A tiny bit of pink is creeping in through his port hole. Damon shifts onto his side to glance at the clock. It's early but he's always been an early riser, even when he was a kid. He never wanted to miss even a minute of daylight, he loved playing outside whether it was in the summer sun or the winter's snow. Even though summer is his favorite time of the year, he loved to take walks in the mountains and pick the wildflowers with his mom in the springtime, the beautiful blends of colors and smells are mesmerizing. Autumn too when the leaves change and the whole landscape is vivid with color. Damon hopes to retire there someday.

He lays back and closes his eyes again. He's not in a hurry to get up or to open them this time because she's right there, behind his closed eyelids. All night she was with him, keeping him company as he finished up his rounds before retiring to his cabin. He can feel his heart in his throat when he wonders where she was yesterday. Is she alright, did he hurt her again?

He can't help but ask himself if his kiss has lingered with her as the taste of her lips has lingered with him? Unconsciously he reaches up, touching his fingertips to his mouth, he can't let go of it, his lips still tingle where they joined with hers.

Although he made an effort to look around while he was doing his duties, he didn't catch even a glimpse of her. On duty, he wasn't able to stop for dinner but he did take a peak in the first class dining room. She wasn't there nor did he find her roaming the ship's decks later that evening. His heart fell to his stomach in disappointment when she didn't come but what did he expect really? She's a married woman. His main concern is her safety but he can't deny that he wanted to see her, touch her and yes, kiss her again.

With a sigh he gets up and after washing his face, he puts on his uniform. There's no need for him to prolong his mental torture anymore so he takes a deep breath and steps out of his cabin to begin his day. His first stop is at the wireless room to check on any new dispatches, James hands him a few and of course another warning is one of them. A frown forms while he's reading it. He hands it back to James. After thanking him, he decides to confide in Niklaus again, although he's sure it won't make any difference. Once he steps into the dining room he searches for her. He sighs in relief when he finds her sitting with Kelly Donovan, her husband nowhere in sight.

"You should stop with these looks," of course, he should be used to it by now, Kol Mikaelson appears out of nowhere and stands by his left ear.

"And you should stop trying to give me a heart attack," Damon replies with a small smile, the boy's nothing if not fun.

"Well," Kol continues to their table, clearly expecting Damon to follow him, "It's almost became a routine by now. You can't blame me for trying to have some fun on this boring ship." He sits down and his face lights up with mischief, "Yesterday evening though... you missed all the fun!"

"What you mean?" Damon's not sure what to think about his innuendo. He looks up, thanking the waitress when she gives them each a cup of coffee.

"Mr. and Mrs. Lockwood joined us for dinner, it was mostly boring of course, but I have to give it to you, Mrs. Lockwood is lovely."

"That's all?" he asks, hope simmering low in his belly.

"Of course," he chuckles and with a twinkle in his eyes, he swats Damon playfully on the arm. "Wouldn't you consider it fun?"

Damon shakes his head at the boy's antics. For a moment his eyes find Elena's form just as she's leaving with Kelly. Whether she saw him or not, he doesn't know but she left without giving him a look.

Elena pours cream and a spoonful of sugar into her coffee. She picks it up, taking a long swallow, closing her eyes at the rich taste. After sitting down, she looks at her table mate. It feels good to be with Kelly Donovan. She is very much enjoying sharing a nice meal with the woman. Her thoughts drift to George when Kelly excuses herself to use the bathroom. He was back in their cabin before sunrise but he only muttered something about her not waking him up for breakfast in the morning. He didn't even bother to look at her before he collapsed on his half of the bed. Before Elena could utter a word, he was already snoring.

When she woke up the second time, she was as quick and as quiet as a church mouse so she could depart and enjoy something to eat without him. Her plans changed when she saw Kelly sitting alone. She walked over to the table and Kelly immediately invited her to join her. Soon they were chatting over the delicious coffee and pastry. The moment he entered the room, she sensed his presence immediately, her breath catching in her throat for a moment as she swallowed past the lump. She tried so hard but at one point she simply had to look his way. He was sitting at the Mikaelson table with Kol. When her heart starts to pound against her chest, she quickly turns away. What if he tells him about what happened yesterday?

