As soon as Victoria was distracted, Elena grabbed Damon's arm, and dragged him over to the corner.
"What are you doing here?" She hissed, angrily.
"Well, as you so calmly pointed out the last time we met, and by calmly, I mean screamed it at me, I don't know anything about your people, or the way you live. So I thought the easiest way to find out, was to become a Lord." He replied, smirking.
She swatted him on the arm. "This is not funny."
He shrugged. "Well, I'm having quite a good time actually. I don't know why I didn't do this years ago."
Elena looked over to where Klaus was still greeting people at the door. He hadn't seemed to notice who she was talking to. Not yet anyway.
"If you'd been listening, I also pointed out to you that the reason I married Klaus was because he threatened to kill you. Now I don't know if you have noticed, but you're currently standing in his house. And for someone who should be running as far away from him as he can get, I don't think this is the best place for you to be." She said quietly.
He grinned again, at the sarcasm in her voice. "Ok, ok, I'll go. Do you want to come with me?"
"What? No!" She said, horrified.
He shrugged again. "It was worth a try." He started to leave, but then moved back over to her. "Oh, and in case you hadn't got the message from my being here, I haven't given up on you. Before, I thought you didn't love me, that's why you went through with the marriage. But now I know the truth, I can show you that you're being an idiot. So, I'll be around, when you're ready to run away with me."
"Damon. Leave." She said.
"Alright, alright." He said, putting his arms up as if surrendering.
He walked away, but within a few seconds, she heard his voice in her ear again.
"Oh and I love you, you know, in case you'd forgotten." He whispered.
"Get out!" She hissed. It took all the willpower she had not to scream it at him.
This time he got the message, and she watched him slip out the door, when Klaus had his back turned. As another couple came over to talk to her, she breathed deeply to calm her racing heart.
How was she supposed to protect him, when he didn't seem to care about the danger he was in?
(**)
"Thank you." Elena said quietly, looking up at Klaus.
He nodded. "You've been a dutiful wife. And I reward loyalty."
He kissed her on the cheek, and then retreated back into his study, to do some work. Elena hurried up to their bedroom, to see if he had really kept his word. Pushing open the door, her heart soared to see Bonnie making their bed.
"You're here!" She said, rushing over, and hugging her tightly.
Bonnie laughed at Elena's joy. "Of course. I'd come wherever you asked me to." She said, returning the hug.
"I've missed you so much!" Elena said, and before she knew it, there were tears rolling down her face.
"Elena? You're crying! What's wrong?" Bonnie asked, immediately worried.
Elena went over to the door and shut it, trying to not act suspicious.
"You're the only one I can talk to. All the others report to Klaus." Elena said, walking back over, and sitting on the bed.
"Talk to about what? I thought you were happy! Your mother said - "
"I couldn't tell her anything, I wanted her to be happy." Elena said, and with that, everything came flooding out. About how Klaus treated her, about Damon, about falling in love with him, how she was unable to do anything about it.
"Oh my god, Elena." Bonnie said finally, stunned. Elena was like a sister to her, and hearing about the pain she had faced in the last two months killed her.
"I don't know what to do!" Elena said, crying softly into Bonnie's shoulder.
Bonnie moved back, and looked her in the eye.
"What do you want? Forget Klaus, forget your parents, just for a second. If they didn't exist, what would you want?" She asked.
Elena didn't hesitate. "I'd want to be with Damon."
"Then be with Damon. You deserve to be happy."
"But Klaus, he'd kill him!"
"Then run away with Damon! Look you know me, I'm reasonable, right? I'm thinking about this with a straight head, unlike you and Damon. So listen to me. If you run, Klaus wouldn't spend too long looking for you. It would hurt his honor and reputation, if people found out his wife had run away with another man! He would make up story, that you died or something, and then he'd marry again."
Elena was quiet for a few moments. Was she right?
