Italian Words Used:
1) Capisce = Understand
2) Zitto = Shut up
3) Maledetto = Damn it
4) Mi amore = My love
5) Sciocco = Fool
~~~~
"What did you _do_?" Elena softly repeated wistfully. She noticed on his white shirt there were even stains of blood. She wasn't so sure she wanted to know.
Stefan's eyes were still on hers and they were just as cruel. He didn't respond, seemingly annoyed at the question.
Bonnie looked visibly shaken, but not as if she didn't comprehend. "Oh _hell_." She knew it was the spell but it didn't mean she'd be any less upset.
The spell had obviously made him a blood-crazed vampire but that wasn't the only thing that was bad. Elena had no idea what exactly he had done, to what extremities he had gone.
"Stefan?" Damon spoke ever the calm, serious aristocrat he was.
For a second Bonnie did a double take. He'd said his name! She shook herself mentally after a second though. There was no time for trivial things.
Elena rose from her chair and moved behind Damon. She placed a hand lightly on his shoulder; the black sweater was soft beneath her hand.
Damon could feel the bloodlust and he knew, as well as Elena, that his brother had fed. And not on animals, but on humans. The spell had taken Stefan's highest moral. Not to kill humans. It had taken away what he tried so hard to keep. His self control.
*We have to do something.* Elena sent to Damon's mind.
*I know.*
*Has he....killed?* Elena asked. Even though she knew the answer, she didn't want to believe it.
*I think you know. But, yes. Many.* He felt her fingers clench his shoulder through the light sweater he wore.
"Do you know why you did this?" He asked Stefan.
Stefan's gaze moved from Elena's to his brother's. "It was _good_. Different." His green eyes were alight with amusement and there was a hint of a smile on his blood tinted lips. He looked much like Damon at that moment.
"But don't you know Mrs. Flowers did this to you?" Bonnie asked him, dismayed.
He lifted a brow. He didn't answer.
She'd never thought the day would come when she really feared Stefan Salvatore. Bonnie shook her head slowly. She didn't want to be here. "That's it. I can't. I can't watch this." Bonnie was disgusted, overwhelmingly appalled by Stefan at that moment. Abruptly she left the room.
Elena looked over her shoulder at her friend. She sighed. She glanced up at Damon who shrugged. She knew what he was thinking and she knew he was right. There were more important matters at hand.*Look for some antidote or something for this.* She sent to Bonnie.
"Stefan, you can't go on like this," said Elena hurriedly. "You have to let us help you."
"I don't need _anyone's_ help."
"Oh but you do! This isn't normal for you, Stefan. Don't you see it's hurting everyone? Just look at Bonnie. Don't you even care?"
"Should I?"
For a moment, Elena could only look at him in shock. She was not used to this and she didn't know what to say. She wanted to slap him.
"You listen to me and you listen good, _brother_. You are going to stop this and you are going to stop it now. We are willing to do whatever it takes to reverse this spell and you are going to cooperate or I _will_ force you. It's up to you."
"Do you think you frighten me?" Stefan asked.
"Don't even begin to try Stefan. _You_, by no means, intimidate me."
"I see. Well how exactly do you suppose you're going to get me to go along with your little game?"
"I have my ways. The possibilities are endless." Damon replied deadly cold.
Stefan took a step towards Damon; Elena took a step back. She didn't like what she was seeing. Damon stayed planted firmly where he was, until Stefan was practically in his face. Damon drew himself up; challenge hung in the air like a damp cloud.
Damon raised his dark brows. "Are you suggesting a fight? If that's what it takes, so be it."
"Have it your way then."
Before Elena even knew what was happening Damon had her behind him and he swung at Stefan. He hit his face perfectly, missing his nose by a fraction of an inch. *Go Elena.*
*But--*
*GO!*
She nodded. She wasn't staying in this house; she knew that for sure. Elena headed out the front door, and sat on the porch, waiting for whatever would happen to end.
Inside, Damon staggered slightly back as Stefan took a swing at Damon, but he ducked. Damon had always been a better fighter and had there been any doubt he proved it at that moment when he threw Stefan up against the counter, roughly jerking his head up by his hair, and giving him a hard slap across his face. Presently a bit of blood began running from his lip.
"You won't win this."
"_Zitto_! You son of bitch. You're going to let us help you if you know what's good for you." Damon roughly jerked his brother's head to the side as Stefan grappled to get out.
"Watch it." Stefan said darkly.
"I'm watching all right. I'm watching you make a damn _sciocco_ of yourself." Damon retorted menacingly.
