I hope you don't mind, but Bonnie gave me your number.
Elena stared at the words on her screen. After the events from the night before, she wasn't ready to deal with anything Salvatore related.
I'd have rather she didn't, actually.
You're still dealing with the breakup with Matt. Stefan guessed.
Just how little did Stefan actually know her? Elena mused. She spent a lot of time with Elijah, which should have been a hint to anyone that they were close, and yet, Stefan picks Matt as the reason she was reluctant to speak to him.
Among other things.
Would you like to talk about it?
Not really. No.
Why would she want to talk to Stefan about anything personal like that? He'd threatened to drive her off the bridge to get Klaus to do what he wanted without caring how she felt and to now act like he cared.
Except he didn't remember that. Only she did. But still, him trying to get close to her, when she knew how he'd treat her in the end, it didn't warm her towards him and she slid her phone into her pocket.
"Are you still giving Stefan the 'I'm not interested, but I'm trying to be nice' shoulder?" Bonnie asked when Elena slid into the car.
"Yeah, why?"
"Because, something, it was weird."
"What happened?" Elena already knew the answer, but Bonnie needed to verbalize the answer if she was going to find her way to figuring out what she was.
"When I touched him, I swore I felt death."
"Don't worry. I'll be fine, because yes, I'm still giving him that shoulder."
"Are you sure? Because he's very interested and he's very hot."
"No interest in the guy, Bonnie. Cross my heart."
"I'm sorry. I really shouldn't have given him the number, I know. He just came across as so sincere and at the time, I couldn't help but think that'd make Elijah jealous. It was stupid of me."
"I'm not mad. I might need his number later anyway. I just wish he didn't flirt with me or anything."
The conversation continued until they arrived at school.
"Just promise me that you'll be careful." Bonnie adjusted her bag on her shoulder as she chased after Elena towards the school.
"Bonnie, I swear. I'll be fine. And if worse comes to worse, I'll call Elijah. I'm sure he can help me with whatever crazy stuff goes down.
"Are you sure?" Bonnie raised a doubtful eyebrow.
"Positive." The image of Elijah backhanding Trevor as easy as anything flashed across her memory. "I'm pretty sure he can handle just about anything I throw at him."
"If you're sure." Bonnie wasn't convinced.
"Morning, Elena. Good morning, Bonnie." Stefan smiled.
"I've got to find Caroline. She's not answering her phone, soooo…."
"Wait, you haven't heard from her?" Elena asked, a sinking feeling seeping into her bones.
Just had what happened between the man she married and one of her closest friends? She wished she knew, though a niggling at the back of her mind warned her to be careful what she wished for.
"I'll handle it." Bonnie dashed away.
"She doesn't like me, does she?" Stefan asked Elena in a low voice.
"Bonnie is one of those people who feels like she has to protect everyone from anything, so someone she doesn't know entering the scene throws her off."
"So it's not just me."
"Bonnie is, well, Bonnie." Elena started walking towards the school, anxious to get away from Stefan and his questions.
"How does she treat Elijah?" Stefan asked.
"Elijah is the sort of person that no one tries to cross or dares disrespect, not even protective best friends."
Even if anyone tried, she'd do everything she could to protect him. He was the only person she could be completely honest with, so there was no way she'd let someone treat him as anything less than a good man.
"Matt doesn't seem over you."
"Matt is a good guy and I hurt him when I split with him. But I'm hoping that soon, we can get close to who we were prior to dating. He's one of my best friends and I don't want to lose him because he and I were a bad fit romantically."
Just then, a football came flying towards them and Stefan spun around to catch it and then, Stefan threw it back, a little harder than necessary.
"With an arm and catching ability like that, you should join the football team," Elena said, in a desperate hope that she sounded like a teenage girl.
"I used to play, a long time ago."
"You should play again."
"Will you be cheering from the sidelines?" He smiled a little too wide for Elena's comfort.
"I'm not sure. I've been thinking about quitting the cheer team. But you should play, even if I'm not in uniform too, because, for all you know, I may be cheering from the stands."
"If you're there for at least a few games, I'll consider it."
"I've got friends on the cheer squad, so of course I'll be there." Mentally, Elena cursed herself. That sounded far too flirty considering she was trying to maintain a platonic relationship with Stefan. "Besides, you need to make some friends if you wanna survive high school intact. Matt's a great guy and if you can convince him that you and I aren't dating, he'll be a good one for you to hang out with."
"What if we do?"
"Do what?" Elena hated the way this conversation was turning out.
The longer they talked the more she wondered, how had she not seen Stefan's affections for her as residual for his feelings for another girl before? Oh, wait, she hadn't known what Katherine looked like until after she'd slept with him that first time and then, she'd allowed herself to believe that he wanted her for herself because she hadn't wanted to feel like she was being used for the way she looked.
Inwardly, she cringed as a feeling of being dirty crept down her spine. Had he used her to fill the parts of him that Katherine had stolen from him?
"Elena?" Stefan called.
