Chapter 10 - Protection the Witchy Way

Elena yawned, Damon took the clue, "Elena, time to get you upstairs, unfortunately for you, there are a few more magical herbs that you need to soak in before you can rest. Stefan, you'll need to treat the water again, before you start your naughty ideas with the care bear." Without argument, Elena nodded "I can't believe, I've been sleeping for almost 5 years, and not even awake for 12 hours, and I want to sleep again. There has to be a joke in there somewhere." Elena looks at her friends and family "I'm so happy to be back with everyone, and so happy that everyone is back. We are going to be happy now." She looks directly at Bonnie and Enzo. "Caroline, it looks like Bonnie and Enzo need a little bit of pampering. Enzo needs to feed more. Bonnie need more rest." Caroline responds "You let Damon take care of you, Stefan and I will make sure the rest of the troops are taking R & R. We will see you in the morning."

Damon gets up from next to Elena, extends his hand, she puts her hand in his. She lets him cradle her under his arm, the warmth of his body is new to her, as a vampire he wasn't warm or cold, she always felt cherished, loved and safe, this new warmth was just an amazing perk of their new human life that she would get to enjoy. They reached the stairs, he scooped her up in his arms, "I'm not ready for you to strain yourself on stairs yet." Damon's tone was filled with concern. Elena snuggled her head into his neck and smiled, knowing he couldn't see the rolling of her eyes that said 'some things will never change, overprotective as always, vampire or witch.'

He carried her through the doorway of their bedroom. He set her down gently onto the floor. Damon reminds "Stefan will be up in a minute to treat the bath water, you will need to soak for at least 15 minutes, do you feel strong enough to be in there by yourself?" Elena looked confused "Is there another way?" Then she remembers he said that he had performed the ritual on her body this morning, "How did it happen this morning?" Damon's tone stressed "I bathed with you, talk about torture. Having your naked body, with none of your spirit, your passion, nothing that makes you, well, you coming from the body that was lying on top of me…. Torture!" Elena heard the frustration in his voice, it was alluring, and she felt like having a bit of fun, "I think maybe we shouldn't change the ritual at all, so far it isn't broken, so let's not tempt fate by trying something different." Damon frowned, he knew exactly what she was saying.. more torture. Damon knew she wasn't strong enough to do any of the things he his body would crave during the ritual, it was torturous with a cold, motionless Elena shell body, he was going to go mad now that she was warm, moving, talking, glowing.. oh god, what if she moans.. Damon had to stop thinking. He went back to

She looks at herself in the mirror "I don't remember this dress, it is so beautiful." Damon "No, you wouldn't. I bought it for you, after you were put to sleep. Ric, Bonnie and I went to Europe for a few months for a distraction. I walked by a shop, I saw, I bought it. I wasn't ready to accept how long you were going to be out of my life. I kept thinking of it as a short vacation, like you were visiting family a long weekend away. It was the only way I could process breathing. Once reality started setting in and my life started heading south. Somehow this dress was protected, it survived all the hell that we went through."

Elena turned and hugged him "I want to hear about it all, all the struggles, the bad, I want hear everything, Damon. I will not judge, I love you unconditionally. Nothing you did was based on what you could choose. I know that. You can't carry it around by yourself, you have to share it with me, we are partners, we are together forever, this life and any others that come after." Damon puts his arms around he and squeezes like his life depends on it, when Stefan walks into the room "Looks like I'm interrupting" Damon looks up "Brother, nothing that you haven't reminded me of for the past 4 years over and over again. She is the best thing that has ever happen to me" Stefan shakes his head yes and winks at Elena. Stefan "I'm locked and loaded, Bath tub here I come" Damon laughs "I think Stef is liking this witch power" Stefan sends a ball of water directly at his brother hitting him directly in the small of his back. Elena laughs "I would say so. I do like this better then you guys staking each other" The brothers look at each other and laugh.

