Title: Dear Agony

Author: Experiment 2637452

Genre: Romance/Angst

Pairing: Dean/Damon Damon/Klaus

Rating: M

Summary:

"I found you."

"In order to find someone they have to be missing," Damon mumbled but Caroline heard it perfectly with her vampire hearing.

"No...In order to find someone, someone else has to look for them...and I was," Caroline said as she walked up to sit next to Damon on the fallen log near the edge of a cliff. They were in the middle of the woods, the cliff overlooked even more of the forest and had a clear view of the stars and moon overhead.

Damon didn't reply and just took a sip from a bottle of whiskey.

"Did saint Stefan send you?" Damon finally asked after twenty minutes of silence.

"No," Caroline answered but Damon rolled his eyes, "Okay well he's looking for you and has told everyone to keep an eye out but...I came here knowing it was one of your secret places...This is were you come to be alone...and I know that sometimes people should be alone but with your track record we can't really afford that and I'm worried about you because this totally sucks and I can't even imagine what you must be going through and-"

"Stop! Just...shut up!" Damon snapped.

"Eep...sorry. How are you?" Caroline asked.

"Do you really have to ask? Look...I promise not to kill anyone. I'm just going to sit here and drink and...think...and drink more," Damon replied.

"Okay well...I'll drink with you! I'll be your drinking buddy!" Caroline went for the bottle but Damon pulled out of reached, cradled it into his chest, and glared at her with his vampire thirst eyes.

"Just go away Barbie! I already have a drinkin buddy and it ain't you!" Damon hissed.

"Do...do you want me to bring Alaric?" Caroline whispered. Normally Damon being in a mood wasn't anything new, but this was different. This was Damon's attitude when Tyler bit him and he had accepted his death and had given up. He may be a jerk, but like with everyone else, Damon grew on them. It would be very weird if he wasn't there anymore and no one wanted him gone really.

Well...maybe that wasn't true. Dean Winchester had turned his back on Damon and hadn't returned. No one understood what happened. Dean and Damon has gotten along like Scooby Doo and Shaggy. They were inseparable. It was similar to what Damon had with Alaric but there was something more. Their bond was more than anyone could understand.

Then something happened and they just stopped talking with one another. Dean left, which caused for Sam to leave as well though he was well adjusted and happy living in Mystic Falls. It was a weird town and he had a weird life. It was a perfect match. But his brother was leaving and no matter how well a friend you were to Sam Winchester, his brother came first.

They expected to hear from them. After a while the whole gang had become friends with the brothers. At first it went days without a word, days turned to weeks, weeks turned to months, and months turned into a year. Finally Sam made contact with Stefan and they reconnected. Sam reconnected with everyone. Everyone but Damon.

Dean never called.

Sam would come to visit every once in a while, but he was always solo.

Damon being Damon pretended that he didn't care. His outer shell as strong and polished as ever. He drank every day in vast amounts. He was almost never home, and when he was seen he had his arm draped around some new girl. He would disappear from time to time for days at a time and when he returned he'd be covered in blood.

"No...I don't wanna see nobody. That's why I'm here in the middle of the woods...alone," Damon grumbled.

Caroline sighed and grabbed Damon's arm, "Lets go home Damon. It's not safe out here."

Damon stood up with her and looked up towards the sky longingly. "Not safe...not here, not in town...no, nowhere is safe."

There was about a fourth of whiskey left in the bottle and Damon finished it and then threw the bottle over the edge. It took a few moments before Caroline heard it crash.

They walked in silence back towards the Boarding House. They could have used their vampire speed to get back but they didn't.

She wasn't used to seeing Damon like this. So serious. It was depressing and worrying. But there was nothing she could do. Not with the letter Sam sent Stefan inviting him and Elena and the gang minus Damon to Dean's wedding.

Call it her being blonde or her bubbly obliviousness that comes with being "Caroline" but she just had to ask, "Damon...do you still feel?"

It was a whisper.

