Brace For Impact

"You don't drown by falling in the water; you drown by staying there."

-Edwin Louis Cole

The Beginning is Done and the End has Begun

Chapter Nine

Elena could not shake the foreboding feeling threatening to overwhelm her. She was trembling as she walked steadily on.

Everything was dark. Everywhere she looked was blackness that had consumed every inch of life. It crawled into her skin and made a home there. She felt the blackness permeate her every pore and felt nothing.

Elena continued to go forward even as she could not see where the road was taking her or even what path she was following.

Suddenly she caught sight of a patch of dead Earth in front of her lit up as if under a spotlight. She increased her pace, eagerly making her way towards the light. It had been so long…

As she drew closer, however, a sight greeted her that made her slow down. There was a figure, dark like everything else around her. But she could feel this being in her bones. Something was wrong, very wrong.

When she was only a foot away, she stopped just outside the circle of light. She did not belong there anyway.

The tingling sensation was back again with a vengeance.

Suddenly, the figure turned over. "Elena, please. Help me," her brother rasped desperately. Blood was pooling in his mouth and dribbling down his chin. He was covered in it. His eyes stared at her wretchedly hazy with pain.

Elena was rigid. She could not have moved even if she wanted to. And she did not want to at all, she had no desire to get closer to Jeremy. She wanted nothing more than to run away.

"Why won't you help me?" Jeremy yelled abruptly. "You just let this happen to me. It's your fault!"

Elena could feel wetness trailing down her cheeks and still she could not move.

And then Jeremy was gone and Elena was gaping at the wounded figure of Alaric. "I should have gotten away from you while I had the chance," Ric coughed. "Everyone around you dies."

"It's true," her mother said as her image replaced Ric's. "You're the reason your father and I are gone." As she spoke, her father appeared and her voice transformed into his.

Elena fell to her knees now shaking uncontrollably. Her eyes shut tightly as she attempted to block out the painful condemnations. But it was of no use, she listened as her father and then Aunt Jenna berated and blamed her for killing them.

Then it stopped. Everything was quiet. Elena kept her eyes closed anyway for fear of what she would see when she opened them.

"Elena," a new voice croaked softly.

At that her eyes flew open because that was not a voice she should being hearing here. She crawled forward to the terrifying sight in front of her.

The figure had multiple vampire bite marks on his neck, which was sloped at an unnatural and awkward angle. He coughed and tried to reach her again. "Please, it hurts."

"What? No, no, no, you're fine, Damon. You're alive and fine. I just saw you! You're fine! You're still with me!" She was shrieking now because Damon's eyes had closed, and he was not moving anymore.

"Damon?! Damon, say something!" She started shaking him violently but he did not react at all.

"Damon!"

Elena's eyes opened slowly and all remnants of the nightmare were chased away by the sunlight filtering in through Damon's window. He did not like her sleeping in his bed, but he did not really complain either. Anyway, she did not particularly care what Damon wanted. He was on a suicide mission, so his wants were not something she would be listening to anytime soon.

Damon had left early that morning. She had awoken to the sounds of him rustling through his wardrobe. She had considered following him but felt no need to. He only ever went one place anyway.

Elena stripped her nightclothes off efficiently. She yanked on a pair of jeans and grabbed a blouse as she left the room still partially unclothed and headed down the stairs.

She was still pulling on her shirt when Stefan loudly cleared his throat behind her.

Well, he can do that all he wants, I'm not stopping, Elena thought as she continued on her way. She wanted to get to the Grill quickly before Damon had enough time to do something impossibly idiotic and impulsive. For Damon, Elena thought a couple hours was more than enough time for that.

"Elena," Stefan called unperturbed.

Finally, Elena spun around and proceeded to just stare at him impatiently.

Eventually he continued, "We should talk about everything. We need to get Caroline and the others to stop worrying about the cure." That was true she supposed. Caroline had come over last night while Damon was elsewhere drinking himself into an oblivion.

They had only been back a few hours before Damon had stormed off in a huff. He had studiously ignored the two of them for the entire car ride from New York to Mystic Falls. That suited Elena just fine, if he was going to pout so be it.

But not long after he left, someone else came barreling through the Salvatore boarding house front door.

