AN: Big thanks to Child of the Night 13 for the advice. Glad you're trying to help. I've read some of her work and she's an awesome writer. You really should check out her profile! Do it for me, people! Thanks to my friend who has read this and giving me feedback on what I need to improve. And always a disclaimer. (I shouldn't say always. I never do these :P) I do not own TVD. As I said before, if I did, I'd be doing other things than sitting at my counter all day writing about it.

Alaric's Point of View

"So, Damon's locked up?" Stefan asked him. Alaric had just been explaining this morning's events to Damon's brother.
Alaric nodded. "Yeah, but it's still difficult to say how much time he has left. But honestly, no more than 48 hours. We're running out of options, Stefan."
Stefan nodded. "I'll call Bonnie. See if there's anything she can do."
Alaric looked at him. "I thought you already have. Didn't she say there was nothing to do?"
Stefan looked away. "Bonnie can't do anything." He looked up at Alaric again.
Alaric shook his head. "You lost me."
"It's not Bonnie I'm hoping to get help from. It's Emily."
Alaric raised his eyebrows. "Bonnie's old ancestor? How do you plan to do that?"
"Summon her."
Alaric nodded. "Even if that does work, I thought Emily and Damon had a not so good history together."
"You sure know a lot about this," Stefan said, giving Alaric weird look.
Alaric laughed. "Damon talks a lot when he's drunk." Becoming more serious he added gently, "Stefan, she more than likely isn't going to help us."
Stefan just nodded, not giving Alaric a straight answer. Alaric kept quiet, not wanting to make things worse for the vampire. He couldn't even imagine what it was like slowly watching your brother die. He kept forgetting that Damon wasn't the only one who was severely suffering right now. All of this, made Alaric wonder what Elena would say if she knew. He almost laughed out loud knowing that the first thing she would do was slap Alaric hard across the face for not telling her sooner. Then, he knew that she would become miserable and like everyone else, would feel overwhelmed in grief and guilt.
Alaric came back to reality as he saw Stefan pull out his cell-phone.
"Bonnie it's me," he said into the phone.
"I know I called earlier, but there's something we could try."
"No, it's not that, I don't think that would work. Listen, how do you feel about contacting Emily?"
"Yeah, Emily. We think she might know something."
There was a long pause and Alaric was guessing either Bonnie was thinking about it, or going on a long rant about why she doesn't want any part of helping Damon. Finally, he heard Stefan say, "no, she doesn't know."
Elena. It wasn't hard to figure out who the "she" was. Bonnie was more than likely going to agree to help Damon just because Elena had a soft spot for him in her heart and would be devastated if he died.
"Okay thanks, Bonnie." Stefan hung up his cell.
"She's doing it?" Alaric asked, surprised.
"Yeah, for Elena though."
Always Elena,Alaric thought.

Damon's Point of View

Damon sat against the wall in the cellar. Exhaustion was slowly taking over, and making him dizzy. He looked at the door and saw Katherine come in.
"Katherine?" Damon asked, completely shocked. "What are you doing here?"
Katherine smiled and walked over to Damon. "Didn't think I'd let you leave without saying good-bye did you?" She was wearing a long, silky red dress that had a white floral corset over it which showed off her fantastic figure.
"So, you're just saying good-bye as a kind gesture?" Damon had a hard time hiding the amusement out of his voice.
"Come with me," Katherine whispered in his ear. "We'll have so much fun together. Just like old times." Her smile was dark and mischievous.
"I'll always be willing to come with you, Katherine," Damon whispered. He closed his eyes and waited to see Katherine's next move although it never came. When he slowly opened his eyes, she wasn't there. He looked around the room and didn't see a sign of her. Everything was the way it was. Dark, cold, and lonely.
"Great," Damon muttered. The delusion had just begun.

Alaric's Point of View

Stefan had told Alaric that he could handle Bonnie by himself that suggested that he go and check up on Damon. Alaric had agreed, not wanting to be there when Bonnie did this.
He went back to the Salvatore Boarding House and stepped into the house. The first thing he heard was Damon talking. Was Elena here? Then he noticed whoever he was talking to wasn't talking back. Then he heard her name: Katherine. Was Katherine here? He stepped closer to the cellar and heard Damon mutter, "great".
"What's great?" Alaric asked, making Damon look up in surprise. He seemed almost embarrassed.
"How long have you been here?" Damon asked, his eyes wide.
"Not long," Alaric said shrugging.
Damon looked relieved.
"So, uh… Where'd Katherine go?" Alaric asked, a teasing smile on his face.
"Oh, shut up, Ric," Damon mumbled, glaring at him.
"I got something for you," Alaric said, momentarily dropping the subject. He pulled out Damon's daylight ring and put it on the cellar's windowsill. "I picked it up on my way to see Stefan. Thought you'd might like to have it back." He watched as Damon stumbled over and grabbed the ring. "Keep it on this time, Damon."
Damon chuckled. "Not like there's sunlight in here anyway."
"I wish we didn't have to keep you locked up Damon. It's not healthy. There's no air and it's filthy down here."
"It's for the best," Damon pointed out. "Besides; it's not like it's my first time I've been dying in this cellar. Back when I apparently was a major douche-bag-"
"Stefan vervained you and deprived you of blood," Alaric said, cutting in. "I know. You told me."
Damon looked at Alaric with a puzzled look. "I did? When did I tell you that?"
"When you were drunk," Alaric explained. "Pretty much the only time you tell me these things."
Damon rolled his eyes. "I need to stop getting drunk with you."
Alaric laughed. "Oh it's not only when you're with me. Half the time you'll actually call me and tell me your life stories. It's annoying. Especially when it's two in the morning and I have to teach the next day."
Damon this time was the one who laughed. "Yeah, just ask Stefan. I can be a major pain in the ass."
Alaric looked at Damon. "This is killing him, you know? You being locked up here."
Damon sighed. "I know, I know. I already had the heart-to-heart talk with my brother, remember? It was at Elena's house."
"Yeah, I know, Damon. But what I'm saying is that it's hurting him more than he's letting on."
"Wow," Damon said. "That surprises me, because he sure is letting on a lot."
Alaric shook his head. "Does everything have to be a joke to you?"
"Yes."
Alaric scoffed. "I got you something else," he said.
"What?" Damon asked, standing up again.
"Double shot." Alaric pulled out a bottle of scotch and poured Damon a glass. Damon took it and smiled. "Wouldn't have asked for anything more. Except maybe Elena's forgiveness."
"Still not going to tell her?" Alaric asked.
"Tell me what?"
Alaric turned around and saw a very pissed off looking Elena.