Chapter 36

Everything hurt. Each breath was strained and every little moment that passed meant that his battered muscles continued to jerk in odd angles. His body and muscles were screaming out for a release, but there was nothing he could do. Damon had tried for hours, his wrists bleeding and rubbed raw from all the pulling he had done. There was no escape; Kol had made sure of that.

He couldn't tell if it had been years, days or minutes, but this time he'd spent had been the hardest in his life. He'd fought the ropes he was bound with for too long, with no success at all. They were too strong and he was too weak. His body was almost broken and battered. The drugs they were pumping him with didn't help either. He hated to admit it, but the thought of them injecting his body with more chemicals sent him into panic with the thought of overdosing and never waking up, but, it wasn't his life he was scared for. If he died, he knew he would have died fighting. But the thought of leaving Elena behind terrified him.

Damon tried to open his eyes, but had no success with the left. His lid was swollen and throbbing from the punch Mason delivered to his face, knocking him clear out. Thankfully, from what he could tell, nothing was broken or damaged beyond repair. Then again, he had no idea what they had in store for him anymore, but he didn't care. The one thought on his mind was Elena.

It was all his fault...everything. And now she was thrown into this situation with him.

Damon's ears perked up at the sound of a nearby door opening and he tried with all his might to focus his eyes and head, trying to think straight and prepare for whatever pain they had ready to inflict on him. He wasn't scared of what they would do to him. The restraints made it hard for his to sit up and face his torturer face on, growling under his breath when his arm muscles burst into flames of agony.

His drifted from side to side, trying to steady himself as the door to this prison opened. The bright light blinded him for a moment, being used to the darkness. His eyes burned for a moment before they adjusted to the darkened shadow of a figure stood in the door way. Whoever it was, lent against the door frame, studying him with arms crossed securely over their chest. No sounds or words were spoken and after a moment, Damon let out a dry and humourless chuckle.

"Come back to try break me some more?" He growled, head slipping down. "You'll…have to do better than a couple of sissy punches."

A throat was cleared and the figure stepped forward, closing the door behind him and turning on the small, naked bulb hanging from the ceiling. Damon kept his head low, focusing his good eye on the scruffy, dirty boots that came to a stop before him.

"I didn't come here to fight, Damon. Not anymore." The voice rasped.

It was a voice he hadn't heard in a while, and Damon's head snapped up. He became dizzy from the fast motion, but soon he focused again, his gaze transfixed on John Gilbert. He held a tray in his hands so tightly that his knuckles were white and shaking. His tongue darted out to wet his dry lips before setting the tray down on top of an old oil barrel. He came to stand before him again, a water bottle lifted to Damon's cracked lips, offering.

Damon glared down at the bottle. "What the fuck are you doing, Gilbert?"

John pulled the bottle back, taking a shallow breath before offering once again. I'm…I'm trying to do the right thing."

After a moment's hesitation, Damon's lips locked around the rim of the lid and guzzled down the water. For all he knew, it could have been laced with poison, but the look in the old man's eyes gave everything away, he was too tired and run down for games. If they wanted him dead, it would be easier to put a bullet in the back of his head. That, and Damon was too thirsty and desperate for something to ease his burning throat.

When he had emptied the bottle of water, John tossed it aside, reaching back to the tray and bringing over a bowl. Damon felt the edge of a spoon against his slightly parted mouth. He glanced down and breathed in the smell of bland oatmeal. His stomach roared in agony at being denied food for so long. Carefully, Damon accepted the food. It tasted awful, cold and chewy, but it was better than the inevitability of starving to death.

Once the bowl was scraped clean, John stood back, rubbing a hand over his head and pulling at the roots.

"Despite what you must think…" He spoke after a moment, trying to compose himself. "I am no monster. I care about her."

"You'll have to be a little more specific than that, John…"

"Elena. I do care about her and Jeremy."

Damon huffed, his throat breaking from strain. "That's funny. It doesn't seem like you were around for either of them."

