"The Devil You Know"

Chapter 8

"What do you mean he seemed interested in her Damon?" Elena asked fearfully.

"I mean that Klaus' exact words were she's a beauty and she's intriguing." Damon said annoyed, "Calm down Elena he was just trying to shake us up."

"Well it sure as hell worked," Elena said angrily and started pacing, "I have to find a way to get her out of here."

"Elena, she'll be fine," Damon said, "Look I have somewhere to be, but don't do anything stupid like run and tell your friend all about us."

Elena just glared at Damon as he walked out the door.

She grabbed her cell and dialed Bella's number.

"Hello," Bella answered.

"Bella," Elena said relieved, "Hey do you want to go to lunch?"

"Sorry Elena, but I already made plans with someone," Bella said, guilt evident in her voice.

Elena couldn't help herself, "Is it with the mystery guy?" silence, "It is! Okay when do we get to meet him? This is starting to sound serious. Did he tell you why he's been M.I.A?"

"Yes he gave me a reason and I don't know when you get to meet him; we are just having fun." Bella said coyly.

"What kind of fun?" Elena asked.

"Elena, I've got to go." Bella replied embarrassed.

"You know I'm going to get it out of you one way or another Swan so you should just make it easy on yourself and me." Elena said knowingly.

"When have I ever taken things easy on you?" Bella retorted, "Later Elena."

Elena hung up and let out a sigh; at least Bella would be somewhere public and with someone, but that didn't change anything. She refused to allow Klaus to get his hooks into her.

.*.*.*.*.*.

"Is everything alright?" Klaus asked, coming up behind Bella and wrapping her in his arms.

"Fine," Bella replied and turned around to face him, "Just girls being girls. Want to know the details?" she teased.

"I think my experiences have taught me it's better to be in the dark when it comes to what women talk about." Klaus said and kissed her lightly on the lips, "Are you ready for lunch?"

"Yea," Bella said and grabbed her purse, "Is Elijah joining us?"

"No," Klaus said sounding relieved, "He wanted to see some people he hasn't seen in a few months."

"Well at least I get you to myself," Bella said and kissed him lightly on the lips; "Do you want to go to the Grill it's free."

"Bella; money is no problem to me," Klaus said.

"I was only teasing," Bella said laughing.

Inside her head though some wheels were turning around one question…why were they hiding their relationship? They were both consenting adults and Klaus had said he wanted more with her. She was admittedly falling for him, but it was different then when she fell for Edward. Klaus was so much easier to just be honest with; he had brought her peace that had been lost because of Edward.

"Bella," Klaus' voice said, pulling Bella out of her thoughts, "Is everything okay?"

"Fine," Bella said blushing, "Just thinking about some things."

"Should I be worried?" Klaus asked seriously.

"I don't know," Bella said as they pulled up to the restaurant, "Can we talk about it inside?"

Klaus simply nodded and got out to open her car door. They were escorted to a very private booth and the waiter came by with the menus. Klaus ordered a scotch and Bella ordered a sweet tea and the waiter left to fill their drink orders.

"Alcohol this early in the day?" Bella teased.

"I have a feeling that I'm going to need it." Klaus said, "What's wrong Bella?"

"Nothing," Bella said and placed her hand on his, "Just some things I've been considering."

"Like…" Klaus asked.

"Like why are we hiding our relationship?" Bella said bluntly.

"Why do you think we are hiding it?" Klaus asked.

"Because we are both scared to admit maybe we have something more than what we bargained for," Bella said truthfully, "At least in my case that's the reason."

"You're partly right," Klaus said slowly.

Bella stopped breathing; this was it, the blow she was waiting for…he was gonna leave, but this time she was prepared.

"The other reasons are I'm selfish and in Mystic Falls, I have made enemies with your friends." Klaus said.

"What?" Bella asked confused.

"Bella when I moved here I stepped on one too many toes and your friends they despise me. I didn't want you to feel the need to choose between me and them and in that sense I am selfish. I am worried about what your friends will say and it will cause you to hate me as well." Klaus answered truthfully.

He was shocked at his own honesty and that he felt the need to tell Bella the truth. She was no longer just a human; she had a name, a face, and most importantly feelings.

"What if I told you my friends' opinions wouldn't change how I felt about you?" Bella questioned. "Would you still want our relationship a secret?"

