Thanks to my awesome beta, Cdaye8184 :)

My Last Chance in Saving my Humanity has also been updated, and so has What Lies Beneath (On Cdaye8184's profile-our colab story) and Crawling Back to You will be updated soon, it is currently being beta-d.

I hope you like this!

Elena stood frozen, her mouth opened as she turned her gaze from Victoria to the little girl. The girl was blonde and she did not look like her at all.

"This is a mistake…" Elena said, "I don't have a sister. She's three years old, I would recall my mom being pregnant."

Victoria paused, looking at Elena with compassion in her eyes. "Her mom, Isobel…"

"See? My mom's name was Miranda," Elena said, "She died in a car accident, along with my father. I lived with my Aunt Jenna and my brother Jeremy," She said robotically. That was the truth, right?

"No, Elena," Victoria nodded her head. "You were adopted."

With those words Elena felt that the world had fallen and landed on her head. She couldn't understand what was going on. She raised a hand to her mouth to muffle her gasp. She did not need this. Not now. Not in this place.

But Victoria continued anyway. "Isobel, your mother got pregnant when she was a teenager. She gave you up because she couldn't take care of you," She explained lightly. "She never told me who your biological father was, nobody could get it out of her. But then when she grew up, she married and was eight months pregnant when a mysterious vampire got to her and turned her. Her husband had just died at war. Luckily, her baby-Ellie-survived. We were best friends, Elena. I knew your mother. She showed me pictures of you. Your adoptive family sent pictures of you to her every year showing how beautiful you grown. She was heartbroken when she had to give you up, she always told me that. But she didn't have the courage to get you back after all those years apart, so even though she married and had a better life she couldn't come and get you. She was too scared to face you."

"Oh my God," Elena said, tears streaming down her face at this new information. Her life had been a one, big lie. Her parents were not her parents. And Jeremy, the boy she loved as a brother was a stranger. But she loved him, and nothing would change that. They were still brother and sister in writing. But her parents... they never told her. It wasn't their place to keep it a secret!

"She died three years ago," Victoria continued. "She couldn't handle being a vampire. She nearly killed Ellie, and I tried to help her but she just walked out in the sun and died in front of my eyes. I've been taking care of Ellie ever since, as you know."

"So Ellie is my half-sister then?" Elena said, wiping away her tears, "Ellie's father is not my father?"

"No. Your biological father was her first boyfriend. Ellie's father is the man she married a few years ago."

"Oh my God," Elena exclaimed, covering her face in her hands. "This is all so messed up…"

"I think that your guardian powers come with your mother's bloodline," Victoria continued, "But then on the same time, Ellie is not a guardian. But she does possess some special gifts, one of them being the ability to see the future."

"What?" Elena demanded.

"Yes," Victoria nodded her head, "Ellie can see the future. She draws what she sees and she normally gives them to me," She gestured at the drawings that lay on the little wooden table in the corner. "At first I thought they were just drawings, but then I started to realize that what she drew became real."

"But I don't understand…" Elena bit her lip, "If I am a guardian because of my mom's bloodline, then why isn't Ellie a guardian too? And she still rejects the mark like me."

"I don't know, Elena," Victoria said, "But it has to do something with your descendants, your bloodline…"

"We have to leave," Elena said, holding her head in her hands. "We can't just stay here. We have to try and escape…"

"Elena, calm down," Damon, who hadn't said anything in a while, spoke calmly and put a gentle hand on Elena's shoulder. We can't just try and escape. It is true that you don't have the mark, but it won't be easy to get out anyway. We have to think this through, otherwise you can get hurt. You and Ellie. Besides, the seal is only opened on a full moon…"

"I don't give a damn about seals!" Elena said in anger, "My sister cannot grow up here! And neither can I. I am a human being, not a guardian or a damn slave. I cannot do anything against Klaus, Kol," She turned to Kol angrily. "I want to get the hell out of here. That is what I want to work for, getting out of here. There has to be a way. The vampires can get out…"

"The vampires can come and go as they please," Kol explained. "The seal keeps out humans. We can't get you out until Klaus is dead," Kol said firmly. "There is no way you can escape, Elena. There are guards everywhere, and the magic won't lift the seal before a full moon. If you want to get out, you'll have to cooperate with us and kill Klaus."

"What am I supposed to do?" She asked calmly, turning to Victoria. "I can't just be 'trained', as you are calling it. I can't even use telepathy and telekinesis in this place anymore without putting a lot of effort, yet alone take down a dangerous vampire."

