Author's Note: What is Damon's plan and how will it turn out? ;) Thanks for all the lovely reviews - they are much appreciated!
Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own The Vampire Diaries or any of the characters.
Chapter 4
"It's been too long, hasn't it, Jeremy?" Elena was getting worried. Damon hadn't moved or woken up in what seemed like a very long time. He just lay there, in the same awkward position that Marcella had left him in. Elena didn't have a very good sense of time in the dark dungeon, but she was sure that Damon had been unconscious for too long. "He wasn't out this long last time, was he?"
"I'm not sure, Elena." Jeremy looked as miserable and helpless as she felt. "I don't think so."
Elena stared at the tray of food that their captors had left them some time ago, while Damon had been unconscious. Jeremy had eaten a little of it. She had ignored it, too scared and heartsick to eat. Why hadn't Stefan or Bonnie or anyone come for them? Why hadn't Damon woken up again? She hated her helplessness. There had to be something she could do, some way out of this cage. Otherwise she was terrified that she would actually have to watch Damon die.
The voice was a rough whisper, edged with pain and exhaustion. "Elena?"
"Damon?" Elena stood up and went over to the bars. There was something in Damon's voice. Something was wrong. Well, more wrong than this fucked up situation already was. He still lay in the same position, and it looked like he was struggling just to open his eyes. Elena felt her heart sink.
"I'm sorry, Elena." The same low, rough whisper, like not even his voice worked. "I'm not strong enough."
"Damon, no. You're fine. We're going to get out of here."
"My body . . . it's shutting down. I'm sorry." Her heart broke at the pain in his voice, and she felt a new wave of fear as she saw that his eyes had slipped closed again.
"No, Damon, no! You're going to fight this, damn it! You are not going to die on me!"
Before she could continue ranting at him, she heard the woman, Marcella, come through the doorway. This time, she was alone.
Elena glared at Marcella, her fury shifting from Damon to the person who really deserved it.
"Not a word, Elena." Marcella had seen Elena's expression, and her voice was like steel. "I've done you a favor. You'll understand that some day." She unlocked the door to Damon's cell and walked in. She nudged his body with her foot. "So you weren't so tough, after all? A bit disappointing really – I had more plans . . ."
Elena froze in shock as Damon surged up off the floor. His speed was nowhere near his usual vampire speed, but it was faster than any human could move. He grabbed Marcella, and in one smooth twist, he snapped her neck. His hand pulled something from around Marcella's waist and tossed it toward the door to the cell Elena and Jeremy were in. It was a set of keys, and Elena watched, her body still frozen, as Jeremy grabbed the keys to try to unlock their cell.
Elena's eyes were drawn back to Damon. She saw him stagger back a step. He caught himself against the back wall of his cell and sank down to a sitting position. His eyes closed as he leaned his head back.
Elena felt a mix of relief and fury fill her. She gave in to the fury. "Were you faking this whole time?" She knew she was glaring at Damon.
He opened his eyes and met hers with a rueful smile. "And the Oscar goes to . . . me. You can be best supporting actress."
"Why, Damon? Do you know how scared I was?"
"I'm sorry, Elena." She knew he was being sincere, and for some reason that infuriated her more. He waved a hand toward a corner of the ceiling of his cell. "Video camera. They were watching us. I needed to buy myself some time to recover from the vervain. That reminds me." Elena watched in confusion as he pulled something small out of his pocket. He tested it in his hand briefly, then threw it toward the camera. Elena jumped as the camera lens shattered. "There, they can't see us anymore. Part two of my awesome plan."
He was just insufferable, Elena thought. "What were you going to do if she came down here with several guards?"
"Kill them." He gave a slight shrug. "Or at least distract them. That's why I tossed you the keys. Any luck with that yet, Jeremy?"
Elena glanced at Jeremy, who was still trying keys in the door to their cell. It was a bit awkward from inside the cell, and Elena turned back to Damon, ready to yell at him to come help. This time she really looked at him, however. He had closed his eyes again, and it was hard to tell in the dim light, but she thought his skin looked ashen. And, Elena thought with sudden awareness, she had a sneaking suspicion that he had sat down because his knees had given out on him.
She watched as he moved his hand toward his leg, digging out the bullet that was still embedded in his thigh and tossing it to the side.
"Are you okay, Damon?"
"Doing great, Elena. Thanks for asking."
God, couldn't he be serious for once? "Why didn't you feed on that woman? You must need blood, right?"
Damon opened his eyes, and Elena felt her knees go a little weak as he met her gaze. He was covered in blood and dirt, too weak to stand, and somehow he still made her heart skip a beat. I'm with Stefan, Elena reminded herself. I love Stefan. Damon shrugged, a very slight movement. "She seems like the type to drink vervain. I couldn't risk it. Figured you'd leave me here rather than carry me out."
"Damon . . . " Elena wasn't sure what she had been about to say, but she was saved by a click in the lock on their cell.
"Got it!" Jeremy said triumphantly.
