Yes, the final chapter of this story is finally here! xD

I'd like to say a mega thank you to everyone who read/reviewed/favourited/followed this story, it means so much to me and gives me the confidence to do other various one-shots/stories centred on these brothers! :)

victoria: Thank you xD I'm extremely happy that you've liked all my other Damon/Stefan stories/one-shots too, you're an amazing fan! :D

Rye: Thanks for your review! Maybe, maybe not? ;)

Enjoy!

Chapter Ten (Stefan's POV):

Stefan opened his eyes and for once was blissfully unaware of the pain since Damon's compelled dream.

Glancing around, he realised with a start of surprise that he was in Damon's room, tucked into Damon's bed.

In what world was Stefan ever allowed to enter Damon's room?

Surely, he must be dead!

Expecting the pain to return when he sat up, again he felt nothing.

Lifting his t-shirt, he realised with another start that there was no wound.

Surely there wouldn't be one if he was truly dead, anyway?

Fear started gnawing inside his mind. Was this his subconscious heaven? Damon's room?

Stefan laughed. He could never be rid of his brother - not that he wanted to be.

No matter what lay ahead, whether he would remain in this (probably purgatory) state, or blink out of existence at any moment or something, at least he knew that his brother had loved him.

It's funny what feelings could be recovered before the imminent death of a loved one.

And Damon had shown them in the best possible way. The dream had been amazing, what Stefan had wanted to see so much, but had only said it to Damon absently.

He loved the fact that Damon knew him so well.

Sure, it had proved devastatingly useful for his brother when he had 'hated' him, but now Damon was using it for someone else's benefit for a change.

For his benefit.

Stefan sniffed. He should really stop thinking those thoughts, it would only make him long for what he'd obviously lost.

To end them, Stefan thought hard about the key points, before he would try to forget, and move on in this unknown world.

- Had he had the chance to say goodbye to Elena?

Yes, the night before he died.

- Did Damon know he loved him?

Ye-eah, plenty of times, in the dream and during the argument with Klaus.

- Did he wish he could see Damon again, one last time?

Yes, he absolutely -

"Rise and shine, Stefan!"

Stefan stared in shock as his brother walked into the room with a mug full of blood.

After restarting his blank mind, he gaped at Damon, who held the mug out to him.

Had he been able to conjure up a likeness of his brother, because he had wanted it so badly?

"Drink up Stefan, you need to build up your energy."

Damon waved the cup in front of Stefan, who reflexively slapped it away, spilling blood all over the carpet.

Stunned, he blinked rapidly, seeing Damon's face turn to one of puzzlement.

Wasn't his hand supposed to go through Damon?

Wasn't he some sort of ghost now?

"I caught a deer specially for you! What's up with you?"

Stefan saw a hint of hurt in his brother's eyes, and decided to try to talk to this illusion.

"Umm...Damon...Something happened to me, I don't quite understand. One minute I was talking to you and Klaus, then I sort of...died, and now I'm here in what I'm sure is my own kind of purgatory, and I wanted to see you so much that you...appeared here..."

"Hold up. Are you saying that you're a ghost and I'm a figment of your imagination?"

Stefan averted his eyes. "Yes."

Instant laughter filled the room, while Stefan frowned at his brother.

What could possibly be so funny?

"Oh Stefan, you're so dramatic. Other than the fact that you died to become a vampire, no you're not dead. Again, at least."

Stefan put his hands up sheepishly. "Then why am I in here, with no wound?"

"I let you sleep in my bedroom because I thought that your's would have brought dismal memories about your sickness - Yes, I know, I'm so kind, that's what big brothers are for, I suppose. And your bite's gone because Klaus healed you with his blood."

"Klaus healed me?"

"Yeah, count me shocked too. You should really let me choose your friends from now on."

Stefan smiled. "It's not like I can remember him, or even that decade."

Damon glanced down. "I...shouldn't have left you. You needed me, and I as good as guided you to the welcoming arms of the weirdest vampire I've ever met."

"You obviously haven't met yourself then."

Damon's look of surprise that Stefan was joking this early after the realisation that he wasn't dead made him snigger, then turn into full blown laughter, which caused Damon to grin.

"Looks like you're back to normal. Except you're not normal - you're laughing way too much for the Stefan I know!"

Jumping up from the bed, Stefan hugged Damon, glad that they had gotten through disaster once again unscathed.

(Damon's POV):

When Stefan hugged him, Damon held on for longer than usual.

This was his brother, back to life - and who could believe he would crack a joke!

Good old dependable Stefan.

But he wasn't always dependable...

Pulling back, Damon's expression turned stern. "Stefan Salvatore, you do not - under any circumstances - take on a werewolf that was meant for me ever again."

"Oka-ay, but then I would never have known..." Stefan's eyes lowered.

Damon thought he knew where this was going and didn't want to relive such memories, but he also thought they should restart with a good relationship, where things were said in the open. "What is it, Stefan?"

"Umm...It doesn't matter. I'm alive, whoopeedoo, let's celebrate."

He turned to go, but Damon caught his arm.

"Please, tell me Stefan."

Stefan kept his eyes lowered, and muttered "I wouldn't have known what our mother had looked like, or sounded like, and you would never have had the guts to tell me...the truth."

"I would have!" Stefan raised an eyebrow, and Damon reluctantly added "...eventually."

"Yeah, before I actually died." Stefan grinned cheekily. "I wonder what secret you'll tell me next time I'm on the brink of death."

"Hmm...maybe that you were adopted? Oops, did I let that slip?"

Stefan's eyes widened. "What?!"

Damon smirked and slowly walked out the room. As he passed the doorway, Stefan called after him.

"Hey, that's a lie, you showed me as a baby from childbirth with our mother!"

Damon twisted round in amusement. "I see nothing's really changed. Ever heard of the word 'gullible', brother? I'm making you the definition in the dictionary."

Saluting him, Damon once again turned around and walked out his room.

Klaus would more than likely be here to collect, maybe after the full moon, maybe before, maybe even tomorrow!

But the Salvatore's would be ready for him.

They showed that they can withstand anything, even possible death.

And Damon wasn't about to let his brother be taken from him, not so soon after he thought he'd lost him.

If there was any justice in the world, they'd be left alone.

And if there wasn't, Damon would create some, just for his brother.

THE END.

Please review :)

A/N: A reviewer has asked me if I would write a sequel to this, and before now, I haven't thought about this (this was supposed to be only a mini-story) but would you like me to write a sequel? Be warned: It might take some time to make a good storyline, but if I do, I will inform you here on a new chapter with maybe a preview ;)