"Sorry. I spaced for a sec. But, if you join, I will try to be there, since our team sucks right now. We could use a guy of your talents."
"If you're there on the sidelines in any capacity, I will try out for the team."
"What year did World War II end?" Mr. Tanner droned, "Miss Gilbert?"
"It ended in May, 1945-"
"Wrong."
"In Germany, it did end in May, but the war with Japan dragged on until August of 1945 before coming to an end when the US dropped an atomic bomb on Nagasaki, just a few days after the bombing of Hiroshima."
"Very good." Mr. Tanner's mouth thinned, but he continued on.
After Elena's rant from a few days earlier, he seemed determined to try to catch her up, to humiliate her in any way he could, though Elena managed to rise to the challenge.
"So, you're really quitting the cheer squad?" Stefan asked as they walked out of history.
"I'm not the girl who had to be involved in everything anymore. I've changed and it's time I stopped trying to be who I was and embrace who I am now."
"I can understand that, but I'm still going to try out for the team?"
"Sticking it to Mr. Tanner since he can't seem to leave you or me alone?"
"Something like that."
Elena waved and then went to the locker room to pick up her cheer leading bag, before headed out to where the cheerleaders were warming up.
"Oh, my god, you're here!" Bonnie jumped up.
"I'm actually looking for Caroline. Have you seen her?"
"I texted her like a hundred times, but nothing, why?"
"Because I'm quitting the team and I want to tell her that."
"You can't quit!"
"Bonnie, I'm just. Things are different now. I know it makes me a quitter, but I just can't keep up with that anymore."
"Just so long as you promise you'll come to at least a few games."
"I've already promised Stefan I'd be there."
"I thought you didn't like him."
"I don't like him, like him, but I think we could be okay friends who don't sleep together."
"Unless he's still trying to get into your pants."
"It won't work. I'm not interested in him like that." Elena looked around. "Now, where is Caroline?"
"I'm gonna try calling her again."
Elena got that sinking feeling in her stomach again.
Just then, Damon's blue car pulled into the lot with Caroline in the front seat.
"Bonnie."
"That must be the mystery guy from The Grill."
Caroline leaned over and kissed Damon, but Elena's eyes were drawn to the scarf around Caroline's neck and the bite mark peeking out from the tank top she was wearing. Just how bad had Damon been to Caroline? And how had she forgotten he was so awful to her?
"I think that's Stefan's brother, the one he doesn't talk to much, Damon."
Caroline flounced towards them. "I got the other brother, I hope you don't mind."
Damon smirked at her and Elena wanted to punch him in the face.
"Caroline, wait."
"Sorry I'm late, girls, I was, um, busy."
"Caroline!"
"Elena, get changed and get into formation!" Caroline demanded, exasperated.
"No. I'm here to tell you I'm quitting the team."
"You're quitting." Caroline scoffed.
"Yes. I am. What's gotten into you?" Her sweet, caring friend seemed to have vanished overnight, replaced by a caricature of the worst parts of herself
"Don't judge me!"
It was the compulsion. It had to be. Damon did this to her. Damon was trying to take her friend away when she needed her the most. How dare he? And how dare she focus on how it affected her when Caroline was completely at Damon's mercy, with little to no control over anything?
"I'm not judging you. I'm just turning in my uniform." Elena handed the bag to Caroline.
Caroline huffed, her expression hurt, and Elena ducked her head, feeling guilty for her decision.
As she walked towards the street, she pulled out her phone and selected Elijah's name.
What's Damon doing with Caroline?
I think you know, Elena. Otherwise you wouldn't be asking.
Elijah.
There was a long pause before he texted again.
I went by her house last night and heard her screaming 'no'
Elena's heart twisted with the dread of what this meant. For all her involvement in the #metoo era, with helping victims, with standing up for them, what did it say about her if this was true? She'd married a guy who'd raped her friend.
Get some vervain into a necklace and I'll give it to her. This has to stop.
Are you okay?
Ask me when I'm not surrounded by people.
This couldn't be true. It just couldn't be. Her mind shied away from the words, even though she knew exactly what Elijah was talking about.
Selecting Caroline's name, she sent her a text.
Sleepover at your house? Jenna and Jer have been going at it almost every night the last two weeks over his drug use.
Sleepover?
Yeah. I mean if you have plans, we could reschedule, but I'd like to spend time with you and Bonnie.
You're not going to the game?
I don't think I can tonight, which is why I thought sleepover.
That sounds good. I'll tell Bonnie to meet us. Popcorn, movies, girl talk.
Can't wait.
I'm sorry I was a bitch earlier about you quitting the team.
It's okay.
No. it wasn't. I just don't wanna lose you
You won't. promise
They'd made it work before, with her aging and Caroline remaining seventeen forever, even with Damon around.
With her resolve firmly intact, Elena headed towards the bank. It was time to get the items Mrs. Lockwood needed for the Historical Society party.
That night, after Bonnie and Caroline dozed off in the living room, Elena turned off the light and made her way to the bedroom, leaving them to their rest.