"Caroline," Stefan greeted tiredly. Elena could tell from the tension evident in his stance that the recent events had taken its toll on him. He tried to twist his expression into something warmer and less depressing but not looking miserable had never been Stefan's strong suit anyway. "What brings you here so late?"

Caroline stared at him strangely, she could obviously see through his happy act. "Well, I heard you guys were back from wherever you went and wanted some answers." Stefan opened his mouth as if to reply when Caroline continued excitedly, "But also I have some news." She was bouncing on the balls of her feet enthusiastically.

When she did not receive the response she was looking for, Caroline huffed. "Okay, what's wrong with the two of you? You both look miserable. Why died?" Immediately, she froze realizing what she had just said and glanced at Elena apologetically. Apparently she was over their fight enough that she did not want to bring up Jeremy's death in front of Elena. It did not matter though, Elena did not care.

"No one," Stefan quickly intervened, "It's just been a long couple days."

"Oh, yeah? And where were these days? You guys just all up and left!"

"We went to New York."

"New York? What took you there?" Before Stefan could even make up a lie, Caroline charged on. "And seriously, what's with all the sad faces? What's wrong?" At this she looked to Elena who was perched on the couch in front of the living room's fire.

"Nothing," Elena replied blankly not even bothering to look up from the book she was reading.

"We were in New York for a cure lead that uhh turned out to be a bust," Stefan started but his words caused Caroline's excitement to return full force.

"Well, then it's a good thing for you guys that I have a lead!" Elena finally glanced up and saw that Stefan looked stricken with the turn the conversation had taken. "So Klaus let slip that he has someone on the inside with Katherine. She's been feeding him all sorts of information, and Klaus thinks that he has enough to find her." Finally noticing Stefan's worried look, she was quick to reassure. "Don't worry, Klaus doesn't want the cure. He just wants to make sure Katherine can't use it on him, and of course he also wants to kill her. She killed me, so I can't say I'm sorry. And we'll finally have the cure! Isn't that great?"

Stefan pulled himself together and tried to discourage Caroline subtly. "I think that maybe we should take a step back from the cure."

"What, why? That will just give Rebekah or whoever a chance to take it!"

"I don't want it," Elena suddenly cut in, "So why don't you take your useless news elsewhere and stop bothering me."

Caroline glared at her. Then she abruptly stopped, tilted her head to the side and starting studying Elena. "What happened to you?" She whispered.

"What?" Elena snapped.

"You look different," she paused uncertainly, "More affected."

Elena gritted her teeth. She was sick of being judged by her and everyone. Why could Caroline keep her big fat nose out of her business anyway?

Stefan purposely stepped between them. "Caroline, who's Klaus' informant anyway?"

"Huh? Oh yeah, it's Hayley. I guess she was working with Katherine all along. Can't say I'm surprised."

Elena stood up and walked out of the room. They were bothering her, and it was not like the cure hunt could be of much use to anyone anymore.

"What's there to talk about? We just tell the queen to get the hell out of my business and get over this useless cure hunt," Elena replied dismissively. Then she blurred out before Stefan could protest.

"Care to explain why the water is suddenly vervain-free and the Mayor came up to me in the Grill to say 'keep your psychotic brother away from me, I am not a man to be crossed.'" If Damon had known that the Mayor was going to waste his time like this, he might have listened to his brother when he tried to warn him. Oh well.

"Bonnie, open up!" He kept rapping on the door with no response. What the hell was taking her so long?

Suddenly, the door opened. "Damon?" Bonnie looked at him questioningly. "What are you doing here?"

"On the run from the cops and your dad. Shhh, don't tell," he replied sarcastically as he brushed past her and into the house. He noticed the television was on in the next room over and what sounded like a news report. She was watching the news? Seriously?

"Wait, how did you just do that?" Bonnie looked at him surprised. He thought he could see a little fear in her eyes, too, but did not understand why.

"Do what?"

"Come in. You just walked in through the door."

"Yeah..." he drawled, "What's your point?"

"Well, how can you? You've never been invited in."

Damon appraised her carefully now. She seemed to be serious. "Bonnie, you invited me in just the other day." Not that it would have mattered anyway considering he was human, but she did not need to know that.

"I did what?" Bonnie looked really afraid now, and Damon got the feeling that it was not all about him. "Oh, no." She spun around and started walking further into the house.

