Chapter 26

"Stop!" Elena screamed, startling him as he slammed his stake down towards Damon's heart. He fell forward in surprise and stabbed through Damon's lung instead as Elena and Bonnie dashed into the room. Damon cried out in pain but stayed still gasping as Rick pulled up in horror and removed the stake from his back.

"Damon?!" Bonnie shouted and Damon slowly turned his head and looked towards them confused and in pain.

"Thank god!" Elena rushed forward and pushed Rick aside. He looked to Bonnie for answers.

"I may have something." She explained calmly and he exhaled and looked towards Damon again as he groaned and tried to push Elena away. She was fussing over him, trying to check his wounds.

"He's ok. He missed the heart." Elena said and Damon huffed in anger and rolled onto his back.

"Get out of here!" He growled and Bonnie stepped forward.

"Damon there may be something I can do to help." That got his attention. He sat up weakly against the headboard, holding his back as he did so. His wound wasn't healing and he grimaced as he pulled his hand back to see all of the blood coating it. He looked to Bonnie a little breathless.

"There's a spell for transferring someone's life force from one person to another. It normally only works with blood relatives but if you two are as connected as you believe then Stefan's life force might still exist in you somewhere. If it does, then I can try and use it to bring him back." Damon bit his tongue, she and Elena knew he and Stefan were siblings. Perhaps that's why she thought this had a chance at working.

"Do it."

"This isn't to be taken lightly though Damon. If it doesn't work it'll be a horrible death for you. Much worse than what you're going through right now." She warned and he gave a short laugh as he wheezed. "It'll be very painful Damon. Unbearable."

"Do it." He said firmly, becoming serious again. He looked over at Rick.

"I promise." Rick nodded at Damon's silent request. If this went wrong then Rick would finish him properly this time.

Bonnie took a deep breath and looked down to Stefan. She withdrew a blade from her pocket and cut across the palm of Stefan's hand. Damon grunted at the continuing effort to breathe with only one lung functioning and she reached out for his hand. He gave it to her shakily and she cut his palm too. He winced.

"Hold his hand Damon. Your blood connects you." She instructed and he pulled Stefan into his lap and held their bleeding hands together fiercely as she began to chant. Alaric and Elena looked above as light began to fill the room with a gust of wind swirling around them. Elena's hair fluttered around her face and she grabbed it back and tied it away so she could see as Damon began to breathe strangely. Was it his collapsed lung or was the spell working? Alaric squeezed her to him as Damon closed his eyes. He sounded like he was suffocating as Bonnie chanted on.

"Ahhh!" He screamed suddenly and Elena gasped. His body started to convulse and he fell onto his back gasping. Elena tried to go to him but Alaric held her firmly and shook his head when she implored him.

"Hold his hand Damon, don't let go!" Alaric shouted and Damon curled into himself but held Stefan to him, never breaking contact with his hand. The screaming seemed to go on forever as Elena buried her face into Alaric's chest and sobbed. Then all of a sudden there was silence. Slowly she lifted her head and looked towards Damon. She let out a sob of fear as she saw Damon lying motionless with his eyes open blankly.

"Damon?" She whispered and he didn't move. She ran over to him finally and touched his face. She looked over at Bonnie who was wiping her nose fiercely. "Did it work? Why is Damon not moving?"

Bonnie looked over at him sadly. She flicked her eyes up to Elena and sighed mournfully.

"I did the best I could." Bonnie mumbled, her words catching in her throat and Elena shook her head in denial.

"Damon? Damon open your eyes!" Elena called to him, climbing onto the bed and holding them to her. She had lost both of them. Stefan suddenly took a breath and opened his eyes wide in fear. She sat back in amazement and smiled. Stefan seemed terrified and confused as he gasped and looked around wildly. Elena reached for him and tried to soothe him as she helped him sit up.

"What…?" He panted as she cooed to him and stroked his face. He looked down at Damon next to him and panicked, grabbing him.

Damon? Damon?!

Damon's eyes were open but he didn't seem to be there. Stefan shook him and leaned down to scent his neck.

