AN: Big thanks to theonlyisabela for the great review. Here's the update! But this chapter is dedicated to a guest user who I wish had a profile name so I could thank them properly. Anyway, thanks for the positive feedback, Guest. Don't worry, I'm still going so now you can read more. Glad you think the characters are right. You really put my mind at ease. As a fanfic writer, my biggest concern is not keeping the characters but I'm glad you think I'm doing well with it. Also, this will be the second to last chapter in this fanfic. I know so sad. I've actually really come to love writing this. I love torturing Damon. Mwahaha. Another thing, it's a long weekend so I'll probably- actually definitely will finish this by Monday. Wait! Maybe not. That leads me to my next note: I'm going to be at my grandma's house for Thanksgiving, and she doesn't have internet so… Yeah… But I will try my hardest to get something done. If I stay up all night tonight, I'll be able to get it done. Happy Thanksgiving, guys! Disclaimer: The Vampire Diaries isn't mine. If it was, I would put myself in the show and make myself a love interest for all the hot guys. Especially my Damon.

Alaric's Point of View

Alaric had been sitting in the Salvatore's living room for three hours. He still hadn't heard anything from Elena which meant the two were still talking, which meant Damon was still alive. For now. His gaze kept falling on the front door, waiting to see someone walk in with the cure. Stefan, Klaus anyone. They were running out of time, and as the second hand on his watch ticked away, Damon was getting more and more worse. He drew in a heavy breath. He has allowed Caroline to take his car and drive her, Jeremy and Bonnie home which meant he was completely alone in the room. He had spent the last three hours trying not to through the scotch he was drinking out the window. It took all his effort not to completely lose it. Where the hell was the cure? What is he suppose to do if Damon dies? He put his head in his hands, and leaned forward. He sat like this for what could have been hours when he heard footsteps coming down the stairs.
"Alaric," Elena said softly. She was definitely crying, causing Alaric to stand up and rush to her. "What's wrong? God, is he?"
"No," she shook her head. She wiped her eyes. "God, I hate crying."
"What's going on?" Alaric asked.
Elena looked away guiltily. "We kissed."
Alaric raised his eyebrows. "You kissed Damon?"
Elena nodded. "Yeah and I feel super bad about it, so why don't we just not talk about it, okay?"
Alaric nodded. "That's fine."
"He wants to talk to you," Elena said changing the subject. Something about Stefan."
Alaric looked at her in surprise. "How much did he tell you?"
"Certainly not enough," she said in annoyance. "What's going on?"
Alaric closed his eyes. "Stefan went with Klaus to go get a cure for Damon."
Elena looked at Alaric in horror. "What?"
"He had to do this, Elena." Alaric said gently.
"Are you seriously telling me this right now, Ric. He's going to die. Klaus is going to kill him!"
"Maybe not," Alaric said. He walked over to the stairs and looked back at Elena. "You have to stay positive, Elena. We all do. Or none of us is going to have an ounce of sanity by the time this is all over."

