Author's Note: Immediately follows 1x09: "History Repeating."

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Damon lingers.

He wants to leave--wants to tear the entire town to bloody shreds.

He goes to the Gilbert house instead.

They've fallen asleep with the lights on, a tangle of girl and downy comforters. He smells the salty residue of their tears.

He doesn't look at Elena.

Bonnie's neck is bared, graceful and unblemished. Stefan's blood wiped away every trace of him; it thrums in her veins, accusatory.

A deal is a deal, but he's not the one who reneged. That should matter.

Damon runs.

He can still taste her, like bile in the back of his throat.