Isobel POV

The black sheet that enveloped me into a numbing silence was slowly cracking, golden rays breaking through the paper-thin creases and bursting into a flush of light. My eyelids fluttered open, Stefan's concerned face, filling my blurry vision. My head was lulled back against his muscular arm as he cradled my limp body into his chest, his gentle touch stroking my long hair.

"Isobel." He cooed.

That's when it hit me again. The agony, the unbearable sorrow, the unhappiness. I clutched Stefan's arm tightly; squeezing it until red was permanently marked into his skin. I struggled frantically to get up, I commanded my limbs to move quicker, no matter how wobbly and jelly-like they were. My pulse began to race violently, my breathing coming out in short, clipped pants.

"Damon!" I called out. "Where's Damon?" I questioned hastily.

Stefan's brows furrowed, a deeper worry written into them. "He's gone Isobel…don't you remember? He left."

I writhed in his arms, however he held me firmly in place.

No… Damon couldn't just leave. No.

"I have to find him. I have to-" I exclaimed heatedly, my face flushed from fighting perilously in a fierce plea for Stefan to release me from his embrace.

"Relax. You just passed out. It can wait. Let him cool off." He urged.

"He's never going to cool off." I countered. "I need to find him now Stefan." I thrashed in his arms, but his hands remained stiffly locked around me.

"No. You need to rest. If you don't calm down, all of this stress you're putting yourself through, is going to make you faint again." He argued.

Tears began to sting my eyes. "You don't understand Stefan…I need to find him please-just let me go." I cried feebly.

"No. You need to wait Isobel. If something happens to you-" his voice cracked. "Just no-he's unstable. He could hurt you."

"Damon would never hurt me." I fired back, angrily.

"Are you sure about that?" he spat. " Because after today's little episode, I might rethink that statement." He said harshly, although I know he was only trying to protect me.

I stopped struggling, sweeping my fingers against his jaw tenderly, catching his eyes with mine purposely, and holding them. "I will be fine." I soothed, his grip loosening. He unwound his arms from me and helped me up. My throbbing limbs begrudgingly complying, the support of his warm hand never leaving the small of my back.

"Ok. Fine then." He agreed. "But I'm coming with you."

I shrunk away from him. "No you're not. I need to do this alone. If you come I won't be able to fix anything. You being there, will only make him madder."

He snorted, "I don't care, that's his problem. I need to make sure you're safe."

"I told you I'll be fine." I growled, agitation seeping into my pours, more heat rising in my cheeks.

"But what if you're not? What if he does hurt you? Then what?" he boomed. "I know my brother and he can turn easily on the people he claims to love."

"You're forgetting that I know him better than anyone Stefan! I know exactly what he is and isn't capable of, so don't you tell me!" I yelled, beginning to bristle past him, snatching my car keys off of the side table. Stefan grabbed my arm before I could take another step away, his grip unyielding.

"Isobel I can't let you leave." He said dryly.

I twisted my wrist in his hand, tugging, trying to wriggle free. Tears of desperation began to leak from my eyes. "Let go of me!" I shrieked, his hand immediately dropped to his side. "I need to talk to him Stefan! I need him to understand-"

"Understand what?" he barked.

"Why I did it!" I wept, the sheer helplessness, sounding foreign in my own ears.

"Oh, way to make it sound like you made one big fucking mistake! I'm sorry that you and I are in a relationship that he was clueless to. But guess what? I'm not the one that hid it from him, now am I?" he bit back, rage swirling through the air. "Why can't you just let him go Isobel? He doesn't want anything to do with you anymore. Why can't you just be happy with me?" his voice dulled into a pleading question, cloaked in sadness.

"Because he's my best friend…and without him…" I drifted off, unsure myself what I was going to say.

"Without him what? You can't live-be happy?" hurt lacing his words. "Why can't you live for me? Can I not provide you any speck of happiness? I love you Isobel, I would do anything for you…so why am I not enough?"

Guilt filled me, of course Stefan made me happy-so happy. But….

"Stefan I didn't mean it like that-"

"Just go talk to him." He dismissed, his gaze falling to the floor. "Nothing I say will stop you anyway."

