For Ronnie_R who wanted to see the aftermath of the situation. This will be an ongoing arc for this fic, but this shows where they are now.

Combined with atmenza1's request for Stefan to reject Lexi's comfort for Stefan's. I planned the first part of this chapter before the request but it felt important.

This chapter is kind of Lexi negative. I love her but I have some issues with how she handled the brothers during WWII and that came out here. When she does come back (not any time soon), I promise it'll be in a better light.

Damon will never pretend to love Lexi. They've struck a truce for Stefan's benefit and do what they can to remain civil. Still, they are too different and too much has gone down for them to ever be friends, let alone family. Damon is Stefan's brother, Lexi is his sister. They will never be family.

That's never more evident than when Lexi shows up within 12 hours of Tanner torturing Stefan. Damon is surprised it took her that long. He debated not telling her, but knows there's a chance Stefan could. So, he texted her. Now, she stands in his study, pissed. Her hands are planted on her hips, dark eyes narrowed.

"I couldn't have predicted this," Damon says. "I knew he was a bastard but he never showed signs of physically harming anyone."

"I believe you," Lexi tells him, curtly.

Damon raises an eyebrow. "Then what's with the face?"

"I read the police report. You beat the shit out of him?"

Damon sighs, running his fingers through his hair.

"What else was I supposed to do?"

"Don't you realize how stupid that was? You're lucky the police didn't get your ass."

Damon's jaw locks. "I was defending my brother! It's not like I killed him."

"Like you didn't want to. The report says Caroline waited with his body. I'm guessing she stopped you?"

"What would you have done, Lexi?! I find it hard to believe you would've shown restraint. Didn't you threaten to kick his ass last week?"

Lexi throws her hands in the air. "That was an idle threat. Yes, I'd want to rip his lungs out and tear him to shreds."

"Then what?"

Lexi shakes her head, her blonde braids moving with it.

"We have to think about the treaty more than ever now. Before, it'd suck being chained to a dungeon for all of the eternity. But now, it's not just us we have to worry about! What would've happened to Stefan if you got arrested?"

Damon purses his lips. He thinks of Caroline's surprisingly strong forearm up against his neck, reminding him of Stefan's fate.

"That's what stopped me from killing him," he says. "Knowing that he'd go into the system, lose me."

"For the record, he wouldn't go into the system, I'd take him." He holds back an eye roll. "But yeah, losing you would destroy him. Did you think about him for two seconds?"

Damon's eyes widen and he vamps in front of her, baring his teeth.

"He is all I thought about! He's all I ever think about!"

Lexi glares at him. "No. You thought about killing Tanner."

Damon cries out, desperately. "For Stefan!"

"No. I don't truly believe it was all for him. You slipped back into darkness. If you truly thought of your brother and him alone, you wouldn't have left him by himself."

Damon retracts his body a little. "You know about that?"

"Stefan may be in Little space but he told me all about how scary it was when his big brother ran out. He doesn't know how long it was between that and Klaus showing up."

Guilt swells Damon's stomach. He's kept Stefan by his side for the most part since all of this happened. Letting him spend an hour with Lexi and putting him down to nap alone is torture. He wants to make up for those 45 minutes so desperately. Earn back his baby brother's trust.

"I made a mistake," he says, quietly. "I should've took a breath, called Klaus first. I just got so angry."

"I know." Lexi's face is calm now, her voice sympathetic. "You lost control. Given your history, it makes sense."

"I won't let it happen again."

"Damon, you can't promise that."

"I can. I've done it before."

"And yet we always end up back here. You dropping off the deep end and somehow, Stefan gets hurt." She chews on her lip. "Besides, it's not just you scaring him. It's the influence you set. Yesterday, you taught him you solve conflict by beating the shit out of someone, scaring others."

Damon ducks his head.

"He's a ripper, Damon. It took him so long to unlearn everything."

"I'm well aware." He wipes at his brow. "Look, like I said, it won't happen again. I'll get training from Klaus on how to manage my anger. I'll be better, do better."

Damon is groveling to Lexi. It feels so unnatural. He's not even sure why he's explaining himself to her.

Lexi nods. "That's nice but I don't think it's enough."

Damon frowns. "What more do you want from me?"

