In the Eyes of the Beholder

Chapter 2

The streets were cold the night Elena was released from the hospital. She looked up into the sky as snowflakes dripped onto her eyelashes. She blinked them off as she walked the streets of Chicago trying to keep warm as she walked home.

Normally she would have called Caroline to call and pick her up, but after what happened at the hospital about a week ago Elena thought it wasn't such a good idea. She pulled her coat closer as she looked at her foggy breath trying to think about anything except what happened. What the hell was that anyway? And why hadn't it happened since then? Was it something she had to be thinking about or was it more of a spontaneous thing?

Before she could even comprehend it further in her mind someone grabbed her and threw her into a nearby alley wall. She was about to scream when a black glove cupped her hand and she was staring into a face of a man she didn't know, but suddenly intentions and even memories of this man were flooding through her. Hell she even knew his name.

He slipped his hand off her face as she stared him down swallowing in fear. If she was going to do this she had to do this right. Which meant she had to try and remember every single detail about this man.

"Alaric."

"How did you know my name?"

"I know you don't really want to hurt me Alaric."

"You don't know what I want. Now give me your money or I'll shoot."

"No you won't."

"Give me your money."

"You're only doing this for your girls Alaric."

"How did you know about them?"

"How do you think Josie and Lizzie will feel if they find out what you're doing?"

"Fuck you. You don't know my life."

"I know that your wife died thanks to her psychotic brother. I know you think you don't know what the hell you're doing, but you do Alaric. Just please don't do this."

"Fuck you, you psychotic bitch."

She felt a punch to her face making her see stars but through those stars she saw Alaric get punched in the face. She looked up to see a guy with black hair and blue eyes. In different circumstances she would say that he was pretty damn hot, but not when they were in the middle of the alleyway with a passed out burglar beside him.

She exhaled through her pain and sat up using the wall behind her as leverage. The guy went to her and she tried to back away in case he was another threat.

"Hey. Are you okay?"

Her vision blurred as she put a hand to her head.

"Ugh my head."

Before she knew it she was passed out in his arms and being lifted.

"It's okay, I got you. I got you. I'm gonna get you to someplace safe."

Those were the last words Elena heard before her world turned black.