"Judgy, wait. Where are you going?" Damon followed her irritated. It was as if everyone wanted to waste his time today.

Bonnie had come to a stop in her living room. She was staring blankly at the television screen for some reason.

"Okay, Looney Tunes, do I need to bring Nurse Ratched in here?" He looked to see what was so important that she had to watch it right now and stopped.

"Police are left baffled over this mystery," an inappropriately cheery news anchor's voice chirped. "Twelve women from all over the Southern United States were found dead out by Hickory Road last night. Stranger still was the fact that eleven of them were situated in a circle around the twelfth. Family members of one of the victims claim that they had never met any of the others. And all but one body appears unharmed. The other had been stabbed in the chest. Medical reports say that the wound may have been self-inflicted and are left reeling over the fate of the rest of them. Ritual suicide? Tragic accident? The world may never know. Back to you, Susan."

Dead silence permeated the room as Bonnie shut off the television. "I've seen their faces," Bonnie began. "I saw them in a dream I just had. They were witches. They were trying to help me, and I was too strong. They linked up, and I stabbed the one touching me with the knife she was holding." She looked at Damon now, "It was just a dream though, right? Because I would never do that."

"Uh huh, right. So this happened last night according to Channel Nine, and you don't remember even inviting me into the house two days before. I gotta say, Broom Hilda, it's not looking good."

Bonnie glared at him before she collapsed onto the couch. "I don't understand what happened, I remember we failed to get the cure and then Jeremy…" She trailed off and her eyes welled up with tears. "But then nothing! What's going on?"

Just then, Damon's phone beeped. He glanced down at the text from Blondie:

S.O.S. Come to the quarry, now!

What the hell is going on? She must be crazy if she thinks I'm going to give myself over to the cops.

As Damon considered if he should respond or go to her, he heard the creak of the front door opening.

"Bonnie, I'm home. Whose car is that out front?" That was his cue to go. Before anyone could say anything more, Damon made a beeline for the backdoor and ran to his car. He saw Papa Mayor look at him shocked through the window but he was too late.

Guess that decided it. He would just go to the quarry then.

Damon was only minutes into his drive when suddenly a figure appeared in front of his car. "What the fuck?" He slammed on the brakes and glared at the obstruction. "You have got to be kidding me? What if I hit you? Do you know what that would do to my car?"

Elena looked unconcerned as she climbed into the passenger side of his Camaro. "I went to the Grill and found out you were a criminal on the run, sound like you had a fun morning," she commented mildly not looking like she cared whatsoever. "Where are we going?"

"I was going to the quarry. I got a 911 text from Vampire Barbie and figured I had nothing better to do, so I may as well go find out what's got her so worked up. It may even be something as exciting and dangerous as a broken curling iron," he wriggled his eyebrows at her. Damon started the car back up and continued on the way. "What are you doing here anyway?"

"Looking for you," Elena said blankly. She did not elaborate.

Damon sighed. "Getting answers out of you is like pulling teeth nowadays." He parked his car at his destination and climbed out.

Elena trailed after him as he walked through the woods and into the quarry to find-

Nothing.

There was nothing there whatsoever. What the hell is Blondie pulling? He looked around a bit and was greeted by boring nature and nothing at all important. What a waste of time.

He turned around to return to the car when he noticed Elena staring curiously at something on the ground. He approached her as saw Caroline cracked phone in the grass.

Damon looked around with new urgency. Blondie was not the type to let her precious I-phone break nor was she the type to forget it in the middle of nowhere. But Damon could not see anything besides trees, rocks, and the water. Wait.

Damon advanced toward the water curiously. "Elena, can you come here?" She sighed irritated but moved to his side regardless. He dipped his fingertips into the water a touched her arm carefully.

Immediately, her skin started sizzling. "Oww, what the hell?" Elena hissed, but Damon ignored her. He knew where Caroline was now.

Quickly, he bent to remove his shoes and socks and then stripped off his shirt and pants and dove into the water.

He soon became infuriated with himself. His body was now so useless. He told Elena weeks ago that vampires did not like to swim, and that was true, but at least they were good at it! The last time he had swam with human abilities was 1864. And he was injured still from his getaway with Elena to the city.