Damon come back, come back to me…

Stefan pulled back and tore at his wrist, spilling blood over himself as he fed him. He held his wrist there for a few seconds before leaning into Damon's neck and biting down. Elena moved away as they all watched. Damon smelled like roses and his blood was still orangey. Stefan pulled in a mouthful trying to connect again and very gradually he became aware of a small movement from Damon's lips. He pulled up and looked down at his face.

Damon?

Tired.

Damon! Drink!

Too tired Stefan.

Drink or I'll throttle you!

Damon's lips began to move slowly as Stefan's blood spilled down into his throat.

That's it, drink up.

Am I dead?

No.

Stefan's dead…

I'm here. Just drink.

"It's working!" Elena smiled elated and Stefan looked at her, at all of them. Bonnie straightened up, supported by Elena. Stefan took in her pallor and gait. She didn't look well. He realised she must have brought him back.

"Thank you." He choked and she nodded.

"We will give you some privacy." Alaric said respectfully and Stefan looked up at him in speechless wonder.

"What the hell...?" Everyone turned and looked to Jeremy as he stood eyes wide and pale. Elena got off of the bed and went to him as she and Bonnie exchanged worried glances. Jeremy didn't know anything about what was happening and now they were going to have to tell him everything. Elena had wanted to protect him from this, but now they had no choice but to clue him in. Jeremy was still frozen in shock by what he had witnessed and they had to drag him out to leave Stefan to attend to Damon in privacy.

Damon was now holding his wrist drinking fully. Stefan pulled his wrist away and lay back down, rolling Damon on top of him with his arms and holding Damon's face to his neck. Damon was deep in blood fever and couldn't talk yet but it didn't matter. Stefan could still feel everything.

Love. Overwhelming love.

Stefan smiled and held him.

Unconditional love Damon.

Damon moaned in relief and held Stefan tightly. He drank for a while, his lips sucking gently like butterfly kisses as Stefan closed his eyes and enjoyed the sensation until he rolled away and lay breathing staring up at the ceiling. Stefan sighed and reached for his hand.

You died.

I know.

They held each other's hand tightly and turned towards each other.

You just had to have the last word didn't you?

Stefan began to laugh and Damon laughed too.

"I love you." Damon spoke and Stefan's heart melted. They kissed gently as Stefan held Damon's cheek, stroking his cheekbone with his thumb. Stefan had been ripped from his body so suddenly it had been terrifying and confusing until he had heard Damon calling to him. Their connection pulled at him and he had found his way back to watch as Damon had tried to revive him and then started a whirlwind of suicide attempts. He'd been so powerless to do anything but watch it happen and now he was back again, alive. He broke the kiss and held Damon's face seriously.

"Don't ever do that again." Damon raised his eyebrows in query. "You have to live Damon. If anything happens to me, don't you dare give up again." Damon swallowed painfully and looked down in remembrance.

"You could have flown to Anne." Stefan stroked his cheekbone again and Damon squeezed his eyes closed.

"Not without you." Damon's voice was pained.

"I was here. I had to watch you. Promise me you won't try and hurt yourself again." Stefan's voice became urgent and Damon looked back up to his eyes.

"I can't Stefan. Why would I want to be here without you?"

"Because I'd still be part of you. I'd still be here, even if you can't see me and I want you to live."

"Stefan…" Damon whined.

"If you die, would you want to watch me kill myself?" Stefan posed and Damon held him tighter in response. Stefan searched his eyes and Damon caved and closed his eyes sighing. Stefan kissed his forehead and pulled him into an embrace comfortably.

"I love you." Stefan whispered and Damon smiled. They lay, just holding each other. The rest of the world was completely forgotten during that precious time. They both felt utterly exhausted. Stefan nuzzled his neck and stroked over his back, checking for any wounds. Damon seemed to be completely healed again. Stefan pulled back and traced over his own heart with his fingers.

"Without human blood." He said amazed. "It's really true." Damon smiled and pulled his face into his, rubbing their noses and closing their eyes. Every cell in their bodies pushed them to curl around each other and sleep.

