2
The drive to see Damon was too quiet for Donna's liking. The Doctor was just staring out the window as they drove out of town and into a forested area. The sheriff was also silent as she drove. She was probably still thinking about their earlier conversation. It took Donna a while to get over the fact the Doctor was so old and an actual alien. But those thoughts are basically expedited when you find out your fiance was working with some alien spider lady to kill you. Yeah, that was an interesting meeting.
Right when she was about to break the silence they pulled up to a freaking massive house. No, not a house, a mansion!
"Wow! This place is flippin' enormous!" Donna exclaimed.
"This house has been owned by the Salvatore family since before Mystic Falls was around." The sheriff stated as she parked under the balcony.
"I must remind you that Damon is very powerful. He doesn't take well to people telling him what to do, so please be careful with what you say."
The Doctor just gave a curt nod and Donna grew a grim look, as she remembered who, or what, they were about to meet. Vampires. She didn't think she would ever get over that.
They all made their way to the front door, and right before the sheriff knocked on the door it opened revealing a man with dark hair and bright blue eyes.
"Hi Damon." The sheriff said with a smile.
"Hey Liz." He smiled at the sheriff and then narrowed his eyes at the Doctor. He looked him up and down. He looked ridiculous. A lanky man with scruffy hair all over the place. He was wearing a brown overcoat and a brown pinstripe suit with white converse. The Doctor could tell he was being studied so he reached his hand out toward Damon.
"I'm the Doctor, and this is Donna. Let's move this inside. I'm sure the sheriff told you why we were here."
Donna just smiled and Damon nodded his head toward her.
"I'm Damon." He said abruptly. He didn't say anything else and walked into the house leaving the door open for them to follow. The inside of the house was amazing! Donna couldn't keep her mouth shut as she looked around at how big the place was.
Damon was waiting over by the couch with a glass of bourbon in his hand. The Doctor sat down and Donna to his right on the couch. Liz decided to sit in one of the chairs across from the couch. After they were all situated, the Doctor decided to speak first.
"So, Damon." He folded his hands and leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. "I hear you are the reason for so many people going missing."
Donna could not believe that he just got right into it. She shockingly stared at the Doctor and then Damon hoping he would not take it as an insult.
Damon actually laughed. He plopped down in the chair next to Liz. "Right to the point, huh. Normally you English are a bit more refined."
"Well, I'm sure the sheriff already told you why we are here, so what's the point in beating around the bush." The Doctor retorted.
"Right to the point huh. Hmmm, okay. Sounds good to me. First off, what type of name is the Doctor? Like, you sell drugs or something?" Damon was completely serious.
"No, I don't sell drugs. Just call me the Doctor." He smiled up at Damon.
"He won't tell anyone his actual name, says it will rip open the universe or whatever." Donna said as she waved her arms around.
"You know that I would never lie to you, right Donna. My name cannot be spoken."
Damon scoffed, "Jesus, so high and mighty we think we are."
"You're wrong. It's just a fact. My name can only be spoken at certain…occasions. If it's said before then nothing good will come of it." He moved his hands from his knees and leaned back on the couch and crossed his arms over his chest.
Damon copied the way the Doctor was sitting. "Okay, fine. Doctor it is then. So, what do you want to know? And I'll just let you know that I don't take kindly to threats. If you are lying in any way I'll know, and you won't like what happens." He said through gritted teeth with a dangerously dark look in his eyes.
Donna could feel the danger just pouring off of this man. She wouldn't lie, she was terrified and wanted out of there immediately. So, she just scooted closer to the Doctor to make herself feel a little safer. Damon could sense her fear. He could hear the quickened pace of her heartbeat. It made him happy to know it worked on at least one of them. The Doctor didn't seem fazed at all though. The longer he was near this man, the more he believed about him being some alien.
Sitting straight up, the Doctor began, "Okay, to start out I just want to hear it from you. Are you a vampire?"
Damon smiled darkly, "Yes, but I'm assuming you have some assumptions about that. First off I am over 170 years old. My brother is also a vampire. Vampires can't walk out in the sunlight unless they have a daylight ring, which I have here." He held up his hand showing his ring. "Vampires will live forever, unless they are stabbed in the heart with a wooden stake, their head is cut off, or they burn up in the sunlight. Vampires are able to compel people to do what they want. It's sort of like mind control. We're fast and strong, as well. And obviously, we have to drink blood to survive."
