THE DESCENT

The muffled sounds of overlapping voices continued to flow from down the hallway of arched trees and dirt pathways. I didn't know where I was. It was dark and creepy and chilling. A small, dim, orange glow came from where the strange voices apparently were.

As I slowly walked towards the light, the chanting became louder. I realized that it sounded like a witch was preforming a spell. But her voice was distorted. The echoes seemed to repeat a whole different set of words from the same unknown language.

Finally, I saw her. She sat cross-legged on the pine-needle-covered ground, her head bent backwards at an unnatural angle. Her eyes were completely white. No pupils. She couldn't have been a lot older than me. Early twenties if I had to guess. This sight completely freaked me out.

Suddenly, she stopped chanting. Silence took over, and her head swiveled back to look at me. She raised a bloody hand, pointing a finger in my direction.

"You." Her voice slurred like a snake. Her skin glistened like she was covered in a sticky substance. "You cannot run. You cannot hide. He will find you."

I breathed heavily.

She continued, "You are the doppelganger, you will die."

Her fingers then dipped into the muddy ground, and she started scratching something into the earth. Her hands moved like a crazed animal. But the movements were precise. Practiced. Possessed.

Though I didn't want to, I somehow found the courage to move closer to her. I looked at the symbol on the ground. The symbol that had somehow now repeated itself a hundred times over.

The symbol was carved into the trees, drawn onto the rocks, swirled into the freezing air by the fire's smoke.

The same design that I'd seen that morning after waking up at Matt's. The one that had been formed by leaves and carved into the tree.

The same design that was on my necklace.

Gasping, I sat upright in bed, the chills running up my back and neck made me feel as if I was being watched. The digital alarm clock read 3:49 A.M. It was dark out, the house was silent. Cold sweat broke out on my skin and I slowly walked to the bathroom, turning on the blinding lights as I looked in the mirror.

I looked pale. Paler than usual.

Taking a small towel, I drenched it in water then placed it on the back on my neck, feeling better as the liquid ran down my back. My tank top got soaked.

I looked at the necklace around my neck, and squinted my eyes to see the design better. There was no denying it. It was the same symbol from my dream. I wondered what it was...what it meant.

The small red gem in the middle glinted ominously.

Stefan gave me this necklace. I'd been tempted many times to ask where he got it, but I never did. I started to regret that decision.

"Are you alright?"

I whipped around at the familiar voice, staring into concerned brown eyes. Elijah stood by the bathroom door frame, clad in his usual expensive suit and slacks.

"Gosh, you scared me." I stated, a hand to my chest. My heart raced. "What are you doing here?"

"I heard you get up." He replied, hands in his pockets.

"Yeah, I did." I looked at him warily. Stalker, much? "Why were you listening in?"

"I'm here to protect you." He kept his stare, "Making sure that you come to no harm."

"Don't you have witches watching over my family?" I inquired, still wondering why he was in my house in the middle of the night. It was kind of creepy. But the fact that he was watching me and protecting me sent a warm tingle through me.

"Indeed, I do." He glanced down at the tiled floor for a minute before raising his gaze back to mine, "I figured I'd look after you tonight. Just a precaution."

I nodded slowly. Right. Sure. Elijah seemed pretty uncomfortable with this conversation. I knew I was.

"Okay. Well, to answer your question, I'm fine." I absently fiddled with my vervain necklace, "A bad dream, that's all."

He nodded along with me. "I apologize for bothering you. I'll leave you alone now." He turned his back to me, and that's when something in me jerked forward.

"Wait!"

He stopped and looked back at me, raising an eyebrow. I lowered my raised hands in confusion, taking a step back.

"Yes, Ariana?" He waited.

I shook my head, "Nothing, sorry. I... guess I'm just tired, that's all."

He stared at me for a moment, then dipped his head politely. "I hope you rest well. Goodnight." He wandered over to my open window, and in a blur, disappeared.

A shadow was casted on a tree a block away, then it faded.

At around eight o'clock in the morning, I woke up again. This time, fortunately, it wasn't from a bad dream.

I dressed in a cream 3/4 sleeve cotton shirt, tan jeans, brown boots, and a beige scarf. A long gold necklace hung down to the middle of my torso, and a black and brown bracelet encircled my wrist. I wore my hair up in a clipped ponytail and dabbed some chapstick on my lips.

