Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters from Twilight or Vampire Diaries. Those rights are reserved for Stephanie Myer and L.J. Smith. I do own the original characters made up for this storyline. Thank you.

Writer's Notes: Thank you pozemom, WiredDreams, and armywife1979 for your reviews! Yes, it was a sad chapter even for me, and I hope that everyone is still following along. Things get worse before they get better, but things will get better for Bella. Damon is a favorite of mine, and it's hard for me to write him out of Bella's life. Klaus is a second favorite of mine when it comes to the show itself, but I do like the Bella/Klaus dynamic, almost as good as the Damon/Bella one. I haven't made a clear decision in the two TVD heartthrobs, but you all will know for sure soon. Thank you, all my silent followers, as well. Keep following and favoriting, and course leave reviews when you can!

[Halloween Night: Forbes Residence]

Bella pulled up outside Caroline's house. Everyone was in costume. Bella didn't want to dress up really, but Elena had her put cat ears on and wear all black anyways. Elena was dealing with their dad's death…in her own way. The one thing about Bella though, was that she would hide her emotion well, and just carry on, no matter how heavy that burden got. Jeremy was angrier now. Since Saturday, he was just working out more. She heard him scream in the basement gym a couple times, and wanted to go in and check on him, but they each needed their space. Now she was at another party she didn't want to be at. Her nerves were all over the place as she got out of her Jeep and walked up to the door. She wasn't going to drink at all tonight because she wanted to make it home. She didn't want to be alone for long, and she didn't want to be here all night. She just showed up to make an appearance, and to leave. She had the canvas in her trunk and needed to get it to the gallery anyways.

She walked up the large steps and opened the door into Caroline's house. Her mother was a sheriff, but her father, before he divorced Liz Forbes, was an architect, and the house was left to Liz and Caroline.

"Bella!" Jake called, waving her over to the couch where he was sitting with Matt and Tyler.

Bella walked over, smiling a bit at Jake. "Okay, I'm here. I can't stay long because I have to make it to the gallery." She explained.

"Aww. That's no fun." Jake pouted.

Tyler elbowed his brother and smiled up at Bella. "Don't listen to him Bella, he's had too much to drink already."

Bella rolled her eyes. "Of course, he has. Have you seen my sister?"

Matt nodded, pointing towards the indoor pool area. "Yeah, she's swimming."

"Thanks," She said and left, weaving through the crowd of high school kids, towards the pool. She found Elena, dressed as a mermaid, sitting on the edge of the pool. "Hey," she said as she slid down, and sat, cross legged next to her. Stefan was sitting on the other side, dressed as some sort of god of the sea.

"Hey, you did come. Jake said you agreed, but I told him that you might not make it." Elena said with a smile, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. Bella knew why. Their dad's death was hard on them.

"Well, I dropped in to make an appearance, so Jake wouldn't complain later, I have to go take the new painting to the gallery."

Stefan smiled. "Oh yeah, Jake said it was killer. I can't wait to see it."

"Well there's another showing in three weeks. Right before the Founder's Day parade, and the ball." Bella explained. Her phone buzzed, and she pulled it from her pocket. It was just a text from Klaus.

[Klaus]: Can't wait to see the new piece of art.

"So, I came, I saw, and now I'm leaving. Love you," Bella said, leaning over and kissing Elena's cheek. "Please be careful, and if you're not coming home, text me so I don't worry all night."

Elena smiled. "Okay. I love you too."

"Stefan, watch Jeremy please," Bella nodded over to where Jeremy was sitting, drinking some sort of mixed drink.

Stefan nodded. "I will. Be careful Bella. It's Halloween, and crazy things happen on Halloween."

Bella smiled. "I know. Thanks." She said and left. She weaved back through the crowd of drunken teenagers and waved at Jake before she left. It was always so funny, that Caroline could throw some of the best parties, including alcohol when her mother was the sheriff. Fortunately, Liz was at a conference out of town. She got in her Jeep and drove towards the gallery, feeling the anxiety dissipate now that she was safe in her own space.

[Mikaelson Gallery]

Bella got out of her crimson Jeep and got the painting out. She carried it inside. It was already eleven, and she felt the weight of exhaustion already settling on her shoulders.

