Hear that Damon?" He yelled upstairs. "You lose. He's gone. You'll never see him again."
Damon punched the wall in desperate fury then blurred down the stairs and into the cell slamming Alaric's body into the wall.
"Ric!" He yelled in painful desperation.
"Ow! Damon?" Alaric said wincing at the pain where his shoulders made contact with the wall. Damon dropped his hands in relief and collapsed onto his knees in emotional exhaustion.
"How long have I been gone?" Alaric asked seeing Damon's distress.
"Hours." Stefan said dispassionately, but his eyes reflected the sadness in Damon's.
"Get anything?" Alaric asked. Stefan shook his head a regretful "No".
Alaric slid to the floor beside Damon. He placed his hands in his head and for the first time since the disappearance of his wife he cried silent tears.
Alaric finally looked up at Damon and observed the dark circles that had reappeared beneath his eyes. "Do something for me?"
Damon nodded, his face drawn and tired.
"I need you to go upstairs and get some rest."
"Right." Damon said in complete disbelief.
"You can't help me like this. I need you strong." Alaric said forcefully. Damon just looked at him unwilling to move.
"He's not coming back. Not for a while." Alaric sighed.
"How do you know?" Damon asked suspiciously.
"I do." Was Alaric's quiet reply. "Now get out of here. I need to sleep too. I can deal with him better when I am well rested." Damon finally stood up and headed out of the cell. Alaric clasped Damon's arm and pulled him around.
"I will see you in the morning." Alaric emphasized the 'I' with such intensity that Damon could do nothing but nod.
A/N I very much appreciate your feedback especially if you can describe one specific thing that you liked or perhaps didn't like or raised a question for you. It helps me to know if what I am trying to do is actually working.