When I arrived at the boarding house, the door was unlocked, so I let myself in. I entered Stefan's bedroom, calling his name. A whoosh passed me, and the air behind me changed. I questioned, "You're standing right behind me, aren't you?"

"Yep." His voice at my ear. He gently grabbed my arm and spun me around to face him. "Good morning," When he leaned in, I hesitated for a second too long. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." I immediately replied, cringing at the defensive tone in my voice. "I feel a bit jittery today, that's all." I kissed him, and though at first he held back in caution, he eventually gave in and kissed me back.

"Look, I'm totally gonna ruin the moment, but I can't pretend like everything is okay." He said, pulling away for a second to gaze at me. I inwardly sighed, aware that I now had to talk about something that I really didn't want to discuss. He continued, "As much as I wish we could never be apart, we still have this pressing little issue of you being in Klaus' human sacrifice."

Don't remind me. I pulled away for a moment, hiding my facial expressions from him, not sure which emotion I was feeling. Opening one of Stefan's drawer, I took out the vial of vervain and screwed open the top.

"Yes," I agreed, "But Elijah promised to keep me and everyone else safe as long as we play by his rules."

"Right." Stefan nodded, "As long as you play by his rules."

Rolling my eyes, I poured the vervain into a glass, "What's that supposed to mean?"

He shrugged, but I could tell that he was bothered by this more than he was showing. "I—I don't know. But don't you think it's strange the way he acts when he's around you?"

I raised a brow, "How does he act?"

"He acts as if he knows you." Stefan responded, jaw clenched, "As if you two have been great friends for centuries. The only time he ever shows any sort of caring emotion, is when you're involved. Which is why I'm not too worried about him going back on his word—I have no doubt that he would protect you—but he's also very old. Meaning he's very strong." He looked down at his hands, "It worries me."

I wasn't entirely sure where this conversation was going, but I had a feeling it had something to do with jealousy. "Well, you shouldn't. As you said, Elijah will keep his word. He'll keep his promise on our deal."

"Right, you made a deal with him." Stefan stated, "I didn't make one." He nodded his head, "You should keep your deal."

"Thanks for the suggestion," I turned serious, "But I don't want anyone to get hurt."

"When have I ever wanted somebody to get hurt?" He queried.

I stayed silent for a minute, pouring water into the glass and taking a sip. I could barely taste the vervain, but I was human. For Stefan, it would be a lot worse. Especially considering his diet on animal blood. Or did he decide to keep drinking the human blood? I couldn't remember.

Changing the subject, I inquired, "Why are you going after Isobel?"

"Katherine said Isobel could have some answers, and I have a couple questions, that's all." He said.

"I thought we agreed that Elijah was going to help us."

"You agreed. I didn't."

I narrowed my eyes slightly. He was being stubborn. "But can we really trust her? After what she did to us? To you?"

He shrugged, "We really don't have a choice if we want to save your life."

"There's always a choice." I muttered softly. He didn't respond. I showed Stefan the glass, "Vervain. I made it light... but... you know you don't have to do this. Katherine built up a tolerance but it isn't necessary for you to do the same."

"If I'm gonna protect you, I need to make sure I'm immune to my weaknesses, don't I?" He stated, trying to make a joke out of the situation. He took the glass from my hands, "Bottoms up."

I cringed as he drunk all of it down at once. Immediately after, he started coughing. It sounded like somebody trying out a cigarette for the first time. His body was rejecting the substance.

"Are you okay?" I asked tentatively, and he groaned.

"Yeah." He coughed again, but then straightened out.

An earlier memory from before made me curious, "How can Elijah compel another vampire?"

"He's an Original." Stefan stated, "I don't really know what that means. I don't think anybody really knows what that means." A humorous look crossed his face, "Well, except maybe Isobel. Maybe we should ask her."

I gave him a pointed look, but he simply smiled. After kissing me again, he left the room.

I walked downstairs after Stefan left, hearing two voices converge in a conversation. When I got closer, I heard Rose ask, "How is it?"

I finally saw Damon and Rose, who were in the parlor. Rose was sitting down, her face drawn out in a gray color, with bags under her eyes. She looked terrible. As if she was sick. But vampires didn't get sick.

Then I saw the mark. Damon had stood up, and pulled her clothing away from her back, revealing a bloody wound that looked as if something had bitten and infected her. If she were human, it would've seemed like blood poisoning.

