Family Above All

14. Not Himself

Pairing: Damon/Stefan (M/m) hand, severe

TW: physical abuse, suicide

Traveler's Camp

Friday, March 30, 2012

"Does everyone know what to do?" Ric asked as the assorted crowd gathered in the darkness beyond the camp. It was only Klaus, Damon, Kol, Ric, Elena, Wes, and Enzo who came. Rebekah had gotten a ride home to share what had happened with Elijah and Finn. Klaus would have preferred to have Elijah by his side, but knew he had the children. He'd have to do without his stalwart brother for once.

Klaus nodded, "Ric, I am hearing a spell. It sounds like people are...dying. Kol, Damon, do you smell that blood?"

"Aye, from here," Kol agreed.
"I even smell it," Enzo added. "Are they using the deaths for the spell?"

"Probably, it tis hard to say what witches are thinking. I'm going to track Bonnie using the scent from this bracelet," Klaus said, holding the discarded jewelry that Bonnie had dropped before getting into Professor Shane's van.

Enzo said, "Wes and I will look for this Professor bloke."

Kol confirmed, "Damon and I will cause a distraction. Give the signal when you've found Bonnie."

Ric added, "Elena and I will be ready to get out of here when you have Bonnie."

Klaus exchanged a nod with Wes. Ric didn't know it, but Wes had shared with Klaus that he thought the Travelers needed Elena's blood for their spell. At the time that he had dealings with Atticus Shane, Wes had overheard him discussing the blood of the "doubles." Elena was as a lure. Damon was going to lay in wait, guarding her secretly. They walked amongst the rusted cars and trucks in the lot with stealth.

Klaus whispered to his son, "You should grab one of the chanting Travelers and feed to give you strength. Hurry, it looks like they are committing suicide."

Damon vamped to one Traveler who was still chanting and sunk his fangs in his neck. He morphed into his hybrid side, his blue eyes turning a bright orange. As the blood entered his system, he felt invincible. Klaus was behind him.

"Watch Elena. They will come for her and when they do, we'll be ready," Klaus warned.

"They don't know who they are dealing with," Damon replied, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Can you try to start the disturbance now?" Klaus inquired, looking around. More Travelers were dropping to their deaths. Klaus reached down and took one of the knives. It had similar markings to the one Bonnie had used in the spell. He slipped it in his jacket.

"Yeah, give me a minute," Damon shut his eyes and thought of Wes, but nothing was coming.

"Take a moment, Son," Klaus coaxed, seeing his difficulty.

"Find Bonnie. I'm good here," Damon advised.

Klaus was reluctant to leave Damon, but sniffed the bracelet and activated his hybrid side. As he eyes glowed orange, he vamped to the tent.

Damon wasn't feeling the magic. He shut his eyes and tried to access the rage. Nothing, all he felt was frustration.

Then, he thought about his years on the Augustine tables. The burnings, the cutting out of his liver over and over again, and the repetition of it the next day. Day after day for a decade. But nothing. Then, Damon thought about the day that he had left Enzo to burn to death in that cage. The bars were infused in vervain, he recalled. But why hadn't he found the key? That is what haunted Damon after. Instead, Damon had switched off his humanity and fled, leaving his best friend to be cooked alive. That did it. The person Damon was most enraged at, was himself.