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XXIV
The moment the feeling of shock passed, Damon started breaking everything around him. Every time he found Elena in danger his patience would evaporate and the only thing he would see was red. But, he knew he had to keep calm so he could think of a plan to rescue her.
He doubted Elena had a chance to call Bonnie and the first thing he did was contact the witch. He still had to do something about his best friend, and he just hoped the witch would have a better alternative than the useless herbs she had been feeding the teacher for the past couple of weeks.
Bonnie agreed to meet him immediately at the Gilbert's house and also let the rest of the gang know about what happened. Damon had no idea where his brother was though. When he arrived at the house and found Kol there, Stefan wasn't anywhere to be found, but he couldn't think of Stefan right now. While Elena went downstairs, he not only moved Alaric to Jenna's old bedroom, but also fed him his blood. He knew his friend was in bad shape – emotionally – and he didn't want to add any more physical aspect than he already had. Also he couldn't risk killing Alaric. He had no intention to kill his best and only friend in a very long time. Now that he had Elena and it seemed like Stefan wasn't as bad as he used to be, he knew he could only count on those three. While the rest of the gang – maybe with the exception of Jeremy – wasn't throwing rocks on him anymore, he also knew they only tolerated him because of Elena and because he was often useful to them.
It didn't take long for Bonnie, Caroline and Stefan to enter the house. They went straight to the second floor, finding Damon sitting in a chair by Alaric's unconscious body.
"What happened?" Caroline asked noticing the bathroom door they just passed by.
"It seems like witch's herbs weren't that much better than marijuana and Alaric went all psycho on Elena," Damon answered sarcastically, while Bonnie rolled her eyes, checking on Alaric vitals.
"Bonnie told us Kol has Elena, how come?" Stefan asked, with his usual frown on his face.
"That's what I want to find out as well, brother. Where were you by the way?"
"Hunting," Stefan answered simply.
"Bunnies? Are you back to being the forest terror?" Damon quipped, but Stefan didn't answer.
"They have your girlfriend and still you find it appropriate to be funny, forgive me if I forgot to laugh," Stefan answered, and the air in the room got even heavier.
"Kol won't do anything to Elena. He wants to compel me to let him know where the Dark Zone is, but he's a little bit late on that. Sage already compelled me not to say a word," Damon explained and he really hoped he was right. If there was an Original they could never trust it would be Kol. Elijah and Klaus would actually think before they acted and although Rebekah was a spoiled bitch, she normally planned her actions just like her older brothers. Kol on the other hand, seemed to be the wildest of them all.
"And how do you think he'll react when he learns it? He's quite reckless, even more than yourself, I don't think he'll kiss Elena goodnight when you let him know you can't say where his lover is," Caroline acknowledged, and Damon was actually silent, a thin line on his lips.
"We need a plan," Stefan stated.
"The vervain won't leave my system for another day, probably longer. Vampires don't sweat and pee like humans and I don't know any other way to get it out," he said frustrated that he had to wait for so long while a psycho held Elena captive.
"Losing blood," Stefan said, more to himself than to Damon.
"I didn't think of that," Damon said, his face illuminating.
"It's stupid to weaken yourself when you're going to face Kol. He knows it takes a while for the vervain to be out of your system. Just keep in touch with him and make him let you know Elena is alright," Bonnie said, and Damon slightly nodded, knowing she was right.
"What about Alaric?" Caroline asked, looking at the man lying in the bed.
"It's up to the witch. I don't think he should have access to the house anymore. Maybe you could work on a spell to keep him out of the house? He can stay in the Boarding House if he doesn't want to go back to his apartment," Damon suggested. He knew Alaric would feel awful when he woke up, but he also knew his friend would agree with him.
"We don't have to worry about him for another day or two. Once we have Elena back I'll do the spell. It's better to have him where other vampires can't get inside," the witch answered, and Damon nodded. He wanted to give his friend a chance to decide his own fate.
"Which brings us back to how Kol captured Elena in the first place," Stefan pointed, and they all remained silent.
"Do you think Alaric invited him in while you and Elena were out? He's the only one who lives here and who was here the past few days," Caroline asked, not being able to think of anything else.
"I don't think so. Regular Ric had no reason to do it, Crazy Ric much less. The one thing he hates the most is vampires, and Kol is not only a vampire, but an Original, the last thing Psycho Ric would do would be to invite Kol in," Damon explained and they all agreed. It made no sense for Alaric to invite Kol inside the house, no matter what state he was in.