Klaus greeted her, taking the painting, and unwrapping it. "Bella, you keep outdoing yourself." He said, admiring the art. He could tell that it was in memoriam to her father, the display of colors, and the eagle.

"Thank you," She said, with a small, tired smile.

Klaus went and hung it on the wall next to her other art piece. Two very different pieces of art, that meant different things. He had a feeling that there was more to the story from that night he went and picked her up from the Lockwood homecoming party. She wasn't willing to share the details, and he wasn't going to push her, but he wanted her to know that he was a safe place to come and talk.

"Bella, I truly am sorry about your father," Klaus said, turning and facing her.

Bella looked at the floor. "Thank you." She felt so…strange, everyone telling her they were sorry. It was so awkward to say thank you back. Thank you for feeling sorry. It just didn't sound right to her. She knew that everyone meant well enough, but it was just exhausting trying to keep up with it all.

Klaus moved closer to her, he reached a hand out, his index finger tilting her chin up. She tensed under his touch, and he took note. "Bella, you can talk to me. About anything. Whatever it is, or whatever you're holding in, you can tell me. I will never tell a soul."

Bella wanted to move away, wanted to just leave right in this instant, because she wasn't sure if she could utter the words out loud. Her body shook then, and she didn't realize it, but tears were falling hard, and she heard a sobbing sound. It was her sobbing, and it hurt. Her chest hurt, and she felt like she would just fall over right then and there. The perfect dam that she had carefully put in place was breaking, and it was just all rushing out at one time.

Klaus pulled her gently into him, her face against his chest, and he held her tight, her body shaking still as she sobbed violently. He was silent as she wept, and it was out of respect for her.

Bella couldn't control it. She couldn't stop it, she was just in so much pain, and it was so overwhelming. Her hands gripped Klaus' navy-blue button up shirt tight, her tears saturating it, probably ruining it. But no matter how much she wanted to stop, she couldn't. Her legs went numb, and buckled under her, but Klaus held her against him, not letting her hit the floor. He carried her with him to his office, where there was a leather loveseat in there, where he could get her sitting, and hopefully calmed down.

But the tears wouldn't stop. It was so much, and Klaus wasn't sure what to say at this point, but he tried anyways. "Little swan, you carry the weight of the world on you, and you don't need to do that." He said softly. "Shh…come now." His voice sounded like an angel's voice to Bella, and it was oddly calming. Her tears slowed, and her chest tightened.

After a few long moments, she spoke. "I was raped." She uttered the words out loud, her heart stopping in her chest the moment those words left her lips.

Klaus tensed, not prepared for that bombshell, but he relaxed a little, loosening his hold on her. "I'm so sorry." He said again, apologizing for something that she didn't understand. He wasn't sure when this happened, but he knew that no woman should ever have to face that sort of abuse alone.

"The Lockwood party…I…" She drifted off.

Klaus frowned. He didn't understand why she didn't tell him when he picked her up. He knew that something was off with her, and that something had happened, but he didn't think that this was it. "Bella, why didn't you say anything?"

"Because I don't remember anything. I just…" She closed her eyes and leaned back away from Klaus. She brought her hand up, swiping at the leftover tears. "I woke up in one of the guest rooms, half naked, and blood just," Her voice choked up. "I panicked. I had never…I had never been with a man before, so I was a virgin before, and now..." her voice cracked again, and tears flooded her eyes.

"Shhh…" Klaus said, reaching up and wiping at her face. "Did you make a police report?"

"No. I burned my clothes and scrubbed my body several times in a scalding hot shower. Which is stupid."

Klaus shook his head. "It's not stupid. You were scared, and you experienced real trauma. Bella, you should see a doctor, make a report." He coaxed.

She shook her head. "There's no evidence now. Besides being in a lot of pain for several days afterwards, there's nothing that the police could use that would be helpful."

"But you need to see a Doctor Bella. You don't know if whoever did this used protection, and- "

Bella paled. "I…I didn't even think. Oh god," she ran her hands over her face. "I'm going to be sick." She said, and Klaus reached over and grabbed the small trashcan by his desk and handed it to her.

He rubbed her back, brushing her hair off her shoulders. "I can take you to a doctor, it will be completely private. No one will know anything." He gave her his handkerchief. She took it, wiping her mouth.