Stefan was breathing raggedly, and his eyes opened wide as Damon grabbed his leather jacket and slammed his body against the wall.
"Will you let us help you?" Damon asked darkly, slowly.
"_No_." Spat Stefan. He tried to kick Damon, sending a nasty blow to his shins as Damon's black eyes flashed angrily and his face contorted with a look of pure fury.
"I said," Damon repeated and slammed Stefan's head against the wall quite hard, "will you let us help you?"
Dazed, Stefan shook his head.
"Don't make me kill you." Damon replied.
Stefan gave an incredulous laugh.
"_Maledetto!_" Damon's hand shot out with such accuracy and speed that in an instant he held a large glinting blade at Stefan's throat he'd gotten from the knife rack on the counter beside him. "_Non faccia lo stupido_."
With reflexes just as quick and cat-like as his brother's Stefan had grabbed Damon's wrist and nearly bent it backwards. "You wouldn't."
There was a sharp intake of breath from Damom. "Oh I would, and I will, brother. I'll cut your veins and drink you dry. Did I mention _slowly_?"
Stefan sneered, momentarily contemplating whether or not to break the wrist he held. But he let Damon's wrist drop and raised his hands. "Alright. You can do what you like." He shoved Damon away.
Damon tilted his head slightly, both dark brows raising. He stepped back and let Stefan pass but his hand shot out and gripped his brothers shoulder. "Not so fast. Sit down. I'll be back. If you're not here when I return, I swear you'll be sorry. _Capisce?_"
Stefan glared, but sat down dabbing at his bleeding lip. Then his brows raised questioningly. "And all this time you always prided yourself in almost killing me and now you want to help. Isn't that ironic." Stefan said bitterly.
Slowly, Damon turned around. He didn't speak, but his dark eyes were raptly fixated on Stefan.
"Care to explain the sudden change of heart?" Asked Stefan.
"I believe," said Damon quietly, "the subject of the matter is _you_, not me." He went to turn around when Stefan spoke again.
"Well then let's focus on you for a while. Shall we? I think so." Stefan smiled, relaxing back against the kitchen chair, folding his hands behind his head. "Why are you interested in helping me?"
Damon paused for a brief moment. His face was hardened and impassive as he returned the smile with a meticulous smile of his own. "If it weren't for Elena, I'd have ended your pitiful life moments ago."
"Ah, Elena. The sweet, succulent, seductive Elena. Leave it to her, and she'll have you running to her at the sound of her fingers snapping."
Damon's eyes flashed again and he bent close to Stefan, hands clentched. "You had your chance. It's over. It's a shame you can't comprehend she's mine now."
Damon straightened himself, eyes glinting with animosity.
"You're just afraid that you know she'd come running back to me if I let her."
Damon made a scoffing sound. "Only in your wildest dreams, brother."
"Oh it isn't a dream. It's truth. A truth you can't handle."
"If that's true then why is she still here with _me_?"
"Oh, you know damn well, Damon. If I let her into bed and remind her what she's missing...."
"You're treading on thin ice. If you lay one hand on herI swear I will kill you." With this Damon turned sharply on his heel and stormed out of the kitchen.
Damon took his jacket and went outside, stepping onto the porch where he found Elena sitting on one of the steps. He draped his jacket over her shoulders. She looked up, her blue eyes full of concern. The sunlight spilled over her blond hair, glinting across her face. "Are you alright?"
He took a quick breath. God, she was beautiful. "I'm fine. And he'll live." He sat down beside her after a second and took her in his arms.
"What are we going to do about Stefan?"
Damon replied, "Bonnie will find a spell I'm sure."
"I hope so. I don't think I could live with him like that." She shook her head. "It's revolting."
"At least he's willing to cooperate."
"If willing is the right word for it." Elena retorted bitterly. Elena lifted her head. "Damon?"
"Hm?" He mumbled into her hair, arms around her.
"I want to go back home. I want it to be just us again without all this. First the threats and now this spell! When will it end? We don't even know if Mrs. Flowers is gone for sure."
"I know _mi amore_. We'll leave soon. But we can't yet. It's still not safe. It won't be until Stefan is right again and I don't know about Mrs. Flowers. She may find out her spell will be counteracted and I doubt she'll be thrilled."
"Oh, Damon. I know. But why? Why do things like this always happen to us? I'm so tired of this."
"I think everyone is."
He stood, drawing her up with him and he drew her close as they stood on the porch step. Elena held on to him praying that when this was all over, they'd have a chance for a better life together. She drew back and for a long moment they just stared. Finally, he looked away and together they walked back inside.
