Chapter Ten: Outrageous

Elena fought with herself internally for a moment before deciding on a course of action. Should she really tell Stefan about the lock? It was the only information she had to give, but she did want to take this opportunity to get some answers. Things that were blurry before were starting to get crystal clear to her, yet still she was at a loss for words at her current predicament. She had known Stefan for three years now, and yet she didn't see the signs when they were right in front of her. Aside from that, how was it even possible that his brother could harbor the same delusion about Elena that Stefan obviously had? Things were getting a little tricky, but Elena hoped that she could prevail. She knew her course of action. Sure, she had sort of been hyperventilating for a minute there and was currently kind of twitching, but so what? After all, how calm and clear minded would anyone expect someone of her situation to be? Elena guessed that she was doing pretty well considering.

She took a small step towards the sealed door and spoke cautiously amid the sounds of Stefan's pounding and pulling.

"Stefan, I can't open it. I think it's locked in here, too."

Elena heard the pounding cease.

"Well, is there a key?" His answer sounded impatient, a side of him that she knew all too well.

"I don't know. I don't think so."

"Elena, you need to tell me the truth, okay? I can't help you here if you won't let me."

"Stefan, I am telling you the truth! This door is enforced with something strong, I can't open it."

She heard him mutter something under his breath and start fingering the door's hinges. He quietly began analyzing the walls surrounding the outside of the bedroom as well, searching for a way in.

Should she tell him about the diamond coating? Did she even want him to get her out of here? Elena had obviously come to terms with the fact that Stefan was a vampire too. That made her even more nervous. What had happened to Damon during the fight between the two brothers? If he was okay, why wasn't he doing anything to prevent Stefan from trying to get to her? Was he hurt? Dead? Why did Elena even care?

She felt her heart sink as she realized that if Damon was dead and Stefan couldn't get her out of this enforced room, she would starve to death. On the other hand, if Stefan did manage to get her out, she was just moving from one crazy kidnapper to another one.

After a few more moments of silence, Stefan spoke again.

"Elena, I need you to tell me something." His voice was quiet and solemn, which only heightened Elena's anxiety.

Elena mumbled an incoherent agreement and he continued.

"Do you know?" He asked it pitifully, as if he was ashamed of whatever information he was inquiring about.

Elena's brows furrowed. What was he doing? Should she play along? What was he even talking about? She tried to recall what she had read about psychology and how the brain works. Maybe she could manipulate him until she could figure out how dire her situation was.

"I know." She whispered. It wasn't really a lie. Elena knew a lot of things, including Stefan's creepy fixation on her.

"I meant to tell you. I wanted to, but after we were together, of course. I just couldn't..."

Elena waited for him to say something else, but his monologue was cut short by the sound of a sharp crack against the door. Elena listened closely as she heard the sound of two pairs of feet shuffling against the floor, and she quickly realized one of them was Damon's! Her heart soared with hope and happiness and for the first time since her capture, she didn't question her joy. She had a strange, all encompassing feeling that she was safer in Damon's arms than in Stefan's. Neither were very predictable and Damon was also possibly a murderer, but in the three years that Elena had known Stefan, she had seen sides of him that she never wanted to see again.

Noises rang from outside the door, vivid and clear despite the thickness and density of the entrance.

"BAM" Something smashed against the wall.

Damon's voice, screaming.

"I WON'T LET YOU TOUCH HER AGAIN, DO YOU HEAR ME?"

"I killed you! I killed you!" Stefan responded irrationally.

A struggle ensued, with various other heated remarks exchanged between the brothers.

Banging and booms and all sorts of crashes went on for at least five minutes before it all came to an abrupt stop.

Elena, who had been apprehensively standing frozen in the same spot since her conversation with Stefan was getting nervous all over again. She thought her heart would burst in her chest as it pulsed quicker than she was sure it did during all of her most vigorous pilates classes combined.

Finally, soft footsteps sounded as someone approached the door and the former popstar watched as the knob twisted slowly. Elena held her breath and closer her eyes tightly as the door creaked open and a figure stepped inside. Has Stefan gotten the upper hand again? What would happen to her now?

All of her worries ceased, though, when she squinted her eyes open to see a pair of bright blue eyes, not green looking back at her fondly.

She watched as the man's beautiful lips curved into a genuine, kind smile and he stuck out a strong hand to meet hers.

Elena watched him warily. He shook his head playfully, telling her that it was okay.

"I thought that we might be able to start again. You know, we didn't really have such a great introduction last time."

She stared at him, puzzled. He continued, grinning and batting his eyelashes as if he had never been that cuckoo man Elena was sure he had been.

"Elena Gilbert, my name is Damon Salvatore, and I would like to beg your forgiveness for this confusion. If you will let me, I have some explaining to do."

Elena hesitated briefly, but she bit her lip and nodded, taking his hand cautiously and letting him lead her out of the room.

A/N: SHOCK! What is going on now? Confused? Me too. Just kidding. All in good time, my pretties. In other news... Yay! Officially to the tenth chapter and the story is going according to plan. Anyone get the double entendre of the door to D's room being like the tomb from season 2? Damon had created this place of his so that his bedroom was like a safe house, no one could get in or out of the door without his aid. Maybe he even has a zombie survival kit stored in a trap door in the ceiling. Hmmm..