Elena sighed, tossing her journal down at the sound of a knock on the door downstairs. Mystic Falls had received a very uncustomary snow storm last night, so school was cancelled until the town could be plowed out.

It's probably Jeremy, she thought. He must have forgotten his keys again…

She walked down the stairs and opened the door.

"We have a problem."

Damon walked into the house, snow lacing his black hair and black leather jacket.

"Well, hello to you, too." Elena said, shutting the door.

"Lock it." Damon ordered as he walked into her living room.

"Why?" Elena asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

Damon frowned, walking past her and sliding the lock across, doing the deadbolt, too.

"Because," he said, sounding irritated. "Klaus is back in town."

Elena gaped at him.

"What? He can't be. He has my blood-"

"He ran out. Now he needs more. This is the first place he's going to look. We have to go, now!"

Elena frowned.

"I can't. Jeremy-"

"Has Alaric, Bonnie, and his ghost-ex-girlfriend to protect him. You, on the other hand, have no one but me."

He said this while peering angrily out a crack in the curtains.

"Damon, I can't just pack up and leave-"

"I know. We don't have time for packing. We'll go shopping once we're a good two states away from here."

"Damon, I'm not leaving without-!"

"Without what? Stefan? Because he's on Klaus's side, Elena! Klaus has Stefan, Tyler, and Rebekah out looking for you, so they can hook you up to that machine again, and drain your blood. And if we don't go now, they're going to find you. And I can't protect you from all three of them!"

Elena frowned, clearly at a crossroad.

Damon shook his head in irritation, scooping her up and unlocking the door, dashing out and putting her in the passenger's seat of his car, slamming the door, and getting in the driver's side himself. By the time they were both in and driving away, a total of seventeen seconds had gone by.

"Are you crazy?" Elena cried, looking helplessly back at her house with the door still wide open. "Alaric and Jeremy are going to think someone kidnapped me!"

"Technically they wouldn't be wrong." Damon said with a sarcastic smile.

Elena heaved an irritated sigh, giving up protesting. She knew nothing was going to nudge Damon.

"Where are you taking me this time?" she asked, remembering their last spontaneous trip, to Georgia, which had ended rather disastrously.

Damon looked in the rearview mirror, as if expecting to see someone tailing them.

"Somewhere they'll never think to look." He said, not taking his eyes off of the mirror.

"Which is…?" Elena asked.

"My new, unrecognizable car."

Elena frowned, for the first time looking around the car. It wasn't Damon's blue convertible, at all. It was a sleek black sports car with tinted windows, suede seats, and leather upholster.

"How did you afford this?" Elena asked her eyes wide.

"Well, it's not like I have to spend a whole whack of money on food." He grinned.

She grinned.

"No, you spend it on alcohol."

Damon rolled his eyes, elbowing her arm gently.

She grinned, swatting him back.

"So, are you trying to tell me that we're going to be staying in this car for… how long exactly?"

"As long as it takes Klaus to realize you're gone, and move on."

"But, he'll obviously leave someone in Mystic Falls in case I come back…"

Damon winced, obviously guilty of something.

"I know."

"Then, when are we going home?"

Damon sighed.

"We aren't, Elena."

"What? Damon!"

"I'm sorry, Elena! But, I've told you all of this before! I'm going to do whatever it takes to protect you!"

"Even if it means taking me away from my family and friends forever?"

"It isn't going to be forever, Elena. Just long enough for Klaus to die. Then, I'll take you home, and you can live happily ever after with my un-compelled brother."

Elena frowned, looking out the window, watching her hometown fly past her as Damon sped out of Mystic Falls.

Damon frowned, looking over at her.

"I'm sorry, Elena."

She just shook her head, refusing to look at him.

"I'm just trying to protect you. Honestly, I think I would rather have you hate me than have you dead."

She frowned at him.

"Congratulations; you got your wish."

Damon felt his stomach clench, but continued to drive, the car zooming past the sign that read "You are now leaving Mystic Falls. Come back soon!"