The Sacrifice

Rose - 2

The three of us pile into the car, the boys call shotgun and I'm forced to take the backseat.

"Alaric sure likes his weapons." Damon comments to the little bottle I have in my hands that I'm currently spinning around.

"What the hell is that?" He asks.

"I don't know, it's a vervain bomb or a grenade launcher or something like that."

"Ric said it's a vervain grenade, pull the pin and bomb" I say as I give it a once over.

"Weird." Damon mutters

Stefan shifts in his seat, "Hey, how much further is it?" Stefan asks.

"About 80 miles."

"Who do you think took her?"
Damon sighs. "Someone from Katherine's past. She said she was running from someone. They got the wrong girl."

I raise an eyebrow. I honestly doubt that. 

"Thank you for helping me." Stefan tells his brother. "Can we not do the whole road trip bonding thing? The cliche of it all makes me itch." Damon grumbles.

Stefan chuckles. "Oh, come on Damon. We both know that you being in this car has absolutely nothing to do with me anyway."

Damon makes a face in response to that. "The elephant in the room lets out a mighty roar."
"Well, it doesn't have to be an elephant. Let's talk about it."

"There's nothing to talk about"

"That's not true, sure there is. Let's just get it out, I mean, are you in this car because you want to help your little brother save a girl that he loves, or is it- is it because you love her too?"

Awkward.

I mumble some incoherence. I don't know what they talked about when they were stuck with Katherine, all I know is that it hurt like a bitch. I plug my headphones in a run a finger over my bandage, lost in thought. I can't lose her, not now.

............

"We're getting close. Jeremy said there's an access road just past mile marker 6." I say as I read Jermey's message.

Damon stretches hand back to me and wags a finger. I groan in disgust as I pick up a blood bag from the back seat and hand it to him. He starts drinking and casually looks over at Stefan.

"If you want some, just ask." He teases. "I want some." Stefan says making my eyes widen.
"Ah, that's so sweet" Damon mocks him. "You're gonna be all big and strong and save your girl but don't worry, I've got your back. It'll be fine."

Stefan rolls his eyes. "I'm not joking. I've been drinking a little every day. I'm slowly increasing my intake and building up my strength."

Despite the fact I think this is gonna turn bad, Damon gives him the blood bag and Stefan drinks.

"Does Elena know you're drinking blood?" I ask.
Stefan looks back at me "I've been drinking hers." I bite the insides of my cheek to keep my mouth from hanging open.

"Hmm, how romantic" Damon half jokes.
"Since we're road trip bonding, remember the days when all you lived for was blood? You were the guy who ripped someone apart just for the fun of it." I hold back a gasp, she's been letting him do What!?

"You mean when I was more like you?" Stefan questions.

"Yes, Stefan, exactly. Back when you put blood into me so I could be a big bad vampire. I wonder if Elena would be so quick to open her veins to that guy. By the way, what happened to that guy? He was a hoot."

It takes everything in me to keep from exploding at the information.

Stefan responds honestly "I guess he found something else to live for"