Firework

The End, The Beginning

Damon gently lifted Bella into his arms and started carrying her back to his house – their house, at human speed.

He could hear the empath behind him with the other two cold ones, trying to explain what just happened. He was failing. Damon himself didn't know what just happened.

For once he didn't try to hide his emotions, didn't sensor them, didn't put his mask on. Damon allowed a few tears to flow down his face as he held the slight girl who was the love of his life in his arms. He also didn't even attempt to hide the anger he was feeling. At her, himself, whoever had let her leave the damn house, at the sparkling fuckwits who'd made this happen. He was pissed, scared and heartbroken.

He had to get her home. To their home. The one where he would teach her all he knew about being a vampire. The home where they would live in together in-between bouts of travelling. Their home. They would live there together. Because she was going to wake up. A small sob escaped the dark-haired vampire. She was going to wake up. She had to.

~0~

Alaric watched as between them, Caroline and the wolf, Jacob, finished the last of the Cold Ones and started more bonfires. The plan was that Bella would tell them if there was anymore left or hiding. Bella though was no where to be found. The last anyone had seen of her Victoria had her. Damon still hadn't returned.

Alaric was feeling numb, his brain focusing only on what needed to be done not on what could be wrong. What could have happened.

The wolf and Caroline darted about collecting body parts which Alaric still found creepy and the wolf ran around sniffing the air. Alaric guessed that he was checking for stragglers seeing as how Bella couldn't. No, he couldn't think of her just yet.

"Guess our part's over." Tyler said with a small sign, sure Alaric and he hadn't had that much action for once, but Ric found himself grateful for that.

"Guess so." Ric agreed picking up his weapons and what was left of the Vervain grenades and started packing them away into his beat up old black duffle that had been with him since he moved to Mystic Falls.

An ear splittingly loud howl tore the air, somehow it sounded heartbroken. Tyler and Ric dropped the weapons and ran back to the windows. Ric's heart dropped along with his stomach. He staggered back from the window and out of the living room. "No, no, no, no." He hadn't realised he was saying it aloud till it echoed around the vast hallway.

His heart broke as he saw Damon bring her in.

Damon was crying that meant that...

No. No. No.

It couldn't be... She couldn't be.

No. No. No. No. No.

"Damon..." Stefan had come in the hallway as had everyone else. Everyone's eyes on the broken brunette and the crying dark haired vampire holding her so gently.

"Don't. I don't want to talk to you. I'm taking her upstairs to our room. We'll talk... When she wakes up." Alaric could hear the conviction Damon tried to put into his voice. He failed. Damon wasn't sure she would wake up.

"She's turning?" Bonnie asked with tears streaming down her face and hope in her voice.

"Yes." Damon announced firmly before carrying her up the stairs.

Alaric sank to his knees, not even bothered when three Cold Ones and the wolf boy walked into the house. Jenna came and sank down with him.

"It'll be okay Alaric. She'll be okay. She'll be a vampire sure but... It's better than..." Jenna said softly her hands wrapping round him in failed comfort.