The Second Life Of Stella Salvatore

Do Not Go Gentle

Damon's POV:

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

I stormed into my bedroom and went straight for my large wardrobe that sat in the corner like an ancient guardian. I grew even more annoyed when I heard Stefan's loud footsteps following close behind me.

"Dam-" He started.

"Save your breath, Stefan. You so much as try to spew your goody goody crap to me and I'm gonna rip your heart out too. Actually you know what? I think I'll just stick to snapping your neck. That way I can explain to Mom how I killed only one of her sons and not two."

Shock flitted across my brother's face at my words as I stripped off my doctors shirt and threw it to the floor. I then started to rummage through one of my drawers in search of one of my t-shirts. "Hold on a second," Stefan sounded flabbergasted. "Did you just say Mom? And in the present tense?"

I couldn't help but sigh because I knew I would be having this conversation with him sooner or later. I guess it was going to be the former. I tugged a black t-shirt over my head before I even bothered to answer my brother and I could tell he was being impatient. "Yes I did, Stef. Long story short, when Mom died she became a vampire."

Stefan's big green eyes practically popped out of their sockets as he gaped openmouthed at me while I swapped what was left of my doctors scrubs for a pair of jeans. "Then why did she decide to turn up after all these years?"

"She was running, Stefan. She was running from someone and she was protecting us." Now fully dressed I turned and faced my younger brother who was still looking like he just saw the Easter bunny or something.

"Running from who?"

"Gabriel."

"And who's Gabriel?"

I felt my fangs twitch at the name and I was even surprised at my self when I heard what sounded like a low menacing growl coming from my throat. "Gabriel would be my dick of a twin brother."

Now I was sure Stefan's eyes were about to pop out of their sockets and roll across the floor like a pair of bright green marbles. "You have a twin?! God I've missed so much!"

I rolled my eyes and went into my bathroom with Stefan still on my tail. He really was grating on my nerves today. God little brothers were such a pain in the ass. I turned on the faucet and proceeded to wash my hands and face as he started talking to me again. "So why exactly was Mom running from Gabriel?"

Shutting off the water I turned and glared at him,"Look, I'd love to fill you in and all but I don't have time for that because my wife is in the hospital and my unborn child is dying. And it's all my damn twin's fault."

"Elena's pregnant again?"

Oh my freaking god. Why was he looking at me like I was some kind of sex addict? "Don't you give me that look, Stefan. I told you I don't have time for your shit. I need to go find my kids and then I'm going to hunt down and kill my twin who still has our mother."

"Let me go with you. I can help," Stefan insisted as I walked past him back into the bedroom.

"Why? So you can turn my kids into Rippers and make your own little Ripper gang to tear apart every little town on the eastern seaboard? No thanks."

"Damon, I'm not that person anymore. Stella-"

I quickly locked my hand around my baby brother's throat and slammed him up against the wall. "You're the reason why she became what she was! You turned her into a monster like yourself! So you've lost the right to say my daughter's name! And I don't want to hear anymore of your bullshit excuses about how you're sorry and that you'll get clean! Because we all know that's a lie! It's a never ending cycle with you, Stefan! Bunny eater, Ripper, detox, Bunny eater, Ripper, detox, and so on and so forth!"