The first thing Gwen becomes aware of is her hands tied behind her back. Second, duck tape muffling her try's  to shout for help. She sits up with some difficultly. Her  vision slowly coming into focus. Eyes taking in the black bars surrounding her, Its a cage.

It been in the built back of a RV. A old one with dated windows and cramped space. That holds a kitchen, eating area and a spot to sleep up top.

Gwen's  observations are cut by her kidnappers voice "Well look who woke up."

She glares at the tall man with dark brown hair, masculine features and high cheekbones. He unlocks the cage stepping in and bending down to her level. A blue stone held between two bones hangs from his neck. Without a warning he rips the duck tape off.

Ignoring the flare of pain Gwen parts her dry lips, in hopes of answers and  distract him she asks,"Where did you get that protection amulet?"

"Don't worry you'll meet the witch soon enough," Gwen flinches as he pats her cheek.

A women calls out "Brady, leave her alone."

Gwen looks past his shoulder to a female with dirty blonde hair and sharp facial features.

"Relax Jules was just chatting," Brady roughly shoves the duck tape back over Gwen's  mouth.

Damon Salvatore was in a foul mood. All thanks to his brothers brilliant plan to bring back John Gilbert. Damon didn't trust John. They needed to have a little chat but it is always best to have backup.

Confidently Damon marches towards a black hotel door. Pounding five times with his fist. Until it opens revealing a surprised Trent Williams opens. Another person in town he didn't trust.

Damon holds back his scowl as Trent plasters on a smile "Can I help you? "

"Tell Gwen I'm here to talk." Damon commands.

Trent drops his smile "She isn't here."

Not believing him. Damon stares straight into Trent's chocolate eyes "Tell Gwen we need to talk."

Trent holds up his wrist showing off
a bracelet with one celtic bead "Compulsion won't work." His wrist drops "By the way wasn't lying." Trent steps aside letting Damon get a look in the room "Happy?"

M

Damon nods "Great, bye now."

Damon slams a hand on the door tone firm "I Don't trust you and if I find out you  got some shady things going I'll snap your neck."

Trent crosses his arms frowning "Whatever you say but I'm here because Gwen needs a friend."

"Great already got that covered so feel free to leave town."

"No I mean real friends that are not going to let some pretty face set her on fire." Trent smiles as Damon clenches his teeth in anger "Maybe you should leave town."

This time Damon doesn't stop Trent from slamming the door in his face. His eyes narrowed at the dark wood. Anger burning in his heart along with guilt.

Hours pass with Gwen  fighting her tired eyes. She is about to give when the cage opens. Jules unceremoniously drags somebody unconscious by their feet. Blue jeans dirty blonde hair a tangled mess. Blood smeared from a bullet wound. Immediately a jolt of recognition hits Gwen, Caroline.

She waits for Jules to leave then inches forward. Patting Caroline's legs with her shoes. Caroline jolts up gasping for air, wide eyes landing on Gwen. She silently watches the wheels in Caroline's head turn.

"Gwen!" Caroline scoots closer. Gently peeling the tap off "Are you okay? How long have you been here?"

"I'm okay just a couple bruises," Caroline rips the rope off her wrist with ease "Thanks," Gwen rubs her wrist now marked with red rings "Jule's friend got me last night."

They both stand. Gwen watches Caroline try in vain to pull on the bars. Her eyes sweep around trying to find something thin and small. Could use my lock picking kit right now.

Gwen's  intentions fade away as Caroline's cry interprets the silence. Caroline backs up against the wall. Brady sits in a chair hands holding a shotgun.

"What the hell is your problem," Gwen spits out, anger clear in her voice.

Brady smirks "Vampires are my problem," his eyes are back on Caroline "Why are there so many vamps in town?" Caroline ignores the question, trembling lips holding back a sob "No?" Brady shots her in the stomach earning a cry from her.

Jules walks in holding a phone "He wants proof."

At her words Brady shots Caroline's shoulder earning another cry of pain.

And a shout from Gwen "Stop it!"