"It's not just that," Klaus said frustrated, "There's more, but those are the most important reasons."

"Talk to me Klaus," Bella said earnestly, "I don't want to force you to do something you don't want to do, I just want to understand."

"My family hates me," Klaus said bluntly, "Elijah especially and I fear they would use you to hurt me."

Bella breathed in and out deeply and was quiet for awhile.

Finally she said, "Do I have some say in the matter?"

"What?" Klaus asked confused.

"You say they might use me to hurt you; well seeing as I am a common factor in all these issues you have with letting people know about us then don't I get a voice in the matter? Elijah has already found out about us and I'm not afraid of anything. You have been open and honest with me since we've met; believe me when I say trust is the most important thing for me and your honesty, especially about my friends, it makes my convictions about you stronger." Bella replied smiling.

"I know your friends are important to you and I don't want to force you to choose." Klaus answered kissing her hand.

"I choose both of you," Bella said firmly, "If no one can accept that than they make the choice to leave my life."

"Are you willing to lose your friends?" Klaus asked shocked.

"They aren't really my friends if they can't accept my choices. For a very long time I was told what to do, what to wear, where I could go, what I should eat, all that crap and when I moved here, I made a promise to myself I would never allow someone to tell me what was good for me." Bella said a hint of anger surfacing at the memories of the Cullen's.

"Your ex?" Klaus guessed.

"And his family," Bella added, "Look I'm willing to take the criticism, the risk of losing people, and anything else if we go public, but ultimately are you willing to go through it too? I don't need an answer today I just want you to think about it; no pressure."

Klaus only nodded and their food arrived. They ate and their conversations turned to more light topics.

"So any plans after this?" Klaus asked as they finished their lunch.

"I'm actually heading to the local college to talk to someone about taking some classes." Bella replied excitedly.

"Really?" Klaus asked surprised, "I figured running a successful bar was the rest of your life."

Bella laughed, "While I love The Grill and intend to keep running it, I love school too and I want to have a degree in something."

"What are you thinking of studying?" Klaus continued.

"Psychology, photography, English, I don't know," Bella said, "I just want to take some classes and find my way. No real plan right now, just explore some options."

Klaus laughed, "You will never cease to surprise me."

"Is that all that keeps you around?" Bella teased.

Klaus' eyes became dark and intense as he moved closer to Bella, "There is so much more that keeps me around you Bella." Klaus pulled money out of his wallet put it on the table and held out his hand, "Care for me to show you?"

.*.*.*.*.*.

"Well look who finally showed up to work," Matt said as Bella walked into the bar, "You know Bells, you are the boss, you're supposed to set the example for the rest of us."

"Bite me Matt," Bella said smiling.

"I wouldn't mind taking that job," Damon said, putting on his jacket.

"Leaving so soon Damon," Bella asked shocked, "It's still early and normally you help me shut down."

"Yes well I do have a dinner date," Damon said, paying attention to Tori. "I had to find a replacement for you."

"She's one of a kind Damon," Matt said glaring, "It's hard to replace that."

"So very true," Damon said and kissed Bella's hand, "With my luck it's not going to go well so never fear my dear."

Bella just shook her head and took off her jacket.

"I can't stand that guy," Matt growled.

"He's harmless," Bella said.

"No he isn't," Matt said seriously.

"Matt I can hold my own with guys like that." Bella looked around at the grill, "Look, take the rest of the night off."

"What?" Matt asked shocked.

"Go," Bella said, "I can handle it; besides I think Elena needs a friend and Caroline and Bonnie seem to be M.I.A. Go hang out and see a movie."

"Thanks Bella," Matt said taking his apron off and heading to clock out.

"Don't clock out though," Bella said and winked.

"I owe you," Matt said, hugging Bella and left.

.*.*.*.*.*.

By Eleven o'clock the bar was pretty rowdy and Bella was running her butt off; ordering and bartending then Damon walked in.

"Working hard?" he asked smirking.

"Unlike some people Damon I have to work to make a living." Bella replied as she handed a customer his change, "Whiskey or Bourbon?"

"Both," Damon said and sat down.

"Rough night?" Bella asked.

"You could say that although I think I would have taken this," Damon said waving to the chaotic bar, "Then what I dealt with."

"Oh date didn't go too well?" Bella asked handing him his drinks.