She leaned back, tears still in her eyes. "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize love. We'll figure this out. I'm with you every step of the way."

"Why?"

"What do you mean?"

"Why would you help me?" She asked, her voice tired, and her head was spinning down, throbbing.

Klaus shook his head lightly. "Because I care for you Bella. I always have. I won't let you go through all this alone. You're a brilliant artist, and a beautiful woman that did not deserve any of this."

Bella looked over at him. His ocean blue eyes were so calm, so caring. He was a year older than she was, and he was so mature for his age. He already held such wisdom, and she could hardly believe that. He looked at her like she had wished someone would look at her. Her experience with dating, was Edward, and he was overbearing at times. When she refused to take the relationship sexual, because she wasn't ready yet, he cheated on her with someone that would. It hurt, and it stung that someone that she was so deeply in love with, could do something that would hurt her so much. But they were younger. Sixteen. Two years made a difference in maturity, or least it did for Bella. She got over Edward and moved on. She thought he had to, but he still wanted to make up.

She looked away now, the intensity of Klaus' gaze causing a slight blush to tint her cheeks. "I'm…" she started and sighed. "I'm okay, I think. I guess I just needed someone to know…" she drifted off. She stood then, feeling her legs tingle a bit.

Klaus stood with her. "You don't have to leave Bella. Maybe you shouldn't be alone tonight." He was concerned. After everything that she just told him, he didn't want her to be alone. This was a big deal, and she couldn't just brush it off like it wasn't, or at least pretend like it wasn't.

"I should leave. I appreciate your offer with the doctor, but um…I will handle it on my own. I'm sorry to just intrude like this, and- "

"Don't apologize," Klaus said, cutting her off. "You never have to apologize to me Bella."

She nodded. "Either way. Thank you." She said, looking towards the door. "But really. I'm okay. I'll see you later." She said, walking away. Forcing herself to go out and to her Jeep. Klaus followed her to the exit, standing in the doorway as she got in her Jeep. He looked at her, that same concerned gaze that he had when she told him what happened. She looked at him one last time, and left, going back home.

[The Mystic Grille…Two weeks later]

Bella felt like time was just drifting past her, like she was just existing at this point. She smiled when someone spoke to her, and she pretended to be apart of a conversation when provoked, but overall, the past two weeks were just…filled with nothing.

The next gallery show was next week on Thursday, right before the Founder's Day parade and the ball. The ball that she had to be at, and dress fancy. She hadn't even though about an escort to the thing.

She sat down in her usual booth, and she opened her sketch book and started working on the same scene she had been sketching the past couple weeks.

Damon walked into the Grille, spotting Bella sitting alone, sketching. He had been out of town the past week, but Stefan told him that Bella was just being extra quiet lately, and probably was internalizing a lot. He walked over and sat down across from her. He had the top button of his button up shirt undone, because he took his tie off as soon as he got into his car from the airport.

Bella looked up at Damon, surprised to see him. "You're back."

"I am. How are you doing?" He asked, clasping his hands in front of him.

"I'm okay. Did your spies tell you that I hadn't been?" She said, looking back down at her drawing.

Damon raised a brow. "My spies?"

Bella sighed. "Your brother."

"Ah. He said that you had been quiet lately, but I figured that was because of what's happened recently."

"I've been quiet because I'm tired of trying to come up with things to say. People keep asking me if I'm okay, and really, I am. I lost my dad. I'm okay. I love him and will miss him, but I understand the loss. I've processed it." She explained.

Damon looked at her. But somehow, he could still see pain there. "Okay. You've processed it. That's good."

"It is." She murmured, and then looked down at the table. "Thank you for checking on me though. I know you're busy."

"I'm never too busy to check in with you Bella." Damon said, his voice soft and gentle now.

Right then, Jasper, Jake, and Edward walked in the door of the Grille. Jasper's eyes landed on Bella and he grinned wide. This made Jake and Edward see her too, and the trio approached.

Bella looked at Jasper and offered a kind smile.

"Hey Bells," Jake said with a wide smile. "Guess what?"

"What?" Bella said, smiling, pretending mostly, because it was her best friend, and she had to play the part.

"I'm starting the next game." Jake beamed.

Edward had a crooked smile. "Don't let it go to your head. It's because I threw my arm out."