Damon walks in to the closet, all of a sudden Elena feels dizzy, she puts her hands to her head. Stefan catches that motion from the corner of his eye, races over to catch her just before she reaches the ground in a faint. "Elena.. Elena" as he lifts her into his arms, her head draped over his arm lifeless. He lays her on the bed, she opens her eyes "Don't tell Damon, he is worried enough, I'm just over doing it. I've been so tired for hours now. Please Stefan. Help me to the bathroom. Please, I know the ritual will help." Stefan does what she asks. As they reach the bath tub, Damon is coming out of the closet with a robe in his hand "I knew I had one of these things in there, I just didn't know if it was still there, after the Heretic Invasion" Damon looked up to see Stefan's arm around Elena's waist, he knew something wasn't right. "What's wrong with Elena?" Stefan responded "I got the floor a little wet, I knew you'd be complaining little a New Jersey Housewife from Hell, if Elena slipped. Since she woke up you have been Mr Over Protective Pants." Stefan looked down at Elena and winked with the eye that Damon couldn't see. Damon took a deep breath, walked over and took Elena from Stefan's arm "Thanks Brother, now go put your wife in your arm, I got mine." Elena looked at Damon "Excuse me… MINE..wife" Damon "Soon" said in a tone of promise. Stefan headed out of the room with a smile on his face, knowing that his brother was finally at peace with love in his complete heart.

Damon looked at Elena "Are you really ok?" Elena "I am tired. I could use a little help getting into the tub, you are going to join me, we did agree, we shouldn't change the ritual." Damon "Yes, the ritual must go on" Damon had already taken his shoes and shirt off in the closet, he slide his arms around Elena's back to glide the zipper of her dress down. He eased the straps from her shoulders, the faint hand prints he and Stefan had put over her heart earlier in the day were still visible, his eyes didn't linger on them long as the dress fell to the floor. His heart was racing, his breath deepen, he was so aware of his body's response it scared him. As a vampire, he would not have been able to contain himself much longer, as a witch, would he have more self control, he had to Elena wasn't ready, she wasn't strong enough. It had to be right. He felt her hand on the button of his pant's waistband, and almost came unglued. He looked up into her eyes, "No, Elena, we can't, you are not strong enough, please I can't do this to you, I don't have the strength to say No again. Please". She unzipped, "I don't want your hands to leave my body, I don't want to fall. So someone has to help get your clothes off. Damon it is practical" She looked up at him with very guilty eyes and a mischievous grin, he rolled his eyes and knew he was in hell. His pants fell to the ground, he pulled his feet out, there they stood in underwear, the situation was getting trickier and trickier by the moment. She could see he was not uninterested, there was nothing he could do or say that would convince her that she wasn't getting to him. He had to get her into the tub, period. He reached down and took her underwear off, and slide his off in quick fashion. He lifted her into the tub, climbed in and sat behind her, resting her back on his stomach. Damon "don't say a word, don't move an inch, just sit and breath, I have to concentrate on the ritual and chant for the spell to everything to work." This was so different from this morning, her body wasn't lifeless, she was alive, she had warmth, she radiated passion and heat for him, he could feel her heart beating on his chest, her lungs filling with every breath she took. He could only think – Get a grip Damon. He closed his eyes and started the chant, he tried to focus on the air that started to swirl around them, Elena shifted, the wind died down. Damon opened his eyes "I told you don't move, I can't do this if your moving." Elena "I'm sorry, I feel your body against mine. When I touch you, I feel strong, I feel better. Damon, I need you. Please can we do this a little later, after, I just want us to be together." Damon "I know, Baby, I feel it too. You have to get stronger, you have to be stronger. This is going to make you better. We have waiting so long, a little longer for everything to be right, for everything to be perfect. We can do this for each other." Elena nodded her head, she held totally still, and slowed her breathing. The words calmed Damon as well, the ritual began again, this time they felt the magic together, flowing from him into her as one. The water began to darken, and then various herb absorbed all the dark parts, Elena watched in all happen, she saw dark color come out of her feet and legs, Damon's skin produced orange colors that wrapped around the leaves and blossoms in the water, that swirled around all the darkness that came from Elena. The wind kept swirling above her, she didn't move her body, only her eyes, she was used to magic, hadn't Bonnie's spells moved things around her often. This was Damon, Damon was do this, he was really a witch now, a human witch. She started thinking about what their lives might be. She was becoming aware of how better she felt, stronger, her dizziness was almost completely gone, all the feelings that made her faint just moments ago were gone. She closed her eyes and concentrated on Damon's voice, his breath, his heart beats and she felt his energy. The hairs on her arms started standing up, she started getting goose bumps on her skins, she could feels the bubbles in the water coming up between her legs, then she felt Damon's arms wrap around her chest. She opened her eyes, the winds were not swirling any longer, the water was not bubbling and it was clear, all the blossoms had lost the vibrant colors, they were dark and wilted. Damon looked down at her "Hey there, you did good, we really did a good job, I think we got most of it out of you, look at the potion, it pulled so much of the spell out. I felt my magic flowing through you, cleansing you. I could feel it, I'm so proud you. Thank you, I know it is so hard, it is so worth it" Elena "Should we do it again?" Damon "Not tonight, we will do it again tomorrow. Now we have to get you oiled up." Elena "Oiled up?" Damon "Yes, another form of this morning's torture" Elena couldn't believe how different she felt from just 10 minutes ago, the ritual had done something to her for sure. Damon continued "There is a bowl of botanical oils on the night stand, it is a mixture of natural oils that I covered over every inch of your body to keep any of the residual dark magic from taking hold again and they promote natural growth and stimulation for your own cells to work with a little magical boost from me. Well, technically, the brother bond or love magic." Damon stopped talking, he leaned up, re-positioned Elena and stood up. He helped her stand, still supporting her securely in his arms, but letting some room between their bodies, he looked in her eyes, "Hold on to me, we need to dry off a bit" a gentle warm breeze swirled around them, their damp skin dried softly, Elena's hair blew in one direction, away from her face, she could see everything that was happening. She thought to herself, this is a fairy tale scene, in the arms of her love, with magical swirling air. Damon got her attention again by lifting her out of the tub, cradled in his arms, he took her to the bed "Now for this next part I'm going to need a distraction, so why don't I tell you the story about the original magics. That way I can do my job without realizing to much what I doing. Now just sit still" Damon took the bowl of oils, submerged his hands, closed his eyes and concentrated on the flowing his energies into the oils. He reached for Elena's foot and started the story "Originally there were two magics nature's magic and blood magic, neither magic was used from dark or evil, it was used for survival to help human live, survive, heal, procreate, the earth was a harsh place and the humans learned how to harness the energies or magics." Damon paused a minute and took a deep breath, his hands were sliding up Elena's perfectly shaped thigh. He shook his head, and continued "I wish you could hear Demetrius tell the story, he does it such justice. Stef and I come from Nature's line of magic, the power source is a combination of the elements and well, the easy version love, our brother bond is what channels the power strongest." Damon switches to Elena's other leg, lingering a little longer on her calf then needed, simply because he knows the area that is next, he thinks to himself, this is pure torture, I really am in hell on earth. Then he smiles. He looks up at Elena and immediately regrets doing it. He didn't have to wonder if she felt the passion that he was, he didn't have to worry about whether his thoughts and desires were inappropriate or unwanted at the moment. Her eyes were glossy, she was biting her lower lips, her heart beat was pulsing throughout all the veins of her neck, her breaths were shallow and quicken, and small beads of perspiration were forming at the base of her neck.

