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After Damon's frantic call Stefan didn't know what expect when he walked into his father's waterfront estate. The paramedics and police were already on the scene and the worked in a frenzy. One rushing past him, another in front. When he made it to the office his father was unresponsive on a gurney. The he was flat lining and Stefan froze. "Father," Stefan yelled going to step towards him, but feeling someone pull him back.
"Take it easy son, your daddy's a fighter," the deputy said.
"I can't-He can't," Stefan started.
Just then Giuseppe stabilized. "Let's move him to the hospital while we have the chance," The female paramedic said. The three paramedic packed their equipment and quickly pushed Giuseppe out to their ambulance. Stefan followed them and got into the back of the ambulance with his father.
Damon and Bonnie boarded the family jet back to Henry. Damon couldn't help but wonder if his father was alive or dead. The last update he got was a text from Caroline saying Giuseppe was in surgery. "He's going to be okay Damon," Bonnie said as she laced her fingers in his.
"I can't believe what I said to him," Damon groaned. If that was going to be the last conversation he had with his father, he just couldn't forgive himself.
"He knows you love him," Bonnie said as she kissed his cheek. "And when we get there you can apologize for whatever you said."
"You make it sound so simple," He laughed.
"When you really love someone, it just is," she smiled up at him.
"Can I ask you something?" he asked in a small voice.
Bonnie quickly became concerned as his eyes seem to be pleading with her. She turned and took his hand. "You can ask me anything."
"Are you keeping something from me?" he asked.
"No," she answered and his frown deepened.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes I am," she smiled.
"Did you tip off your dad?" he asked her.
"I-I"
"Please don't lie to me. My family is in huge trouble right now. The last thing I need is for another lie from those pretty little lips," he yelled causing Bonnie to jump.
"Well it seems like you already made up your mind," she said getting up and going to the cabin in the back to lay down.
Damon stood and grabbed her arm. "Do you want this?" he asked her.
"Are you serious?" she laughed.
"Do you Bon?"
Bonnie looked at him as if he was unrecognizable. "I wish I knew," she said and went on her way.
"Care?" Stefan said as he came in to the kitchen.
"The kids are asleep. I had Elijah drop off Daddy's papers," Caroline said sorting through their father's will. "I have a meeting with a florist on Monday and we can call Frank's and see if he can get the casket ready."
"Caroline he's still alive."
"He's had Guillain-Barre syndrome for three years Stefan. Three years he knew this day was coming, and for three years he never told anyone," Caroline yelled.
"I wouldn't say he never told anyone," Teresa said as she came into the kitchen.
"You knew about this?" Stefan asked.
"He holds a huge stake in Crain Industries. He hast to get routine checkups with our physician and that is how we found out. He has been doing trials of a few experimental drugs and it's not working," She informed them.
"Why didn't he tell us any of this?"
"He tried, but you guys weren't in the best place. Caroline you and Klaus were on the outs, and Stefan you confessed your love for Katherine. He was concerned about you guys, and what would happen if you knew."
"So he lied to us?"
"That's not how he saw things. You know your father only wants what's best for you guys. Now it's time to make those tough decisions he was trying to save you from," Teresa said. "I'm going back to Harmony and your dad has a place there you guys can stay. There are several off shore accounts he has sent money for you guys. In two days Mason is going to move the kids and by tomorrow Damon should be in. You guys are welcome to come with me than, but"-
"Katherine isn't invited," Stefan sneered.
"It's too dangerous."
"No my father is a sick bastard."
"Stefan!" Caroline yelled.
"Oh, if Richard hadn't died you'd be in the same boat as me, and Tyler is a part of the family. He doesn't get to dictate my life like this. If I have no control over who I love, why should he?" Stefan asked Teresa.
"I know how you feel Stef, you know I do. But sometimes duty hast to come first."
"What duty?"
"To protect this family. After all that's been lost, do you really want it to be in vain?"
"Will you be able to have him transferred to a hospital in Harmony?" Caroline asked.
"You can't be considering this? This is crazy," Stefan yelled.
"If he's dying, we can give him this for his last few days. It's not forever," she reasoned.
"Is it?" Stefan asked Teresa.
"Once Giuseppe is gone all of this falls on his heir," she shrugged.
"Damon," Caroline said as she bite her lip.
"He's not leaving Bonnie and he shouldn't have to."
"Just think about it Stefan. This isn't forever, it's for now. For dad," Caroline said her baby blue eyes beseeching her brother.
"What do I have to do?"
"I'll take care of Katherine and Bonnie, and if you please Tyler. They will be cared for and treated respectfully," Teresa promised.
"I'm not agreeing to anything until Damon's home," Stefan said.
"That's fine, but you should really think about doing this Stefan. And not just for Giuseppe's sake," she smiled and left.