He took another sip of his drink, all the while wondering why he just told them everything. Liz was not lying. It's not compulsion, but there's something about him that makes people okay with being so open.
"I have that effect on people. I don't know what it is, people like to tell me the truth." The Doctor shrugged his shoulders.
"How did you know what I was thinking?"
"My people are able to get into small telepathic fields. It seems that yours is heightened compared to regular humans."
"So, it's true. You're some alien." He looked a little less skeptical now.
"Yup!" The Doctor replied, popping the 'p' sound. "I am a Time Lord from the planet Gallifrey in the constellation of Kasterborous. I am over 900 years old." He waited to gauge Damon's response and seeing him just listening he continued. "My TARDIS crash landed in the woods not too far from here. She never takes us anywhere by mistake, so Donna and I began to look around to see if anything weird was happening. We quickly found out that you were our problem."
"What's a TARDIS? Is that your spaceship?" Damon asked.
"Yes. Stands for time and relative dimension in space. She can go anywhere in time and space. I'd say it's quite impressive you got her attention out of every where and when we could go."
"You're a time traveler." Damon deadpanned. He looked over at Liz.
"You never told me he was a time traveler!" He yelled at Liz while he pointed his finger at the Doctor.
Putting her hands up in defense. "He didn't tell me that. I told you everything. I promise."
Giving her a dangerous glare he stood up and clapped his hands. "Well, I'm gonna need some proof, Doctor. It's quite a claim to say you're some ancient alien time traveler. Let me see your ship."
"Sorry, no can do. She's most likely still repairing from the crash. But, if you are looking for proof. I have two hearts. That's pretty good evidence of me not being human." He looked into Damon's eyes and waited for his response.
Damon immediately listened closely to the Doctor's chest. It was true. He could hear two heartbeats coming from him. Amazing really. A real life alien! His excitement was quickly overrun by the worry and anger for what this man wanted from him. He said they wanted to talk about the murders. Almost all of them were his fault. Was this man going to take him to some space prison? He probably had the tech to catch him. He needed to do something with this guy. He was too much of an unknown to leave him alone.
"Doctor, what's your plan with me? You obviously aren't okay with how I spend my free time. So what now?" He crossed his arms to fake calm, but was ready to pounce at any instance.
"Well, I was planning on trying to get you to stop killing them. I can see now that you have no plans to stop any time soon."
"You'd be correct in that assumption." He smiled showing his fangs and red eyes lined with veins. He began to stalk closer to the Doctor. Each step was practically in slow motion for Donna. She didn't know what to do. Damon was going to kill him. Without thinking she jumped up and stood between the Doctor and Damon with her hands spread out protectively.
"I won't let you hurt him!" Donna exclaimed.
"Aww, she's cute. You really think you can stop me." Damon continued forward until he was practically on top of her. He looked down his nose at her and leaned in close to her neck. He breathed in deeply and then placed his fingers right on her carotid artery.
"If you bite the neck just right, right in the carotid. The flow is best, won't make a mess either." He continued to fondle her neck until the Doctor stood up and pulled Donna away from Damon.
"Leave her alone. She was just trying to protect me." The Doctor sternly said as he pushed Donna away. He also got close to Damon, except he was the taller one, so now he was glaring down his nose at him.
Damon did not like that. He made it known by aggressively grabbing onto the Doctor's throat and pushing him down on the couch. The Doctor reached up and tried with all his might to peel his hands from his neck. The more he tried, the tighter Damon's hands got. His vision began to get fuzzy around the edges and his lungs were screaming for air. He could faintly hear Donna and Liz screaming, but he couldn't understand what they were saying. It didn't matter anyway. He needed to get out of his grasp.
Right before the Doctor passed out, Damon was hit in the head with a vase. It shattered on impact. Damon let go of the Doctor and grabbed at his head. He could feel some shards stuck in his scalp. He turned around and saw Donna behind him. He was seething with rage now. Damon was about to rip her heart out when he was shot twice in the chest. He looked up to see Liz with her gun drawn. He groaned and fell to the floor.
