“He put an arm around his brother to help him up. And then, for a moment, he just held on.”

“For a moment he wondered, again, if he should just give it all up. Perhaps he should go back to Italy, back to his hiding place. What made him think that he could rejoin the world of daylight?But he was tired of living in shadows. He was tired of the darkness, and of the things that lived in it. Most of all, he was tired of being alone.”

“He let her get almost all the way there, just staring, before he stumbled towards her. They ended in a rush and then fell to the ground together,arms locked around each other, each holding on as tightly as possible. Niether of them said a word.”

“She heard Stefan’s voice.“Elena! Let go! Fall and I’ll catch you!”How strange, Elena thought, as if in a dream. His love and panic had distorted his voice somehow - making him sound different. Making him sound almost like-“Elena! I’m with you!”-like Damon.Shaken out of her dream, Elena looked below her. And there was Damon, standing protectively in front of Meredith, looking up at her, with his arms held out.He was with her.”

“This is weird," he said, looking around the room, and taking another gulp from his glass. "This is so weird ... I don't know what I'm doing. I've got deliveries to make ..." Then he said, "Gee, you're pretty." Gee? thought Cassie. Gosh. Golly. Oh, my God. "Thanks," she said weakly, and glanced around the room for help.”

“Okay. I'll help you fight. What do you think we're up against? Bears, Coyotes...""My Brother.”

“Cassie looked up at him, her fingers still intermeshed with his. "Sorry," she said unsteadily. "I was just scared." "Remind me to get you scared frequently," Nick said. He looked slightly dazed.”