I started to walk away, meeting the arch in the living room that leads to the hallway, I glanced over my shoulder, Stefan was staring intently at me, worry and sorrow all etched onto his handsome face. I spun around from the empty hallway, and rushed to him, tossing my arms around him. He caught me, the full weight of my body sinking into him, as he gripped me tight, his nose pressed into the crook of my neck. I sighed heavily, my lips lightly brushing against his, before we parted. I gave him a halfhearted smile, his arms still wrapped securely around my waist, the corners of his mouth tipping up meekly in response. He reluctantly unwound himself from me, and I walked away, beginning my search for Damon.

Damon POV

I trudged out of the house, my mind boggled, still trying to wrap itself around the newfound information I stumbled onto.

My best friend was fucking my brother behind my back.

Why the hell would she do this to me? She told me she would always be there for me. That nothing would get in the way of our friendship. That nothing would ever change between us. All lies.

I hate her.

But the look on her face as she begged me to stay, nearly broke my heart. It took everything in me to walk away. Maybe I was being unreasonable….

No. You hate her. Just look at what she's done to you. She's making you go insane. You had to walk away. She betrayed you.

I tore into my hair, roughly ripping out a few loose strands.

I let out a groan of aggravation and pure unaltered rage.

Why was it that every single time I find myself caring for someone, my brother manages to whisk them away?

The absences, her odd behavior, it was all suddenly explained. I gagged on the notion that while in the time she was apart from me…. she was with Stefan…with him touching her.

A flurry of hatred scorched my blood, making it boil at a dangerously high level. The dead organ in my chest twisted in agony. All of the anger and hurt I was feeling was aching to burst within me, bind itself to anything but myself. Yet for some excruciating reason, I couldn't unleash any of it. It stayed latched onto me like a leech, sucking everything out of me until there was nothing left.

"Why the fuck did she do this to me?" I roared aloud, not caring if anyone heard. I growled again in pain, my teeth grinding together.

"You found out…didn't you?" a small voice from behind whispered in pity. I whipped around irately, to meet a chaos of bright red curls.

Bonnie POV

I was ambling along the sidewalk, when I saw a familiar shock of black hair. He was in horrendous shape, worse than I have ever scene the infamous Damon Salvatore look.

"Why the fuck would she do this to me?" he yelled, hunched over, tearing at his hair, his muscular body wracking with trembles and moans.

Pity struck my heart, realizing that he must have found out about Isobel and Stefan.

I quickly glided towards him, my voice coming out in a tentative whisper. "You found out…didn't you?"

He spun around, a spark in his bottomless eyes burning and aging into a blistering flame.

"Leave me alone witch." He hissed vehemently, turning back around.

Without thinking, my hand darted out, snatching his arm. He swiveled around, ashen veins rippling his face, fangs barred. I instantly released his hand, as if it had burned me, gauchely stepping backwards, tripping over thin air, nearly toppling to the ground.

His arrogant Damonesk smirk crept onto his face in satisfaction, sending a chill through me. There was something much different about his haughty leer…it was more forced…deadly.

He sneered at me in repugnance, before stalking away.

"Don't give up on her yet!" I shouted to the fading figure. "You two are destined for each other."

He halted in his tracks, and lingered in an icy pose for a few moments, as if contemplating whether or not he should face me again.

Within seconds he was abruptly in front of me. Startled, my lungs took in a sharp intake of air. He was so close I could feel his warm breath fanning over my face. Fear shouted at me to run. Run far far away. But I didn't listen. I stood my ground, pushing away my instinct to flee in the midst of danger.

"What do you mean we're…destined?" he mused, trying to act nonchalant, but the uncertainty and desire to know, plainly evident.

I briefly wondered whether or not I should tell him. I had already blurted out too much. And if he pried any further, I'm afraid he would ask questions I swore I would never divulge, in fear of the dead bodies that would pile up.

…. Well I never promised Isobel I wouldn't tell Damon about this…he had a right to know. And if they could just be together, then she would be one step closer to breaking the infinite cycle. She would be one step closer to being free of him.

Damon POV

What was she blabbering on about? Could the witch be right? Was she telling me the truth or simply taking pity on me? Feeding me false information in an attempt to assuage these crippling emotions that made my insides churn and coil, ripping apart something at the core of my very being.

