Chapter 3

As Stefan drank down the bag after bag, he began to lose control and Klaus stood watch over him like a father watching his son. By the tenth bag Stefan had completely lost control, his eyes were in a wonder and all he could look for was the next bag. When Klaus refused to give him the next bag Stefan got upset, but Klaus told him "I think THE RIPPER deserves a treat of the fresh blood" he took his coat and threw his handkerchief at him telling him "clean up, we can scare off our next meal." They left the apartment together.

Back at the Salvatore boarding house Elena was taking care of Damon. He was lying in his bed sweating as if he had a fever coughing up blood heavily. Elena kept taking the blanket and putting it on top of him even though Damon kept kicking it off. She walked over to the bathroom and wet a washcloth and brought it back wiping the sweat from his face. As Damon drifted in and out he would go between 1864 and present day, which meant Katherine and Elena. In 1864 Damon imagined why he abandoned the confederate war, he remembered seeing Katherine's face the day he came back. As he snuck up behind her and began pouring his feeling out about how he could not stay gone too long from her, he remembered that being his first passionate kiss from her. Elena could see all the pain he was going through and she felt so much for him at that moment. Too watch someone die she never wished that for Damon because it was the only family Stefan had. As Damon came back to she touched his face:

Elena: Damon, stay here. I know your seeing things but stay strong. Be the Damon that has saved my life countless times.

Damon: I'm not a good guy (coughing)

Elena: Yes, you are! You're the guy that helps me and regardless of how much he feels the need to stalk, hunt, kill and pray he doesn't. (Slight laugh) but drinks from blood bags.

Damon: (smiling) that's me a savior.

Elena: (lies down in the bed with Damon, puts her head on his shoulder) As much as I love Stefan, I love you too Damon. You're his brother, his family! Stefan loves you too and that's why he's trying his hardest to find a cure. You just have to hang in there Damon.

Damon: My brother, he's always the fortunate one (with struggle in his voice)

Elena: (sits up and looks him in his face close) Damon, I forgive you! (Crying, she kisses his lips)

Damon's eyes close but he can feel the kiss so greatly that it keeps him tethered to staying alive. As Elena is still holding her kiss on his lips she hears a voice of throat clearing, it's Katherine and she pulls away.

Katherine: I'd ask what you're doing but by the looks of things it seems as if I already know.

Elena: (stands up) where's Stefan?

Katherine: Ooh I'm surprised you remember his name. But then again having bot h brothers is always fun. (Walks over to the bed and gets in rubbing Damon's face) You don't look so good!

Damon: (coughs) BITCH!

Elena: (arms crossed) Where is Stefan?

Katherine: (pulls out the cure in the bottle) let's focus on the task at hand.

Elena: (gasped) is that the cure.

Katherine: (opens the bottle, and gives it to Damon to drink) it isn't orange juice!

Damon drinks down the cure and is shocked to realize its blood. He lays back and Katherine pulls up his arm to show the wolf bite is clearing up. She gets out the bed and walks over to Elena standing in front of her and says:

Katherine: You know you and I are a lot alike.

Elena: I am nothing like you; I would never steal someone's love and manipulate them either.

Katherine: It's funny because you say one thing and do another.

Elena: I love Stefan

Katherine: I do too, but somehow Damon creeps up on you. It's okay to love them both. I did!

Elena: Where's Stefan?

Katherine: He gave himself over to Klaus for the cure. And you're supposed to be dead!

Damon now able to talk and actually stand feeling much better but not fully recovered says "he what? why the hell would he go and do that." Katherine looks at Damon and says "it seems your feeling better, and that my cue. But before I go, Stefan sacrificed everything for you two. But if he had walked in on what I saw he would be regretting it all right now!" And with that Katherine was gone.

Elena looked toward Damon and immediately left, she was pulling out her phone calling Stefan over and over. She was almost in tears walking back and forth saying to herself out loud "come on Stefan, don't do this to me." She walked downstairs into the front room and was still calling, it kept going to voicemail: (Stefan's voice) Hi, you've reached Stefan (he starts laughing) what are you doing! (Laughing) It seems my very beautiful girlfriend has other plans for me so…. (Elena's voice) callback later!

Elena decided to leave a message this time: Stefan where are you? Damon's okay! Katherine came through. You come back now! Please call me when you get this! (With tears still in her eyes). As she hung up she turned to see Damon coming into the room with a glass of blood. She looked up at him and sighed saying "I'm glad you're okay, I'm sure Stefan's gonna call." Damon looked at her and could see what a frantic she was in and he placed the glass down and walked over to her and placed both hands on her shoulders saying "Elena, calm down I'm sure he's fine we will find him. He's my brother he saved so I owe him one." Elena still in tears looks into Damon's eyes "Damon we have to I need him" Damon shaking his head saying "I know", he hugs her close and says "We will find him." Elena hugs back and lets out tears as she weeps saying "we have to Damon, I'm pregnant."