Bella frowned. "You threw your arm out?"

Jasper nodded. "Yeah. Eddie here has been distracted lately, and his throws have been...off, and at practice yesterday, he threw too hard, and overextended some ligaments in the elbow." He explained.

Bella looked at Edward, who was wearing a sling. She hadn't noticed before.

Damon nodded. "Well congrats Jake. I'm sure you'll play perfectly." He said with a light smile.

Edward slapped Jake on the back with his free hand, smiling a bit. "Yeah, unless you don't."

Bella smiled. "Don't listen to him Jake, you're going to do fine." She said and then collected her things. "I'm got to get back to a painting I'm working on. Thanks for checking on me Damon." She said with a smile.

Jasper nodded. "Wait up, I'll walk you to your car," he said, grabbing her stuff from her. Bella hesitated, but let him take her things.

Jake and Edward drifted towards a table to get some food ordered.

Bella walked with Jasper to her Jeep, and Damon was close behind them, but stopped when they did, he was curious. He was still in hearing range, and he hid so they wouldn't see him, not that they were paying attention anyways.

"Did you ever figure out about your black out at Lockwood's party after homecoming?" Jasper asked. He had left her alone about it, giving her her space.

"No. It's just blank."

Jasper nodded. "I don't want to pry darling, but…did something happen that you're not saying?"

Bella froze, tensing up, and Damon took note of this. "No. Like I said…missing parts of my memory."

"If something did happen, I will find out who, and that will be the end of them." Jasper said, his voice stern, showing that he really did mean what he said.

Bella nodded. She knew that Jasper would stick up for her, but she couldn't tell anyone else what happened. She hadn't seen Klaus since Halloween because she was too embarrassed about her meltdown. "I'm fine." She promised.

Jasper sighed. "Well, if the memory loss is still bothering you. Talk to Eddie again since he was the last one you saw before you know, the blackout."

Bella nodded. "I'm over it now. I've pretty much forgotten about it." She said, but she wasn't over it, and it hadn't been forgotten.

Jasper opened her door of her Jeep for her. He leaned over the seat, setting her things in the passenger seat for her. "Well, be careful getting home. I'll see you at the gallery on Thursday." He said and leaned in, kissing her cheek.

Bella tensed, up, but relaxed almost instantly, hoping Jasper hadn't noticed. "I'll see you." She said and watched him leave, heading back inside. Damon moved from the corner he was hiding in, and watched Bella get inside her Jeep. Tears spilling over. She was crying.

Damon frowned, confused, but watched as she wiped her face, and turned the ignition over. She sat there, the tears still flooding her eyes. He decided to come out now and went to her driver's side window. It startled her, but he opened her door. "Bella, turn the Jeep off."

Bella didn't say anything as she listened to Damon's order. "I'm okay."

"You're not okay." He said and made her shift over to the passenger seat, as he got into the driver's seat.

"I'm fine Damon, really. I sometimes cry."

"What happened at the Lockwood party?" He asked, reached over, and buckling her up, before buckling up himself and starting her Jeep.

Bella shook her head. "Nothing. You don't have to drive me home."

Damon backed away from the Grille and aimed the Jeep towards her house. "Talk." It was another command.

Bella closed her eyes. "I blacked out at the party. I drank too much."

"Bullshit." Damon said.

"Damon I-"

"You wouldn't be sitting here crying if it was just a blackout. Tell me what happened Bella so I can fix this." Damon said it more like a growl.

Bella looked out her window, the tears still steadily rolling down her face. She shook her head. "I can't tell you."

He stopped the Jeep, pulling over to the side of the road and turned, looking at her. His ice blue eyes were intense as they stared at her. "You can tell me. I'm a lawyer Bella, anything you tell me can be attorney client privilege."

"I can't tell you because I don't know what happened." She said, and sighed, wiping her face. "I went to the party because everyone else was going. I didn't care to go to homecoming in the first place, but I was forced into it because I was on the homecoming court. I went to the afterparty with Elena, Caroline, Jasper, Tyler, Alice, and Stefan. When I got there, there were several students already there because Emmett helped Tyler set it all up. The music was loud. I remember getting there and bumping into Kol Mikaelson. But it was brief because he left with Jer that night. I went to the kitchen, to get something to drink." She frowned.