"Maybe Elena went outside, maybe he attracted her somehow, there's no other way for a vampire to enter a house, he had to be invited in and the only people who still live here are Elena and Alaric. We must clear out the option that someone invited him in," Stefan said, and Damon stopped to think about it. That was the only other possible thing that could have happened.
"Elena wouldn't be so naïve," Bonnie stated. Going outside would have been stupid, and she knew Elena was better than that.
"Her guardian had just stabbed her with a knife twice, she was trapped in her own bathroom, praying the small cabinet she pulled against the door would be enough to keep him from coming in and finishing the job. When she finally opened the door for me, she thought I had killed Alaric because he was as good as dead after I was done with him. I don't think she was in her best frame of mind when she went downstairs to call you," Damon answered somewhat angrily at Bonnie. Who did they think they were to judge Elena's actions? She wasn't stupid, but she had been through a lot, most things they had no idea of, since they went to the Dark Zone. It was a miracle she still woke up sane every day.
"Damon is right," Stefan agreed and so did Caroline, who nodded her head.
"I gave Alaric my blood, he won't die on us, when he wakes up, and I don't think it'll happen before tomorrow, we'll see what he decides to do with himself," Damon suggested tiredly.
"And what are going to do about Elena?"
"We have one or two days to come up with a plan, and it has to be the perfect plan, we can't risk her life in the hands of that crazy," Damon said through clenched teeth.
"What if we don't wait until the vervain was out of your system; Kol doesn't know when the last time you ingested it was," Stefan suggested. He was growing anxious and concerned about Elena, and having to fight his human blood urges all at the same time was slowly driving him to his breaking point.
"And risk angering him while he still holds Elena captive? Not a chance in hell. We don't know what he'll do to make me prove I can be compelled and if he thinks I'm lying I'm sure he'll make her suffer to prove his point, we'll have to wait," Damon reasoned back, although just like his brother, he didn't want to wait so long. There were a lot of things Kol could do to Elena in the time span of two days. The brothers – even the one who lost her – loved Elena too much to just let time pass without doing anything to rescue her. It would make them insane to wait a couple of days, but at the same time they knew they had to. Waiting was their best shot, even if they didn't know how they were going to actually do it.
"Just make sure you don't lose blood, you can't afford being weak when you go to see him," the younger Salvatore reasoned, knowing he wouldn't be in his best shape as it was. Caroline was still mourning Tyler, and wasn't in her best shape either and although Damon was now the most affected by Elena's kidnapping, he was still their best chance to rescue her if they needed violence to do it.
"Are you going to go alone?" Caroline asked, as if reading Stefan's mind about who should go and who shouldn't.
"I don't know, he didn't mention I had to go alone," Damon answered.
"Do you think Klaus knows of his plans?" the female vampire asked again, and they knew that was just her way of reacting. No matter the situation, and how affected she was by it; Caroline Forbes just couldn't stay silent. When she is as tense and worried as she was now, she asked thousand – and the most pointless – questions.
"It doesn't make a difference if he does," Damon answered promptly. For once Klaus wasn't in his thoughts.
"Except that he wants Elena to be safe and sound just as much as we want her to be. He could be a good ally," the blonde reasoned, but Damon didn't seem convinced about it.
"I don't trust the son of a bitch," he said through tight lips.
"He knows Kol better than we do, he may be useful when you go there," Stefan supported Caroline, and Damon knew it was a valid point.
"I guess I can't think tonight, my brain shut down," the older Salvatore brother said, burying his head in his hands.
"We should all rest," Bonnie suggested.
"Make sure to keep contact with him; demand to talk to her," Stefan suggested, and Damon nodded. The other three awake people in the room made their way towards the door, but there was one more thing they needed to know.
"There's something else…" Damon said as they motioned to leave.
"What?" Caroline sighed.
"This," Damon took his phone and played Sage's video to them.
"Oh my God," Caroline said bringing her hands to her mouth once the short video ended.
"Are you going to show him that?" Stefan asked clearly disturbed by the video, just like everyone in the room.
"I don't think that's a good idea," Bonnie answered the younger Salvatore.
"What if you exchange Elena for the video?" Caroline suggested.
Damon who was still looking at the device in his hands, shocked and overwhelmed, barely noticing their words, but when Caroline spoke he finally looked up.
"It may not work; we can't risk him threatening Elena with one more thing," Stefan quickly opposed to the idea.
"He'll be pissed when he finds out you were compelled, it's the best shot we have. I don't see how else we could convince him to hand Elena over," Caroline insisted and they actually stayed silent for a few moments, thinking of the possibilities, "Our first priority should be finding a way for him to hand Elena over, even if only long enough for Damon to speed away with her," she completed.