Kelly stops talking. Elena takes another sip of her drink and then turns her attention back to the other woman. She forces a smile as she sets her cup down. Her belly roils but somehow she makes it through breakfast without looking at him again. It is killing her.

After finishing up, the two women take a stroll along A Deck and then Kelly suggests they go to the promenade deck. They find a table and order themselves each a cocktail. While sipping it, Elena watches all the people spending time outside. It's rather warm today. Children are playing and screaming with delight as they play hopscotch and toss balls. The older ones are playing shove the puck in the sun. As much as she loves kids, the thought of bearing George's child is repulsive. He would treat their baby as an asset rather than a person who needs love and affection, it's how he treats her after all. Sometimes she wonders if maybe he's right, maybe there is something wrong with her? Maybe she can't have kids? It's not like they haven't tried.. Sighing, a little bit of melancholy begins to burn low in her belly. She forces a smile when notices Kelly eyeing her.

"I wish I could start somewhere else as someone else...," she pauses in surprise. She doesn't know where this came from. Kelly doesn't even blink.

"Maybe you can?"

"I... what do you mean?" Elena is stunned as she looks at Kelly intently.

"I mean, if you want it badly enough, you will find a way. I'm not saying it would be easy, it won't be. In my opinion, you may and probably will regret it, perhaps more than once but if you really want to leave and start a new life, it can be done. I did..."

"You...?"

"Yes.. I left my husband, he was always drunk and rough with me. I fell in love with a sailor," she pauses, shaking her head, a small laugh leaving her mouth. She raises her eyes to meet Elena's again. "It didn't work out for us but my love for the sea, it didn't die and so here I am. I realize it's different for you but you should know that you are not powerless. That poor excuse for a man that calls himself your husband is nothing more than a coward. If you're not with him because of the money then I don't believe he has anything else to offer you."

"I know I must look pathetic to you... My parents..." Elena responds quietly, dropping her eyes to her hands that are joined in her lap.

"Your parents allow him to do whatever he pleases with you?" When she nods, Kelly reaches for her hands and pats them gently. "Then I'd say you have no obligation to these people. Trust me, Elena, This is not what life is supposed to look like. This is not what love is supposed to look like."

Elena nods and fixes her eyes on the horizon, his face filling her mind. "I'm starting to get it."

Elena is sitting down, enjoying the book she brought along for the trip. When she hears the door open, she looks up to find her husband approaching her. He eyes her skeptically while taking off his suit coat. He hangs it up and then pulls up the chair beside her.

"What did you do today?" George asks in conversational tone.

Her eyes peruse his fit form. Despite the bastard he is behind closed doors, he is a handsome man. However, his looks lost their effect on her a long time ago. She doesn't feel the need to lie, not anymore. "I had a nice breakfast and after that I spent some time with Mrs. Donovan. We went for a walk on the promenade deck afterwards. It was quite lovely actually." Elena doesn't miss the disdainful look in his eyes when she mentioned Kelly's name.

George gets up and walks over to the bar to pour himself a glass of vodka. He takes a long pull without even flinching. He quickly refills it and then moves to stand in front of her. "The entertainer? Again? Can't you find yourself more appropriate company?"

"Like Mrs. Pierce? I probably could," Elena replies without malice or even a hint of sarcasm.

George presses his lips together and frowns. There's something different about his wife. No fight, no fear... almost like... she doesn't care? Could it be that she told someone...? "I think we might spend the evening together? You can show me around the decks after dinner," he says aloud, taking another sip from his tumbler.

She meets his stare and somehow manages to keep her face impassive. Yet she can't help but wonder what his suggestion even means. Why suddenly after all this time does he want to spend time with her? Picking up the bookmark, she puts it in place and then lays her book on the table. When she meets his eyes again, she sees right through him. Ms. Kelly was right, he is a coward.

What irks him the most is that he's not sure if the Mikaelsons picked up on or put two and two together about the state of their marriage. It troubles him too that he has no idea where he stands with his wife. This new aloof Elena is not to his liking. He can't afford to lose her, because of his and her family. "Well?" George snaps, bringing her out of her reverie.

