*It's a short chapter but an important one*

"Are you going to talk to him?" Jeremy asks hesitantly as his sits on the edge of his bed. He watches Alvina pace in front of him. She looked as angry as she felt.

"Right now I'm trying not to leave this room to go kill him" She growls clenching her fists. Jeremy doesn't say anything for a moment, just watches her. Eventually, he stands up and moves in front of her,

"Nothing happened" He says grabbing her hands. His fingers wiggle into her grip and interlace with her fingers. "I'm right here" He says gently.

"He was going to kill you, Jeremy" She says slowly. "The only reason he's alive right now is because of our friendship and the fact that I stopped him before he could do it"

"Exactly, you stopped him" Jeremy says taking a half step closer to her. "And you've been friends with him for decades. Nothing happened, talk to him. He looked torn apart when he was here, I think he needs you right now"

"I can't" She whispers shaking her head. "I can't go near him, Jeremy, I'll kill him for going after you"

"No, you won't" He shakes his head confidently. "He's your best friend-"

"And you're my mate" Alvina stresses. "You're my number one priority. I will do anything and everything to protect you. Anything"

"Sweetheart, I love you. I want to protect you and make you happy just as much as you want that for me" Alvina's gaze turns slightly curious as she wonders where he's leading towards. "Damon is your best friend. I know you're angry with him, I am too" Jeremy tells her. "But I don't want you to live with the fact that you killed your best friend, even if it's to protect me. I want you to be happy and you won't be able too if you don't talk to Damon, if you don't fix this."

"Jeremy..." Alvina whispers closing her eyes. Jeremy kisses her forehead while pulling her into his arms.

"I want you to talk to Damon, I want you to try to work things out..." He whispers back to her. "If you don't try, you won't be happy"

"I love you" She whispers looking at him. He gives her a small smile and kisses her slowly.

"I love you, too" He mutters back to her. "I'm fine, Alvina" He tells her. "He never touched me, he never hurt me. Don't make yourself go cray with the 'What if's'" He pleads with her. "Just talk with him"

"Ok" She whispers nodding. "I'll talk to him" He gives her a small smile. "But that doesn't make what he tried even remotely okay. He may be my best friend but you're my mate. Remember that"

"I will" Jeremy nods. "I'll be here when you get back" He reassures her. She sighs but nods. She kisses his cheek before leaving reluctantly.

"Al" Damon says in shock as he watched her walk into the parlor. He had been working on refilling his glass when she walked in. The room is dimly lit but it's enough to illuminate the room as the clock nears midnight. "I wasn't expecting you to come around" He says. Alvina stares at him as she picks up a slight sound of nervousness in his voice.

"Do you know how hard it is for me to not sink my teeth into some part of your body right now?" She asks him. "Can you even fathom how angry I am with you?"

"I shouldn't have taken a shot at Jeremy, I know, I'm sorry" Damon says. Alvina takes a moment to take in his appearance. His hair is tangled from the amount of times his hand has run through it. His shirt is wrinkled with the top few buttons undone. His eyes are red and his cheeks are tear stained.

"Why?" She asks physically restraining herself from going after him. "Why did you try to snap Jeremy's neck?" 

"I was at a low," He admits looking away from her. He couldn't handle the eye contact. He couldn't handle the amount of anger radiating off of her and the hatred in her eyes. "Katherine, she got into my head" He lets out a small, pain filled laugh. "Said it was always going to be Stefan, no matter what. After all these years, everything I've done, and she never loved me back" He whispers.

"Katherine's a bitch but she was never your soulmate, you shouldn't have wasted your time on her" Alvina says with little to no sympathy. She knew she would approach this conversation differently had he not just tried to kill her mate a few hours earlier. Right now, she was too pissed to play nice. In fact, her currently trying not to kill him is her version of playing nice.

"Well, neither is Elena" Damon grumbles. Alvina freezes and frowns her eyebrows.

"What?" Alvina whispers shocked. "She's not?" Damon laughs and shakes his head while drowning his drink before just grabbing the neck of the bourbon bottle not bothering to use a glass anymore. "But you said you felt a pull towards her, that-"

"I know what I said" Damon snapped. "But she's just not"

"Are you sure?" Alvina asks.

"I went to see her after Katherine and I confronted her. Elena said she loved Stefan, that it would always be Stefan" Damon rolls his eyes bitterly. "So, I snapped. I felt so sure she was my mate so I just went for it. I grabbed her face and I kissed her. She pushed me away and my tattoo is still black. Not my mate"

"Damon, I'm so sorry" Alvina whispers knowing she spent all these months encouraging him and getting his hopes up.

"Not your fault" Damon grumbles falling onto the couch. "So, Katherine being a bitch finally sinks into my head. Elena still chooses Stefan and isn't my mate. Then Jeremy shows up reminding me of how good you and him have it. I got so jealous and I was so angry and hurt I couldn't stop myself. I was lucky you were there to stop me"

"If you had killed him, we wouldn't be talking" Alvina whispers sitting across from him.

"I know" He says just as quietly. "I never meant to take my anger out on him, I never meant to try to kill him. It was impulsive and I'm sorry. God, I'm so sorry" Damon says shifting to the edge of the seat. "I lost Katherine, Elena isn't my mate, I can't lose you too. Please, for the love of God, tell me I didn't lose you" Damon begs looking at her with tear filled eyes. 

Damon looks at her with so much desperation he's seconds away from getting on his knees and begging for her forgiveness. His hands shake as he waits for her answer. He feels like his heart is in his throat as they stare each other down.

"I don't forgive you" She whispers and Damon's shoulders sag. "But you haven't lost me"

"What?" Damon whispers.

"You haven't lost me, Damon" She tells him clearly. "If you had, I'd of killed you. But you're still alive and I'm sitting right here listening to your side of the story. I love you, Damon, you're truly one of the only friends I have ever had. But I swear to God if you go after Jeremy again you will not get another chance"

"I promise I won't fuck up again," Damon says quickly as pure relief floods his body. "I love you, Al" He tells her sincerely. "You're my kid sister, I'd do anything for you" Alvina gives him a small smile.

"And you're my big brother, I love you" Alvina says standing up. "But it's not just my forgiveness you're gonna need"

"I'll get it from the both of you" Damon says determinedly. "You and Stefan are all I have left, I can't lose you"

"You haven't lost me, yet, Dames" Alvina says walking past him. She pats his shoulder and he grabs her hand giving it a squeeze. "You're still in the game but you've got two strikes" She warns him. He nods giving her a small smile. "I'll see you around"

"See you" He whispers watching her leave.

Once Alvina left the house, she flew back to Jeremy's room. He had tried staying up but when she arrived he was passed out. The sight made her smile.

She slips into some of his clothes and slips into bed. He's laying on his chest with his head facing towards her. She smiles and snuggles close to him. He groans in his sleep and wraps an arm around her.

She grins and he pulls her under his body. She's instantly covered with his warmth and scent making it all the easier to relax and fall asleep.