"But mother and father, I couldn't do that to them. The scandal - "
"But there wouldn't be a scandal! No way would Klaus make that public. The worst he would do is say you died, and then I could tell your parents what happened. Elena, I know your mother was thrilled about this marriage, but if she knew how he treated you, she herself would tell you to leave!"
Elena chewed on her lip, her mind whirring. It all made sense, it could work…apart from if it didn't. Finally, she shook her head.
"Bonnie, I appreciate what you're doing, but I can't risk it. Yes, it would work out, if things go the way you say they will. But if they don't? If Klaus does make it public? Or even if he doesn't, he'll keep looking for us. He told me so himself, and I saw it in his eyes. He was deadly serious. He will kill Damon. And though a life without Damon will be so painful, a life where Damon isn't alive? That would be unbearable."
Bonnie looked at her for a few seconds, her eyes brimming with unshed tears, but finally she nodded. "I'm here for you." She whispered, and the two girls hugged and cried.
(**)
1 Week Later
Thunk. Thunk. Thunk.
Elena frowned, and sleepily opened her eyes. She rolled over to look at Klaus, but he was snoring softly. She lay there quietly for a few seconds, but she couldn't hear anything, so she closed her eyes, attempting to fall asleep again.
Thunk. Thunk.
Her eyes flew open. She had definitely heard it that time. After looking over at Klaus to confirm he was definitely asleep, she quietly got out of bed, and pulled on her dressing gown.
Thunk.
She walked over to the balcony, where the sound was coming from, and pulled open the door slightly, so that the cool breeze wouldn't reach Klaus. She squeezed through the small opening, shutting the door behind her, and then shivering in the cold.
Thunk.
A pebble hit the glass door right next to her. Stunned, she looked down to see where it had come from. To her complete shock, she saw Damon standing below, in the garden. He had a handful of small stones in his hand, and was getting ready to throw another one, when he looked up and saw her. His hand paused midair.
"Hello!" He said cheerfully.
"Damon?! Are you completely crazy, or do you just have a death wish?" She hissed into the night, terrified of raising her voice.
"What? I can't hear you!" He called out.
Worriedly, she looked behind her into the room, but Klaus seemed undisturbed by the noise.
"Shut up!" She said, as loud as she dared. "Go away!"
"Well that's not an option…" Damon said, trailing off and then grinning. "Now come down here!"
"No. I'm going back to bed. Go home Damon." Elena said tiredly, and then turning around.
"Fine. I'll just scream." He called back.
Elena stopped, and then turned back around slowly.
"Damon, I can't come down. If I leave the room, Klaus will hear! Or one of the servants will."
"So come down that." Damon retorted, pointing to the vines that were draped across the walls of the house.
"You're actually crazy." Elena said, turning back to go inside the house.
"Klaus! You awake?" Damon shouted, as Elena froze. She slowly looked up at Klaus, her heart racing in terror as she saw him roll over, but didn't wake up.
"Next time, I'll scream it." Damon warned.
"Ugh, I hate you." Elena said, looking worriedly at the sturdiness of the vines.
"No, you don't." Damon replied, grinning again.
Elena looked back once more, to check Klaus was asleep, then climbed over the balcony.
"If I die, know that I do blame you, 100%." Elena called out, earning a chuckle from Damon.
"I'll catch you, relax." He replied.
"Sure." She said, reaching out to grab the vines. She tugged on them, and they didn't tear off, they seemed quite sturdy. Her heart pounded in fear, as she let go of the balcony, and held on to the vines. They seemed to hold her weight.
She slowly climbed down, but she lost her footing when she was almost at the bottom. She squealed, as she lost hold of the vines, and fell the last few feet. Into Damon's arms.
"Told you I'd catch you." He said, winking, as he put her back down.
"Well it's your fault I had to climb down that stupid thing. What was so important?" She asked, irritated.
He shrugged. "I just wanted to see you."
Elena punched him in the arm.
"Ouch! What was that for?" He asked, rubbing his arm, ruefully.
