Before I start this chapter, I know that some of you were surprised and a little upset that Blaire's magic affected Elena. But you have to remember that Elena had large amounts of Vervain and alcohol in her system, plus she hasn't properly fed in a while. I'm sure the three don't mix very well, and would leave Elena in a very "Vulnerable" place! :P Hope that clears it up!

Share with me the secrets that you kept in
Because it's cold inside, cold inside, it's cold inside

And you're slowly shaking finger tips
Show that you're scared like me so
Let's pretend we're alone
And I know you may be scared
And I know we're unprepared
But I don't care

Tell me, tell me
What makes you think that you are invincible?
I can see it in your eyes that you're so sure
Please don't tell me that I'm the only one that's vulnerable
Impossible

I was born to tell you I love you
Isn't that a song already?
I get a B in originality
And it's true I can't go on without you
Your smile makes me see clearer
If you could only see in the mirror what I see

Song: Vulnerable by Secondhand Serenade

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CHAPTER 35

Damon and Stefan both snapped their heads back to Elena, eyes wide with shock. She was still on the ground of the cell, gripping her head, vision blurring. She was yelling and punching at the floor, tears falling from her face. Blaire's eyes were still distant, her mind completely concentrated on putting Elena in the absolute worst pain possible.

Damon noticed the desperation in Elena's eyes when she begged them to make it stop. He felt cruel just watching, when she had just given them the words that he had been wanting to hear for days. He hurriedly rushed over to Blaire, shaking her shoulders violently.

"Stop!" he shouted into her face. Blaire slowly came back to reality, staring at a now furious Elena, who was attempting to recollect herself on the ground.

Elena's vision was blurred. She wasn't used to that kind of pain. When the haze cleared, her anger grew even worse as she ran back to the bars, her fangs bared at the witch. "I swear," she spat venomously. "When I get out of here, I am going to kill you, you little—"

She gripped the bars tightly as another wave of pain went through her. It disappeared as soon as it arrived, but the threatening snarl that escaped her lips made the witch jump. "You said you'd give us the truth," Stefan demanded. Elena's gaze now turned to Damon. She stared at him with so much hate that it made him despise himself.

"Who knew that Damon Salvatore would be following in his brother's footsteps?" she taunted, now looking amused as she changed the subject. He just clenched his fists. "Or was all of this your idea, Damon? Try to bring back the lost part of my soul and then try to break it with this betrayal? That's low. But genius. No, that's not the right word. Diabolical is a better word. But let me tell you something: I actually thought you cared about me, but I'm glad you didn't. Now things can go back to the way they were before I returned, where I'm killing random people and not giving a damn about you or what you're doing."

Those words burned Damon's insides. Elena was completely mixed up. He just wanted answers. But it was true, he had betrayed her. He let her get hurt just for the sake of his own knowledge and curiosity. She was thirsty and in pain, and Damon did nothing but watch.

"You didn't give a damn about Damon?" Stefan chimed in, glaring at the vampire girl who was gripping the bars. "Even when you left, you never stopped for even a moment just to wonder about us, and what we were doing?"

Elena's expression looked defeated. "The first few years were… uh… difficult," she said, unsurely. Elena knew they were trying to get answers from her, and she just wanted to leave the whole town at this point. What would be the problem in explaining this to them, and running off to be alone?

It's the only way a person can truly have eternal happiness, Elena thought. When they're alone.

"Of course I wondered what you two were up to," she said, now looking at Damon with vulnerable eyes. "Even when the pain was shut out, the memories haunted me. The thoughts were constantly tugging at my mind: What if he meets someone else? What if he hates me when I come back?"

"If all of this worried you, then why didn't you just return?" Damon demanded. He wanted answers. No, he needed answers.

"Because I couldn't!" Elena snapped, knowing that this was a touchy subject. "Are you really stupid enough to think that I would just leave you? I would have given up my whole damn life if you asked for it!"

Blaire could sense that this conversation was one that Damon and Elena should be having alone, and grabbed Stefan by the forearm and led him up the stairs as Elena and Damon's argument rung through the hallways.

"Then what happened? Leaving me completely in the dark isn't helping anyone," Damon stated, staring at her through the metal bars.