How was he supposed to do this, he wasn't even to the really good areas yet. He stood up, and turned around, he walked to the window and took a deep breath. He changed the wind from warm and gentle to cold and brisk, forming it around his body until he felt the pangs of the cold on this skin. Damon's whole body shivered, he heard Elena laugh, he turned around, he saw her laying on the bed, propped up on her elbow, looking like a Roman goddess, seductive, and all his. He no longer felt the cold. "You are not helping Ms. Gilbert at all." He said with his arm leaning on the window frame, Elena saw the moon shadows dance over his naked body, "Well Mr. Salvatore, I would say that you are fueling the fire quite nicely just standing there." Damon chuckled as he walked to her "Let's finish this damned ritual before I combust." He oiled his hand, shut his eyes tightly and tired to think of the technical task at hand, taking every ounce of sexuality out of it that he could. As his hand reached her hips, he heard her breath exhale sharply, his hands continued upward over her waist and across her stomach, he couldn't help himself, he lingered at her bellybutton, fingering it just a little, she knew it, she inhale popping his hand up. His concentration was wavering, he reminded himself, FOCUS.. DAMON.. FOCUS.. He could still clearly feel his energy, his magic flowing through his hands into the oils and on to her skin, he knew the ritual was still working, he couldn't take any chances.

He reached for the bowl again, with his eyes open "Ok, you better turn over, I let me get the other side, it might safer for a while." Elena did as he asked. She moved her hair out of the way, he had a completely unobstructed view of her neck, shoulders, perfectly shaped spine, hips and .. well, maybe this wasn't as safe as I thought. Damon put his hands on her neck and shut his eyes, he started to concentrate, moving his hands down her shoulder blades, he could felt her muscle give to his touch, he shifted his position on the bed.