"Definitely better." Damon lied, turning his head to look at me, "Right, Ariana?"

I stood there, both shocked by Rose's obvious werewolf bite and Damon's acknowledgement of me. I guess I wasn't being very quiet. Or maybe it's his supersonic vampire hearing.

"Um, it's not bad." I was even worse at lying.

"Where's Stefan?" He asked.

"He left." I hesitated, "I think you should talk to him. He's convinced that finding Isobel will help, but it would just upset Elijah."

"Since when do you care about about what Elijah thinks." Anger was evident in his voice. He shook his head, "No, can do. I'm with Stefan on this one. But if you could play nurse for a little while..." He gestured to Rose.

"It's not necessary." Rose immediately protested.

"No, it's fine." I said, "I'd be happy to."

"See?" Damon smiled, trying to lighten the downcast mood, "Ariana is a do-gooder. It's in her nature, she just can't resist." His expression wore off as he left the room. I looked at Rose for a second. She seemed so despondent and vulnerable, it made me feel sick to see her like that. Vampires were supposed to be strong, not withering away.

Following Damon, I called softly, "Damon, is she gonna be okay?"

He shook his head, "Probably not. The wolf bite caused some kind of infection and it's getting worse."

"Like poison?"

"I don't know, Ariana." His eyes seemed a bit crazed, "I'm not an expert in the field."

I bit my lip at his tone. He cared for Rose, "I'm sorry."

"Death happens." He stated, "We come, we go. Sooner she dies the better."

"You don't mean that."

"I do." His expression was stern and calculated. His voice became lower. "But you have to promise me something. If she starts to do anything—if she tries to hurt you. Kill her."

"What?" I queried, shocked, "No! Damon, I can't do that!" It became harder for me to keep my voice down.

"You have to—or, you know what?" He put his hands on my shoulders, "Go home, you don't have to watch over her. It's too risky."

"No, Damon, I'll be fine."

"Then promise me." His ice blue eyes pierced mine.

I huffed, "I promise."

"You promise what?"

"I promise that if she tries to hurt me, I'll kill her."

Rose's arm was slung over my shoulders as I half-carried her to Damon's bedroom. I figured since she'd probably already been in there, it would be more comfortable than any of the other rooms.

"I hate this." Rose stated after I laid her on the bed, "I'm a vampire, I haven't had a cold in five centuries."

I smiled a bit, "I haven't lived for five hundred years, but getting a cold does suck."

"We don't get sick." Rose continued, "When we die, it's fast and sudden and it's certainly not drawn out in illness."

"You're not gonna die." I reached over and pushed her hair, drenched in sweat, out of her eyes.

"Such a human thing to say." She closed her eyes, and I took a moment to admire the bedroom. It was nice and contemporary in a victorian way. The tub and huge glass shower could be seen through the bathroom's open door. It was strange... touching the things in Damon's room. It felt... intimate.

"You've never been in Damon's room before, have you?" I heard Rose say, and looked down to see that her eyes were open again.

A few books were on his nightstand, the first read "Gone with the wind".

"Not what you expected?" She questioned.

I smiled, "It's nice and simple. A big room with a big bed." I ran my hands across the white blankets, "Maybe I expected there to be silk sheets, and gold armoires, and possibly even a diamond chandelier."

She smiled with me. "You're lucky, you know. No one's ever loved me the way you're loved. The way Damon and Stefan love you."

"I doubt that." I stated.

"Trevor was my best friend." Rose started, "Nothing more. I spent all those years on the run from Elijah. I just never thought it was a good idea to set up roots." Her eyes turned glassy, "The whole idea of family is not exactly compatible with being a vampire." She looked up at me, "Why are you so eager to give up?"

"I'm not giving up on anything." I stated, giving her the glass of blood, "Here."

"Then what do you call this whole deal with Elijah?" She queried.

"I call it my best option." I stated.

"It's your easiest option."

"That's not fair." I said sadly, "I trust Elijah."

"Do you really think that your witch friend destroyed the moonstone?" She asked.

"I spoke with Bonnie. I know she had the help of another witch... unless..." I suddenly realized something, "unless you mean it's Elijah's witch—so no, I don't." It wasn't exactly a surprise to me. Elijah never truly gave me his word that he'd keep me safe. That promise was only held over my friends' heads, not mine.

