Authors Notes: Finally the traffic counter is working for my story and all I can say is wow – didn't realize I had that many hits. Definitely made we want to continue so here is the next part of the story. Now if only I could get a few more reviews about what people think – hint hint wink wink.

The boarding house seemed dark and gloomy as they approached it. Only lit by the full moon it seemed almost ominous and spooky as if something supernatural resided there. Which of course it did, not that this was known to most of Mystic Falls. Elena had fallen asleep on the journey back and Damon did not have the heart nor the desire to wake her now that they had made it to their destination. Entering the house, Caroline following closely in his wake, he glanced at the grandfather clock in the hall noting the time before moving to the lounge to lay Elena on the couch. She murmured slightly, a name maybe but even to Damon it was indistinguishable, however she did not wake. Considering how drained she was he would be surprised if she were up before noon.

He heard Caroline in the kitchen as he stoked the fire to life in the large fireplace. He and Caroline would not need the heat but Elena would. As he stared at the flames he thought about the time and knowing that it was barely three meant there was at least another three hours of this cursed night remaining. Caroline entered the room sipping on a glass of blood she held another full glass in her spare hand.

"No one else is back yet." Caroline stated as she held out the spare glass to Damon, knowing that he still needed more blood to completely clear his system of the vervain. Neither of them had turned on any other lights nor did they seem inclined to.

'Thank you, Captain Obvious' Damon thought as he accepted the glass with a raised eyebrow. "I figured that based on the fact that my brother is not currently smothering his girlfriend nor threatening to kill me."

Damon looked at Elena feeling that Stefan had every right to stake him considering what he had done. He looked at Elena's arm and shook his head. He was gone but quickly returned with items to tend to her wounds.

"What are we going to do about the others?" Caroline asked as he returned into the room. She had set his glass of blood on the side table next to the couch.

"Caroline at the moment there's nothing we can do. Going out there to search would be suicide. The plan was to wait here so we wait here for them."

Caroline gave him a strange look and continued to pace the room. "Since when do you follow the plan?"

'Since it means I can guarantee that Elena stays safe.' Damon thought as he tended to Elena's wounds. However that of course was not his reply to Barbie. He always played up the fact that he had no feelings and did not care. Now was going to be no different. "When have you ever known me to put myself out for my brother, the kid or the witch?"

Caroline was obviously not happy with his response and edged her way to the window as if to keep watch. In all honestly Damon did wonder what was going on with the other group and what trouble they had got themselves into. He did hope they would make it back safely, not because he actually cared about them he told himself, but because it would kill Elena if they did not.

Things were tense in the dungeon as the banging against the door continued. It had been several minutes and Bonnie still had not moved from her spot in the middle of the room where she chanted. Jeremy was now standing beside her while Stefan paced the room and glancing at the door. It was giving slightly, each new bang creating a growing dent. A few splinters already littered the floor in front of the door.

Bonnie suddenly stopped chanting and fell. Jeremy was quick and went to catch her using his preferred right arm. He had momentarily forgot about the damage he had done to it however the added pressure made him cry out in pain. He brought his left arm into play and still managed to lower Bonnie to the ground with out too much damage. Stefan was already by their side. There was a whine on the other side of the door but the consistent banging seemed to have ceased. A different sound could now be heard but neither Stefan nor Jeremy were sure what it was.

"I think what ever she did is working." Stefan glanced at Jeremy as he tried to wake Bonnie. She was unconscious but Stefan could hear the steady beat of her heart and knew she was going to be okay. "What happened to your arm?"

Bonnie sighed slightly and settled into her boyfriend's arm and lap apparently needing to sleep for a bit. Jeremy sighed in relief and looked at Stefan. "Bonnie started the fire sooner than I thought she would and I had seen something that I could not leave behind."

"Let me have a look." Stefan asked as he leaned forward towards his girlfriend's brother ready to look at the arm whether Jeremy wanted him too or not. Jeremy must have realized this as he sighed again and adjusted Bonnie's weight so that it completely freed up his arm. Stefan pulled back the jacket sleeve to reveal intense burns on Jeremy's forearm, the type of burns that really should be treated in a hospital as quickly as possible. However based on his calculation there were still several hours until sunrise and it did not look like they were going anywhere till then. "What on earth could have been important enough to let yourself get this Jere?"