Alaric walked into Damon's bedroom and knelt by the bed. He was right. He had been getting a lot worse. His skin was no longer abnormally pale like it had been in the Grill. It was now a gray color like clouds right after a storm. His black hair was sticking to his forehead from the sweat that covered his entire body. Alaric felt Damon's forehead and became worried by the heat that radiated off of it. "How long have you had a fever, Damon?" Alaric asked him.
Damon blinked. "Uh, what time is it?"
Alaric frowned at him. "This is serious."
"I really don't know. Elena was panicking about it, too."
"She's just worried about you, Damon," Alaric said.
"Yeah, just like Stefan. And look where that got him," Damon pointed out. His voice was getting quieter with every sentence.
"You can't afford to waste your strength worrying about Stefan," Alaric reminded Damon. "I just told Elena, we all have to do our best to stay positive."
"Good luck with that," Damon said in a hoarse whisper. Alaric was about to say something when Damon cried out in pain.
"Hey, I'm right here," Alaric comforted, putting a hand on Damon's shoulder. Knowing what he needed, Alaric patted Damon's shoulder. "I'll be right back. He ran out of the room and went down in the basement where the cooler full of blood bags was. He grabbed two and hurried upstairs, ignoring Elena who asked him what he was doing.
Alaric came back into Damon's room, breathing heavily. "Too much exercise going down to the basement, Ric?" Damon asked quietly.
"Shut up," Alaric said smiling. He walked over to Damon and held up a blood bag, only to see Damon shake his head.
"It's blood, Damon," Alaric said, hearing the annoyance in his tone.
Damon closed his eyes. "Ric, I feel nauseous enough as it is," he mumbled.
"Damon, you need blood. We have to keep you strong until Stefan or whoever shows up with the cure. Just drink it. You'll feel better." He tore open the bag, and held it up to Damon's mouth, who slowly and hesitantly drank. Quite some time later, he was finished with it and Alaric was about to open the second one when Damon stopped him. "No. I think I'm going to be sick."
Alaric rolled his eyes. "You're being dramatic."
Damon shook his head and put his hand over his mouth. "I'm really about to be sick."
Alaric dropped the blood bag and sprinted to the bathroom where he was lucky enough to find an empty bin. He ran back into Damon's bedroom, helped Damon sit up and put the bin under him. Just seconds later, Damon gagged and began vomiting up blood. Alaric rubbed his back as the vampire emptied his stomach contents. When he was finished, Alaric set the bin on the floor and helped Damon lay back down.
"Well that was gross," Alaric said.
"Tell me about it," Damon whispered hoarsely, looking more warn out than before.
"I think the blood did more harm than good," Alaric said sadly.
"I told you."
Alaric sighed. He got up again and went to the bedside table where some tissues were. He grabbed a couple and handed them to Damon to wipe his mouth. "Let's not try that agiain," he decided.
"Really? Because I would love to go through that again," Damon said his voice almost inaudible. Alaric looked at him with concern and saw that he was definitely fading away.
"Hey, Damon," Alaric gently nudged him. "You got to stay with me, buddy."
"I'm so tired," Damon breathed out.
"I know, but I'll be with you the entire time," Alaric promised. "I'm going to help you get through this, even if it kills me."
"It just might," Damon said.
Alaric looked at him. "What are you talking about?"
"I already hurt you once, Ric. I'm not going to let myself do it again. You really should leave. I'll be fine."
Alaric scoffed. "This is what you call fine? Wow. I really don't want to see you when you're not fine."
"You need to leave, Ric," Damon said.
Alaric shook his head. "I'm not going anywhere."
"And people call me stubborn."
Alaric laughed. "You're still the most stubborn person I know." Damon didn't respond and Alaric stared at him, trying not to worry too much. The fact that Damon had minutes left was worrisome when the cure still hadn't arrived. "Damon, just a little longer, okay? Just fight for a little longer?" The doubt in his own voice was too much, and Alaric felt a tear run down his face. It had been the third time he had cried since the incident. He hated crying, especially in front of Damon.
Damon looked up and stared at Alaric. Alaric was waiting for a sarcastic remark, teasing or laughter but none of that happened. Instead, Damon gave him a sympathetic look. "Hey, don't do this, Ric," Damon said softly. "I'll be fine. And even if I'm not, you have to keep a hold of yourself. Elena, Jeremy and my brother are going to need you while I'm gone." Alaric just nodded. He got up and grabbed another tissue to wipe his eyes with.
"This is embarrassing," Alaric said, feeling ashamed. He walked back over to Damon's bed and knelt beside it again. "We can't ever speak of this."
"I don't think I've ever seen you cry before," Damon said with his eyes closed.
"Well I've been crying all day," Alaric confessed. "Well, it feels like that anyway. But I'm serious, no one needs to know."
Damon's breathing was becoming heavier. "I don't know who I'd tell anyway." Alaric wanted to leave. He was tired of seeing Damon like this. He was tired of feeling like breaking down every time Damon did something that showed him he was getting worse. But he didn't leave. He stayed because Damon needed him now more than ever.
Alaric spent the next few moments talking to Damon who's only responses now were slight nods. Alaric sighed. "I'm sorry, Damon. I'm sorry that you're going through this. I'm sorry about Stefan, but most of all, I'm sorry that it took you dying for me to realize who you are to me. If-" he cut off, now just wanting to be honest to Damon and himself. "When you go, I want you to know that I'll find Stefan for you. Elena and I will work together. I forgot to mention to you that I told Elena about him. She's devastated. I want you to know I'll take care of her. I know you love her, Damon. I'll take care of Jeremy, too. They'll both be safe. But no matter what, it will never be the same. Elena won't be the same, Stefan won't be the same, and I sure as hell won't be the same. I'll go to the bar and expect you to be there like you always are. But you won't be."
"Don't be so sure of that."
Alaric stopped his ranting and looked behind him. Elena? No it was Katherine. "What?"
Katherine held up a vial full of red liquid. "Doesn't seem to me like you even need this. You already had your entire good-bye speech said."
"The cure," Alaric breathed. Katherine walked up to him and put the cure on the table. She then headed on out. When she was halfway through the door she turned around.
"Don't be expecting Stefan anytime soon," she said smiling. "He'll be gone for a long time. And that… is a promise."
Alaric watched her leave then quickly turned back to Damon. He picked up the vial that was full of red liquid. What was it? It looked like blood. Alaric wasn't too concerned about it. He just hoped Damon wouldn't throw it up before it took effect. He uncapped it and put it up to Damon's mouth. "Just drink it, pal. C'mon."
Damon breathing was way too slow, and he was unresponsive. "Fine," Alaric sighed. "Looks like I will be forcing this down your throat." He opened Damon's mouth and poured it in. "Swallow it," he ordered. He sighed with relief when Damon swallowed whatever kind of blood it was.
Alaric smiled. He brushed back some of Damon's damp hair. "Now you can rest."