Hello again readers, thank you for all your reviews!
Chapter 4 on Come Home.
Inspired by "Goodbye Apathy" by One Republic
Enjoy!
~Previously on Come Home~
Stefan frowns, but nods, scurrying away.
HE knows Emma is hiding something, and she doesn't want to tell him
Maybe is has to do with Damon wanting to tell him something...then why would he leave without saying anything.
Stefan shakes his head, he'll ask Damon himself what he was doing when he comes. Hoping he'll get answers and not more mysteries.
"It's like most phenomena's
Of our time,
Comes with its ups and downs
Twist and turns
Those trivial moments
Its what make our oath stronger"
It took at least ten minutes for Damon to reach the City Hall and another five to just find a spot of Jack. Once he found a quiet (or as quiet as it can get in a crowded place) for his horse, Damon walks briskly into City Hall.
City Hall Of Mystic Falls is huge, a size that can make the Salvatore Estate look tiny in comparison. Beautiful marble echoes the heels of Damon's riding boots, the white walls with intricate designs meet him as he walks deeper inside.
The crystal chandelier on top is enough to illuminate this big place full of wooden tables with expensive vases and paintings...it's almost like an art gallery.
Damon stops dead on his tracks, their hundreds of young men here, just waiting to be sign-in.
"Whoa"
He never though these many teen would want to go off to war, he surely doesn't.
"On this line over here are first names in alphabetical order from A-G! Over here are names H- Q! And here are R-Z!
Find you're correct line and get a move on!" yells a young solider in uniform, directing young men and their families. Damon sighs, steadily walks to his designated line.
"Hey Salvatore over here!" came a cry from the massive line. Damon grins, knowing who exactly would dare call him by his last name. He quickly pushes his way toward the source of the call until he saw him.
Dennis Jamie Forbes (who prefers to go as Jamie), his best friend, smiles back at him, patting Damon on his back.
"Hey Damon, fancy seein' you here."
"I can say the same for you, Jamie. Didn't know you sign up for death so young."
Jamie chuckles, his green eyes sparkling in amusement.
"Haha. You're young too, Salvatore. Anyways I didn't sign up, in fact I was hoping not to be here at all. But my father did, saying it will bring honor-"Jamie makes small air quotes, rolling his eyes skyward-"to the family since Michael is inheriting the estate and the family business."
Damon nods, "Same here, Giuseppe just loves a chance to get rid of me. He sign me up and told me on Saturday!"
Jamie squints, "Whoo that's awful!"
Damon shrugs, "Not much of a surprise really, I kind of figured he'll do that. Hey, have you broken the news to Rick and Anne?"
Jamie sighs, running his fingers through his short blond locks.
"Ugh, the worst part of it all. How can you tell your eleven and seven year old siblings that you're leaving and possible not coming back? Let me tell you, its was damn hard...but I had too, ya know?"
Damon nods again, "So...how they take it?"
"Well," Jamie starts, moving forward as the line progresses. " Rick pretty much went into shock though he quickly recovered and stormed out of the house. Can't blame him. Little Annie, well it was bad.
She went into shock, started hyperventilating and everything! Even Dr. Matthews has to come over to check up on her cause we couldn't get her to stop! She's fine now, thank gods, but sad.
I hate it when she's sad, Rick too, it just breaks my heart."
The two teen then fell into silence, Damon gulps. What if I tell Stefan and he'll start hyperventilating too? What happens if he gets sick after that? Oh gods now I don't want to tell him at all!
His heart hammers in his chest, seeing a possible image of Stefan not being able to breath and something awful can happen to him.
All because of me.
"Say," Jamie starts jolting Damon out of his head. "Have you told Stefan yet?"
Now it was Damon's turn to sigh, "No, I haven't yet. I just don't know how! Since my mother died and Giuseppe's excessive bad mood swing...I'm the only thing he's got. His other company is his nanny, Emma but...its not the same as if I were there, you know? Stefan will always need me, and we never been truly separated for a long period of time.
And I-I just can't do it, Jamie. No matter how many ways I make up a plan to tell him, when I'm with him...I just can't! What's wrong with me?"
Jamie sighs, he stands in front of Damon, putting his hands on his shoulders for comfort, "Hey there's nothing's wrong with you. You're just acting like a big brother should! Stefan is everything for you and vice-versa of course you don't want this for the both of you...its natural.
Means you're a fantastic big brother."
Damon stare at his friend, thoughtfully. "You're right, but I still have to tell him."
~ A hour later: Salvatore Estate~
"Whooo" Damon whispers to Jack. The black horse grumbles to a halt by the stables, Damon dismounts him and carefully grabs the reins pulling his horse inside. "Easy there, Jack." The horse whines, nudging his nose on Damon's hand. Damon chuckles petting him, "Gotta take off the seat, buddy. So you can be more comfortable."
Once his horse in well groomed and cozy, Damon jogs back to the house through the back door.
No one was in the kitchen, Damon shrugs the bag they have him down and continues walking into the dinning room and out the door into the living room. Emma was there, cleaning the vase on the small display tables, "Damon you're back."
