A/N; Nice long chapter for you lovely people. I think the longest I have written so far in this story. Hope you like it. A couple big reveals soon if you hadn't figured them out for yourself. Fun fun.
The story is kind of like a 24 tv show type approach. I'm barely past 24 hours and SO much has happened. I hope you like that very unique style for this story.
I will get back into my new story soon too. It's just been harder to write happy stuff there but this chapter had quite a bit of happiness too so maybe its not as hard as I thought to write when the last few weeks with grandma suffering and a passing away it was so hard to write joy. But I hope you love these chapters and tender happy moments I did find for our precious couple amidst all the stress and before a big bad reveal. Enjoy their happiness while you can.
By the way TODAY May 23rd is my husband and my 19th anniversary! Can't imagine doing life with anyone else. He has been such a support and takes such great care of us. And is such a great encouragement to this little passion of mine to write Delena stories and is even one of my reviewers. Love you forever babe!
Bonnie Bennett waited, hardly daring to breath as she hid in the trunk. A Bennett grimoire! It looked very old from just what she could see of the cover. She tried to breath as shallow as she could as she lay there under the blanket. Klaus was a vampire and he would be able to hear her heartbeat wouldn't he?
Caroline had not said a word to him as he had sounded like he was rummaging around in the front seats looking for something. "What are you doing?" she asked him calmly. She knew she couldn't move and he had clearly said to stop fighting him but that didn't mean she could not still try to talk to him. She moved around in her seat seeing if she could in fact move at all and saw that the compulsion was very specific and she could not lift up from where she was sitting. She did not want him to find Bonnie and so while he was looking up front, she reached over and tossed the other blanket, the one they had been cuddling under all night to the trunk too.
He swung his head back toward her. "I'm looking for my other lighter Caroline. They have had enough time. I have to end this, once and for all. Today." He hated that it had come to this but he had no idea what else to do. The visions were not stopping, like they were trying to cripple him if he did not take their chosen path. It made no sense but that was what was happening. He finally found it in a drawer between the seats and tucked it in his pocket. He climbed back out and closed the door and stepped back opening the door she was behind.
"I know you hate this or hate me but I can't explain it. Nothing makes sense but there is something in my mind that is refusing to let go and leave. Like every time I try to, it won't let me."
"You know I hate this Nic. I obviously can't stop you but you know damn well how I feel about it! They are children Nic! Babies! How can you hurt babies? And have the audacity to say its for me!"
"When did I ever say I would hurt them?! When?! Tell me one time I said that Caroline?!"
He lowered his voice seeing her cringing back at his anger when she was just as upset. He spoke slower, quieter after taking in a deep breath to calm himself and placed his hand gently on her knee. "I am not a monster. I would NEVER hurt children."
Care was quiet and trying to think back. Had he ever said he would hurt them? He said he needed their blood. So had she just assumed? She knew there was no way in hell Damon would ever trust what he was saying right then. Damon would be blind to even the idea of Elena being taken...even if no harm came to her or the babies. Was that why he was trying so hard to tell her, to get her to hear him?
"I don't know Nic. I don't have any idea if you actually said that," she mumbled, her head down. He put his one hand on her and tilted her chin up so she was looking at him.
"I would never do that. If I could, I would have children with you my luv." He was trying to smile, to show her what she was thinking was so far off base. But he didn't have the time. He knew if he compelled her to go to them and beg them to trust him and release Elena that it would be no use. Even if she wasn't compelled he had no doubt that Damon or even his brother would not believe him.
And could he blame them? He had wreaked terror on them yesterday when he was dead set on just taking Elena to sacrifice her to become a hybrid. But the more he grew to love Caroline the more he wants to make her happy and found himself doing what she wanted. And finding that other way... was one of those things. He had no idea when he set it all in motion if it would truly work, for her to be impregnated by a vampire in the limited time window. But it had worked and he now had a way to keep Caroline safe, kill his father and not harm anyone. If only they believed him.
"All I know my darling is that every time I try to leave or let them go I get bombarded with more horror visions of your death. And I can't let that happen I can't."
She was shaking her head at him tears springing to her eyes. "I want to believe you Nic. I do. But its just so hard after seeing you nearly kill Damon, or why you are refusing to heal Stefan. They don't believe you cause of all the hurt you caused."