John's mouth opened and closed like a fish before he composed himself enough to answer. "I do care."

"No you don't." Damon growled. "If you cared, you wouldn't let any of this happen. You offered her up like a pig to slaughter!"

"I haven't!" John's voice cracked, wringing is hands nervously. "I-I did what I did to protect my family...I did what I had to do!"

"Don't lie, John. You were only thinking of yourself."

"Just like you then, Damon?"

Damon hissed, jerking his rope covered body. "We are nothing alike!"

John paused for a moment, too many emotions running over his face for Damon to tell what he was feeling. One thing was for sure though; fear. The glimmer of fear that sparked in the corners of his eyes was unmistakable. It was a look Damon had seen on so many men before, when faced with a life or death choice. He knew John wasn't the grand master planner of this whole thing, but he'd played a big part of it nonetheless. That was something Damon could not forgive, especially because Elena was now involved.

"I'm still struggling to understand one thing." Damon spoke lowly. "Why did you get involved with Katherine in the first place? You and the other Gilberts? What was it all for?"

The older man shuddered, tears pricking his eyes. "You'd be surprised what lengths a man will do to protect his family when inches from death. I know I'm not a good man, Damon. I've done things I'm ashamed of. Things I can never take back. But I know that, deep down, everything I did, I did for love."

Damon considered his words for a moment. Maybe it was true. Doing everything and anything for family, for the ones you love…just like him.

"I understand, John. But I don't think you realise what situation Elena is in. She's in more danger now than she ever was when I first took her."

"Don't you think I know that!?" John hissed slamming his open palm against the wall. "I know what that sick fuck Kol has planned. It's why I'm doing everything I can to make sure she doesn't come here. I'm sucking up to Katherine and praying she will let Elena leave here with me."

Damon coughed, saliva dripping from his chin. "I don't care what you do. Just promise me that you'll protect her when I can't. I couldn't live with myself if anything happened to her."

His voice broke a little at the end, his head hanging as small tears gathered in the corner of his eyes. John nodded his head, no words needed before he gathered the tray and slipped out of the room, leaving Damon in the darkness once again.

Elena left the manor that night after everyone had gone to bed. Dressed all in black head-to-toe, she crawled from her window. It was too dangerous to use the front door. Klaus and Elijah had returned that night and agreed to let Elena stay in a spare room under the supervision of a guard outside her door. Every two hours, they would check on her, and make sure she hadn't done anything 'stupid'.

It didn't give her a lot of time, but enough time to put a plan together.

The room was two-storeys high. What they didn't count on was that Elena was unfazed by heights. Being a girl scout for a number of years, she put her skills to the test, knotting together the bed sheets and creating a rope to escape the confinement of her room. She slipped into the garage at the very back of the property. It was risky stealing one of the cars, but Elena was confident that it was far enough away from the house that no one would notice until it was too late. The keys were all hung up along the wall, the most attractive option being the keys to Rebekah's Eletric Smart-car. It was small, almost soundless and the best option Elena had.

And just like that she disappeared into the dead of night. She hadn't told Rose of her plans. She was better off not knowing.

It had been over 10 hours since her confrontation with Kol and yet, still, Elena had no plan formed on what to do when she got to the location. She tossed and turned with many ideas, but all were pretty weak, or she lacked the tools. All she carried was her pistol hooked to her holster, small knife and spare rounds. Rose had barely spoken a word on the drive back from the bar, which Elena was thankful for. She needed time to think and clear her mind completely. One thing was for sure in that she knew she wouldn't wait until tomorrow to save Damon. She had to act tonight, or it all could be too late.

As soon as they were back to base, Elena gathered her supplies and locked herself into one of the spare rooms, claiming to be exhausted. Of course, that wasn't true. Elena was too on edge to do anything else than plan and prepare because she refused to wait any longer. Meeting Kol had been a mistake and had made the situation worse. It was why acting now was the only way forward. Klaus refused to listen to her and every option she gave was thrown out the window. That was what led to her decision to go through it alone.

