Humanity 3 "The Renewal"

Chapter 19

ASHLEY'S POV

I walk down the basement steps of the Salvatore's house to the cellar. I peak in through the window and I see him sitting on the little cot.

"Alaric?" I ask.

"Yep. Still me." He nods and I unlock the cell door, walking inside. "You know, you shouldn't be in here. It defeats the point of the whole being locked in a cellar thing."

I drop a bag of things onto his bed. "Well, you still need the basics. Toothbrush, clothes, some boring books to help you sleep."

He grabs one of the books out of the bag. "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde?" He questions and I frown.

"What? No, I grabbed...that must have been Damon. He thinks he's hilarious." I say bitterly and Ric smiles.

"At least one of us still has a sense of humor."

"Are you sure that you...I mean, you don't have to be kept in here." I change the subject, not wanting to think about Damon.

"Ah, no, this is...this is the right place for me to be. At least until you guys can convince my highly uncooperative alter ego to fess up to where I...or he hid the white oak stake." He says, rolling his eyes.

"We looked everywhere. You...the other you hid it well." I tell him.

"What's Klaus gonna do if you can't find it?"

"It's the only thing that will kill him, so wage war, murder people, you know...Klaus stuff." I say and he nods. "Listen, Damon and Elena are gonna watch over you for a little while. Now that Klaus knows where Jeremy is, it's not safe so, Stefan and I are gonna go to Denver to pick him up."

"Why do you say that like you're waiting for me to comment on that change in dynamic?" He asks, raising an eyebrow.

"I don't know...Elena wants to stay with you and...Damon and I are...it's not a good idea for us to go together and...he's you're friend and I don't..." I trail off because I'm not really sure what to say. This is all really strange for me.

"I guess I'm more curious to hear what Damon has to say about it." He says and I nod.

"Actually, it was his idea." I say quietly. "He thinks I have some unresolved feelings for Stefan."

"Do you?" Ric questions.

"I don't...I don't think I do...I guess that's why I'm going on this trip. So I can figure it out." I admit.

I love Damon, but lately things have...changed. He hurt me and Stefan and I have...I don't know...bonded. I really don't know what to make of all of this.

DAMON'S POV

"You hear from Klaus?" I ask Stefan as I walk into the living room. I see his bags packed by the door and I sigh.

"Not yet. I'm sure I will soon though." He turns and picks up the other stake. "He's expecting me to deliver two stakes. I only have one."

"Well, that's gonna be disappointing for him." I scoff.

"You'll get it out of Alaric. He just needs time." He tells me and I smile, shaking my head.

"I like the confidence, Stefan. I don't share it, but I like it." I end the conversation as Ashley walks into the room.

"You ready?" Stefan asks her as he picks up his luggage.

"Yeah." She nods as he walks out to the car. She turns to me and looks at me for a moment. Why am I letting this happen right now? "Damon..."

"Be safe." I cut her off. I don't want to, but I have to. This is what she needs. This is what we both need right now.

Her beautiful face presses into a frown as she looks at me for another moment. She nods slightly and turns to head out the front door.