Elena…

Elena loves you too Stefan. I think just as much as I do.

Stefan looked at him, waiting for any jealousy to show.

"It's ok. I know you love her." Damon stroked his hair and Stefan sighed.

"Not as much as you. You are everything." Stefan reassured and Damon smiled. He could hear the rate of Stefan's heart and could tell how spent he was from that. He guided Stefan onto his back and leaned over him.

They are all downstairs. The bodies! We have to clean it all up.

Sleep little blood machine.

But…

You've just come back from the dead. Sleeeeep.

Stefan huffed a little at Damon's insistence and Damon kissed him, pulling a blanket around him as he carefully got out of the bed. He sent Stefan thoughts of sleep and comfort and Stefan's eyelids drooped as he gave in. Damon walked down to the lounge, leaning on the walls for support. That spell had nearly ended him. He'd kept up his pretence that he was ok until he could leave Stefan but now he felt like he could collapse and sleep for decades. It had felt like his insides were being ripped out. The pain was immeasurable. Everyone looked up in surprise as he entered. He could tell from their expressions that he didn't look well. Elena came to him and helped him over to the sofa. Jeremy squinted at him, studying him with his new information on board and Damon gave a weak smirk.

"Are you ok?" Elena queried and he smiled.

"Stefan's alive." Was all he said in response. He could tell she wanted to go to Stefan but he knew Stefan's body wasn't ready yet. He felt the urge to growl come upon him as she looked to the stairs but he caught himself and exhaled instead. "He's asleep." He said and she nodded, blushing slightly as she realised he had known her intentions.

"Bonnie…" Damon started, but he had no idea what to say. She smiled and nodded at him and he relaxed.

"Well, we better clear all of this up before someone finds the bodies." Rick spoke up and Damon looked to him in appreciation.

"Call the Sherriff. She trusts me, knows that I know. I gave her some vervain earlier. I suggested Logan might be a vampire."

"What are you going to tell her?" Jeremy asked and Damon squeezed his eyes closed in fatigue for a minute.

"Tell her that Logan attacked me and I had to fight him and a few others off. I only survived because Rick got involved and helped me home afterwards." Damon suggested and Rick nodded in surprise albeit agreement.

"She'll want to know if you're ok. She'll probably want to talk to you." Bonnie added.

"Tell her I'm recovering at home. I think we need a few days to recover anyway." He referred to he and Stefan and everyone agreed. "Elena, please give us a few days." He looked to her and she smiled. He could tell she was disappointed but their health had to come first. She imagined that the next few days would be concerned with feeding from each other anyway, so it's not as though they'd be much company if she did try and visit to check on them.

"That settles it then." Rick said and everyone stood up. The girls left to go back to Bonnie's car with Jeremy in toe as his head continued to reel and Rick stopped in front of Damon.

"Thanks for your help." Damon said earnestly and he nodded.

"I can't pretend to understand what the hell just happened or why you saved me. Fact is you took my wife from me and I'm never going to be able to forget that." Damon looked to the ground. "But if you can protect the people I love here and not hurt anyone else, I'll call it a truce."

Damon looked up at him. He gave a silent nod and Rick nodded too. He headed out towards the door when Damon called him from his chair. He turned to look around at him.

"I'm sorry…about Isobel." Damon said sincerely and Rick gave him a tight smile and left quietly.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Damon's recovery wasn't an easy one. Bonnie hadn't been kidding when she'd warned him of how serious the spell had been. He actually felt as though he'd been torn in two. He had climbed up to bed after everyone had left and slept for the next two days without waking at all. Stefan had been at his wits end but finally he awoke.

He opened his eyes hazily and blinked. He was warm and cosy. He closed his eyes again and sighed comfortable. He had no conception of where he was at all until he felt arms enfold him from behind. Stefan held him around his stomach and stroked over his abdomen gently. Damon couldn't summon the energy to talk telepathically right now so he hummed instead. Stefan began to scent his back sweetly, kissing his spine. Damon lay happy to absorb the sensation for a while.