Klaus hung his head. "I know, I know. You are right. I could heal Stefan and I can yet too, once they hand over Elena. She loves him still and I don't believe she would actually let him die. She loves both of them. Its only a matter of time when I get her alone and I know I can convince her to come with us."
Caroline nearly laughed at that. "That's crazy Nic. You know it. You know that Damon..."
He perked his ears up and his eyebrows shot up, his eyes slowly moving from her face toward the back of the SUV and then back to her. He narrowed his eyes. "Caroline, is there something you aren't telling me?"
She sucked in a breath, a panicked look flashing across her face before she controlled it back to calm. "What are you talking about?"
Bonnie had been listening to the whole conversation just curled up as small as she could be and tried to breath as shallow as she could. But Klaus turning the conversation on a dime. made it feel like she had been discovered. She shut her eyes tight, holding her breath.
"I thought I heard something." He gripped the seat to lean over her and she grabbed his face in her hands.
The blonde vampires eyes went wide. Had he sensed or heard Bonnie there? She opened her mouth to answer and he put his finger to her lips. Then his eyes darted back toward the back of the vehicle again.
"I was sure I heard human heartbeat Caroline." And he started to move past her and she grabbed his head, turning his face to her.
"There is no one here but me Nic. You aren't hearing anything."
She waited nearly breathless, not having any idea if what she had said worked. She had seen it before when she was begging him to kill her that he had been looking like he was forced to keep holding the stake. She had thought he would have ripped it out of her hands right away but instead he had just stared at her and kept holding it, his eyes locked on hers just like now.
He was quiet, his eyes firmly locked on hers. "Nic, do you hear me. There is no one else here." What was happening? She watched him shake his head back and forth and then he moved back to stand beside the SUV again.
"I need to go," he mumbled and closed the door quickly. She let out the breath she was holding as she watched him walk away from them and out of sight. She leaned back into the trunk area and called for Bonnie. "Did you hear that? What the hell just happened? It was like I compelled him! How would that be possible?"
Bonnie sat up looking around, before climbing back over to sit beside her. "I have no idea, but I'm hoping this will tell us something." She held up the ancient tattered grimoire and saw Caroline smile at her.
"What is that? Another spell book?"
"Better." Bonnie studied the first page. "I think this is the spell book of the first Bennett witch." She leaned over the opened book brushing the dust off it. Her eyes widened as she looked more closely at it. "Wow Care. This book is almost a 1000 years old!"
They poured over it and flipped page after page of ancient spells, some Bonnie had never seen before. This was even a different one than the one Klaus had given her to do the spell to allow Elena to conceive. She passed it back into Caroline's lap and leaned over to the trunk again. She riffled through the bag but no other grimoires were there. Just this one.
"Hey Bon," Caroline blew the dust off a page and held up the book to her. "Why would this one be blank?"
Bonnie sat back down and took the book from her friends hand and nearly jumped back at the blast of energy she got from barely touching Caroline's fingers as she passed it to her.
"Whoa!" Care said, her eyes wide. "What was that?" She looked at her and Bonnie looked far away her eyes unfocused. "Hey," she waved her hand in front of her till she shook her head and looked back at Caroline with a sort of wild look in her eyes. "Did you see something when you touched me?"
Bonnie blinked a couple times to clear the blurriness as the vision faded. It wasn't clear at all just clouded over like in a fog. "Give me your hand Care," she asked, holding out her own. She took it still looking confused. Bonnie closed her eyes holding her friends hand, but nothing happened.
"What? Are you seeing something?" she asked.
Bonnie shook her head. "No, just fog. Like it is masked. But I felt something just jolt through me when you handed me the book. Bonnie snapped her eyes back up to hers. "Wait, where was your hand when you passed it to me?"
Caroline had no idea what Bonnie was getting at but she complied anyway, the curiosity getting the better of her. She placed her hand on the blank page and Bonnie gasped and her head snapped back.
It was like the fog lifted and Bonnie could clearly see the image;
A golden weaved rope it was shining brightly,
almost than she could stand and she squinted her eyes shut.
It was just hanging in mid air and she saw it stretched but it did not break.
Then it joined with another long plainer weaved rope,
and with one tug she saw the plainer one snap in pieces and fall away.
But then it came back and the ropes started twining together,
the plainer one turned the same bright gold as the other one.
