A/N: I apologize for the cliffhanger from the last chapter, but it encouraged me to write faster and get this posted. Thanks again for all the reviews/alerts/favorites. They help keeps me motivated keep the story going
Chapter 9
Tyler… fucking… Lockwood. That stupid bastard almost killed me and now it looks like he nearly killed Elena. I'll enjoy killing him even more than that little punk Griffin.
Tyler is staring into Elena's eyes looking like he is going to compel her. I can feel Elena's panic and confusion. Elena must realize he wants to compel her as she looks down quickly and lets a right hook fly across his jaw knocking his head back.
"What are you doing? Let me go Tyler." She yells at him.
Tyler starts shaking his head and let's go of Elena's throat. Tyler's hands fly to his head and he drops to his knees. "Run Elena. I can't….run." He croaks.
What? Don't question, just move. Elena's adrenaline kicks in reducing her panic slightly, but her fear and confusion continue to escalate.
Elena starts running but Tyler regains his senses reaching out he hooks her foot causing Elena to sprawl across the porch. Elena scrambles to her feet but Tyler blurs in front of her blocking the porch stairs.
"Tyler, its Elena. You don't have to do this. I'll stay, I won't leave Mystic Falls, I promise." Why is Tyler doing this?
"It's too late love" Tyler says with a half smile. My anger is growing as Elena is petrified but there is a veil of determination to survive over top of all of her emotions.
Elena connects another punch and I can hear a crunching sound which explains the broken hand. Not missing a beat, she throws a roundhouse kick causing Tyler to stumble down the steps. I need to remember not to piss Elena off. She's gotten some good shots in against a hybrid. Elena makes a break for the front door to the house, but Tyler manages to get a hold of her arm pulling Elena close to him chest to chest.
"Tyler, we've known each other our entire lives. Please let me go." Elena says softly. Her heightened fear is crashing into me now like a tidal wave. Breathe, Salvatore, this already happened. There is nothing you can do to change it.
"Ahhhh, very touching. You and Tyler are friends." Tyler tilts his head to the side with a smirk. Why is Tyler talking about himself in the third person? Is this really Tyler?
Elena knees him in the groan and Tyler's face turns angry.
"I'm done with the games." He throws Elena against the house so hard it leaves an indentation in the siding and she slides down to the porch. Elena is wheezing and crawling to get to the front door. Tyler grabs her leg, pulling her towards him and gives it a slight twist. There is a popping sound causing Elena to scream in pain. Tears are streaming down her face as her knee dislocates. I feel like something is ripping out my heart, spine and limbs all at the same time and white dots briefly cloud my vision at the intensity of the pain Elena is experiencing.
"Tyler, its Elena. You're friend, Elena." Elena's breathes are coming in gasps. Her lung must have collapsed by this point. Tyler kicks Elena in the stomach forcing her to slide across the porch into the house landing with sick thud. I start pacing unsure how much more of this I can watch. She is in so much pain and she is fighting for every breath she draws.
"I'm sorry." Tyler whispers a tear rolling down his cheek. "Get out, get out" Tyler screams grabbing his head.
Elena scratches at the porch pulling herself towards the front door.
Tyler shakes his head and focuses on Elena again. "Both of you, so feisty. I can solve his feisty nature. A little drink should do the trick. You on the other hand, need more extreme measures. This isn't how I wanted this to go, but you have left me little choice."
Tyler strides over and picks Elena up by her shirt and slams her against the house and he presses against her. Her head falls onto Tyler's shoulder and it looks like she is barely conscious. Tyler slaps her across the face breaking open her lip.
"No passing out on me, love." Tyler laughs.
He lifts Elena's chin and locks eyes with her. "You will forget who attacked you. You will retreat inside yourself, comatose, to heal until I come from you. You cannot protect anyone awake, stay in the dark and all your friends and family will be safe. The darkness is where you belong until I come for you."
The veins emerge across Tyler's face and he sinks his fangs into Elena's neck. She struggles against him for a minute and then I find myself back in the blackness.
Tyler dies. I will kill him slowly, and painfully, making him suffer for ever coming near Elena. My every instinct is screaming at me call Bonnie to get me out of here to take out Tyler now, but Elena needs to wake up. She needs to wake up now so we can get her to safety. I am stumped as what I should do next. All of the memories are unlocked, but I can't control anything in here to figure out how to get back to Elena to convince her to wake up.
The blackness dissipates and I am standing in an old barn. Great, another memory. Stefan is on the ground writhing in pain and Elena is on her knees next to him.
"Get it out Elena, please" Stefan growls. Oh, that's right. Stefan got shot when Elena and Bonnie went to meet Mrs. Witchy. I was left out of the road trip to find Bonnie's long lost mother.
Elena sighs in frustration. "Keep squirming and maybe I'll feel sorry for you." She grips a piece of wood in Stefan's chest and yanks it free.
Maybe I should have left the wood chips in for a while and let him suffer after what he did to me on Wickory Bridge. No, that would be stooping to his level. I refuse to out villain the villain.
