Stefan arrived at Bonnie's house only fifteen minutes after leaving Damon in his room. He was nervous about what, if anything, Bonnie might had found to help Damon. Seeing his older brother in so much pain made Stefan hurt inside. Knowing that Damon, his strong older brother was suffering so much humbled Stefan. Especially since no one seemed to be able to tell them why. Thinking back to when they were kids, Stefan remembered looking up to his older brother because he was smart, strong, and willing to help others by enlisting in the army. Before Katherine ever got her claws into them, both brothers helped each other out whenever the other one needed. They had each other's backs; no matter what. Damon had always protected Stefan from harm. Now it was time for Stefan to repay the favor.

Knocking on Bonnie's door nervously, he waited for her to answer. Praying that she had found something useful. Something that could cure Damon. Bonnie opened the door and stepped aside to let Stefan in.

"Hi Stefan, come on in. I've got some news, I was just about to text you to come over. How's Damon?" she asked closing the door behind him as he walked inside.

"Not good at all. He is in so much pain Bonnie, I don't understand what's wrong. Vampires don't get sick. Damon can barely stand or feed." Stefan said in a grave voice that dripped with pain and frustration. Having searched all over the Boarding House for hours looking for answers was getting to him. He just wanted to save his brother. He searched and read through the entire Boarding House library for a solution to Damon's mysterious illness. He re-read all his journals and other letters and memoirs he had in his possession; coming up with nothing at all. He felt as useless as a damn tricked. At some point, he gave up on trying to find a cure or a diagnostic. He had simply wanted to find a way to ease Damon's pain. As usual, his brother was putting on a brave front, but Stefan knew better. Despite what others might think, he knew his brother. He could tell Damon was going through excruciating pain. The first two days Damon spent in the dungeons, Stefan had stood right beside the door. He heard Damon's screams of pain. His whimpers and prayers. He had heard his brother pray for death. That had been enough to break Stefan's heart.

"I searched my grandmother's grimoire and I think I might have found out who did this to Damon. I think it's these Bennett witches doing this Stefan. Not only are they very powerful, but it explains why they chose Damon; I mean they don't exactly have love for your brother." Bonnie said as she grabbed the grimoire to show Stefan what she meant.

Stefan sat down on the couch while Bonnie was busy looking through all the notes and papers she had gathered. He was happy to hear that she had found something and hoped it would be the one thing they would need to save Damon.

"Ok, so here is the illness that has plagued Damon. It is the result of a curse. The witches on The Other Side cursed your brother Stefan." She said while reading. Stefan listened intently as she continued "I see a spell I can do to communicate with them. I can ask them what they want in order to lift the curse. Maybe come up with some sort of deal. Although, it will take a while because the spell requires a lot of power to do." She explained. She was confident, no determined, that she could pull it off and get the answers she needed.

Stefan watched as Bonnie gathered the supplies she needed for the spell. Her grandmother's grimoire, candles and a few other items. As she was getting everything ready to go, putting all the ingredients for the spell in a bowl, Stefan sat and waited. After a few minutes, she spoke again.

"Now I'll start the spell and see if I can get in contact with the witches. I have everything I need, but like I said, this spell takes time. You can go home to Damon. I will let you know what happens." she said once she set everything in place.

"Ok, that sounds like a plan. I should check up on him anyway, see if he needs anything." Stefan said standing up and making his way to the door. As soon as she shut and locked the door, the young witch began the spell.

As Bonnie concentrated and chanted the spell's Latin text, her mind wandered to the reason why she was doing this for Damon in the first place. She and Damon had barely tolerated each other. Actually, they had tried to kill each other on several occasions. However, something changed for Bonnie. Something that will forever bound her to try to save the Salvatore brothers—more specifically, the elder of the brothers.

She had been shocked to learn that vampires existed. That her best friend was dating one. That Bonnie herself was indeed a witch, just like her grandmother had told her. Yes, Bonnie had been in shock. And just when she had been about to accept it all, she realized what it all meant. She started to notice the raw side of this supernatural world. The damage, the causalities. When given the chance to do something, Bonnie took it. She lied to her friends and everyone else for the greater good. They asked her if the device had been de-spelled and she said yes. She truly thought she was doing the right thing. It wasn't fair. Humans need a champion. Someone to fight for them, because they will always be at a disadvantage when it came to vampires. Prey and predator.

When Elena and Stefan found Damon and Stefan rushed into the building, she saw it as a new opportunity. Just as Bonnie had been ready to end it all. To raise the flames and trap the brothers inside, Elena seized her hand. As soon as their skin touched, Bonnie connected with her best friend. She was able to see it all. Feel it all. And in an instance, the young witch realized just how much the elder Salvatore had come to mean to her best friend. How much she cared for him. How she longed to help him, ease his pain. Losing Damon would've hurt Elena too much for Bonnie to ignore.

