A/N Finally! Here is the last chapter of what turned into an extremely long story (by my standards!) I hope it is OK and that you figure out who the stranger is. Thanks to my faithful reviewers and to those reading along. I won't be writing for a while for various reasons but you can still check out SilverFoxPunk's and my collaboration, 'Now That You're Gone' under our joint authorship: sleepwell-silverfox. It is a true love triangle (wink wink). Until next time, read and review, SW

Oh, and I know this is frowned on, but listen to the song below while you read this chapter. It is Damon and Stefan's relationship!

Matthew Good Band, 'Weapon'. Music and lyrics owned by the band.

Here by my side, an angel. Here by my side, the devil. Never turn your back on me. Never turn your back on me again. Here by my side, it's heaven. Here by my side, you are destruction. Here by my side, a new colour to paint the world.

Never turn your back on it. Never turn your back on it again. Here by my side, it's heaven. Careful, be careful. Careful, be careful. This is where the world drops off, where the world drops off. Careful, be careful.

And you breathe in. And you breathe out. For it ain't so weird how it makes you a weapon. And you give in. And you give out. For it ain't so weird how it makes you weapon.

Never turn your back on it. Never turn your back on it again. Careful, be careful. Here by my side it's heaven.

Feeling his brother's arm wrap around his shoulders, he instantly became calmer, confident. Glancing briefly at Stefan's chiseled profile, he could see by the telltale clenched jaw muscle that his brother was anything but relaxed. He hoped the other vampire wouldn't say anything to set Stefan off.

"Hello" his younger brother's voice practically dripped with insincerity, "I don't believe we've had the pleasure of a formal introduction. I'm Stefan Salvatore." And he held out his hand.

The other man regarded the proffered appendage. He laughed rather sardonically and ignored it. "Oh, I know who you are. I followed your early accomplishments with much interest. A shame you gave up such an illustrious career to chase bunny rabbits. Scandalous waste of talent." The vampire shook his head ruefully.

He felt the arm across his shoulders stiffen. "I'm sorry you feel that way." Stefan's voice had gone cold. "But that is not a time period I care to revisit. And Damon doesn't need to share in those memories either." With that, his brother began to pull him away, moving him down the street.

"Whoa, there. Didn't mean to offend your sensibilities, Stefan. It's endearing that you are so protective of your older brother. Not wanting him to hear all the fascinating details of your 'Ripper' era. Of course, I'm sure that Damon shares all of his misadventures each time the two of you become reacquainted." The last statement was framed as a question, with innuendo placed in every word. He felt himself grow uneasy. Where was this heading?

Stefan stopped walking, his arm dropping from its perch around his shoulders. Stefan turned slowly to face the handsome vampire who continued to smile, seemingly enjoying himself.

"What my brother does or doesn't do is none of your concern. He is free to do what he wants. And we would appreciate you leaving us alone from here on out. We are peaceful vampires and we don't want any trouble. With you or anyone else."

Crap. Stefan really knew how to come off like a sanctimonious prick sometimes. And this was probably not a good time for such a self-righteous speech. This smug, condescending asshole wouldn't let them just walk away after that.

"I see." The vampire's smile vanished, his expression shifting to evil.

"So, the fact that Damon spends more time stalking and fucking men than he does stalking and killing human prey isn't news to you? Hmm. I was led to believe that you were concerned for his soul, Stefan, that you disapproved of his reckless killing of humans.

The rumours would have me believe that the two of you fight because of your different 'philosophies' regarding how to live amongst the living. But, no. In reality, it is the banal human emotions of jealousy and rage that rip the two of you apart each time.

How pedestrian. I'm disappointed. In both of you. You aren't 'peaceful' vampires. You are boring vampires, hardly worthy of the honour bestowed upon you."

Yep. This evening just kept getting worse. He had felt Stefan become increasingly rigid during the vampire's tirade, his brother's body temperature dropping with each sentence uttered. Maybe he should try to diffuse the tension clearly building between Stefan and the other vampire.

"OK. Dude. You don't know what the hell you're talking about. You've met me a few times and you think you know me? You think you know us? You don't. So, shut the hell up and fuck off." Maybe that last sentence wasn't the wisest to have thrown out there. Whatever. At this point, bravado was all he had.

His words were met with a snarl. "Oh Damon. I do know you. Better than you think. It is my business to be familiar with all vampires who walk the earth. And I take a special interest in some. I've been following your brother since Kathryn turned him. I've learned many things about him as well.