So quiet that no one without vampire heard would have been able to hear it. But Damon did and he stopped in his tracks and looked at Caroline.

Yes he had drank an entire bottle but for a vampire it isn't the same. He was tipsy but still had a good grip on life.

No not life...he had a grip on reality, and slowly that was disappearing.

It wasn't that he hadn't thought about it. It could all be so easy if he could but he couldn't. Not anymore. Now all he had was pretending...but it wasn't enough.

"I do..." it took a moment for the words to register in his mind and when they did he burst out laughing. It frightened Caroline more than anything. When he calmed down Damon shook his head and continued walking.

"Damon!" Caroline called after him.

"It's who I am Barbie. I'm used to it by now. Don't worry about me...I've gone over a century and a half and I'm still going...I love myself too much to give anyone the pleasure of ever kicking the bucket."

Caroline just watched as Damon walked towards his home. She knew she couldn't do more but it didn't make her feel any less helpless. She sighed. It was Stefan's responsibility now to look after him. She only hoped Stefan was enough to get through to Damon, she really did.

Damon walked into the Boarding House and headed right towards the bar. He enjoyed the bottle he had before Caroline interrupted him but he loved his collection better. Serving himself a glass he chugged it down and served himself another glass that quickly disappeared also. Serving himself his third glass was when a throat was cleared and he turned around to his semi surprise to find Sam Winchester.

Damon raised an eyebrow before throwing back his drink, turning around to serve himself another, and yelled over his shoulder, "Steph! You got company!"

"It's good to see you too Damon," Sam said.

"Really? That's weird...seeing as I'm a total dick and all," Damon replied and then closed his eyes and took a sip of his drink, "Stefan! It's rude to keep people waiting? Geeze, you'd think he wasn't raised in the 1800's where we actually had manners."

"Stefan's not here. He stepped out," Sam said.

"Oh, well then, I suppose you're free to await Saint Stefan's return. You know where the kitchen and bathroom is. I couldn't care less if you snooped around, just stay out of my room and study..." Damon said and headed towards the door.

"Wait! Damon...we need to talk," Sam said.

"I can't imagine what we could possible have to discuss Sammy-Whammy. Side's I have other things to do that need my attention," Damon replied.

"I need your help. I don't want to bother Dean right now...but there's something weird going on near the town...where we're staying. He's busy and hasn't noticed and I want to take care of things before he catches on..." Sam said awkwardly.

Damon rolled his eyes. Seemed that baby brother wanted to keep his brothers dream of finally going into normalcy intact.

"Can't you just ask my baby bro?" Damon asked.

"I could but...you're better at hunting. Please," Sam pleaded.

Damon sighed, "Sure...why not. I could use something to kill without getting Saint's Stefan and Elena on my back. Just leave me the details and I'll take care of everything. Consider it my gift to the bride and groom," Damon said without hiding the bitterness in his voice. He was Damon fucking Salvator. The only person he needed to pretend to was himself but he would do it for no one else. If people wanted to act weird around him because of whatever this was then he'd give them a reason.

"Um...okay. See there seemed to be signs of vampire attacks but they're different," Sam said after the moment of shock left him.

"Different how?" Damon asked as he inspected some bottles. Shrugging after a while he just drank from one of the bottles.

"Uh...yeah, um...they had traces of werewolf like characteristics," Sam said in a confused tone.

Damon's eyes widened.

And then he sighed.

Of course they wouldn't know. They had left before any of the Klaus business started. They had no idea of hybrids or originals...

"Go back to wherever you came from Sammy-Whammy. I've got things under control. I promise by tomorrow everything will be okay," Damon promised.

"How can you be so sure?" Sam asked.

"I'm a vampire Sammy-Whammy, this things is part vampire. I'll just find this dick and give him our secret hand shake and make him stop...who knows I might try to kill him if I see fit," Damon replied.

Before Sam could say something Damon raced out of the house and into the night.

It was almost like second nature for Damon to end up at the Mystic Grill. Though he already had more of his share of drinking he walked towards the bar anyway. He wouldn't drink but it was his perfect place to come up with a plan. He needed a clear mind.

