That whole day Elijah and Klaus went looking for Hendrick and they left Elena in the room. They got the mice out and secretly did compulsion on Elena so she wouldn't leave without their permission. When they went to look for Hendrick they couldn't find him but they found his office and his remains. Apparently he was pissing everybody off. When they came back to the motel it was very quiet. There were no cars and every room had their lights off except theirs. Either this motel was going out of business or something was deeply wrong. Klaus was a bit worried about how mysterious everything looked. Elijah noticed two figures in their room window. Elijah pointed to it to show Klaus but Klaus was already running to the door.
When Klaus entered the room he found Elena on the ground clutching her neck and Hendrick standing there with sweat on his face. Klaus threw Hendrick into the wall and he fell on the bed. Hendrick did a growl and dodged Klaus but Klaus quickly turned around and grabbed him snapped his neck. Hendrick fell to the ground and then Elijah stabbed him with what looked like a branch. Klaus looked up at Elijah.
"Elena" asked Klaus "you can come out now" instead of being sarcastic he seemed very serious. Elena was under the desk clutching her bloody neck. When they left her there she was safe for an hour before Hendrick came. He fed on her, hit her, and then left her for an hour. Then he came back fed on her and tried to figure out the trunk. Elena made a little noise and scooted out of the desk. Klaus and Elijah went forward and helped her up and to the bed. The jacket she was wearing was bloody and soaked. Elijah ripped it off and went into the bathroom to grab some paper towels. When he came back Elena was on the bed and Klaus was yelling at her.
"How is this my fault" croaked/ yelled Elena.
"You couldn't even protect yourself" mumbled Klaus.
"I couldn't even run Klaus" cried Elena. Klaus knew she was right. He knew that it was his own fault and that he should've killed Hendrick before. Now he couldn't leave Elena anywhere or alone. He felt bad that she got hurt but he felt like this was his fault. The tears that fell from her face made her look so helpless and scared. He didn't understand that and he didn't understand her feelings. Elijah handed Elena the towels and she quickly put it on her neck. She got up and went to the bathroom to clean up her bloody hand and neck. Meanwhile Elijah was "disposing" of Hendrick.
Elena entered the wet and dirty bathroom. She looked the mirror and tears started welling up in her eyes. She found some duct tape on the shelf which she wondered why but she took it and taped the paper towels to her neck. Then she washed her hands and slapped her face lightly to wake herself up. She hated how Klaus always had to be so mean and inconsiderate. Elijah was annoying because he just stood there afraid of Klaus and acted like a side kick to him. Elena walked out of the bathroom and down the hall. Klaus and Elijah where looking at the trunk. Elena looked at the clock and it said 4:30. Elena groaned and got into the dirty bed. She screamed to find some mice in the bed. She got out of the bed and ran outside but since she was under compulsion she couldn't leave and got bounced off the invisible wall.
"Get me out of here" said Elena with tears welling up.
"Elena" said Klaus trying to tell her to calm down.
"No, no I need to get out of here before I have a mental break down" yelled Elena.
"Calm down" said Elijah. Then Elena felt a surge through her body and she saw glimpses of Esther. She looked back at them; they were too concerned with themselves and the stupid trunk. Then she ran outside and felt the sunshine on her back. The white tank top she was wearing was cold and the jeans were old but the sunshine made her feel so much better, she looked back and nobody was chasing her. She knew though if she ran she would be found. Her track record when it came to running away never lasted long. She sighed and felt inside her pockets. She felt a dollar that Klaus had given her. She skipped to the Coke machine and got a glass bottle of coke. Then she grabbed the lawn chair and brought it over to the room.
"I really want to leave here it's not safe and it's dirty" complained Elena sitting on the lawn chair sipping the soda.
"I know" said Klaus.
"So are we leaving" Elena asked with a smile.
"Not yet" said Klaus. Elena then decided that she needed to take a damn stand for herself. Even if she was saying this to two originals it didn't matter.
"Okay how about we leave in an hour and I tell you how to open the trunk" said Elena. Klaus and Elijah turned around.
"What about mother" asked Elijah.
"She can go to hell" said Elena. Then a sharp pain entered her head and flashes of Esther showed in her mind.
"Okay maybe not" said Elena rubbing her forehead.
"Do you need some rest" asked Klaus.
"Yes but not in that dirty, mice filled bed" said Elena pointing to the bed.
"Ugh fine" said Klaus eyeing Elena.
"Thank you" said Elena sitting down "besides we can only stay one night". Within the hour they were in the car and the sun was setting. It was beautiful and it was a beautiful sight when she saw entering Virginia signs.
"Don't get your hopes up" said Klaus. They drove all night not stopping at all. Elena liked that, she didn't want any more parties or games. She didn't want to stop in a dirty motel and she didn't want to be pampered. She wanted to go home but she knew that Klaus wouldn't let her go. It started to rain again which was weird because it was now December and it should be snowing. Then when she looked back up at the windshield the rain had turned to snow.
Klaus and looked over at Elena. She looked so innocent and her wide eyes looking at the simple flakes of snow. He found it so fascinating how she found these things so great. He missed that feeling but even as a child he never felt that way before. Elena was the best thing that could happen to him. She was the key to his happiness. Her blood was really the key actually. He was though beginning to feel something more for her, he just didn't know what it was yet.