During the weeks and months that followed the care and connection between the elder of the Salvatore brothers and Elena had only deepened. Bonnie realized it wasn't one way. Damon cared for Elena. If asked point blank, Bonnie would have to admit that even she thought the former psychopathic vampire had fallen in love with her best friend. She also had to admit that Damon had, after all, ended up being the one to keep Elena Gilbert alive. Bonnie owed him for her friend's life. And Bonnie Bennett always paid her debts.

As she went on with the spell, Bonnie made a vow to herself. She vowed to do anything in her power to save Damon Salvatore. Because she owed him a debt. And because she wanted to spare her friend the pain of losing, yet again, someone she loved.

**Damon &Elena**

Stefan got back home as quickly as he could, eager to check up on Damon. As he stepped through the threshold, he was able to sense that his older brother was still resting in his room, so he went to his own.

His thoughts traveled from his brother to his girlfriend - who he was currently on a break from. He knew he had to tell her what was going on, the whole truth. She deserved that much from him. Damon practically forbid him to tell Elena, but Stefan knew that keeping this from her was not the best idea. He understood his brother's need to protect her from any more bad news. He was aware of the reasons why Damon chose to keep his state of health from Elena. Taken that into consideration, Stefan believed Elena had the right to know.

He decided to wait until after he updated Damon. After he spoke to Damon, he will find a way to tell Elena that his brother had been cursed by the witches and was dying.

His phone rang on the table next to him breaking him out of his thoughts. He picked it up quickly.

"Hi Bonnie, what did you find?" He asked.

"Hi Stefan, I got it. It's the ancestors, they are the ones doing this to Damon and I found out how to cure him of the curse." She said. Stefan wanted to hug her through the phone as hope build up inside. Finally, they had a real answer.

Bonnie continued "They want Damon to pay for everything he has done since becoming a vampire, so they put an incurable curse on him and only they can lift it. They said that we have until the full moon, which is in three days, to give Damon the antidote. "Hmmm," Bonnie hesitated for a few seconds and Stefan held his breath. "Here is where it gets tricky. The antidote, the only thing that will cure is the blood of his soul mate." She paused again, probably waiting for Stefan to say something, but Stefan had no idea what to say. All the hope that had been growing within him had burst. As a sight of good faith, they gave us a potion that will stop Damon's pain and nausea until the full moon." She said taking a breath before continuing. "But…I mean, he will still need the actual antidote by then or he will die, even with the potion. Ah, and I almost forget. Damon's soul mate must offer the blood in order for it to work. It can't forcibly be taken."

Stefan took in what Bonnie was telling him. It sounded like an impossible task. How the hell were they supposed to find Damon's soul mate, make contact, and convince her to allow the vampire to feed on her in two bloody days? It was a fool's errand and Stefan knew it. Another way for those condescending witches to mess with them.

"they didn't happen to mention who this person, soul mate, is?

"No" Bonnie said simply.

"Could you do a locator spell to find Damon's soul mate?" Stefan asked even though he knew the answer.

Bonnie let out a deep sigh before speaking in a soft, trembling voice. "No. Soul mates are considered sacred to witches. Assigned by faith and all that jazz. We are not allowed to mess with that. It would be like spitting in nature's face."

"Damnit!" Stefan said loudly.

"I'm sorry Stefan. One of the witches did give me a small clue. She said that Damon had already met his soul mate. She didn't tell me who it is or when they met. Just that they met. At least we know we are looking for a woman Damon has already met." Bonnie said a bit more hopeful.

"No offense Bonnie, but that is nothing to go on. Damon has met and bedded hundreds, maybe not thousands of women. So even with that piece of information, it will still be like looking for a needle in a haystack."

"Well, before we had billions. Now we have thousands, maybe even hundreds. I still think it's a better deal." Bonnie retorted.

"You are right. I'm sorry Bonnie. I know you are doing everything you can. I am very grateful. Is there any way they could give us more? I would do anything to save my brother. Could you…try please?"

Bonnie hesitated for what seemed like hours to Stefan. "I will try." She finally said in a whisper.

"Thank you, Bonnie. I'll wait for your call." Stefan said before bidding Bonnie goodbye. Stefan went back upstairs to be near Damon in case he needed something from him.

Stefan knew that he would have to tell Elena what was going on with Damon soon, he just didn't know how to quite yet. He didn't want to hurt Elena or worry her, but it was urgent, and it couldn't wait. He had waited long enough.

His mind made up, Stefan walked out the door of the Boarding House and into his car. He was finally going to go see Elena to finally tell her the truth.