New story. Yay.

Firstly, his universe isn't originally mine. I strongly recommend a story titled 'I'm Yours & You're Mine' by Gazing at Stars, I've written this for her universe with her permission. It is set years before her story, and the plot lines, I'm sure, are very different, but depending on our collaboration we may decide to link them together to some extent later. Either way, please go check hers out as soon as you've read this.

Also, for this universe, you just have to know that vampires are treated as pets, slaves even, probably because their existence was discovered early and vervain was used to subdue them from the very beginning. They're kept weak so that they're less of a threat, and the word has evolved differently; don't think of it as the vampire diaries universe or else you'll get confused and won't be able to enjoy this as much. They are still fast and strong, or at least are supposed to be, but are no where near as predator like as in the show and books.

Also, for anyone who's interested, I will continue with 'Lie to Me' eventually, it's currently on extended hiatus because of my lack of inspiration.

Ttyl.

~.~

Very Sincerely Yours

'Holding Out for You'

~.~

"You know what you need, Ricky? A vampire. No, look't me! Since I got my l'ttle twerp, ever'thing's been so much better! You need to feel 'n control, Rick, have some-one to take it all out on sometime."

"You're drunk, bud."

"No 'm not! Yeah, I am... But it don't make it any less true. Go to Richard, apply for a vampire! You qualify just fine, you've always qualified! Richard loves you, he'll bend over fucking backward to get you a one; I dunno why you 'aven't done it already."

"I'm taking you home."

"It'll make you less bor'ng, Ricky."

"Get up, we're going."

"You know 'm right, Ricky."

"Yeah... sure I do."

~.~

"Finally, Rick! I knew you'd cave eventually. You can only 'old out on me fer so long..."

"Look, Richard, do I qualify or not?"

"Course ye do. You've qualified all yer life."

"That's what Tommy said."

"Tommy's a smart guy, when he ain't pissed off his rocker. We're gonna get ye a vampire, me boy! Hell, we can go get ye one now, file the paperwork later. 'Ow's that sound?"

"I... I don't really know where to, ya know, find them and that..."

"Don't worry, son, I run this network; yer fine with me. Don't think there are any in the in-city compounds, they've been cleaned out, but there might be a couple further out. Shit places, but vampire's are vampires, aren't they? Yer just might be saving one..."

"Yeah, saving one. That sounds alright."

~.~

"Registration in order?"

"I've got 'im covered. Ye know who I am don't ya? Good. Well, ye got my signature, we'll fill the rest in as soon as we find Ricky 'is new pet."

"Door's on the left, cells are down the back. Browse as you like, Sir, press the buzzer if you need any assistance."

"That's a good lad. Come on, Rick! Let's get you yer vampire!"

~.~

Alaric groaned aloud as he and Richard were led from the warmth of the first building by the grey path they were told to follow. The air felt like ice, so cold he was sure even someone without nerves could feel it, and he tugged his thick jacket around him tightly as they moved further out into the cold. It looked like it was going to rain, or hail more like it, and Alaric asked himself yet again why the hell he was out in fucking nowhere getting a vampire from a shit-hole.

It's your fucking fault, ass-hole. Take it like a man.

Richard's happy whistling disturbed his thoughts and he forced himself not to think anymore. It wasn't all that difficult; he felt like the cold had shrunk his brain to half its original size.

The path wove further down through a mistreated garden, vines hanging down to whack Rick in the face, and he continued to stumble along, cursing Richard and his uncanny ability to not be troubled by any of this. They were going to get a slave, for fuck's sake. A fucking slave! Rick couldn't pretend to be okay with that, even if he was the one who had finally cracked and given in to the pressure of his friends.

After walking for far too long, Rick finally caught sight of the cells. They were grey, ugly looking concrete blocks, all stuck next to each other with a corridor along one side, allowing access into each. The entrance to each cell was just a sheet of hatched wire, the gaps large enough to slide your fingers through, and even from here Rick could tell that there wasn't anything inside at all. It was all dark, which Alaric supposed was a blessing for the vampires inside, and he immediately decided that he disliked the place immensely.

By the time they finally reached it, Alaric found that his immediate perception hadn't changed in the slightest.

Richard opened up the outside gate (there was a mechanical locking system on the outside, and the entire section of wire all the way around was dripping with something Rick couldn't identify) and led them both inside. The first cell was empty, the little white information card on the side covered by an angry read stamp. DECEASED. Brilliant. They picked up a steady pace after that, slow and quiet, Richard's soft 'take your time' echoing in Rick's head. His stomach twisted every-time they walked past a new cell, entire body shaking from nervousness, jacket pulled further around him as the cold seemed to settle in his bones.

There were vampires, male and female, mostly aged between twenty-five and forty. Some sat quietly at the backs of their cells, others slept in the shadows, making it impossible to Alaric to see them. There were three or four that were yelling incoherently, cursing him as he walked past, and he sped up slightly in an effort to move away from them as quickly as possible. The hallway didn't seem to end, and Rick desperately hoped that he'd find an excuse to leave as quickly as he could, with or without a vampire.