And when she saw it stretched again, it did not break,
and continued to windwith the golden one, till they were one.
Bonnie blinked and looked back at Caroline and let go of her hand. She was just about to tell her what she saw when Caroline squealed and grabbed her by the arm.
"Bonnie look!" And she followed Caroline's eyes to the page and saw the blank page just soak with ink, filling it with words and symbols and thick border around the whole page full of letters and sentences. Was there a hidden spell there? Why would it only reveal now? And to them? What was so special about them? And then she knew.
"It's you!" Bonnie exclaimed. "It has to be!"
Damon shook his head knowing what Elijah was asking of him. This was crazy and Elijah was right, it was suicide. But at least he knew he was getting Elena safe. That was worth any risk he would take with his own life. The plan was good and it had a decent shot of getting Elena safely away and that was all that mattered.
He took a deep breath and headed back downstairs to somehow tell her that he wasn't coming with her. He stepped quietly in the back bedroom seeing her laying beside Stefan on the bed. The glass with his blood was empty where he had left it and he wondered how much blood Stefan would need to get them out of there.
He walked slowly into the room trying to figure out a way to get her to understand this plan. He looked around the room and his eyes landed on the dresser on the wall beside the door. He knew this used to be her parents room and there was still so much all over that made it look like they simply had gone out for a walk or lunch and would be back. Not that they were dead and never coming back.
The only indication of the neglect from them was the dust that had settled on the furniture. He ran his finger through it and saw a clear glass dish with various earrings and rings in it as well as a silver watch and a small locket.
Damon glanced back to his brother and his fiance seeing them both still fast asleep. He lifted a ring from the dish, blew the dust off it and held it to the light from the window. He closed one eye inspecting it from all sides and he smiled tucking it in his pocket. It would be perfect.
He turned back around just watched her sleeping beside his brother. He didn't want to wake her but Elijah had said they did not have much time. He knelt down beside the bed. She was turned in toward the middle of the bed, her head just barely against Stefan's. Her one arm was around his head, while her other hand was splayed protectively over her belly under her shirt between them, her knees tucked up.
Damon marveled at how amazing it looked seeing the love of his life caring for his whole family, even in sleep. She looked tired as he could see by the lines on her face, but he also thought she looked radiant, like her skin was glowing.
He leaned over her and stroked her cheek with the back of his finger, as he looked down at her so peaceful. He was reminded of how many nights he looked over her like this, protecting her dreams, keeping her safe as she slept.
It still felt so unreal that this incredible woman wanted to marry him, was carrying his children right now and loved him so much, when he had given up hope that anyone would ever care to see who he really was and find anything worth loving in him.
But she had and she was the greatest thing that had ever happened to him. Her hand right then was around her belly, protecting his children, their little tiny family as if she had been rocking them before she fell asleep.
His angel finally opened her eyes almost as if she could sense him in the room and blinked a couple times rubbing her eyes. He waited, knowing her expression would change as soon as he came into focus after the haze of pulling her out of her sleep. And he beamed at her seeing her lazy yawn spread into the widest most love filled smile as she saw him leaning over them.
"Hey," Damon mumbled, his eyes so soft on hers. He had been thinking of something beautiful or amazing to say when she saw him, but when those chocolate eyes focused on him he became as tongue tied as a lovesick teenager.
He smiled broadly and his one hand found hers on her belly as he caressed his little ones. "How are you all doing?" he whispered, rubbing her stomach.
Elena reached for him, and he instantly lifted her off the bed and into his arms, burying his nose in her hair. She leaned back more against his arm to look at him. "We are good. No more running to the bathroom, at least not yet."
Damon smiled again. "That's good. I'm glad they are giving you a little break." He gently put her on her feet and they stood in the hall between the bathroom and bedroom.
She knew something was wrong. She could feel it in how he was looking at her. "Damon?" She was scared. The look in his eye, the way he opened and closed his mouth but still had not said anything spoke volumes without any words. He pulled her with him to the living room and sat her down on the couch sitting beside her. He still had not said anything and she was getting more nervous as to how bad it could be.
"Damon? What you can tell me. Whatever it is. Please. I know we both heard that Klaus was going to burn the cabin down to get me out. So just tell me. I can take it." She forced relaxation into her lashes closing her eyes slowly and calmly when all she wanted to do was squeeze them shut tight in fear of what he would say next. She knew it had to be bad. Why it was taking him so long to say what it was made it seem so much worse.
