Chapter 5:
You & I

The only thought running through Taylor Gilbert's mind was a frantic one: that Damon must have been on the edge of death by now. It had been half an hour since she'd run through the doors of the Salvatore boarding house after Damon, yet she felt no closer to the house than she had at the beginning. It had been a dark ride back home when they'd found her – she'd passed out soon after escaping the compulsion Klaus had managed to put on her. Finding her way to the house was harder than she expected.

A sick feeling rooted itself in the pit of her stomach, growing stronger with every fear filled thought. Damon was dead or near death. He was being tortured worse than she had been when she'd been there. That thought alone was enough for her to push harder, to focus all of her energy on finding the house. On getting back to the one place she wanted nothing to do with.

The vampire stopped, feeling hopeless. It took that feeling of complete hopelessness for her to feel what was hidden underneath – a strong sense of direction. She knew where it was, somehow. Her magic was leading her to it. With only that feeling to go on, she took off again, running as fast as she could. It wasn't long before she was standing, frozen in her spot, at the bottom step of the house she'd only escaped a day ago.

Taylor didn't want to go in, but she knew he was there.

Before she could take another step, the door opened. Although she expected to see Klaus standing there, a knowing smirk on his face, he wasn't. No one was there. Unnerved, she glanced around her. Even with her vampire senses, she saw nothing out of the ordinary. She knew better than to believe that.

"Please, come on in," his voice called from inside. It was distant; bellow the first floor of the house. He was deep in the basement, for reasons she didn't want to know.

All of her instincts screamed to run – that this was not a fight she could win. But Damon was in there, because of her. He'd rushed after the vampire to make her feel safe. There was no way she would leave without him. She took a deep breath before walking in.

The door slammed shut behind her and she jumped, on edge. A chuckle came from bellow.

In a flash, she stood at the bottom of the basement stairs. A single light dangled from the ceiling and though it's light barely filled the center of the room, it was enough for her to see. A gasp escaped her lips and she felt her body begin to tremble slightly.

Damon hung limply from the ceiling, a thick chain holding his hands together above his head. His head hung loosely and he made no notion that he noticed her presence. Dozens of wooden stakes pierced his skin and the blood poured from his body like a fountain. The burning smell of vervain filled the small room, distracting the girl from noticing the presence of another body hidden in the back of the room.

"Damon," Taylor choked out, rushing to his side.

A hiss filled the silence of the room as her hands felt the vervain dripping from his body. An almost desperate cry left her lips. She made it back to him but she couldn't save him.

Taylor turned to face Klaus, a glare hardened on her face, though he simply smirked in response.

"I knew you would come back."

"Let him go," she spat, her voice low, threatening.

"Now why would I do that?"

Rather than answering, she focused her energy on her emotions. The crazed fear, the anger, the hope; it flooded her system as though it were intensified a thousand fold. The atmosphere changed and a strong wind blew through the room. On command, though she didn't understand how it worked, the wind blew forward, managing to knock Klaus backwards.

"That's a nice little trick there," he spoke, patronizingly. His smirk never left his face. "I've got a few, myself."

Before she knew it, a searing pain erupted in her head, forcing her to her knees. Taylor couldn't, though she tried, to hold back the scream. It was like someone held a wooden spike, piercing her head again and again. Taylor had done some very bad things in her life that had justified the pain she'd felt in her lifetime, but none of it seemed to justify this. As though it were nothing, because to him it really was nothing, Klaus bent down beside her.

The pain never stopped and she assumed that she'd somehow missed someone else in the room. There was no way it was Klaus doing it. She wished she had enough strength to glare through the pain. All that escaped where tears and screams.

A movement to her side caught her attention and she struggled to glance up. Damon's eyes had opened and he struggled against the pain to break free, though it did no good. Seeing his pain, Taylor tried to ignore her own – to get up and get to him. The pain got worse – much worse. It spread from just her head to her entire body – like she was lit on fire and burning in agony.

Klaus followed her gaze and smirked, an evil spark in his eyes.

"Such a shame," he whispered, placing his hand gently on her cheek. Taylor flinched, but could do no more. The pain kept her paralyzed. "A waste of your attention. A waste of everyone's attention."

The fear she'd felt earlier was back - for Damon, not herself. She didn't like the look in Klaus' eyes. He was crazy – he'd do whatever he wanted to get to her. Quickly, she sprang up, away from Klaus. It wasn't a second before she was bent over, as the pain grew stronger. Her hand reached out and, in a crazed manner, broke the railing of the stairs. A piece of broken wood was tight in her hand and she raised it above her heart.

"Let him go."

"And why would I let the both of you get away?"

She spoke through the pain, "Let him go or you won't get me."

The question seemed to surprise him. He stopped talking, a thoughtful look plastered on his face. "On one condition," he spoke loudly, though he did nothing to stop the witch in the corner from doing her magic – at least that was what Taylor assumed she was doing, as she just noticed her.

"What," she hissed, tears continuing to fall, though she managed to keep herself standing.

"You have to stay with me."

Damon began to struggle again. Her eyes flickered toward him. His eyes were wide, fear and anger running deep in them. He didn't want her to do it, but doing it was the only way to ensure his survival.

"Fine," she agreed, her eyes snapping back to Klaus.

"Greta," he spoke, his eyes never leaving Taylor's. "Stop. And untie Mr. Salvatore over there."

The pain left her body and a breath escaped her lips. Immediately she turned to Damon, watching as the witch untied him with her magic, letting him fall to the floor. Taylor rushed forward, grabbing him and holding him in her arms, ignoring the pain she felt as the vervain touched her skin.

"Come, Taylor. We have business to attend to."

"I'm not leaving with you until I know he is safe."