Brady laughs at her while Jules leaves. Anger filling her. Gwen grips the bars, eyes narrowed "I'm going to curse you a thousands times over then leave you in a cage screaming in agony."

A cry of pain slips from her clenched teeth as Gwen collapse backwards, Caroline shouting her name.

()()()())())())()

Damon sits at the bar slowly drinking his scotch. After a disappointment conversation with John that produced no answers. With a few simple words Damon dismisses Jenna and her friend, Andie Star. Instead choosing to sit at eh bar alone. Eyes stare at the brown liquid while failing to redirect his thoughts.

Away from blue eyes, sweet intoxicating laughter and soft blonde curls. Her soft voice that made his heart ache with desire and guilt. She came back like a tornado tearing through Damon reigniting what he tried to forget.

He ignores Elena as she appears beside him "We need to talk." Her tone is flat and series "It's important."

Damon sets his drink down "I'll decide that."

They step outside retreating into a little ally way. Damon Stays Silent as Elena launches into her news.

His mood quickly going back down the drain "Do whatever needs to be done to get Caroline and Gwen back but leave Taylor out of it."

"Why? he is a werewolf aka our enemy. He needs to die I'm willing to do, it's a win-win."

"Please Damon too many people have already been killed."

Damon scoffs "Whatever stay here I got it covered." Walking away he bumps into John "First dad duty keep your daughter here and out of trouble."

With out a glance back Damon vamp speeds away. Mind focused on getting his friend back.

()()()()()()()()()()

Caroline tightens Gwen's red shirt around her thigh. Leaving Gwen  in a pink tank top "You want some of my blood?"

"No, it's not that bad. Should stop bleeding soon,"  Gwen meets her worried eyes and sends a confident smile "The boys and Elena will get us out of here."

Caroline nods sitting back against the wall.  Next to Gwen their shoulder touching. Alone with just each other. They hold on to their only hope, the Salvatore brothers. Gwen's  rhythmic breathing baits her into sleep. It's broken by the RV door opening. Brady followed by Jules enters the cage.

Both girls stand as he address Gwen "Time to meet that witch."

Behind him Jules clutches a rope. In a flash Caroline rushes Brady knocking him to the ground. Jules  hands reach for Caroline. Taking her attention away from Gwen, she runs for Jules. Please don't have an amulet. Before Gwen can find out Jules throws a screaming Caroline into her.

Knocking them both to the ground, Caroline clutching her neck. It all happens before Gwen can gain composure. Caroline is kicked off her, hands in her hair, a bloody knife pressed against her neck and ropes painfully being tied around her wrist.

Jules glares while Brady forces Gwen to stand "Let's go or your friend gets another vervain knife in her neck."

Knowing they don't threaten lightly Gwen nods. Following them out the cage and RV, ignoring Caroline's sobbing. Outside waits a bald man with bulging muscles.

Next to him is an women with braided black hair and dark eyes. Just a few inches taller then the man. Warmth pulsing off her and slamming into Gwen, must be the Witch who gave them the amulets.

Gwen's gut twist in worry as the women hands Julies a wade of cash. Gwen gets the urge to run as the man grabs her upper arm. Roughly pushing Gwen forward after the women. Walking them away from the RV and deeper into the woods.

Gwen  spots a protection amulet around his neck, Right so a physical fight it is. Just something thing to shift the situation to my advantage.

It feels like hours pass as Gwen is forced forward. Stumbling with her  soar stiff legs while mentally talking  in every detail. Looking for the opportunity to run back. Hoping one of the boys already got Caroline. That they are on their way to find her.

A hope that fades as the sun rises. Idiot, you pretended to be dead for years. Long enough for them to move on. Why should they come?  Gwen tries and fails to get rid of those thoughts. Instead they repeat like a broken record.

Gwen is shoved into a small shallow cave missing chunks of rock inside. in the center rest a black bag next to a small fire pit.

Gwen is forced to the ground and dragged. Until her  back presses against the caves wall. Before she can form a plan of escape. The women sprinkles blue dust over her body. Immobilizing Gwen like a statue.

