AN: This was originally supposed to be a short drabble on Stefan's thoughts at the end of '162 Candles', similar to my one-shot 'We're Done' that reveals Damon's thoughts at the end of the episode, but it ended up taking on a life of it's own and became this. Slight OOC. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Damon or Stefan! *tears* or anything else to do with the Vampire Diaries.

Stefan stood with his back to the wall; his head leaned back to rest against it. His breathing was heavy, still worked up from the fight with Damon and the emotional hits he had taken tonight. Stefan brought his hand up and dragged it across his face. He had actually stabbed Damon.

He had been so angry and so hurt over Lexi's death. In that moment all he wanted to do was cause Damon the same pain that he himself was feeling, the same pain he knew Lexi must have felt. Having had time to stop and breathe, Stefan could feel the regret seeping in.

The look in Damon's eyes when Stefan pushed the stake into his chest. Oh God. Damon had done and said many terrible things over the years but he never would have done that. Stefan knew with everything inside of him that Damon would never have stabbed him. His brother liked to make everyone believe that there was nothing but evil inside of him but Stefan knew better. As much as Damon tried to hide it, Stefan knew. Damon wanted to protect him.

Damon had said as much. His rage at Damon had prevented him from fully realizing his brother's words. I did this for you. To get them off our trail. Damon had actually admitted it. Stefan had seen the look in his eyes that showed it was the truth. Even if he hadn't realized it at the time.

Stefan tilted his head to the side. He could hear Damon stumbling around upstairs. Stefan frowned. What was he still doing here? Why hadn't he gone to feed? Stefan sighed and ran up the stairs. He pushed open the door to find Damon standing in the middle of the room, his hand pressed to his wound.

"That won't stop till you feed." Stefan stated.

Damon visibly tensed but otherwise ignored Stefan. He sat back in one of the chairs. Stefan shook his head and started toward his brother. He watched his brother carefully. Damon was weak. Really weak. Stefan sat in the chair across from Damon. Stefan raised his wrist to his mouth, his fangs extended.

Damon head shot up suddenly, he glared at Stefan.

"What are you doing?" Damon demanded.

"You need blood." Stefan said calmly.

"Oh, suddenly you care."

"I don't want you dead, Damon."

"Could have fooled me." Damon mumbled.

Stefan shook his head in exasperation, and ignoring Damon's comment, he raised his wrist again. Damon opened his mouth, to protest again Stefan was sure, but stopped at Stefan's icy glare.

"Don't be an idiot."

With that Stefan bit into his wrist. He thrust his wrist forward. Damon looked about to argue but stopped when he felt how weak he was. His face transformed as his fangs extended and he reluctantly bit into Stefan's wrist. Stefan winced initially and he had to fight the primal instinct to tear his wrist away. Instead he waited for enough of Damon's strength to return.

Damon abruptly let go of Stefan's wrist and his fangs retracted. He had taken enough that the wound would heal and his strength would be restored. He would have to feed soon but for now Stefan's blood would sustain him.

Damon said nothing, lost in his thoughts. What a turn around he had witnessed tonight. First Stefan was attacking him and stabbing a stake into his chest and now Stefan was sitting here, giving him the blood he needed to heal the wound. Maybe Stefan had hit his head.

"I'm sorry about Lexi." Damon didn't know what made him say it. Maybe Stefan's intense mood swings were affecting him now too or maybe he had lost too much blood. Whatever it was, he suddenly felt the need to explain to Stefan. "I really didn't do it to hurt you and it didn't have anything to do with Lexi. It was the only way I saw out of this mess."

Stefan had been shocked into silence when Damon first started talking. Now he looked up into his brother's eyes. He really did look sorry.

"They were getting that close?" Stefan mumbled.

Damon nodded slowly. "They were starting to look into new arrivals to the town. And they had realized that we could go in the sun. They didn't know how but they figured it was the only option." Damon paused. "It would have led them directly to us, Stefan."

Stefan nodded reluctantly. He understood what Damon was saying and part of him knew that what he said was true. It really was the only option. But it didn't make the loss of Lexi any easier. Stefan took a deep breath.

"I really am sorry, Damon. I lost it and I wasn't thinking clearly."

The more time that passed, the more Stefan realized that stabbing Damon hadn't been the best choice. He really hadn't been in his right mind. Damon shrugged his soldiers. Whatever, his posture read. Stefan smiled softly.

Damon watched Stefan curiously. He really did regret it. Damon felt a weight being lifted. He may act like an ass to Stefan but he never wanted Stefan to completely write him off. Damon stood abruptly. This conversation was getting far too deep for him. He needed to get out of here before every wall he had built up for the last century fell.

"Whatever, I'm out of here."

Stefan sighed. He could practically see Damon's walls shooting up around him. The first progress they had made in years and it had no effect.

Stefan watched Damon move to the window. He jumped up on the edge, prepared to jump out. He turned suddenly to look back at Stefan. Damon gave a genuine smile and Stefan felt him brush his mind. Thank you. The sentiment was heard in his head. Stefan nodded. Anytime.

Damon's face took on his usual arrogant smirk and he casually fell out of the window. Stefan chuckled. Maybe they had made more progress then he thought.

Review and let me know what you thought please! : )