"Try it ended up becoming a war and not the kind of war that involved tearing our clothes off each other." Damon said smoothly.

Bella got two shot glasses, grabbed an unmark bottle from under the bar, poured it and handed one to Damon.

"What's this?" Damon asked.

"Take it," Bella said and clinked her glass with his.

Damon downed the shot and suddenly a fire burned in his throat and he coughed.

"What the hell is that?" Damon choked out, wondering if it was vervain.

"The best cure for a bad night," Bella replied smiling widely, "Pure Irish Whiskey…got it from a guy I met while I was waiting for a flight in Ireland."

"Damn that's strong," Damon said coughing, "I've had Irish whiskey before and it's never been that strong."

Bella leaned on the bar close to Damon, "Then it wasn't pure Irish whiskey, one shot of pure Irish whiskey burns you, the second shot loosens you up, and the third one sneaks up on you, knocking you on your ass." She said.

"I don't believe it," Damon scoffed.

Bella shook the bottle in front of Damon, "Care to test it out?"

"What the hell," Damon said pushing his glass towards Bella. "Let's make this interesting though."

"What do you purpose?" Bella asked interested.

"If I am still on my feet and I can take a fourth one, you go out with me." Damon suggested.

"And when you lose what do I get?" Bella asked smirking.

"You won't be winning," Damon replied, "But I'll entertain the idea. If you win, I will take a shift off your hands and bartend."

"And then half my stock of bourbon will be missing…I don't think so," Bella said laughing, "How about you back off Elena and let her figure out what she wants."

"Fine," Damon said and held out his hand which Bella shook signifying their agreement.

Bella filled his shot glass to rim and he took the shot; this time it went down smooth with no burning and Damon felt all his tighten muscles loosen up.

"One more shot Damon; just remember your end of the deal." Bella said pouring the final shot.

"Don't count me out yet," Damon said his speech slurring a bit as he raised his shot as Bella smirked.

Damon downed the shot and immediately a wave of drunkenness hit him and he was down on the floor.

Bella laughed, "Hey Liz!" she said getting her attention, "Can you take a lightweight home for me?"

Liz Forbes came over and was shocked to see Damon on the floor, "What the hell happened to him?"

"Irish whiskey," Bella said continuing to laugh, "He'll be fine…I did warn him though."

Bella helped Liz take Damon to the car and stuck a note in the pocket as she whispered; "So you don't forget our agreement."

Bella shut the door and headed back into the bar.

.*.*.*.*.*.

Bella woke up at about four in the morning to banging on her front door. She got her Dad's gun she kept in the dresser and walked downstairs. She opened the door and relaxed when she saw who it was.

"Klaus," Bella said relieved, "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry," Klaus said walking into the house, "I had to get out of my house…tonight didn't go as planned."

"I kind of got that when you didn't call." Bella said and put her gun down on the table near the door as she locked it back up. "What happened?"

"Elijah invited the rest of my family to my house," Klaus growled pacing the entryway, "Finn, Kol, Rebecca, and my mother are all in my house."

"Calm down," Bella said and placed her hands on Klaus' face causing him to stop, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"No I want to stick them back where they were," Klaus hissed.

"Do you want to stay here tonight?" Bella asked.

"Would you mind?" Klaus asked surprised, "I mean I come barging in at four in the morning and you aren't even mad."

"No," Bella said, "This is what being with someone is like Klaus; you're there for them when you need them. I remember in London a very handsome man was there for a very lonely girl." She said wrapping her arms around her neck. "She took a chance in trusting him and he was there for her."

Klaus chuckled a little and pulled her closer, "Tell me, did it pay off for the girl."

Bella tilted her head up and looked Klaus in the eye, "Well she's standing here doing the same thing for him that he did for her, although this time they aren't strangers so I think it's going pretty damn well."

Klaus leaned down kissed Bella deeply then picked her up and rushed to the bedroom.

A/N: Hey guys first off let me apologize for the problems with getting this chapter out I suppose that the site must be doing maintenance or something.

I really hope you enjoy this chapter and I know you guys have been asking about when all will be revealed well I want to establish certain things like Klaus and Bella's relationship before the bomb is dropped.

Thank you to Dark~Supernatural~Angel and AllyDLV for being amazing girls who listen to my craziness and help me organize my thoughts.

Review you guys!