A/N: I apologise for the delay in posting this chapter. With work, studying for my degree and my hard drive wiping everything I had written for this fic I just didn't have the time to rewrite everything. I do hope that I can begin posting more regularly.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Ella and Gaby waiting in Alaric's classroom, both straining their ears to listen for the smallest hint of a sound. The didn't have to wait long before they heard one of the entrance doors open and the sound of footsteps in the corridor. Ella froze where she sat on the edge of Alaric's desk because the footsteps she was hearing weren't Tyler and Matt's.

"We have to leave," Ella whispered, barely moving her lips.

"Why?" Gaby asked, her voice not as low as Ella's.

"Lower your voice," Ella growled, carefully sliding off the edge of the desk so that she made no noise when her feet touched the ground. "It's not Tyler and Matt, we have to go...now."

"So soon?" a voice came from the doorway.

Both girls gasped and jumped round to face the newcomer. Ella wasn't surprised by who she now faced, she had been living with him long enough to be able to identify his footsteps. Damon grinned at them from where he leaned casually against the doorjamb.

"What's your hurry?" he asked when neither of them spoke. "I only just got here and Jeremy's right behind me. Surely you'll want to see him before you die."

Ella shocked everyone then by snorting a laugh at Damon's words. Gaby and Damon both turned stunned eyes on Ella, Damon raising an eyebrow.

"Ella?" Gaby asked, she sounded worried as if she suspected the other girl of losing her mind. "Are you all right?"

"Yup," Ella grinned. She was the picture of ease as she leaned backward against Alaric's desk.

Gaby frowned, but shrugged and turned back to Damon. "Where's Alaric?"

"Ric's...detained," Damon answered. "He's been a naughty boy, conspiring with the enemy and all."

"If you hurt him I'll..." Gaby started but Damon's laugh interrupted her.

"You'll what? Kill me? Hurt me?"

"No...but I will," Ella said with confidence. She pushed away from the desk and moved to stand in front of Gaby.

"Well look who's grown a pair," Damon smirked. "Maybe you are my daughter after all."

"No I'm not," Ella shook her head. "You're not my father, he would never threaten to kill me. He's a good man and I love him more than anything. You're nothing but a mere echo of him that's been twisted."

"Oh ouch," Damon gasped mockingly.

"Seems someone got over her shock," came another familiar voice from behind Damon.

"Jeremy," Ella breathed when Damon moved aside to reveal the love of her life.

"Still holding on to that whole love thing?" Jeremy asked, rolling his eyes.

"Of course, I will never let go," Ella told him. "Our love will survive anything, it's the second strongest bond I have ever experienced."

"Second?"

"The first being the father/daughter bond I share with Damon," Ella explained. "There's nothing stronger than a bond between a parent and their child."

Ella took a step forward, toward Damon. Her eyes locked on his as she continued moving toward him. Damon growled as she neared and in a flash had Ella against the wall by her throat. Her face turned red quickly and she gasped for breath as Damon's fingers tightened around her throat, cutting off her air supply.

"Damon," Gaby screamed and ran forward. She tried to grab his hands, but Damon swatted her away with his free arm. Her body flew across the room and hit the opposite wall with a sickening thud.

Seeing his fiancée so close to death seemed to snap Jeremy out of the spells grasp. He blinked his brown eyes and when they opened they had soften. It was as if he was seeing the scene for the first time.

He gasped in surprise and rushed forward. "Damon stop! What are you doing? You're killing her!"

"No...Jeremy..." Ella gasped. "Stay back."

Jeremy stopped in his tracks still a few feet from Ella and Damon. He did not look happy at Ella's instruction but he stayed where he was.

"Damon," Ella gasped out, her eyes bulging. "Please...you don't want to do this. It's a spell...please fight...I...love...you...Dad."

The last word had the desired effect, as Jeremy had Damon blinked and seemed to come to his senses. As soon as his eyes opened again and he saw what he was doing he dropped his hand.

Ella crumbled to the floor like a rag doll as soon as Damon had loosened his grip. Her eyes were closed as she sat slumped against the wall, her face now devoid of colour and her lips held a tinge of blue.

"ELLA!"

TBC...