The Porsche screeched to a halt in front of the two-story house. Elena shut
the engine, left the keys in the car and jumped out followed by Bonnie. She
rushed up the lawn and to the front door, beyond caring about anyone evil
being in there. All she knew was Damon and Stefan were hurt.
She burst in and Bonnie came flying in a second later. Elena's eyes scanned the inside of the house and came to a stop when she saw the family room. She put a hand to her mouth.
Behind her Bonnie gasped. "Oh Elena!"
Elena took a step inside. Bonnie took a look at the two brothers and felt dizzy. So this is how they must have looked in the crypt.
Elena eyes studied them. It was exactly like the dream. Stefan was breathing shallow, his head bowed, chin resting on his chest and Elena knew from the dream he'd been thrown. She wondered if he was unconscious. She looked over to Damon as Bonnie went to Stefan, lightly touching his head.
Damon was breathing as well, to her relief but his side was torn open by the glass from the window and he was bleeding rather heavily. A bit of blood was on the ground, seeping through the fabric of his shirt. She was painfully reminded of the crypt scene. It pained her to see them like this, so hurt.
"Elena, what do we do?"
Elena shook her head. She didn't know. "We can't take them to the hospital."
"But Elena look at them!"
"Bonnie, run to the bathroom and get as many towels as you can, to stop the bleeding. Your sister's a nurse, I thought you'd know something."
"I don't know much. She didn't really teach me that much and this isn't like a wound I've treated before."
"Just go get something! Quick!" Elena said.
Reluctantly Bonnie eased away from Stefan and ran to the bathroom.
"Oh what do I do? They both need blood." She said aloud.
Bonnie came back into the room, dumping a handful of bath towels on the floor. "There."
Elena took them, gently easing Damon over, and lifted up his shirt. She groaned as she saw the depth of the cuts. "Towels won't do much. They need blood."
"You can't give him too much, Elena. You'd endanger yourself."
"I know. I need to do my best though. And you need to help Stefan."
"You mean I need to slit open my wrist or something?"
"Well it's that or you let him die." Elena retorted bluntly, blue eyes intense on her friend.
Bonnie looked hesitant for only a moment longer. "Well..what about my finger?"
"I don't care _what_ you cut! Just give him blood! We're wasting time." Elena snapped.
Slowly Bonnie nodded and reached for a shard of glass that had fallen from the smashed window. Taking it, her small hands shook a little and she made a slit in her finger. "Now?"
"Put it over his lips, try and open his mouth a bit."
Elena took a piece of glass, making a cut in the palm of her hand, wincing as it stung. She slid it over his mouth, getting no response until she thought it was useless. But suddenly, very slowly she felt his lips open as she pressed her palm against his mouth. He drank slowly, but at least she knew he was getting the blood.
Elena glanced at Bonnie and was relieved that Stefan had responded, too. Elena slipped her free hand behind Damon's head, gently prodding him to drink. Her hand would only give so much blood though so she removed her hand and placed her neck to his lips. She hoped he'd realize.
"Elena, should I?" Bonnie asked.
"Yes. You think your finger will give him anything? That's just to get him started."
Bonnie gulped. "If he needs it I'll do it." She pushed her curls off her neck and copied Elena. In a moment she felt his teeth pierce her neck but then she gave into the sensation of giving blood.
Finally Elena felt Damon's teeth and she sighed grateful that he had known.
After a bit, Elena had a feeling she'd be bordering a dangerous line if she let Bonnie give any more blood. She pulled herself away from Damon, pushing his head away. His eyes had opened but he was obviously still dazed.
"Bonnie that's enough," she told her.
"Hmm?" Bonnie asked dreamily.
"I said _enough_. You're going to loose too much."
"Oh…." Bonnie said distractedly but before Elena had to tell her again she pushed Stefan away.
His green eyes were dull as he looked at Bonnie but he had regained consciousness.
"He's still not totally well, Elena."
"I'm….fine…." Came his voice, barely above a whisper.
"You are not! Elena what do I do?"
"Later they can hunt. You can't afford to give him any more."
