chapter 3

By the next morning, Damon was ready to never set foot in another hospital again. He was hostile, tired, and hungry - not to mention, he was antsy. Sitting around idle and waiting was becoming a colossal waste of his time.

Jonathan Gilbert was still kicking, and Damon couldn't help but think how unfortunate it was for the vampire hunter to be alive. He had zero use for the humans who were adamant to exterminate his kind. Maybe it was just a simple means to an end, but John tried to kill him, leaving him for dead in a burning basement. And then he staked Anna to prove he was superior, that he was working the puppet strings.

Damon felt acid rising in his throat.

If he ever crossed paths with the man doing Katherine's bidding, he'd rip him into shreds after sucking him dry; slowly. Despite the fact that it was Elena's biological father, he couldn't seem to find a way to care or a way to forget.

That's what Damon didn't understand about humans. Most of them were vindictive, unforgiving, and only out to save their own skin. But then there was Elena who cared more about those around her than herself. She didn't take betrayals or lies well, so why was she so eager to forgive John?

Humans are idiots, he thought to himself.

Before Stefan vanished in search of Jeremy, the brothers decided, together, that they'd keep a vigil watch over Elena. Of course Damon let it slip that the bane of their human existence was back. And they made a promise that Elena was above all else.

Katherine couldn't be trusted. She couldn't be taken lightly. She was a very powerful vampire with plenty of supernatural allies. If she had an opportunity to surprise and take down Elena, she would.

Which was how Damon ended up at the hospital, miserable and agitated. The last thing he needed was inadvertently finding a way to piss off Stefan by leaving Elena alone for any period of time. It would be an anger that rivaled Stefan going on his human blood bender.

Protecting her was his mission now. Stefan made him promise to guard her with his life. And Damon didn't make promises he didn't intend to keep.

Stressed and struggling through a lack of decent sleep, Damon leaned against a candy-filled vending machine, his eyes trained onto the waiting room. Elena sat there, somberly and quietly, watching a ridiculous soap opera full of scandal, lies, deceit, and unexpected tragedies. He cocked his head to the side, a curious expression on his face as he tried to gauge what she was thinking and feeling.

Sure, he had spent over a century living around humans, but he was out of touch with them. So many years of being a vampire made it too easy to forget how to be human.

"Elena," he sighed, heaviness lingering in his tone, "you can't keep doing this."

Though the words were spoken out loud, Damon felt betrayed by them. He felt like a lovesick puppy lusting and wanting someone he couldn't have; he had to bury this human emotions deep before they consumed him.

Groaning, he reached into his pocket and grabbed a handful of change. He emptied eighty five cents into the coffee machine, his eyes watching as a cup dropped to the bottom and black, fresh coffee poured from the nozzle.

Damon wrinkled his nose. He absolutely, without a doubt, detested coffee, but he was always prepared; he had just the perfect addition. As the coffee stopped one third from the rim of the cup, Damon skillfully looked around the vending machine room and the surrounding ER floor before reaching into his pocket and pulling out a silver flask.

Stefan would lecture on him having a drink so early. But hell, if his brother could divulge in a little human blood, what was wrong with Damon enjoying his favorite brand and age of scotch?

"Hypocrite," Damon sneered.

His hand squeezed the cup too tightly and dark black sloshed over the edge of the paper cup, the scolding liquid splashing against his skin as it dropped to the floor.

Damon sidestepped the puddle he created, ready to rejoin Elena when he spotted a doctor walking towards her.

"Might as well prepare for the shit to hit the fans," Damon muttered to himself as he took a sip of coffee. The taste of alcohol brought a grin to his lips as he stayed by the vending machines, watching the waiting room from afar.

He hoped today was the day they'd get knowledge on John and be able to return home. That way, Damon wouldn't be tempted to pay the backstabbing vampire hunter a visit during the middle of the night. Resisting that temptation was cruel and unusual punishment, even for Damon.

Damon sighed as he saw Elena's shoulders droop. Why did her emotions get to him so badly? She was just his brother's girlfriend who was the mirror image of Katherine.