I frantically sifted her doe eyes, needing to know the answers to my doubts. If there was any hope…maybe just maybe, I would stop hurting so much. Maybe this rage wouldn't devour me any further.

"There was a prophecy, a vision my aunt and myself saw. My aunt is much stronger than I, and therefore saw the full extent of her future, and the information locked away in all of her past lives. I however have only seen snippets. But I am positive, that she will not stop being reincarnated until she is with you. You can break the cycle." She relinquished the information in a haste jumble of words.

I had to remind myself to keep in tact my collected mask of indifference, and prevent my jaw from dropping open. "She told me about the prophecy…that witch-your aunt gave her…but she left that little detail out…" I trailed off, questions replacing my diminishing voice.

Why did she not choose me then? Why did she never tell me this? It would have given us so much more time together. I would have realized my feelings sooner. Why would she still choose Stefan? If I was the one that could free her…why would she chose Stefan?

More grief plunged into my heart at the sudden awareness, as to why. She rather be trapped in a cycle of grief, than be with me.

"Well I'm not surprised." Bonnie chirped, although I could sense a tinge of disappointment. "She wants to believe that she has control over her destiny, that she chooses who she is to love…but she doesn't. Neither of you do." She began to take on a slightly dream-like, giddy tone, "You two are soul mates. And the bond you two share can't be severed. She is the one you would die for and die without. But Damon she chose to ignore the prophecy, selecting only fragments of it, pieces of what she would and wouldn't accept. She thought it was a complete load of bull. She was-is unwilling to accept it. However it's true, all of it, and that fact can never be changed." She laid a soothing hand on my arm, a reassuring caress. "So don't give up on her…she needs time. She needs to realize the truth on her own."

I felt the edges of my mouth twitch up. I surprised even myself, because I believed it…all of it. Unfortunately though, I don't know how long I can last like this…alone…watching her and Stefan happy together, especially now that I know she's meant to be with me. The pain didn't lessen, even though there was some flicker of hope, things didn't change. She was still in love with Stefan, and the internal torture remained.

"Thank you Bonnie." I mumbled slowly, before sauntering away.

Stefan POV

Isobel has been searching for Damon, for hours now. Calling me, giving me updates on her failures, each time the phone rang, more panic and sorrow had settled into her.

I couldn't bear it any longer. She was hurting so much, and it killed me. So against every brain cell that was screaming at me to let her find him on her own-that finding him would be a mistake, I started my own search for him. Scouring the town of Mystic Falls for even the slightest hint of him…that is, still harboring the notion that he in fact remained in Mystic Falls.

I had searched every bar, every hotel, every goddamn place he's ever set foot in, and yet I found nothing. He hadn't been in any of them.

Nearly giving up my hunt, I strolled along the grassy path of the town's park, wildflowers of various eye-catching colors, blooming up along every corner. I sunk down onto a wooden bench. This was the last place I didn't check, and it appeared he wasn't here. Shocker. I rested my aching head into my palms, rubbing my temples, trying to massage away the bubbling frustration.

"Why so glum brother? You got the girl didn't you? You should be jumping for joy, not sulking." The man I'd been searching for, sneered behind me. I shot up, angry; within seconds I fisted the collar of his shirt.

"What the fuck is wrong with you Damon?" I barked, several nosy stares drifting onto us.

"I suggest you let go of me. You're starting to attract attention." Damon advised smugly, although I know he didn't give a damn if anybody saw.

"She's been searching for you for hours now!" I exploded.

"Well I'm so sorry for being such a burden, but I don't exactly want to see her right now." He drawled, his voice rich as velvet.

I shook him, my fingers roughly clutching his shirt. "You bastard, do you know what you're putting her through? How much what you said affected her? She's falling apart without you!" I bellowed.

He wrenched out of my taut grip, shoving me violently to the ground, smudges of dirt and grass, staining my jeans and white shirt. "What I'm putting her through? What about what she's putting me through!" he screamed, envy flashing in his eyes.

I slowly hauled myself to my feet, an understanding breaking through my muddled mind. "You love her." It was not a question. It was me simply voicing a fact that I have tried for so long to overlook, pretend wasn't there.