"Yup, is Father here?"
Emma shakes her head, "No, he will not be back until nightfall."
Damon nods once before racing up the stairs, "Damon...you have to tell Stefan." Emma's voice stops him. The oldest Salvatore doesn't look back, his lips form into a thin line as he keeps on going up the stairs. He stops in front of Stefan's room, and knocks.
"Come in!" calls his brother and Damon slowly opens the door. Stefan, once he saw who it was, abandons the book he was reading and runs to embrace his brother.
"Damon where were you? I saw you go off into town but you didn't take me like you always do."
Damon sighs and guides him to his bed, "Listen Stef I have to tell you something very important alright."
Stefan frowns but nods nonetheless. "Look," Damon continues, fiddling with the rim of his shirt. "Remember...remember Father always complaining about a war that's going on?
Well, Father wants me to go and help the ones who are fighting against the bad side. So...I-I have to leave, Stefan. I'm leaving tomorrow morning to a place where they'll l teach me everything and then leave to war with the rest of them. But where I'm going...I cannot take you with me, brother..."
Damon studies Stefan still complexion before continuing on.
"So you have to stay here, with Father and Emma and the rest of the mice people...until I come back."
Once Damon said it the weigh on his chest suddenly evaporates, he waits still of the reaction of his younger brother.
Stefan didn't seem to react at all. He stares intensely at his folded hands, "Stefan? Stefan say something okay?"
Stefan then shakes his head, "B-But in war people die Damon. What if you don't come back? Why are you going? Why can't you say with me?" He whispers lifting his head so tears stream down his cheeks.
He suddenly gets up, his expression turns harder, frowning deeper and he has his jaw clench tightly. "Why, Damon! Why are you leaving me? Did I do something? Whatever it is I'm sorry...just doing go! Father wouldn't want you to go, I-I bet you're lying huh? You're lying to me aren't you! Stop it Damon it isn't funny!"
He stomps his feet, more tears stream down his eyes as he shakes his head furiously.
Damon wide eye, runs to him to embrace him but Stefan pushes him away, "NO! DON'T TOUCH ME, YOU LIAR!" He screams running out of the room.
"Stefan? Stefan! STEFAN!" Damon chases after him.
Emma gasps as Stefan pushes by her and runs out the door. "Stefan come back here now!" yells Damon after him. Emma sighs, clutching her heart, "Oh God protect little Stefan, help him to understand."
~0~0~0~0~0~
Stefan runs faster as ever, he never knew how fast he can go. Tears cloud his vision, as he makes his way into the forest. He just want to get away, to leave everything behind.
Damon was playing a cruel trick on him, Father would never do that to him. Why is he playing with him? Didn't he realize that it isn't funny...that it hurt so much?
Stefan gasps, he trips over a root. He's breathing hard, he can feel his heartbeat pounding in his chest. "STEFAN!" screams his brother behind him. Stefan gets up quickly, continues to run.
He'll go the cave Damon showed him before, if he can lose his brother he'll be fine there. HE wipes his eyes furiously, the tears come to fast for his liking, he cant even see where he's going!
The riverbank is on his right, the current is strong since it rain hard yesterday night. The water roars furiously, rapids crash over the back. Stefan runs quickly over the slippery mud, not caring about anything.
"Ah!" Stefan yelps, his slips over a rock and stumbles over the water edge, pluming into the cold, dark water below.
Damon runs as fast as he can behind his brother, he never wanted this. This wasn't suppose to happen!
His heart aches at the though Stefan is hurt because of him, "Stupid stupid," Damon curses at himself, almost tripping over a branch. "STEFAN!"
No answer, though he can make out a small figure running towards the riverbank. "Oh no." The river has grown as twice as much since last night's rain, it was not a place to be for a small kid.
He continues to run toward the bank until a small pitch voice screams, "DAMON! DAMON HELP!"
Damon growls, with more determination he runs faster until he reaches the riverbank, "Stefan where are you!"
A splash and coughing sounds answers him, Damon blue eyes widen, "Stefan! NO!"
He runs over to Stefan, by the riverbank, Stefan manage to grab a branch but the current is to strong, he cannot hold on much longer. "Damon!" Stefan manages to choke out through the water.
"Hold on Stefan, I'm coming."
Damon slowly descends next to Stefan, with one hand he grabs hold of a tree branch, testing it strength before stretching his other hand to Stefan. "Come on Stef. You can do it, reach for my hand with your left hand. Come on that's it."
Stefan grunts, stretching his hand toward his brothers. "Almost there!" They both stretch, they're fingertips brush together until they hear a crack.
The branch, Stefan grabs on is breaking. "Ignore it, come on!" Damon urges. Stefan nods, he moves closer. Damon almost has a hold of his palm when the branch snaps.
"No!" Damon reaches out quickly, manages to pull Stefan out and push him to the safe side of the riverbank.
Yet he himself slips and crashes straight into the water.
"Damon? Damon! DAMON!" screams Stefan, clutching himself.
But Damon did not resurface.
Whoa!
Sorry I update late and that its a bit short but I hope you enjoy either way.
Review and thank you!