"I already told you," she said softly now, not wanting Stefan or the witch to overhear them.

Damon thought about this for a moment until a memory came to his mind. Elena could practically see the wheels turning in Damon's head as he quoted her: "He threatened your life. That's what you said. Who threatened my life, Elena?"

Elena simply closed her eyes and shook her head. She had never told this story to anyone. It was extremely difficult to relive the most difficult moment of her existence. When her eyes opened, her expression basically told Damon that she wasn't going to say it.

"Klaus?" he guessed, knowing it would be the only reasonable person who could have this much control over Elena. When she nodded, Damon gritted his teeth. "I swear I'm going to kill him. I should have looked for him before even trying to open the tomb…" He was now clutching the bars also, and after a minute of reluctance, Elena placed her hands on top of his.

"Don't blame yourself for this," Elena told him quietly. "It's not your fault. It's mine. I should have gotten up the courage to kill him the night he made the deal."

Damon's eyes were curious so she continued after a deep breath, not wanting to be interrupted by his obvious questions.

"The people were going to bring me into the church, when Klaus came and dragged me to the woods," she explained, eyes darkening at the memory. "He told me to leave you alone for 145 years. If I didn't, he would kill you and Stefan slowly and painfully while I watched. I couldn't do that to you, so I agreed."

Damon's eyes widened. He wasn't expecting this at all. He didn't know what to say. His lips moved, but no words escaped, so Elena placed her finger on his trembling lips. "Klaus let me see you guys one last time before leaving with me. You were dead, though. I knew you'd be turning, so I gave you my lapis necklace. I scratched the numbers 145 into them, hoping you would understand."

His eyes immediately flickered down to his lapis lazuli ring, resting on his left hand. Elena followed his gaze and ran her fingertips along the stone on his hand, which was still attached to the bar. "This is the stone from my necklace, isn't it?"

"Yes," Damon replied, swallowing. Elena chuckled to herself, but it was a sweet laugh, one that made Damon chortle a bit as well. "When you weren't in the tomb, I was beyond crushed. I thought you didn't care about me. I thought you moved on."

Elena's soft expression made him feel comforted, as she still continued to run her fingers along his ring. "I didn't," she answered confidently, her voice sounding like Damon's assumption was the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard. "I just shut out the pain. There's a difference."

The gentleness in Elena's eyes was one that Damon remembered… from 1864. At the moment, he had successfully ripped off any masks that Elena had been using on her personality, leaving her completely bare and vulnerable to him. She had done the exact same thing to Damon in return.

He didn't care if this moment didn't last. All that mattered to him was that the old Elena was still somewhere inside of her, and he didn't need a blood bond to bring it out.

Damon slowly unlocked the door, and opened it, his eyes never leaving Elena's troubled features. She was bothered by this, beyond bothered. Elena did not want to fall in love again. Being alone was the only way to be happy. She knew that. Elena felt a tear roll down her cheek. She knew what she had to do with Damon. She couldn't risk breaking his heart again.

Elena smiled at him gratefully before slowly moving her head closer to Damon's. He leaned forward also, until their foreheads were touching. Elena's tears were flowing freely now; it felt good just to let them come. If only Damon could understand what she was about to do…

Her top lip touched his bottom lip for the briefest of moments before a sob escaped her lips and Elena whispered against his mouth, "I'm sorry. I can't hurt you anymore."

And then Elena was gone, her destination unknown. All she knew was that it was somewhere far, far away. She was too scared to give up her heart to Damon again. So, she ran from love. Ran from her only chance of true love, the most selfish thing she could possibly do.

Damon stood frozen, as he trailed his fingers along his lip where hers had been. He knew that Elena was leaving, because she was scared.

And he was going to do everything he possibly could to stop her.

Well, there's the chapter! Hope you didn't find it too cheesy! Tell me what you thought! Only a few more chapters left of this story!

So, Damon finally found out about Elena and actually got her humanity back. But will he find her in time? And will he be able to do it alone? Hmmm...

Please review! Each comment means the world to me! You all know how much your feedback inspires me. Thank you so, SO much!

-Sara