He didn't answer me. Straightening himself taller, his eyes daring me to take another crack at him, drone on about how, once again, he managed to fall in love with my girlfriend.

I heaved a shaky exhale, questioning if what I was about to do would prove to be a colossal regret, on my behalf.

"Please Damon…just listen to her." I began solemnly. " Please, you didn't see her when she was apart from you-"

"Well I doubt she was that crushed." He snorted. "I mean what about recently, do you really expect me to believe that she was so destroyed without me then? When she had you?" Sarcasm and a fiery jealousy drenched his words.

"She may not have been crushed, but…even though I hate to admit it, she was different. She's not the same person without you, this light about her vanishes…so please…. talk to her." I insisted.

Many extended moments of silence passed; he remained a statue, while I shifted my weight impatiently. "I'll be at the boarding house." He huffed, before disappearing, without a parting word.

"Asshole…" I muttered under my breath, digging my hand into my pocket and fishing out my navy blue cell.

I punched in the numbers with a precise ease. It rang once, twice-

"I still can't find him Stefan. He's nowhere. I've searched everywhere-I need to find him. Oh god, what if he's gone forever-I'll never find him if he left Mystic Falls. Shit, shit." Her anxious voice quickly flooded my ears.

"Isobel, calm down-"

"-I can't… not when I know he's out there hating me. I need him to understand, if I could just find him-"

"He's back at the boarding house." I stated, interrupting her stream of constant panic.

She fell into an uneasy hush, "Really?" she mused softly, as if it was just a little too easy.

"Yes, really." I reassured.

She let out a breath of relief, "Thank you so much Stefan, Oh my god, thank you, thank you-thank you!" She rambled on.

"Remember Isobel, be careful." I reminded her gently, already hearing in the background, her hurried footsteps slap against pavement.

"I will. I promise." She affirmed, however it did nothing to ease my qualms. "Ok I need to go now, I'll see you later." She sputtered out, before the line went dead.

I dragged a hand down my face, slipping my phone back into my pocket, and sitting back down onto the hard bench. I gazed out, watching all of the happy couples, young and old, the children play, with a subdued awe. It was comforting to know that the world wasn't as miserable as it was often painted to be. I leaned back, hoping that I hadn't made an irreparable mistake by urging Damon to hear Isobel out. Because I have a horrible feeling that if she goes after him, there is a chance that she'll come back, not wanting me anymore.

Isobel POV

I knew that every word Damon spouted out was painfully true, and that I deserved all of it, no matter how badly it killed me. But I wouldn't let him go... not that easily. I would cling to him until my last breath. Till I know I did everything possible to hold him close.

I leaped out of my Jeep, rather ungracefully, slamming the door behind me. I sprinted up the stone steps, yanking the large door open, not bothering to close it behind me.

"Damon? Damon?" I called in a heavy exhale.

I clumsily stumbled into the living room, nearly tripping over the burgundy carpet, in a panicked frenzy.

What if he left already?

I stopped, catching my breath for a brief moment, my eyes scanning the area and catching the stone cold figure lounged out onto the couch, arms folded behind his head.

"Damon…" I whispered in relief, running to his side. "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry Damon. But pl-"

"I don't want to hear it Isobel." He rasped, not looking at me.

"Just tell me that there's some way that we can get past this. Tell me we can be friends again, even if it takes one hundred years. I can't loose you forever Damon." I stammered on hysterical, tears dripping down my face, as he remained completely detached, causing me to become even more distressed. "There has to be some shred of hope. Please even If it's a one percent chance, I can live with that. But not forever-please not forever." Tears poured more rapidly from my eyes. I've never felt so helpless, desperate. I needed him back-I couldn't imagine my life without him. Something in me wouldn't let him go, no matter how hard I tried.

Within the blink of an eye, he was towering over me, icy fingers walked up my spine, causing me to tremble.

Damon POV

As I gazed down at her, her haunting violet eyes pleading for my forgiveness, shining with an endless amount of tears, stumbling over her words feebly, as she tried to choke down the idea of losing me forever, I found myself sympathizing with her. I've never scene her so panicked, broken before. She's how I imagined myself to be acting, right now, at least internally, minus the tears.