Elena wipes the blood from her hands. "You've changed" Stefan says staring up at her. "Something's different about you. You're stronger, tougher."
Elena sighs and looks at the ground. "You're not the only one that changed. We all had to."
He always thought of me as being fragile, I know it was because he wanted to protect me. I had to prove to myself that I wasn't. It's about time he saw me as more than a porcelain doll.
Stefan chuckles. "It's good to know."
Elena is apprehensive all of a sudden. "There's something I have to tell you. And it's not because I feel guilty that it happened. It's because I feel guilty you don't know." Elena pulls out another piece of wood from Stefan's chest. She takes a breath. "I kissed Damon."
Wait, she said she kissed me? I totally kissed her. She kissed me back, but I still initiated it. Interesting.
They each just stare at the ground awkwardly for a minute before Elena pats Stefan's stomach. "You're all done."
Stefan slowly gets to his feet and walks away without saying a word.
Wait, I tell him I kissed his brother and he has no response?
Elena remains on the ground as he walks away. She just shakes her head and I can feel her frustration. Elena eventually gets up and walks to the car finding Stefan standing with his back to her.
"Stefan, say something. Please."
"I shouldn't have kidnapped you." Stefan turns around to face Elena. "The car, the bridge. It was too far."
"Thank you" Elena answers quietly. I feel a sense of relief flicker inside of her.
"But you shouldn't have lied to me today. You can't go off and do things like that Elena. Not while Klaus is still alive." Stefan shoves his hands in his pockets. My brother, always so broody.
Elena crosses her arms. "I know, I wanted to give Bonnie a moment with her mother without everything else getting in the way."
"Without me getting in the way." Stefan responds.
Not just him, anything supernatural. This should have been a monumental moment for Bonnie.
Elena looks down at the ground and then back at Stefan. "I didn't plan on kissing him." A sense of confusion descends over me as she stares at Stefan and I feel guilty as I put her in this awkward situation. I deserved the punch in the face Stefan gave me later that night.
"You're better than him Elena. You're better than both of us." Stefan climbs into his car. Elena just watches him pull away.
What does that even mean? I know Stefan never liked me associating with Damon on any level especially as friends. Damon has changed for the better. Sometimes I think I'm the only one that sees that. I never wanted to feel anything for Damon and part of me hates myself for letting it happen as if I am betraying Stefan, but nevertheless I feel something for Damon. I still feel something for Stefan. Does he even feel anything for me? I'm so confused. What does he mean I'm better than both of them? I've told so many lies and done horrible things to keep myself and my friends alive. I'm definitely not better than anyone. Damon and Stefan have sacrificed everything for each other and for me. I don't deserve either of them.
Damn my brother. Yet again the martyr. Always trying to be the bigger man while his big brother kisses his girl in a selfish and impulsive act. There is a reason I'm always second best and never get the girl. I am an utter and complete asshole.
The memory fades away and my bedroom forms around me and I see the memory version of myself on my bed. Oh shit. This is not a night I want to relive. I get to see in gory detail, the night I almost died. Immediately I feel the piercing cold of Elena's fear and grief causing me to shiver.
"Elena" I croak out.
"It's ok, Damon. I'm right here" Elena says soothingly.
"Elena, get out of here. I could hurt you." I see myself try and push her away. I remember I was petrified I would kill her like Rose almost did. It was bad enough I bit her.
"No. You won't. I'm here until the very end. I'm not leaving you." No one should die alone. He's done so much for me. Always putting himself in harms way to save me, even to safe Stefan like with the tomb vampires. He's never asked anything in return. I won't leave him when he needs me the most.
"Get out of here." I start coughing and Elena crawls into the bed to hold me.
"Hey, hey, hey, hey. Hang on. Shh. It's ok. It's ok. It's ok" Please, he can't die. He wiggled his way into my life and I'm not about to let him go now. I've lost too many people I care about already.
"It's not ok. It's not ok. All those years, I've blamed Stefan. No one forced me to love her. It was my own choice."
"Shh" There are few people in this world I hate, and Katherine is one of them. She tore Damon and Stefan apart for no other reason than sport.
"I made the wrong choice. You tell Stefan I'm sorry. Ok?" Elena nods gripping me tighter. Her grief keeps escalating.
"This is even more pitiful than I thought." It really was a pitiful sight to look at me. All pasty and sweaty. Not one of my better looks.
"There's still hope" Elena says.
"I've made a lot of choices that have gotten me here. I deserve this. I deserve to die." Knowing everything that has happened to Stefan and Elena since that night, I wish I had died. Stefan wouldn't have suffered at the hands of Klaus. He would have kept Elena safe and happy and Klaus would never have known she was alive to use as a human blood bag.
"No. You don't." Elena shifts to lie next to me on the bed. He's worked so hard to be a better person. Worked to be a better brother to Stefan and a friend to me. He doesn't deserve this especially since he was doing all of this to try and save me.
"I do, Elena. It's ok. 'Cause if I'd have chosen differently, I wouldn't have met you. I'm so sorry. Done so many things to hurt you."
