CHAPTER 10

Damon inhaled sharply. The weight that had been lifted from his chest was now in his head. Something wasn't right. The pain had started light but it was growing fast. He released Elena from his grip and stumbled backwards. It was then he realized what had happened.

He left the house.

He was so concerned with Elena's safety, he had totally and completely forgotten about the spell.

He cried out, the pain was becoming unbearable.

Elena grabbed his shoulders as he fell to his knees.

"Damon! The spell! We need to get you back in the house! NOW!" she screamed,

She gripped his shoulders and helped pull him up back onto his feet. Wrapping her arms around his, she guided him safely back inside the house. Just as Damon was walking into the living area, the pain tripled.

"Argh!" he cried out, as he hit the floor, taking Elena down with him.

Elena landed hard on the wooden floor, her teeth biting into her lip and drawing blood in the process.

She rolled over, trying to gather herself. Damon's painful cries were loud in her ears.

Elena, panicked, crouched beside him,

"Damon! Damon, what's going on? We're back inside! Shouldn't the pain have gone away? What do I do?"

Damon managed to creak out a strangled response. So rough, Elena had to strain to understand him,

"Get… Stefan!"

Elena immediately jumped up and ran into the basement, shouting Stefan's name. Where was he? Surely he had heard Damon yelling. She checked the entire cellar but Stefan was nowhere to be found. She quickly ran back to where she had left Damon laying, cradling his head.

"He's not here! I can't find him or Elvira!"

"Phone… My pocket… Call," He managed,

Elena quickly rummaged his pockets until she found his phone. Taking no time at all, she dialed Stefan.

"Yeah?" Stefan answered,

"Stefan! Where are you?! Damon… Something's wrong! He went outside and now his head is.. He can't stop screaming. What do I do?"

She heard Stefan mumbling words, she assumed to Elvira. Then he returned to the conversation.

"Elena, listen to me, I need you to go to the Kitchen. In the cabinet under the sink, there should be a steel container full of Rose glycerite. It's written on the top. It won't taste good, but you have to make Damon swallow it. And hurry!"

Elena did as she was told and dashed into the Kitchen. She found and returned with the herbs, kneeling down to Damon once again.

"I know you're not gonna like this but you have to swallow this. Please, Damon. Hurry."

Elena helped him up into sitting position. Handing him the stale herbs, he quickly shoved them into his mouth.

He cringed at the flaky bitter-ness. They scraped at his throat and tasted absolutely vile. But he managed to gag them down.

All at once Damon's vision went blurry. The only thing he could hear was the faint sound of Elena's voice, yelling his name.

Everything blurred into a white nothing-ness as his conscious gave way.

Elena shook him, scared to death. He wasn't moving! Tears streaming down her muddy face.

She scanned the floor around her frantically until she found the cell phone again.

"Stef- Stef-Stefan! He's not moving! He jus-just passed out! Wha-what's going on, what's happening?"

"Elena, calm down. It's okay. It's what's supposed to happen. The herbs just knocked him out, when he wakes up the pain should be gone."

Elena sighed what felt like the biggest sigh of her life. She slumped down, finally feeling like she could breathe.

"Everything will be fine. But Elvira said his body temperature will drop in the next 20 minutes or so. So you should probably make sure he gets warm. Maybe see if you can get him close to the fire."

"Okay… I will." she said, forcibly getting past the frog in her throat.

"He'll be okay, Elena. Everything will be okay. Trust me. . ." Stefan tried, soothingly.

Elena didn't respond. She couldn't. She could only let the silent tears run down her cheeks and fall onto her lap. She just stared at him. Damon. Lying there on the floor. He looked so helpless and… dead. It was a long time until she heard Stefan's voice over the speaker again.

"Cover him up. I'm taking care of things here, but I'll be back as soon as I can." Stefan said, hanging up.

Elena let the phone drop to the floor. She paused for a moment …then scooted over to Damon. She reached out, touching his face. He was like ice.

She gathered what strength she had and dragged him over a short distance until he was in front of the fireplace.

She then pulled off his soaking wet shirt and shoes. Dragging the blankets from the couch, she covered him and rested his head underneath a throw pillow.

All that was left to do, was wait…

(Wow.. it has been FOREVER since I have wrote for this fic. I have a good explanation for making you guys wait this long though! The computer I was using to write broke down and was unfixable But my bf is letting me use his MacBook for the week, so that's how I'm writing now. I am gonna try to put all the delish smut into the next two chaps. I should have it all done no later than today. I am SO sorry for making you guys wait THIS long to read the 10th chapter. Wow. But I am gonna try to make it up to you. Thanks for being SO patient with me. You guys rock xo. I got an email about one review and that's what inspired me to write again. You all have been nothing but sweet to me. Thanks for the positive words. KEEPTHEMCOMING! Bless your faces! )