I wanted to hate her-god I wanted to hate her. Tell her to turn around and get the hell out of my life, but I couldn't. Because no matter how much I wanted to hate her, that's all it would be…a want, one I could never have.

Against all of the rage, and grief she's wringing me through right now…I'm realizing that my feelings are much deeper for her than I originally thought.
I love her.

"Fuck, you really don't get it do you?" I queried in awe. It seemed as though everyone saw that there was something between us, but her. Did she not see that I would do anything for her? That I'm not acting like this manic only because she lied to me, betrayed our friendship, but because this overwhelming jealousy was gulping me down whole.

She blinked furiously, confused. I ordered myself to usher in a calming breath. "Isobel, I don't want to be friends anymore. I want more than that." I admitted.

"W-what?" She stuttered, more confusion lining her beautiful face.

I rolled my eyes, did she need me to spell it out? It was hard enough for me to admit that to her.

"Me. Plus. You. Equals. Heart." I emphasized, unable to help my growing sarcasm. She peered up at me, her lashes coated with beads of moisture.

"How long have you felt this way? Why didn't you tell me?" she finally spoke.

I let out a howl of humorless laughter. "Oh like how you told me about Stefan? What would you have me do? Come right up to you and say, 'Hey Isobel, nice weather we're having, I realized today that I want to be with you. I need you?'" I quipped harshly. "I mean how am I supposed to believe that you could want to be with a monster like me, when you could have anyone. When you apparently have good-ole, saint Stefan." I countered, my irritation getting the best of me.

"Damon you're not a monster." She exclaimed heatedly. It's like the moment I said I was a monster she scratched everything else. She's always been very touchy with that word, especially when it was stapled onto me. "Why would you ever think that? Have I done something that would make you believe that?" Hurt and worry clung to her tone.

"No…no you haven't." I answered wistfully. "It's just that Elena told me some things th-"

"What did that bitch say to you? I'll punch her fucking lights out." She hissed, fists clenched.

I chuckled, "You are always so willing to defend me, even though I don't deserve it. I could kill a thousand people, and you'll still argue that I'm not sadistic murderer."

"You're damn right I will." She said resolutely.

"I'm trying to decide whether you're blind or just stupid." I teased.

"I'm neither. I just like to think that I can see what others can't." she replied silkily.

A smile played on my lips at the normalness of the moment, regardless of everything that was happening. But the actuality of the situation was swiftly propelled back in.

"I need to know Isobel…" I began seriously, consumed with the desire to know the truth. Because it was the one answer to the question I needed to know the most.

Isobel POV

"I need to know Isobel…" he began. His smooth hands cupped my face in a steady caress, brushing away the tears that trickled from my eyes, with the pads of his thumbs. "Why can't you lose me?" he asked hesitantly, almost afraid of the answer.

I wanted to snicker at the ridiculousness of his question, and even though I thought the answer was obvious, deep down I knew there was another meaning…one that I wanted to ignore in fear of the heartbreak it would ensue. "Because y-you're my best friend. We've been friends practically forever, and without you…" I stuttered, trying to grasp at what he was getting at, what I was getting at.

"Without me what?" he pressed, hope washing through his midnight eyes.

Now that would serve as the million dollar question. Without him what?

"…I don't know how to keep going." I muttered honestly. "I'm not strong enough to lose you Damon. I barely lived through it once. I can't again. Without you there's nothing here for me anymore." That last bit of information surprised even myself…because I did have someone. I had Stefan-so why would it seem as though there was nothing?

"See? There it is." He smiled, gratefully. "You need me Isobel, just as I need you. It's not just friendship and you know it."

I shook my head, no no no. I felt this way once…. but I dashed it a long time ago before it could grow. Because he fell in love with Katherine-no it wasn't true.

"I know the truth Isobel." He exclaimed surely. I tilted my head up to him, his long fingers grazing my cheek.

"I-I don't understand." I faltered.

"I can't believe I'm repeating something as cliché as this-but Isobel…. we're soul mates. You've been reincarnated because of me. We are meant to be together, and no matter which way you turn it, it's always gonna be you and I."