"It takes determination and courage," Victoria said, "But you will do it. You can do it."

Later on that day, Elena and Damon were alone in the 'safe room'. Kol was out to bring some food, and Victoria was out to keep appearances to avoid suspicion falling on her and Ellie.

"I don't want you giving up," Damon said as they lay on the bed together, "You have no idea how strong you are, Elena." He was holding her against his chest, stroking her arm gently.

"Yeah…but this is different," Elena sighed, "These are powers. How am I supposed to learn to control them and take Klaus down? What if I hurt someone in the process?"

"You won't," Damon said, "I'll be helping you and be with you in whatever you do, okay?"

She sighed. "I'm scared."

"I know, baby. I don't blame you," He kissed her cheek softly. "But you have to believe in yourself. You can take him down, and you can free everyone from this place, Elena. You. Only you," He continued to whisper in her ear, filling her with courage and determination. "You can free children like Ellie, and you and I…we can start a life together, if you want. We'll get out of here together."

"I hope so," Elena said, snuggling closer to him. "I just can't believe that there are people who are so cruel to leave others in this place."

"They are not people, Elena," Damon said, "They are vampires. They don't care. Most of them are free to go out whenever they like, unless they are tricked or being held here against their will like Victoria and I. But other than that, they are free. They only care that they have a meal daily and someone to play with. They feel in control."

"That's screwed up," Elena said. "When Stefan r-r…" She couldn't get the word out, and she took a deep breath. "Abused me, I had screamed and begged him to stop. I cried and kicked and screamed but it didn't even irk him. Where is the fun in that? In hurting and taking away a woman's rights like that?" A tear escaped her eye now, and Damon wiped it with his thumb.

"I know, Elena. I'm so sorry you had to go through that. I really am. Before we get out of here, I'll make him pay for what he did to you."

"It's not your fault, Damon. You can't risk getting revenge for me."

"Yes, Elena. It is and I will. If I didn't kidnap you, if I wasn't selfish, right now you would be curled up on the couch with a warm blanket and good food in front of the television next to your aunt or your brother."

Elena took his face in her hands. "No, Damon. You don't know what could've happened. This is my fate. If I am assigned to save the world, then it would've happened regardless." She kissed him softly. "I love you, Damon. I don't regret what happened."

"I love you too, Elena," Damon stroked her face and placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Things changed so much between us, Damon," Elena said, "They truly did. I remember I was so scared of you…"

"I didn't exactly make it easy on you, 'Lena."

"I know," Elena smiled, "But I always knew that you have a good heart underneath."

"Tell me something, Elena," Damon held her face gently in his arms. "Have you completely forgiven me for the bad things I've done to you when I first kidnapped you?"

"Yes," She said without a second thought. "I've completely forgiven you, Damon. You changed," She reasoned, letting herself get lost in the memories, which were not all good. "Besides, you could've done worse to me when I disobeyed, but you didn't. Because you acted tough, but I always knew that you're pure-hearted."

He turned to her, listening to what she had thought of him earlier in their relationship.

"Do you remember when I tried to escape once?" She asked him slowly, her eyes locking with his. "And then Stefan caught me?"

"Yes," He nodded his head.

"You said that you'll deal with me," Elena continued, holding his gaze. "That day…my heart almost stopped. I was afraid you were going to hurt me really bad." She paused, swallowing thickly. "Then you brought me to your room, and you can imagine what I thought was going to happen."

Damon flinched. He had taken it too far that day. He remembered that he had pinned Elena down, tied her up and made her feel that she was nothing, that she was just a possession. He got lost in the memory.

"I'm doing this because you need to learn that I've given you some freedom already. You should learn to appreciate what you have, Elena. Tell me, what are you feeling right now?" He traced lazy circles on her stomach through the thin night-shirt she was wearing. "What are you feeling when you are being controlled by someone?"

"Scared…"

"You have no choice, no say in what's happening to you…" He smirked, moving his lips to her collarbone, his arms softly trailing her curves. He felt her tensing under his touch. "Do you think you should've been a better…companion?"

"I can't lie," Elena said interrupting him, "I was scared. When you tied me up and you started to kiss me, I thought that you were going to make me feel like I was there for your pleasure, and nothing else. But then, I saw it in your eyes. You stopped. You didn't do anything else. And I remember that you came and untied me afterwards. My point is, Damon, that these things-every good thing or bad thing that you've done to or for me, they effected the way I feel about you. And I feel good with you, Damon. I feel safe. I feel myself."