She opened her eyes and felt his one hand in hers and she gasped with her hand to her mouth as she saw him on his knee in front of her.
"Marry me, Elena," he breathed out, his blue eyes deep and transfixed on hers. He was holding up a ring. His eyes fell away from hers and looked at the ring he was clutching between his fingers.
He sighed and took a deep breath as she stared at him. "I know its not a fancy expensive, covered with diamonds ring that I could get you. But I wanted you to have a symbol of my love or my commitment to you. I wanted you to know how much I love you and have a reminder of that love every moment of every day. That every time you look down at your hand, or feel the ring around your finger you are reminded that I will always be around you. Loving you, protecting you, encircling you as we sleep, wrapping you in my arms as we snuggle and watch our babies in their cribs."
He was unsteady now and it was getting really hard to hold onto the ring between two sweaty fingers. His bottom lip trembled as he found her eyes again and he saw tears were streaming down her face, her eyes sparking as he poured out more and more of his heart to her. She inspired him to be real. That it was okay to not be strong all the time. To let his masks fall away and just be who he was because she loved every part of him.
Damon took in one more shuddering breath. "My cavalier proposal last night I know you thought was unexpected and I obviously didn't have a ring then and I knew if I ever did this for anyone that I wanted to do it right. So...my sweet, precious Elena. Will you marry me?" His lip wasn't the only thing that was trembling and now he felt his chin quiver with emotion as she knelt down beside him on her knees and held his hands in hers.
"Yes Damon, Yes, yes, yes. I can't wait to marry you!" She was beaming through her glassy, teary eyes at him and felt a sob building in her throat as she saw tears slip down his cheeks too. She jumped into his arms and he held her there on the floor beside the couch.
Elena clung to him, melting into him like they had always belonged. That it had been a cosmic accident that had separated their perfect form into two halves. That now when they were together it was like they were already one, and fit each others bodies like they had always been meant to find the other again. That was how she felt in his arms.
She did not simply feel comfort or safety or connection. She felt liquefied like wax that had melted them both and fused the pieces together after to mold them to each other. She felt peace and completeness in his arms and as much as she got lost in his intensely deep blue eyes, she felt lost in his embrace. That nothing else mattered. He soothed her, every fear, every worry, everything in her life was made better in his arms. And now too they had their little barely conceived babies safe between their bodies as they held each other.
Damon had been nervous, as strange as that sounded. Granted he knew her answer already at least he hoped nothing had changed since last night. And it wasn't even a ring he had bought her. It was her mothers he was sure, since he found it in her room. But her voice crying out yes to him over and over was as amazing to him as her calling out his name over and over the first time they made love.
He was over the moon happy and he knew before he left on this crazy suicide mission that he needed to give her a ring. However temporary this one was.
She had jumped in his arms and he had nearly dropped the ring. His hands were already sweaty like he was scared that he had just dreamed that he had proposed last night and it had not really happened and would never happen to him of all people.
But he had heard her loud and clear and felt her crush his body to hers. He tucked the ring in his one fist and closed his eyes treasuring the feeling of her in his arms.
He did not want to leave her. How in the hell could he just run out that door...knowing the only ones to protect her was his dying brother and the brand new vampire. But he had to do for her, for his childrens protection. If he could lead the other vampires and witches and Klaus away and just buy some time for her to get away, he would do it. All she needed was to get to Elijah's witches a few miles away.
Damon hated that during a moment so precious, his mind was racing with how he could get her and his babies safe. He didn't even know if they could save Stefan in time but he was damn well going to try his best to save everyone he could. He opened his eyes and had not realized she was staring at him. He did his best to hide his worry and pulled the ring back from behind her and opened his hand.
Elena's gaze fell to the ring in his outstretched hand. "I hope you didn't mind that I found one in your parents room baby. I just wanted you to have any ring till I could buy you the perfect one."
"I don't want another ring Damon. This one is perfect." She lifted it out of his palm and held it up. "This was my mother's promise ring. She told me dad gave it to her one night under the stars as they watched shooting stars fly across the sky and she laughed saying how cheesy it sounded for dad to say the only stars he wanted to watch were in her eyes."