"...he's in a coma. The blood loss and trauma was to great. I'm sorry," the doctor apologized, sincerity leaking through his words. "We induced the coma to help stabilize his condition."

"Will he wake up?" Elena asked.

Damon's lips upturned. For a human, she had the fiercest mental strength he had ever encountered. He respected how her words didn't compromise her feelings. She was awfully good at hiding how she felt, and that was something Damon could relate to.

He listened closer.

"His brain activity is very minimal. There's a possibility he might regain some motor skills with some new treatments and intense physical therapy. But I can't promise this," the doctor explained.

"You mean he's a vegetable?"

The doctor nodded. "I'm sorry Ms. Gilbert. I wish I had better news." He forced a somber smile, patting her awkwardly on the shoulder before ambling towards the nurses station.

Elena stood perfectly still, tears shimmering in her eyes. But she refused to let a single tear fall, to let Damon or anyone else see that she wasn't quite as strong as she looked.

Even if she didn't know this Jonathan Gilbert, she really didn't want to lose a father all over again. And just when she felt her body begging for release, Damon was at her side, his hand on the small of her back and steadying her as she swayed.

"Time to go?"

Elena managed a weak nod. All words escaped her in that moment.

"Finally," Damon grinned triumphantly. "This place is too damn depressing. How can a vampire have any fun around here?"

"I'm not in the mood to amuse you, Damon," Elena muttered in a scratchy tone. "I just want to go home right now."

"Fine, fine. Don't get your panties all twisted up in a bunch."

She stared at him dully, face expressionless. "Is that really the best you can do?"

"Give me a little credit," he teased lightly, teeth exposed from a wide smile. "I'm full of original lines, but I can't give them all up at once, can I?"

Elena's resolve was crumbling. Stretch echoed in her voice, but the truth spoke volumes through her eyes.

"If you're trying to distract me, you're failing miserably."

"I'm too selfish to distract you. Sorry." He gave her a bright smile. "And besides, I don't fail and I'm not miserable."

Elena stared at him dryly. "I'd beg to differ."

"Damn." Damon whistled. "Do I detect a little bite and malice in those words Ms. Gilbert?"

She fought against rolling her eyes, but she couldn't mask the tiny smile before Damon caught it.

"Sense of humor in tact." He let out a whoosh of air. "Thank God, Elena. You worried me there for a second. I thought you were turning into The Broody One."

Elena smacked his arm. She didn't not want to smile - not like this. John was laying in bed, unconscious, and probably never going to recover. He was as good as dead, and it killed her how one witty comment from Damon made her forget how bad things really were.

"Don't be an ass. He's your only brother."

"Speaking of your white knight, has he called you back?"

The fear crept around her as she shook her head, her eyes dropping towards the floor. "No."

"Hmm." Damon tapped his chin thoughtfully. "I'll give him until the end of the week before I send out the cavalry."

He tilted his head towards to the right, urging her to follow him forward.

Elena just stared as a flash of Damon moving his head the same way entered her head. It was when he decided she'd join him to Georgia, and she begged him to pull over. She had been wary of trusting him, and unsure why he wanted her company.

Damon Salvatore wasn't the type of vampire who kept friends. Yet, her brain was hard wired to reminisce the moment as if they were friends, as if it were important.

Can I trust you?

Get in the car. Come on.

Trust. Elena, who was a lot like Damon in the trust regard, found it hard to have blind faith in someone she didn't know well. Stefan shared stories about who Damon was and what he wanted, but Elena always had the prickling feeling that there was more than just her boyfriends side of the story.

When she froze in place, Damon nudged her to keep walking. Elena shuffled her feet, barely having the energy to move. She needed time to sleep and time to process.

"Calvary?" She finally asked, curious about where Damon had acquired an army since he didn't leave the best impressions.

"Yes. Me and Ric."

"How is two people a cavalry, Damon?"

He shrugged. "It isn't. But you have to admit, it sounds more bad ass that way, doesn't it?"

She stiffled a laugh. "Poor Mr. Saltzman. I don't know how he puts up with you for so long."