"You really are determined to die, aren't you?" Rose inquired, confused, "At least I ran, you're not even trying."

Yeah, well, she didn't have anyone else to be afraid for. She didn't have any family or friends she needed to protect. It was cruel, but also the truth. I couldn't run, because I couldn't risk the lives of the people I loved.

Rose closed her eyes, "I'm so tired."

I got up to leave her in peace.

"No, stop, wait," she called to me. I halted and turned back to hold her hand. Her skin was clammy with sweat and unusually cool. "Tell them to prepare the horses."

Horses? She must've been hallucinating, "It's okay, Rose." I said softly, "Just get some sleep. You'll feel better when you wake up."

"Trevor, don't be so stupid." Rose coughed, lost in her imaginary world. She rolled over, and I lost my grip on her hand, "You're never going to make it there before the sun."

Suddenly, she bolted upright. Her eyes opened and closed in deep pain, as if she had a headache. "Ariana, Ariana, I need more blood." She choked out.

"Yeah, of course, here." I grabbed the glass of sloshing red liquid from the nightstand and handed it to her.

She shakily drank the blood, then sighed in content. Just when I thought she was back to normal, she coughed and threw up the blood. The white bed sheets were now red and pink.

"It's okay." I said worriedly. I hurried, rushing to the bathroom. "Everything's going to be alright." Hope was all I had left. Damon better have found a cure for the werewolf bite. I didn't have it in me to watch another person die. I truly liked Rose, so I couldn't handle to see her all gray and covered in veins.

Taking a small soft towel, I drenched it in cold water then rushed back to Rose.

My heart dropped to my stomach when I saw the bloody bed, but no Rose. She was gone.

I turned around to run out the door, when... well, I found Rose.

Her fangs shined brightly in dim light. They glinted hatred and evil. Her eyes devoured me, sucking me in to some sort of endless abyss. She struck out, pushing me against the wall.

"It's all your fault, Katerina!" She growled at me, "You, Katerina, you did this!"

Fear surrounded me and I drowned in it, "It's Ariana." I said, panicked, "Rose, Rose. I'm Ariana."

She only became angrier, "You betrayed us!"

"I'm not Katherine!" I tried making her understand. Her hands were beginning to bruise my shoulders, and her cool breath washed over my skin.

My heart pounded in my chest. Her fangs seemed to inch closer to my neck. She was going to bite me.

Then her fangs and bloody eyes receded and her hands let me go. I relaxed when realization crossed her expression and recognition replaced the hatred. "Ariana?"

"It's me, it's Ariana." I took a deep breath, calming down.

"Oh my God, Ariana." Tears sprouted in her eyes, "I'm so sorry. I don't know what's happening to me. I'm sorry."

"I know." I nodded, still looking at her warily, "You're gonna be alright." I really hoped that I wasn't lying.

"My mind, I'm..." She didn't finish.

"It was just for a second."

"I could've killed you." She stated breathlessly. She looked at me in horror. "I'm so sorry, please don't be scared of me."

"I'm not." I reassured her, "I'm not, but you need to rest."

She walked back over to the bed and laid down, her eyes open, but not staring at anything. "I'm scared."

"It's okay to be scared." I stated, moving closer to her so that I could speak more quietly, "It's what makes you human. But you're not alone. I'm right here. I'll stay with you."

"Here?" Rose looked around frantically, "Where's here?"

She was losing it, "Damon's bedroom, we're in Damon's bedroom."

"I want to go home." She whined, sounding like a child. But I didn't hold it against her. I felt terrible.

"Tell me about it." I suggested, taking her mind off of her current state.

"St. Austell, thirty kilometers south of London." She replied, "With fields and trees and horses."

I smiled, trying to imagine the scenery. "Sounds beautiful."

"When you live long enough, everything disappears." She told me. The fields have perished. "So much time wasted, I just wish I wouldn't have been so afraid."

"Fear takes over our lives." I stated, knowing from personal experience. "But it's also what keeps us alive."

A few minutes later, I came back into Damon's bedroom, carrying new sheets I'd found from the hallway closet. "I brought some clean sheets."

But of course, like last time, Rose had disappeared. Placing the sheets on the small patch of white bedding where the blood hadn't reached yet, I left the room to search for her. I walked down the stairs, but each room I passed was empty, devoid of anybody.