"As you wish," Elena replies but her tone still isn't what he's used to. Without saying another word, she gets up and walks into their bedroom, closing the door behind her. Pressing her back against the door, she closes her eyes, her mind vivid with only one thought, If George fears he could lose her, maybe it's a possibility.

Damon pauses at the railing. He grips it tightly and stares out at the vast expanse of ocean in front of him. There's a brisk wind today, making the sea a little choppy. He inhales a big gulp of fresh and sighs heavily. He has a busy afternoon. Not only did he have his usual duties, he also had to deal with a couple of drunk crew members and of course keeping tabs on the Mikaelson family. After reporting their day's activities to Captain Forbes-Turner, he had to listen to complaints from Miss Pierce about the running water in her cabin. He wasted no time in tracking down one of the maintenance workers to take care of it.

Now that he has five minutes of free time, he drops his eyes and shakes his head. He wonders where George is and if he's back with his wife. That very thought makes his mood even darker. After taking one more pull of air, he heads back to his cabin to change for dinner. On the way back he runs into Kelly Donovan. He knows that she's been spending time with Mrs. Lockwood. Damon is glad, quite frankly. Anytime she isn't with that brute of a husband, Damon can breathe a little easier.

He can't resist the overwhelming urge that compels him to pull out a chair and sit down next to her. With a drink next to her on the table, Kelly looks up from her magazine and smiles when she sees who it is. She actually shouldn't be drinking because she performs this evening but Damon knows she a professional and her performance will be top notch as it always is. Miss Kelly is relentless, although the people watching her hardly appreciate her efforts.

"Officer Salvatore?" she gives him a small smile, laying her magazine on her lap.

Damon chuckles. "How was your day, Miss Kelly?"

"If you're curious about a certain Mrs...? You could just ask, you know?" she teases but she gets serious when she sees his haunted look. "We had breakfast then we spent some time together. I took her on a tour of the boat and then we went to my cabin for a bit to chat in private. She's... undecided of what to do with her marriage."

Damon's heart starts beating quicker, he wishes she'd tell him more.

"I tried to tell her that her cage is only imaginary. She's only trapped if she allows herself to be kept a prisoner. She's quite courageous really. I sense a certain fire to her but she believes in long held conventions and family obligations. She needs any and all help and support she can get," she looks straight at Damon and he swallows under her gaze.

"How can I...help?"

"Maybe just by being yourself? My guess is, you're a big part of why she's even beginning to question her life, give yourself more credit," she smiles at him.

"But what could I offer her? I don't belong into her world."

She reaches over and places her hand atop his. When their eyes meet, she says softly, "Have you ever considered that maybe she's tired of that world too?"

Elena picks up her wine glass to take a sip. As she puts the rim to her mouth, she looks around, a little surprised at how many unfamiliar faces she notices. Have they been in the dining room as often as she has and she just never noticed them before? She can't help but wonder where Mr. Vanderbilt and Mr. Frohman are and of course the Mikaelson's. She's grown rather fond of Sage and Kol. Another missing face is that of Miss Pierce. Maybe George told her to keep a low profile this evening? When Kelly Donovan passes their table, she nods politely. She's in a hurry and doesn't stop to chat. She's probably in a rush so she won't be late for her performance. She can sense George's eyes on her but she pretends not to notice and focuses her attention elsewhere.

"Have you finished?"

Elena nods and waits for George to pull the chair away and offer his hand to pick her up. This George, she could handle but the problem is, it's not him, it's all an act to cast himself in a better light. She knows him too well, he's played this game with her before. But for whatever reason, tonight she has to wonder, is he trying to win her back? Or is he's scheming inside the twisted mind of his? The thought makes her nervous. Where is Miss Pierce?

They leave the dining room and to her surprise, George leads her to the promenade deck but doesn't stop to watch the scenery. If he wasn't parading her around like some trophy, she would pause to enjoy the beautiful sunset and breathe in the invigorating sea air. It strikes her how she feels at peace when she's by herself and even more so when she's with him.

He leads her over to the railing, some distance from the others who had the same thought. Leaning over, he places his mouth next to her ear. "You didn't tell anyone or show the bruises, did you?" His question catches her by surprise.

When her eyes meet his, she shakes her head no. "I, George, have been loyal, so far. But I'm not sure how long I'm willing to take it," she swallows hard, she's not sure about his reaction.