"Are you suicidal? I told you that man wants to kill you, and suddenly you can't stay away from him!"
He grinned again. "I like seeing you worry about me."
"Well I don't like having to worry about you." She snapped back.
"Hey hey, don't get angry. I'm fine." He said, frowning.
"Well you won't be for long, if you keep this up!"
"So let's go! Come with me!"
"Damon…" Elena said, sadly, turning away.
He caught her wrist and pulled her back. "You're worried he'll find us right? Well he won't. Look, I've saved some money. We could go far away from here. He may have his connections, but he doesn't have eyes over the entire country. We could hide, change our names. Nobody would find us. We'll live somewhere isolated, on our own. He'd have no chance."
"And you're ready to risk your life on that assumption? Well, I'm not." Elena said, crossing her arms.
"You'd rather stay here with him, than leave with me?" He asked, disbelievingly.
"I'd rather you were alive, than leave with you." She replied.
"And do I not get an opinion in this? Because I'd rather be dead, than leave you here, to deal with him."
"No, Damon, you don't get an opinion in this. This is my life and - "
"That's where you're wrong, Elena. It's about my life too, and I don't know how long I can go on like this."
"Well we'll have to, Damon. Do you think this is any easier on me?"
"Ok ok wait. Let's not fight, that's not why I came here."
"Please, Damon, promise me you'll stop coming here. It's not safe."
"I can take care of myself."
"It didn't look that way on my wedding day."
"He's bigger but - "
"Yes, he's bigger. And he's richer, and therefore more powerful. You can act brave all you want, but you should fear him. Promise me, please."
"Elena, I - "
"Promise!"
He rolled his eyes. "Fine, I promise."
"Good. Now stay away from me as well."
"No! That's - " He started to object immediately, but she cut in.
"Damon, after I first got married, it was awful being apart from you. But it was better than this. Because seeing you like this, but not being able to be with you, that's a thousand times more painful."
"Then why did you come back? Why did you come to see me?"
"Because I wanted to help you! And it worked, now you're better!"
"I'm better because of you, Elena. I can't stay away from you."
"Then I'll stay away from you. Because this, Damon, this is over." She said, gesturing to the both of them. She turned her back on him, a tear slipping down her cheek.
He didn't say anything for a few moments, but she could sense him still standing behind her.
Eventually he spoke, quietly but firmly. "Fine. I will stay away. But only because I know you won't be able to. And I'm tired of chasing after you. I know you're in love with me. You will come back to me."
She didn't reply, and after a few moments, she heard him walk away. She turned back around, watching him leave in the moonlight, and wiping her tears away. Now how on earth was she going to get back up?
(**)
3 Weeks Later
"I've arranged to give the Gardner's lands to the Forbes. They've been more loyal, and I promised them the land if they gave me their support in the Garland issue." Klaus said, pacing across his study. Elena nodded, quietly. Klaus liked having somebody to rant to, when he was angry, but she had to stay quiet. The first time he had done this, she had offered an opinion, and that hadn't ended well for her.
"But I'll need to give something to the Gardners then, to pacify them. Do you know that house on the outskirts of the town? That large, old, grey one?"
Elena opened her mouth to answer, when she was abruptly hit with an extreme wave of dizziness. She put out a hand to steady herself, but there was nothing to lean against, and she stumbled. She put a hand over her stomach, suddenly feeling queasy.
"Elena?!" Klaus said loudly, clearly he had repeated the question a few times.
"I'm – I'm sorry. What did you…?" She asked, as a shadow of anger passed over his face.
"Am I boring you?"
"No, no. Of course not! I just didn't hear you, my lord." She said quietly, trying to rectify the situation.
"Because you weren't listening? You are my wife. I expect you to listen to my problems."
"I know. I apologize'."
"Your apologies do nothing for me! I am suffering a huge problem, and you are just off in your own world! What did I even marry you for? I had plenty of good choices, but I chose you. You should feel honored to be in this house right now!" He shouted at her. She shrunk back, as he strode quickly over to her, and slapped her hard, across the face. The force of it caused her to fall backwards, hitting the floor.
