a.n.: Due to inspiration and a change of mind, I've decided not to delete and try to continue writing.

Two plans were in action. Rose's to save the Brothers and Tony's to kill them. As if plans weren't already hard enough to keep together and on track. Though it seemed Tony and Rose's plans were complete opposites they did have one thing in common however: Elena. Kathrine's sister was the link between the two, even if she didn't know it.

Tony was doing nothing but using the girl. He thought of her purely as someone to replace Kathy. Elena was also used as his own personal punching bag. Though he throw around words like "love" he didn't mean it. Love was simply a word used to get Elena to do what he pleased to her and have her not even utter a single complaint.

Rose, on the other hand, wanted to help Elena. She felt Elena was some lost girl just trying to get justice for her sisters murder. Rose thought if she could get Elena on her side, then it'd be easier to take Tony down. Or, for starters, to get Damon and Stefan out of harms way. The only problem was, Elena was so hung up on Tony, his lies and false promises, Rose doubted the girl would see reason if slapped her in the face.

Enter Damon. If anyone could get Elena to see reason, it was him. At least that's what Rose was hoping for.

"Are you mental?" Damon asked Rose when she voiced her plan to him.

"Some might say so. Seeing as I'm going against a mob lord to save you and your brother for no personal gain."

Damon ignored her idea of a joke. "Elena is never going to listen to me."

"Don't be so sure about that," Stefan added. Damon turned his attention to his little brother. "I've seen you two together. She's got it bad for you, Damon. And, though you won't admit it, you like her too."

"No. I don't."

"Liar."

"It's not a lie when I'm telling the truth."

"Right. But your not telling the truth."

"Can we get back to the matter at hand now?" Rose asked before Damon could continue bantering with his brother. The Salvatore's brought their attention back to the British accented woman. "It can't hurt to try. I'll get Elena to come down here, but it's up to you two get her on our side."

Rose walked away then, leaving no room for arguments.

xxxx

Elena was sitting in her room flipping through a book she had no intention of reading. There was a light knock on her door. Elena almost ignored it. She wasn't in the mood for company. Or the questions that could come when whoever was at the door caught sight of her face. There was a second knock. Elena sighed and tossed the book aside.

"What?" She demanded as she swung the door open.

Rose flashed a smile. "I don't know if now is a good time or not, but the hostages are asking to see you."

"And I'm just suppose to run down there like I have nothing better to do?" Elena shook her head. "Not going to happen." She went to close the door, but Rose's hand shot out and kept the white wood from closing in her face.

"Please, it's in your best interest."

"To go see the men waiting to die," Elena deadpanned. Rose nodded. It seemed getting rid of Rose wasn't going to be an easy task. Elena wasn't in the mood to argue with her either. So, quite reluctantly, she agreed to accompany the other woman down to the cells.

When they made it to the hallway lined with cells that reminded most of prison cells, Rose gave Elena some bull crap excuse and ran off in the other direction. Elena almost turned and went back to her room. Then decided to continue on towards the Salvatore's, seeing as she'd all ready come this far.

"What an unexpected surprise," Damon said, raising off the floor to meet Elena at the bars.

Elena raised one brow. "Unexpected surprise? I think you need to go back to high school."

"If I agree to those terms, will you let us out?"

"Absolutely."

Damon opened his mouth, no doubt to deliver another sarcastic remake, but his words fell away from his lips when his eyes settled on Elena's face. She knew what he was seeing. A once pretty face ruined by a purple and black ring around one eye. To accompany the black eye, was a busted bottom lip. Both given to her by a man who hadn't liked her tone last night during dinner. Which of course was followed by a false apologize and cheap sex. Elena had long since grown use to it.

"Tony's doing I presume?" Damon asked, his voice taken down a great deal in volume.

Elena nodded solemnly. "None of your concern, though. Rose said you wanted to see me. Why?" Her words didn't hold as much emotion as they normally did. She just wasn't up for it all today.

Damon noticed her topic change, but didn't point out how unsubtle it was. "Your not going to like my answer to that question."

She shrugged one shoulder. "Try me."

"Tony's using you Elena. He's jerking you around like a dog does a chew toy. And from the looks of it, your like his own personal fist magnet."

"Your point?"

"My point is that you don't have to put with it." Damon cast uneasy glances up and down the hall, making sure no one else was around to hear his next set of words. "Rose has plan. She's getting out and she's getting us out too. Come with us, Elena. Escape the mob and get real justice for Kathrine."

Elena was taken back. Had the idiot really just told her his plan to escape? Had he honestly just given away his inside accomplice as well? And here she thought Damon was smarter then that.

"Kathy's murder is going to get real justice." A spark of hope rose in Damon's eyes. Elena quickly put it out with her next words though. "When you two die tomorrow."

Damon hit the metal bars with the palm of his hand. "We didn't kill her!"

Elena shook her head in frustration. This had been a waste of time. She shouldn't have come down. "I'm not having this conversation with you again."

"Wait!" Damon called as she started to walk away. For some dumb reason, Elena did as he asked. Damon sighed and tried again at his attempt to get her on his side. "Listen, I know you think you can trust Tony's words. But you can't. He's lying to you, Elena. He's been lying this whole time."

She faced him once more. "Prove it."

"Look at your face!" Damon exclaimed, gesturing rather wildly at her injuries. "If that's not proof enough, then use your brain for once and really think. Tony is a ruthless killer and runs a mob. There's no trusting men like that!"

"But there is in men like you?" This comment actually rendered Damon speechless. "Yeah. I didn't think so."