Love

Stefan was talking but he couldn't muster the energy to answer just yet. His stomach rumbled and Stefan paused, biting his shoulder playfully.

Hungry.

He finally channelled and Stefan slowly pulled him over onto his other side to face him. He opened his eyes and looked up at him as Stefan frowned and stroked his hair away from his face.

You still look sick.

Damon blinked a few times, trying to survey his body. Stefan brought him closer and guided him towards his neck. Roses filled his nose and he bit down. Stefan's blood was so concentrated and amazing that he latched onto him with his arms as he drank. The blood had never tasted as good to his memory as he fluttered his eyes closed peacefully. Stefan wrapped his limbs around him securely making small gasps of pleasure every now and then as Damon tested his off switch to the limit.

Damon can't hold it much longer…

Please more Stefan.

"Uhhh, uhhh…" Stefan sweated and pushed Damon backwards, trying to avoid pulling Damon further into him for sex. Damon whined and frowned in hunger and Stefan felt so guilty. He stroked Damon's face as he regained his composure and Damon lay back down still pale and weak.

Hungry.

"I know, but if we have sex you're not going to get better." Stefan cooed and Damon frowned again. Stefan kissed him chastely and got out of the bed, going to a small fridge he had brought up to the room. Damon curled into himself unhappily until Stefan came back into the bed with a bottle of blood. He opened the top and Damon looked at him.

Can't.

You can, this is my blood Damon.

Damon looked to the bottle in disbelief and Stefan pulled him to him, helping him sit upright against him and helping him drink from the bottle. Damon drank it all hungrily. Once he'd finished Stefan got him a second and a third before Damon fell asleep again. He was so glad he'd started bottling his blood. Now that his body produced more for Damon to feed on when he needed to, Stefan had decided that they should always have reserves available to them in case something terrible happened again. He wasn't going to take the chance that Damon would starve. He felt like he had when they'd mated, unwilling to leave Damon at all. All he wanted to do was hold him, feed him and join with him. Perhaps their brief separation in death had caused it and now Stefan's every thought was about restoring their connection properly. It was frustrating having to wait while Damon healed. He felt lonely without him. His body ached for the joining, but Damon was barely communicating still and it was a hard pill to swallow. Still, they were alive.

After a few days of feeding Damon from both himself and bottles, people started to call and text them to check in. Stefan had been overwhelmed by their kindness and concern. Elena had come round to talk and he'd managed to pull himself away from Damon for that short hour. He did love her still, just not like she wanted and he could tell. To him she was like a sister now and although she still loved him like a boyfriend she could grow to be happy about her new role in his life. It seemed that the longer Damon slept, the more people enquired and worried for him and Stefan finally began to believe that he had changed their minds about him finally. They had seen real parts of Damon and the wonderful human capacity to forgive and adapt came into play. Perhaps they could stay here. Perhaps Damon could really start again.

It had been a week since everything had happened and Stefan became pained as he climbed in beside Damon. He held him, foreheads touching as he let some tears drop from his eyes. Bonnie had said that Damon had allowed her to rip his soul, his life force in half to bring Stefan back. Did it mean that Damon would always only be half here and half somewhere in limbo? Stefan felt so strong and full of energy. It wasn't fair that Damon should still be lying here. His heart ached.

Please, if there is a god or something out there…let Damon come back to me.

Perhaps the blood wasn't enough to heal this kind of wound. Damon stirred in his arms and Stefan pulled himself together as Damon nuzzled into his neck hungry. This was how it was the past few days. Damon barely woke, he just intimated his need to feed and then would sleep again afterwards. Stefan tilted his neck and Damon bit down as Stefan stroked his arm.

If this is all I can have of you then I'll still cherish it. I'll always look after you.

Damon didn't channel anything back lately and Stefan closed his eyes sadly. He kept the switch off and listened to Damon drinking. As he continued Stefan felt a strange sensation start at his feet. He was tingling. He cracked his toes trying to shake the feeling off but it travelled up his leg. He grunted and brought his knees up. He couldn't let hold of Damon to touch his legs though as Damon normally didn't have the strength to hold himself against Stefan's neck. Heat began to burn up his legs now and he huffed and gently pushed Damon onto his side again so he could investigate. Damon groaned, frowning with his eyes open for a change and Stefan sat up a little and looked down at his skin. The veins! The red veins were back and climbing up him again!