"Oh, you know. I do possess redeeming qualities, Elena."

"I know." Her shoulder bumped into his as they stepped outside, the fresh air hitting her in a welcomed gust. "You're not the big bad wolf."

He quirked a brow, staring at cloudless sky. "Not even if Stefan insists?"

"Not even," she reaffirmed, her eyes looking straight ahead.

Elena's vision lingered on the vast horizon, knowing she couldn't turn to look at Damon. If she did, she'd be doomed. Battling her inner demons about Stefan was enough of a challenge. Sure, she had fleeting thoughts where she wondered where he was or why he didn't call, but for someone she loved so much, she found it harder to be concerned where Stefan had ran off to, or what trouble he had gotten himself into.

For many months, Stefan had been the center of her universe. He was the air she breathed; he was her everything. Elena was entirely consumed with Stefan, but a few days with Damon, and he wasn't at the forefront of her mind.

XOXO

What was happening to her?

Damon's phone rang on the drive back to Elena's. He welcomed the distraction, seeing as Elena fell fast asleep, her head propped against the window. Deciding against the radio, on the off chance that it would stir her, he drove in silence. And the silence was when all of Damon's thoughts and fears surfaced from the darkest recesses of his mind.

"Ric," Damon chirped happily. "You better be calling with good news."

"That might depend on your definition of good, Damon."

"Right. Way to be vague, teacher. Would it kill you to elaborate? I have many perks to being a vampire, but a mind reader isn't one of them."

Alaric cleared his throat. "Glad to see you're still an active advocate for being an ass."

"Oh Ric, no need to be so dramatic. I'm just lightening the mood." He jeered. "You should try it sometime. Great stress reducer."

"Cut it with the jokes," Alaric snapped at Damon. "Your dry humor can't fix everything...like what I've found out."

Damon crinkled his forehead. "Enough teasing," he snipped. "I'm just about at Elena's house. Care to spill the beans? Or maybe you'd prefer a rendezvous point in a heavily wooded area?"

"Mystic Grill. Ten minutes." Alaric demanded, his tone stony. "Oh and leave your humor at the door. Thanks."

The line disconnected. Damon grinned. At least he wasn't losing his touch.

XOXO

The Mystic Grill was quiet and nearly deserted. A few regulars hung at the bar, laughing and drinking, but Damon felt the change in the air. It reeked of fear and hopelessness.

The room was drenched in a thick veil of supercharged evil.

Word about the fire spread throughout the small community. People were buzzing with gossip, worried if an arsonist or old, faulty wiring at the building was to blame. And ever since the word of Mayor Lockwood's death spread, Damon noticed the dark-rooted fear in people's eyes.

In his opinion, they had a lot more than a fire bug and a dead mayor to worry about.

"Damon."

He tensed, nostrils flaring, and froze mid step. "Bonnie," he drawled flatly. "To what do I owe this most joyous pleasure?"

Her eyes were dark, filled with fire. "Don't forget what I'm capable of, Damon."

"Oh I haven't," he responded dryly. "This mess is on your hands."

She shrugged. "Maybe. I stopped the tomb vampires by making the necessary sacrifices. It's a lot more than you or your brother have done."

"I've gone above and beyond for this town, sweetheart. Don't pin this on me and Stefan. You're the one who couldn't properly seal the tomb in the first place. So the tomb vampires were your fault, witch."

"Don't you dare," she hissed violently, stepping closer to him. A darkness, like a vortex to evil, swirled in her eyes. "Who insisted on finding a long lost love that didn't even care about you? Because it wasn't me."

"Ouch. That burned, Bonnie," he mocked. "But as much as I enjoy your scintillating company, I'm afraid I have business matters to attend. Fortunately for you, you're not the person I'm here to see." His smile grew. "Reassuring, isn't it?"

Bonnie eyed him coolly. "No. Don't you dare walk away. You're getting the same speech I gave to your brother, and if I trust you, I'll back off."

"And if I don't give a shit about your speech?"