Damon rolled his eyes. "Yep that's definitely a cheesy line to use."
Elena laughed. "Well cheesy or not, Mom said she gasped when she saw the ring and him tell her how much he loved her and wanted to marry her. He had actually dropped the ring in the dark when in her excitement she bumped his hand and it went flying. They were laughing and playing around in the grass looking for it with nothing but the car headlights in the dead of night. She said when he found it he had squealed like a little girl and held it up like it was the Hope Diamond, not daring to let it fall and be lost again. Mom had laughed so hard and just knew that that memory she would look back on and smile and laugh."
Elena felt Damon running his hand up and down her back as she shared her parents memory and she watched him smirk a little too, revealing to her his adorable dimples again, at what that must have looked like from fancy Dr. Grayson Gilbert to have shrieked like a girl.
She dug her fingers in the curls at the nape of his neck as she opened her mouth to finish her story, loving the little moan he uttered when she caressed him there. She wiggled her eyebrows teasingly saying she wanted more from him.
He ran his finger across her cheek and pulled on her bottom lip, just gazing entranced by her. He came closer, his lips a breath away and she turned her head giggling to avoid his crashing lips.
"Damon I'm trying to finish the story here!"
Those lips that had been rejected by her own, found their way to the hollow of her throat and he started giving her slow, wet kisses there making her shiver in his arms. "I am listening," he mumbled from her neck. He grinned against her skin. "Its you that I'm thinking will have a hard time talking sweetness," he purred, kissing lower, tugging her shirt off her shoulder and sucking in the skin there.
"Damon," she whined out and then moaned, her head falling back but she had enough sense still to clutch the ring tight in her hand. This man was knew her body so well already and knew just where she would melt like pudding in his hands.
"Continue," he rasped out his voice all husky. "I can hear you."
Elena sighed and then whimpered as Damon tugged her shirt lower, his tongue lapping at the silkiness of the skin of her breast that was still mostly covered by her bra.
"God Damon,...how can you get so turned on when I am...talking about... my parents? Most people would think parents are like a bucket of ice water to what you are doing to me." She could barely think enough to put get her sentences out right, her body was thrumming under his skilled hands and mouth.
He smirked against her skin, his hands running up under her shirt on her back. "Mmm hmm, but I am not most people." He pulled the skin just above the lace of her bra in his mouth and suckled it hard making her squirm in his arms. "I'm not turned on by your parents baby."
He lifted his head to meet her eyes, already seeing the redness of his love bite on the top of her breast. "It's you, that's driving me wild. You are marrying me. And get to do this to you whenever and wherever I damn well please. You are giving me the miracle of a family with you." His eyes were half lidded, glazed with lust and his skin actually flushed even with him being a vampire. "Its you that love me and I get to love you like this forever baby."
Elena was panting now, feeling like every nerve of hers was on fire. Every damn touch from this man felt like sparks igniting. She was just as turned on and had no idea what she was talking about.
He saw her all flustered and he knew he should let her finish telling her story. It sounded so sweet and he had no idea what it was that made him all of a sudden just want to jump her in the middle of the living room. He backed away enough from her and other than molding the skin of her hips between his fingers, he gave her his full attention. "Sorry, I am listening. I'll behave," he pouted at her.
Elena glared playfully at him not sure if she should trust that daring, sexy look in his eyes. But the pouty bottom lip did her in and she took a deep breath and tried to finish her story.
"Okay, I'm trusting you," she eyes him suspiciously. He was quiet and his hands stayed on her hips, under her shirt.
"My dad did not know how soon they could get married with him being in med school but he wanted her to know and have a symbol of that promise." She saw Damon listening intently to her story his eyes on hers, just like he said he would.
Elena opened her hand and turned the ring around, looking closer at it. "Dad gave her an engagement ring a year later at supper the night of his pre med graduation but mom told me she always thought of this as her real engagement ring. Nothing too fancy or full of diamonds, just full of young, innocent, endless love. I had thought it was lost and I never realized that she left it here."
Elena traced the edges of it with her finger. The single diamond was cut in the shape of a heart with a simple gold band beneath it. It sparkled in the dim light of the sun peeking out from the many thick clouds. The one line of sunlight fell across the living room and landed right between them on the floor.
