Disclaimer: The Vampire Diaries is the property of the CW. No copyright infringement is intended.

~ Year 2213 ~

Stefan looked around the government approved escape bar searching for a likely snack. He hadn't even bothered to check out the name of the place when he wandered in. What difference did it make? They were all the same; serving approved drugs that helped people cope with the overcrowding and stress of everyday life.

He himself was something of an oddity because he had no injection port in his wrist, preferring the old fashioned method of imbibing his alcohol. The bartender was mildly curious about him. Most people his age preferred the instant gratification of an IV dose of their favorite drug.

Stefan sipped a brandy while he pondered which drug flavored blood he wanted a taste of. Hallucinogen? Upper? Trank? Alcohol? He wasn't particularly hungry, so he was in no hurry to choose.

He didn't immediately turn around when an importuning hand pressed against his back, choosing instead to ignore the bid for his attention. He was frequently propositioned and sometimes he accepted, but tonight he wasn't in the mood.

The hand tapped him again, rougher this time, a good indication its owner wasn't going to take no for an answer.

Stefan sighed and turned around, prepared to compel if necessary. He was stunned to see his brother standing in front of him.

"Hello, brother," Damon spoke softly. His diffident posture and face indicated he was unsure of his welcome.

Stefan regarded him for a moment and then replied, "Hello, Damon."

Damon took the fact that Stefan hadn't immediately bolted as a positive sign, and he couldn't keep a relived grin off his face. He reached over and grasped the face of the person sitting next to Stefan, twisting it around to face him. "You're sitting in my seat."

The person immediately apologized profusely and left, and Damon, wasting no time, slipped into the vacant seat. "Let me buy you a drink."

Stefan just pressed his money chip to the scanner embedded in the bar. When 'Payment Complete' flashed Stefan gathered himself up to leave. Damon grabbed his arm, applying enough pressure to keep him hovering over his seat. Stefan couldn't break the grip without causing a scene and alerting the peace enforcers.

"Talk to me, Stefan. It's been two hundred years," Damon pleaded.

When Stefan showed no signs of relenting Damon added, "I need my little brother."

Some of the stiffness went out of Stefan's body, and he collapsed back down into the seat. He closed his eyes briefly as if gathering his strength for what was coming. "What is there to talk about?" Stefan's voice betrayed only weariness.

"We've had problems before, but we've always been able to get beyond them. We should be together. We're family. You shouldn't be alone."

Stefan regarded him for a long moment and then said quietly, "You're right. We shouldn't be alone. Why is it I don't think you are? You're not alone, are you, Damon?"

Damon's answer was forthright. "We're still together, but it's not right without you. We're not complete."

Damon caught the bartender's eye and held up two fingers and then pointed to his brother and himself. "I need a drink before I talk more."

Stefan nodded understanding. "Yeah, we're enough to make anyone want to drink."

Damon's plummeting hopes were buoyed by the fact that Stefan had made a small joke.

They waited quietly for the drinks to come. Damon held his up to Stefan, silently asking for a toast.

Stefan shook his head in resignation and touched his plexi-cup to his brother's. They both took a big gulp.

"She's not sired anymore, Stefan." He took another swig as if for courage. "She wants to see you."

Stefan didn't react the way Damon expected. There was no exaltation, no smile, no triumph; in fact there was no emotion at all. Damon felt deflated by his brother's lack of reaction.

He was flabbergasted when Stefan said, "She's behind me, Damon. It doesn't matter."

"What?" Damon's eyebrows threatened to rise off his face. "Of course, it matters. She's making her own decisions, and she wants you."

Stefan smiled sadly. "I don't care."

Damon was shocked into silence. His mouth opened and then closed. He was unable to find words to express his astonishment. A happy thought struck him. "Then we can be together again." His enthusiasm surged. "Family should be together."

His exuberance dimmed when Stefan's expression stayed the same. "I don't care about you either."

Damon fired up. "Cut the crap. You need family. You've always needed family. That's why you turned me so you wouldn't be alone. I need family. It's why I always swore I wouldn't allow anyone but me to kill you. We're always there for each other."

"Wrong tense." Stefan corrected him. "We WERE always there for each other." Stefan played with his drink, sloshing the remaining liquid around the plastic cup. "You're right about one thing, Damon. I always needed family. I always will. You destroyed mine for me. I had to find a new one, and I did."