Her smile was grim, sinister even. "You'll get a taste of what I've learned while I was gone. I won't take you out quick and painless. I'll make it hurt until you beg to die, because I'll kill you before anyone else in this town is ever hurt again."

"As touching as your concern is for the many denizens of this fine town, I think I'll pass."

"You will agree to my terms," Bonnie snarled through gritted teeth. "I'm no longer hiding behind what I really am. I don't trust you, and after Stefan's little blood lust show, I'm not about to let either of you have a free pass in this town."

Damon snorted, sidestepping her. She was a tiny thing, hardly threatening.

"I. Said. Listen."

The lights in the grill flickered before turning black. In the darkness, Damon saw Bonnie's hands in the air. She was muttering words softly, probably a spell, and just as he was about to grab her elbow and break her out of the trance, the bar was flooded with light.

A few employee's and patrons looked shook up, but in moments they got back to what they were doing. It was such a natural reaction-as if the scene hadn't happened. Damon let out a sigh he didn't know he was holding.

"Witch hocus pocus? Really Bonnie?" Damon's tone was patronizing. "Advertising your...abilities in public will only work to your disadvantage. So I'm warning you one more time. Don't fuck with me. You've tried my patience over your trick with Jonathan's device. I'm not willing to bargain with your lying, witchy ass again. Capische?"

Dark eyes filled with malice stared back, begging him to defy her, and begging him to make a move.

"I won't argue about taking you out. Watch your back, Salvatore," she warned. All lit candles at the tables went out simultaneously. "I'll know the second you spill human blood."

Damon gave her a defiant look. "I don't abide by Stefan's orders. I'm not about to start with you. Now, if you're done with the useless interrogation, will you get the hell out my way? You're wasting my time."

He stepped around her, but she stepped in front of him. Her strong, cold expression remained, burning holes through the back of his head.

"This is your only warning," she told him tempestuously. "No exceptions. Not even if Elena defends you."

Shaking his head, he barked out a laugh. "Elena has no reason to defend my actions."

"She does. Don't think I didn't see you dancing with her, Damon. All of us saw the way you were looking at her. I saw the way you stood in front of her when Stefan went off the rails. Don't deny that she has just as strong, if not stronger, alliance with you. So don't bring her in the middle of this, Damon. I'll do whatever I have to - to protect this town."

Damon was furious with clenched hands. In his eyes, there was nothing rectifiable with what Bonnie Bennett was doing. All of the power and the lust for vengeance with her grandmother would get the best of her. She'd become corrupted. As much as he wanted to have even an iota of faith in her, Bonnie wasn't Sheila. The circumstances changed everything.

"Your lack of loyalty to your best friend is sickening. How can you betray Elena?"

Bonnie lifted her shoulders in a careless shrug. "This is bigger than Elena. Trust me, Damon. The next time we cross paths, you'll be joining the underworld. Fair enough, right?" With a cool, evil smile, she brushed into his shoulder hard enough that he swayed slightly.

He thought about reaching out, grabbing her elbow, and ordering how betraying the people she cared about was any kind of justification for saving a small town.

"Screw that superhero bullshit," Damon hissed. "You don't have to be a hero to do good."

The adrenaline pumped through his veins like fire. He was completely worked up, the kind of tension that was only put at ease by hunting.

Damon sashayed towards the bar, slipping onto the stool in fluid motion besides a quiet, stricken Alaric.

The bartender, a new, pretty girl with red curls stood in front of Damon. She smiled widely, drying a glass. "What can I get for you?"

"Scotch on the rocks." The throbbing in his temple continued. "Make it a double instead."

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Note: I love all of you so freaking much! I only combed over this once for errors, so I apologize if it's a little rougher than normal. I usually edit a chapter a few times before posting, but I didn't so I could get this up tonight. (I am too much of a perfectionist.) The plan is to update at least once a week and to finish this up before the fall.

If anything you read doesn't jive, as always, please be sure to let me know. Or if you just loved it and want more, let me know too. Next chapter will be up in a few days...or less, depending on how cooperate the muse is. :)