Donna raced to the Doctor and checked his pulse. He was alive, but he was out cold.
Looking down at Damon, he was also knocked out. She was confused. "I thought they could only die from wood?" Donna asked Liz.
Putting her gun back away, "Wooden tipped bullets. They won't kill vampires, but they hurt like hell. I lace mine with vervain as well. Weakens vampires. He won't be out for long. Help me tie him up." Liz headed back for her car where she grabbed some rope soaking in vervain. Donna helped her get Damon into a wooden chair they found in the hallway, where they then tied him up. Donna noticed that the ropes touching him were burning his skin. When they finished tying him up they both tended to the Doctor. They laid him nicely on the couch and propped his head up with some pillows. Some purple bruising was already showing around his neck and he was sweating a lot. Liz placed her hand on his forehead. It was burning up.
"Donna, you stay here with them. I'm going to go to the kitchen and get a cold rag for him." Liz left in a hurry, leaving Donna alone. She worriedly looked over the Doctor. She had never seen him like this before. Damon was going to kill both of them! She didn't feel comfortable staying here. Even if Damon was tied up. She just knew he would find a way out of those ropes and get them all.
Liz came back with a bowl of water and a cold rag. She placed the rag on his forehead and the bowl on the stand beside the couch. She then went up to Damon and pulled his daylight ring off.
"We don't need him to think he can get away." Liz had a hard look and put the ring in one of her pant pockets.
After about an hour the Doctor came to. He let out a groan and began to sit up slowly touching his neck. Donna quickly raced over and slowly pushed him back down.
"It's best you stay down Doctor. You need to rest."
"What happened?" He croaked out. Before falling into a coughing fit.
"Damon attacked you." As she spoke she looked over at the still sleeping form of Damon hunched over in his chair.
The Doctor just nodded his head and shut his eyes. He motioned for Donna to come closer. She leaned down until her face was right in front of his own.
"Water," he whispered.
"OH! Of course! Here you go."
He drank the entire glass of water and then began to cough some more.
Knock, knock, knock.
Liz jumped up and headed to the door. She asked her daughter to come over and help. Once Liz opened the door, Caroline quickly hugged her with a smile of relief.
"How are they doing? Are either awake yet?" Caroline asked.
"The Doctor just woke up, I was hoping you could help him." Liz whispered as she looked back toward the Doctor and Donna over her shoulder.
Nodding her head, "I'll do what I can."
Caroline walked over to the couch and greeted them both with a large smile.
"Hi, I'm Caroline. Liz is my mom. She asked me to come and help you."
"How can you help?" Asked Donna.
"Well, my blood could help him heal faster if he is interested."
"You're a vampire too?" Donna asked just a little too loud.
"Yes." She gave a sad smile. She then went up to the Doctor.
"If you want, my blood can help heal you faster before Damon wakes back up." She grabbed onto the Doctor's hands and leaned closer to hear his answer. Instead of speaking Caroline heard his voice in her head. She widened her eyes in surprise and looked into his own eyes.
"No. I'm not human. I don't know what your blood will do to me." His voice sounded perfectly clear in her head.
"You can use telepathy? That's amazing! Even I can't on my own yet." Caroline answered back.
"He what! Doctor! You never told me you could do that." Donna spoke out. The Doctor just rolled his eyes at her and looked back at Caroline with a small grin.
Caroline stood up and told Donna that he didn't want help. Donna would not hear this, she grabbed Caroline's arm and pulled her aside so he would not hear.
"I don't care what he told you, I need you to help him. What if Damon wakes back up? He can't defend himself like this. He needs your blood." Donna was practically hysterical.
"He said the blood might not be good for him since he's not human. We don't know if he'll react badly to it. It's probably safer if we listen. Besides I'm here now to help when Damon wakes up. You're not alone." She placed her hand on Donna's shoulder and gave a light squeeze to try and reassure her.
Hearing the bickering, Liz decided to join their secret conversation. "So, how are we gonna slip him the blood without him knowing?"
Caroline was surprised, "You heard us?"
Liz shook her head, "No, but I can figure out what was going on. I agree with Donna. He needs to help. We'll have to hide it somehow." She brought her hand up to her mouth in contemplation.