Elena glanced at Damon, his wounds had stopped the bleeding but they hadn't gone away.
"No more." He told her hoarsely as she went to lean her neck to him.
She sighed. "We've got to get you out of here."
"Can you stand Stefan?" Elena asked softly, turning to him.
There was a tiny nod. "I think."
Bonnie went to help him up and he leaned against her small frame. Elena tried to get Damon up herself without hurting him as much as possible. He moaned and she looped his arm around her neck. "Easy. We'll be in the car soon."
Slowly Elena and Bonnie took Stefan and Damon to the car. Elena opened the back seat and Damon grimaced as he slid into the back seat. He closed his eyes, breathing hard. Stefan sat down, leaning his head against the window when Bonnie shut the door.
Elena got in the drivers and Bonnie in the passengers again. Elena made a U- turn and sped toward home, feeling the effects of her blood donations. Bonnie was slightly paler than usual, not to mention she was already pale with the normal amount of blood so she looked sick.
When they reached home Elena got Damon inside, laying him down on the couch and Stefan took the other.
"They need rest," said Elena.
Bonnie nodded.
"And so do you. Stay here anyway, I need to hunt myself."
"All right," she agreed.
Shortly Elena returned and Bonnie was looking tired.
"Go lay down, I'll stay here."
After planting a kiss on Stefan's cheek Bonnie walked upstairs and Elena heard her door shut. She glanced towards Stefan who was lying on the couch, eyes closed looking exhausted. He needed the sleep. She squeezed his hand and moved to Damon.
Tentatively, Elena touched his head, kissing his forehead.
"Ho-how did you know?" Damon asked.
"Bonnie had a vision. I did too."
"You're not like Bonnie though," he added softly.
"I know. Bonnie thinks it because of how close we are."
Damon gave her a weary smile and linked his fingers through hers. "I'll be all right…. You don't need to…. stay here."
"You can't even talk right. I'm staying. And when you're able to, you're going hunting," she told him sternly.
He sighed. He tried to shift himself more comfortably but Elena stopped him. "Stop moving."
He grumbled to himself. Then as if he just suddenly remembered, he said, "It was Mrs. Flowers you know. I knew there was something weird with her."
"Mrs. Flowers! Are you sure?"
"Of course I'm sure! I saw it with my own damn eyes." Damon said this heatedly, which resulted in another wince of great pain.
"Why? What in the world does she want and why would an old lady like her kill Matt?"
"Sorry I didn't stop to chat," Damon told her sarcastically.
"Damon…."
He groaned at her, rolling his eyes. "She said something about being let into the High Circle and gaining more Power by killing us." Damon touched his side, and quickly jerked his hand back. "Damn."
"Now that she thinks your dead, will she stop?"
"I have a feeling she'll find out we're not dead. This game isn't over yet."
Elena sighed and shook her head. "I figured as much. She has immense Power."
"Really? I didn't know that."
Elena smirked. "Now is not the time to joke."
"You're going to laugh. I can tell you want to." He didn't seem in so much pain, but Elena guessed he was hiding it. She gave their fingers a squeeze.
Stefan stirred on the couch. There was a moan. "My head feels like someone threw a truck at it."
"Well flying at the wall isn't quite the same, but it'll give you basically the same effect," Elena told him, grinning.
Damon mumbled mocking, "Now is not the time to joke."
Elena smirked, planting a kiss on his lips lightly.
"Where's Bonnie?" Stefan wondered.
"Upstairs sleeping."
"Oh.... Elena?"
"Yes?"
"How'd you know?"
"A vision…. Just don't ask," she added at his raised brows.
"You know what? It was Mrs. Flowers," Stefan replied.
"I know."
"All right, what am I missing. Did you turn psychic over night?"
She smiled and shook her head. "No. Damon told me that."
Stefan nodded and glanced at his brother. "You all right?"
"Just wonderful." Came the reply. Damon paused. Then he added, "And you?"
"I feel like I just got hit by a bus," he said and then added ruefully, "Sorry you had to fight alone."