"It's a plan, maybe not the best or the safest, but it's all we have for now. You all should just go home so we can come up with something else. I'll let him know I'll be looking for him as soon as the vervain is out of my system," Damon suggested. He was drained by the last few days' events.
"Are you staying?" Stefan asked, although he knew the answer.
"Yes, someone has to be here when Ric wakes up," Damon answered, but they both knew Damon wouldn't spend the night in Jenna's old bedroom. Elena's bed would be waiting for him the moment the others left.
"We'll see you tomorrow," Bonnie said, walking out of the room.
"Blondie," Damon called out, making Caroline roll her eyes at the nickname. She hated it.
"I'm sorry about Tyler," he said when she looked at him.
Caroline was surprised by his words. She didn't expect Damon to acknowledge her loss, especially after an intense day like today.
She only nodded, offering him a small smile, while he looked honestly sorrowful.
The two days couldn't pass any slower and it was driving Damon crazy. He had spent most of his time outside the house where Kol was keeping Elena hostage. He knew she was alive and well, and he also knew Kol had been compelling her to tell him things.
The vervain was out of her system much earlier than it was out of Damon's and when Kol was sure she couldn't resist his compulsion he started to ask all sort of questions about the Dark Zone. Elena assured him that both she and Damon had been compelled to forget how to go back to the horrid place. She had said that while she was still in control of her mind and repeated the exact same words when he compelled her. She kept praying he wouldn't compel her to say anything related to the video. She knew Damon didn't mention the video yet, and Kol had no idea about it, but there were so many questions the youngest Original could ask that could make her reveal the video.
As much as she didn't want the images to still be in her mind, they were intact, and if Kol suspected there was something else Sage left for him, he would make her describe the video and she didn't know what he would do once he found out about it. He had been going out of his mind knowing that Sage didn't want him to go to the Dark Zone. He couldn't accept that she was choosing to live an eternity without him.
At first the Original kept her in a bedroom on the second floor of a fancy two-story house. While she was on vervain he kept her chained to the bed, but once she could be compelled he simply compelled her not to move from the bed. Elena didn't know which one was worse because wanting to move and knowing she couldn't was more extenuating than not being able to move at all. She couldn't help, but try to fight against the compulsion, especially when she wanted to go to the bathroom. The first day she would call him to let her use the bathroom and he just said no. She held as much as possible, but at some point her bladder couldn't hold it back anymore. She was disgusted with the state she was in, and when she could finally be compelled, he allowed her to go to the bathroom when she wanted, compelling her to stay in the bathroom instead of coming back to the bedroom.
Somehow she sensed Damon was outside, she didn't know for sure, but she could feel his presence, so while she stayed in the bathroom, she whispered knowing he would hear. She didn't say much except how much she loved him, and how she wanted this to finally be over. The past month had been intense, so many deaths and problems, she was tired, and just wanted some time to mourn what she had already lost, instead of having to face a new challenge every day. She cried a lot, and it broke Damon's heart. He knew she couldn't endure much more and that was when he decided to head to the Mikaelson's mansion. He couldn't risk losing Elena, or for her to go through any more awful things. He was going to let Klaus know about everything his brother did, and maybe, he could just kill two birds with one stone.
It took him nearly forty-eight hours, but finally all the vervain was out of his body.
Stefan, Caroline and Bonnie went with him to the house that he barely left since Kol kidnapped Elena. The others wouldn't make their presence known unless they were really needed. They thought about trying to rescue Elena from the bathroom where she was being held while Damon negotiated with Kol, but that would be their last option because they knew it was really risky.
"I'm here," Damon says, not bothering to knock on the door.
When Kol opened the door, Damon's heart fell even harder. The Original looked more than reckless. He looked completely lost, desperate and crazy as he stood inside the house, acknowledging the vampire's presence. There was a lot of blood on his shirt, and even on his face, but Damon knew he hadn't been feeding on Elena, rather on the house's owner. Kol looked wild and out of his mind with his hair in a mess while he held a disoriented gaze as he talked.
"Tell me where the Dark Zone is!" he promptly compelled Damon, who was just a couple of feet away from him, the house's invisible shield separating the two vampires.
"I don't know, Sage erased my memories about the location," Damon answered mechanically.
"Why would she do that?" Kol yelled, as he ran his bloody hand through his hair, making it even more disheveled and dirtier.
"She doesn't want you to go to such a place. A spell was done at the place and all the Ancients aren't allowed to leave it,"
"I could find a witch to break the spell, there are always loopholes in spells," the infuriated Original continued to yell.