Damon stared at him in disbelief. "You can't just make family out of thin air."

Stefan turned his head to look at his brother. "People do it all the time." Stefan turned to look forward again, eyes on a faraway spot. "At first I wanted to die. I just wanted the pain to end. I kept playing with the idea of taking my ring off. It would hurt so much less than the pain in my heart."

He looked back at his brother. "And then one day I tried it, but someone was there to stop me. Someone in as much pain as me. We moved on together. I'm not going back, Damon." Stefan's mouth twisted. "Lexi told me a long time ago that you weren't good for me. I shoulda listened to her."

"What about Elena?" Damon asked.

"I loved her with all my heart, and that love almost destroyed me. I need to stay away from her." Stefan stood up. "I wish your family well, Damon. Thanks for the drink."

A stunned Damon sat, a deep sadness filling him. He had missed his brother terribly. He was so filled with regret, so sure that time would heal the wounds, and they could start over. He rested his head in his hands. He let despair wash over him for a moment. He had never imagined that Stefan would not forgive him, would refuse to see Elena. He mentally shook himself. He would not give up. He just had to regroup and try again. He was always able to wear Stefan down, and he would do it this time. He just couldn't lose track of him.

He quickly left the bar, stepping out into the oppressive heat that was normal even for this time of the night. He listened carefully for Stefan's footsteps and then got on the moving platform. So intent was he on tracking his brother that he was caught completely unawares. He was swept off the moving walkway and knocked down a level to the street.

So startled was he, that he was pushed up against the smooth cement building in an alleyway before he even thought to defend himself. He attempted to break free only to end up on the filthy street, a big boot pressing his face into the debris. He was disgusted with himself for being overpowered so easily.

"Hello, Damon."

That was definitely a voice from the past, and Damon soon put a name to it. "Tyler."

"You always were a sharp one." An amused sarcastic voice replied from above him.

"Are you going to take your nasty foot off my face?"

"Depends. Is your nasty face going to listen like a reasonable person, or are you going to be a typical Damon dick?"

"I'll listen."

The foot was removed, and Damon slowly got to his feet, carefully brushing his face and clothes, totally unhappy about the filth on them. He looked around to see Tyler casually standing, arms crossed, careful not to lean against the grimy building walls.

Damon acidly asked, "Couldn't you find a cleaner place to dump me?"

Tyler shrugged. "I'm not too particular about what I do to you."

Damon stood warily, hands hanging loose at his sides, eyes scanning the area, prepared to defend himself if necessary. "So are you going to tell me why you attacked me?"

Tyler shrugged. "Simple. Stay away from Stefan."

Damon's eyes narrowed angrily. "He's my brother. I'll decide if I leave him alone or not."

"You gave him up a long time ago," Tyler replied. "I'm not going to have a debate with you."

"You shouldn't be so cocky, hybrid boy. Klaus would be interested to know where you are." Damon went on the attack, making his tone as offensive as possible, stressing the word boy.

"Yeah, he would," Tyler admitted. "And it would be just like you to mess things up for Stefan. You make it a habit to kill his friends or destroy every relationship he's ever had. Why should now be any different?"

Tyler started to walk away, tossing over his shoulder. "One bite from me, and you get the miserable death you've more than earned, so think twice before you try to contact your brother again."

Damon took a deep breath. What Tyler said hurt, but he acknowledged there was some truth in it. "Wait. So have you two been traveling together?"

Tyler stopped, but didn't turn around or answer.

"I need to know he's okay." Damon's quiet words made Tyler turn back to him.

He didn't move any closer, but he didn't retreat either. "Yeah, we stick close. Neither one of us wants to be alone. I need a pack. He needs someone to stop him when he thinks he's gonna lose it." Tyler jammed his hands in his pockets. "He's been in control for a long time now. Don't ruin it, Damon. Don't bring her around. Don't let her drive him over the edge again."

Tyler looked away from the vampire for a moment and then turned back to say fiercely, "You say you care about him. Then prove it. Leave him alone. It's the best thing you can do for him."

Tyler whooshed away leaving Damon alone in the alley. Alone with his thoughts.