Jeremy grimaced slightly and reached into his jacket pocket wincing at the pain that it caused him. When his hand emerged something tumbled from between his fingers though hanging from a chain it did not hit the ground. Stefan stared at it in amazement it was an object he knew all to well. "I haven't seen her with out it since you gave it to her Stefan. I figured she'd want it back. Course I had not exactly realized this was going to happen when I reached for it at the doorway."

Still lost for words Stefan swallowed as he took the necklace of Jeremy and slipped it into his own pocket. "Thank you Jeremy." He stated the sincerity in his tone hard to miss. He glanced at Jeremy's arm again as guilt settled over him. He was not sure what Jeremy would make of what he was about to propose. "You know I could help you with your arm. It would not take much and I don't know when we'll be able to get you to a hospital."

Jeremy looked at him uncertainly knowing what he was offering. Granted the arm was giving him a great deal of pain but the idea of drinking Stefan's blood unnerved him a great deal. He looked down at his arm weighing up the options. "I dunno man, now doesn't seem the right time to be messing with Vampire blood."

Stefan shook his head. "Look I'm not gonna force you or anything. I would just hate to see it get infected when there's something I can do." They both looked at the door there were now barks of frustration emitting from the other side. "Whatever Bonnie's done it seems to have worked on that account. Besides you still have that ring that stops you dying by supernatural hands and with how much it takes as long as you don't die within the next twelve hours."

Jeremy gave a small shrug remembering the fact that technically he still died, he just did not remain dead. What effect would that have on the vampire blood? "Twelve hours," He repeated looking at his arm and considering. He'd have better chance of not dying over the next twelve hours if he could use his preferred hand. Besides he really did not want a burned and disfigured arm. He glanced down at Bonnie wondering what she would think if she knew. He winced knowing that her reaction probably would not be all that pleasant. Course she was asleep at the moment and what if her spell faded as she slept.

Stefan could see the play of emotions on Jeremy's face as he weighed up the options. He sat their silently no longer wanting to influence the lad one way or the other. Whatever happened it had to be Jeremy's choice. Finally he could tell that a decision had been made and gave a questioning look.

"Okay, just let's get this over and done with."

Had Bonnie not strengthened her powers with that of a hundred dead witches she would have been passed out for a lot longer. As it was she only passed out in the first place due to the amount of magic she had already done that night. The block she had put on the door was relatively small compared to what else she had done that night. She had heard Jeremy and Stefan talking around her but the words had not been clear. The fact that they were not fighting off werewolves however told her the spell had worked. She was in someone's arms and judging by the cologne they were Jeremy's. Smiling she opened her eyes to smile up at her boyfriend. Her eyes widened at the unexpected sight and she suddenly pushed herself away. On her knees she stared in abject horror as Stefan removed his bleeding arm away from Jeremy who tried to wipe any blood from his lips.

"What the hell is going on?"

Elena had been slipping in and out of various levels of sleep. Sometimes she could hear what was going on around her, other times she was completely out and dreaming away. Though even the conversations she heard going on around her did not resonate too deeply. It was movements that triggered her ascent to consciousness more than anything. She had recognised someone tending to her arm and wrapping it up but that still had not woken her, though it did make it more difficult to get comfortable on what she presumed was the couch. That was when someone had lifted her head and then laid it on their lap, stroking her hair slightly. It was a pleasant feeling and she had snuggled in slightly and as she became more comfortable she drifted into a deeper sleep.

She was having a pleasant dream filled with gardens and pretty dresses and men in suits. It reminded her slightly of the Founders Day Ball. She was dancing with someone her head resting against his shoulder. His scent oh so familiar enveloped her. She sighed in satisfaction and lifted her head to look into his face only to be distracted by someone handing her a glass of wine. She took it and drank to be polite however something about it made her choke and want to spit it out. It was only out of continued politeness that she swallowed but the absurdity of the situation woke her from her dream. Now conscious she wondered why she still had that weird coppery but sweet, thick wine in her mouth. She reflectively swallowed and this brought her around to fully understand what was happening. She now recognised the taste having consumed the liquid a couple of times before, once unwillingly and the other time to save her life. She also now recognised something was pressed lightly to her mouth. She moved quickly slapping the object away and sitting up to glare at the offender.

"Damon! What the hell!"