Beautiful Monster

Chapter Six

" Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you. "

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Destiny's P.O.V

I sat on Damon's bed as he cleared stuff from his closet while talking to Elena.

"You just can't stay away, can you?" Damon joked, clearing his door. Elena sighed and ignored what he said.

"You've been dodging my calls." She replied, running a hand through her hair.

"Yeah, well, busy dating a dead fake girlfriend and all." Damon held back his sadness, as usual.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Elena asked. I sighed, standing up and going towards them.

"Not exactly the best birthday gift." I muttered, running my hand through my hair.

"Exactly, Happy Birthday Elena, Stefan killed Andie. Cake?" Damon frowned angrily. Step two of Damon's grieving process: anger.

"He called me, Damon." Elena blurted out. I looked at her then at Damon.

"What?" Damon asked, looking at me then her as well.

"Stefan called me last night." Elena replied back to him.

"Well, what'd he say?" Damon asked, creasing his forehead.

"He didn't say anything, but it was him. I asked Sheriff Forbes if she would trace the call's origin. It came from Tennessee." Elena put out the evidence.

"Where he's binge drinking on the country folk. We went through the this, Elena. Stefan's gone. I don't mean geographically." Damon growled.

"If he was gone he wouldn't have called." I explained as Damon threw all the paper into his fireplace.

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I stood with Elena as she knocked on Alaric's apartment door.

"Go away, Damon!" Alaric yelled to us.

"Close enough." I yelled, shrugging. I could hear him getting up and walking to the door before it opened, he was standing there wearing just his unbuttoned pants.

"I wasn't aware Elena was with you." Alaric looked down.

"You'd be fine if it was just me?" I laughed.

"You're practically my daughter, you'd survive." He sighed, as we entered the apartment.

"I need you to tell us what you know about Stefan and Tennessee." Elena demanded.

"Did you miss the part where I checked out of all of this?" Alaric rubbed his temples, annoyed.

"Come on Ric, whatever Damon knows, you know." Elena pleaded.

"Ask Damon." He responded. I sighed at him.

"Yeah, but Damon's not exactly in the mood to help right now." Elena argued.

"For good reason. Because it's not safe for you two. Stefan's off the rails." Alaric argued back.

"Yeah, but he's still holding onto his humanity which means he can still be saved." Elena persisted.

"And why do you two have to be the one to save him?" Alaric yelled.

"Because we are not the kind of people who check out. Look, he would never give up on us. We aren't going to give up on him. Tell us what you know, Ric, please." Elena begged. Alaric sighed, giving in.