1) Capisce = Understand
2) Zitto = Shut up
3) Maledetto = Damn it
4) Mi amore = My love
5) Sciocco = Fool
~~~~
"What did you _do_?" Elena softly repeated wistfully. She noticed on his white shirt there were even stains of blood. She wasn't so sure she wanted to know.
Stefan's eyes were still on hers and they were just as cruel. He didn't respond, seemingly annoyed at the question.
Bonnie looked visibly shaken, but not as if she didn't comprehend. "Oh _hell_." She knew it was the spell but it didn't mean she'd be any less upset.
The spell had obviously made him a blood-crazed vampire but that wasn't the only thing that was bad. Elena had no idea what exactly he had done, to what extremities he had gone.
"Stefan?" Damon spoke ever the calm, serious aristocrat he was.
For a second Bonnie did a double take. He'd said his name! She shook herself mentally after a second though. There was no time for trivial things.
Elena rose from her chair and moved behind Damon. She placed a hand lightly on his shoulder; the black sweater was soft beneath her hand.
Damon could feel the bloodlust and he knew, as well as Elena, that his brother had fed. And not on animals, but on humans. The spell had taken Stefan's highest moral. Not to kill humans. It had taken away what he tried so hard to keep. His self control.
*We have to do something.* Elena sent to Damon's mind.
*I know.*
*Has he....killed?* Elena asked. Even though she knew the answer, she didn't want to believe it.
*I think you know. But, yes. Many.* He felt her fingers clench his shoulder through the light sweater he wore.
"Do you know why you did this?" He asked Stefan.
Stefan's gaze moved from Elena's to his brother's. "It was _good_. Different." His green eyes were alight with amusement and there was a hint of a smile on his blood tinted lips. He looked much like Damon at that moment.
"But don't you know Mrs. Flowers did this to you?" Bonnie asked him, dismayed.
He lifted a brow. He didn't answer.
She'd never thought the day would come when she really feared Stefan Salvatore. Bonnie shook her head slowly. She didn't want to be here. "That's it. I can't. I can't watch this." Bonnie was disgusted, overwhelmingly appalled by Stefan at that moment. Abruptly she left the room.
Elena looked over her shoulder at her friend. She sighed. She glanced up at Damon who shrugged. She knew what he was thinking and she knew he was right. There were more important matters at hand.*Look for some antidote or something for this.* She sent to Bonnie.
"Stefan, you can't go on like this," said Elena hurriedly. "You have to let us help you."
"I don't need _anyone's_ help."
"Oh but you do! This isn't normal for you, Stefan. Don't you see it's hurting everyone? Just look at Bonnie. Don't you even care?"
"Should I?"
For a moment, Elena could only look at him in shock. She was not used to this and she didn't know what to say. She wanted to slap him.
"You listen to me and you listen good, _brother_. You are going to stop this and you are going to stop it now. We are willing to do whatever it takes to reverse this spell and you are going to cooperate or I _will_ force you. It's up to you."
"Do you think you frighten me?" Stefan asked.
"Don't even begin to try Stefan. _You_, by no means, intimidate me."
"I see. Well how exactly do you suppose you're going to get me to go along with your little game?"
"I have my ways. The possibilities are endless." Damon replied deadly cold.
Stefan took a step towards Damon; Elena took a step back. She didn't like what she was seeing. Damon stayed planted firmly where he was, until Stefan was practically in his face. Damon drew himself up; challenge hung in the air like a damp cloud.
Damon raised his dark brows. "Are you suggesting a fight? If that's what it takes, so be it."
"Have it your way then."
Before Elena even knew what was happening Damon had her behind him and he swung at Stefan. He hit his face perfectly, missing his nose by a fraction of an inch. *Go Elena.*
*But--*
*GO!*
She nodded. She wasn't staying in this house; she knew that for sure. Elena headed out the front door, and sat on the porch, waiting for whatever would happen to end.
Inside, Damon staggered slightly back as Stefan took a swing at Damon, but he ducked. Damon had always been a better fighter and had there been any doubt he proved it at that moment when he threw Stefan up against the counter, roughly jerking his head up by his hair, and giving him a hard slap across his face. Presently a bit of blood began running from his lip.
"You won't win this."
"_Zitto_! You son of bitch. You're going to let us help you if you know what's good for you." Damon roughly jerked his brother's head to the side as Stefan grappled to get out.
"Watch it." Stefan said darkly.
"I'm watching all right. I'm watching you make a damn _sciocco_ of yourself." Damon retorted menacingly.
