Chapter 9
Elena sat silently in the passenger seat of Damon's Camaro. He was standing outside talking quietly on his phone.
She couldn't help but think of how she was blindly putting her trust in an unlikely ally. What were Damon's motivations for helping her? He had no reason to really, and yet here she was, waiting obediently for him to tell her what to do next.
The slamming of the car door jarred her out of her thoughts and she looked up as he sat down and started the engine.
"Who was on the phone?"
"A buddy of mine down at the station. He's checking the traffic cameras for a pick up. You didn't recognize the car or person so they must have arrived in town recently. He'll be able to pull the plate and get a trace." He spoke calmly and an overwhelming sense of safety washed over her.
She had felt it a few times around him, but never to this extent.
Somehow it didn't surprise her that he had connections in the police. He probably had connections in the CIA for all she knew.
"Where are we going now?" Usually she wouldn't like feeling so out of control, but with him it felt almost natural, letting someone other than herself fix everything for once.
"Drive around keeping our eyes open for a Ford, while we wait for the call." He said tossing her his phone.
She caught it, and kept quiet as he started driving. Her eyes peeled, searching for the van. His phone started ringing loudly and she jumped, her fingers shaking as she scrambled to answer it.
"Hello?"
"Put Damon on please."
She quickly handed him the phone and studied his profile. He didn't speak just nodded and gave a brusque thanks before hanging up.
She yelped when he did a U-turn without slowing down. Her knuckles white as she clutched her seat.
Damon's face was unreadable, and he didn't even glance at her as he drove.
The stopped outside an apartment building. It was old and not very well kept, there was a police car parked outside and two officers were just climbing out as they pulled up.
Damon got out and one of the cops waved him over. Elena hurried to follow him, her eyes wide as she noticed the pick up parked on the side of the road.
The men stopped talking when they saw Elena watching them. Damon sighed and walked back to her, taking her arm and leading her back to his car. He opened the passenger door and turned her to face him.
"You are going to stay here." He said firmly, looking her steadily in the eyes.
His gaze was intense and unwavering, his beautiful eyes sincere and almost concerned as he looked at her. Words momentarily evaded her under his intense scrutiny.
"Now get in." He gently pushed her until she sighed and complied, sitting down and scowling at his retreating back.
"Lock the doors." He called over his shoulder.
She watched as he walked into the building with the two policemen. She frowned, she was sure he wasn't supposed to be allowed to go with them. He was just as much a civilian as she was. She had been surprised to see police there at all. She had thought that she and Damon were just going to find Caroline and take her home.
Her heart started pounding as she began to consider the possibilities. The police were there because it was something they thought Damon couldn't handle on his own. That meant that something seriously bad could have happened. In all her panic at seeing Caroline driving off with some creepy stranger, she had never really thought clearly about what could actually happen to her.
Before she could stop herself, she was out of the car and running towards the building, her heart in her throat. She raced inside and started up the stairs, her feet on the wooden floorboards loud in her ears.
The crack of wood and chorus of yelling, told her where to head. She ignored the burning in her lungs and ran towards the noise. The door to one of the apartments had been kicked in, it hung loosely on the ill made hinges. Damon stood just outside the doorway as the officers pulled their guns and entered the room.
She reached them just as the call of 'clear' echoed around the deserted hallways.
Damon noticed her before she could get close enough to see inside the apartment and his eyes widened in horror.
"Damn it Elena." He yelled, grabbing her to stop her from entering the room.
He held her upper arms tightly and shielded her line of vision with his body as he began to drag her back towards the stairs.
"No Damon, let me go! Where's Caroline?"
He didn't answer, and one look at his stony face told her everything she needed to know. She kicked him hard in the shin and before he could react she had wriggled out of his grasp and was running into the apartment.
"Elena no!" She heard him call.
She stopped short as her eyes settled on the room. The two men were crouched by Caroline, who was lying limply on the floor. Blood was running down her face from a wound on her head and her eyes were closed. There were smears of red on her clothes, which were torn in places, as thought someone had been in the process of ripping them off her.
Elena was vaguely aware of someone talking into a radio and the sound of sirens in the distance getting closer.
She stood unmoving, her eyes fixed on her best friend in shock. Tears began to run down her cheeks and she stumbled forward, her legs shaky as she tried to reach Caroline.
"Care." She sobbed.
She felt strong arms wrap around her waist and someone picked her up, cradling her like a small child. She felt herself being carried away but she didn't fight. He vision was blurred with tears and her breathing was getting faster and faster as she replayed that horrible image in her mind.
She felt the movement stop and vaguely realized that she was back in Damon's car, sitting in the passenger seat in his lap. A hand held her head protectively against his chest, while the other was still wrapped securely round her waist. His chin was resting on her hair and he was whispering soothing words into her ear.
She tried to focus on what was happening, but her concentration kept slipping. Her brain felt loose, as though she couldn't quite hold onto her thoughts.
It wasn't until she saw the ambulance arrive and Caroline carried inside, strapped onto a gurney that the full reality of what had happened hit her. She felt the world blur at the edges before everything went black.
"Is she going to be alright?"
"Its just the shock. She'll be fine, son."
"She been out for a while…"
"She'll wake up when she's ready."
Voices swam around in her mind as Elena struggled to open her eyes. There were bright lights and the sharp smell of disinfectant that she recognized as the hospital.
"Elena?"
Damon's face hovered above her and she finally focused on her surroundings. She was in a small consultation room, an elderly doctor stood nearby and Damon was brushing her hair out of her face and peering into her eyes.
"What happened?" She asked, her voice was cracked from crying.
"You fainted honey." The doctor said with a reassuring smile. He took Damon's place by the examination table and shone a small flashlight into her eyes. She blinked and struggled to keep her eyes open, but the doctor seemed satisfied.
"Good as new." He said with a smile.
She didn't return it, looking to Damon for confirmation.
"Come on, let's go then woozy." He said, taking her arm and helping her down.
She let him help her, even relaxing into his side when he wrapped an arm around her to guide her from the room.
"Thanks doc." He called over his shoulder as they left the room.
"Caroline." She gasped, having suddenly remembered why she was in shock in the first place.
She looked up at Damon with wide eyes.
"Please. Is she…what happened?" She begged, tears filling her eyes again as she thought of her friend.
"She's going to be fine." He reassured her, giving her arm a soft squeeze.
She sighed in relief.
"Can I see her?"
"She's sleeping right now, her mom is with her. We're going home, you can come and visit tomorrow."
"But…"
He stepped in front of her and tilted her chin up.
"She's fine. But you are not going to spend all night in a hospital waiting room after you just passed out. Ok? Caroline is going to be asleep anyway; she won't know you're here until she wakes up tomorrow."
She frowned, and thought about arguing, but honestly she was tired. And cold and confused, and she wanted nothing more than to go home. As long as she knew Caroline was going to be fine and she could come back tomorrow, there was no reason for her to wait here.
She nodded her agreement. He took her arm and they continued out to the car park.
It wasn't until they got home and Damon was walking her up to her bedroom that she realized what he'd done for her that night. He had been selfless, he had gone out of his way to save a girl he didn't even know, for her. He had stayed with her in the hospital, he had comforted her, reassured her; he had been there for her. She didn't know why and she didn't have the energy to try and analyze it.
Instead she stopped outside her bedroom door, stood on her tiptoes and pressed a kiss to his cheek.
"Thank you." She whispered.
"And you know what you asked me before, about helping people? Well I could ask you the same thing."
She gave him a small smile, before disappearing into her room and closing the door.
So I really suck! I know this update has taken forever...and I don't know if this chapter even makes any sense! :(
