Chapter 4

Sorry this update has taken so long.

I don't own anything.

Dark clouds hung over Mystic Falls, thunder clapped outside the window startling Elena awake. She was confused at first as to why she couldn't move, and looked down to find two arms wrapped around her. She turned in Damon's arms to face him, wondering when he had come in the night before.

"Damon," she said as she put her hand to his chest and started to lightly shake him to wake him up. He pulled her in closer to him in reaction.

"Huh?" he mumbled in to her hair breathing in her scent and not wanting to wake up and let go yet.

"When did you get here? I tried calling you and you didn't answer. I thought you were mad at me."

"I was mad at you; I didn't answer because I didn't want to talk to you, and then I talked to Ric and he said you probably had some reason for doing what you did and I should give a chance to explain. So, I came over here, but you were asleep and I was drunk, so I stayed."

"I do have a reason for doing what I did. Esther didn't want to hurt me. She apologized for everything her children have done to me, and told me that she upset the balance of nature when she created them, and she wants to put it right. She needed some of my blood to do a spell to bind them all together so that she can kill them. I didn't mean what I said about you loving me being a problem. I know going to see Esther was a risk, but it was a risk I was willing to take to end all of this and be with you."

Damon sat up and looked down at her when she had finished talking.

"I want to get this over with and be with you to Elena, more than anything, but what if she had needed more than just a few drops of your blood to bind the spell? What if she needed a doppelganger sacrifice? Maybe it's just me, but I think you dying would kind of put a damper on our relationship. So, unless you want to drink some of my blood before every stupid, dangerous plan you have, maybe you should start being a little more careful, because none of this matters if you're dead. All of it would've been for nothing," he said to her forcefully. He hadn't meant to be some blunt and callous with her, but he was still upset with her for taking that meeting in the first place.

Elena sat there stunned; she felt tears well up in her eyes. She really hadn't thought about what would have happened had Esther tried to kill her. She was so willing to do anything to be with Damon that she hadn't even thought about her own safety, and Damon was right, how could she be with him if she was dead? She had never wanted to be a vampire.

"I'm sorry," she said, tears spilling over her eyes, making trails down her cheeks. "I didn't think."

Damon pulled her in close to him. "Don't cry. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap. It's ok; I just want you to be more careful. I don't want to lose you before we can even get started."

Elena calmed down and looked up at Damon. "There's more. I don't feel right about what Esther is doing. I don't think Elijah deserves to die, he's not like the others."

"Elena, you can't get involved. Esther didn't hurt you last night but that doesn't mean that she won't if you interfere with her plans. I know you like Elijah, I don't know why, but this is our best shot of getting rid of Klaus, and let's not forget that Rebekah wants you dead."

"I know that but I gave her my blood to bind them. I don't want to be responsible for killing my friend. Isn't there anything we can do?"

"I really don't know what we could do, they're already bound together. To unbind Elijah we would have to unbind them all."

"Maybe not, maybe Bonnie could find something, some way to unbind just Elijah."

"You think Elijah is going to let his whole family be killed. The reason Klaus is still alive right now is because he promised to reunite Elijah with his family, he's not going to be let them killed for good while he is saved."

"You're right, I just don't want to be responsible for this."

"Elena, this is not your fault."

"I gave her my blood Damon! I bound them together!"

"Elena, do you really think that she would've taken no for an answer? If you had refused to help her I'm sure she would've had no problem killing you to get the blood to bind them together. You can't blame yourself for this," Damon hugged Elena to him. "Please don't do anything stupid. Just stay home today, ok? Promise me you'll stay home today."

"I promise. Will you stay with me?"

"I have some things to take care of but I will be back later, ok?" Damon asked, kissing the top of her head and getting up from the bed. He pulled on his boots and his jacket.

"Ok," Elena said sitting on the edge of the bed watching him.

"I'll see you in a little while," he said and placed a soft kiss to her lips, and then he was gone.

Elena got up and walked to the bathroom and turned on the shower. She quickly showered and dressed and headed downstairs. She opened the fridge and grabbed the orange juice and opened the cupboard to get a glass when she heard a knock on the door. She put down the orange juice and went to the door and opened it but didn't see anyone. Then she saw the paper on the steps and figured that was the noise she heard. She stepped out on the porch to retrieve it and felt someone grab her from behind. Her head slammed into the side of the house and her world went black.

Elena slowly started to come to. Her head was pounding and her vision was blurry. She blinked a few times to clear it. She took in her surroundings and it looked like she was in a cave. What the hell happened?

"Hello Elena," said a voice from the darkness, and someone stepped out of the shadows. "How's your head?"

Another person came out of the shadows to stand by the first. "You'll have to forgive my sister, she gets carried away. Now why don't you tell me what you and mother really talked about."

"Elijah?"