"How about you just put some in a glass of water. He does need more of that. I bet he wouldn't think twice about it." Donna snapped her fingers like she just made the best plan ever.
Caroline was still uncertain if she should or not, but Donna knew him.
"I guess, as long as you are okay with it. If something happens to him. I want you to know it was you who pushed for this." Caroline set her face and headed over to the kitchen to put a drop of her blood in a glass of water. Donna followed, wanting to make sure she wasn't lying. Liz decided to stay with the Doctor, to make sure he was comfortable. She saw that he was sitting up now, looking right at her.
He reached out to her and she gladly took his hand. He shook his head and looked down at his lap. "I know what you are doing. I'm not stupid. I won't allow it."
His voice sounded much better now. Liz wondered if it was some alien thing. Just as she was about to tell him how they were just worried, a loud gasp came from Damon.
Liz jumped off the couch and pulled her gun on him. Caroline and Donna came running in the room to see Damon awake. He didn't make any move to get free. He slightly pulled at the ropes, but was met with more burning from the vervain. He then glanced down at his hand and saw that his ring was gone.
"C'mon Liz! You really think that I can't hurt you now that you have my ring." He laid his head back and winced with the sudden movement.
Caroline stepped in front of him. "I won't let you near her!"
"How cute. Little old Caroline standing up to her maker. I'm way stronger than you sweetheart. Just wait till I get free." Damon was breathing so hard it was hard to imagine how he was sounding so threatening, even though he was the one tied up.
"Whatever Damon." Caroline rolled her eyes.
"It's me you want. Leave them out of it." The Doctor stood up and headed over toward Damon. He wobbled a bit as he went, but was able to keep his footing.
"I'm surprised you're up already. You must heal fast." Replied Damon.
"Two hearts, remember. Gets the blood moving a bit faster. Which in turn quickens the healing process." He tilted his head and shrugged. Holding himself as tall as he could he walked behind Damon and began to undo his restraints.
Caroline sped over to him and pulled his arms away from the ropes. "Woah there! We don't want him to get out just yet." She noticed the Doctor was still staring at the ropes as she talked. He was not listening to her. Again he reached for the ropes. Just as he touched them, Caroline forcefully grabbed ahold of his hands and turned him around looking in his eyes.
"Don't do that again." She compelled him to stop. The Doctor looked dazed for a second, but then pulled something out of his overcoat and pointed it at the ropes. It buzzed and Damon was free. Caroline jumped on the Doctor and grabbed the device out of his hands and threw it away. She then looked to see Damon stretching and rolling his neck from being in such an uncomfortable position.
"You should have given him vervain. It was all too easy to compel him earlier. I knew you would tie me up. One must be ready for anything." With that Damon sped over to Donna and bit into her neck with gusto. Donna screamed and kicked trying to get him off of her. She could feel his fangs in her neck and life, literally, draining from her body.
Having his fill he dropped Donna and then moved over to Caroline and snapped her neck before she could even react. Liz shot him, but with such a fresh feeding it barely even stung. He got right in front of her and decided to punch her in the face for what she did. She was knocked out immediately. She slumped down onto the floor with a thud. He slowly turned around while rubbing the blood off of his face. The Doctor was standing there eyes wide. A mixed look of anger, worry, and fear all over his face. Damon stalked over to him and grabbed his hands, pulling them behind his back. The Doctor struggled, but was nothing compared to his strength.
"Okay, Doctor. Because I think it's cool you're an alien I won't kill you. Not permanently anyway. Let's see how you are as someone like me. How does that sound?" Damon whispered into his ear. The Doctor could smell Donna's blood and felt Damon's hot breath on his neck.
"I don't even know if it will work. I'm not human." The Doctor spat out and tried once more to get free from Damon's steel grip.
"Well, you seem like a man of science. Science needs testing right?" He laughed and then bit into the Doctor's neck. It hurt horribly. The bruising from before was forgotten as he felt his blood being drained from his body. Suddenly Damon let go and was shoving his hand in the Doctor's mouth. He could taste iron and was forced to swallow it down. He struggled some more, but all at once he felt Damon grab the sides of his head, and then everything went black.