Damon loved the story behind the ring. He lifted her one hand in his and she grinned at him as he slipped it on her finger. It fit perfectly which he had not even have thought of, if it wouldn't fit.
His face was full of love for her as he looked back in her eyes. "I know your mom would have loved knowing that you are wearing her special promise ring, Elena. If you don't want another one we never have to get one. I just want you to be happy."
She threw her arms around him again, leaning her head on his shoulder. "I am happy Damon. More than I ever dreamed." She was quiet for a few beats before speaking again. "But something is wrong isn't it honey? I can feel it in you." She just lay on his shoulder not wanting to look in his eyes. She scrunched hers tightly closed just wishing there was nothing wrong at all.
Elena lifted her head knowing whatever it was, she needed to know. "You talked to Elijah right? He has a plan?"
Damon nodded to her, picking her up and sitting them back on the couch. He rubbed her belly again. "Still okay? No more nausea? Have you eaten anything else?"
Elena frowned at him. "Damon don't change the subject. I'm fine. Babies are fine. You are scaring me."
"I'm fine too. I am." His eyes lit up and he grinned at her. "I know where we should get married!" He saw her frown deepen. "What do you say to a wedding by the Mystic falls? The mist falling down on us, the sun shining, all our friends there. Doesn't that sound amazing?"
Elena closed her eyes thinking that sounded completely perfect. She opened them to see a bashful smile back at her. "Yes honey, that sounds amazing. But I am worried the groom won't be there the way he is sounding. Deflection will not work on me Damon. Just please tell me what is going on?" She grabbed his head and forced his chin up. "Trust me as much as I trust you. Please Damon."
He sighed. She was right. But he did not want to tell her. How the hell was he supposed to tell her he wasn't coming with her? He sucked in a deep breath closing his eyes. He leaned his head against hers. "Elijah needs me to go with him. We need to lead the vampires, witches, anyone, especially Klaus away."
"Away? What do you mean away? I thought you were helping me get to Elijah's witches? You said they could cloak me so Klaus could not find me."
He opened his eyes, cupping her face, his thumbs caressing her cheeks. "There are too many of them out there. Elijah said we need to lead them all away so you can get away with Stefan and Jeremy."
Elena's eyes widened. "Stefan? He won't make it without you Damon. Jeremy...just turned. How can you possibly trust him will all of us?"
He knew she was right. "I have to Elena. If Elijah and I don't get Klaus, the vamps and witches away from you, you and the babies have no chance. Elijah already saw men showing up with tanks of gasoline. You can't stay here. I have to kill as many as I can with Elijah. Jeremy is not strong enough for that. He can't be the one to lead them away. There is no one else, baby. Jeremy has to lead you both to the witches that can cloak you."
Elena was shaking her head. She wanted the truth and she got it. "But how can we make it without you? How are supposed to survive fighting Klaus, vampires and witches. Elijah can't be killed. One stake Damon and I lose you."
She choked up feeling the tears at her lashes. She unbuttoned the top few buttons of his shirt. She leaned down and kissed his chest over his heart. "I can't do this, " she meant raising the children, living even, " ...without you. You can't leave us Damon."
He trembled at the feeling of her lips on his skin and his hands splayed over the swells of her hips again. "I'm not leaving you Elena, any of you. I will be right back. I will rip off a few heads, and take out a few hearts and leave Elijah to face his damn brother." He grabbed her face, waiting till her eyes were on his. "And I will be right back for you. Before you know it."
She eyed him with disbelief. "Promise me you will stay away from Klaus Damon. You can't kill him and he could hurt you or kill you so quickly. Promise me at least that!"
"Okay, okay Lanie. I hear you. I promise I will stay away from him. Will that help?" He held her face in his hands seeing her nod to him vigorously and kissed her deeply, tilted her head to explore her mouth further. They stayed there wrapped around each other arms, their legs even tangled together as they kissed. He could feel how scared she was but he wanted to do all he could to reassure her that he would not take any more risks with his life than necessary. He would fight like hell, kill any and all vamps and witches and make it back to her and his babies.
Damon pulled back seeing her getting breathless, still cradling her head. "Hey, you know what else? I can't explain it and its honestly only started happening these last few days but I can hear Stefan in my head and he can hear me. I heard him calling and that's how I knew you were in trouble at the tomb. I called out to him when Brody as going to have Stefan kill me. We even stopped the vampire that found us at the mansion when he tried to take you away to Klaus. And even when I was so weak on that porch I was able to call out to Stefan in my head to not let you go."
