Here's the second chapter for the day. I hope it helps you guys to forgive me for being so late in updating. I made it extra-long and extra juicy to show you how much I love you for continuing to read.

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Lisolotte

Damon waited to decide who to call. He really had no desire to talk to Klaus. Daddy Hybrid might draw comparisons between the two of them, but that did not mean he had anything to talk to the man about. He wasn't even sure that he had a number to reach him at. He certainly didn't want to call Kol. That bat to the face still smarted. The youngest Mikaelson was definitely too much of a wild card. Elijah would gather them all. He seemed to still care about his ex-wife. Rebekah was definitely still her best friend. Would they believe him? Would he have to do something to prove it? This was a pretty ridiculous situation. What was Damon thinking? They were all vampires. They had just all rallied six months ago to perform a body switch. This was no less ludicrous than that. They had a valuable team member out of commission this time. Charlotte would probably know exactly what to do, but it is not like she could help much right now. Of course, Tatia would tell him that he needed to get ahold of all the Originals. It couldn't be something easier for him. Instead, he has to reunite the Manson family.

The Originals were complicated as hell. You had no idea if they were going to be the best of friends ready to die for each other or if they were going to be gunning to kill each other. Elijah was most likely to be level headed, but Rebekah was the most likely to answer his call. Kol and Klaus were able to go either way. He was just going to see who was going to answer first. Start there.

Rebekah went straight to voicemail. "Leave a message, I might get back to you. Chances are I don't want to talk to you, so don't hold your breath." Of course her voicemail would be just as abrasive as she is. Damon cursed to himself. So he tried Elijah. The Original Gentleman answered promptly, of course.

"To what do I owe this pleasure, Damon?" Elijah asked crisply.

"I wouldn't call it a pleasure," Damon said with an intake of breath. He took a pause before he said to Elijah, "Charlotte is comatose. Well, she is not exactly comatose, but something close. She won't wake up. I don't know how long she has been like this. I showed up today and found her like—"

Elijah interrupted him with a loud, "WHAT?!"

Damon had never heard Elijah show such emotion before and now he was doing it with only one word. Note to self: feelings still there for sure. "She is asleep. Or she seems to be. I couldn't go into her dreams at first. Something was keeping me out. I was able to get in for a second. She is there, but stuck. Tatia showed up—"

"Tatia?" Elijah asked. "Tatia is dead. Believe me, I have seen the proof. Are you spinning me a tale, Salvatore?"

Damon sighed loudly. "I wish I was lying. She won't wake up. She was able to send Tatia to me. She didn't know she was the spirit that would answer. That is how I know she isn't just tired. She is sending me a message. Tatia came to me with a list of things that we need to do in order to try and get her back."

"What were you doing visiting my wife anyway?" Elijah asked with soft menace in his voice.

"Wife, Elijah? Don't pull that card with me. I have heard some of that from Charlotte herself. I doubt she would let you call her that if she was able to talk right now, which she is not. It doesn't matter what happened or why I am here. All that matters is that Charlotte needs us. Tatia told me that I need to get all the Originals here along with Rachel and anyone strong that I can get. I don't think we need St. Stefan and company unless you think they will be helpful."

"Consider it handled," Elijah said with finality. "I will make sure everyone necessary is there promptly. You concern yourself with making sure that she is okay right now. Watch her day and night if you have to. If her condition changes at all, let me know. Tatia visits again, let me know. I am trusting you with something precious to me, Salvatore, remember that. You better do everything you can to make sure that she is safe."

Note to self again: lots of feelings left there. "Loud and clear. Maybe I will give her a bath so she is clean and fragrant when everyone gets here. I don't know if Sleeping Beauty is going to stay clean and fresh while she is asleep. Who knows how long she has been like this anyway. She might have been out for the whole six months we have been gone."

"Tread lightly," Elijah said and hung up.

"You love her, don't you," Tatia said quietly.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves. I barely know the girl. I admire her greatly. I care for her. Love is a bit of a way off. Any chance I could get you to leave? I don't want to have to call Elijah again," he retorted.

"I'm not going to leave her. Ever. It is one of those unbreakable vow type things. I don't have any new information for you though. No need to call Elijah. Wouldn't want you antagonizing him anymore."

"What do you want, Tatia? Are you just trying to sit her and make me feel worse? I am already confused about the way your sister affects me. I don't need your help."

