It was dark, so dark and cold.
She could feel the familiar feeling of wet stones underneath her as she desperately tried to sleep.
She curled herself into a fetal position for warmth as she shivered against the hard ground.
She was so cold and wet, and all she wanted to do was sleep, but sleep was utterly impossible.

Groggily she looked around to find herself enclosed in a small space surrounded by thick metal bars.
Only then did she realize where she was.
She is still captured by Klaus- maybe she never left.
If that's the case then Jeremy is still alive!
Frantically she hurried to the end of her cell and saw Jeremy sleeping in the cell next to her.
Happy tears streamed down her face, and she took in the sight in front of her.
Her little brother was alive and breathing right in front of her.

"Oh Jer," she cried as relief flooded through her entire being, "I love you so much Jeremy, we will get out of here I promise."

Jeremy woke up and went to meet his sister on the other side of the bars.
"I love you too Elena. When we get out, we will give mom and dad the funeral they deserve," he said with sadness in his voice."

Elena's emotions became too much for her to handle. She really thought that Jeremy had died.
"Hey Elena don't cry it will be okay," Jeremy soothed.
He wished he could break through the bars to comfort his sister.

"No, you don't understand Jeremy. I thought you died," she sobbed, "I thought you were dead!" she was in hysterics now.

Suddenly a chill went down Elena's spine as the shadow of a man came down the steps.
She automatically knew who the shadow belonged to and just the name brought terror into her eyes.

"Klaus," she whispered as she cowered into the back of her cell.

"Hey Elena, everything will be okay," Jeremy said calmly hoping that his words would remain true.

"Hm I'm not so sure about that young Gilbert," Klaus sneered enjoying the look of terror in both of their eyes.
Before Elena could even blink Klaus already snatched Jeremy from his cell and wrapped his hands around Jeremy's neck.

"LET HIM GO!" Elena shrieked as she ran up against the bars.

"I could do that, but this way is a lot more entertaining," Klaus said as he tightened his grip around Jeremy's neck.
"I want you to watch as I kill your little brother right in front of you. I want you to see the life drain from his eyes, and all you can do it watch."

"Please take me instead. Klaus I'm begging you," Elena pleaded as she got on her hands and knees, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"Don't hurt him Klaus, please take me instead."

"Say goodbye to your last remaining relative Elena."

"NO PLEASE NO!" Elena screeched.

Without hesitation Klaus snapped Jeremy's neck and threw him on the ground in front of Elena's cell.

"JEREMY! NO! NO! JEREMY! JEREMY!" Elena cried and she watched Jeremy's lifeless body lay still on the ground from behind bars.

******************************************************************************

"JERERMY! JEREMY! NO!" she cried tossing and turning in bed.

Stefan's heart broke as she continued to scream.
He began to shake her lightly in attempt to wake her up from the nightmare, but nothing was working.

"Klaus please kill me instead. Don't hurt him. No, no, no, no, no," she cried again.

Klaus, Stefan thought to himself with disgust and rage filling his entire being.
That is where the bruises and bite marks on her skin must have come from.
How did she get involved with an original?
He must have been horrible to her, Stefan thought to himself as a deep sadness spread throughout his body for the girl crying in his arms.

"Hey, shhh, it's okay, you're okay," Stefan soothed as he tried to steady her thrashing body.
"I'm right here, you're safe, please wake up, please."

Suddenly the girl shot up in bed and looked around the room completely disoriented.
She was on the verge of hysterics and Stefan knew the slightest touch would frighten her.
After a few moments of taking in her surroundings she turned back around and made eye contact with Stefan.
Finally, as she looked into his eyes she realized where she was, although she was too shaken up to move.

"Can I hold you?" he asked her softly.
Quickly she nodded her head and carefully Stefan pulled her into his embrace, carefully cradling her broken arm over his chest .
The lump in his throat grew as he felt her tears staining his shirt.

"He's still dead, he's still dead," the girl kept on repeating into his chest.
Stefan assumed she was referring to Jeremy.

"Shhh, I've got you, I've got you, shhh," Stefan cooed as he stroked her hair.

Suddenly she pulled back away from Stefan's embrace and her eyes widened in fear.
"I-I'm s-so sorry I-I w-woke you. P-Please d-don't h-hurt m-me," she whimpered clenching her eyes shut ready for a pain that will never come.

"Hey, hey look at me," he said softly as her eyes slowly unclenched to look at him,
"I will never hurt you, ever."

She looked up at him and saw the sincerity in his eyes.
Hesitantly she nodded and let him wrap his arms around her again.
He could still feel her small form shaking in his embrace and wanted nothing more than to take all her pain away.
He began to murmur soft words of comfort into her ear as he stroked her hair.
Finally she drifted back to sleep wrapped up in his arms.

He continued to stroke her hair as she slept and took in how peaceful she looked while she was sleeping.
It seemed as though all the pain has went away and she almost looked content, happy even.
He smiled softly to himself, and swore that one day she will be happy while she is sleeping and while she is awake.
She was perfect to Stefan, and he would make sure that she will get the life that she deserves.