She looked shocked at everything he was saying. "It sounds crazy I know. But trust me, if anything, anything goes wrong I can race right back to you. I can leave him as much blood as I can till I get back too, for Stefan. And I will let Elijah get the cure. You just have to keep you and my brother alive for me. And keep my babies safe and I will be right back."
Elena nodded to him. She had no idea what it meant for him to be telepathic with Stefan but it sounded like it could help. She did trust him. She knew he would not leave them if he had a choice anymore than she would.
"I need to talk to Jer yet quick and it sounds like he is up. So just stay here and maybe try to eat something...okay?" Damon felt bossy at her but he knew how weak she was and she needed all her strength now too.
She frowned at him and he knew what she was thinking. "I know Elena. I just want to make sure he is okay. That he can control his urges with you and then yes you can see him too. I know you want to."
He kissed her once more on the crown of her head and smiled when she closed her eyes at his touch. He held her gaze for a few moments and then blurred up the stairs. He was depending on this brand new vampire and his dying brother to get his fiance and babies away. He needed Jeremy to be strong more than he ever had.
As he pushed the door open Damon realized how little he had ever thought Elena's little brother had or ever could, help him with anything. Jeremy had practically run out of the mansion when he had threatened him about watching him torture Mason. He had tried to help get the moonstone from Tyler. But Damon was painfully aware how little faith he had ever shown the young boy before. And now he was trusting him to protect his whole world.
He sat down on the edge of the bed. Maybe the new vampire could not sense it but Damon could smell Elena all over the bed. He had wanted to stay there all day with her and let everyone else deal with everything. That felt like so long ago when it was just that morning. And now it felt like the damn world was on his shoulders.
Jeremy was quiet and Damon managed a half smile. "How are you doing?" he asked him quietly. He knew he hadn't been fast enough to save him from Katherine and it was his blood that had turned him. But he knew he would be dead if he hadn't fed him. Katherine had all but sucked him dry last night.
"Okay, I guess," the new vampire replied, sitting up more and he ran his hand through his hair. "I am starting to remember things Damon. I remember you compelling me to forget how Vicky died, and that I was better off without her."
Damon's eyes went to the messed bedsheets avoiding Jeremy's eyes. "We were only trying to help you. Your sister said she did not think you could survive more loss. But I am sorry for my part in it," he said as he leaned forward and put his hand on the boy's shoulder.
Jer nodded reassuringly. "I know. I believe you. I do. It just came back in such a rush. I hadn't thought of that night in so long. I've been so focused on being there for Bonnie. I love her Damon. I need to know she will be okay."
Damon squeezed his neck, forcing Jer to look at him. Damon frowned scared of what could happen; knowing how much they all had to lose. "I know you do. I will do what I can to help her too Jer. I promise. But I need you to do something for me too."
"What do you need? I'll do whatever I can. You saved my life like at least twice lately."
Damon smiled. "I you saved mine too. And now I need you to save my family. Elena, our babies and Stefan all need you."
"Me? Why, how? Where are you going to be?" Jeremy sat up more, his eyes wide.
"Elijah and I have a plan. And we know Klaus has vampires and witches surrounding the cabin so we are going to create a diversion and get them to follow us and I need you to get your sister and Stefan to Bonnie's car and get them the hell out of here. Stefan is already so weak and might not survive much longer. Elena has lost a lot of blood and has been throwing up lots today because she is pregnant and she is not very strong either. I don't know where Caroline is or Bonnie but if you have a way to find them then please do."
He gripped both of his shoulder's again, his expression deadly serious. "But I need to you get my family, our family out of here. Can I count on you Jeremy?"
Jeremy drew in a deep breath. Talk about pressure. He was fighting his urges for blood and felt everything so strong right then. Sounds, smells, lights and any heartbeats nearby. All his heightened senses were so unfamiliar to him. But as long as he stayed away from blood he should be okay...right?
He sucked in another trembling breath and nodded. "Yes, you can. I promise I will do everything I can to get Elena and Stefan away safely."