"It's all right, brother." For the first time in a while, there was no malice in the 'brother'. Stefan's emerald eyes were wide.
Damon caught Stefan's look, "Don't get your hopes up _little brother_."
She burst in and Bonnie came flying in a second later. Elena's eyes scanned the inside of the house and came to a stop when she saw the family room. She put a hand to her mouth.
Behind her Bonnie gasped. "Oh Elena!"
Elena took a step inside. Bonnie took a look at the two brothers and felt dizzy. So this is how they must have looked in the crypt.
Elena eyes studied them. It was exactly like the dream. Stefan was breathing shallow, his head bowed, chin resting on his chest and Elena knew from the dream he'd been thrown. She wondered if he was unconscious. She looked over to Damon as Bonnie went to Stefan, lightly touching his head.
Damon was breathing as well, to her relief but his side was torn open by the glass from the window and he was bleeding rather heavily. A bit of blood was on the ground, seeping through the fabric of his shirt. She was painfully reminded of the crypt scene. It pained her to see them like this, so hurt.
"Elena, what do we do?"
Elena shook her head. She didn't know. "We can't take them to the hospital."
"But Elena look at them!"
"Bonnie, run to the bathroom and get as many towels as you can, to stop the bleeding. Your sister's a nurse, I thought you'd know something."
"I don't know much. She didn't really teach me that much and this isn't like a wound I've treated before."
"Just go get something! Quick!" Elena said.
Reluctantly Bonnie eased away from Stefan and ran to the bathroom.
"Oh what do I do? They both need blood." She said aloud.
Bonnie came back into the room, dumping a handful of bath towels on the floor. "There."
Elena took them, gently easing Damon over, and lifted up his shirt. She groaned as she saw the depth of the cuts. "Towels won't do much. They need blood."
"You can't give him too much, Elena. You'd endanger yourself."
"I know. I need to do my best though. And you need to help Stefan."
"You mean I need to slit open my wrist or something?"
"Well it's that or you let him die." Elena retorted bluntly, blue eyes intense on her friend.
Bonnie looked hesitant for only a moment longer. "Well..what about my finger?"
"I don't care _what_ you cut! Just give him blood! We're wasting time." Elena snapped.
Slowly Bonnie nodded and reached for a shard of glass that had fallen from the smashed window. Taking it, her small hands shook a little and she made a slit in her finger. "Now?"
"Put it over his lips, try and open his mouth a bit."
Elena took a piece of glass, making a cut in the palm of her hand, wincing as it stung. She slid it over his mouth, getting no response until she thought it was useless. But suddenly, very slowly she felt his lips open as she pressed her palm against his mouth. He drank slowly, but at least she knew he was getting the blood.
Elena glanced at Bonnie and was relieved that Stefan had responded, too. Elena slipped her free hand behind Damon's head, gently prodding him to drink. Her hand would only give so much blood though so she removed her hand and placed her neck to his lips. She hoped he'd realize.
"Elena, should I?" Bonnie asked.
"Yes. You think your finger will give him anything? That's just to get him started."
Bonnie gulped. "If he needs it I'll do it." She pushed her curls off her neck and copied Elena. In a moment she felt his teeth pierce her neck but then she gave into the sensation of giving blood.
Finally Elena felt Damon's teeth and she sighed grateful that he had known.
After a bit, Elena had a feeling she'd be bordering a dangerous line if she let Bonnie give any more blood. She pulled herself away from Damon, pushing his head away. His eyes had opened but he was obviously still dazed.
"Bonnie that's enough," she told her.
"Hmm?" Bonnie asked dreamily.
"I said _enough_. You're going to loose too much."
"Oh…." Bonnie said distractedly but before Elena had to tell her again she pushed Stefan away.
His green eyes were dull as he looked at Bonnie but he had regained consciousness.
"He's still not totally well, Elena."
"I'm….fine…." Came his voice, barely above a whisper.
"You are not! Elena what do I do?"
"Later they can hunt. You can't afford to give him any more."
Elena glanced at Damon, his wounds had stopped the bleeding but they hadn't gone away.
"No more." He told her hoarsely as she went to lean her neck to him.
