***

DAMON WALKED into the room as Elena and I were writing in our diaries. We were best friends, and we were bored, so we did everything together. "Ugh. God. You're still here?" Damon asked Elena.

"Were you expecting anything else?" Elena asked, looking up at him. I continued writing in my journal as Damon sat down across from her.

"Nope. Ahh," Damon said, picking up my legs, and sitting down the couch, putting my legs over his lap.

"So, how was the 'errand'?" Elena asked Damon, as I kept writing in my diary. I was writing very deeply into my journal, not paying any mind to Damon talking about Alaric having an existential crisis. They talked about Stefan not eating, and I was listening in the whole time but they didn't think I was. I'm very good at discreetly being nosey, but I'm not a bad person. I didn't pay attention until Damon stood up and began to raise his voice.

"Let me ask you a question," Damon started, pointing his finger at her, "In all this important soul-searching and cleansing of the demons of Stefan's past, did you ever manage to get the rest of the story?"

"He said there was more," Elena replied, obviously not wanting to admit that she was wrong. She looked over at me then, as if it was my fault she didn't know about Stefan and Damon's past. I didn't know any more than she did. I just shrugged and she sent me an apologetic look. She knew that she was wrong. And then I realized we just had a full-on conversation, all without speaking.

"Yeah. That's an understatement," Damon said, oblivious to our conversation. He walked towards the door, and Elena got up and ran after him. I just sat there and watched the two argue.

"Damon... Damon. Tell me," Elena demanded softly.

"From the moment Stefan had his first taste of human blood, he was a different person. I suppose I should thank him. It's been a hell of a ride, ha," Damon said, with humorous sarcasm.

"Oh, my God. He said he wanted to die. That's why he won't feed," Elena said, as Damon sipped his alcohol, "Now I understand why, but.."

"His choice. If he's stupid enough to make it, so be it," Damon said, pouring himself some more bourbon.

"Don't do that. Okay? Don't pretend like you don't care," Elena argued, as I stood up and walked over to them, watching as Elena walked off.

"Where are you going?" Damon and I questioned in unison, as we both gave each other annoyed looks and watched as she walked down to where the cellar is. I wondered what she was doing until I heard her running off, explaining vaguely that Stefan left.

***

Damon and I were sat in the library. We were waiting for Elena to come back, and hopefully with our brother. He was playing with the weird watch shaped thing that Pearl had given him. "Little boy lost," Damon said, as we heard Elena and Stefan walk in together. I turned to see them hand-in-hand. Aren't they just the cutest thing?

"I'll be upstairs, okay?" Elena said softly, and Stefan agreed. And I stood to follow her, but both Damon and Stefan blocked my way. This was a family moment, and I knew that. I just didn't think I should be there, I wanted them to bond. But I could tell they both wanted me there, but I stayed. I stayed for both of them.

"Thank you," Stefan said, walking over to Damon and me as I sat next to him.

"No, Stefan, thank you. You're back on Bambi blood, so is Charlotte, and I'm the big badass brother again. All is right in the world," Damon replied.

"I mean it. Thank you. For... Helping her take care of me," Stefan thanked, sitting down near us.

"You brood too much. Everything on this planet is not your fault. My actions, what I do, it's not your fault. I own them. They belong to me. You are not allowed to feel my guilt," Damon argued.

"Do you feel guilt?" Stefan questioned him.

"If I wanted to, it's there," Damon said, taking a sip of his bourbon as he paused for a very long while, "Emily waited till after I turned to tell me she'd been successful in protecting Katherine with her spell. She didn't want me to know about the tomb. She thought it would impact my decision,"

"She didn't want either one of us to turn. She said it was a curse," Stefan explained.

"Witches... Judgy little things," Damon remarked bitterly.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Stefan asked Damon.

"'Cause I didn't want you to know. 'Cause I hated you and I still do," Damon explained.

"Let's not get ha—" I started, but was cut off.

I was cut off by Stefan holding a hand up to me as he spoke to Damon with a nod, "I know." Well, that was rude... I thought I was here because they cared about my input. I guess I was wrong.

"But not because you forced me to turn," Damon replied.

"Then why?" Stefan questioned.

"Because she turned me. It was supposed to be Corinthia and me until death. Until death, Stefan," Damon replied, and I felt everything getting personal. I walked out without a second glance and without warning. I didn't want to ruin this very personal moment between them. Who knows, maybe they'll work things out?

***

[ 3RD POV ]

"And after she died, you wouldn't even let me die with her. You forced me to become a vampire even after all of this," Damon yelled at Stefan, as Charlotte had already left the room. Damon was full of hurt, and he was also full of anger. Stefan made him turn after he made life plans with his soulmate. Katherine killed his soulmate, and Stefan wouldn't even let him die with her and be reunited with her. Damon thought he'd never forgive Stefan for that.

"You needed to move on, Damon. The Oracle said that there was more in store for you," Stefan replied softly, "We both know who you're meant to be with here..."

"Screw the Oracle," Damon replied, "At the time Corinthia seemed like the one. And she might still be if Katherine hadn't killed her."

"Damon... We both know you don't mean that." Stefan said softly, knowing that Damon was talking out of hurt and pent up anger. Stefan knew who Damon was meant to be with. But Damon was too hurt right now and had to deal with his own problems before he could help her with hers.

"You're right," Damon nodded, "I don't mean that. But I did mean it when I said screw the Oracle, she could've been messing with our heads for all we know. She could be trying to get in our heads.."

Meanwhile... Charlotte was upstairs in her bedroom, oblivious to the conversation going on downstairs...