Damon smiled tersely, knowing how much he was putting on this baby vampire that had no idea of the world he was a part of now. He did not know how stable he was. But there was no one else. "You don't need to take them far. There is a gas station about 10 miles from here and Elijah has witches there ready to cloak Elena and hide her from Klaus the moment you get there." He saw Jeremy nodding his understanding.
"I will find my way back to you as fast as I can and Elijah will meet us there and get the cure for Stefan one way or another." He felt an ache in his chest with just the thought of his life without his brother. "Just keep them safe for me till I get back."
Jeremy stretched out his hand to Damon and they shook hands firmly. Damon winced slightly at the contact and pulled his hand back and stared at his open palm.
His eyes widened more and more as he saw slight reddened bubbles on his skin. He stared at it for a moment or two seeing it wasn't healing. That wasn't there even a few minutes ago!
Jeremy had stood up and came closer, concern and shock in his face. It wasn't vervain. It didn't burn and then melt back away. It was something else.
Damon searched his mind for the answer what the hell had happened to him?!
He blinked rapidly, thinking back...
He turned back to Klaus. "No, Stefan is right. I don't believe after everything...after all you want from me and my family that you would just heal my brother. Thereby giving me another person to help protect Elena and our babies from you." He shook his head, more sure now than ever. "No. I've seen sleight of hand and I don't believe you gave us the vial with your blood in it. You wouldn't."
And with that he crushed the vial in his fist, letting the blood seep between his fingers and drip onto the floor. He winced slightly as the glass pieces cut the inside of his palm before letting the pieces of the smashed vial tumble down in front of him and wiped his bloody hand on his jeans while grinning at Klaus.
Damon stumbled back, as the memories of the conversation were so clear. Oh shit. What had he done?!
Klaus grinned back at him. He pulled out the other vial and waved it in front of him, before tucking it back away in his jean pocket. "Maybe I underestimated you."
Damon laughed slightly at that. "Damn right you did. You are not ever getting your hands on Elena or my babies! I would die before I let that happen!"
Klaus' grin grew on his face. "Well it might come to that Damon.
Possibly sooner than you think."
Damon shut his eyes tight, thinking that just willing the past to change would make it go away. But it was too late. Suddenly everything the Original had said. Everything that sounded so veiled in mystery just stood up and took a fucking bow.
"I could have left him to die with that werewolf bite, or staked him if you didn't come out here. But HE was not my target."
Damon slipped down the wall, seeing Jeremy's mouth moving but he heard no sound coming out. No matter how many times he blinked, things in front of him felt they were moving in slow motion, with him powerless to change the path they were on.
"I also have your best friend Bonnie and your friend Tyler too." His voice lowered more looking back and forth between Stefan AND Damon. I promise you darling that unless you come out here on your own...there will be no one left alive that you love!"
The vial, Tyler, werewolf venom.
Damon stared at his hand as he took in what he was seeing. Klaus had been trying to separate Elena from her protectors this whole time. Using the tomb and all the hell they lived through to see who she was closest too.
He thought Stefan was the one she loved and so he got him out of the way first…
And now he knew that Damon was her love and the father of those precious little babies and if it wasn't for Stefan holding her back she would have given herself up to save him when Klaus nearly killed him. She had been begging Damon to live with them. To survive, not die for them.
But Klaus wanted to threaten them both. To leave her with nothing. To have her choose for herself and not have them choose to hold her back.
This was his endgame and he had the fucking poker flush in his hand.
Was there not enough he was already facing?! No obviously not. Now there was no choice. He had to get the cure. He had to somehow get Klaus' blood...or Stefan AND he would both die…
He sat there on the floor against the wall shutting his eyes. Then he whirled to the sound of someone knocking on the door.
"Damon,"
It was Elena.
More knocking. "Damon. Is it okay? Are you and Jeremy okay? Can I come in?"
Damon squeezed his fist shut, hiding what the poison had already done from her. He was as far from okay as he could be. Damn it! How could he have been so stupid and crushed that fucking vial in his hand! Why didn't he just throw it?! Now it made sense too why Klaus just left with Caroline. He had already done what he planned, poisoning him and then all he needed to do was wait, knowing he had to come for him...to live.
His eyes widened as he saw the door opening. He could not tell her what happened. He could not do that to her. He knew she would turn herself over to save him.
And that was the one thing he would not let happen to her or his babies!