"What you're saying?" she doesn't recognize this tone, yet she continues.

"I'm not your property, or a whore that you can do whatever you please with. My pain will no longer be your pleasure. You'll either treat me with the respect I deserve or God help me, George, I won't stay with you. If I have to, I'll let the world know how George Lockwood the IV' treats his own wife. What would the Mikaelsons think?"

"Are you threatening me?" he glares, his tone low and dangerous. Taking her wrist, he pulls her flush against him, forcing a smile and nodding his head when Mr. Frohman and his man servant pass them. As soon as they're out of ear shot, he drops the mask.

No longer willing to be cowed, Elena steels her spine and whispers next to his ear. "No, George, I'm doing no such thing. I'm reminding you that I'm the Gilbert family heir. I don't need your money, I don't need your anything." Raising her eyebrow, she refuses to back down so she doesn't step back or try to put any distance between them.

"You think your parents would approve of this new attitude?" he asks with contempt.

"What I'm saying is... I - don't - care. I won't spend my life hiding in the shadows."

George's face grimaces in barely concealed anger. He grabs her by arms and squeezes, his fingernails digging into her tender flesh. "Now you listen little girl and listen good. Do you honestly believe that you're holding all the trump cards or that I need your money and your daddy's firm?" he pauses letting his malicious words sink in. "Do you really think that I need you? I will admit that it would complicate things rather handily if you left me."

With a sneer on his face he gets even closer, dropping his mouth to her ear once more. "But my dear, what if I was a poor mourning widower, hmm? Need I remind you that you're an only child? As such I think they would make me the beneficiary of their estates as your surviving spouse. Have you ever noticed how slippery these decks are? If you were to slip one day and fall overboard, everyone would just think it was a tragic accident. So you see Elena, you don't threaten me and get away with it. I always win." He gives her arms one last painful squeeze. "That's just a friendly reminder that you better play nice."

Elena's breath catches in her throat. Still she's painfully aware of George's fingers squeezing her arms.

With only a half hour left before her performance, Kelly stops at the wireless room to say hello to James. But she also knows that Damon comes there often. When she asks about him, James just shakes his head no to her question so she hurries to the bridge only to find First Officer Mikaelson. He's always been kind to her. "Kelly, did you need something?"

"I'm looking for Officer Salvatore. It's just a personal matter but it is of great importance."

Niklaus nods and points to the dining room. "He ran grab something for dinner, we've been a bit busy here, but he's free now."

Kelly curses and after thanking him goes back to the dining room where she finds him chatting with big mouth Mr. MIkaelson. "Damon..."

Both Damon and Kol raise their heads, Kol doesn't disappoint. With a swarthy smile, he gets up and pulls a chair out for her. "Take a seat Miss Kelly, we could use some company."

"No, thank you, Mr. MIkaelson, I have just a few moments before the show starts. Can I have a few words with Officer Salvatore? It's an emergency."

Damon gets up and leads Kelly to her usual table. "What happened?" he asks concerned.

"I don't have much time, I need to get to the lounge so I won't beat around the bush. Mr. and Mrs. Lockwood were having dinner here some time ago and they left together. I could tell Mrs. Lockwood didn't look like she was feeling comfortable about it. I left just before they did. I happened to see them exit the dining room but they didn't go back towards their cabin. It's quite unusual for Mr. Lockwood to spend so much time with his wife."

Damon's head's spinning but he's not sure what he could do about this particular case. How do I force a husband to stay away from his wife when everything about this situation is... delicate.

Kelly watches his turmoil. "You should know, Damon, that your friend Kol Mikaelson provoked him last night and it was quite obvious that Mr. Lockwood was rather upset about it."

"What do you mean Kol provoked him?" Damon fears to ask.

"He pointed out Mrs. Lockwood's bruises, right during the dinner. And I think he wordlessly was letting the bastard know that he knows exactly how she came to have those bruises. I'm worried about her. I just don't know what a volatile man like him will do. He'll either stop hurting her or he'll ramp up his attacks."

"...he hurts her," Damon finishes her sentence breathlessly. C'mon Damon, you have to think of something. You won't let him hurt her. "Miss Pierce!" he says aloud, thanks Kelly and hurries to Katherine's cabin.