Stefan was breathing raggedly, and his eyes opened wide as Damon grabbed his leather jacket and slammed his body against the wall.
"Will you let us help you?" Damon asked darkly, slowly.
"_No_." Spat Stefan. He tried to kick Damon, sending a nasty blow to his shins as Damon's black eyes flashed angrily and his face contorted with a look of pure fury.
"I said," Damon repeated and slammed Stefan's head against the wall quite hard, "will you let us help you?"
Dazed, Stefan shook his head.
"Don't make me kill you." Damon replied.
Stefan gave an incredulous laugh.
"_Maledetto!_" Damon's hand shot out with such accuracy and speed that in an instant he held a large glinting blade at Stefan's throat he'd gotten from the knife rack on the counter beside him. "_Non faccia lo stupido_."
With reflexes just as quick and cat-like as his brother's Stefan had grabbed Damon's wrist and nearly bent it backwards. "You wouldn't."
There was a sharp intake of breath from Damom. "Oh I would, and I will, brother. I'll cut your veins and drink you dry. Did I mention _slowly_?"
Stefan sneered, momentarily contemplating whether or not to break the wrist he held. But he let Damon's wrist drop and raised his hands. "Alright. You can do what you like." He shoved Damon away.
Damon tilted his head slightly, both dark brows raising. He stepped back and let Stefan pass but his hand shot out and gripped his brothers shoulder. "Not so fast. Sit down. I'll be back. If you're not here when I return, I swear you'll be sorry. _Capisce?_"
Stefan glared, but sat down dabbing at his bleeding lip. Then his brows raised questioningly. "And all this time you always prided yourself in almost killing me and now you want to help. Isn't that ironic." Stefan said bitterly.
Slowly, Damon turned around. He didn't speak, but his dark eyes were raptly fixated on Stefan.
"Care to explain the sudden change of heart?" Asked Stefan.
"I believe," said Damon quietly, "the subject of the matter is _you_, not me." He went to turn around when Stefan spoke again.
"Well then let's focus on you for a while. Shall we? I think so." Stefan smiled, relaxing back against the kitchen chair, folding his hands behind his head. "Why are you interested in helping me?"
Damon paused for a brief moment. His face was hardened and impassive as he returned the smile with a meticulous smile of his own. "If it weren't for Elena, I'd have ended your pitiful life moments ago."
"Ah, Elena. The sweet, succulent, seductive Elena. Leave it to her, and she'll have you running to her at the sound of her fingers snapping."
Damon's eyes flashed again and he bent close to Stefan, hands clentched. "You had your chance. It's over. It's a shame you can't comprehend she's mine now."
Damon straightened himself, eyes glinting with animosity.
"You're just afraid that you know she'd come running back to me if I let her."
Damon made a scoffing sound. "Only in your wildest dreams, brother."
"Oh it isn't a dream. It's truth. A truth you can't handle."
"If that's true then why is she still here with _me_?"
"Oh, you know damn well, Damon. If I let her into bed and remind her what she's missing...."
"You're treading on thin ice. If you lay one hand on herI swear I will kill you." With this Damon turned sharply on his heel and stormed out of the kitchen.
Damon took his jacket and went outside, stepping onto the porch where he found Elena sitting on one of the steps. He draped his jacket over her shoulders. She looked up, her blue eyes full of concern. The sunlight spilled over her blond hair, glinting across her face. "Are you alright?"
He took a quick breath. God, she was beautiful. "I'm fine. And he'll live." He sat down beside her after a second and took her in his arms.
"What are we going to do about Stefan?"
Damon replied, "Bonnie will find a spell I'm sure."
"I hope so. I don't think I could live with him like that." She shook her head. "It's revolting."
"At least he's willing to cooperate."
"If willing is the right word for it." Elena retorted bitterly. Elena lifted her head. "Damon?"
"Hm?" He mumbled into her hair, arms around her.
"I want to go back home. I want it to be just us again without all this. First the threats and now this spell! When will it end? We don't even know if Mrs. Flowers is gone for sure."
"I know _mi amore_. We'll leave soon. But we can't yet. It's still not safe. It won't be until Stefan is right again and I don't know about Mrs. Flowers. She may find out her spell will be counteracted and I doubt she'll be thrilled."
"Oh, Damon. I know. But why? Why do things like this always happen to us? I'm so tired of this."
"I think everyone is."
He stood, drawing her up with him and he drew her close as they stood on the porch step. Elena held on to him praying that when this was all over, they'd have a chance for a better life together. She drew back and for a long moment they just stared. Finally, he looked away and together they walked back inside.