He'd been terrified when this had last happened but now he laughed in amazement. The veins were part of their mating finalising, were they back because Damon was lost? Could it help? His head spun as he watched them spread, trying not to be afraid. He looked to Damon and breathed in surprise when he saw Damon's eyes fixated on the veins too. Was he with him right now?

"Damon?" Stefan asked in wonder and Damon growled, his eyes changing to his vampire self. Even this reaction was welcomed by Stefan as his heart sped up in hope. The veins were into his torso now and he flushed from the heat. He lay on his back and looked to Damon as Damon sat up and leaned over him. Stefan's heart battered against his ribs as Damon growled again.

Find me again. Drink Damon.

Damon flicked his eyes to Stefan's for a second and let his fangs fill his mouth as he leaned down and sniffed the growing veins. The blood in these was so potent and different from their normal blood. Stefan had felt electrocuted by it when he had fed on Damon during mating. This blood would heal him, he could feel it. Damon licked over his chest suddenly and Stefan almost wept in happiness.

Blood.

Take it Damon. It's for you.

Mine.

Drink!

Damon bit down and began to feast, making a mess of their bed as he pulled out more than he could actually swallow. Still Stefan didn't care if it looked like there had been a massacre in here as long as Damon didn't stop. Damon moaned and clawed at him but Stefan felt no pain, urging Damon to keep biting. Damon drank for hours as Stefan urged him on, spinning a little from the pleasure it gave him. He could feel Damon gyrating against him now, unhappy at Stefan's clothing barrier. He lifted his head and Damon looked up at him growling a little.

Sex.

Damon sent the thought at him, although it was more of a command than anything.

Damon?

Sex!

Damon growled again and Stefan pulled Damon up to his face. It didn't sound like he was fully back yet but he was awake and strong. Stefan searched his eyes for his Damon as Damon huffed and growled, trying to open Stefan's jeans.

"No." Stefan said gently and Damon paused in surprise.

Damon where are you?

Stefan searched and Damon's face calmed a little as his normal eyes returned.

Sex Stefan.

Is that really you?

Please Stefan.

Damon's face was blank but it seemed like him talking. Stefan leaned up and kissed him slowly. Damon didn't seem to know how to respond properly and Stefan's face crumpled in anguish.

"Sex Stefan." Damon spoke and Stefan stroked his face. Perhaps Damon needed this to finish their connection, to join them again completely. He reached down and undid the rest of his jeans as Damon focussed on his face and he kicked the jeans off. Damon's skin was warm against his, probably from the new blood inside of him now. He nodded at him.

Sex Damon.

He sent the permission back and Damon blinked and lifted his legs onto his shoulders. He entered him and Stefan lay his head back as Damon took him. Damon seemed so urgent about the movements that the whole bed shook with his thrusting and Stefan panted at the passion. He looked up to Damon again and his eyes seemed clearer. He moaned and clenched his muscles, sparking a sigh from Damon as he leaned forward and bit into Stefan's neck to drink again. Stefan spiralled into pleasure and climaxed breathlessly as Damon drank on. Before Stefan had a chance to recover Damon spun him over and mounted him again and Stefan leaned back into him and lay his head on his arms. Damon bit into his back and drank. Stefan knew he wouldn't last much longer and cried loudly as Damon stroked his prostate. Damon climaxed inside of him but kept drinking until they both slumped forwards flat onto the bed. Damon drank sloppily from the back of Stefan's neck and Stefan tried to regulate his breathing again. He didn't dare to hope that the veins had worked their magic again.

Damon?

Damon hummed as he drank on. Stefan closed his eyes and prayed again.

My little blood machine.

Stefan's eyes popped open and Damon began to stroke his skin as he drank a little more gently. Damon pulled his mouth away after a minute and placed a kiss on Stefan's shoulder.