My eyes widened. Bonnie told him about the prophecy. No-no. That whole thing was a load of shit. It was never true. Just false hope to a miserable woman, they took pity on.

"Just think about it. Think about us." He demanded, seeing my reluctance. "There is something going on between the two of us, and you know it. There's always been something here, and this time I can't walk away from it until I am sure you don't feel the same way. And why you keep doing this?" His brows furrowed in disbelief, his eyes searching mine for a lingering emotion, one that would make sense of all of this.

I struggled to find an answer, my mouth agape, trying to conjure up some sort of response-any response, instead of remaining a befuddled mute.

"Who has always been there for you?" he questioned.

"You." I croaked.

"Who knows you better than anyone?"

"You." I repeated again, unsure of where he was taking this, baffled with everything he was implying. "But I love Stefan! I love Stefan!" I cried, though at first my outburst was strong, it started to sound weaker, more of a question than anything. The warmth of his tender touch vanished, as he dropped his hands from my face.

"Why can't you see what's in front of you? Can't you feel it? This pull between us?" He snarled, his eyes rabid.

"I don't know what you're talking about." I lied, not ready to face the truth. I have always felt it…but…I love Stefan, I know I do. I love him so much. So why was I feeling this way? All these emotions were suffocating me. I was on the verge of a meltdown. "I can't do this, I can't-" I breathed, twirling around.

But before I had the chance to leave, his hand slithered around my waist, tugging me back, I was flush against Damon, his hand tangled in my hair, the other dragging my face towards him. "Damn it Isobel. Love me." He growled in desperation, before crashing his lips against mine.

It was a small clash of breaths and closed eyes as I felt Damon's upper lip fall between both of my own. His tongue ghosted across my lower lip before roughly sucking it. A shiver of indescribable pleasure racked my body, a famished desire overtook me, as all of his frustration and hungered yearning fell past my lips. It was a little connection of flesh and fiery taste that lasted for only a few stalled heartbeats worth of time, before reality and cruelty shattered it.

Stefan. His stoic face, floated along my conscience, making me to go ridged in horror. I shoved Damon away with all of my strength.

No-no, I would not do this to him. He didn't deserve it. I love Stefan, what was I doing?

But Stefan has never kissed you like that. You've never felt this right-complete before with Stefan, now have you? A voice in the back of my mind taunted.

No I love Stefan…I did love Stefan…I did… didn't I?

I drew back my arm, and his head reeled with the force of my slap. Damon's eyes glazed over with an even darker sheet of black. I pointed an accusing finger at him. "Don't you ever do that to me again." I sobbed, my knotted hair falling messily in my face. Unconsciously my fingertips brushed against my lips, where his hot mouth seemed to still be ravishing my own.

He gave me a wolfish grin. "Why? You seemed to like it?" he jeered.

"I-I" I stammered in despair, trying to find some justification.

"Tell me Isobel. Who do you really want?" he demanded.

"I-" he took a step forward, as I continued to fall into a helpless pit of silence.

"Who do you want?" he insisted again, backing me into the closest wall, like an animal stalking its prey.

"Who do you want? Who do you want?" he continued to bellow over and over. His hands were on both sides of me, pressed against the wall, his face inches away from mine. The unquenchable want to yank him into another kiss, nearly insuppressible. My shoulders were scrapping against the wall; my eyes flickered about the room, not wanting to meet his. I was cornered.

"Who do you want? Who do you want? Who do-"

"I don't know!" I shrilled. "Are you happy?" I screamed at him. "I don't know." I whimpered, again, salty water blurring my vision.

He nodded somberly, a rampant lust filling his eyes, but being quickly controlled. He took a step back, his arms falling heavily to his side, a forlorn look gracing his features.

"Then you have a choice to make, don't you?" he whispered regretfully, pressing a kiss on the top of my head, before reluctantly walking away.

As I watched him leave for the second time, I knew I didn't need to dwell on it any longer. My choice had been made.

Hmmm this chapter ended up being longer than most, so hopefully that makes up for it being a little bit late? Well it only took 35 chapters to finally get up to this point in there relationship! Hope you all enjoyed this chapter! And thank you all so much for all of the lovely reviews, and thank you's to the people who favorited/alerted my story!