"I think I should take Stefan for a little bit while you work your shit out."

Damon's nostrils flare, the anger returning.

"Absolutely not!"

"This isn't a good environment! What happens if you slip again?"

"I won't!"

Lexi groans. "You can't promise that!"

"I don't need to prove myself to you! I am his guardian and I'm not leaving!" He growls. "This isn't 1942. You are not going to bully me into abandoning him again!"

"That was for his own good."

"Maybe then. But not now."

"Damon, it wouldn't have to be for as long this time! Just let me take him a couple of weeks!"

"No!"

A small, quiet voice comes from the doorway. "Stop fighting."

Lexi and Damon back away from one another. Stefan stands there in his blue flannel pajamas. His hair is a mess from sleep. He's still clutching his bunny. Fear and exhaustion are written in his eyes. Ever since Damon returned from beating Tanner, his brother has been stuck in Little state. It's his longest yet. According to what he's read, it's typical. Stefan went through a horrific trauma and needs more comfort than usual.

Lexi crouches down. "Pumpkin, I'm sorry, did we wake you up?"

Stefan frowns. "I'm not leaving DayDay."

She bites her lip. "Stef…"

"No!"

Stefan vamps past her and throws his arms around his big brother's legs. Damon scoops him up and the arms are moved to around his neck. Stefan looks at him with wide eyes.

"Don't go, DayDay," he whispers.

Damon shakes his head, stroking his baby brother's cheek. "I'm not going anywhere, Bunny Boy, and neither are you. I promise." He kisses his nose.

Stefan looks back at Lexi, who's back on her feet. Guilt has taken over her own face. Damon can't feel sympathy. He strokes the back of Stefan's head.

"Don't take me, Sissy. Wan' DayDay."

Lexi slowly nods. "I won't take you," she whispers. "I promise."

She walks over and kisses his cheek. Stefan gives her a small smile but doesn't release his grip from his older brother. Lexi looks up at Damon.

"I'll stay through the night, leave come morning." Damon nods. "I…I'm sorry…Stefan."

He resists an eye roll. Damon doesn't need an apology, not from her. As long as his brother is safe, that's all that matters.

Lexi leaves as promised the following morning. Damon's anger has lessened, though he hopes for a longer gap before they see one another again.

Stefan wakes up in Little space, but leaps up to big during his afternoon bottle. It's always a jarring experience for Damon. His brother goes from cooing up at him and curling into his chest, to fidgeting and looking around the study. The minute he's done, he leaps off his brother's lap. Damon rolls up his sleeves to check on the burns. They've lessened greatly.

"I think a couple more bottles of blood and you should be healed completely," he reports. "How did they feel?"

"Hurts some," Stefan admits. "But I'll survive."

Damon scoffs. "You shouldn't have to survive, Stef. This never should've happened in the first place."

"It's over now," Stefan whispers. "That's it."

He nods, twisting the empty bottle in his hands. Stefan stands there in silence for a moment.

"Is what you said to Lexi true?"

Damon tilts his head. "Which part?"

"The uh…World War II." Damon bites his lip. "You didn't chicken out. She told you not to come?"

"It's not important."

"Damon."

"It was the right thing."

Stefan rolls his eyes. "Whatever."

Damon sighs. "Stef…"

"No! This is just bull! I'm supposed to be honest with you and tell you everything but you can't open up to me."

Stefan starts to storm away. Damon grabs him by his shirt and pulls him backwards, settling him on his lap. Stefan wiggles, but Damon keeps a tight grip on him.

"You're right," he concedes. "It's not fair. I guess it's just…as much as I may dislike her, I don't want you to hate her."

Stefan stills but his annoyance doesn't change. "How can I know how to feel if you don't tell me?"

"Alright, alright. I was all set to leave with you. Then she told me if I did, I'd corrupt you again. She said you were newly reformed and had joined the service out of guilt." Stefan shrugs, a flash of guilt crossing his eyes. "It wasn't to hurt you, it was protect you."

"I'm not a kid, I don't need protection." Damon casts a Look. Stefan sighs. "I mean, no more than usual. I thought you were a coward. That you went back on your word."