"Hand Elena over, there's nothing she or I can do to help you," Damon demanded, and for a moment he was surprised to see the Original yell for Elena. But the human was still compelled not to leave the bathroom and she didn't come when he called.
"You compelled her to stay inside, she won't leave until you remove your compulsion or compel her to do so," Damon said, trying the best to keep his composure.
Kol didn't acknowledge Damon's words in any other way, but he just walked away. In just a few seconds he was back, holding Elena by the arm, more forcefully than he needed as Damon could see his girlfriend grimacing at the strength the Original's grip had on her.
"You won't move," he compelled her once again, just some inches away from the door, standing by his side.
"What else do you want?" Damon asked impatiently. Seeing Elena struggling and hurting like that was driving him crazy. He tried to reach for her, although he knew it was impossible, and his efforts just proved to be in vain as the shield protecting the house prevented him from reaching out for her.
"Kol, release her," came a determined voice behind Damon. He turned around to see not only Klaus, but also Elijah standing behind him. The oldest Original nodded his head slightly towards Damon. They were going to take control from then on.
"Shut up, Klaus, I'm not your toy anymore. I was released, I'm free, you won't ever lay that dagger on me again," Kol answered even more enraged than before.
Klaus was about to open his mouth again, when Elijah raised his hand. He knew Klaus was infuriated by their youngest brother's actions and he knew whatever he was about to say would only make Kol madder.
"Elena isn't useful to you anymore, brother, why don't you let her go and try to find out where the Dark Zone is by yourself?" Elijah tried to reason with his brother, but Kol wasn't taking any of it.
"And what great clues I have about it? It could be a fucking island in the Indic Ocean for all I know!" Kol yelled.
"It's actually in Louisiana," Elijah answered calmly.
"How do you know? Do you where it is?"
"I don't know the exact location but a state isn't that much land. You would eventually come across it," he explained, and Kol was silent for a moment, before yelling even louder.
"You're lying to me, you just want me to let her go,"
"And what would I gain by lying to you? I'm just trying to help you and everybody else. You don't need Elena for anything, just let her go and go find Sage,"
"You were infatuated with Tatia, might as well be with this one. You just want me to free her," Kol yelled back at his brother, but before the dark haired Original said anything else, Klaus spoke.
"Enough! You've had your little show, now hand over the doppelganger," Klaus said in a venomous voice.
"You can't come inside, Niklaus, the owner is compelled to stay inside and to never invite someone in. I could kill your precious doppelganger right now," Kol smiled wickedly as he approached Elena again, from behind, moving both of his hands to her neck, holding her still.
The brunette could feel the tears kissing her skin. This was it, she was going to die and the blood Damon had fed her a few days ago wasn't in her system anymore. She wished it still was because she wanted nothing more than to just be with Damon forever. No, she still didn't want to be a vampire, it was still an invalid option, but not seeing him ever again was even more impossible for her to consider. She wasn't ready to lose him, they had just got together, they had only made love a couple of times, there was so much she still wanted to do with him. She'd rather hate herself for eternity and go through the things she despised the most than lose him forever. She didn't despise vampires as a race, she despised the idea of herself ever being one. She wasn't cut for it, there was no way she would want that life, and although it hurt her when Damon made her promise to never turn, she still agreed with him. But now she was moments away from dying and all she wished was that the blood he fed her while they were in Columbia was still on her system.
"Wait, there's something else Sage left for you," Damon cried desperately. He knew the video's contents would only drive Kol wilder, but they were already facing the worst scenario, he knew Kol would kill Elena just to spite his brother.
"And he finally speaks again, I knew Sage wouldn't do that to me, she may not trust you with the location, but she would find a way to give it to me. Whatever you have, hand it over before I kill your lovely girlfriend," Kol answered, sarcasm and wickedness clear in his tone.
"It's a video she recorded on my cell phone," Damon informed taking several steps behind, while he took the device from his pocket, "Come outside with Elena and I'll hand it to you," he said already many feet away from the front door.
"Do you really think you can negotiate with me? Give me it now or she dies," Kol yelled increasing his grip on Elena's neck.
"If you continue touching her right now, I'll smash the phone with my hands and you'll never hear from Sage again," Damon threatened, and although his façade was cold, brave and determined, he was desperate and fearful inside.
"What if you're lying?" Kol asked, and Damon simply pressed play.
"Kol… According to this incredible device known as TV cable, today is January, 17th of 2010…" Sage's voice echoed through the air, and in that moment everything stilled, only the Ancient's voice could be heard.