She sighed. "We've got to get you out of here."
"Can you stand Stefan?" Elena asked softly, turning to him.
There was a tiny nod. "I think."
Bonnie went to help him up and he leaned against her small frame. Elena tried to get Damon up herself without hurting him as much as possible. He moaned and she looped his arm around her neck. "Easy. We'll be in the car soon."
Slowly Elena and Bonnie took Stefan and Damon to the car. Elena opened the back seat and Damon grimaced as he slid into the back seat. He closed his eyes, breathing hard. Stefan sat down, leaning his head against the window when Bonnie shut the door.
Elena got in the drivers and Bonnie in the passengers again. Elena made a U- turn and sped toward home, feeling the effects of her blood donations. Bonnie was slightly paler than usual, not to mention she was already pale with the normal amount of blood so she looked sick.
When they reached home Elena got Damon inside, laying him down on the couch and Stefan took the other.
"They need rest," said Elena.
Bonnie nodded.
"And so do you. Stay here anyway, I need to hunt myself."
"All right," she agreed.
Shortly Elena returned and Bonnie was looking tired.
"Go lay down, I'll stay here."
After planting a kiss on Stefan's cheek Bonnie walked upstairs and Elena heard her door shut. She glanced towards Stefan who was lying on the couch, eyes closed looking exhausted. He needed the sleep. She squeezed his hand and moved to Damon.
Tentatively, Elena touched his head, kissing his forehead.
"Ho-how did you know?" Damon asked.
"Bonnie had a vision. I did too."
"You're not like Bonnie though," he added softly.
"I know. Bonnie thinks it because of how close we are."
Damon gave her a weary smile and linked his fingers through hers. "I'll be all right…. You don't need to…. stay here."
"You can't even talk right. I'm staying. And when you're able to, you're going hunting," she told him sternly.
He sighed. He tried to shift himself more comfortably but Elena stopped him. "Stop moving."
He grumbled to himself. Then as if he just suddenly remembered, he said, "It was Mrs. Flowers you know. I knew there was something weird with her."
"Mrs. Flowers! Are you sure?"
"Of course I'm sure! I saw it with my own damn eyes." Damon said this heatedly, which resulted in another wince of great pain.
"Why? What in the world does she want and why would an old lady like her kill Matt?"
"Sorry I didn't stop to chat," Damon told her sarcastically.
"Damon…."
He groaned at her, rolling his eyes. "She said something about being let into the High Circle and gaining more Power by killing us." Damon touched his side, and quickly jerked his hand back. "Damn."
"Now that she thinks your dead, will she stop?"
"I have a feeling she'll find out we're not dead. This game isn't over yet."
Elena sighed and shook her head. "I figured as much. She has immense Power."
"Really? I didn't know that."
Elena smirked. "Now is not the time to joke."
"You're going to laugh. I can tell you want to." He didn't seem in so much pain, but Elena guessed he was hiding it. She gave their fingers a squeeze.
Stefan stirred on the couch. There was a moan. "My head feels like someone threw a truck at it."
"Well flying at the wall isn't quite the same, but it'll give you basically the same effect," Elena told him, grinning.
Damon mumbled mocking, "Now is not the time to joke."
Elena smirked, planting a kiss on his lips lightly.
"Where's Bonnie?" Stefan wondered.
"Upstairs sleeping."
"Oh.... Elena?"
"Yes?"
"How'd you know?"
"A vision…. Just don't ask," she added at his raised brows.
"You know what? It was Mrs. Flowers," Stefan replied.
"I know."
"All right, what am I missing. Did you turn psychic over night?"
She smiled and shook her head. "No. Damon told me that."
Stefan nodded and glanced at his brother. "You all right?"
"Just wonderful." Came the reply. Damon paused. Then he added, "And you?"
"I feel like I just got hit by a bus," he said and then added ruefully, "Sorry you had to fight alone."
"It's all right, brother." For the first time in a while, there was no malice in the 'brother'. Stefan's emerald eyes were wide.
Damon caught Stefan's look, "Don't get your hopes up _little brother_."