The most salient fact being that you, Damon, are everything to your dearly loved Stefan. He would do anything for you, to keep you safe, to keep you alive. And that, my sweet, is a fatal flaw in an otherwise perfect vampire. "

"Brotherly love." The vampire's tone was sarcastic, mocking. " I understand the concept. I, too, have been afflicted with such a bond. However, this type of connection to a sibling can be tedious, dangerous. It can prevent one from becoming who he was truly meant to be. "

Stefan's breathing was uneven, his voice hitched. "Well, if it is me that you are so fascinated by, then why have you been stalking my brother? Why bring him into this? To what end?"

"Because he is the way to you. And," the smirking vampire added, twisting the knife, "because he's a good fuck."

Before he could react, Stefan had hurled himself at the seemingly impervious vampire, snarling, fangs gleaming in the dark. He didn't detect any movement from the other, but almost instantly, Stefan was flying through the air, smashing into a tree some distance from the walkway.

He ran to where his brother lay still, twisted on the grass. He knelt and gathered Stefan into his arms. Looking up, he glared at the vampire now leaning casually against the tree.

"What the hell do you want from him? Why are you doing this to us?" He yelled in frustration, in fear for his brother. Struggled for self-control he continued, " I don't understand any of this. But touch him again, and I swear to God, you're dead."

The omnipotent vampire had resumed his now familiar, amused expression.

"Damon, Damon, Damon. You are so delightful. Really. You like to portray yourself as the 'bad boy' of the Salvatore brothers, your reputation is that of, how do you Americans say it, a 'hard ass'? You turn off that switch in order to live your true vampire nature. But you can't maintain that persona, the magnificence of being a vampire. Because of your brother. Time and time again you revert to that self loathing, lonely man who loves only one. You crave him, need his presence to remind you of who you once were.

And the one you hold in such esteem struggles to love you back. He feels guilt, self reproach, every time he looks at you. He hates how you live because, deep down, he wants to live like that too. But he has promised himself that he will live a 'different' kind of vampire life. He wants to be noble, magnanimous. He longs to prove that vampires can still retain their humanity.

Don't you see, Damon? He is trying to redeem himself. For what he did to you. For turning you, giving you immortality. He sees what he did as a sin, not for the gift it really was. The two of you will never be able to live in harmony. You are doomed to this pattern of coming together and parting in acrimony. But Stefan is fated for greater things than spending eternity sparring with you. Therefore, I need you gone. I want to help him fulfill his destiny."

This guy was nuts. Certifiably insane. Seriously? Destiny? What destiny? Stefan seemed an unlikely candidate for some mastermind vampire plan.

"When you say 'gone', what exactly do you mean?" he drawled, "I'm just asking because I have no intention of leaving my brother alone with you." He could feel Stefan begin to stir, he was regaining consciousness. Dammit, he didn't want Stefan hearing any of this crazy shit.

"Gone. As in 'no longer present.' Leave and don't come back to him. Ever. If you do, I will kill you and anyone else Stefan has come to care about. Stay, and I kill you now. Either way, you are to leave him alone. Forever."

"Yeah, OK. Not going to happen. Any of it."

"Damon." Stefan whispered, "I think he means it. We should think about this." His brother pulled himself awkwardly into a sitting position, leaning back into him for support.

He wrapped his arms around his younger brother, resting his chin on the top of his head, not caring how this position might look to the imposing vampire.

"I'm not leaving you with this psycho. The guy is a creep." He tightened his embrace. "I'm not going to let him hurt you."

"Admirable. But ridiculous. You don't get it, Damon. I can't be stopped. By you or any other vampire on this planet. And if you don't walk away, I will kill you. And if you try to stop me, I'll kill your brother too. I want him but I can make do without his existence. You can't. You don't want to be responsible for his death. So be a good boy and run along. " The vampire made shooing movements with his arms.

"I promise I'll take good care of him. In fact, I'll leave him alone for a while yet. I just need you out of the picture; Stefan needs to do some things over the next decade or so. Things that will help my plan come to fruition when the time is right. And he needs to do this without interference from you."

Oh my god. This freak sounded like a bad sci-fi movie villain. What the hell was he on about?

"Damon. I think he's serious. He will kill you. Please. I don't want that, I couldn't bear it. Not after everything we've been through. Please, Damon. Listen to him."

He closed his eyes, his thoughts racing furiously as he struggled to formulate a plan, a way out. If he left now, there was still a chance to resolve this, to come back and claim Stefan once again. He needed to find out who this vampire was and what his wacked-out 'plan' involved. And why he needed Stefan to accomplish it.

Standing, he faced the enigmatic figure. "If I do this, do you promise not to hurt him? Do you swear that he'll be OK?"

The other vampire reached out his hand, stroked his cheek. "My dear Damon, I swear that as long as Stefan cooperates, I will not hurt him. And, as a gesture of my goodwill, I will give the two of you one last night together. Although," he leered, "I would prefer one last night with you, just the two of us. Our last encounter was most enjoyable." And with a final annoying, mocking laugh, he was gone.