He straddled her legs, she could feel his masculine heat on the back of her thighs, she tried not to move, her instinct was to open her legs and let that heat find home inside her. She tried to stop herself. Damon clinched his legs when he felt Elena's legs pushing against his. His only thought was GOD NO. Trying to keep his concentration on the task at hand, he soaked his hands again in the oils. Spanning his fingers down her back, then back up her spine, he dipped his hands in the bowl again, taking a bit more oil directly on her spine, massaging the oils in with his palms, making sure he could feel the magic being absorbed. Down his hand went, finally over her buttocks, he tried not to linger, get the job done Damon, he told himself, re-positioning, so that he could continue to the back of her thighs. When he moved, Elena was not in the mood to continue be the only one tortured, just as his hands started down her thighs, she spread her legs, just enough, for Damon to feel the heat that he had created in her. He was holding on by a thread, he got off the bed, Elena turned over. Damon looked at her, the ritual wasn't over yet, he was almost done, he was going to head to the coldest shower ever know to mankind. Elena raised her arm to her lips, "I'm completely unglued, I know that you are too. We can do this. I'm strong enough. You aren't going to hurt me. Damon, I need you. I need us to make love. It has been so long. You can't touch me like you have been, I feel all your essence, your energy, your magic, your love flowing in my body with every touch. When your skin touches mine, I feel every part of you. It's like your soul joins with mine. I want, no Damon I need us to physically be one too." Damon "Elena, I want you so much that I'm in physical pain. You aren't strong yet. We don't know what would happen. Please, I can't lose you. I will not do anything to put your life in danger in any way. I can't." Damon more focused than ever to continuing the ritual, made his mind up no more distractions. He shut his eyes and started chanting out loud as his hand roamed Elena's torso. Just as Damon was about to finish, he felt, a warm gentle grasp on his manhood. He opened his eyes to see Elena's sweet oiled hand wrapped around the part of his body that felt the pain of wanting her physically the most. Elena "You said that every inch of my body needed to have this oil massaged on it. Well, this is only best way for some areas to be reached".

Damon knew he'd lost. He couldn't, no he wouldn't fight anymore. He wanted this just as much as she did. He needed her as much as she needed him. He smiled "All right Ground Rules, any pain, you tell me immediately. Any funny feeling, anything you haven't felt like we have before you tell me. We stop, we talk, we figure it out. I mean it Elena. WE have NO idea what we are doing. I haven't talked to Demetrius about this at all. I don't know how to make love to you as a witch, I don't know if I can hurt you." Elena "Bonnie, never hurt Jeremy. I doubt, you can hurt me, just because you're a witch. Please stop worrying and kiss me. I'm hurting now because you aren't kissing me." Damon finally got the clue. He laid down next to her on the bed, gently brought her into his arms and passionately began do all the things that he wouldn't let his body do while the ritual was going on. His lips took total possession of hers, his hands cupped her buttocks, lifting her until she was laying on top of him. He stopped and looked in her eyes "This is forever" She remembered, she knew, she dropped her mouth on to his, taking his mouth in a kiss that was not gentle, that was demanding and powerful. She wrapped her arms around his neck pulled her body tightly to his, he rolled over so that he was covering her, bracing his weight on his forearms. After a few minutes, he slipped from her grasp, and lowered his assault to her breasts, oh how he wanted to touch them, make love to them during the ritual, he had been hard from just the thoughts, now he was touching and tasting, he didn't stop until he feasted on every inch. He kept her pinned to the bed, exactly where she laid, as he moved lower, he remembered how she tasted when he was a vampire, how powerful he became when he would taste her blood. He spread her legs wider, reaching the very place that beckoned him. He tasted, she came unglued, her hands went to his head, her fingers intertwined with his hair, her legs wrapped around his shoulders, her back arched. Her movements became more forceful as he feasted, Elena "Damon" she said his name with a sense of panic. He looked up, "Are you ok? What do you feel?" Elena "Don't stop I'm coming to you? " Damon smiles, he leans up and kisses her on the lips and positions over her, enters her swiftly. The ecstasy he feels is overwhelming. He looks directly into Elena's eyes and makes love to her. Their paces isn't rushed, it is no longer a frenzy, it is eager to love each completely. They embrace each other, coming together in a way that they had never before, lost in each other's love, in each other's soul, something that was so much more than passion. The minutes got lost into an eternity.