After creating his pack of hybrids and the whole fiasco with reviving his family, Klaus and his siblings disappeared. Damon assumed that most of them would have fled the country all together but he supposed that one of them, namely Klaus, would stay behind, ready to cause mischief.

"Aren't you drunk enough?"

"Considering I'm still conscious...no," Damon whispered.

Alaric shook his head and took a seat next to Damon.

"Stefan texted me about Sam coming for help. He doesn't know about the hybrid and we think it's best if we kept it from them," Alaric said.

"You keep telling me stuff as if I'd care. Besides it's their fault for not sticking around to find out how much as an asshole Klaus was," Damon said.

"Well what are we going to do?" Alaric asked.

"We aren't doing anything...okay no, that's a lie. You're going to go look for a tux or suit or whatever because you have a wedding to go to. I'll take a trip and fix things...that's what I do...I fix things so others can have happy lives...while I get to go to creepy places and decapitate monsters and get covered in their blood..."

Alaric was about to say something when Damon's phone rang and he gave Alaric the wait a moment finger and picked up.

"Lo?" Damon answered.

"Had a few drinks I see."

"Well that makes things so much easier...no wait I don't know where you are. Where are you?" Damon asked.

"Not tactful when intoxicated huh Damon mate?" Klaus asked amused on the other line.

"No...I just don't like beating around the bush. I'm sick and tired and not in the fucking mood. So just tell me where you are so we can deal and get this over with," Damon demanded.

"Hmm...this could be interesting," Klaus said and with Damon's hearing he heard a familiar engine roar on the other side of the phone but shook his head. It just reminded him of his car.

"My hybrids are a few cities over Damon. Why not come for a visit. I'll make sure to clean the place up for you," Klaus said and then hung up.

"Pft...rude," Damon said as he stared at his phone. He then got a text that told him where he needed to go.

"Who was it?" Alaric asked.

"No one. I got to go. You be good now and take care of the kids okay?" Damon said and walked towards the door. Once outside he ran at vampire speed so even though Alaric followed him he couldn't catch up to him.

Stopping by the house just to pick up his car, Damon was as quick as he could so he wouldn't alert Sam or Stefan. Once he had his keys and his car he was on the road.

He couldn't stop the thoughts that entered his mind.

He was tired. So tired. With everything he had to face with Katherine, the lying manipulating bitch, then with Elena, and little affairs that took their toll on him as well...he was playing with fire when he and Dean were messing around. He knew that but that didn't stop him. He hadn't gotten burned at first, it caused his arrogance to grow. He didn't realize that he was being burned, only he was too distracted to feel the pain, but he felt it now. And god did it hurt.

It was worse then when his mother died and left him alone without anyone to love him. If felt worse then when his father rejected him. Worse then when he and Stefan became monsters. Worse then either Katherine of Elena.

While Stefan was in his "Ripper" phase they had a conversation. He had told his litter brother that he lived his immortal life on the edge. That was were he stood because he had the balance to do it, unlike Stefan who just kept falling over the edge...

It just finally happened to him.

He had fallen over the edge.

He was crashing.

And it was a freaking Hunter who pushed him over.

Damon was used to being the one who did the pushing. The one who broke the rules. The one who walked away...

The taste of his own medicine sucked.

He wished he hadn't been saved of that werewolf bite. Even though it hurt like a bitch it was comforting in a away. Though he loved being the eternal stud, a major part of him was tired and gladly welcomed death.

In the middle of the night he slowed his car into a complete stop. The night was foggy but he didn't mind. He didn't even bother to notice as the wheels in his mind began to turn. If he was bitten once more...he'd be lost in his illusions. Klaus would be long gone and he doesn't really care to bargain from anything anyone in Mystic Fall may have to offer.

And if he could help it, no one in Mystic Falls would find out until it was too late.

In the midst of his illusions he'll discard his ring and walk into the sun...