As she looked at him, she saw that his eyes were a bit watery. Emotion clogged his throat as he spoke. "I know, Elena," Damon said, hugging her tightly to his chest, "You brought me to life. That day-I did that to you because I hated myself. I hated that you were controlling me, that you were bringing up feelings in me. When you almost escaped, I was so mad. I wanted you to stay, but I didn't want to beg. And then being the bad person that I was, I figured out that tying you up and scaring you will make you submit to me, and you wouldn't control me anymore. I figured out that by controlling you, you will learn how O felt. It never works, though. In the end, good wins. And it did. I changed for you, I let you 'control' me, my emotions and my feelings. I let you bring up the humanity inside me."

"I'm glad you did, Damon," Elena said honestly.

"Me too," Damon kissed her gently. "Me too."

With time, the kiss evolved from gentle to desperate. Their lips devoured one another's and Elena would only stop for a moment when she absolutely needed to breathe.

"I want you," Elena said suddenly, need in her voice. "It's been so long, Damon. Make love to me...please."

"Elena, I don't think-" Even though he was thinking exactly that. He'd love to ravish her body right now, to show her that she was his but it didn't feel right, not right now.

But she silenced him with a rough kiss. Climbing on his lap, she wrapped her arms around him and he kissed her back with fierce passion. Fuck it he thought to himself. His hands travelled up and down her sides, his mouth possessing hers. Then, these kisses turned hungrier, rougher, and he tore off her clothes, leaving her in just her lingerie. He pinned her down on the bed, careful not to crush her with his weight, and kissed every part of her, starting from her lips, to her neck, until her body was covered with hungry kisses.

"I can't wait any longer," Elena said between long breaths.

"Me neither," Was all he said before he busied himself taking off the remaining clothing that was left between them.

"I love you, Damon." Elena looked up at him smiling. "Show me that you love me too."

"I will." He whispered as he entered her slowly, tantalizing her with each slow thrust.

"Damon please." Elena moaned. "I need more."

His prominent smirk appeared and he agreed to her words, quickly picking up the pace going harder and faster. He hovered over her, never stopping but continued to kiss her lips, her face, and her neck. She cried his name over and over in ecstasy and he was right there with her.

Both were too consumed in each other's bodies and love that for a little while, they forgot where they were. They forgot the cruel world that surrounded them, Klaus-Stefan; absolutely everything and everyone. They were together and they were happy.

And as their bodies merged into one in that moment, everything was perfect. But reality would set in soon enough.

"You were supposed to care for the girl!" Klaus screamed, hitting furiously at the table next to him. The glass shattered around at the impact.

"No," Stefan said through clenched teeth, "You told me that we should beat her up to teach her a lesson. The plan was to leave her there to let her suffer and we'd heal-"

"You do not speak to me like that, boy!" Klaus flew to Stefan, grabbing his neck and pushing him into the wall. The pictures there were fell and broke into a million pieces.

"Slave!" Klaus yelled, and a woman in her twenties walked dutifully to Klaus. Her hair was tied in a bun, and her eyes were full of dark circles. She had been rubbing the bruises on her back, and with fear in her eyes, she said, "Yes, master?"

"Clean up this mess," He barked, still holding Stefan. "Start with the glass. Don't use gloves."

"Yes, master," The girl complied, getting on her knees and picking up the pointy glass, trying not to make contact with her skin.

"It is up to you to find her now," Klaus spat, "I think this is Kol's work. I'll find him and make him pay…"

"Elena was unconscious," Stefan tried to save himself, "Neither of us thought that she'd be able to escape."

"That is why I believe Kol has something to do with this," Klaus spat, "He took Damon's body from the fucking casket, boy!"

"I'll find Elena." Stefan said uneasily.

"You better," Klaus warned. "You know why you're here, Stefan. If you still want my help in getting Katherine back, then you better hurry up and find the girl."

The scene Damon and Elena were referring to (Damon's flashback) is in Chapter 4.

I thought it would be good to remind the readers that Damon and Stefan had first kidnapped Elena to use her as a bargaining chip for Katherine. Obviously, Damon is over her since he is now in love with Elena, but Stefan…not so much. He's Klaus's lapdog because of Katherine.

Another THANK YOU to Cdaye8184, the smut scene was mostly her work :) I know this is an M rated fic, but I don't really do smut scenes in my stories. To cover this issue, I take this opportunity to remind you that the rating is mostly for the general theme of the story, which people might find a bit dark. To be honest, I'd give this a T+ rating, but that is not available.

PLEASE REVIEW AND HELP ME REACH 400