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Chapter 8: The Struggle Within

It had been 3 days since Damon was captured. Sakura had been staying over at the boarding house, not really wanting to go home. Besides, she needed go get the book back. There were a lot of books in Damon's room, making it that much harder to look through. She still hadn't found the book and it seemed as if the other residents were getting suspicious. While she hadn't found the book, she did find a notebook, with what appeared to be notes from the Grimoire. It seemd like he was having trouble translating. 'Itte qui nos omnes servabit,' and 'Umbra res,' were written in it. To Sakura's surprise, he also had a picture of her in it. So he had been following her, at least the picture wasn't from when she was asleep, but still kinda weird. Sakura left the picture in the notebook, and kept looking for the Grimoire. Everyday Sakura had checked up on Damon, when Stefan and Zack weren't around of course. But Damon still hadn't woken up. Stefan didn't seem to mind her staying there, but Zack kept telling her to go home and work things out.

Sakura walked into the kitchen where Zack was. "Have you been going to school?" Zack asked her suspiciously.

Before she could answer Stefan showed up, with is backpack. "He's awake," Stefan said, referring to Damon. "He's weak, but it's probably best to stay out of the basement," Stefan said, more to Sakura than to Zack. "It's Damon, I'm not sure how dangerous he still might be," Stefan looked at Sakura seriously.

"Wait, you're going to school?" Zack asked Stefan.

"I came here to live a life. It's about time I get back to that and Elena, if she's still speaking to me," Stefan sighed.

"Why haven't you called her?" Zack asked, leaning on the table.

"What am I suppose to do, feed her another lie?" Stefan didn't know what to do. "I hate lying to her Zack. I'm not good at it, and she thinks I'm hiding something," Stefan stated.

"What choice do you have?" Zack asked, knowing that telling her wasn't a good idea. "You came back here because you wanted to live as normal of a life as you could. You knew this was going to be part of it," Zack explained. Stefan turned to leave, "Take Sakura with you! By the way. I think she's been skipping," Zack eyed her suspiciously.

Stefan turned to Sakura, she smiled at him coyly. "Come on, I'll give you a ride to school," Stefan walked away with Sakura right behind him.

"Be good, you two," Sakura waved to Zack.

They got into Stefan's car and he started it. "I might be able to help with the whole Elena situation. I've known her a long time, maybe I can help you along," Sakura smiled at him.

"I could use the help," Stefan smiled and drove off. "Are you going to finally go back home?" Stefan asked.

"I'm not sure yet. Leilani's probably going to freak on me," Sakura sighed.

"So you have been skipping," Stefan caught Sakura, since Leilani would have already scolded her at school. Sakura sighed and looked out the window. "Things will be alright," Stefan put his hand on her shoulder comfortingly.

Stefan met up with Elena and Bonnie joined Sakura and Leilani. "Where have you been the last few days?" Leilani growled. "If you're going to disappear, tell me," Leilani scolded her.

"Where have you been?" Bonnie asked Sakura.

"Trying to avoid drama, with the whole Damon ordeal," Sakura sighed.

"You really should stay away from him. Caroline is in denial, but Damon was totally biting her," Bonnie warned. Sakura was mentally laughing, because Bonnie only knew part of it.

"I'm not with Damon. I was just with him at the party. He wanted a date to go with, that wouldn't talk his head off and I needed something from him," Sakura stated, receiving questioning looks.

"What did you need from him?"Leilani asked.

"A book, a rare book. That's all," Sakura laughed as they shuffled off to class.

After school, Sakura made a break for it, to get away from Leilani and Bonnie. She walked to the boarding house alone, hoping to get a chance to talk to Damon. "Hello, Zack, Stefan? Anyone home?" Sakura looked around inside, but didn't see anyone. She heard a noise coming from the cellar and rushed downstairs. Damon had grabbed Zack by the neck and was choking him. "Let go," Sakura growled. Not wanting to show that she had any powers to Zack, Sakura acted quickly and bit Damon's hand. He let go and fell to the ground. Zack backed away from the cellar door coughing.

"Well that's a turnaround, you biting me!" Damon laughed. Stefan showed up and looked at them both.

"Help Zack upstairs," Stefan commanded.

"Aren't you supposed to meet up with Elena?" Sakura asked, having been told his plans when they hung out at lunch.