The sunrise was upon them, the hours seemed like a blink of an eye and forever at the same time. Damon "We need to sleep, humans need sleep." Elena "What just happened with us, was that us, or was that a spell, or magic?" Damon "It was us, all I know is it was pure and from the love that we feel for each other. Did you feel me like I felt you?" Elena buried her head into his neck and wrapped her arms around him, trying to slide into his skin, he felt her head nod yes. They shut their eyes with their bodies embraced as one, Damon last fledging thought was "How am I suppose to protect her without all the strengths of being a vampire?"

"GOOD MORNING, my brother" Stefan said startling Damon awake. Damon instinctual covered Elena with the sheet and his arm, "Stef, Elena's not decent. What are you doing in MY bedroom?" Stefan "Shoe is finally on the other foot, not so great is it my brother." Caroline walks in the room, "Good Morning, Damon, did you sleep well?" Damon "NO!.. NO!.. NO!.. GET OUT!.. Both of you OUT now.. This is not happening" Damon bellows. Elena, she can't help but smile, Stefan sees this out of the corner of his eye and knows she is giving them the go ahead. "Well, brother after all the times that you have barged in on my morning time with both of these amazing women, I figure, you are owed, especially after the conversation I just had with Demetrius." Stefan walked over to the window, grabbed the curtains and tossed them open. He then opened the window, the outside of the window was covered with vines and stocks, not one ray of sun could shine through. "Damon, you and your protection spells" Stefan opens his arms toward the window. Damon face is completely surprised, "I did that? How? I didn't! Trust me, I was otherwise occupied last night." Elena was glad she was covered, so no one could see her blush, thoughts of last night were still fresh, she moved her legs just a bit, so Damon could feel her response to his statement. He smiled.

Stefan "Well, my brother, you did. This is your element, Mother Earth, the protector. Damon, since you have become a witch you have a tendency of doing protection spells instinctually. If we think back long enough, when you were human, you were the protector, me and Lily from Giuseppe, Katherine and Pearl from the whole town, you protected the servants from Giuseppe too. As a vampire, you stopped at nothing protecting Elena and me, even though you threatened countless times to kill me. You almost died how many more times trying to protect me, save me. There wasn't anything you wouldn't do to protect the ones that you cared for, when you really start to think about it, we shouldn't be surprised that Mother Earth & unstoppable winds are yours." Stefan turned to look at his brother, Damon didn't look so good, his skin color was gray and his eyes were bloodshot. Stefan "Are you ok?" Damon "Blame Elena, she really took it out of me last night, quite the demanding minx" Stefan not buying Damon's casual glib brush off, "I'm serious Damon, you don't look good" Elena's attention is now perked, she sits up, and looks at Damon, "He's right Damon, you don't look good at all."

Caroline realized there was way too much going on with way too little clothing. She went into Damon's dresser drawer, and took out 2 t-shirts. She handed one to Elena "Thank you" as she put it on. The other went to Damon, who didn't move. Stefan went to his brother and took his arm. Stefan immediately felt the pull of energy, he knew what was going on. "Damon, you have drained all your magic. I can feel you drawing from me, right now." Damon closed his eyes, "Stef, I just need a minute." Damon's arm dropped to the bed.

Stefan "Care, will you bring me those candles, oh my, brother, you are so dramatic. When will you learn." Caroline brought 3 candles from the top of the dresser over to the night stand. Stefan sat on the side of the bed, next to Damon. Stefan looked at Elena, "Damon really is fine, he did some very powerful magic by himself sometime in the middle of the night, and didn't have access to any batteries. I'm going to charge him up. He will be fine in just a few." Stefan waved his hand over the candles and they lit, he flattened his palm, and drew the flame from the candle to his palm. Soon a ball of fire was rolling around in the palm of his hand. Both Elena and Caroline gasped, Stefan calmed them, "It isn't burning me at all, I'm the one that is calling it. The fire is my battery. Caroline, why don't, you and Elena go downstairs while I get Damon fixed up and get some coffee. You can see what Bonnie and Enzo are up to, Damon and I will be down in a minute." Stefan took Damon's arm with his other hand wrapping his fingers completely around the forearm, closed his ears and started to hum.

Elena got out of bed, Caroline handed her the pants that Bonnie had sent for Elena, she put them on. They stopped and watched the brothers for a moment. They watched the ball of flame in Stefan's hand bounce around, grow larger and smaller over and over. Elena started breathing easier when she noticed the skin on Damon's arm returning to it's normal color. Stefan was right, Damon needed re-charged, would she ever get used to this new normal.

