The drive home had been silent; Elena was sat in the back seat staring out of the window and Klaus was focusing on the drive. Being alone with her thoughts meant she was starting to consider how dangerous her actions had been, to make a deal and agree to leave with him was stupid, at best.

When they had arrived in Mystic Falls, Elena just watched as she passed everything she had known her whole life; her old high school, the woods where she had spent many a nights with her friends, Bonnie's house, then her house and finally arriving at the Salvatore's boarding house.

When he pulled up, her heart sank into her stomach, she didn't even know how to approach all this; she could only wonder how Damon would feel at her absence, even though she once loved Stefan, the older Salvatore was starting to grow on her, his compassion warming her heart.

"Don't dilly-dally, love," Klaus had broken her train of thought and brought her back to reality; he had took her phone from her earlier on in the night before he took her to the hospital, he programmed his number into her phone before handing it back to her, "call me when you're done here, I'll tell you where to come. Don't be all night."

Elena just nodded her head and took her phone from him, she opened the car door and stepped out, closing it behind her. She took a long look at the house, saddened that she may never see it again.

She watched as Klaus drove away, she finally felt a moments peace from him; she walked up to the front door and knocked, waiting for him to answer. A few long moments later, the door swung open and there he stood, "hey, Damon."

"Elena," he spoke, relieved to see her alive, he took her hand and pulled her into a loving embrace, "how did you get away?"

"That's what I came here to talk to you about," she sunk into him, her arms wrapping around his neck and pulling him into her more; she had always been so confused by her feelings towards Damon but now that she knew she may never see him again, her heart yearned for more.

"Talk to me about what?" he pulled her back from the hug, leading her inside the house to the main sitting room; she could see the confusion on his face and it was going to hurt her to cause him any pain.

"I have to leave," her voice was low and filled with sadness, she couldn't believe she was doing this.

"What are you talking about, Elena?" he was confused, completely taken aback by her words; after a minute of thinking, all he could do in that moment was laugh and assume it was a terrible joke, "you where never much of a comedian, now come on, let's have a drink and work on your jokes!"

Normally, Elena would roll her eyes and ignore his sarcasm but like everything else about him, she would miss it; Damon knew in that moment she wasn't joking, he too was expecting her usual reaction, instead he went defensive.

"Are you crazy?" he walked over to his drinks trolley and poured himself a scotch, unable to deal with this, he'd never done to well with handling his emotions.

"I know what you're going to say, that I can't leave, I'll die if I go with Klaus," he suddenly stopped drinking and his gaze snapped to hers at her words.

"You're going with Klaus?" she could hear he was becoming annoyed, she didn't expect him too understand, even she barely did.

"I have too," she cupped her hands around his face, her eyes locking onto his, "do you trust me?"

He placed his hands over hers for a brief second before bringing them away from his face, turning around to face the window instead, he couldn't believe what he was hearing, "you know I'll never let you leave."

"Then Klaus will kill all of us."

"We'll kill him first."

"That hasn't worked for us yet, at least this way everyone will be safe, including you," she couldn't leave things like this but her time was running short, she stepped in front of him, her heart racing, "Damon?"

"Dammit, Elena," a small sigh escaped his lips, his pain becoming all to apparent in his eyes, "I can't let you do this."

"You have too," she took his hands in hers once again, pulling him just that little bit closer so she could feel his breath on her skin, "If I don't leave now, he'll come and get me, if that happens, someones going to get really hurt."

"I'll take that chance, Elena," his voice broke with emotion; he entangled his fingers in hers, taking in her touch, fearful that'll be the last.

"I won't," she held onto his hands tighter, resting her bead against his, "I care too much about you to let anything happen to you. You know I'll be safe, he won't let anything happen to me, he needs me."

"Doesn't mean you'll be safe, Elena," the touch of her skin against his caused his heart to race and his exterior soften, "please tell me I can change your mind?"

Normally, Damon would put Elena on constant watch or lock her away until she came to her senses but as much as he would like too, he knew that wouldn't do anyone any good, especially Elena, there relationship had reached a whole new level and he had to trust that she knew what she was doing, he didn't have too like it but he did have to treat her with respect as well as her decisions.

"I'm truly sorry, Damon," she took a deep breath, pressing his head into his just a little bit more before pulling away and releasing his hands, "I really have too go."

She placed a small, soft kiss on his cheek and without even looking at him, she walked past him and towards the door, fighting back the tears that where fighting there way out; as she opened the front door, he appeared in front of her, a small gasp escaping her lips.