"Useless." He muttered under his breath, angrily, then marched out from the room.
Bonnie entered within seconds of him leaving. She gasped when she saw Elena on the floor, immediately running over to her.
"What happened?" She asked, kneeling down next to her.
"I have a problem." Elena replied, crying softly.
(**)
That same night, Damon was lounging on the sofa, flicking through the newspaper. The sight of 'Lord' Klaus on the front page always made him grit his teeth in anger. The whole town had no idea what he was really like, they probably never would. A soft knocking on the door interrupted his thoughts. Frowning, he stood up. Who was here at this time of night?
He opened the door, and the sight that greeted him, made him grin.
"I knew you couldn't stay away." He said, smirking.
"Take me away. Damon, take me from here please." Elena said breathlessly, the words coming out rushed. His smile faded at the urgency in her tone. Her hair was blowing all over her face because of the wind, and her face was tear-streaked. She looked wildly beautiful, but at the same time absolutely terrified.
"What happened?" He asked, grasping the seriousness of the situation.
"Damon, I'm pregnant." She said softly, her hand subconsciously caressing her stomach.
He froze. Of all the things, this, he hadn't been expecting. He tried to make his mouth move, to say something, but it wouldn't obey.
"Damon, I won't let my child grow up with him. He's a monster, and I won't put my child through that. It was different when it was just about you and I, but now there's a baby involved. My child deserves a life better than. Even if it's a life running, it's a life where he'll be safe. He won't be safe with Klaus. Please, Damon. I can't stay there. He'll hurt my child. Please, Damon, please - " Elena pleaded, the words flooding out.
Damon took her into his arms, hugging her tightly, as she sobbed quietly into his shoulder. She was scared out of her mind, that was clear. He stroked her hair, as his mind whirred into overdrive. A baby. Klaus's baby. This changed everything. He felt her stop shaking, as she ran out of tears. She moved back, not looking in his eyes, afraid to hear the answer.
"Let's go." He finally said.
She looked up, met his gaze, a sparkle of hope in her beautiful brown eyes.
"Are you sure?" She finally asked, not daring to be happy, not just yet.
"You just begged me to!" He said. "Are you trying to convince me not to?"
"No! I just need you to be sure about your decision. I don't want to force you into this. Could you bring up another man's child?"
"Elena, this child is bringing us together. It's allowing us to do what I always wanted, to have a life with you. I will love this child, almost as much as I love you." He said, sincerely.
Finally, she allowed herself a small smile, parts of her fear receding at last.
"We're actually doing this?"
"We are. But not tonight. Stefan has gone out of town, for work, he'll be back tomorrow. I won't leave him here. He comes with us. I've looked after him since our parents died, I won't stop now."
"Of course. I wouldn't have expected any different." Elena whispered, her eyes glimmering with the happiness she was trying to subdue.
"Then we go tomorrow night. Deal?"
"Deal."
He leaned towards her, and after two months of trying to suppress her feelings, of staying away from him, she finally gave in, and met his lips with hers. The spark was still there, as strong as it had been 3 months ago, when they had kissed for the first time.
A little ways away from them, two men stood, huddled together, as if they were sharing warmth.
"I'm not telling Klaus his wife is running away tomorrow night." One man said, resolutely.
"I'll do it." The other said, rubbing his hands together to stop them from freezing.
"He'll kill us!" The first said, looking incredulous.
"No, he'll kill us if we don't tell him. And I'm pretty sure, this is something he'll definitely want to know."
You know what I'm going to say, but I'll say it anyway, just in case…please please pleaseeeee review! Reading them just lets me know if there are any people actually enjoying this story! Plus any advice or criticism is welcome too, if you have any ideas about where you'd like the story to go, feel free! Just press that button below, pretty pretty pretty please!