New Chapter! :)

I don't know how long I ran, but trees passed me for miles, as I weaved through the woods.

Determination was my only fuel, as I had forgone food, but I pushed my legs until I could no longer feel them burning, although my chest was an entirely different story.

It was on fire from the lack of oxygen, and my sides felt as if a thousand tiny needles were piercing the skin.

But still, I kept running.

I didn't know how long it would take Giuseppe to realize I was gone.

I didn't know if he would follow my scent, and I was convinced that "far enough" wasn't far enough.

Finally, the woods broke, and a road was revealed.

Cars passed by, and in desperation, I ran out to the highway's edge, waving my arms.

Maybe it was my scraggly, torn shirt, barely covering my body, or my hair that now stuck to me in sweat, or the tracks of tear stains down my face, but two different cars pulled over.

The first driver to get out was an older woman, "Good heavens, child, are you alright?"

The other car revealed a young couple.

I was gasping air, but made signals to use their phone.

"Easy now," the older woman placed a hand on my shoulder, "Just breathe."

"Should I call the police?" the young man asked, and I shook my head, trying to clear my throat.

"I need...your...phone," I managed, "Please."

"What happened to you, child?" the woman asked, "We can get an ambulance, and-"

"No," I shook my head again, "Please, don't...I just need to...make a call."

The younger woman shrugged off the coat she was wearing, and laid it over me, as her partner placed his cell phone into my hand.

My eyes welled with tears of relief and gratitude.

With fumbling fingers, I dialed Damon's number.

He answered on the fourth ring.

"Who is this?"

His voice was harsh, but I could hear the hum of an engine in the background.

"Damon," I breathed.

His tone changed quickly, "Elena? Is that you?"

"It's me," I managed, "I...got away...borrowed a phone."

"Where are you?" he demanded urgently.

I looked up at the older woman, who still had a hand on my shoulder, "Where are we?"

"Highway 180," she answered, "Just outside Savannah."

So we really were in Georgia.

"Did you get that?" I asked him, my breathing mellowing out a little more now.

"Got it," Damon answered, "We're only fifteen minutes out, kitten."

I blinked at that, "You're here?"

"The cannon's you heard," he said, "It's from a civil war reenactment. Georgia has a lot of forts, but only two locations are hosting this week, and only one had a pine forest nearby. We figured you had to be within a five mile radius."

The tears actually fell from my eyes now, "You found me."

There was a smile in his voice, "Did you actually doubt me?"

Despite the situation, I laughed, "Just get here."

"As fast as I can, baby, I promise."

There was a muffle of noise, then a "Hold on".

"Elena?"

The Alpha's voice came through the speaker, "Ric?"

"How're you holding up?"

"I'll be better once I'm back with the Pack," I admitted.

He could almost feel his relief, and agreement, "Of course. But I don't think it'll be smart for you to wait for us there. You said you escaped?"

I nodded, despite the fact that he couldn't see me, "Yeah, though I'm not really sure how. I guess I was lucky."

"Lucky?"

"I'll explain when I see you," I shrugged off his question.

"Did anyone follow you?"

"I don't know," I admitted, "I just ran until I couldn't anymore. I found a highway. Someone stopped to let me use their phone."

Ric's voice was serious, "Can you trust them?"

I looked again at the kind old lady, and the couple that had helped me, "I think so."

"Then get into town," he instructed, "It's closer, and there's more people. Your scent will blend better, and you'll be safer."

"Good idea," I agreed, "Now put my husband back on the phone."

He chuckled at that, but in the next second, Damon's voice was back, "I'm still here, kitten. I'm on my way to you."

I didn't stay on the line much longer.

I hated having to end the connection to my mate, but Alaric was right, it wasn't safe to stay still.

Luckily, the older woman was willing to take me into town, and didn't ask too many questions.

The few she did ask were of concern.

"Are you sure you'll be alright, hun?"

I nodded as she parked in the town square, and killed the engine, "I'll wait here until someone shows up for you."

I gave her a small smile, "I appreciate it, but you really don't have to."