"What?"

She shook her head. "Edward said that he found me in the kitchen, already drinking." She murmured. That didn't make sense. Her memory was blurry and hazy, so she was sure she was remembering it wrong. "But he handed me a drink."

"What happened to you Bella?"

"I blacked out. After seeing Edward in the kitchen, I blacked out." She said it, repeating the words carefully. "I woke up in the spare bedroom. I was…." She stopped, recalling the panic she felt, and the pain she was in. "I was half naked. Blood everywhere on the sheets," her voice felt tight. "I panicked, I was in a lot of pain, and I…I went home. Elena and Jeremy weren't home because Elena went home with Stefan, and Jeremy was with Kol. I…" She closed her eyes, the tears burning her eyes. "I called Klaus."

Damon's chest tightened. "You were raped." He said it more like a statement than a question.

"Yes." She said, her voice sounding very small to her.

Damon's hands tightened on the steering wheel. "You didn't make a police report? Go to the hospital?" His voice shook a little.

She shook her head. "I burned my clothes and showered repeatedly. I…panicked."

Damon shut his eyes, letting his head hit the headrest as he reeled in his anger. "Does Elena know?"

"No."

"Jeremy?"

"Definitely not."

"Does anyone know?"

Bella was quiet. "I told Klaus two weeks ago. He offered to take me to the doctor, and get checked out, but I told him I would handle it."

"Jesus Bella, have you gone?" His voice sounded angrier than he intended, and he wasn't mad at her, but mad at whoever would do this to her.

"Yes. I went to my gynecologist and got examined." She said, her voice cracking. Her doctor was very concerned and processed a rape kit, but the only thing they could use was all the trauma that she endured. She was definitely sexually assaulted, but without evidence from that night, there was little she could do about it other than document it in her medical file, and if Bella wanted to make a police report, she could release that information to the police. "She did the screen for STDs, and I can't take a pregnancy test until next week," she said as she wiped her face.

Damon sighed. "You've been holding this all in. It's too much Bella, you can't keep going like this."

"I know…. I feel empty, and I have contemplated other things, but…I just don't want the world to know. I don't want to be that girl. The girl that got drunk at a party and…"

"You mean date raped? Bella, you blacked out. Someone drugged you."

Bella was quiet. She hadn't thought about that. Why hadn't she thought about that? She didn't remember drinking more than one drink. It made sense. But the last person she saw was Edward, and he…the realization hit her. She felt nauseous suddenly, and she opened her door and threw up on the side of the road.

Damon cursed, unfastening his seat belt, and leaning over, pulling her hair back and rubbing circles on her back.

She wiped her mouth, her eyes still watering. "Take me home please." She said it, and he looked at her once before, buckling back up, and driving back towards her house.

[Swan Residence]

Elena and Jeremy were home, which is what she didn't want, but she didn't have a choice now. She got out of the Jeep, Damon following her. He stopped her. "Wait. Do you know who did this?"

"I don't know…maybe." She said, her brows furrowing together. Edward wouldn't do this…would he? She thought to herself. She wasn't sure what he could do anymore. She opened the door with her key, and Damon followed her inside. Elena and Jeremy were in the front living room when she came in.

Elena looked up at Damon and frowned. "What's wrong?" She said and got up.

Damon looked over at Elena. "Nothing, your sister…." He wasn't sure what to say.

Bella had walked into the kitchen, and got some water, trying to curb the nauseous feeling in her stomach. She walked back out, seeing Jeremy and Elena. She sighed, opening them. "You two should know…" she said, and they all sat in the living room. Bella retold her story again. Now four people knew what happened to her.

Jeremy was on his feet, anger pulsing through him. "Bella you should have told us sooner. I'm going to find whoever did this and- "

"Calm down," Elena said, gently. "We will figure this out." She said and looked at Bella, reaching over and taking her sister's hand in hers. "Do you know who did this?"

Bella looked over at Damon. "Maybe? I don't think that it would matter. I burned my clothes, and there's no evidence."

"It doesn't matter. I'll kill him." Jeremy spat out.

Damon held up a hand. "Even though I share the sentiment Jeremy, killing whoever it was would feel really good, but it would put you in jail, and we can't have that."

Jeremy threw his hands up. "Then what do we do then? Huh?"