"I'm sorry, I have to do this," he was nervous, his voice shaken and his body trembling; he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her into him, his lips touching hers softly. He was waiting for her too push him away, hit him, anything that she would normally do.

But she didn't, she wrapped her arms around his neck and they fell into a passionate kiss; his hands found there way up her back and into her hair, keeping her as close to him as he could, he never wanted to let her go.

She completely embraced him, everything about him; she placed her hands on the back of his neck, her fingers entangled in the ends of his hair, indulging in a long and passionate kiss before she had to leave him, possibly forever.

There kiss broke, her lips still brushing against his but there bodies still locked together, "I will find a way to break you from this deal, Elena, whatever it takes."

"Don't," her voice filled with sadness, "he'll kill you and I can't imagine my life without you in it, even if we can't be together."

"I would risk dying for you," before she could argue with him, he kissed her again, this time softly and intimately; since the day he had met her, he had wanted this very moment too happen, to be in her arms but he never thought it would be under these circumstances. He was about to lose her.

It took all of her strength and will power to break there kiss but she knew she had to keep everyone safe from Klaus and all the heartache he brought to Mystic Falls.

"I'll call you when I can," she kissed his cheek softly for the last time before walking away from him; she left the grounds of the boarding house and put a fair distance between herself and Damon before allowing herself to cry for a long moment.

She collected herself, wiped away the tears and took her phone from her pocket; she flicked through her contact list, passing Alaric and Caroline, even Bonnie and Jeremy before she reached Klaus. She hit the dial button and pressed the phone to her ear; it rang for a seconds before he answered.

"I thought you'd never call," he answered, his words sarcastic and playful; she was in no mood, she just rolled her eyes and sighed.

"Come and get me, I'm just a little down the road from Damon's; I need you to take me home and get my things."

"I'll be there in 10," he hung up the phone.

As she waited, she contemplated sending texts or even calling them but she knew she couldn't handle facing anymore of her friends or loved ones, Damon would tell them everything.

Damon, the thought of his name alone would bring her so much love and pain, something she never thought possible, this was Damon after all but he won her heart and now he was gone.

After a few more minutes, Klaus arrived; she put her phone in her pocket and tried not to think about all this, her friends, her family and Damon, she pushed it all away and entered the car.

She saw him sitting there, a smile plastered on his face; there was no kindness in it, only pleasure, he knew he'd won and he got everything he wanted whilst she lost everything.

"We'll have to be quick," Klaus spoke as he drove off, heading towards the Gilbert residence, she knew Jeremy wouldn't be home, since he and Bonnie broke up, he'd been spending a lot of time at the grill, either working or hanging out with Alaric, "Mikael could be on our tail."

"Fine, whatever," she just shook her head and turned her attention the window once again, her eyes welling up uncontrollably.

"Don't be like that, love," he smirked, knowing too well he was destroying her life but yet, he didn't seem to care, "we'll have great fun."

She didn't respond, her gaze still stuck out of the window; once they arrived at the house, she ran inside, closing the door behind her, "Jer?"

No answer.

She ran upstairs and into her bedroom, she grabbed a suitcase from the wardrobe and lay it on the bed, she pulled all of her clothes from the hangers and threw them into the case. She pulled open her top drawer and grabbed her underwear, throwing them in the case as well, she walked into the bathroom and grabbed her toothbrush and toiletries, those going in the case too.

One last thing she couldn't forget, her diary; she opened the drawer in her bedside table and took her journal from it, she opened it and tore out a blank page, placing it on the bedside, she grabbed a pen a wrote a simple note too Jeremy:

"I'm sorry, Jer.

I love you always,

Elena."

She placed it on the bed and threw the diary in the case, zipping it up, she grabbed the handle and ran downstairs, taking one last look at the house; she noticed the picture on the cabinet in the hallway of her, Jeremy and Jenna; she picked it up and looked at it, a small smile creeping on her face, she had to take it, she slipped it into the zip-up pocket at the front of the case and exited the house, returning to Klaus.

The case went into the boot and she went to the back of the car, as she reached for the handle, Klaus spoke, "sit in the front, you seem so lonely in the back there."

"I'll deal, thanks," she pulled open the car door but before she could slide in, he spoke again.

"Humour me," his voice went dark, she knew she couldn't push her luck; she slammed the door shut and went to the front, sliding into the passenger seat next to Klaus, "we'll, isn't this better?"

"Yeah, tonnes," she spoke sarcastically, her gaze shifting from him to the window, anything not to look at him, at least this way she could pretend he wasn't there.

