Underhand Attacks

Chapter 2

'Where's Stefan?' you asked, looking around as she walked into the large hall, lit by a roaring fire. 'He's out hunting', Damon replied. You nodded; their world no longer shocked or confused you now. You sat on the sofa whilst Damon fetched a cup of coffee he'd made for you. 'So,' he said. 'What do you fancy doing today?' You shrugged. You didn't mind, as long as you could spend the day together. You chatted over coffee, and Stefan arrived back to the house. He was on a high, brought about by his hunt, and told you both of the glorious weather up in the hills. You quickly decided to head up to the hills for a long walk to make the most of the sunshine and clear skies.

Leaving the mansion and heading up through the thick woods that formed the boundaries of the Salvatore lands, Stefan's phone bleeped a notification for a text message. He replied, absent minded, never letting up in his conversation with Damon and Y/N. He'd once loved you, he mused. He corrected himself quickly; he still loved you, but not in the same way that Damon did. That love was all consuming. His love was a fierce loyalty and protectiveness, such that a brother might feel for his sister. He was content with that, and knew that you were too. His phone bleeped again. 'Bloody Elena' he thought. 'She knows that I'm out with them and can't talk. Why doesn't she ever get the hint!' He was frustrated with her, and knew that Damon was also. The three had been close once. Very close. He'd had a relationship with her, and then she'd had a relationship with Damon. But it was never right in either situation. She'd been manipulative, possessive, controlling, and had fought bitterly to keep attention from both men just for herself. The relationships had been unhealthy and both brothers were relieved when they'd ended. Stefan thought about his current girlfriend. Caroline. He smiled to himself. What could he say? She was perfect. He looked at Damon and knew that he felt about his girlfriend what he felt about Caroline, and he was pleased for him. There was absolutely no animosity between them.

It was a shame that the same couldn't be said for Elena. When Damon had started his new relationship with you, she'd been absolutely furious; threatening, insulting and belittling her in front of him. She hadn't dared do the same with Caroline, who's feisty vampire instincts did not suffer fools gladly. But to Damon's new girlfriend she was harsh, judgemental and aggressive. Damon tended to shrug it off, choosing to comfort you rather than address it with Elena. Stefan, however, was growing more uncomfortable with the threats. Pocketing his phone after turning it on silence, he engaged fully with you and Damon, and you all enjoyed your hike through the hills.

As you continued the hike, you notice the clouds begin to gather, forming together to make the sky dark and angry. The breeze cools and you shivered. Damon noticed and looked up at the sky, his brows furrowed. Taking off his jacket and draping it over your shoulders, he said 'maybe we should head back? It looks like it's going to pour down!' Stefan's face fell as he realised that he wouldn't get to show you and Damon the top of the hill that hoped to, and you notice. 'Ah come on, Damon' you smiled up at him. 'Surely we can cope with a bit of rain?' He shrugged his shoulders. 'I'm not the one shivering' he teases. Nevertheless, you all continued up the hill path, taking in the view and enjoying each other's company.

The first drop went unnoticed but it got heavier quickly. Very soon, the path was churning and muddy, and Damon's jacket around your shoulders was becoming increasing sodden. The sky rumbled and lightning cracked, lighting up your surroundings making them look surreal and alien. Damon, grabbing your hand, tugged you towards a group of boulders that looked surprisingly inviting. Stefan followed, looking up to the sky, searching for a break in the clouds. 'I don't think it'll pass any time soon' he said to you and Damon. Damon smirked, 'well we will just have to get cosy in a cave' he joked. You rolled your eyes at him. Typical Damon. His quips didn't make you feel uncomfortable anymore and you catch Stefan's eye as he laughed with you.

Time passed and the rain started to ease. Peering your head out from the cover of the boulders, you commented on a break in the weather, and it was decided that you'd continue on to the top of the hill. It wasn't far and it seemed a shame to come that far and not get to the peak. The path was slippery and you took it slowly, stopping every now and again to enjoy the view over the edge of the hill. The drop wasn't sheer, but it was steep and you placed your feet more carefully as you climbed higher. Damon and Stefan were starting to get restless, although they seemed to be doing their best not to show it. You knew you were holding them back and said 'so, who can get to the top first?' Damon looked at Stefan and grinned. 'Well, what do you think, brother? Fancy a race?' Stefan didn't even answer before he sped off. Damon smiled at you before taking off after him, leaving you laughing at them and their childish antics.

You continued slowly up the path, stopping only to look around when you thought you heard rustling of wet leaves near to you. Damon and Stefan were long gone up the hill, and you put the noise down to the wind picking up again.