For several hours that evening, Elena went over every little thing she'd been taught and tried to think about every possible outcome so that she could have some sort of plan formed. So much was still possible and things could still go horribly wrong, but that was all she had. Elena figuratively tried to put herself in the minds of the monsters that held Damon captive. If she could think like them, maybe she could find any sort of weakness that she could use against them.

Kol and Mason were easy to figure out. Overconfident and power driven and Elena knew how they operated. By all accounts, they would have no idea she was planning to strike tonight, especially by herself, so this would come as an unwelcome surprise when her plan went further. Katherine though…she was difficult. Elena had heard the name so many times, yet she couldn't figure out her motives for anything that had happened. That was the main challenge.

The drive to the barn house was the longest journey ever. Minutes seemed to pass like hours. At the point where the barn came into view, she parked the car so if was hidden as much as possible. With shaking hands she gripped her mobile in her hand, the one Rose had given her. She knew she had to at least call and explain where she was. If this went either way, she would at least want them to turn up, even at the last second to either help save Damon or kill everyone in the place.

At this point, Elena didn't care who she told, so she called the manor home phone. The first two times, the call went straight to the answering machine. It was on the third call that Klaus picked up. He was half asleep, tired and didn't seem to register that it was Elena's voice talking to him until she was half way through the conversation. She repeated herself twice about where she was and the plan. By that point, he released what was really going on and went into a frenzy. Elena hung up when he started yelling.

No more than ten minutes later, she was creeping around the back entrance to the barn house, carefully concealing herself in the shadows and away from any prying eyes. She knew her best bet was the backdoor for now. Going anywhere else would be stupid. Silently, she stalked towards the back of the building, grinding to a sudden halt when the back door handle jingled. She was frozen to the spot. This wasn't part of the plan!

Her hand instantly went to her knife, ready to slice and attacked at whoever it was.

The door crept open and Elena's eyes snapped up. It took a few seconds for her to recognise the man stood before her as the man because of the dim light and his dark attire. But as her eyes adjusted and focus, he brows came together, glaring at the man who had abandoned her and threw her into this situation; her Uncle John. He was dressed in dark suit pants and a crinkled navy shirt, buttons half undone and sleeves rolled up. Although he'd never had a lot of hair, she noted that there was even less now but with thick stumble on his unshaven chin and jaw. His eyes seemed hollow and skin a yellow pale to the point he looked ill. He was a far cry from the man who had helped raise her.

He squinted a few times and blinked repeatedly as if trying to make her disappear, like a bad dream. The rubbish bag he clutched in his hand squeaked as a squeezed it tighter. He then swallowed thickly and swore under his breath and quickstepped out of the door, closing it silently behind him. He threw the bag into the nearest bin and gripped Elena's arm, dragging her to the side of the house. She didn't fight him, but followed until they were in shadows.

"What the hell are you doing here?" He said in a whispery growl.

She glared back at him, yanking her arm free. "I think you already know the answer to that."

"Elena…" He begged, glancing over his shoulder at the door, worried lines deepening on his brow. "You have to get out of here, now, before they find you!"

"I'm not going anywhere. Not without Damon."

"You don't get it! If you stay here, than neither of you will get away. You'll be leaving in chains and Damon will end up in a body bag."

Her breathing waived at the thought, but she slowly swallowed back the fear, recomposing herself. No matter what John said, it wouldn't change her mind. She would sooner run in front of an oncoming train than leave Damon in the hands of these monsters for another minute.

"You're a smart girl, Elena." John implored, shaking his head. "Just…do the right thing."

"The right thing!" She hissed. "How dare you lecture me on doing the 'right thing'? After everything you have done, you think you can lecture me on doing the right thing?"

"Please, Elena…try to understand…"

"Understand what? That you're nothing but a coward and a fraud?"

