AN: Delena4Nian50: This entire chapter is dedicated to you, my sister. Hope you like it and thanks for the review. Check out her profile, guys! She's written several fanfics on Supernatural so if you like the show, read some of them! I read one of them, and she's great! Disclaimer (Did I do this last chapter? Probably not…) I don't own TVD. I'm just a teenage girl with absolutely no life and is too lazy to get a job. (If I had a job, that would leave zero time for fanfictions). I think that's all I have to say, so please enjoy this next chapter.

Alaric's Point of View

"C'mon, buddy," Alaric whispered to Damon. "You're not done yet. Stefan's getting the cure, you gotta hold on. Just a few more hours, Damon."
Damon still wasn't moving. He couldn't be dead, could he? Please, just don't be dead. The same thoughts went through Alaric's head the day he found out Damon was bitten. He pictured coming here at the Grill and not seeing Damon already there, completely drunk. He pictured not seeing his sarcastic, cocky smile and never being able to laugh at his obnoxious sense of humor. Damon was his best friend. He'd never really thought about it, but he's never had a better friend. Sure, his old friends back in high school never tried to kill him, but they also didn't understand him quite like Damon did. With Damon, it was like he knew what Alaric was thinking and feeling. Alaric hadn't known he was on the verge of crying, until a tear rolled down his cheek. He wiped it away, hoping no one noticed.
"Jeremy, get the car ready," he ordered. "Dead or alive, we're taking him home." It was hard for Alaric to check to see if the vampire was dead or alive since he already didn't have a pulse. He bent down to check for breathing when Damon groaned.
"Alaric, please don't tell me you're actually crying right now," Damon said, opening his eyes.
Alaric laughed harder than he needed to. Most of it was just out of relief and joy. "I don't know what you're talking about," he lied.
"Of course you don't," Damon said.
"I thought you were dead," Alaric confessed. "So, yeah, I was a bit upset."
"I'm still shocked that after everything, you still don't want me dead."
Alaric shrugged. "I think we've had more good times than bad."
Damon raised his eyebrows. "I'm pretty sure that's not true."
Alaric smiled. "It is for me. I think half of the moments we shared, you are unaware of how I actually thought about them. As an example, that time I punched you in the face at the bar… that was a good moment."
Damon laughed. "For you maybe. Now can you help me up before I lose anymore dignity than I already have. If that's even possible."
"Why must all vampires be so prideful?" Alaric muttered.
"Because we're old and think we can do and know everything."
"I got the car ready, Alaric," Jeremy said coming toward Alaric.
"Good," Alaric said. Then he turned back to Damon. "Let me help you up. And don't you even think about collapsing this time, because if you do, I'm just going to leave you here, go home, then have a beer and forget this ever happened."
"That does sound like something you would do," Damon said. He winced in pain as Alaric practically lifted him off the floor.
Jeremy hurried over to Alaric's side and helped support him. They both took him out to the car which thanks to Jeremy, was directly outside the building.
"Take him to the back," Alaric instructed. He called over his shoulder. "Caroline, you're driving."
Caroline nodded and rushed to the driver's side and got in. Bonnie was behind her and climbed into the passenger's side.
"How you holding up?" Alaric asked, setting him in the backseat.
"Great," he muttered under his breath. He closed his eyes and leaned against the window.
Alaric put a hand on his shoulder. "Drive fast, Caroline," he said urgently. "We're running out of time." Alaric saw Caroline nod in the review mirror and she drove.

Caroline pulled up to the Salvatore Boarding House. "Need any help?" she asked Alaric.
Alaric nodded. "I want him to be comfortable so instead of putting him on the couch, I want to take him up to his room. Then someone is going to have to call Elena."
"Why?" Bonnie asked. "You're not going to tell her about Stefan, are you?"
"Will someone please tell me what the hell is going on with Stefan?" Damon asked.
Alaric looked at Damon sympathetically. So much had been happening to him in just the past few days. Sure he, Jeremy and Elena had lost Jenna, but at least they were all alive and healthy. Damon had hours left to live and here he was, worried about his brother. "We'll tell you once you're inside and more comfortable," Alaric promised, helping Damon out of the car. Caroline came to his aide and they both took him inside the house.
Once they got in the living room, they were instantly greeted by Elena. "Ric! What's going on? I can't find Stefan and I've been looking for at least someone for hours now. Where the hell were you guys?"
"We were at Mystic Grill," Jeremy explained.
Elena gave them all a look before her attention went to Damon. "You're dying, and you were still at the Grill drinking?"
Damon smiled at her. "You know I can't help myself," he said making Alaric laugh and roll his eyes. Honestly, he was just glad that Damon's sarcastic humor hadn't left him.
"Please tell me you're kidding," Elena said. Then she looked at Alaric. "He is joking, right?"
"I'm pretty sure even Damon wouldn't get drunk while he's dying," Alaric said. "Besides, you knew I was checking at the Grill for Damon. You and I split up, remember?"
"Oh, that's right!" She smiled at Alaric apologetically. "I'm sorry. I'm just worried about Stefan. I haven't seen him." Her gaze fell on Bonnie. "You were the last one to see him. Do you know where he is?"
Bonnie blinked at Elena. Alaric could tell she was uncomfortable. "Not really, no." Which Alaric realized wasn't exactly a lie.
Elena nodded, looking worried.
"You guys seriously lost Stefan?" Damon asked.
"I'll give you more information when we get upstairs," Alaric whispered to the vampire. Then he raised his voice and spoke to Elena. "Caroline and I are taking him upstairs. Then he's all yours. I'm guessing you'll be wanting some time alone with him?"
Elena nodded. "Yeah, that would be great."
Alaric nodded. "Alright, let's go." He and Caroline both practically dragged him up the stairs into his room. When Alaric went in the bedroom, he was a bit surprised. It was his first time being in the room and it looked classic and neat.
The two of them set Damon on his bed and Caroline looked at Alaric and nodded. Knowing what he had to do, Alaric took in a deep breath. "Damon, Stefan's with Klaus."
"What?" Damon tried to sit up, but Alaric pushed him back down gently. "You have to stay calm."
"Why the hell is Stefan with Klaus?" Damon demanded.
"Why do you think?"
Damon was quiet for a moment, then it clicked. "You've got be kidding me."
"Look, Damon, Stefan just wants you to be safe."
"And what is he giving in return?"
"We don't know yet," Alaric admitted.
Damon sighed. "That's just great, Ric. And let me guess, Elena doesn't know." He didn't say it as a question.
Alaric shook his head. "Yeah, we haven't told her yet. We're still trying to think of a way to break the news. I mean Jenna just died, you're… you know, and now Stefan is gone."
Damon sighed again. "This is not happening. I swear, I'm going to kill him. Unless Klaus beat me to it."
Alaric shook his head. "You can't afford to think like that. Now now. Elena needs you to stay strong.
"I don't know how much longer I have left, Ric," Damon admitted softly.
Alaric put his hand on Damon's shoulder. He felt tears sting his eyes, but he refused to let them fall down. No way was he crying in front of Damon now.
"I'm so tired," Damon mumbled.
"If you go to sleep, I'm not positive you'll be able to wake up again. I'm going to go get Elena."
Alaric headed to the door and wiped a tear from his eye as he left the room.