"Hurry!" Stefan commanded again. Sakura grabbed one of Zack's arms and put it around her shoulder, to help him stand. While helping him up the stairs, she pulled out her phone. She texted Elena, "Stefan is having Uncle and phone problems. Going to be late, please don't be too harsh with him!"

A while later, Stefan came upstairs. Zack and Sakura were having a drink in the kitchen and were talking. "You were down there a while," Sakura stated. "You better hurry," Sakura pointed at the clock on the wall. "Even Elena can only wait so long. Hurry up Stef," Sakura tried to push him out the door.

Stefan came back home, after only a short while. "Sakura, Zack?" Stefan came into the kitchen, but no one was there. Sakura heard him and rushed out of Damon's room, hoping no one could notice that things had been moved.

"How'd it go Stef?" Sakura asked approaching the kitchen, trying not to be too out of breath.

"I messed up. I was about an hour late, I walked her home, but that's about it. But the worst part is, someone at the grill knew me!" Stefan said as if to alert her.

"Well, I know you're fairly new in town, but it shouldn't be that odd," Sakura stated. She opened the fridge door and pulled out some leftover take out food.

"No, he knew me, from a long time ago. Saying that I hadn't aged!" Stefan explained.

Sakura cringed, "That can't be good! Did Elena say anything about it?" Sakura asked.

"No, but if someone remembers me, it can't be good," Stefan sighed.

Sakura opened the box of leftovers and a stench came out. "Doesn't Zack ever cook?" Sakura growled and Stefan laughed. "Hey, that's it! I know what you should do! Can you cook?" Sakura asked.

"Over the years, I've learnt a few things," Stefan stated, not catching on.

"Go and cook for Elena. I happen to know that Jenna won't be home. A date with Logan Fell, and they're not the biggest cooks," Sakura laughed. "It's the perfect chance! Might want to ask Jer for ideas on what food though. It would be a great surprise, plus you can talk to her. Unfortunately, you are going to have to talk about Katherine, if you want Elena to trust you," Sakura explained.

Stefan nodded, he knew he would have to talk about her. It was just a matter of time, if he wanted to get close to Elena. "That's a great idea," Stefan smiled. Stefan walked up beside Sakura and gave her a quick hug before taking her leftovers and tossing it out. "Best off with some real food," he laughed.

Stefan had left a while ago now and Sakura came back into her bedroom in the boarding house. She laid back and growled slightly, "Where did you put it?"

"Sakura."

She shot up and looked around. She could have sworn someone called to her. Seeing no one, she laid back down.

"Sakura."

She heard it again, she got up and left her room. "Stefan, Zack?" Sakura was slightly spooked. She went to the cellar and Damon came to the barred hole in the door, with his hand hanging out.

"Well, well, if it isn't the little traitor. Or maybe I should be calling you Bitey!" Damon laughed.

Sakura glared at him, "Not funny." Seeing as a chance to ask, "Where's my book? I went to the party with you, now tell me where it is," Sakura demanded.

"As if I'd tell you, Bitey. Now that you're done asking about the book, can I have a bite. I'm so hungry, I'd settle for a thumber," Damon smiled weakly.

Sakura heard the door, Stefan was probably back home. She rushed out of the cellar and heard Damon saying, "You'll be back!"

Stefan came in the front door and saw Sakura wandering around.

"Is something wrong?" Stefan asked.

"Nope," Sakura laughed nervously.

"Are you okay?" Stefan asked, concerned.

"Me? Yeah, I'm fine," Sakura faked it. "So, how'd it go with Elena?" Sakura asked, changing the subject.

Stefan started to smile. "Actually, it went great! I made chicken parmesan and we talked. About everything," he seemed to be so happy.

"Everything?" Sakura asked skeptically. "The vampire thing?" Sakura made sure to point out.

"Okay, not everything. But it was a good start. Thanks for the help," Stefan smiled and gave her a hug.

"Sakura."

Sakura jumped back a little. "Are you sure you're okay?" Stefan asked.

"Yup," Sakura laughed and headed back upstairs, leaving Stefan confused. He shook it off and headed to the cellar to talk with Damon.