Pulling out my phone, I dialed the familiar number.

"Hey, what's up, Ariana?" Damon sounded exhausted and annoyed—probably failed in finding a cure.

"Hey, I'm worried about Rose." I stated, keeping my voice down.

"Why?" He became urgent, his tone taking a darker edge. "Did she do something to you?"

"No...no. At least... not yet." I hesitated, "But I think you should come home."

"I'll be right there." He lowered his voice, "Remember your promise?"

I swallowed, whispering, "Yeah, I remember."

"Good, find a stake—or make one." He ordered. "Just in case."

I nodded, even though he couldn't see me. "Okay." Suddenly, I heard a noise, and it wasn't coming from the phone. Hanging up, another creak sounded from somewhere in the boarding house. "Rose?" I slowly walked towards an open door from which I heard the noise. Basement.

The hallway down the stairs was as dull, gray, and lifeless as ever. A flash of dark color caught my eye, and my gaze turned down as I saw an empty bloodbag on the cement floor, the blood still dripping onto the hard ground. Picking it up, I slowly inched further into the hallway, hearing a weird noise that sounded like scrambling and growling.

The light revealed Rose, who was sucking away at a bloodbag. Blood covered her face and drenched her clothes. Empty blood bags were strewn around her, used up and flat.

"Oh my gosh." I whispered out of shock.

Bad move. Rose turned her feral gaze on me, and she dropped the blood bag, staring at me as if I was her next meal. "Katerina."

Oh shoot. I slowly backed away, "No—Rose."

She didn't listen to me, and instead sprung up from where she was crouched on the floor, heading straight towards me. I ran in the opposite direction, knowing quite well that I couldn't out run a vampire. But right now, she was weak and delusional.

I stopped running once we made it into the study room, and looked back at her, "Rose, stop, it's Ariana." Her fangs retracted as she analyzed me up and down. Her features became softer, "I'm not Katherine. You're hallucinating. I'm Ariana."

Rose seemed to relax at first... but suddenly, her eyes blazed again as she caught my shoulders and roughly shoved me to the floor. Her fangs hovered only inches from my face. I looked around the room, taking Damon's advice in trying to find a sharp wooden pointy thing. Unfortunately, I didn't think vampires liked to keep objects, that could potentially kill them, in their own house.

But... there were other ways to hurt vampire. Reaching behind me, I felt the cool glass from the window, and next to that, the curtains. Pulling the curtains to the side allowed the sunlight to stream in. Rose immediately started screaming and burning up. She sat back on her heals in pain as she tried to get out of the sun.

I stood up quickly and ran to the front door. However, before I could reach it, Rose showed up. She grabbed me and pulled me to her, about to bite my neck.

I really didn't want to hurt Rose. I liked her, but she was going insane in this moment. She needed help, and as long as she didn't die, there was still hope.

Before her fangs touched my skin, I wrapped an arm around her and pressed my fingers into her infected wound. Rose screamed again, and her grip on me loosened. Since she was still blocking my exit, I ran upstairs, into Stefan's bedroom. Locking the door, I glanced over to my side, seeing the heavy armoire. I pushed it in front of the door, hoping that it would further provide as an obstacle, keeping me safe from Rose.

After all, if I died, then that would mean no sacrifice. No sacrifice = Dead family/friends.

Opening up the curtains so that the light would reach every corner of the room, I walked over to one of the wooden chairs. Using all the strength I had, I picked up the chair, and broke a leg. The stake had a nice pointed edge, though I didn't exactly like to think about what it could be used for.

The doorknob rattled, and my head whipped around as my heart stopped for a second.

"Ariana?" Rose's voice came from the other side of the door, "I know that it's you and not Katherine. Ariana, please, I need your help." She coughed a few times, emphasizing her sickness.

I'd be an idiot to open that door. I wasn't sure whether Rose had really remembered me, but I wasn't taking any chances. She was unstable in this moment. I didn't want to hurt her either. The best option was to just ignore her, until Damon came home.

After a while, I got tired of waiting. Removing the armoire from in front of the door, I tiptoed downstairs, stake raised in my hand. When the front door came into sight, I jumped slightly, seeing how it was now open. Rose must've left.

Turning around, I almost shrieked when someone else stood right in front of me. I calmed down once I realized who it was.

"Are you okay?" Damon asked me worriedly. I nodded, and he surveyed the room, "Where's Rose?"