"Nonsense," she hushed me, "It's no trouble, especially considering the condition you're in. You sure I can't take you to the hospital?"

I shook my head, "No hospitals...I'll be fine, as soon as my family gets here."

She was quiet for a moment, then asked, "Are you in trouble, child? Is that why you didn't want the police called?"

"It's complicated," I sighed, "But nothing illegal...I swear."

She looked as though she had her doubts, but didn't press the matter.

"Your family is coming for you, you said?"

Again, I nodded.

"And you'll be safe with them?"

"I will," I assured her, "They can protect me."

"Well, my offer still stands, to call the police for you," she said.

But as the words left her lips, I spotted Alaric's SUV pulling into the square, and Damon was jumping out before it had even fully stopped.

My body was moving before my mind could wrap itself around the fact that I was actually looking at my mate.

In the blink of an eye, I was out of the car, and across the lot, not caring that I was leaving the shocked elder woman behind, or that there were probably other people around, and I still looked like a train-wreck.

"Damon!" I yelled, and his head whirled around, eyes landing on me.

Relief clouded his face before he started running too.

Then, finally, I was in his arms, our bodies colliding with a bone breaking force.

"Thank god," he breathed, as I buried my face into his neck, inhaling his scent.

Wild dark spice, leather, and whiskey.

The best damn smell in the world.

"Don't ever let go of me," I commanded, and he squeezed me impossibly tighter.

Then he leaned back, so that our foreheads touched, and his hands moved to run over me, feeling me, confirming that I was real.

It was after that, that he took in my appearance.

I shook my head before the panic could set in his eyes, "I had to Change to escape. This was all I could save from my clothes."

This seemed acceptable, though his tension was running high, "Are you alright?"

I smiled, molding into his touch, "Better now."

"Eh hem," another familiar voice interrupted, and I pulled away to see Mason.

A grin crossed my face, and I reached over for him too.

He picked me up in his arms, "Don't ever scare us like that again, baby girl."

The second I was put back on my feet, I was turned to Tyler.

His hug was less exuberant but just as emotional.

Then Stefan stepped forward.

There was happy relief on his features, but also guilt.

I gave him a small smile, and wrapped my arms around him.

"It wasn't your fault," I assured him.

"I shouldn't have left you alone," he swallowed.

"Damn right you shouldn't have."

"Damon," I chided his comment, then looked back at his brother.

Stefan's expression was pitiful, and I couldn't help but wonder what kind of coals Damon had raked him over for my being kidnapped.

"I'm sorry," he said, his voice breaking, "So sorry,"

"Forget it," I instructed, "I don't blame you, Stef. Of course I don't. I'm just happy you guys found me."

"It should have been sooner," Alaric's voice grabbed my attention, and I turned.

He stood a little ways from us, a sad smile on his face.

Many emotions rushed over me at the sight of him, but the strongest was still my love for the man.

He was the only father I'd ever known, and he was my leader.

Despite the anger I'd harbored for him, the loyalty and affection was stronger still.

"Ric."

I stepped toward him, and he moved, taking my face into his hands.

Instead of the warm embrace I'd expected, his eyes raked over my face, reassuring him that I was okay.

Then, ever so gently, he placed a kiss on my forehead.

"You're safe now," he whispered, and once again, my eyes watered.

"Let's go home."

Damon reached for me the second the others were through with the reunion, and began to pull me towards the SUV.

But then I stopped, remembering the lady who'd given me the ride.

I owed her a little more than just leaving.

I glanced over and found her standing by her car, watching us with a concerned expression.

"Wait," I told Damon, and motioned to the woman, "She needs some kind of explanation...she did just help me."

He nodded, "Alright, but let's make it quick.

I took his hand, and he led me over to the woman, who's kind eyes were still full of worry.

"I take it you found your family," the she said as I approached.

I nodded, "Yes...thank you, for your help."

"Of course. But you take care of yourself now. Whatever it is that's going on, a nice young thing like you should be careful"

"Don't worry," Damon cut in, "Nothing else is ever going to happen to her."