I have nothing left to give
I have found the perfect end
You were made to make it hurt
Disappear into the dirt
Carry me to heaven's arms
Light the way and let me go
Take the time to take my breath
I will end where I began

In the end Damon supposed it was practically his fault. His jealousy of Stefan. He blamed Stefan for the death of their mother. Blamed him for taking her away from him when it really wasn't his fault. But he was so young and in so much pain. He wanted his little brother to feel the same hurt he did.

Damon always thought there was someone to hate, that there was always an enemy. Be it his brother, his father, or someone else...he just never thought he'd be his own enemy.

He walked around with this bravado and arrogance to hide the fact that he was feeling. Feeling were weakness and he refused to be hurt anymore, but that was the ending result each time.

He instigated everything, and so he lost everything.

He was his own worst enemy.

And I will find the enemy within
Because I can feel it crawl beneath my skin

Arriving at a seemingly empty warehouse Damon rolled his eyes and put his car in park.

"Yeah, that doesn't scream trap," Damon whispered and walked out of the car. The night, like the day, and every life, even his own, had to end eventually. "Might as well get this over with."

Dear Agony
Just let go of me
Suffer slowly
Is this the way it's got to be?
Dear Agony

"Yo Klaus! You here?" Damon called out as he opened a very squeaky door.

"Hello? Your door can do with some oil. Very noisy," Damon said and to prove his point he wiggled the door and made it cry out.

"Damon...good of you to join us," Klaus said as he appeared behind some boxes.

Had he not basically been on a suicide mission or Damon Salvator, he would have been nervous. This was right out of a movie.

"Yes well, you see, a friend of mine is getting married but he's a hunter and your hybrids haven't been keeping a low profile," Damon said.

"Haven't they? Well I'll see that they get the memo," Klaus picked up his cell and waited a moment before he said, "Pick up and move out. You're all being rude. Move three states over...now."

"Wow...just like that?" Damon asked as he stepped closer to Klaus.

"Just like that mate," Klaus shrugged.

"Why?" Damon asked.

"Consider it a wedding gift," Klaus replied.

"How embarrassing, we got him the same gift," Damon said.

"Shame indeed...Oh, I know. It wouldn't be embarrassing if we were together," Klaus said.

"What do you mean?" Damon asked suspiciously.

Klaus smirked, " A little birdy told me that you weren't invited. Frankly I think that's very rude, assuming the rumors were correct. And I've heard much about these hunters but they haven't heard of me...I think we should be introduced. And what better way than to crash the wedding and be your date?"

"My date?" Damon echoed.

"Yes," Klaus said.

"What will I get in return?" Damon asked.

"Seeing the face of that stupid human as he sees you with perfection," Klaus said as he gestured to himself. Damon's lips rose a little into a tiny smile.

"As great as I think you think that is, I'll need something more. I'll be getting a lecture from at least five people whose names I actually know. I don't even want to imagine the ones whose names I don't," Damon said.

"What do you want Damon?" Klaus asked.

"...Death."

Suddenly
The lights go out
Let forever
Drag me down
I will fight for one last breath
I will fight until the end

The hybrids moved away and all activity in all forms of supernatural stopped around the area where Sam and Dean lived. Stefan had demanded many times what he had done but he always ignored him.

He was doing it to himself again.

He'd get his last wish, but he had to go through seeing the one who actually beat him at his own game again.

Before he knew it the morning of the wedding had arrived. Everyone had already left for the ceremony. He was in front of a mirror fixing an imaginary problem with his cuffs that were already perfect.

He was nervous.

"You look ravishing," Klaus said from the door way of his five star hotel room.

"Always do," Damon replied.

Klaus was suddenly standing behind him. Looking into his eye through the reflection he whispered, "Today will be a day to remember."

And I will find the enemy within
Because I can feel it crawl beneath my skin

They stood in the back ground at the church. Only the gang from Mystic Falls became tense when they realized who had arrived somewhat late. The others didn't even notice.