I shook my head, "I don't know."

"I knew I shouldn't have left you alone." He muttered.

"Look, she didn't hurt me, okay?" I said, "I'm fine, what matters right now is Rose."

He grabbed my forearm, "Come on, let's go find her." We walked out of the house, and he looked down to my hands, "By the way, nice stake."

"Thanks, I had to break Stefan's chair."

He smirked, "Even better."

The world plunged into night on our way to the high school. Liz had found a body drained of blood in the back by the dumpsters. Damon and I were guessing that Rose had done it, considering the murder was sloppy.

Calling Stefan, I only received his voicemail. I left a message, "Hey, Stefan, it's Ariana. I don't know where you are, but please call me. It's important."

I wasn't sure why I didn't add a "love you" to the end of that sentence. Was it because Damon was right next to me?

"Hey," I turned to Damon, "Have you heard from Stefan? Do you know what he's up to?"

"My baby brother is not exactly my priority right now." He reached into his jacket pocket and took out the stake I had been holding before. I had to give it up earlier because of the witnesses, but the humans were starting to disperse. "Take this."

My fingers nimbly plucked it from his hands.

"Come on." He cocked his head to the side, "Let's go."

After about ten minutes of searching for Rose, Damon jerked his head to the side, listening to something.

"This way." He told me, vampire speeding forward. I followed him, finding it hard to since he was just a blur in the night. A couple blocks away, I could finally see what was happening.

A dead body landed on a car, and a human girl screamed. She ran out of the car, but Rose showed up in front of her. She grabbed the human, and bit her. Damon finally reached them, "Rose, stop!" He commanded.

Rose was in a trance. Though she dropped the girl, she now charged at Damon. He was able to catch her, fortunately, and immobilized her by pinning her to the asphalt.

"Rose, Rose!" Damon tried getting her to snap out of it. I finally got close enough to see the wild and crazy expression on her face. "It's me, it's Damon. It's Damon."

Something flittered in her eyes, and Rose's face became normal again. She turned her head, seeing the girl's dead body.

"Did I do this?" Rose cried, "I never meant to hurt anyone. I never wanted to hurt anyone."

"I know." Damon said sadly.

Rose turned her head towards me, and I stayed silent in shock. "I'm sorry." She told me, tears staining her cheeks, "I'm so sorry."

"It's okay." I whispered back. "You're not yourself right now."

"Come on, let's get you home." Damon suggested.

"No," Rose continued to cry, "I don't have a home, I haven't had a home in so long." Suddenly, her voice raised in pitch and volume, and she started to scream. Her body seemed to be in some sort of seizure as it convulsed, "Oh, make it stop!" She pleaded, "Please make it stop! I hate it, make it stop!"

I couldn't—I couldn't look at her. I couldn't deal with this. All I wanted more than anything was to do exactly what she wanted, to make her pain go away. But I didn't know how. I was useless.

Damon and I shared a solemn look, then he carried her in his arms as we left.

Rose laid back in Damon's bed, while he watched over her. When I came in, I gave her a sad smile.

"I'm sorry, Ariana." She apologized, "I don't like taking human life, I never have."

"I forgive you, Rose—" I started.

"You shouldn't be here." Damon gave me a hard look, "You could get hurt."

Rose continued, "It's the worst part about it: the hunt, the need to kill, the thirst, the pleasure it brings you afterwards." I started to become uncomfortable, "I wasn't meant to be evil." She moved around a bit in the bed, and groaned, "It hurts."

Damon casted a look at me, then turned back to her, "Stop talking about it."

"Damon's a lot like me." Rose stated. "He wants to care, but when he does, he runs away from it." She changed the subject. "I'm sorry for what I've done today. But you need to fight. I know that you're scared, but you have to do it anyway."

I swallowed, not responding. She wanted me to fight—in fact, everyone did. So why was I the only person who didn't? Why was I the one so eager to just give up and give in? To save everyone the easy way? Was Rose right? Was I simply afraid?

Rose coughed, and I moved closer to her, putting my arm under her neck, holding her head up.

"Why are you so nice to me?" She asked.

"Because I like you." I smiled, "You never deserved any of this. I guess the human in me wants to help you."

"You can never forget it, what it's like to be human." Rose seemed to be off in her dream world. "It's the only thing that's kept me going." She shifted. "It doesn't hurt as much anymore."