The girls were freaked out by Mr. Tanner being murdered right before the game, so sleep was hard for them to come by. Besides, she needed to do this alone. If there were others in the room with her, her plan wouldn't work. She needed to know exactly what Caroline had gone through
After dressing for bed, she lay awake, her brain spinning. What if this didn't work? Elijah didn't have an invitation and she was putting herself directly in the line of fire, but she couldn't back down now, not with window creaking open, and terror spread through her. Was this how Caroline felt whenever Damon came to her room?
A second later, a hand came over her mouth and she bit down.
"Ouch! Don't fight me." He climbed on top of her, pinning her to the bed.
"Get off me!" She wriggled, trying to throw him off.
Catching her chin, he looked her in the eye, "You know you want this."
"Get off me! Get off me! Get off me!" Elena screamed.
A hand came around her throat, choking her, but even as her brain started to short out from lack of oxygen, Elena dug her nails into his sides and ripped his skin.
Catching her by the arms, he pinned her harder against the bed, then sank his fangs into her throat.
"Elijah! Elijah! Help me! Elijah!"
Desperately, she pushed at him, a strange power surging through her, and suddenly, he on the ground beside the bed, dazed. This gave her just enough time to act, and she ran for the window.
She just made it outside when Damon caught her and threw her to the ground, her head cracking against the earth, tearing the collar of her nightshirt, he back reared, then lunged towards her, fangs extended. But this time, the bite never came, because, all at once, Damon was ripped away and Elijah was standing there, his face a mask of fangs and veins, holding the younger vampire against the wall.
"How dare you touch someone who tells you 'no'?"
Elena curled in on herself, sobbing, her heart shattering. This was what Caroline went through, only she didn't have the benefits of vervain to keep her mind safe from his control. Caroline had been hurt, terribly, but remained Elena's friend because she loved her. She didn't deserve that level of loyalty and friendship, not after marrying Caroline's attacker.
"Don't tell me you haven't thought of tasting her blood!" Damon gasped around Elijah's grip.
"Thinking about it and taking it against her will are two very different things," Elijah snarled.
"Elena!" Bonnie called from inside. "Are you okay?"
"Stefan saved my life so I can't repay him by letting you kill his brother. Do what you want, just don't kill him," she whispered to Elijah.
"I'll see to it."
"Now, get him out of here. Please, get him out of here," Elena sobbed.
"I'll be back as soon as I've dealt with him. I'm sorry, Elena."
Bonnie and Caroline came out of the house, and wrapped their arms around her.
"I called my mom. She's on her way," Caroline said.
"What happened?" Bonnie asked.
"He attacked me," Elena whimpered. "He attacked me."
There was no way she could even attempt to try to seek him out after she did what she'd been sent back to do, not knowing first hand what he'd done to Caroline. It wasn't just him being a little to rough or feeding from her, he'd abused her and controlled her beyond anything they'd led her to believe.
Sirens pierced the night and a few seconds later, Liz was kneeling beside her and for the next while, everything was a blur of voices and lights.
Elena sat in the emergency room hospital bed, toying with the vervain necklace Elijah had given her, unable to reply to anything the sheriff was saying.
Damon had raped Caroline. No matter how he changed, how good of a person he might become later, it didn't change that she could still feel his teeth tearing at her or his hands bruising her body while he commanded her to let it happen, which is exactly what Caroline had endured, and so much more.
"Is she still not talking?" a man's voice broke through her thoughts and she bristled, but couldn't maintain the rage at him for long.
"She's in shock, Logan."
"What's going on?"
"It killed the football coach in the middle of town and then it attacked a girl in my house!" Liz hissed. "What do you think is going on?"
"What does it want?"
"I don't know. Neither Caroline or Bonnie can tell me anything. Both seemed almost as distraught as Elena, though I gathered that they didn't see anything anyway. Elena was already outside and on the ground when they got to her."
"Leave," Elena croaked. "Get out."
"Elena, what can you tell us?"
She couldn't find her voice to reply even if she wanted to. The feeling of Damon bearing down on her with the intent of taking what he wanted overwhelmed her senses and tightened her throat whenever she thought about it. The man she'd spent decades loving had done that to her. Yes, it wasn't the same man, but she could never go back, not after seeing just what he'd done to one of her best friends.
Just then, Jenna burst into the room, Elena's personal hero at the moment, her face wreathed in concern.
"The doctor says you can leave now." Kneeling down beside the bed, Jenna whispered, "What happened?"
"I wanna go home. I just want to go home." Tears slipped from her eyes and she wiped them away roughly.
She wanted her bed. She wanted the place where she was at peace. She wanted the safety where the Salvatores hadn't been invited inside. She wanted Elijah to wrap his arms around her and keep anyone who would hurt her away.
But he was busy, teaching Damon a lesson so Caroline would be safe from him. She just had to survive until Caroline was safe. Caroline needed this. Elena knew she could survive until Elijah could get to her, but Caroline needed to be protected first.