Chapter 20: Little Brother

Summary: Damon meets up with Stefan after many years

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Angelo's death put a great weight of guilt on Damon.

He could not help but think that it could have been prevented had he realized the great fighter was the one causing the disturbance in the atmosphere.

Now, his best friend was dead because of his bad judgment and it didn't seem fair.

Damon didn't understand why this particular human's death was such a crippling blow to him, after almost 25 years of killing he should have been used to death.

He was used to death, he just wasn't accustomed to having someone so close die.

In honor of Angelo, Damon decided a period of mourning was in order. No women for a month even if it killed him.

On his journey away from the free companies he ended up in the outskirts of Florence.

Almost immediately he felt a presence, it was faint and weak, but it was a presence, and an irritating one at that.

Damon decided to find the source.

The presence was slightly familiar, but he couldn't quite place who it came from.

All he knew was that it was bothering him and he wanted it to stop.

His search lead him into the forest. Deep into the center of the Western Woods.

He melted into a crow and perched in the tree.

He'd found what he'd been looking for.

Stefan was bending over a doe, feeding.

Damon could not believe his eyes.

This boy had actually survived these last twenty five years on his own.

Stefan lifted his head and looked around, sensing his presence now.

There was no point in hiding it, and frankly Damon didn't care if Stefan knew he was here.

He flew down to the ground and looked at his brother.

Stefan sighed, and calmed seeing that it was merely a crow.

Not just a crow, brother, Damon thought with a smile. And with that he returned to his human shape.

Stefan's eyes widened, and his lips parted, "Damon, you're alive." he squeaked.

Damon narrowed his eyes, "Of course I'm alive. Was there ever a doubt in your mind that I wouldn't be?"

Stefan opened his mouth, then shut it again.

"Now you on the other hand," Damon said walking towards Stefan, "should have been dead a long time ago."

"And why's that?" Stefan asked, growing defensive.

"Because, my dear brother, you are weak." Damon smiled coldly, "Look at you. Feeding off animals like you lack the sense to hunt."

"I'm sorry, Damon." Stefan replied sharply, "I just don't think it's civil to feed off one's own species."

"Humans and us are not the same species." Damon snapped, "The sooner you figure that out the better off you'll be." he paused, "But then again, I want you dead...so why am I helping you out?" he laughed humorlessly.

"Old grudges die hard." Stefan muttered under his breath.

"This isn't merely a grudge between you and I brother, it's a deep seeding hatred." Damon walked in a circle around Stefan as though he were stalking prey.

"What did I ever do to make you hate me?" Stefan asked, knowing the answer.

"What haven't you done?" Damon asked, "Ever since you were born life fell into a downward spiral. Mother died, father worshipped you, Katherine loved you. It seems that you get into my way no matter where I go."

"None of those things are my fault. I have simply acted as I was taught, and if you want to rebel and do your own thing that's your prerogative, but don't get cross with me and behave as though it's my problem father hates you."

"What do you mean it's not your fault?" Damon growled, "It's all your fault." he got within inches from Stefan's face, "You killed our mother. If you had never come into this world she'd still be here."

"It's too bad your humanity died with her." Stefan spat.

Damon backhanded Stefan and faster than he could react, sunk his teeth into Stefan's throat.

/How's this for humanity?/ he asked Stefan mentally.

Stefan's green eyes flickered with fear. He grabbed Damon by the hair and tried to pull his teeth from his throat, but Damon simply bit down harder. He gnawed at Stefan's bloody neck, not loosening his grip.

Stefan moaned in pain as blood was forcefully drawn from his veins.

Damon could feel the energy in his brother leaving his body. Stefan gave up and went limp in Damon's clutches. The pain lessoned when he stopped fighting.

/You're not worth it./ Damon growled mentally.

With that he dropped Stefan in the dirt.

Stefan coughed and his hand flew to his bleeding neck.

Damon narrowed his black eyes, his mouth drawn in a tight line.

"You're not worth it." Damon repeated aloud.

Stefan glared at his brother defiantly, "I was worth it when Katherine was involved." He spat.

"That was different." Damon replied, "Katherine was a diversion. I was stupid and so were you."

Stefan breathed in a ragged breath.

"Besides," Damon continued, "Killing you would be an act of mercy on my part and I have no mercy in me for you."

Stefan spit blood at the ground.

Damon looked at the night, the stars were not visible in the murky sky.

"This lifestyle is killing you." Damon smiled as he looked back at Stefan, "I can sense it in you. You're weak. You haven't fed on a single human since we were changed and it's killing you. The blood of animals only barely keeps you alive. You long for death, but eventually the bloodlust takes control and you are forced by instinct to feed. I will not make life easier for you."

Damon turned and walked towards the forest exit, but before he got there he turned.

"Stefan," he said, "Leave Florence. If you get in my way again I might not be able to stop the impulse to kill you."

Stefan merely looked at him with green eyes of steel, trying though it was difficult to not show fear.

"You might want to leave Italy, I haven't decided. Or Europe I'm not sure. Possibly the planet." Damon smiled, "Yes, the planet would be nice."

And with that he walked out of the forest laughing.