How wrong she was. I think she jinxed it. Less than a second later, she screamed in agony. She rolled around on the bed like acid had just been poured all over her. I hopped off the bed while Damon grabbed her shoulders, holding her against the pillows.

"What can I do?" I asked Damon in concern.

"Go."

"Damon..." I pleaded.

"Just go," He looked at me, "I got this."

I had started to drive home. I swear I did. But... I couldn't leave Damon alone. Not after that. Rose must've died by now, and he needed me. He needed comfort.

I sat down on the couch in the living room of the house, waiting.

Damon finally came out, his eyes glassy. "You were supposed to leave." He stated in surprise when he saw me.

"I did, but then I came back to make sure that you're okay." I handed him a glass of scotch that I'd poured earlier, assuming that he'd probably need one.

He still refused to look me in the eye, "I appreciate the gesture. I'm just glad it's over."

He drunk from the glass, and I said, "You know I don't believe that."

He shook his head at me, "Go home, Ariana. Get some rest. It's a whole new day tomorrow."

"Damon, I'm your friend—"

He cut me off, "I'm well aware of that, thank you." His tone seemed bitter.

I sighed, "I'm your friend, so let me be there for you. I know that you're hurting right now and—"

"What do you want to hear?" He finally looked me in the eye. Anger shined in them clearly, "That I cared about Rose? That I'm upset? Well I didn't, and I'm not."

"You can't pretend to turn it off." I told him, "You can't pretend that you don't feel, because I know you do. You care, but for some reason, you don't want to admit it."

He lost it, "Oh, I feel Ariana, okay? And it sucks!" He expressed pain, anger, and sadness. "And it's not because I feel guilty for Rose dying. It sucks because the only person I love in this world is in love with somebody else!" He looked at me, tears brimming in the edges of his eyes, "You're the one who made me turn my emotions back on. You made me feel something I'd never felt before in my entire life. And yet..." He glanced down to the floor, before gazing back at me, "And yet, you don't feel the same way."

I swallowed, my throat closed up. "That's not true," I whispered. "I love you."

He shook his head, "It's not the same." Tears ran down his cheeks. "It's no where near the same. You have no idea... how much I love you. How I'd risk the entire world to save you... I love you, Ariana."

I couldn't hold it in anymore. Tears came out of my own eyes, and I ran up to hug him. He embraced me back tightly. I felt the combination of fire and ice flow through me. Warming me yet taking away my breath at the same time. The effect he had on me was unfair.

Why did he have to say that? I was already more confused then ever... and now...

Damon tilted my head up with his finger underneath my chin. I stared into his piercing gaze, becoming lost. I wasn't even realizing what was happening until his lips were on mine.

He caressed my face gently, and his lips were soft as he kissed me. And before I knew it, I was kissing him back. Suddenly, the passion took over. His hand grasped my hair tightly and I gasped. He took advantage at my momentary surprise by deepening the kiss. He growled in pleasure and I moaned.

Pushing me up against a wall, he attacked my neck with hot kisses. I lost myself in his touch as he left trails of fire across my body.

Somehow... somewhere in the back of my mind... something shouted Stop!

I snapped out of the haze, and stopped kissing Damon. I tried pushing him away from me, but he seemed to barely notice, and kept kissing my neck.

"Stop..." My voice was weak at first, but it became stronger. As much as I just wanted to give in, I knew I couldn't. "Stop, please, Damon... Stop!"

He finally backed away. His hair was messy from where I had ran my fingers through it. We both breathed heavily, just staring at each other for a few seconds. Disappointed, surprise, and sadness was buried in his eyes.

"I'm sorry... but I can't." I whispered. "I can't keep doing this—we can't keep doing this. We can't kiss each other, because I'm with Stefan. It's wrong of me, and it's all my fault... but I have to say this to you. You have to understand."

Damon looked like an empty shell. "Just go." He said softly, "I can't... I can't deal with this right now."

"But you have to." I told him, "What I'm doing to you is unfair."

He shook his head, refusing to accept it, "I'm not going to let you go." He paused. "Go home... I need some time alone."

I nodded sadly, "Okay, Good night, Damon."

I hated myself so much. The image of stabbing myself actually made me feel better. What the hell was wrong with me? Why was I doing this to the Salvatore brothers?