"Damon?" Stefan whispered. Damon pulled his member out of Stefan and sat back breathing as Stefan rolled onto his back and gazed up at him. Damon licked his lips and hummed. Stefan sat up fully and grabbed Damon's shoulders.

"Stefan…" Damon breathed panting. He opened his eyes and Stefan cupped his face.

"You're back." Stefan whispered and Damon smiled still panting. Stefan pressed their foreheads together. "The veins came. They brought you back."

Something else to tell Anne. She must have a book on us by now.

Damon jested.

"What happened?" Stefan asked seriously. Damon calmed and swallowed.

"It was like…I was lost. I didn't know where I was. Sometimes I could feel you and hear you but…" Damon stumbled. He sighed and shrugged. "I just knew I needed to touch you, to be in you."

Don't ever leave me again Damon.

How about we both try and not die for a while?

Stefan nodded in agreement.

"It seems like we are always dying or nearly dying." Stefan was emotional and Damon stroked his arms gently. "Let's get out of here, go somewhere in the middle of the damn Andes or something!"

"Sounds…remote." Damon smiled but he could see Stefan was serious. "What about Mystic Falls?" Stefan stared at him unable to think of what to say. "This is our home. This is where you want to be."

"It's too dangerous here." Stefan sighed sadly.

"Death follows us everywhere Stefan. We might as well set up camp somewhere we can really live for a while."

"You want to stay here?" Stefan asked in disbelief. Damon didn't even know how much everyone had been concerned for his recovery yet, but he was willing to stay?

"I can do this now."

"I don't want to force you into anything." Stefan cupped his cheek and Damon hummed.

"This could be my home again. The people here aren't so bad."

I could grow to like that Alaric guy as long as he doesn't try to kill me.

Stefan smiled at his stray thought and Damon kissed him. Stefan pulled back and stroked Damon's face lovingly.

"I hear he's a bourbon drinker." Stefan raised one eyebrow and Damon smirked.

Damon took note of his body as he stretched. He felt ten times stronger than before, he couldn't quite figure it out. Stefan sent him all of the memories of how everyone had been asking for him, hoping for his recovery and he sighed in amazement. He could see just how much Damon's illness had affected Stefan as Stefan gazed at him in awe. He pulled him to him and squeezed him, kissing Stefan's head. Stefan's emotions were all over the place, mixed in with his new instincts to keep Damon close to him and practically hibernate. Damon chuckled at those instincts. Stefan wanted to keep him in bed, making love and feeding and forget about the outside world in fear that something would happen to them again, but Damon knew it was based on fear. They had come back here to live and that was what Damon intended to do. For the first time in as long as he could remember, he actually wanted to live. They lay down and curled into each other kissing. Stefan was picturing all of the best places for them to retreat to in his mind. Damon had to stop him thinking like that.

This is our town Stefan.

Huh?

Others might come for the tomb some time and I wanna be here to make sure they don't get in.

Damon sent him a mental image of the two of them guarding the perimeter of Mystic Falls and Stefan gave him a tight non-committal smile.

Nothing is normal around us. We better get used to it. We can't live our lives afraid Stefan. We belong here. I didn't used to get that but I do now. I want this for you, this life, this family of people around you.

Around us.

Well…

No Damon, you've changed and they saw it. You saved all of their lives. They can be your family too.

Ok Stefan, whatever you say.

They lay in silence for a while, Stefan tracing circles into Damon's chest with his finger tips.

I want to stay.

Stefan squeezed him feeling guilty and afraid at the same time and Damon kissed his head.

Then we'll stay. This is our town.

Elena…

Stefan caught his thoughts again and looked up at Damon guiltily.

I don't know how she is possible but we will protect her Stefan, till the end.

Stefan smiled happily and closed his eyes.

If anyone comes here and starts trouble they'll have to deal with us.

"Amen brother." Damon said smirking.

It was settled, they were staying. For as long as they were here, no one would mess with their town.

FIN

Move on to 'The Mated Pair' for part three of the series!