So this is an AU story. I was kinda bummed due to the lack of Stefan/Damon scenes AGAIN... and it got me wondering how different things would have been if he was there. I'm thinking of making this a multi-chaptered story but I need to get ideas rolling first. So this is the prologue of sorts, I guess you can say.

It's taking everything in him not to lunge, to pounce. It's Elena, his Elena..and now, his next prey.

He's curled up on the ground. Agony spreads through his body as he tries so hard to fight the compulsion. All he can think about is Elena, the tantalizing arch of her neck, how sweet her blood would taste, how easy it would be to sink his fangs into her flesh and just take and take and take.

He can hear her running, sees her slip through the door and disappear out of his sight.

He growls because that's not good enough. He can smell her.

His body lurches forward and he follows her into the school hallway. He slams himself repeatedly to the lockers, the pain grounding him for a while. It buys Elena time to get away, but she needs to run faster.

Run faster, Elena, please, please please…

He moans as a fresh wave of pain runs through him. He slides down the lockers, panting. The longer he fights the compulsion, the more excruciating the pain. He wants to give in so bad, because it hurts.

But he can't. Not now. Not after everything.

So he stops. He just stops and curls himself into a ball in the middle of the deserted hallway. His fingernails bite into his hands as he refuses to listen to his feet's insistent tug towards Elena, drawing blood.

"No, no, no, no, no," he mumbles repeatedly to himself, squeezing his eyes shut. He slams his head against one of the lockers when a sudden spike of pain stabs at him. He bites his tongue hard to stop himself from screaming. He's never felt anything like this. Every inch of him is just dying to listen to Klaus, to obey.

The harder he struggles, the stronger the pull. He curls into himself even more, arms locked tight around him. He doesn't know anything anymore, just constant pain. His surroundings are hazy to him, nothing but mere shadows.

He shuts Elena out of his mind. He can't think about her. Thinking of her will only make the thirst stronger. He desperately searches his mind for something to anchor him.

Damon.

Where the hell is Damon? He should be here. He's supposed to look out for….

Stefan whimpers. It's like his insides are burning.

He needs Damon, he thinks foggily. Damon would know what to do. Damon always knows what to do.

"Damon, Damon, Damon, Damon, Damon," he whispers, holding on to the mantra with his life.

And maybe it's in his mind, but somehow, the pain lessens just a little.

Damon will come. Damon always comes for him. Even after he screwed up, after everything he's done, Damon always comes back for him.

He just has to wait. He can do that. He'll wait. Stefan drops his forehead to the cold tiles and breathes out.

"Damon, Damon, Damon, Damon, Damon, Damon…"

So what do you guys think? Should I continue? Does it make sense that fighting against the compulsion would cause the body a lot of pain?