-w-

They'd been driving for what felt like weeks, in reality, it was only a few hours; Elena was exhausted, after everything she had been through in the last 36 hours, Stefan being compelled by Klaus and threatening to kill her, watching two of her class mates be killed in front of her, waking up in a hospital bed being drained of her blood and agreeing to leave with Klaus, she'd felt like was ready to completely give up on everything.

"Where are we going?" she finally spoke, breaking the long and peaceful silence between them, "we've been in this car for hours."

"Would ya look at that, she speaks," he mused, a smirk plastered on his lips, "that's for me to know and for you to… well, not know."

"You're such a child," she wasn't sure if it was the exhaustion or anger that was speaking but she couldn't help the words that escaped her lips.

Klaus squinted his eyes, the amusement that Elena was bringing him earlier had quickly vanished and he was just becoming annoyed, he hated that she had leverage over him, "we're going to meet Rebekah, if you must know."

"Why?" she questioned, her curiosity peaked.

"All in good time, sweet Elena," he continued to focus on his driving, silence filling the car once more.

-w-

Elena had dozed off briefly, her sleep plagued with dark nightmares as she relived the last 2 days over and over again, she wouldn't find peace for a long time; she felt a hand placed on her arm, nudging her slightly; she awoke with a gasp, her eyes instantly shooting to Klaus' hand on her arm.

"I think you where having a bad dream, love," he removed his hand and returned to an upright sitting position, "you where terribly loud."

"Well, are you surprised?" she spat, her mood not improved with a short sleep.

"Feisty," he smirked amusingly, "I like that."

"That's good, I suppose. We're going to be spending a lot of time together and there's more when that came from."

"I'm sure there is," Elena couldn't help but find some amusement in his words, it was the first time since there deal that he had actually spoke to her without threatening her or someone she loved, it was almost a compliment. Almost.

"So, where are we?" she asked, changing the subject.

"Charlotte," she was quite shocked by this, they'd been driving for at least 4 hours, although she had slept for nearly 2 of them, "my sister will be here momentarily then we'll go to a safe house I acquired here several years ago."

"Okay, sounds good," she was trying to be co-operative, it took two to make the deal and she agreed to it, might as well make the situation easier on herself.

A few minutes later, Rebekah had pulled up in a large truck; Klaus exited the car and Elena had stayed, he gave his sister a hug and they both walked to the back of the truck, she didn't hear it open so she assumed it was so they could talk in private, Elena didn't want any secrets that could potentially lead to her death so she opened the car door as quietly as she could, stepping out and creeping around the truck.

"Are you sure?" Klaus had asked, panic rising in his voice.

"Damon wasn't lying, Mikael has been awoken, it won't be long before he finds us, brother."

"We have some time, it'll take him a while to regain his strength and I drove all night to put distance between us, we'll come up with a plan tomorrow," he almost sounded hopeful.

"Why is Elena here, Nik?"

"I need more hybrids and I don't trust a single person in Mystic Falls with her life, especially if they where stupid enough to wake up Mikael in the first place, he'll kill the doppelganger without a second thought."

"This is reckless."

"If I wanted your opinion, sister, I would ask for it," he snapped, his temper overcoming him.

"Wait…" Rebekah paused, an amused smile on her lips, "Elena is listening to us, brother."

"Oh no," Elena whispered under her breath, she turned around in attempt to run back to the car but Klaus was faster, he was in front of her in seconds.

"Why did you leave the car?" He asked, trying to remain calm but he didn't like being spied on.

"I wanted to know what you where both talking about," she could have lied but then they would argue, he'd be angry and probably do something that would hurt her and she didn't have the energy to do it.

"Why?" he questioned, his arms now folded across his chest.

"In case you where planning something, okay?" she just rolled her eyes and returned to the car, she slammed the door and kept her mouth shut, without even realising it, she was starting to become paranoid, she was completely out of her comfort zone with Klaus, she didn't feel safe at all.

Klaus had returned to the car a while later; as he drove off, Elena noticed that Rebekah was following them back; that's all that she needed, to stay in a safe house with not just one original but two, the most annoying ones as well.

"Can I ask you question?" she asked, breaking the silence.

"You can ask but I can't guarantee I'll answer," there was always something holding him back, stopping him from being open.

"Why did you take me with you?" this question had been bothering her for hours, "I know what you said to Rebekah about not trusting anyone with my life but there was other options, you could have had a hybrid watch over me or even you're overly annoying sister, either way, you didn't need to bring me."