Swallowing thickly, Damon raises his fist and knocks on the door. Moments later, a surprised Miss Pierce pulls it open. Damon smiles to greet her. "Come in," Katherine says, tying her robe closed and pushing the door shut behind him. Damon's still not sure what to tell her. He enters and takes a small bow.

"Miss Pierce, I'm sorry to interrupt you, I just wanted to ask if everything's alright with the water or can I be of any help?"

Katherine looks pleased, but being the drama queen that she is, she starts whining. "It was a shock, I didn't know what to do. The man you brought mended it but what if it happens again?"

Damon isn't sure if he suggested to keep an eye on it or if it was her melodramatic theatrics. He could spend the night without really trying to do anything but he has another goal to achieve, a very important one at that. It's to get Mr. Lockwood away from his wife. Damon smiles at her and asks softly, "Should I tell someone to come to keep you company?"

"Won't you come to bed?" comes George's impatient voice, while Elena examines the new bruises and nail marks on her arms. She's still shaking since they left the promenade deck, wondering if she'll ever be strong enough to truly stand her ground with George. And whether he would really resort to murder. The thought that he wants to stake his claim and mark her yet again brings another violent shake through her body.

Without responding, she reaches for her heavy dressing gown, tying it tightly around her body when someone firmly knocks on the door. Wondering who it could be at this hour, she steps closer to look through bathroom door that is slightly ajar. Even when she raises up on her tiptoes, all she can see is George's back. She's unable to decipher any of the hurried whispers either.

When George calls aloud, "Don't wait up for me Elena", she breathes a huge sigh of relief. She watches as he reaches for his top coat and steps out of the door, no longer obscuring who came to their door.

His eyes find hers. "Good night Mrs. Lockwood..." His greatest reward seeing the gratitude mirroring in her beautiful face.

Damon knows that sleep won't come anytime soon tonight. He took a great risk going to Katherine to get George away from Elena. Although he's grateful it worked as well as it did, what about tomorrow and the day after that and the future? In just a couple of days she'll be walking out of his life leaving him to forever wonder where she is and if she's alright. He stops and looks out over the shimmering sea. He couldn't make himself leave her deck for fear of George returning. And now she's in her cabin all alone. He briefly considers that she might be afraid but he knows she's a strong woman and probably feels the most safe when her husband is nowhere to be seen.

He stops at the place that she was standing the day before yesterday, his mind immediately flying to the kiss that they shared. He's so deeply immersed in thought that he misses the light footsteps coming closer until he feels Elena's fingers touch his sleeve. When he looks at her, he thinks that he must've fallen through Alice's looking glass, dropping him into a fairytale. The kind where he and his lady fair ride off into the sunset to live happily ever after. She maintains a respectable distance but her eyes are intently staring at him. Damon is afraid to step closer for fear of scaring her off.

"I'm so sorry.."

"Why are you sorry?"

"I should be strong enough to clean up my own messes."

"You are the strongest and the most beautiful woman I've ever met," he says quietly and when he sees her eyes filling with tears, he can't resist anymore and pulls her into his embrace. He doesn't care who sees them, he doesn't care if it costs him his job, all that matters is this fragile yet strong woman in his arms.

"I..I can't drag you into this. As much as I want to and believe me, I do, I can't promise you anything. They'll fight me all the way."

"You won't be alone," Damon promises. "You can lean on me, I'll be there with you every step of the way, I don't care how hard it is, I want to..."

Elena searches his eyes but finds nothing but truth and devotion. She raises her hand to touch his face. He leans into her touch and kisses her fingers. They sit in the background hidden behind the lifeboats breathing in the salty air and each other. Damon is holding her hand and at one point, Elena rests her head on his shoulder. It feels unreal.

They stay like this until the night starts to fade.

It's the best night he's ever had. It's also the best night she's ever had.

The calm before the...

Thank you Eva. I hope you're enjoying your vacation. I miss you.

Huge thank to all of you. You're all the reason that I'm still here. I miss DE so much already. This is how we keep them alive and prospering.

"Tomorrow" and "This Isn't What We Meant" are also in progress.

Have a safe and wonderful weekend.