Stefan could feel the energy flowing through him from the fire into Damon. Damon opened his eyes "What happened, where's Elena? " Stefan "Easy Brother, everything is ok, everyone is safe. Elena is downstairs with Caroline and Bonnie. You are re-charging as we speak. I might say a little slower than I expected. I wonder" Stefan said with a hint of confusion in his voice, he took his hand from Damon and sent a fire ball to the open window. The fire ball disbursed without causing any damage and Damon dropped back to the bed. "YEP" Stefan replied as he grabbed Damon's arm again. He was going to need a bit more to get through to Damon. He let the flame die. He stood up and lifted Damon's back, slide behind him, to let Damon lean onto his chest "The things that you do for brother" Stefan said out loud laughing. Stefan laid both of his arms down so that his elbows laid on Damon's shoulders and his forearm were down on his chest. He settled Damon's head between his arms, and took a deep breath, "Ok, brother, let's get you charged and this force field down" Stefan flattened his palms and drew the fire to both palms at the same time, let Damon pull from him. Damon opened his eyes a few minutes later, he looked up and realized where he was, "Stef, what is going on?" Stefan responded "You, my brother have decided to work a protection spell on the entire house, by yourself, and you will not stop fueling it. It is draining all your energy. Right now, you are charging from me, and I'm channeling my fire. Can you stop the protection spell?"

Damon replies "Stef, I have no idea how I'm doing or when I did it. At least, when I sent you to Elena's casket, I remember thinking, No, you can't die, you aren't supposed to die, I have to make you safe. You should be with Elena, if you were with Elena you would be safe. I remembered thinking those exact thoughts and looking at you, I felt the ground underneath me, and the fire touched you." Damon paused and took a labored breath, Stefan concentrated harder and pushed more energy into Damon. Damon continued "Last night was the happiest I have ever been in my life. Elena and I had made love like never before. I felt love as a human as I had never before. It was the best moment of my entire existence. I wasn't thinking negative thoughts, I can't say I actually had any thoughts at all. Elena and I went to sleep. You woke us up. That is all that happened."

Stefan thought out loud "Love, nothing you ever felt before human or vampire, subconscious? Damon, do you think that your subconscious cast the spell? Think about it, you're not going to just stop protecting Elena because you are sleeping. I think you cast the spell while you sleeping, that makes sense, you cast the spell to protect your whole world. This house has every person you care about and every person they care about in it." Damon "You really think I could have cast a protection spell around the whole house" Stefan "Your still casting now, that is why your still draining " Damon "Ha Ha, Let's figure this out. If my over active love power did it, maybe the brother bond can find it. I'm drawing energy from you, what if you followed that energy and then blocked it at the source? Or at least put a little bell on it so I could find it ." Stefan, "Not sure it will work that way. We got nothing to lose. Let's try it." Stefan concentrated on his energy flow and Damon relaxed his mind, opened his energy flows to receive Stefan consciousness. He actually could feel Stefan's conscious energy, his magic, it felt different, it was a different color and taste, Damon smirked just a bit, it really didn't taste all the good. Stefan "I can really feel the difference between our magics, do you think that I can follow yours to see where it is going as it fuels the barrier?" Damon "it's worth a try, being that yours tastes funny, I can figure out where you are heading, maybe we can get this thing down together."

Stefan takes a deep breath, he concentrates on his energy, where was it being pulled to. He felt the current flow into Damon, he focused on a specific section and followed it through his hand into Damon's arm, up through his heart and out his chest, straight in to roots of the vines that surrounded the house. Stefan was right, Damon's love casted the spell. Damon opened his eyes, Stefan was already looking at him, "Ok, you're right, I'm a sap" Stefan laughed out loud.

They understood what was causing the barrier now. Damon took a deep breath, he followed the bitter tasting energy path and removed his magic. Stefan could feel the pull of his energy lessen, Damon was breaking the connection on his own. Damon took a breath, "I broke the spell, I'm not feeding it anymore. I'm not sure how to bring it down." Stefan relieved, "I can do that, watch this, it's going to be fun too." He stretched his arm out and flattened his palm, a ball of fire was drawn from the nearest lit candle, he threw the ball of fire like it was a curve ball for strike three in a baseball game at the open window, the flames disbursed all over the vines, disintegrating them allowing the rays of sunlight to flood the room. Damon frowned, Stef was right, that did look like fun. Damon threw the covers off, and walked to the window, he let the sunlight warm his naked body, he felt the energy and his magical battery charge, he smiled, now this tastes good.