"You remember when life was simple?"
"You mean when we were still in mom's stomach?" Stefan asked making Caroline laugh.
"And that's why you're my favorite twin," she laughed.
"I'm you're only twin," Stefan added.
"That's what I want you to think," she said packing up her paper work.
"All done planning dad's funeral?" he asked grabbing two beers.
"There's just too much to process."
"Like how Damon's never coming back, or was at least planning on it," Stefan asked.
"Stefan, don't take it personal. We don't know the full story and we don't know why any of this happened," Caroline reminded him as he stood by her and opened her beer.
Stefan handed the beer to Caroline and said, "Bonnie called her dad, she knew they weren't coming back. Otherwise, that would have never happened. She wouldn't have tooking that risk."
"It was her wedding day. Family is the most important thing to a girl on that day. I'm sure she wishes her family could have been there. She's just really emotional with the baby… Crap."
"She isn't," Stefan said in utter disbelief.
"He wanted to tell you," Caroline started.
"But he didn't," he laughed. "It's starting to all come together. Damon made up his mind to leave when he found out he'd be a father. Why would he want to raise a child like this? Sometimes, I feel like we're the real slaves. Trapped here with nowhere to go."
"Stefan, just try to understand. This was hard for him to do. We're all he's ever known. He never wanted to hurt you, or for you to blame yourself about this."
"So you knew he wasn't coming back too?"
"No, but I get it. I understand where he's coming from. And as his brother and best friend so should you."
"I would have understood if he took the time to try and explain it to me," Stefan shrugged. "You know like brothers do, but I guess I'm just another stranger to him," he said as he stood and stormed off.
"Stefan," Caroline yelled after him.
The second their plane landed in Atlanta Damon raced to Henry. He needed to see his father and that was all that was on his mind. He knew Bonnie was still upset with him, and that none of his family, or most of his family, had no idea she was pregnant. There was going to be a lot to do, but not until after he saw Giuseppe.
When they got off the highway and were in Henry, Damon continued to do 80 on the town streets. "Damon could you slow down, now. You're not a vampire that can heal himself and I'm not a super powerful witch. We're just regular people that can die in a car crash," Bonnie said.
"If I were a vampire I'd ripe a hole in your annoying judgey little neck," he said as he slowed down.
"If I were a witch I'd have you on your knees in agony just for thinking about it."
"O how I love thee, let me count the way," he smirked as they entered the hospital parking complex. The closer they got to actually getting into see Giuseppe the more Damon's guilt plagued him. "I'm here to see Giuseppe Salvatore," he told the nurse at the rounded desk in the center of the room.
"Yes, Mr. Salvatore. Dr. Fells, is out for the moment, but Dr. Parker is in with your father right now. You go in that elevator to the fifth floor and turn right, he'll be in the third room on the left 514," she said with a smile.
"Thank you Mrs. Clarke," he said as he and Bonnie turned to the elevator.
Bonnie reached for his hand and laced her fingers through his. He looked down at her and she was facing forward. He could feel her support. Even though they were mad act each other and wanted to tear each other to bits, she loved him. When the elevator door opened his hold on her hand tightened. They walked to Giuseppe's room and sure enough Dr. Parker was in with him.
Giuseppe looked weak and pale as he lay too still in the hospital bed. He was hooked up to a respirator and heart monitor. When the doctor noticed Damon and Bonnie she smiled and waved. "Hey, how you holding up?" she asked.
"I'd be much better if you can give me some good news," Damon said, but preparing himself for the worst.
"You're father has been sick for a long time with Guillain-Barre syndrome, and he'd been doing a few trial of an experimental drug to increase his muscle density. What he has causes detrition of the muscle tissue, but is not fatale. It seems the medicine was causing a disparity in his blood pressure and you throw in a little stress, you have a heart attack. He's getting better. We gave him a triple bypass, but he hasn't been able to breathe on his own yet."
"So he's in a coma?" Damon asked.
"Medically induced, until we're sure he can breathe on his own. You can go in and see him if you like," she said as she walked off.
"I killed him," Damon cried.
Bonnie placed her hand on his cheek, and kissed his forehead. "You didn't do anything. He loves you so much Damon. He wouldn't want you to do this to yourself," Bonnie said.
Damon held the hand closer to his cheek. "I love you. No matter what. You and our son mean the world to me," he promised her.
"I know. I feel exactly the same," she smiled. "Go talk to your dad," she smiled.
After an hour, Caroline called and told Bonnie they would be on their way. Meredith came down and offered to have Kol bring them something to eat. Damon just wanted water. And Bonnie insisted on just tea. It wasn't long before Kol was back with Caroline, Stefan, and Katherine following him. Caroline and Katherine wrapped their arms around Bonnie at the same time and she couldn't believe how much she had missed them.
