"Stop Trying"

A/N: It's about time - I know.

The loud resounding creak of the metal cellar door made me wince. It's loud echoing sound destroying my eardrums for what felt like the hundredth time today.

My gaze fell onto the crumpled form on the chair and a sadistic smile slowly curved my lips up. "You are so frustrating" I chuckled.

"Then why - w-why don't you give up?" he croaked out.

Just to antagonise him, I picked up the wooden vervain-laced bullets and slipped them into the

The sound he had familiarised with had him snapping his head up and I read the ignited fear breaking through his green eyes.

"1917" I clicked the gun and heard his sharp in stake of breath. "It's was definitely your year" I venomously spat out and raised my gun, targeting his shoulder and finally firing.

Once the bullet sunk through his skin, screamed out his anguish and thrashing in his seat, growling and hissing. The clinking sounds of his chains crashing onto the wooden chair as he tried to escape.

"I watched you" I readied my 1836 Colt and pointed it towards his left thigh this time. "...Work your way through your Monterrey" I barked when the memories assaulted me and led me to fire again.

Yet again, he howled in anger and pain, wriggling but the chains were only burning him more. "GET IT - GET IT OUT!" he demanded and I smiled, crossing my arms and stalking towards him.

"Don't be such a baby" I bent down so I could meet his stormy rage-filled eyes. To anger him more, I placed my hand on his leg making him growl again. "You think this is pain?" I scoffed. "I walked through down a street in Conchello and all I could smell was blood; all I could see was blood" I spat and had the satisfaction of seeing him flinch. "Bodies piled on top of each other" I reminded him of his past. "You didn't care if it was a woman or a man, a child or someone's grandfather"

"S-sta - stalking me?" he gasped, his voice breaking with both pain and regret. His chest heaving as he bared out his fangs.

"Oh no, Monterrey was a hunter's dream" I forced a weak smile but it faltered with my disgust.

Not able to help it anymore, I stood up and threw my gun into my duffel bag. Tears threatened to spill as the memories pounded in my thoughts; the scarring images making the headache only more prominent.

I then rifled through it and pulled out the new ropes. I grabbed the vervain and began to pour it onto the ropes. Just out of spite, I added more than what was necessary.

"Wait - Isabella" he pleaded.

"It's Bella" I amended and crouched down again, gripping his hand and wrapping the new ones.

As I reached onto the other side, his hands gripped my wrist and pulled me, stopping my movements as I felt his hypnotising gaze lock with mine. I felt the pull as he began to reel me in, "You are going to let me go"

"Nice try" I smirked and wriggled myself free, laughing as he pouted and bowed his head, giving in to the rough touch I had on him.

He bit down on his lips and tried to fight against the screams which only released into troubled whimpers.

I ignored his pain.

-XxxxxX-

Damon's car was a dream - not that I would tell him that.

He said he had things to do but I think he had a soft spot inside of him that didn't enjoy seeing his brother being tortured.

Hopefully the house would be empty and I could make a few phone calls and send a few e-mails. I'd closed myself off for two years and I was sure that they were getting worried.

With that thought, I pushed the car door open and jumped out. I then jogged towards the door and slowed the pace when I heard distinct clattering. This was then followed by a low groan and someone's shuffled footsteps.

I quickly opened the door and rushed inside, freezing when I was met with the sight of Damon. Like his brother, he was tied up to a chair and had a stake through his stomach.

I felt the air shift behind me but when turning around, I was knocked down.

I pushed my hair out of the way, wanting to see my attacker before obliterating whoever the fuck it was pinning me down. "Bells?"

Well there goes my revenge plan...

"Mason?" I rasped in surprise as I was hit with a wave of nostalgia.

He smiled, "Bella" he said again and stood up, holding out a hand to help me up too. Once I was standing, he pulled me and wrapped his arms around me, twirling me around on the spot.

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm still tied up" Damon called out from the living room.

We broke apart and I craned my head to see the metal chains and vervained ropes trapping him. "Nice work" I complimented, clearly impressed by his work.

"Learnt from the best" he leaned down to kiss my forehead and wrapped an arm around my waist.

Somehow, it felt odd.

There was something cold and surreal about his touch. It unnerved me to no end that I couldn't hold it in anymore. "You feel..." I slipped my fingers down to lace them through his, "different..." I sighed with the shiver that ran through me.

"Different?" He frowned.

My fingers now trailed up and I rested my hand over his chest where his heart should be pounding but heard nor did I feel anything.

"Well it's a good a time as any to say..." he passed and flickered his eyes towards the chained up vampire before turning to me and saying, "I'm dead"

I fought back my grief, my anguish and my anger as I clenched my fist and took a step back. "Then how are you here?" I gritted with a gulp.

"I don't know" he shook his head and then turned back to Damon. "But I'm planning on making the most of it" he smirked evilly, a new look that I had never seen before.

Soon enough, the dots were connected and I was now blurred in front of Damon, grabbing him by his neck and glaring down at him. "You killed him?"

"Collateral damage" he sneered with no apologetic tone at all. He lacked remorse and seemed proud of his actions which is what made me slap him again.

With one last disgusted glare, I turned around and walked back to Mason, "You wanna go for a drink?" I forced a smile, masking away the conflicting thoughts that rippled through me.

"Helloooo..." Damon sang, "Still here" he reminded us and I had to cross my arms to stop myself from going back and finishing the job.

"I was having fun" Mason pretended to pout.

"We can still have fun" I reminded him with a smile.

He returned in and started to back away, "Meet you in the car" he laughed and sped out of the house.

Once he was gone, the happiness I had been gripping onto slipped and I fell back into top desperation for rationality and control.

My steps were slow and calculated as I stared at him in disbelief and confusion. "I don't even know why I bothered" I muttered to myself and frowned at why I was so upset about this.

"Hey, I didn't know he was like your boyfriend" he tried to defend himself.

This time, I stormed over to him and gripped the side of the chair. "I doubt that would've made a difference" I barked and tried not to break the chair with my tightening grip.

"Maybe..." He smirked and I growled again which only made the smirk widen. "What does it matter to you?" He suddenly snapped with am strange expression, "So, he is your boyfriend" he added when I said nothing.

"So what if it was?" I retorted and caught the anger that flared in his now icy eyes. His hardened features read an emotion that I knew too well because I had faced it many a time.

Damon was jealous.

I couldn't handle with that.

I didn't want to deal with that.

H-he killed one of my friends and he was a vampire.

I couldn't deal with him.

"Stop trying!" I yelled at him and slammed my hands back onto the chair, leaning so I could glare at him. "Just stop trying with me!" I pleaded through my shout and then moved back, away from him.

"It's not gonna happen" I added and left.

A/N: Ohh...hit you with the heavy. Frustrating girl isn't she? Who would have given into Damon by now? What did you think of Bella's torture - too much?

Thank you for your amazing reviews. Read every single one and decided that I just had to update. Hope you enjoyed this and know that it only happens because of you.