Kol reached for the locket he was wearing, holding it with his heart. The photo she put inside did no justice to the woman he could see in the small screen in the distance. He was about to step outside, when Damon paused the video and spoke again.
"You know the conditions, release Elena, and come take it, otherwise I'll smash it with my hands," Damon repeated and without thinking twice, he took Elena and ran towards Damon, in vampire speed, throwing her against Damon the moment he reached for the phone.
Damon held Elena close to his body, feeling his own tears falling; all the emotions he had been holding inside for the past minutes finally exploding to the surface. He knew they didn't have much time because Sage's video was short and all hell would break loose once Kol reached the end of it. He looked to the bushes in the neighbor's house, and nodded to his brother, who came out of nowhere and took Elena away while the blue-eyed man stayed.
Elena tried to protest, but before a word left her mouth Stefan took her away in inhuman speed, while Damon watched Kol's emotions.
It wouldn't take longer than a couple of minutes and Damon could feel his blood bumping in his veins as he watched Kol, who still had a silly grin on his face. Although he hated the Original for what he did to Elena, he felt for the man that was standing across from him now. He was a man in love and Damon knew all too well what love drove you to do. The dark-haired vampire let his eyes move from the youngest Original to the oldest ones. Elijah seemed to be really touched by the emotions his youngest brother was going through, but Klaus looked like he wanted to be anywhere else in that moment. Actually the moment he heard his name coming from the telecommunication device, he knew it was better for him to leave, and he just simply, and quietly turned to leave. Damon knew it wasn't long until the video ended, and he moved from his position to hold Klaus back. The Hybrid didn't like to see Damon blocking his way, and was about to retaliate when Damon pushed him against the wall.
"I'm not done with you yet," there was venom in his voice, as he threatened the millenary vampire.
"Why is that, Mate?" Klaus asked with an amused smile on his face.
"I don't want you or anyone else from your family ever touching Elena again. She's been through hell and back. I don't want her to run, hurt or be your personal blood bag anymore!" Damon answered enraged.
"Otherwise what?"
"Otherwise I'll kill you, so you can either leave now or face death," Damon carried on with his threats.
"And what could you do to me?" Klaus asked just when Damon heard Sage saying her goodbye to Kol.
"That…" he pointed to the phone he and Klaus had a partial view of, but enough for the Hybrid see what happened.
There was another silence; a deafening one after the phone fell from Kol's hand to the grass where he was standing.
"No…" he somehow muttered, before turning around and looking at the three other vampires standing behind him.
Everyone was shocked, and Klaus was about to run away when Damon took a stake from the back of his waist, pointing to Klaus. The raven haired vampire didn't kill the original as he planned. He didn't know what was happening, but he couldn't bring himself to stake Klaus. His hand stopped mid-air, just an inch from Klaus' heart. He couldn't believe there was some sort of shield preventing him from killing Klaus, who now had a satisfied smile on his face.
"I guess I'm not the one dying out today, Mate," he quipped sarcastically to Damon, moving his hand to the younger vampire's neck, lifting him.
"This is all your fault!" Kol yelled enraged, running against Klaus, throwing him, Damon and the stake on the floor, before he started to beat the life out of Klaus. Damon quickly recovered and tried to reach for the stake, but Elijah had been faster than him and held it. Less than a second later he dropped the stake and moved both of his hands to hold his head instead. Damon looked to the opposite side; Stefan came from and saw Bonnie standing near a tree. He nodded, and reached for the stake again, turning to Klaus and Kol who were still rolling on the porch fighting.
As Damon approached them, Klaus kicked Kol throwing the youngest Original on Damon's feet. And then it happened all too fast. Before Damon or Klaus could react, Kol took the stake away from Damon and moved towards his brother, striking the wood straight into his chest.
AN: I'm sorry for the wait, I sent this chapter to Daniela two weeks ago, and it should have been posted much earlier, but she had some computer problems and we couldn't communicate with each other for a while.
I hope you enjoyed it, the plot is getting thicker and there will be more developments. Let's not forget that according the mythology I have in this story whoever kills an Original is also killed in the process. I will write the video down, probably next chapter, so you'll know what Sage said that had such an impact on everybody - remember Elena and Damon were shocked quite a while after they left TDZ. And there are more deaths to come... Be prepared.
Thanks a lot for everybody who reviewed last chapter - I was just whining a little bit, but I guess most people understood it. Thanks a lot to Daniela who despite all problems she had, still found a way to beta this chapter for me.
Anyone else who might want to be a beta for me, please let me know, it's always good to have a backup and I have a new story coming up soon.
xoxo
Babi