"Wow Bon, you're huge," Katherine said as she and Caroline let her go.
"Yeah well it happens," Bonnie smirked.
"You look beautiful," Stefan said seizing the moment to hug her.
"Thank you Stefan. I'm sorry. He would have told you, he wanted to tell you. But he just couldn't find the words," Bonnie smiled.
"I know the feeling," she smiled and winked at her as he hugged Kat.
"Bon," Caroline said showing off her engagement ring.
"He didn't," Bonnie scream.
"Tyler popped the question," she beamed.
"You're blinding me," Bonnie laughed.
"He has great taste."
"Makes you wonder," Katherine said.
"Let's go talk to Damon," Stefan said before Caroline had a chance to respond.
"Fine," she said following her brother into the hospital room.
"So how was Europe?" Kol asked as he handed her the tea he got for her.
"It was"- Bonnie was cut off by his pager.
"Guess my break is over," he smiled.
"I'll catch up with you later love," he smiled.
"Sure," she promised.
"Now that he's gone we need to talk," Katherine said as they walked over to the far corner of the waiting room.
"Damon won't let go of his guilt. And now that Stefan knows we weren't coming back he's going to lose it," Bonnie sighed.
"I wish the old bastard would just die already," Katherine hissed.
"Tell me how you really feel," Bonnie laughed. "He's still their dad."
"Doesn't make him any less of a piece of shit," she shrugged.
"You're going to get dragged to hell," Bonnie laughed.
"There is a huge problem," Caroline said as she entered their father's hospital room.
"Several really," Stefan added.
Damon was praying and looked up at his siblings. He could see that the world weighed heavy on their shoulders, and he was going to do everything in his power to relieve their burdens. He stood and walked over to Caroline and hugged her. He kissed her forehead and for a second it was all too real. Their father could be laying in his death bed at this very moment.
Caroline relaxed and all the tears and frustration she had been holding on to just poured out of her. "We can't lose him," she cried.
"I know Care, I know," he said as he held her.
Stefan walked over and wrapped his arms around them. He missed moments like these. When they were just normal people that experienced normal things. He loved his siblings and how they were just his brother and sister. They fought, they loved, they cared, and they teased. Their relationship was everything it was supposed to be.
"I'm sorry. Not just to you Stef, but both of you. I shouldn't have taken off like that, and I should have told you I wanted to leave. I just didn't want you guys to feel like I was running away from you, or that I loved you any of less. You two are my family. And I love you guys," Damon smiled.
"We love you too," Stefan said.
"A lot," Caroline added.
"We're going to get through all of this. I had Vaughn get things ready for us to go to Italy. We can wait this out for a few weeks and see how the investigator handles things. So far Bonnie's dad has been working on his own. I think he just wants conformation," Damon said.
"And you're not going to give it to him," Caroline said for him. She couldn't believe that he was going to keep Bonnie from her family.
"It hast to be that way. At least for now," Damon reassured her.
"And you're going to tell Bonnie?" She asked. The pained look on his face told her everything she needed to know. "How could you do that to her?"
"I'm protecting this family. It's bigger than her and I. She knows for our son's sake that there are sacrifices that need to be made."
"You sound just like him," Stefan said breaking his silence.
"Now I'm the bad guy," Damon laughed.
"You're not, you're just not thinking about this clearly. Teresa has a plan that's bad, but it's not this."
"And her plan is?"
"We go to Maine and stay in Daddy's house in Harmony. The specialist he was seeing is Whitney's and Melissa's mom. We can have him transferred and all his shares get turned over to you," Caroline informed him.
"Harmony is the craziest town in New England and Salem is there," he frowned.
"And in his plan neither of us gives up our loved ones," Stefan reasoned.
"Wait what?"
"In order for all of this to happen you and Stefan have to leave Katherine and Bonnie. They'd draw attention."
"I'm not leaving my wife."
"If you do this she'll leave you," Caroline yelled. "It's not fair."
"I know my wife," he hissed at her.
"There's only so much a woman is willing to sacrifice. Don't you think Bonnie has done enough?" she cried.
"So Stefan is thinking about just doing it for Giuseppe's sake?" Bonnie asked.
"Not really, but if Care and Damon want to he'll concede and go along," Katherine sneered.
"This is messy," Bonnie groaned. "Mhm," she said placing her hand on her stomach.
"Junior okay in there?" Katherine asked.
"Yeah I think I should have gotten more than tea like Damon said," she smiled.
"Yeah, well no one likes a know it all. Let's go to the cafeteria."
Bonnie and Katherine walked passed Giuseppe's room and Bonnie instantly caught Damon's eye. She tried to raise her hand to wave at him but her limbs felt like they were trapped in mud. The next thing she knew she was staring at the ceiling and then everything went black.