"We file a police report. Let it be investigated."

"With what evidence?" Bella asked, tears falling down her cheeks again.

"I used to be a prosecutor before I went private law, I have done this before with less." Damon explained. He didn't like being a prosecutor before. He spent his first year out of law school, doing just that. He was really accomplished for his age, only being 24.

Bella sighed, closing her eyes. "I think it was Edward."

Everyone froze, looking at her appalled.

"You think Edward did this?" Elena asked, her brows her frowned, matching the same frown on her lips.

Bella nodded. "He was the last person I saw…or remember seeing before I blacked out. I hadn't drunk anything yet, and he handed me a drink. But when Jasper asked him about if he saw me at the party, Edward said I had already been drinking when he saw me in the kitchen. I didn't think about it until now."

Jeremy's hands were tight fists, and he threw his hand through the wall, yelling.

Elena flew to her feet, going over to him, and taking his bloodied hand. "Damn it, Jeremy."

Bella got to her feet too. "Jeremy!" She said, rushing to him as well.

Damon got up calmly and went over and inspected the hand. "You broke this. Come on, let's get to the hospital."

Elena grabbed her keys, and wallet, and they all went out to Elena's car. Jeremy got into the passenger seat and Elena went around to the driver's side. Damon watched her leave with Jeremy, heading to the hospital.

Damon turned and looked back at Bella. "We file the report." He said simply.

Bella took a breath and nodded. The sick feeling in her stomach wasn't going away. She was almost sure it was Edward now, as her memory started becoming less foggy. The tightness in her chest was pressing down on her hard, and she fought to keep the anxiety at bay.

Damon went to her then, pulling her into his arms, crushing her against his chest, as she cried, breathing hard, and trying to stop the attack from happening, but she couldn't control it. "Breathe Bella…" he said, his voice calm. He stroked her hair gently, still holding her to him, as he tried to get her to calm down enough, so she wouldn't pass out.

At that moment, Klaus pulled up in his Tesla. He saw Damon holding Bella tight against him, stroking her hair while she cried. He got out, alarmed. "Bella? Is she okay?" He had come over to check on her because she hadn't answered any of his texts, and he was starting to worry about her.

Bella's chest was too heavy, she felt like she couldn't breathe, but she heard Damon's calming voice, and then she heard Klaus.

Klaus walked up, as Bella pulled out of Damon's arms, looking over at him. The look on her face made his heart sink. She was in so much pain, and he didn't like seeing her this way.

"Klaus," her voice was barely a whisper, and then Damon's arms fell from around her as she moved from them.

Klaus caught her against him, her face buried in his chest. His arms were automatic, holding her still, calming her. His eyes met Damon's. "You know."

"Yes. We're filing a report." Damon said, taking his phone out. "Take her inside." Damon ordered, and Klaus followed Damon's command, easing Bella inside, getting her situated on the couch.

"Bella, love. Look at me," Klaus said, his hand brushing her hair away from her face before he cupped it there. "Everything is going to be okay."

Bella nodded, tears still coming. "Thank you."

Klaus leaned in, kissing her forehead gently. "Of course, little Swan." He murmured.

She tilted her face up, looking at him through her bleary, teared eyes. She was amazed at how calm he was, how he had this calming affect on her. Her lips parted as she started to say something, but she stopped herself. She just leaned forward, her lips pressing against his lips. The shock registered first in him, but also in her, as she didn't know she was going to do something like this.

Klaus was gentle, letting her kiss him, and then he kissed her back, his hand holding her cheek still. He layered a few kisses on her mouth gently, before pulling back, looking down at her. He made her head lean against his chest, and he held her, silent at first.

Damon walked in, looking at his phone. "Sheriff Forbes will be here in a few moments." He said and looked up. Klaus was rubbing her back, his arms around her securely, and she had her face against his chest. "Thank you, Klaus."

Klaus nodded. "Of course." He said, and then he pulled back from Bella slightly.

"No…please don't go," She said, her eyes taking on a scared look.

Klaus stopped, looking up at Damon, and Damon gave him a slight nod. "Okay, I'll stay right here. We'll get this sorted, love." He said, his voice soothing her.

Her shoulders relaxed and she leaned into him. Now they waited for Sheriff Forbes to arrive.