He was silent for a long minute, contemplating his answer; on some level, she was right but his reasoning was far beyond that, "Elena, when you've lived for as long as I have, you learn that if you want something doing right, then you do it yourself.

Tut.

"What?" she snarled, "what kind of answer where you expecting?"

"Oh, I don't know, maybe an honest one," she just rolled her eyes, completely giving up on the subject.

"It is honest."

"But not the whole truth."

"We'll continue this some other time," he turned into the driveway of a small house; Elena watched as they pulled up, the house was in the middle of nowhere, there wasn't sign of life within a 10 mile radius. Secluded, just how Klaus liked it.

Klaus had left the car, he grabbed Elena's case from the boot and went to the front of the house, unlocking the door; she shortly followed him in, the house was barely decorated but it was furnished.

"I few years ago, I compelled a local to look after the house, it's in her name and from time to time, I call her and ask her to make it ready for my arrival; its fully stocked with food, fresh bedding and everything else you could possibly need."

Elena glanced around the place, her arms crossed, "coffee?"

"Yes," a cheeky and amused smile formed on his lips uncontrollably.

"I guess it won't be so bad staying here then," she took her coat off and dropped it onto the chair, "is Rebekah not staying?"

"No, she's needed elsewhere."

Elena just nodded her head, slowly learning not to ask questions; she walked through the hallway until she found the kitchen, she rummaged through the cupboards until she found the coffee, making herself a pot.

Klaus had followed her into the kitchen, watching her every move; all she was concerned about was attempting to relax with a cup of coffee and going to sleep but his need to watch her was making her uncomfortable. She couldn't deal with that forever.

She grabbed two mugs and filled them both with coffee, she picked them up and handed one to him; she walked past Klaus and into the living room, he eventually joined her, taking a seat on one of the armchairs whilst Elena sat on the sofa.

"You don't have to follow me around, Klaus, I'm not going anywhere," she commented, taking a sip of her coffee.

"How do you know I'm not just trying to keep you safe?"

"We're in the middle of nowhere, in a house that vampires can't get into and the worst injury that could happen is I fall over from exhaustion," she took another sip if coffee, somewhat nervously, "I made a deal with you, I'm not going anywhere."

"That's good to hear," he mused, a small smirk on appearing on his lips, "no harm in making sure now is there?"

"I guess not," she shrugged, "although, sometimes a little alone time does the world a good."

"Take it from someone who has been alone for most of his existence, it doesn't," Elena looked over to him briefly, noticing his gaze had diverted to the ground, he really didn't like to be alone, she could relate to that.

"Well, you're not anymore," her voice low and kind, she wasn't sure why she was relating to the thousand year old hybrid, she knew they wouldn't ever be anything more than business partners, at best but she did feel compassion towards him.

He didn't say anything, only locked his eyes onto hers, trying to get a read on her; she was a closed book to him, he stood from his chair and walked over to the coach, "may I?"

She waved her hand towards the seat and nodded her head, watching as he sat beside her; this was the closest he had been too her with her willing and without threatening her, "see? This is progress already."

They both chuckled lightly, "it's only a seat, Elena."

"No, no," she paused, shaking her head slightly, "this is progress."

"Fair enough," he smirked, his exterior softening; he didn't like it, he had to make sure there was no-one out to get him and this wasn't a ploy, "That's enough progress for one night."

"I think we could do better," she shrugged her shoulders, taking the last sip of her coffee, "you still haven't told me why you brought me here?"

A small sigh escaped his lips, he had never known her persistence before, he didn't quite know how to answer, "if I'm completely honest, I don't know why; I know I don't trust anyone with your life, especially the Salvatore brothers and I do know that I want you alive and not just for your blood either, I guess I feel very protective of you."

"For your hybrids?" she questioned, completely taken aback by what he said, she wasn't expecting such an honest and kind answer.

"No, Elena," there gaze hadn't left each others, she too was trying to figure him out; she wanted to figure him out and learn to trust him, she was going to keep her end of the deal for the sake of her family and if they could at least get along, that would make life simpler.

"I should get to bed," she cleared her throat and stood from the sofa, heading towards the door.

"Of course, sleep well," she spun on her heel and ran up the stairs, she walked across the hallway and peered through the doors until she saw the room with her case in it; the room was nice, it had a king size bed in the centre of it, with a wardrobe and a chest of drawers, a TV in the corner and a dressing table on the wall opposite.

She opened her case and began rummaging through it until she found the first pair of pyjamas she saw, a strappy vest top and a pair of shorts, she threw them on and lay down in bed, trying to process everything that was happening to her.