The next vampire he came across seemed different from the others. This one was younger, barely an adult, curled up on himself against the wall on the far corner of the cell. The light barely allowed Rick any distinctions, and he stood still for a while, struggling to see anything other than dark outlines and blotches of black and grey.

He didn't realize he'd been staring until the vampire lifted it's head slightly, bright eyes blinking at him through the dark, and they watched each other for a few seconds, until he lifted his hand to wave and the vampire's eyes were lost from sight again.

Rick turned to the information card.

"Rick? Somethin' wrong?" Alaric heard Richard backtrack, and soon the older man was standing next to him, gazing curiously into the cell. "There aren't many more up tha' way... Ye like this one?"

"Yeah," Alaric said softly, reading through the card for the third time. "Something like that."

Richard beamed, obviously pleased with himself, and headed back up the corridor to press the little buzzer and call the assistant over. Meanwhile, Alaric crouched down, squinting in an attempt to see better, and eventually the vampire shifted slightly, meeting his eyes again.

Rick cocked his head to one side, barely able to make out the vampire's face in the dark, and moved his hand to the wire, sliding two of his fingers through. The vampire seemed surprised by this, although it really was impossible to tell, and Alaric did his best to seem as non-threatening as possible.

All too soon, Richard was back with the assistant from earlier.

"What's he like?" Alaric asked as the two arrived, not shifting his gaze at all.

"Doesn't talk," the man returned bluntly from behind him. "We don't know if he can't or refuses to. He isn't the most compliant, either, we use vervain here but the place he was at last enjoyed beating the ones that misbehaved. Rumor has it he was separated from his brother, but I don't know if that's true."

"Is he violent?"

The man hesitated before replying. "No, I guess he isn't. I doubt he'll be easy to handle, though. Why, you want to go inside?"

Rick looked up at Richard, only to be met with an approving nod, and he stood, letting the assistant move over to the entrance.

"There's a button on the wall, like the one out here; bright red. That'll inject one of the vervain darts in his collar. I've had to use a couple today already, so he shouldn't be much trouble. The light is almost dead, but you can still try it out if you'd like." There was another pause and then, "His name's Damon."

Alaric nodded, still staring at the vampire, and then the cell was opened and he stepped inside, hearing it click behind him. Richard and the assistant moved away for a while, and a small, needy, insecure part of Alaric hoped they wouldn't go too far.

He reached out and felt along the wall for the light switch, flicking it on when he finally found it, and the cell was filled with a dull, flickering glow. The red button was now easily visible, and Alaric noted where it was before turning slightly to get a good look at Damon.

Alaric's first thought was that he must be absolutely freezing.

Damon was sitting in his corner like Rick had first observed, knees pulled up to his chest and head tucked down, out of sight. He wasn't wearing a shirt, only worn pants, and his bare arms seemed to shake as they wrapped around his legs, white lines marring the otherwise smooth flesh. Rick was immediately shocked by these scars, although he supposed that he vervain the assistant mentioned could weaken vampire tissue and leave lasting signs of abuse. The black collar around Damon's neck and what looked like a leather muzzle over his mouth made him grit his teeth, hands bunching into fists, and he forced himself not to hit something. Damon was obviously young, maybe just a little passed twenty, and his black hair only served to show how pale his skin was in comparison. Alaric stepped over to him slowly, crouching down.

He wasn't entirely sure what to expect.

Eventually, Damon lifted his head and those bright blue eyes bored into Rick again, although Alaric wouldn't make out any emotion in them. He lifted his hand, probably to wave or do something else equally stupid, only to be met with a harsh growl and what he was sure was a flinch, Damon pulling back slightly and curling up tighter. Rick lowered his hand immediately, startled by the reaction.

After another long moment, Rick lifted his hand again, this time painstakingly slowly, Damon's blue eyes watching it like a hawk would a mouse, only with less fire and longing. Eventually, after moving it closer and closer to Damon's face, his fingertips lightly brushed the vampire's cold skin and he forced himself not to pull them back suddenly. Damon's eyes flicked up to meet his own, and Rick thought he could almost find a trace of emotion in their depths.

Almost.

With his stomach in knots, Rick slowly moved his fingers along Damon's check, careful not to touch the leather strap of the muzzle, passed his ear and slowly down part of his jaw. He held his eyes, forcing himself not to move suddenly, hand moving down along Damon's neck as timidly as he could possibly make them. Without thinking, Rick touched the collar at Damon's neck and Damon started, lunging back and hissing deep in his throat like a frightened animal. Rick fell back, heart pounding relentlessly, only to feel his eyes widen as he heard an angry shout from outside and then Damon was crying out again, the sound muffled beyond recognition, this time clawing at his own neck as he fell to one side, face twisted into a mask of pain. Rick cursed loudly, jumping up and over to the cell entrance, eyes hard and unforgiving.