A twig snapped behind you and this time you spun around. 'Who's there?' you asked, a little louder than you would normally, but you were a little startled. You turned to continue up the hill. 'Damon? Stefan?' you called. Suddenly, you felt two hands on your back and with a sharp shove, you were pushed off the safety of the path, and you were falling.

'Damon? Stefan?' You sounded distance and perhaps a little unnerved. Damon paused, waiting to hear if you called again but he didn't hear any voice. He almost shrugged it off until his acute hearing picked up a different sound; the sound of leaves and twigs being crunched under foot, as if someone was running. It was getting quieter. Someone was running away. He also heard thudding, as if something was rolling and hitting things. He sped back down the hill calling for you. 'Y/N?' he shouted. 'Are you okay? Where are you?' He reached a point just a little higher from where he'd left you, and noticed scuff marks in the muddy path, and footprints heading back down the path. He peered over the edge of the path, not expecting to see anything but wanting to check just in case.

His heart dropped to his stomach as he saw you lying 18ft further down the side of the hill. 'Stefan!' he yelled, before making his way carefully down the slope, not wanting to disturb the ground and cause any further harm to you. 'Y/N?' he called down, 'can you hear me?' When there was no response, he scrambled down a little quicker, reaching your side. Stefan appeared above him, peering over the side of the path. 'Oh my God,' he stammered, 'is she okay?' Damon bent over you and brushed the hair out of your face, grimacing when his hand is smeared in blood. He lent his ear to your face, listening for your breathing. 'She's breathing' he called up to Stefan, 'and I can hear her heartbeat.' Stefan let out a shaky sigh of relief. 'Can you check her for broken bones? If we can get her back up here, we can try to wake her and heal her?' Damon took off his gloves and felt softly over your body, checking for any obvious breaks that could be dangerous if he moved you. Silently thanking his brother for forcing them both to complete a few years at med school before he got bored and moved on, he didn't find anything preventing him from moving you. 'I'm bringing her up' he shouted up to Stefan. Damon gathered you into his arms, gently as if you might break. Engaging his vampire abilities, he jumped straight up and onto the path, landing softly in front of Stefan, who had taken off his coat and laid it out on a drier patch of ground. 'Put her down over here' he instructed. Damon gently laid you down and cradled your head in his hands. 'Come on sweetheart,' he whispered, 'time to wake up now.' Stefan was stroking your hands, trying to coax you awake again. 'Y/N', he spoke, firmly, 'can you hear me? Open your eyes for me.' Both brothers were studying your face, looking for any sign of you coming round. You began to stir, scrunching up your face as the first wave of pain began to hit. 'That's it, Y/N, come on love' soothed Stefan. Damon gently kissed your forehead, 'wake up, darling, come back to us.'

Your eyes fluttered open, and you looked straight up at two worried faces staring down at you. 'What happened?' you asked, trying to sit up. Damon immediately came to sit behind you, taking your weight in his arms so that you sink into him. Stefan started turning your head, looking for the source of bleeding, and checking you for a concussion. 'You fell down the side of the hill, Y/N. Did you slip?' You were confused. 'I'm not sure,' you replied, 'I feel like I remember being pushed but I'm not sure I can trust my own brain right now. Everything is so fuzzy.' Damon held you a little closer, still gentle so as not to hurt you. 'I thought I heard footsteps,' he said, 'but I could have been wrong.' You shrugged, not so fussed about what happened, instead focusing on your pain. Damon noticed your discomfort and bit into his wrist, reaching around your head to offer it to you. You hesitated, before taking it tentatively and drinking slowly from it. As soon as you felt the pain begin to ebb away, you stopped drinking and thanked Damon. Your eyes started to grow heavy and Damon looked panicked at Stefan. 'It's okay, Damon', said Stefan. 'Now that she's had blood, she should be safe to sleep. You've healed the concussion.' You barely heard the end of his sentence as you drifted off into a deep, peaceful sleep.

Damon scooped you up once again into the safety of his arms, and Stefan laid his jacket over you. They both sped off, Damon being careful not to jostle you. On arriving back to the mansion minutes later, Stefan got to work lighting the fire whilst Damon set you up on the sofa. You were still fast asleep, and he lent down to kiss you softly. 'I fear that someone may have hurt you today, Y/N', he whispered, despite knowing that you couldn't hear him. 'I promise I'll do my best to stop that happening ever again'. Stefan looked at Damon and nodded. 'Me too, brother.'