I was disgusted with myself. I was just like Katherine. Pretending that I was better than her made me feel sick. At least she admitted to everyone that she was a manipulative bitch. Me? I was the exact same thing, but I was hiding under a curtain of kindness.

I tried being nice to people, I did. I wasn't naturally a mean person, I wanted to help people. And yet... all I caused was misery. Rose had died today... and all I could think about was myself. It didn't get anymore selfish than that.

I was the worst human being who had ever existed. Wait no... depending on whatever the hell I was... all I knew for sure was that I was not human. I was simply a terrible creature.

I had somewhat calmed down once I reached my house. Guilt instantly flooded me though, at the sight of Stefan.

"Stefan." I tried smiling, "You're home." No use.

"Rose?" He questioned, knowing the answer already.

I shook my head.

"I... I called Isobel." He admitted.

I sighed. My biological mother wasn't going to help us. She didn't care about me or anybody except herself... maybe that's where I got that trait from. "I know."

"I'm sorry, I had to."

"It's okay." I stated. Stefan... always looking out for me... "Did you find her."

He was about to answer, but another voice did instead. A man's voice, coming from the kitchen.

"Not exactly." He revealed himself, and I automatically tensed up. "Hello, Ariana."

I breathed quickly in and out, "Uncle John."

He smiled.

What. The. Hell.

3rd person POV:

Damon laid in the middle of the road at night, looking up at the stars... just like how he'd met Ariana that first day. Though, his vision seemed blurry from all the alcohol he had consumed.

A car finally stopped, and out came a woman in her mid-twenties. She rushed over to Damon, looking scared, confused, and worried. "Sir, are you okay? What happened?"

Damon barely spared her a glance, "I'm... lost."

"And you're laying in the middle of the road?" The woman queried, unconvinced.

"Not that kind of lost." Damon groaned, sitting up. "Metaphorically, existentially."

"Do you need help?"

"Well, yes I do. Can you help me?" Damon took a bottle out from his leather jacket pocket, and took a swing.

"You're drunk." The woman stated, looking at him warily. She started to back up.

"No." Damon stated. "Well, yes, a little, maybe." The woman turned her back on him, and started to leave, not wanting anything to do with the man in the middle of the road. "No, please don't leave. I really do need help. A lot of it." She still didn't come back, so Damon decided to get up. He super speeded in front of her, and compelled her, "Don't move."

"I don't want any trouble." Her fear was evident.

"Neither do I, but all I got is trouble." Damon smiled humorlessly and unstably.

"Why can't I move?" She asked him, tears forming.

"What's your name?" Damon inquired.

"Jessica." She replied.

"Hi, Jessica," Damon swallowed, "I have a secret, I have a big one and I never said it out loud. I mean, what's the point? It's not gonna change anything, it's not gonna make me good, make me want to adopt a puppy. I can't be what other people want me to be, what she wants me to be." He looked at her in agony, "Do you know what it's like to suddenly feel something for the first time? To give your heart to someone, and have them step on it because they decided you weren't good enough? Well, guess what?" His tone took a darker edge, "She's right. This is who I am, Jessica."

Jessica started to cry, "Are you gonna hurt me?"

"I'm not sure, because you are my existential crisis." Damon touched her face, "Do I kill you or do I not kill you?"

"Please don't." She pleaded.

"But I have to, Jessica, because I'm not human. And I miss it." He admitted. "I miss it more than anything in the world! That is my secret... but there is only so much hurt a man can take. And that girl... she sure knows how to hurt me the most."

"Please, don't." Jessica cried out.

Tears flowed freely from Damon's eyes as well. He loved Ariana so much. He was completely helpless when it came to her... yet she'd never feel the same way about him. And he hated it. It was unfair.

"Okay." He clasped Jessica's shoulders one last time. "You're free to go."

Jessica came out of the spell and ran to her car. However, just before she could open the door, Damon changed his mind.

He needed and outlet for all of his pent up anger and rejection. He rushed over to the woman and bit her in the neck. He loved the taste of fresh blood in his mouth, and liked it when she screamed and shouted.

He drained her in less than a minute, and she fell to the floor, dead.

Oh, what a day. Rose died... Ariana and Damon have so many complications... what a mess.

Thank you to everybody who reviewed! You guys are awesome!

I hope you continue to read this story, and please tell me if you enjoy it.

-Spiralcloud