"He's mine."

The assistant seemed shocked, as did Richard, although the latter was also incredibly pleased and so the emotion wasn't quite as raw as one would expect.

Rick didn't give either of them a chance to but in before he continued.

"Go sort out any of the paperwork, grab whatever you think I'll need for him. Leave this door open as well, I'll bring him up to the main building myself."

"That not how it works..." The assistant started, unsure, but was cut off by Richard, who berated him firmly, and soon the cell was opening and Rick was being handed a thick strip of leather that he was supposed to attach to Damon's collar. He nodded bluntly, eyeing it with distaste, and turned away before he could watch either of the two men leave.

Taking a deep breath, Rick moved back over to Damon, who was curled up on his side, face still showing obvious pain. He didn't move at all when Rick crouched next to him, except to shrink back slightly as he caught sight of the leather lead, and Rick carefully brought it forward and attached it to Damon's collar before leaving it to lie uselessly on the ground.

Damon whimpered once, the sound making Rick's heart melt, and he reminded himself that Damon was far better of with him than he was in a cold, concrete box.

Slowly, although he knew that Damon wouldn't be able to resist him, Alaric pulled Damon's upper body up gently, not bothering to care if Damon's face tucked in against his throat, although he supposed having blood so close to a vampire as weak as Damon with an obvious barrier in his way would be causing some type of pain. He squeezed the smaller body gently, feeling it stiffen, before sliding his other arm under Damon's knees and lifting him up off the cold floor.

Damon groaned once, subconsciously leaning into Rick as if in desperate need of warmth, and Rick counted that as a small victory even as Damon's eyes clouded and fluttered closed. He stepped back slowly, testing Damon's weight, before moving out of the cell and back into the corridor. Some of the other vampires yelled and cursed at him as he left but he payed them no mind, instead feeling Damon's each and every tick and flinch and adjusting his grip accordingly.

Soon he was out of the last gate, thankful that the assistant had the mind to keep it open for him, and was walking back up the grey path towards the main building and the approaching warmth.

Damon didn't react much as Alaric moved, occasionally making a soft sound of pain whenever Rick stumbled, and soon they were reaching the end of the garden. Rick slowly placed Damon down, letting the vampire lean on him heavily, and he slipped the end of the lead around his wrist, glad that Damon was too out of it to notice.

Steeling himself, Rick brought them both inside, feeling the heat hit him like a tidal-wave, and he had to stop Damon from falling to the floor again. Richard was waiting at the counter, looking very bored until he caught sight of Alaric and his mouth twisted up into a grin, waving him over happily. Alaric did his best to get Damon to move without hurting him, suddenly glad that he'd decided to carry Damon from the cells earlier, not that it was something he'd ever tell Richard or Tommy.

Rick saw that Richard had something for him to sign, so he slowly lowered Damon down to sit against the counter, making sure the lead was long enough to prevent any pulling at Damon's collar, before taking a look at the document.

"Sign here, and it's all done, Ricky," Richard beamed, handing him a pen. "The chap's takin' some blood out to the car for ye, you'll need something to keep 'im going for a little while. Ye can have it delivered, ye know, every Saturday morning. I'll fix that up for ye later, shall I. Ye get 'im up from the cells okay? We'll head off in a second, I've filled out everythin' else. Ye can change 'is name if ye want, but I thought ye wouldn't like to. The rest wasn't anythin' worth worryin' about..."

Alaric was almost glad for Richard's ramblings, signing quickly and nodding at the older man whenever appropriate. The assistant came through the door after a little while, eyeing Damon harshly, although he seemed to settle when he caught sight of the lead firmly in place.

It made Alaric sick.

Rick quickly handed over the last piece of paper, complete with a fresh signature, and felt a huge weight slide off his shoulders when he heard a simple, 'alright, good to go'.

He thought he could have cried.

With gentle touches, Rick helped Damon to his feet, wrapping one arm around the smaller waist, and they made their way over to the door. He felt Damon curl into him as soon as they left the warmth from inside, and tightened his grip as he followed Richard over to the car. The back door was opened and Rick slowly helped Damon inside, laying him down gently across the fabric seats. He took the lead off his wrist and, after only a moment's hesitation, slid off his jacket as well, placing it over Damon's shivering form, before closing the door and sliding into the passenger's seat himself. Richard started the engine, turned on the heating, and soon they were on their way back to Alaric's apartment, leaving the grey shit-hole behind.

Richard didn't talk much on the drive home, although he still grinned exuberantly the whole way without fail, while Rick just sat and watched the windows frost, trying to push horrifying images from his mind.

Suddenly, as if he'd forgotten something important, Rick spun around and checked on Damon, who seemed to have passed out, eyes closed and face slack. His hand fell gently over the edge of the seat, arm disappearing under Rick's thick jacket, and with a quiet sigh Rick turned back to the window.

If Richard noticed, he didn't say a word.

~.~

tbc, tell me what you think.

- V. S. Y.