It wasn't until Dean was leaving with his new wife that he caught sight of Damon. A smirk on the vampire's face as he clapped in what Dean could only call a sarcastic manner. His green eyes flashed with an emotion when someone embraced Damon from behind and whispered in his ear, and Damon didn't make a move to move away.

Out side of the church many people came up to the couple to hug and congratulate. In the mix Damon approached them and gave his infamous sexy smirk to the both of them.

"Congratulations Dean...You finally did it."

He turned and walked back to Klaus who had a smirk of his own. Looking tauntingly at Dean with a childish pride that almost yelled, "I won."

"Who was that?" Lisa asked.

"Um...old friend," Dean replied as he tried to grab Damon's eyes. To explain with a look, everything that happened. But Damon's back remained turned.

The taste of your own medicine sucked.

Dear Agony
Just let go of me
Suffer slowly
Is this the way it's got to be?
Don't bury me
Faceless enemy
I'm so sorry
Is this the way it's gotta be?
Dear Agony

At the reception Sam spoke, as did the brides sister. The bride and her father danced, then the bride and groom, and then other random people. It was late in the evening that Damon and Klaus finally arrived.

"Once we're done here...you keep your promise," Damon demanded.

"Of course mate. You know I'm a man of my word," Klaus said as the gang approached them.

"What's going on Damon?" Elena asked.

"I'm Damon Salvator and I'm crashing a wedding. It should surprise anyone," Damon said and gave everyone his signature smile.

"What's he doing here?" Caroline asked as she glared at Klaus.

"He's my self appointed date. He wanted to meet Sammy-Whammy and the lucky groom," Damon replied.

"Damon..." Stefan warned.

"Now now Saint Stefan. This is a party, don't be Buzz Killington so early on in the reception. People barely started to dance," Damon mock chided Stefan.

"Hey guys...who's the new guy?" Dean asked as he and Sam approached the gang.

"Niklaus Mikaelson. But please call me Klaus," Klaus said with an offered hand. The brothers both shook it, looking suspiciously at the man before them, then at Damon, and then at everyone else.

"Okay lets get the obvious out of the way. Klaus is a vampire...an original vampire. He's over a thousand years old and has caused many a trouble for us. Though lately we're not sure if we're truly enemies or just acquaintances who don't always see eye to eye," Damon ranted and looked away in a bored manner.

Dean and Sam's eyes widened.

"Rest assure gentlemen I have not come to cause havoc. At least not tonight. Not on such a special day...I merely came to see the men, the myths...the legends I've been hearing so much about. That, and to have a smashing good time with my friend Damon here," Klaus said and draped an arm over Damon's shoulders. Different emotions crossed over everyone when Damon didn't move away.

"Don't try anything funny," Dean warned.

"Wouldn't think of it..." Klaus looked at his watch, "Oh look at the time...Damon, if we're to remain on schedule we must be going. Pleasure meeting you...I can almost guarantee we'll be meeting again soon."

Klaus turned and walked towards the exit and Damon followed suit without a word.

They made it to the parking lot and were about to get into the car when Dean came out.

"Damon!"

"Oh, I was right. There will be a show," Klaus said.

Damon's eyes widened a fraction, "No. Leave him alone. This wasn't part of the deal."

"I know...this is better," Klaus said as they turned and waited for the human to come closer.

"Leaving so soon?" Dean asked with a forced charming smile.

"I'm on a deadline," Damon replied and Klaus smirked.

"Yeah? Can't it wait? This is my wedding reception," Dean said.

"Wasn't invited," Damon said and tried to open the car door but it was locked. "Unlock it."

"No...we should really talk Damon. I feel great tension here," Klaus said.

Dean looked behind him and Klaus laughed.

"I did bring another friend," Klaus said and with his chin pointed to an African American woman who nodded at him.

"A witch?" Damon asked.

"Well I wasn't sure if things would get ugly out here and I'm sure we don't want anyone innocent getting hurt here, am I right? She's merely here to make sure no one after this guy is able to leave the building. Mortal or otherwise," Klaus explained.

