The only person who fears nothing is one who has nothing to lose...

FLASHBACK TO 1953, He wasn't sure how long he'd been out for - or how many times they had experimented on him. The cold stone against his skin inside the dark cell he was in, was his only comfort. Damon had only one thought on his mind - hunger. It was eating away at him, the beast calling, bouncing off the walls inside his mind, craving for blood. It was driving him mad, calling out to the darkness inside him. There is darkness inside all of us, though Damon's was probably more dangerous than most. Still, we all have it—that part of our soul that is irreparably damaged by the very trials and tribulations of life. We are what we are because of it, or perhaps in spite of it. Some use it as a shield to hide behind, like Damon had done in the past, while others use it as an excuse to do unconscionable things. But, truly, the darkness is simply a piece of the whole, neither good nor evil unless you make it so.

Augustine wasn't going to let him go unless Damon did the truly unthinkable thing - turn off his humanity. And Damon had been taught by his father not to be wavering, but it was so hard when he felt the constant need to turn it off, even if just for a minute or two, just to end the torture.

His thoughts were interrupted by the door of his cell creaking open and a body landing close to him. The jet black hair was recognized immediately.

"Davina?" He called out to the woman.

Slowly, she turned her head toward him, her face and hair matted with blood.

"What happened?"

"I tried to escape," Davina rolled over onto her back, groaning as her back met the stone floor. "Didn't work, obviously."

This wasn't the first time he's heard this, in fact, if he hadn't been mistaken, he was sure that this was Davina's fifth attempt this week. And it was only Wednesday. Each time she attempted, he pleaded with her not to, frankly for his own selfish needs. Davina was the only person that he could talk to in this place. The only person that could see straight through his bullshit. He wondered if perhaps, subconsciously, he was trying to sabotage her efforts by setting the bar too high, trying to keep her with him longer; but surely his subconscious wasn't that stupid?

"One of these days, they're going to kill you." He whispered.

"I haven't gone down without a fight yet," She lifted herself up into a sitting position against the wall with a single hand, leaning against the cold stone as she lifted her left arm and reset her shoulder blade. The crack that was heard when it was put back into place made Damon wince. "And I'll be damned if I ever go down without a fight."

For a split second, Damon Salvatore actually chuckled. "You're such a stubborn fighter."

"Mhm," Davina said, "And sometimes, I'm a whole damn army."

Davina eyed Damon as silence fell between them. She'd been a silly girl who'd dreamed of love, and a stupid girl who'd declared love a fraud; but she'd never imagined that when she found it, it would be richer, more powerful than dreams, and the impossibility of keeping it more painful than the worst betrayal. She couldn't voice her desire though, in fear that the dark haired man would leave her forever and she'd be stuck without his company for eternity.

The door to the cell opened again and this time, both Damon and Davina were pulled from the darkness by rough hands. Injected with vervain was the only way that subdued them, as their unconscious bodies were dragged away from the cell and off to another room...

PRESENT DAY, Damon's head jerked up from his unconsciousness, panic surrounding him as he realized just where he was. His head turned and his worst fear was alive again. Right there, carved into the stone next to him, was his initials D.S. with the year '53 just below it. Fear clenched at the vampire's heart like a vice-grip, memories of his torture and torment coming back to haunt him again. He was back in his nightmare. More memories from the his hellish days in the cell flashed through his mind, threatening his sanity.

FLASHBACK TO 1953, When Damon groggily woke, the first thing he heard was a blood curling scream. Tied down on the cold slab next to him, was Davina, her stomach carved open, blood everywhere, she was fighting against the restraints, trying her damnedest to get free.

"Ah, you're awake. Good." He barely registered who had said it before the pain in his own abdomen took over. He refused to scream, though. It would give them the sick satisfaction and Damon would be damned if he would give them that. The torment went on for what seemed like days, but was really only a few hours. They cut them open, take out organs, study them, then put them back and watched the tissue form back from where it had been cut. It would go on, over and over, until finally, Damon was taken back to his cell and two hours later, Davina was thrown in with him.

He still hadn't quite healed from his torture, but still forced his body to move toward her, if anything to make sure she was still alive. Barely, it seemed like they drained her of nearly all her blood...

PRESENT DAY, "Good news," Dr. Maxfield began, stepping into the office of the old study. He stopped just short of the desk and clapped his hands together. "I got a return customer."

"Who?"

"You might remember the name," Wes smirked, "Salvatore?"

The one he was speaking to raised an eyebrow, then casually took a sip of his tea. "Well, that's very intriguing." He gave Wes an approving glance, having captured one of the two vampires Augustine couldn't break.

"I think it's time we had a little chat with our friend."

Dr. Maxfield looked like a kid that had just been served the candy bowl and could have however much he wanted.

This was going to prove very interesting.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: What do you guys think? :) Let me know with a review!