I stood there in the dark listening impatiently to the witches' chant. The torches flared up and the stone door slid open. I walked to the opening and looked to Elena, "You ready?"

"What?" Elena asked with a wary glance at me.

"Like I'm going to go in there by myself so you can seal me in." I said glaring at the Bennett Witches. I yanked Elena to my side harshly but I didn't care. I could feel her shock but I didn't let it effect me.

"Don't take her in" the older witch warned. "I'll bring the walls down."

They really thought I would fall for that! "You'll bring the walls down if I don't, you think I trust you?" I sneered.

"As much as I trust you." She countered.

I was about to make an angry retort but Elena cut in. "Enough, both of you. Look he needs leverage. He needs to know that your not going to shut the door when he gets inside." Smart girl, "I get it."

She looked at me with her trusting eyes so unlike Katherine, "I'll go."

Well I wasn't going to miss my chance. I reached down for one of the torches, "May I?"

I walked inside the tomb with Elena right behind me. I let her follow me down the steps. My eyes darting around everywhere, searching for Katherine. I was so close. I forced myself not to race through the tomb to keep Elena near me, if anything happened to her Stefan would have my head.

The starved vampires deep inside made a desperate chilling moan when the sensed Elena and her blood. "What is that?" Elena asked me in a scared voice.

"The can sense you." I answered softly. "Now where is she?" I asked to no one. I used my vampire speed to race ahead of Elena and deeper into the tomb.

"Damon!" I heard Elena call after me but I just kept searching a bag of blood in one hand the torch in the other.

I saw the others I looked into each of their half dead faces and saw Katherine in none of them. I've waited for her all these years and now when I finally find a way to get her out I can't find her. Where are you Katherine! My dead heart was slowing ripping in half leaving me feeling drained and weak. The only thing I've ever wanted always slipping out of reach, not this time. No not this time. I let my love for Katherine turn me against my little brother. The little brother I once loved so much. If there was no Katherine any longer all that hatred was for nothing. Katherine had to be there, she had to be.

I turned around hearing Elena scream in terror. I itched to help her but I couldn't leave my search.

My heart tightened with panic. Katherine wasn't here she was never here. Where is she! I pounded my fists in desperation, no! I picked up a bag and shoved it down. I kicked it savagely.

"She's not here." I murmured deliriously.

"Damon." I heard Stefan say.

"She's not here."

"What?" he asked.

I couldn't take it anymore. "She's not here!" I screamed in pain, hurt, anger, and frustration. I threw the blood bag against the wall and blood went streaming down. Stefan stared at me in shock at a loss for anything to say.

"Stefan they cant hold it much longer!" I heard Elena racing down the steps.

"Damon we need to get out of here." Stefan said to me but I barely heard him.

"It doesn't make sense they locked her inside." I said shaking my head. I was so close to my breaking point.

"If we don't leave now we're not getting out." Stefan said to me loudly.

"How could she not be in here?" I said outloud.

"It's not worth spending all eternity down here, she's not worth it." Stefan said to me begging me to listen. He put his hand on my shoulder and I flung myself around shaking him off with a growl. "No!" I don't care I thought, if I couldn't have Katherine what else would I have to live for. Then she was there, Katherine. No it was just Elena I thought with heart wrenching disappointment.

"Damon!" Elena called to me with concern. "Please." She begged me. All I could think was Elena. She was the only thing able to pull me out of that tomb. I shrugged my jacket back up and followed her out.

The stone door slid shut behind me and I put my hands to the wall. In darkness I turned and watched Elena hug Stefan tight.

I watched Elena and Stefan run to her brother without really seeing anything. I stared at the ground feeling completely empty. For over a century my goal was to open the tomb and release Katherine, to have her back in my arms after so long. That dream was shattered into a million pieces, never to put back together. The feeling of losing Katherine was as strong as it was the night they took her away in 1864. Almost a hundred and fifty years later I could still feel the icy terror that clenched my heart when she was put into the back of the wagon. I had buried that feeling of loss so far down covering it with the hope of Emily's spell. There was no hope left, the loss consumed me so completely I could barely keep myself standing. Then Elena, who reminded me so much of Katherine but at the same time was so different, walked over to me. Her eyes filled with sympathy for my grief, and wrapped her warm arms around me and held me tightly. I lifted one frozen hand to lightly touch her lower back. Even her soft and loving touch couldn't save me from the ocean of pain I was drowning in, nothing could.