Dean's nostrils flared.

"Oh don't be mad mate. It's all for their safety and well...I know Damon isn't the emotional kind, but since it's your wedding I think you have a right to say goodbye," Klaus said.

"Goodbye?" Dean echoed.

Klaus nodded, "See Dean...I'm very powerful. I'm a hybrid. Half vampire, half werewolf...I also have witches as my servants. All of that make me a very powerful enemy. And Damon here has come and asked me for a deal...I'll keep away any baddies from you and your new family and in exchange..."

"In exchange what?" Dean whispered.

"I put him out of his misery," Klaus drawled out and leaned against the car with his arms crossed.

"NO! You won't kill him!" Dean declared.

"It's not up to you, sadly...Damon's tired. He's heartbroken...he's done. He's done with all of you."

"DEAN! DAMON!"

Sam yelled and let the gang out into the parking lot. All armed.

Klaus tsked, "How annoying."

"You okay Dean?" Sam asked.

"Yeah...but the guest?" Dean asked.

"Bonnie put a spell on them so they won't notice anything," Elena said.

"Damon...we're going home," Stefan said and took a step closer.

"Not so fast there Stefan...Damon's not going anywhere. Are you Damon?" Klaus turned around so fast it was too late, he had compulsion over Damon.

"No..." Damon replied in a trans like state.

"What the hell? I thought vamps couldn't control other vamps?" Dean asked.

"I'm an original...there are things I can do that don't go by the books," Klaus sneered.

"Klaus...let him go!" Caroline yelled.

"Hm...I think not." Klaus said.

"Klaus..." Stefan said in a warning tone and stepped forward.

Klaus laughed, "What are you going to do Stefan? You have nothing I want anymore. None of you do? What can you do against an original? The strongest vampire you all had is under my control, and the rest of you won't hurt him...you won't let him go. That's the problem isn't it. How much could we have avoided had you all let Damon die...after all, that's all he wants."

"That's a lie!" Dean barked.

"Hmm...no. Damon's given up everything. The only reason he's still here is because all of you are selfish and won't let him have his peace," Klaus said with a smirk.

Leave me alone
God let me go
I'm blue and cold
Black sky will burn
Love pull me down
Hate lift me up
Just turn around
There's nothing left

"Damon...you're hurting because of this human, aren't you? Then why don't you be what you are and kill him?" Klaus gave them all an evil smile with gleaming eyes, "He's nothing but food anyways."

Damon walked up to Dean, who didn't try to run away.

Everyone took a step closer to them but then they were frozen in their steps. Another one of Klaus' witches stepped out of nowhere and now had them paralyzed.

"Damon. Damon I know you're in there. Come on man, you're stronger than this. You're stronger than him...you're a bad ass who doesn't listen to anyone...don't listen to him," Dean pleaded.

Damon looked like he was struggling. He stepped closer to Dean but then took a step back, then another and then he forcibly shook his head and said, "No..."

"There ya go...I know you're stronger Damon...I know it." Dean said.

"No...he's not stronger. He's just guilt ridden," Klaus gritted his teeth in hate and his nostrils flared again. "He cares about you too much...he used to feel the same about Elena...I see I'll have to fix him."

"Leave him alone!" Dean screamed.

"Come here Damon..."

Somewhere far beyond this world
I feel nothing anymore

Damon approached Klaus. You could see the inner battle Damon was having to regain his will, but it was useless.

"There there Damon...shh..." Klaus brushed a few stray hairs away from Damon's face, "You wanted it to end. You wanted to be put out of your misery."

Klaus looked at all of them carefully. Like he was analyzing everyone to see how to best break Damon so it would hurt everyone. The smile on Klaus' face was pure malice.

He walked up to Damon and whispered in his ear. It was quiet to the humans couldn't hear but the other vampires did.

"NO!" Stefan and Caroline yelled at the same time.

"What? What is it?" Dean asked.

Klaus grinned.

"No..."

Klaus' face faltered at Damon's struggling him.