The school fundraiser was today, it was a car wash that even had a news reporter, Logan Fell show up. Stefan drove Sakura there, who only came to avoid more scolding. As long as she went, Leilani wouldn't scold her for disappearing, one major catch though, she had to wear a bikini. They arrived and met up with Elena and Leilani. Leilani pulled Sakura to the side. "Okay, bikini time girly," Leilani pulled one out of her bag. "Go get changed, and come back here," Leilani commanded. Sakura groaned and took the clothing, before heading into the school. Leilani went back to Bonnie, to continue helping with the car wash.

Sakura wandered through the halls and stopped outside the girls locker room. She sighed and went to open the door. It was locked. "Just great," Sakura sighed.

"Sakura, help me."

Sakura turned around but no one was there. She turned back and stumbled when she saw an image of Damon. But it disappeared in a second.

"Sakura, help me."

She heard it again. "Stop it," Sakura wined.

"Not until you help me."

"What do I do?" Sakura said out loud.

"Help me, if you want your book."

Sakura sighed and sunk to the floor. "Blackmail, real original," she sighed. She had been looking for the Grimoire for quite some time, and to no avail. Figuring that the only way to get the book back, and to get him to stop, was to go to the boarding house, she got up and left. She shoved the bikini into her bag and left the school from a side door, to go unnoticed.

She opened the door to the boarding house and walked in.

"Sakura."

"Damon," Sakura sighed as she made her way to the cellar. She had a bad feeling she would become an accomplice to a psychotic vampire. She looked through the barred hole and Damon walked up to it. She dropped her bag on the floor, and the bikini fell out.

"Hey Bitey, am I missing some social event? Wish I could see you in it," Damon said referring to the bikini. Sakura sighed and glared at him slightly, as if waiting for him to say something. "Let me out of here," Damon demanded. "Please," he added, trying to sound sincere. "Open the door, open the door," Damon chanted. "I'll give you the Grimoire back, just open the door," Damon coughed.

Sakura had been trying to find it, and it seemed impossible. Was the only way to get it back to free him? Sakura hesitated, but opened the latched on the door.

"No!" Zack came running up. He tried to hold the door close, but Damon still seemed to be strong, "Run!"

Sakura backed off, but didn't run away. Damon overpowered Zack quickly. He came out of the room and Zack dropped to the floor, Damon got hold of Zack's head and broke his neck, by twisting it too far.

"No!" Sakura screamed and fell to the floor. She looked up at Damon, and he looked hungry. Sakura gulped and ran away, up the stairs and into the hall. Damon tried to grab at her, but missed. He stumbled on the carpet, making it a bigger space between them. Sakura stopped at the front door and turned around. Her eyes glowed and it looked like Damon was being consumed by shadows, right behind her. He was only inches away from her. "How could you?" Sakura was almost in tears, "He was your family!"

"He locked me up," Damon growled, "Blood only runs so deep." Sakura opened the door and Damon's face, the only part not covered in shadows, started to burn. He screamed out in pain, "The GRIMOIRE," he yelled.

She slammed the door shut. Tears were now falling, Damon looked at her as if he was actually sorry. "If you ever, ever, do anything like this again, I'll kill you!" Sakura growled. She put her hand out and dark energy started to form, she blasted him back. He hit the wall and fell to the floor. She started to walk by him, stepping overtop of him, no fear of him, even if he had a chance to grab her, he didn't. She walked into the cellar and sunk to the floor beside Zack. She pulled him into a hug and started to cry. "Why Zack, this shouldn't have happened. It's all my fault," Sakura cried.

"What happened?" Sakura turned to see Stefan coming down the stairs. His eyes went wide when he saw her hugging Zack, as he was limp and lifeless. He saw the tears streaming out and walked towards her. "Oh no, Zack," Stefan frowned. He bent down and pulled Sakura into a hug, letting her cry on his shoulder.

"It's all my fault," Sakura cried out, "Why?" Stefan just hugged her tighter and started to cry silently, along side her. They finally calmed down and Stefan helped Sakura stand up and he had a serious expression. "What are you going to do?" Sakura asked, knowing he had a plan.

"What I should have done a long time ago," he ran with vampire speed up the stairs. Sakura stared down at Zack and leant against the wall. She heard Stefan heading to the front door to leave when the doorbell went. Sakura rushed up the stairs and peeked around the corner to see Elena at the door.

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