He surfaced and took a gulp of air. He was sure she was here. His vision was not what it used to be, but he was positive he could still find her. Holding his breath again, he submerged once more.

Feeling along and scanning the bottom of the lake, Damon spotted something through his blurred vision. He made his way towards the golden hair attached to a mangled body. He wrapped his hands under Caroline's armpits ignoring the way her blistered skin felt and pushed upwards.

Damon coughed and breathed deeply as he tried to pull Blondie's dead weight alongside him. It was easier said then done with his weak human body. The second this is over, I am finding a way to turn back, he swore. This is ridiculous!

He finally reached the shore and pulled Caroline's prone body up away from the water. He spluttered from the water that had entered his lungs accidentally. "A little help here?" He snarled towards Elena who was just watching them with mild curiosity.

"Do I look like I want to get burned by vervain?"

Damon growled even as he finally succeeded in dragging Caroline far enough away from the toxic lake. She was not moving and with a sigh, Damon realized what he would have to do.

As he positioned himself above Caroline's face, Damon was yanked back by an enraged Elena.

"What are you doing?" Elena demanded even as she disregarded the way her skin burned from the contact with Damon.

"Mouth to mouth, Blondie clearly drank half the lake."

"No," Elena hissed. She looked uncomfortable at the idea and his caviler way of informing her.

"Well, if you feel so passionate about it, how about you give it to her. I'll just watch from here," Damon smirked.

When Elena just snarled, Damon moved to do CPR. He may as well do chest compressions if nothing else to try and pump the water up. After a few doses of pressure, Caroline came alive coughing painfully and crying.

Ugh, comforting women is not my thing. Damon grabbed his abandoned clothes and debated whether or not he should use them to soak up some of the vervain coating Caroline's skin. He really did not want to ruin them. But Blondie's sobs were so loud that Damon finally caved. She better buy him a new John Varvatos shirt after this though.

"Shhh, Caroline, it's over." He dabbed her face with the cloth to try and dab away the vervain. Unfortunately, she did not seem to be healing much.

Elena was looking over his shoulder unhelpfully and made no move to do anything at all. Suddenly, Caroline's bawling calmed down and even through the burns covering her face, Damon could see the outline of veins crawling down from her eyes. They encompassed her cheeks, and when Caroline's eyes shot open, they were filled with blood.

Too late, Damon realized what was about to happen. "Wait-" was all he got open before she shot forward and attached herself to his neck. She tore into it savagely and completely out of control. Damon grimaced in pain, but then the five foot eight blond vampire menace was wrenched off of him.

Elena tossed Caroline aside easily. Then she grabbed her and moved as if to throw Caroline back into the lake.

"Elena, stop!" Damon was starting to feel dizzy. Blood was rushing out of him rapidly due to the mess his neck now was. He leaned backwards but noted gratefully Elena had listened to him for once.

Caroline looked better now that she had drank some blood. Unfortunately, she was still gazing at him as if he were a four course gourmet meal.

"So," he quipped, "Now that you've made me your juice box, too, can we call it even?" Caroline rolled her eyes, obviously feeling more invigorated. "What happened anyway? Did you decide you were in the mood for a late afternoon dip in Lake Vervain?"

Caroline huffed. "Actually, I was trying to follow your useless advice." Damon looked at her confusedly. "I saw her right after I left the Grill, and she said she had something to show me here. And then she just attacked me! I barely had time to get a text out to you and Stefan before I was drowning in vervain!"

Damon felt ice creep through his veins. "Wait, who attacked you?"

"Bonnie of course! I found her right after we talked, and I was attempting to reach out to her. Thanks a lot for that advice, jerk!"

Damon frowned, that was what he was afraid she would say. "Caroline, after I left the Grill, I went to Bonnie's. She was there. She was even with me when I got your text to come here."

So I'm back. This was unedited so I could get it out quicker, hope there aren't too many errors. Yeah, updates are slower but it's hard with the new canon stuff. I've taken my own path and want to incorporate new canon material.

I've got everything mapped out and just have to plan some details. Oh, and no Bamon is happening in the fic. Ever. I like Bonnie and love Damon but not together romantically. There will be some bonding with the characters though. And more Delena soon.

Hope you guys liked it and if you did, please review!