John's eyes filled as he looked to the floor, his voice broken. "I only wanted to protect my family…that's all ever wanted."

Elena took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. This wasn't the time and place to argue over the issue. She had to focus on the now, because to her that was what was important. She didn't care to hear John's begging or pleading for forgiveness. That didn't matter to her.

She shook her head. "It doesn't matter anyway." Her tone clipped. "I'm not leaving here without Damon."

She went to move around him to the backdoor, her plan to sneak in from before in play. But John grabbed her upper arm once again, grinding her to a complete stop in front of him. His eyes were wide and worried, lips pressed into a thin line.

"Please, Elena, I'm begging you, don't be stupid. You're not going to get him out of there. It was over before it even started."

"Don't!" She snapped. "Don't say that! I'm getting him out even if it's the last thing I do. I'll do anything to get him out of there."

"Even give up on your own life before it has even begun?"

She stilled for a moment, his words racing through her head. Would she give it all up for him? She'd never said the words out loud, but in that moment, deep in her heart she knew she loved Damon. It was a raw and painful emotion, but it was the best she'd ever felt when she was with him. The thought of never seeing him again made her chest heave and it difficult to breath. But the thought that he was at least alive was worth it if she had to go through pain for the rest of her existences.

She knew that if he lived then, no matter what, she would fight every day to get back to him. She would take every beat down and abuse Kol gave her. She could overcome all the suffering and pain she knew would come. She'd go through it all just to have that chance of being in Damon's arms again.

When it came down to it and she couldn't get either of them out, then she would risk it all to make sure he was safe. She'd hand herself over until the time was right to fight back and escape. It would be torture. It would be hell on Earth. But at least she'd have a glimmer of hope to hold onto.

She opened her mouth to speak, but caught herself at the last second when the creaking sound of the barn door opened. Elena saw John's entire body tense as two shadows appeared behind him. Looking down, John met her gaze, feeling a surge of protectiveness rising in him at the dread he saw in her dark eyes. They were here and they knew it was her. There was no running away from this or escape. The course of action had been set and now she had to run with it.

But John seemed to have other ideas.

"Run." He murmured, just loud enough for her to hear him, pushing her to one side as he turned to defend her.

His plan only worked for a moment before a heavy fist ruthlessly landed in John's gutted, winding him instantly and knocking him down on to the floor. Her eyes grew wide as he gaze rose to meet that of Mason Lockwood's, a sinister grin pulling at his mouth. Seeing that, Elena turned and fled, not hearing the man who had suckered John order for Mason to grab her. The only quick plan she came to was to run and led Mason away. If she could take him out, she would have a better chance.

Her legs burned as she sprinted around the back of the barn and todays the fields. She could hear Mason's heavy boots behind her, taunting her. Her breath came in gasps as she turned to glance over her shoulder. She knew immediately that she shouldn't have done that. He was right on her.

Seeing no other option, she stopped dead in her tracks, swinging her body and leg around and catching Mason off guard. Her kick cracked against his left knee, making it buckle and fall out under him. Take the next chance with him on his knees, she gripped his ruffled hair harshly and brought her own knee up, smashing against his skull. Mason roared and his arms lashed out, wrapping around her waist and throwing her over his shoulder.

Elena grunted as she landed awkwardly on her neck, rolling over to her side and trying to find her bearings again. But, within a moment, Mason lunged to his side yanking at her head and throwing her body to the ground. Elena thrashed and swung her leg back around, kicking him in the ribs, making him howl in torment but fighting.

As if in slow motion, he his hand gripped her throat and lifted her into the air for a moment before hurling her small body into the air in a single deft motion. Elena could feel herself tumbling through the air until she finally hit the rough bark of the tree, winding her instantly. Not only that, but sharp pains shot through her ribs as if they were cracked.

Mason was in front of her again, twisting a fist in to Elena's snarled hair and yanking her to her feet. He backhanded her with such force, her head snapped to the side and smashed into the trunk, causing blood to flow from her cheek.