"Damon, will you listen to reason for once? The only chance we have of getting out of this alive is for you to leave now. Leave and devise a plan. And then come back and save the day. Like you love to do. It's the right move. You know it and I know it. So, in the morning you will be gone. Right?"

He sighed. Their argument had been going round and round for what seemed liked hours. They were getting nowhere. He wanted to fight the fanger when the jerk returned and Stefan wanted him gone before the asshole showed up at their hotel room.

He plunked himself down on the bed, flopping onto his back. Reached out for Stefan's hand. Squeezed it tightly and pulled, causing Stefan to land on top of him with an 'oomph'.

Stefan laughed and kissed him. Kissed him again. He was suddenly flooded with emotion. He reached up, cupped the back of his brother's head and drew him down. Their kiss quickly became passionate, their need for each other overriding everything else.

He stroked his brother's back, gripped Stefan's hips as his brother began to grind his erection against him. "Shit" he murmured into the mouth dominating his lips, commanding his tongue, "You feel so good."

Stefan responded by shifting his own weight, creating a small space between them. A space that was soon filled with Stefan's hand fisting him, tugging in the way Stefan knew he liked, his younger brother's ring scraping along the tender, swollen flesh.

"Christ" he exclaimed, meaningful words escaping him. "I need to be inside you. I need to feel you around me."

Stefan hoisted himself into a sitting position. Supporting himself on one arm, Stefan guided his hard, pulsing cock inside. They both gasped aloud, staring into each other's eyes as their bodies adjusted to the heady sensation of their union.

He felt Stefan's cool hands on his chest as his brother began to rock himself slowly forwards and backwards, up and down, then gaining momentum and speed with each pass. His own hips rose to meet Stefan each time, his cock thrusting deeper into the body on top of his.

Their bodies continued to express what they were desperate to say, what needed to be said before the morning light.

Afterwards, lying there, his brother collapsed upon him, he longed for a return to the moment before the unwelcomed intruder had made himself known. He desperately wanted more time with his brother, needed to keep touching him, reassuring himself that their love was still there, still real.

As if reading his thoughts, his brother kissed him and muttered, "You I love. Now. Forever. Together or apart. For always."

There was a pounding at the door. Their eyes met, their mutual fear for the other reflected in blown pupils. Before either brother could respond, the interloper was at the foot of the bed.

"Well, my darlings" the vampire gushed, "The time has come to bid a fond farewell. 'O woe! O woeful, woeful, woeful day! Most lamentable day. Most woeful day that ever, ever I did yet behold!' Or something along those lines. I never could abide that loathsome man and his plagiarized iambic pentameter. Now come along Stefan, I need a few words with you in the hall."

Without glancing at him again, Stefan swiftly dressed and left the room with the other vampire.

With a sinking heart, he slowly climbed from the rumpled sheets and dressed. Turning, he found himself nose to nose with the now-hated vampire. "Damon. Alone again at last." The muscular man reached out and cupped his jaw, holding it in a steely grip. "Your beloved Stefan is gone. I had to compel him. He now hates you, thinking only of how you betrayed his love time and time again with oh so many men, in oh so many ways. Tsk Tsk, Damon, you naughty, slutty vampire. How could you treat the only one you've ever truthfully loved in such a fashion?" The laughter that followed the revelation was cruel, spiteful.

"Fuck you" he yelled, unable to contain himself. "You can't compel another vampire. He'll remember what you've done and hate you for it."

"Well, yes. Eventually that may be true. Compelling other vampires can only be done by a very select few of us. And it doesn't always last forever. But it will hold long enough for Stefan to carry on without you for years, to develop 'feelings' for others, to forge a life for himself that doesn't include you."

"Yeah, but I'll know what you've done, I'll come after you." He knocked the arm that was holding him away.

"Sorry, my dear." The other vampire shook his head. "You won't. Because I am going to compel you too. All you're going to be able to focus on is your hatred and jealousy of your younger brother and your desire to stay away from him. For a very long time. Until, maybe, one day, the compelling fades away and you decide to seek him out. But by then it will be too late. He'll no longer be yours."

"You sick bastard." With a defeated groan, he sat down heavily on the unmade bed. "I'll never forgive you for this."

"You won't remember that you've met me, Damon. So there will be no grudge to hold against me. If we ever meet again it will be under much different circumstances, I assure you. Now look at me Damon, look into my eyes. There's a sweetheart."

He was in a shitty little bar. Listening to some god-awful band belt out a cover of The Rolling Stones' 'Paint It Black'. He couldn't stop drinking, he knew he was going to get extremely wasted. He also knew that he was going to take that tall, sinewy, green eyed boy seated across the room back to his hotel room and fuck him. Right before he killed him. Like he'd done a hundred times before.