A/N- School started for me! I'm going to try and keep up with the chapters! I love that you guys continued with reading this story. It really makes me super excited when I go to my email and see reviews or favorites or follows on this story. It means a lot and it motivates me to upload more chapters. I just want to say that if there is ANY way to make this story better, please feel free to write a review, or private message me. I would really appreciate it!
Thank you so much ShiningStar324 for reviewing! Haha, you've reviewed so much that I've already memorized your username. I just wanted to say thanks for supporting my story, even though they can be dull and boring. I really appreciate it, you're the best! And also thanks to sloksingh45 for reviewing and liking my story. I really appreciate it!
Chapter 9- Safe
Stefan drives as fast as he can with Vaughn next to him. Stefan feels a wave of relief as he glances back to see the poor, fragile "Damon" soundly sleeping in the shotgun. He's overcome with happiness. "If Stefan finds out that I'm not Damon, then it's the end for me. That is why Stefan- or anyone cannot find out that I'm Damon. Or I'll kill whoever knows." Vaughn thinks.
He speeds his way to the Salvatore mansion, not caring if any policemen see him speeding. He can always just compel them off anyways.
Stefan carries Damon in his arms and gently lays him down on the couch. He can finally breathe now. He's been holding his breath ever since he got him from the man.
He gets some blood bags from out of the fridge in the cellar and speeds back upstairs, next to Vaughn, and carefully places it in his mouth, squeezing the bag for him. It goes right down his throat, which is a good sign. "His body is still functioning" Stefan opens his pearly eyes, his face sweating all around. He looks around his new setting. Stefan, Caroline, Bonnie, and Alaric huddle around him in a circle.
"Damon! You're awake!" Bonnie cries out.
"How are you feeling?" Caroline asks him.
"Uhm, good," Vaughn speaks out faking a raspy voice. He lets out a cough, letting them know that he still doesn't feel good. Vaughn eyes the new setting, looking around. He's lying down, looking up at everyone. Alaric has his arms crossed, and Stefan is giving him the worried-but-I'm-glad-you're-safe face. Bonnie and Caroline are both staring Vaughn down as if they are realizing that Damon is not the usual quirky and fun Damon.
"Damon, what happened?" Stefan pops the question that everyone is thinking of. Vaughn has been waiting for this question. He mentally smiles at everyone, thanking Stefan for asking. He can make himself sound very vulnerable and scared, so then everyone can drop all suspicions on him. His eyes immediately drop down, pretending as if he doesn't want to relive the memory again. Everyone stands in silence as Vaughn sighs out and opens his mouth.
"Everything… They tortured me with knives, wooden bullets, they even filled the air with vervain and Elena…"
"Elena?" gasps out both Caroline and Bonnie. "What did they do with Elena?" Bonnie asks.
"It's always gonna be Stefan… They kept on replaying that in the speakers. It was torture. I am so glad you guys saved me." Vaughn says.
Caroline, Bonnie, and Alaric all look at each other. This is odd; Damon is usually never being this nice to everyone.
"Wow Damon, you're so nice. It's not like you." Caroline blurts out. Vaughn quickly puts on a poker face, and his face turns 50 shades paler. Is Damon really this ungrateful? Wow, he deserves what I did to him.
"Well, you guys did just save my life. Any moment longer, and I would've been desiccating." Damon finally speaks out from the long awkward silence.
"Can we all just take a moment to appreciate that Damon's back? He just spent a month getting tortured." Stefan says, annoyed by everyone.
They all glance at each other before Bonnie breaks the silence.
"Stefan's right. Put your speculations aside. We're supposed to be here to comfort him."
Vaughn can easily be seen as uncomfortable. He attempts to stand up, but several hands reach forward to push him back down.
"Not now, Damon. You're still weak. I can't let you stand up right now. Here, drink." Stefan hands him a blood bag. Damon rips it open and chugs it all down.
"Wow, brother. After a month, you're still the hero. Have you ever thought of trading in the cape sometimes? Damon throws the empty blood bag onto the coffee table in front of him. He stands up, remembering to wobble a little bit before balancing himself, and goes to get a glass of Bourbon. He knows that Damon loves Bourbon and that it's his signature drink.
"Damon, about last time-" Stefan starts.
"This is what I've been waiting for this past month." Vaughn interrupts Stefan, trying not to go into that topic. He doesn't exactly know what happened between them, just that there was a fall-out between the brothers. Stefan looks towards the floor. He raises his glass high up and tilts it into his mouth. The amber liquid is running into his mouth like a river stream. He savors every sip, and slowly swallows it down. He smirks at how well he's doing at pretending to be Damon.
"Now, what have I missed for these months since I've been gone?" Vaughn asks.
"Nothing really… Same old Mystic Falls." Alaric answers. Vaughn and Alaric exchange smiles.
"I've missed you, buddy," Alaric says, reaching in to hug him.
"Me too…" Vaughn replies back, acting sad.
"I'm going to go change my clothes. I've been in these for more than a month." He says, glancing up to look at everyone.
Damon leaves the living room to go up to his room. He takes a herb out of his pocket, and using a match, burns it. He wafts it around his room, and goes into the bathroom and turns on all the faucets. While standing in the bathroom, he dials a number into a burner phone.
"Hello?" A female voice speaks from the other line.
"Dakota? It's Vaughn." He whispers, careful not be too loud.
"Sir, you did it?"
"Yup, the plan is in motion. You set the boundary?" Vaughn fiddles with his daylight ring that he stole from Damon. He can already imagine Damon walking out into the sun and bursting into flames. The thought of that races his heart beat and makes him giddy.
"Already did that, sir, right after you left."
"Good job, Dakota. I will reward you with what you requested, but do me one last favor."
"And that is?"
Vaughn lowers his voice and an evil glint forms in his eye.
"Make him suffer. Do whatever it takes to break him. I can tell a little bit of him is still in there, break that inch he has left. Don't let him get underneath your skin, he's good at doing that."
"I will, sir. I'll shatter him into a million pieces. I won't let you down."
"Good. If you do fail, there will be consequences." Vaughn eerily says into the phone before hanging up. He takes the burner phone and breaks it. He throws the pieces into the toilet, flushing them piece-by-piece.
"Be careful, Damon. You have a lot coming for you. It's going to be one hell of a ride. But don't worry; you won't be alone much longer. I'll visit you one day." Vaughn whispers under his breath, before taking a shower and changing his clothes.
I admit, this chapter was really hard for me to write. I realized that when I edited this chapter, I only had about 460 words-ish. I'm really trying my best on writing more than 1,000, but sometimes I can't. I have written 2,000 characters one, so look forward to that! Thanks for reading, you guys are awesome!
-Angela
