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"Hey, Ric, it's Damon. I'm just making sure you got home alright. Call me back."

"That last message was stupid. I know you're not gonna call me back, but at least just let me know you got home alright."

"Okay, I know I'm annoying you with these messages, but I feel terrible. Please call me back, or text me, or something. I really want to talk to you."

"I'm sorry, Ric. I'm sorry I kissed her, I'm sorry for everything. Please call me."

"Alaric…please…"

Alaric could tell Damon had gotten more drunk with each message, and he sighed to himself as he deleted them all and tossed his phone down on the kitchen table. He was running out of whiskey, and he mentally kicked himself for not actually getting more while he was out. How else was he going to drown away the burning pain in his chest?

He stared at his phone. He wanted to pick it up, call Damon, and apologize for driving off. He wanted to talk to the vampire for hours, just to get everything straight with their relationship.

"Straight. Yeah, right." Alaric mumbled to himself before finishing his glass of whiskey, and pouring himself more.

He wanted to give in to his emotions, but he couldn't. He wasn't going to call Damon. It hurt too much, and he wasn't putting himself through it anymore. As he told the vampire himself, Damon was going to do whatever he wanted and he wouldn't think twice about anyones feelings when he did.

Flashes of the black-haired vampire kissing Elena shot through Alaric's mind, sending his chest into another fit of deep pain. He drank more of his whiskey. The burn in his throat wasn't even half of the pain that was going on in his chest, but it helped his mind get rid of the god-awful images.

Before he could refill his glass again, his phone vibrated. Of course, it was Damon. Alaric let it go to voicemail and waited for the notification to pop up on the screen, then he immediately checked the message.

"If you won't answer my calls, I'm coming over there. I need to talk to you."

Ric deleted the message and sighed, setting his phone back on the table again. He contemplated going to his loft, but he knew that would be the second place Damon looked. He had nowhere to go, nowhere to hide from the vampire. Alaric picked up his phone and opened a new text message.

Don't come here. I don't want to see you.

He knew it was a lie, but he also knew that seeing Damon would hurt worse than being away from him. So he didn't bother to correct himself before he sent the message. A few seconds later, as Alaric was pouring another glass of whiskey, his phone vibrated once.

You listened to my messages, so you have to care somewhat. Please, Ric? I have so much to say.

"Yeah, well, I don't want to listen." Alaric said to himself before he turned his phone off, not replying to Damon's message. He stood up, taking the bottle of whiskey with him as he entered the hallway and ascended the stairs. His head was already starting to swim, which meant he would be able to sleep easily pretty soon. When he got in his bedroom, he shut and locked the door, as well as all the windows. He knew it wouldn't keep Damon out, but maybe it would send him a warning. Alaric then stripped and entered the bathroom, whiskey bottle still in hand. He started himself a second shower and got in quickly. He set the bottle of whiskey on one of the ledges of the tub, sitting down with his back to the spray of hot water. He relaxed a little bit as he let his eyes slip shut and let out a large breath. Taking another swig of whiskey, Alaric leaned against the side of the tub. He forced himself not to think of Damon, but it was proving more and more difficult as he became more tipsy.

At least the pain in his chest had stopped.

Alaric sat in the shower like that for at least twenty minutes before making himself get up. He almost stumbled back down as the alcohol took its effect. Turning the water off, he realized he hadn't gotten himself a towel from the hall closet, and he cursed under his breath. He carried his almost empty bottle of whiskey with him back into his bedroom.

"Naked shower drinking, I never thought I'd see you get to that level."

Alaric jumped at the voice, looking up and seeing Damon staring at him with a giant smirk on his face.

"Get the fuck out of here, Damon!" Ric tried not to raise his voice so he wouldn't wake Jeremy or Elena, but with all the anger pulsing through his body, it was difficult.

The vampire's eyes went down Alaric's body, then back up again, stopping on the human's groin. "Are you sure you don't forgive me? I could persuade you into it, if you want."

"I don't want you anywhere fucking near me." Alaric opened one of the drawers of the dresser next to the bed, getting out a pair of sleep pants and putting them on. He gulped the last of his whiskey and looked back at the vampire. "Get out, Damon."

"Not until you listen to me, Ric-"

"I'm not gonna listen to you, I don't want anything to do with you anymore." Alaric cut Damon off, making sure to stay a good bit away from him as he pointed to the bedroom door. "Get. Out."

Damon stared at Ric for a moment. "I'm not leaving."

"Yes," The human searched through the dresser again, pulling out a very sharp wooden stake. He turned back to Damon. "You are."

"Ric, please-"

"Don't you dare beg me, Damon Salvatore. This is your fault." Alaric pointed the stake at Damon, and the vampire's eyes flashed with hurt. Ric ignored it. "Get out."

Damon took a step closer to Alaric. "I'm not leaving, Ric. Not until you listen to me."

"You don't deserve me listening to anything you have to say." Ric forced himself not to look at the incredibly hurt look on Damon's face, because he knew he would break if he did. He held the stake tightly in his hand.

"You're right, I don't." Damon said, still stepping closer to the human. "But, I'm not leaving, until you do listen."

"I will shove this so hard into your chest, Damon, I don't even think you realize."

"You won't hurt me, I know you." The vampire smiled as he pressed his body against Alaric's bare front.

Sighing, and looking at the ceiling, Alaric pushed the wooden stake as far through Damon's stomach as he could. The vampire hunched over, and Ric held him up, speaking in his ear. "Obviously, you don't know me well enough." He pulled the blood-covered stake out of Damon's stomach, letting the vampire fall to the floor. Alaric stood over him as Damon rolled on the floor in pain. "Are you gonna leave now?"

"I…love-you…"

Alaric froze in place, still standing over the bleeding vampire. He felt tears welling in his eyes, unable to control it. "What the fuck did you just say to me."

Damon rolled on his back, so he could look at the human standing over him. "I love you, Alaric."

"Get out."

"Ric-"

"Get out!"

Damon disappeared, and Alaric sat on his bed, trying not to cry. Without any more alcohol to numb himself, he failed.

Alaric pulled on his jacket without a shirt, and didn't even bother to put any shoes on before he left the house and got in his car again, driving towards the cemetery. Once there, he found the grave he needed and fell to his knees in front of it, tears streaming down his face.

Jenna Sommers, 1980-2010. Loving sister, daughter, and aunt.

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A/N: creys ): review, please? :D