"And I did." Damon touches his chin. "I didn't have to listen to her, Stef. But I did, mostly because I thought she was right. Being exposed to all that blood and warfare…I know myself. I would've slid backwards. You couldn't be exposed to that."

"You could've tried," Stefan whispers. "For me."

Damon frowns. "I did what I thought was right. I stand by that it was. You're entitled to your own feelings on it. You can be mad at me, Lexi, the world."

Stefan nods. Damon half expects him to get up and walk away, but instead, his baby brother stays on his lap.

"I guess I understand," he whispers. "Both of you. Lexi is usually right. The times I didn't listen to her, I slipped." Damon doesn't react. He's not in the mood to defend her further. "I think she's wrong now, though."

Damon raises a brow. "What do you mean?"

"I'm not better off without you this time."

Damon holds back a sob. He pulls Stefan into his chest and kisses his forehead a few times. His brother squirms again.

"Indulge me," Damon mutters, rubbing his back.

Stefan fakes a sigh. "Alright."

Damon rolls his eyes, not enjoying how serious the mood is getting. "Admit it, you need your DayDay." Stefan shakes his head. "Oh come on." He puts on his baby voice and pinches his cheeks. Stefan bats at his hands. "DayDay's wittle boy."

"Hey! Cut it out!"

Damon chuckes, dropping his hands. Stefan rubs at his cheeks.

"Jerk," he mumbles, getting off his lap.

"Yeah, I'm the worst." Damon pats his bottom. "Up to bed. Naptime."

Stefan goes down easier than he normally does in a bigger space. He's clearly still exhausted. Damon leans against the pillows, watching him carefully. His eyes grow heavy and he stifles a yawn. It's been a couple of days since he last slept. It was only this morning that he realized he hadn't drank anything since finding out about Tanner. He knocked back two bags but his body is still paying the price of his hypocritical neglect. After ensuring Stefan is actually asleep, Damon allows himself to drift off.

Crunch

Another rib breaks. Tanner's withering in pain, unable to scream due to the vampire's heavy arm on his neck. As the internal bleeding begins, Damon inhales with a monsterous grin on his face.

"You ever teach about the Donner Party?" He hisses. Tanner's body shakes. "Let's see if we can reenact it."

He bares his fangs, devouring Tanner's neck. The flesh rips inside of him. Damon forgot how good it felt to bite into a human. 70 years of drinking from a blood bag is far too long.

Someone pulls him off the body, but it's not Caroline this time. Something pinches his neck and his limbs turn numb. Vervain dart. Commonly used by the police.

Damon grunts at the lifeless body. Tanner's blood stains the floor he once stomped on. The very room where he belittled and tortured his students. Damon still wishes he had a lighter. The bastard should burn.

"DayDay?"

Damon looks over his shoulder. Stefan stands there, but not as he knows him now. It's the little boy who looked at him with those same tearful eyes the day of their mother's funeral. Those pudgy cheeks, shaggy hair, his big brother's tie around his neck. He had to be just like his DayDay.

Damon tries to rip at the cuffs around his wrists. "Stefan!"

Tears fall down his brother's cheeks. Damon licks his lips. The blood and flesh still remains. Stefan backs up, nearly tripping in the process. The officer grabs Damon by the shirt and begin dragging him off. He kicks and thrashes.

"My brother! I need to talk to him!" Damon cries out. "He needs me! I'm all he has!"

The officer chortles and Damon internally vows he'll rip his heart out.

"He doesn't need you. He never has."

Damon shoots up in bed, panting. Sweat drips down his forehead. His manic blue eyes dart around. He's in his room. Damon wipes at his mouth. No blood.

He gazes down beside him. 17-year-old Stefan peacefully sleeps beside him.

Damon holds back a sob, trying to regulate his breathing. It's not real. It's not real.

It nearly was. It could be again.

Tears trickle down his cheeks as he gathers Stefan into his arms. His baby brother stirs. He squints up at him.

"Day?"

"Shhh," Damon cups his cheek. "Go back to sleep."

Stefan submits, his eyes closing once more. Damon clings to him tightly.

"I won't do it again, I won't do it again." Damon feels 8 years old, crying after getting his ass whipped for sneaking an extra dessert. "I won't do it again."

Maybe if he says it enough, he'll actually believe it.