Tatia moved closer to him. "That is not what I am trying to do. I am trying to give you company. Can't be easy to just sit here and wait."

"I don't need your sympathy."

"Maybe you need my experience."

Damon scoffed. "Maybe your route where it comes to Charlotte is not one I want to replicate anyway."

"I know more about Elijah though. I can definitely help you when it comes to that. Elijah is always going to be there."

"Is that what you are trying to tell me, run? Stay away from my sister, it is going to be the same problem you have with Elena and with Katherine. Someone else was there first. It won't be your brother this time though. Instead, it will be the Original Gentleman, all suave and perfect. He was there first, too. Is that what you are trying to say to me?" Damon asked bitterly.

Tatia shook her head. "No. That is not what I am saying. She wouldn't choose him over you. At least not today. I can't see her doing it at all actually. Stranger things have happened though. Elijah will always love my sister though. That is all I am trying to warn you about. They are forever locked in this push and pull because of what I did though."

Damon sat down on the armchair and put his arms behind his head. "Tell me what you did, Tatia. Stop dancing around it. I am tired of having half the story. Why don't you tell me? It's just me and you here."

Tatia looked apprehensive. She waited a full five minutes before she finally answered him. "Elijah would never have chosen me over Charlotte. They were sickly in love with each other. I was jealous as can be. Elijah was perfect. I had a huge crush on him. So, made him fall in love with me."

"Made him? How exactly did you manage that? I am really getting tired of this prevarication, dear. That means the way you are dancing around the issue."

Tatia glowered at him. "He is bespelled. That is why he abandoned her for me. The witch who aided me made a strong enchantment. I had told her that the father of my child would not make an honorable woman out of me. It struck a chord with her. Even now, if Elijah saw me he would be in love. Charlotte found that out for herself not long after my death. She thinks we had some deep love affair that lasted beyond death. That is why he has been attracted to both Katherine and Elena."

"You never told her?!" Damon shouted.

Tatia blushed a shade of bright red. "How could I tell her? I don't know how to fix it?"

"You wouldn't even try? That is your sister?! She deserves better than that from you. No wonder she can't stand the sight of you."

"Elijah knows. He has been trying for 900 years to break the 'curse' as he calls it. It's too strong, Damon. I really have cursed them. I am the worst scum on the planet Earth. I have ruined so many lives with one purely selfish act." Tears flowed freely down Tatia face.

Damon couldn't be sorry for her. She didn't deserve it. Tatia had willfully brought this all on herself. She didn't even deserve the consideration.

The realization hit Damon like a brick though. He wasn't helping a girl get over her Original husband who had left her for her sister. It was nothing so simple or noble. He was fighting another man for her affections. It was the story of his sad life. He was no longer competing with his brother though. Worse, he was competing with a man who had spent 900 years trying to right someone else's wrong that had caused him and the woman that he loved unspeakable pain. That was the kind of story that made for epic fairy tales. Elijah was a white knight riding on his trusty stead to wake Sleeping Beauty with true love's kiss. How could Damon begrudge him that? Was Damon going to get between two people who belonged together? How had he ended up in another romantic mess? Was he even past all the drama with Elena? Not to mention, with Charlotte came Katherine who Damon was not too willing to see on a regular basis and relive that relationship. Damon wouldn't do that to Charlotte. He would not come between her and Elijah if they were truly in love. She was genuinely mad at Elijah though. And he hadn't told her the truth. She certainly wouldn't be able to forgive that easily. Which put Damon in a sticky position. Now he knew, too. Damon had promised to be honest with her. He knew he would tell her. He didn't owe anything to Elijah to keep the secret. It just meant at what time he would tell her. Right now did not seem ideal. He needed his girl fighting fit. Damon started thinking about how perfect Charlotte was for him. She was not some innocent angel who was beyond his reach. Charlotte was a good girl, a princess even. Damon had seen her kill though. She was a fierce passionate woman who could give him a run for his money. She was warm and kind and dedicated. She had laughed easily and kept up with his wit, even put him to shame a few times on their trip to Virginia. They could make a wonderful life for themselves. Damon could see them traveling the world and living free. In his mind was a series of images each more beautiful than the last. Charlotte in Brazil, Charlotte in Paris, Charlotte in Rome, the soft sounds of her speaking to him in Italian, Charlotte with rumpled hair and only a bed sheet on.

The doorbell rang waking Damon from his daydreams of finding happiness with Charlotte. The first of their rescue team had arrived.