Author's Note: I don't own The Vampire Diaries, only the plot idea. Stefan comes into the picture in this chapter :) I hope you enjoy it. Leave me reviews or suggestions on what you thinks going to happen.

Chapter 2 – Preparation

~ The Next Day~

The Boarding House

After Damon and Stefan had gathered up everything on the list that Bonnie had given them, they returned back to the boarding house. Today was the day that Bonnie was going to perform the spell that would hopefully awaken Elena, and Damon was not going to waste another minute.

Stefan placed his hand on his brother's shoulder, stopping him from grabbing the doorknob. "Damon, wait." Stefan said, as he noticed his older brother's confused expression. "Are you sure about this?" he asked quietly, not wanting to make Damon mad.

Damon shrugged Stefan's hand off of him angrily as he glared at him. "Am I sure? Stefan, what's your problem? You helped me get everything Bonnie needed for this spell, and now you want to second guess it?" He scoffed bitterly as he continued to search Stefan's face to see if he was being serious. He had spent the past twenty years without the love of his life, hell they have all killed so many vampires, even humans, just for this chance to get her back, and now his little brother wants to ask if he's sure?"

Stefan rubbed the back of his neck and sighed as he saw how his words had affected Damon. "You know that's not how I meant it, Damon. I just meant… what if it doesn't work? What if, after all we've done… Damon, all those people we've killed over the years just to get spell book after spell book…"

"Just spit it out brother." Damon growled out through clenched teeth. He didn't like where this conversation was going, but he'd be damned if he was going to stand out here forever just waiting till Stefan got to the point of this ridiculous speech.

Stefan crossed his arms over his chest and spoke his words slowly and carefully. He did not want to make his brother madder than he already was, but he had to tell him what he thought. "What if it doesn't work? All those people, Damon, we murdered them. What if this spell doesn't work either, and Elena still doesn't wake up? Are we going to keep killing people to get another spell book that might work, but might not?" He shook his head in disgust and looked up at his brother who was shooting daggers at him with his eyes. "I can't keep killing for this. You know I loved her too, but this is the last time Damon. If she doesn't wake up, then I'm done. I'm done searching the world for the next witch who has a possible book with a possible solution."

Damon let out a bitter laugh after his brother had given his "I'm giving up" speech. He gritted his teeth in anger and clenched his fists by his sides. "What happened to Mr. Positive? I thought I was the brother who always gave the negative advice. You don't think I know that this, just like every other time, might not work? You don't think that I have not thought about that, Stefan." He took a step closer to Stefan as he narrowed his eyes and spoke coldly. "She would not have given up on you. If you, or anyone of us, were in that coffin, she would fight with everything she had to find a way to awaken us." Damon gave Stefan one last glare before he walked around him to go inside the boarding house.

~inside the boarding house~

Bonnie, with the help of Caroline, Matt, and Alaric, had shoved all of the furniture out of the living room so that Bonnie had a clear room to chant her spell. She nodded over to Alaric and Matt, signaling them to bring in the coffin that held Elena.

As soon as Alaric and Matt had disappeared downstairs to retrieve the coffin that Caroline and he had driven to pick up, the sound of the front door alerted Bonnie that Damon and Stefan were back. She glanced up as soon as she heard the door slam, rather loudly, shut. "What happened, did you not find everything?" Bonnie asked as she looked at Damon, noticing the pissed off look he had on his face. This spell would not work unless she had everything on that list.

"Oh, ye of little faith." Damon replied, as he held up bags holding everything that Bonnie had asked for. "We got everything and we only had to stake 4 vampires this time." He smirked as he walked over to place the full bags at her feet. "I told you not to doubt me, Bon-Bon." He looked around the room, noticing that Stefan had come in and now stood in a corner of the room next to Caroline. Still ticked off from their previous conversation, Damon turned his attention back to Bonnie. "Where's Ric?"

Bonnie watched Damon as he avoided Stefan, but chose to keep her mouth shut. She knew better than to get in the way of a Salvatore fight, although it did amuse her to watch at times. She smiled softly at her friend, she knew this was a big moment if everything worked like it was supposed to work. "Matt went with him to get her coffin" Bonnie replied as they both turned to see Ric and Matt carrying the coffin into the living room. "Okay guys, just set her down in the middle of the room."

Damon nervously watched as Ric and Matt placed Elena's coffin down on the floor. He walked over to the coffin and lifted the lid, so he could look down and see his girl's face. He didn't even hear Bonnie when she walked over to stand next to him because he was so absorbed in studying the face in the coffin. He looked over at Bonnie and at that moment he let all of his vulnerability show through his eyes. He was scared, doubtful, excited, and hopeful all at the same time. "You ready?" he asked Bonnie.

Bonnie placed her hand on Damon's arm and smiled before she nodded her head. She hoped and prayed to God that this spell would be the one to bring their Elena back. "I'm ready, Damon. I have a good feeling about this spell." She sniffled softly as she felt tears gather in her eyes. She could not believe that she might get to see her best friend again. She locked eyes with Damon and whispered, "Let's bring her back."

Author's Note: Next chapter, they try to wake Elena up with Bonnie's spell. You think it will work, or will they have to find another spell book again? Let me know what you think about the story so far :) xoxo ~ Rebekah