This seemed to satisfy the woman, who wasn't oblivious to the protective stance Damon had taken, and with a light pat on the hand, she bade me farewell.

I didn't move until she was back in her car, pulling away, and when I did, it was only to bury my face into Damon's neck.

His arms wrapped around me again, and I finally felt safe.

"We should leave," he whispered to me, "Let's get home."

I nodded, and he picked me up, my legs wrapping around his waist.

Home sounded perfect.

When we were all in the car, I expected the questions to start coming from every direction.

However, the second Mason's mouth opened to introduce the first one, Damon snarled at him.

"It's okay," I stroked his chest, snuggling deeper into his arms, as I was laid across his lap, "I'm okay."

"It can wait," he growled warningly at the others.

However Alaric ignored him from the driver's seat, "Actually son, it probably shouldn't...but only if you're alright with it, Elena."

I sighed, but nodded, "Yeah, I'm good."

"Then start from the beginning," the Alpha said, "Tell us what happened."

I took a breath before launching into the story.

I left out the part about my visions including Damon though, and also the way Giuseppe had bragged about hardening him.

My lover didn't need to hear these things.

Alaric was frowning as I finished.

"You're right," he speculated, "Your escape was almost too lucky...as if Giuseppe let you go."

"Or maybe it wasn't," Mason pitched, "Maybe the witch helped?"

"Or maybe it was in fact just luck," I sighed, "There's no way to know for sure. The point is I got out."

"And he didn't hurt you?" Damon asked, his fingers running up and down my exposed thigh.

I looked up into his face and noticed that his eyes had darkened dangerously.

"Not really."

"Not really?" he pressed.

I sighed, "Nothing I won't be able to shake off in a day or two."

His jaw set, "Elena."

"Look, it's over," I assured him, "That's all that matters."

"Not if he hurt you," Damon snapped, "If he...touched you."

Finally, I understood what he was getting at.

"God, kitten, tell me if he or his men laid a finger on you...I will tear their skin from their bodies and chew on their bones!"

Behind the rage, his eyes looked haunted, and I could only guess at the torture his own imagination had put him through.

"No," I hurried to put him at ease, "Nothing like that happened, I promise."

I nuzzled into his neck in reassurance, hating that he'd even had to consider the possibility.

He kissed my head, and I could feel some of the tension leave his body.

"Mainly it was just the mind games. Some spell that made me have visions. It wasn't fun, but like I said, I'll be able to shake it after a few days at home."

He nodded, convinced, though his arms were still iron bars around me.

"We'll have to go back for Liv and her brother," I said, mostly to Alaric, now that Damon was pacified.

"We'll do our best to help them," he promised, "But I doubt Giuseppe will remain in that particular hideout."

He was probably right, but either way, I planned to make good on my word.

I would help Liv, and I would kill Giuseppe Salvatore.

But not tonight.

Tonight was about going home and feeling safe, wrapped in my family.

Speaking of…

"Where's George?" I asked, looking around.

"He wanted to come," Tyler promised, "But someone has to be with the Manor. It's too valuable to leave completely unprotected."

I stiffened, "You left him alone at the-"

"We're not idiots," Mason smirked from his seat next to me, "No, we called one of the other packs, and they sent some guys down."

"Good people," Stefan nodded, leaning over the back, "Good wolves. I spent some time with them last year."

I relaxed at the news, "Good. It's going to take a lot to take Giuseppe down."

"Especially since it sounds like he's forming his own pack," Tyler noted, with a slightly worried expression.

"We'll handle it," Damon spoke, his voice quiet, but assuring.

He didn't say much else, as the miles passed by.

His eyes were on my face, as they had been for the entire ride, but I didn't mind it.

Especially since I understood the feeling.

Like blinking might make him disappear again.

He kissed my forehead, the reluctantly pulled his gaze away from me to glance up at Alaric, "Giuseppe dies the next I see him," he promised.

"Agreed," The Alpha nodded.

I know there wasn't much else besides the reunion, but I felt as if it deserved it's own chapter. lol

Really excited for what happens next, and I know ya'll will enjoy it!

;)

Thanks for the reviews!