Mason chuckled. "You're not putting up much of a fight. I have to say, I'm disappointed."

"You know me, Mason…" Elena gasped, glaring. "I hate to disappoint."

With one swift motion, her knee swung up again, catching him between the legs. He flinched and his hand left her hair to protect his manhood. It gave her the opening she need, swinging her fist and catching his wounded shoulder she shot. Elena showed no hesitation as she swung fist again catching the side of his head and knocking him on the ground.

She jumped over his slumped body, bolting for it again, but the other man was in front of her instant and his arm caught her around the neck, knocking her up and tackling her to the floor. Elena began to scream and swing her arms, hitting and scratching wherever she could get access to. She could hear him grunting as he tried to pin down her arms.

"Get off!" She screeched, bucking her hips.

"Shut up!" He roared, pulling a pistol from his back pocket and pressing it to her skull.

Still, she wiggled, trying anything she could to get him off of her. Mason's was up moments later, his boot flying out and delivering a swift kick to her ribs making her gasp for air. She rolled on her side, gasping in pain and panting.

"Hey!" The man on top yelled.

"Fucking bitch deserved it, Ben!" Mason spat, wiping blood from his chin.

"The boss wants her in one piece, you idiot!" The other man, Ben, argued.

Mason grunted and clutched his shoulder. Even though she was caught, Elena felt a little victory inside her, knowing that she had brought down Mason. Ben moved from off of her to stand over Elena's wounded body, she attempted to get up and run, but pain instantly shoot from her side, making her collapse again. Her ribs were definitely cracked or, at the very least, severely bruised.

"Let's take her to Kol." Ben spoke, and Elena tried to drag herself away as both men approached her.

"Where do you think you're going?" Mason asked, closer than before, smirking evilly.

"Stop messing around!" A voice growled from the barn. "Bring her in, now!"

Mason hissed over his shoulder before snatching Elena's hair once again, hurling her up to her feet. She groaned in pain, her ribs and scalp throbbing as she was dragged towards the barn house. Towards an unknown fate. But one was for certain; she wasn't going down without a fight.

Wow! I really do apologies for my sudden and unexplained disappearance guys. I never thought or intended to be away for this long, but I'm gonna talk about why and clear up a few things. 1) Family life. We have since had a new arrival to my family, so quite a bit of time has been taken up with that. 2) Uni has been so busy! It is even worse than last year. I have triple the work and half the time to do it in, so I've been a little stressed. 4) My work life. A few months back I got a new job and, because I need the money for uni at the moment, I have been working every moment I can. It means I haven't had any free time to myself at all.

Finally, my last reason is a mixture of all of this, boiling down to motivation. Don't get me wrong, the support I get from you guys is amazing! But, I've been so stressed with personal stuff at the moment, that I didn't get any enjoyment out of writing. However, after a few months away from the key board and my favorite story world, I realized how much I actually missed all of this. Writing is my passion and something I love. I lost that for a while, but I feel that the time away has helped. Now i am even more ready to write with new stories, ideas and characters. Like I said, I hope you guys can forgive the absence and are still willing to follow me on this journey with any of my stories. Thanks for understanding.

Anyway, back to the story! The next chapter will not be the last one, but is the climax to this story. A classic good vs evil ending. Who will win? Who will perish? Will the heroes get the happily ever after?!...I guess you'll have to wait and see ;) Like I said, IO am ready and fired up to write! In fact, chapter 37 is almost done. I would say you'll have to wait no more than two weeks, only because my deadline for my essays are next week. After that is Christmas and I have so much time to write! Plus, all my new story's. . I plan to wrap up this one and Give Me Love by Christmas as well as my short stories.

Once again, I'm sorry for the wait. I hope this chapter makes up for it :) Reveiw and let me know what you thought! Thanks!

Next chapter: It's all come down to this. But in the battle of power and wit,, who will rise and who will fall? Stay tuned ;) x