"That's right Damon, resist it!" Stefan called.

"He can't! Do as I say, Damon!" Klaus said.

Damon scowled and managed a "Screw you!" before he was flung across the parking lot and then slammed into the building and was being choked by Klaus.

"DAMON!" Dean yelled.

"I am ordering you to let go Damon!" Klaus hissed.

"And...I said...no!" Damon hissed back.

Klaus pulled Damon back and slammed him with all his might into the wall that it caused cracks and yelled, "I SAID LET GO! LET GO OF YOU'RE HUMANITY! FOR GET YOU CARE! FORGET ABOUT REMORSE AND GUILT! Let...go!"

Klaus' eyes were so dilated it was creepy. Damon's eyes dilated too and then he just went slumped in Klaus's hold.

Klaus let him go and stepped back to admire his work. It was taking time but he could see Damon's resolve falling behind his eyes. He smiled in victory. He leaned in and whispered something else in Damon's ear. Damon nodded and just like that...he and his witches were gone.

Dear Agony
Just let go of me
Suffer slowly
Is this the way it's got to be?
Don't bury me
Faceless enemy
I'm so sorry
Is this the way it's gotta be?
Dear Agony

Everyone ran to Damon but he seemed to be in some kind of shock.

"We need to get him out of here," Stefan said. "I'll take him back to the hotel. You all stay here and try to be normal. I'll call you all in the morning."

Stefan didn't allow any arguments as he took his brother away. It lasted a long time and no one wanted to be rude, but they all dashed out of the wedding when they saw their opportunity. It was late after three in the morning before Dean and Sam could visit the hotel.

"How's he doing?" Sam asked.

"He's unconscious," Elena said, sounding tired.

"I'm worried about when he wakes up." Caroline said.

"What did that bastard do to him?" Dean demanded.

"...Vampire, our kind anyway, have the ability to turn off our humanity. To shut off what makes us human. Our feelings and emotions. We basically become sociopaths. After a few years though the ability wears off...but Klaus might have just given that ability back to my brother," Stefan said.

"He won't be able to feel guilt, or remorse, or care, or love anymore...that was what kept him here. Caring for people. Whether it was Elena or Stefan...or anyone else. Now he could leave...that's what Klaus wants," Bonnie said.

"Did anyone hear what he whispered to Damon before he left?" Sam asked.

"No," Caroline said and Stefan shook his head.

Everyone became quiet after that. Eventually everyone started to go to their respected rooms. They were going to take turns taking watch. The vamps left at one time to go eat, and that left Sam and Dean on watch. Sam had fallen asleep and Dean wasn't far behind when Damon rose from the bed. It was creepy, all robotic like.

"Damon?"

Damon didn't answer but stood from the bed and went over to Dean and hugged him. With no emotions Damon smirked and said, "Congrats again, I'm finally out of you hair..."

and then he was gone from the room.

Dean called everyone and soon they were in the hotel room again. They were all talking about possibilities as to where he could have gone but were coming up empty. Dean stuffed his hands in his pockets when he felt something in there that hadn't been before.

He pulled it out and his eyes widened. The room that had been filled with suggestions was encased with gasps and then engulfed in silence.

They all looked towards the window simultaneously as they saw the first rays of sun begin to penetrate the day.

The first ray that shone into the room reflected off of Damon's sun ring that Dean was holding in his hand.

I feel nothing anymore

"Why am I meeting you in a parking garage?" Damon asked as he approached the hybrid.

"Because love...you have your ring to that hunter as a memento and now you can burn in the sun," Klaus said with a cheeky smile.

Damon looked at his hand as if he was barely realizing what he had done. "Why did I give him my ring?"

"Because they need to think you're dead," Klaus said as they got into a truck with tinted windows.

"Why?" Damon said as he closed the door behind him.

"To cause them pain and grief," Klaus answered.

Damon looked at the older vampire and shrugged indifferently, "Where are we going?"

Klaus leaned up to kiss Damon and said, "You'll see love, you'll see.