Leaving Gwen to watch the women dig into her bag. Taking out a knife, grimoire, bowl, two candles, black thread and a needle. Sending Gwen's  heart racing as images of a girl with lips sown shut assault her.

The women opens her grimoire. Beings to chant while lighting the two candles. Then hands over the knife and bowel to her friend. He gets closer bending down to Gwen's  level.

"Please let me go," Gwen whispers.

Pity flashes in his eyes giving Gwen a second of hope. That quickly is ripped away as he digs the knife into her shoulder. She releases a cry of pain.

While her blood flows into the bowl creating a puddle. Her panic raising as he returns the items. Placing the bowl between the candles.

Gwen can't stop words spilling out of her lips, pleads to stop. While watching the women thread the needle. Inch by inch covering it with Gwen's  blood. The damnation curse, she is a Necromancer not a witch. Images turning of herself as a ghost, forever silenced and alone. Spring into Gwen's mind.

"Please please," The words are almost sobs as the women approaches. Eyes guarded, the bloody thread in hand. For the first time in years Gwen is unable to do anything but sob "Stop....stop."

A gush if wind tickles her skin followed by a thud. The women let's out a piercing scream as Damon tears into her throat. Blood spraying onto Gwen's  face and chest but she doesn't care. Relief bursting through the fear, they came for me.

Damon let's the woman's body drop in a heap "Over here!" Damon calls over his shoulder.

Stefan comes into view. Gwen barley hears him calling her name. Or his arms lifting her off the ground. Gwen sinks into Stefan's chest  "Take a look around for others and bury the bodies, I'll take her back."

The world blurs by. Before Gwen knows it Stefan is placing her on the couch. Gently removing her bloody shirt around her leg, checking the wound.

"It stopped bleeding and isn't deep so that's good."

Stefan bites into his wrist and holds it out. Gwen stakes it swallowing two  gulps. Face scrunched up in pain. As the wood bullet is pushed out and the flesh heals.

Taking his wrist back. Stefan's  green eyes full of concern watch her "Are you okay?" Gwen nods  "Who were those people?"

"Not sure but I think it goes back to the crystal."

Stefan sighs "Gwen maybe you should walk away. It's  too dangerous for something you don't even know is real," his hand grabs hers "I believe your family would want you to live now instead of the past, think about it."

Stefan plants a peck on her forehead and leaves. Gwen showers and gets lost in her thoughts.

Maybe Stefan has a point. I can already see mother telling me to live with what I have. Only problem is I'm not sure what I have anymore. Annoyed and exhausted Gwen dresses and plops down on her bed.

Staring at the floor until Damon joins her "My brother has a point. Why risk your life for something that might be a rumor and not real."

Her dark blue eyes stare into his "If you found away to bring someone you love back, would you go after it?" Damon nods emotion flashing in his eyes before quickly falling back behind his walls "This crystal might be the only chance I got and I don't know how to walk away from that,"  Gwen leans onto his shoulder "Please tell me you understand."

"I understand," He says 

Gwen doesn't dwell on if he means it or not. Letting him wrap a arm around and pull her closer. Her  head falling onto his shoulder.

Finding comfort in Damon's strong demeanor and arms. Breathing in his vanilla sent. letting it wash over her chasing away her fears. Listening to his breathing calming her nervous. A beautiful strange lullaby that has Gwen drifting.

  ()()()()()()()(()()()

Damon looks down to find Gwen fast asleep. Her beautiful face relaxed and calm. Moving her Damon gently lays her head on the pillow pulling the comforter over her. Damon stares at Gwen. Acknowledging the truth instead of burying or ignoring it.

I love you. Always have , he wishes to tell her.

The desire almost unbearable until he remembers Gwen has moved on. Ready to rebuild a life with her family but without him. Because Damon walked away from Gwen while her heart was open. He failed the one person who cared for him despite his flaws.

I wont fail again.

His fingers graze her cheek.