"That was not a part of the plan."

"Yes, it is," she argued, her eyes locked in a glare with his own. "I will not go with you unless I am certain he is safe."

She could see him thinking. It was in the way his face scrunched together and he looked around the room absently.

"Pick him up, let's go."

Quickly, Taylor turned back to Damon. A lump formed in her throat at the sight before her. "This is going to hurt," she whispered, as much to herself as to Damon. She reached forward and grabbed the first wooden stake, yanking it out in one quick motion. A scream ripped itself from Damon and though it hurt her to continue, she forced her self to pull out the remaining stakes, knowing he wouldn't get far with them in.

"As touching as it is to watch you two, I have no time for this," Klaus' impatient voice demanded.

"Make time," Taylor hissed, as she slowly hoisted Damon up, supporting most of his weight.

The group moved at a slow pace up the stairs and to the front of the house, with Klaus leading and Greta – his witch – following from behind. Boxing them in, in case they were to try something. It was a while before they reached the front yard and it worried Taylor that Damon didn't look any better than he had a few minutes ago. The vervain was keeping his body from healing.

"Let's get on with this," Klaus demanded, earning a glare from the young vampire.

Taylor turned her attention to Damon.

"Damon?"

He looked up, his eyes filled with concern.

"I'll be fine," she assured him, though she didn't believe it. "I need you to get as far away from here as you can. Then call Stefan, okay? He'll come and get you."

Struggling, he stood on his own, raising his hands to cup her face. "No."

Tears stung her eyes. "Please," she begged. "I need you safe."

"I'm not leaving you here with him."

Klaus took that as his cue to hurry things along. He walked forward and grabbed Damon, throwing him forward, away from Taylor. Damon landed in a pile on the floor, the pain freezing him for a moment, before he struggled to stand.

"Damon!" She screamed and moved to run to his side, but Klaus caught her in his arms, holding her back. "Damon, run, please. Before he changes his mind!"

"Taylor –"

"JUST GO DAMON!"

Her words struck him and he turned, summoning all of his energy. He took one last glance back before taking off and she knew he would be coming back for her. He would always come back for her.

"Now," Klaus spoke, as if he couldn't be happier. "That business we've got to care of."

"What business," she spat, pushing him away from her.

"You'll find out soon enough."

The vampire moved to walk back into the house, followed by the witch. Taylor remained rooted in her spot, her gaze falling on the path Damon had just taken. Thought consumed her mind – she hoped he made it far enough. She hoped he would be all right.

"Let's go." Klaus called after her.

Taylor whipped her head around. A glare that seemed to be permanent when she addressed him adorned her features. "I will never trust you and you will never be able to trust me. You will never be able to use me in what ever plans you hope to fulfill, especially if it involves the people I care about. You had better watch your back, Klaus, because I'll take any chance I get."

"That's quite the speech," he laughed. In a second, he was in front of her, his hand stroking her cheek. "Too bad there will never come a time when you will be able to over power me."

Just as she was about to speak, Klaus jerked back. He collapsed slowly, in a similar way that she had in the basement when Greta used her powers against her. Taylor stepped back, afraid. Her eyes fell upon Greta who, surprisingly enough was reacting the same way. The young vampire's head snapped around, but she was met with emptiness. Though she was scared and shocked, she didn't need another mysterious opportunity to come by. The vampire took off, sprinting in the same direction that Damon had disappeared in. The farther she got from the house, the safer she felt and the more she hope that she would find Damon when she got to the boarding house.

After running for a few minutes, she jolted to a stop at the sight before her. It wasn't a miracle that had saved her or some divine being taking pity on her – and she had thought about that. It wasn't even Damon, though she saw him and had to clear the tears from her eyes to check again. He was leaning against the car, a dozen blood bags littering the floor beneath him. He had made it safely.

But of all the strange things that surprised her, it was the person standing there with a smirk on her face that surprised her most.

"I couldn't just let you die, could I?"

The tears she held back fell down her face with renewed strength. Taylor sprang forward, her arms encircling her.

"Katherine!"

The two vampires shared a hug and it was easy to see that the two shared a bond that was beyond breaking.

"We should get going," a voice called from behind them, breaking the two from their moment. Katherine seemed to agree with the woman, nodding her head and heading to the driver's seat of the car. Soon she disappeared into the car, along with the woman, leaving Damon and Taylor alone.

Immediately, she rushed forward, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her head in his chest. Damon wrapped his arms tightly around her waist, pulling her as close to him as he could.

"I thought I lost you," he whispered, an emotion in his voice that felt special, because it was for her.

The young girl pulled back, a sudden anger flaring up within her. "Don't you ever do that again! That was so stupid. You could have been killed!"

It was amazing that in a time of stress and fear, he could find something to smirk about. But then again, it was Damon Salvatore, and he always found something to joke about. He opened the car door, waiting for her to get in before he got in, shutting the door behind him. The car took off in a jolt, speeding down the empty road, headed toward the boarding house.

"I make no promises. I rarely think a plan through."

Taylor let herself laugh, punching him in the arm. "I know that."

"It's part of my charm."

"Yeah, that and being an ass." She laughed and even Katherine chuckled, which was a rarity in itself.

"And yet you love me."

The arrogance that seeped through his words forced her to roll her eyes. She laid her head on his chest, comfortable as he wrapped his arms around her protectively. Taking a few deep breaths, she locked eyes with Katherine in the mirror. Katherine raised an eyebrow at her friend, knowing all too well what was happening. She'd seen the same kind of love struck look on her face before.

"Yes, I do," she whispered.

Hello, my readers.

I do hope you enjoyed this chapter. And I want to ask you, what do you think will happen next?