"It's ok. I forgive you." Elena gives me a comforting smile. Most of what he has done has been out of misguided love or to protect me. I've done my share of crazy things to protect the people I love.
"I know you love Stefan. And it will always be Stefan." Elena snuggles next to me, her head on my chest stroking my hand.
"But I love you. You should know that" Elena starts to cry and nods her head. I know he loves me. I feel something for him. I don't know what. I know I shouldn't feel anything, but I do. I felt something the first moment we met, the moment he touched my hand there just this, I don't even know what it was. Some kind of connection. Why else would I keep him around? Why would I so desperately want, no need, for him to live?
"I do" She answers as tears fall onto my shirt.
I smile into her hair. "You should have met me in 1864. You would have liked me."
Elena raises her head to look at me. "I like you now. Just the way you are." This is the real him. The bad-ass vampire that could care less about anyone is the front he uses to protect himself. Protect his heart that has been smashed and betrayed by Stefan, Katherine, his father, me. His entire life he has been second to someone, usually his brother. I would be lying to myself if I didn't admit there was a part of me that wonders what it would be like to be with Damon. To feel the passion and living life on the edge that is entirely Damon. But I'm with Stefan. I won't play with their hearts like Katherine did.
I'm see myself fighting to stay conscious and Elena's eyes move from my eyes to my mouth.
I have to kiss him. I have to know what it's like to feel his lips on mine just once.
Then she leans in and gives me a gentle kiss.
"Thank you." I manage to get out.
"You're welcome" Elena says with a small smile, tears still staining her face.
I am dumped back into the blackness. As much I have enjoyed reliving all of Elena's memories, especially my almost death, this is getting me nowhere. Getting to hear yet again that Elena feels something for me, but in the end, as usual it's Stefan, always Stefan, the better brother, that prevents her from ever wanting to explore what may have been something fantastic between us. All of her memories are unlocked, but I haven't even come close to waking her up yet. Elena has fought me at every attempt to get through to her.
"Come on Elena" I growl. "I know what Tyler said to you. Staying in here isn't protecting anyone. Its only allowing him to win and making you an easy target" I yell into the blackness.
Elena steps out of the blackness towards me. "This is where I belong. In the dark, alone."
Elena and I stand and stare at each other. I hear noises from all around me. Elena looks down her eyes full of fear and sorrow. My senses are going off and I turn in a slow circle to see what is coming at us now.
As I turn I see people coming at me. Vicki, Anna, Pearl, Caroline, Stefan, Frederick, Rose, Trevor. They circle around me and start closing in. Trevor is the first to attack. He lunges for me and I catch him by the shirt and throw him to the ground snapping his neck. As I stand up Vicki shoves a stake in my back just missing my heart. I reach back and catch her wrist flipping her over my shoulder. I slam her to the ground with a thud plunging my hand into her chest. I stand back up her heart in my hand. Frederick charges me next and I plunge my hand into his chest before he can lay a hand on me ripping out his heart. Before I could do anything else the rest of the group jump me simultaneously dragging me to the ground.
I shouldn't be surprised that Elena has a fear of the vampires, both past and present, going berserk and attacking. I just didn't think I would be on the receiving end of it like this. Rose and Anna pin my arms down. I am kicking as hard as I can to keep the others away from me. Pearl stakes my legs to the ground. I lift my head and see Stefan making his way over to Elena.
"Elena, this isn't real. Stefan and Caroline would never hurt you." Elena just stands in place and tilts her head to the side exposing her neck as Stefan approaches her. Her face looks resigned to her fate as if this outcome was inevitable.
Caroline straddles me as I struggle to get up. Rose and Anna have now staked my arms so I am completely immobilized. Caroline leans over me and roughly pushes my head to the side. Knowing what is about to happen I struggle harder feeling the pain in my limbs from the stakes holding me down. Caroline slowly descends her head, the veins prominent on her face baring her fangs. She pierces my neck. Rose, Anna and Pearl are sinking their fangs into any flesh they can find. Legs, stomach, chest. One would think this would be some kind of vampire fantasy to have four women feeding from them, but no. This fucking hurts. I may have a whole new respect for my victims after this.
I buck my body to try and get Caroline off before she drains me. She squeezes her thighs tight so I can't knock her off. A surge of adrenaline courses through me and I start pulling at my arms grimacing as the stakes pull through the flesh. Once my arms are free I grab Caroline by the neck flinging her to the side as she tears the skin from my neck and I manage to knock Rose back with Caroline's body as she flies through the air. I reach down and snap Pearl's neck causing Anna to stop feeding from me. She backs off to regroup with Caroline and Rose. I quickly pull the stakes from my legs leaving gaping holes in each and push myself to my feet.
I look up and see Stefan is drinking from Elena and she starts to go limp in his arms. Suddenly Stefan stops drinking his head snapping up. He let's go of Elena and starts to back away as does Caroline, Rose, and Anna. All of them disappear into the blackness.
Elena and I are left staring at each other again, each of us breathing heavy. Blood is dripping from her neck and blood is pooling on the ground at my feet from all of my stake wounds and bites.
"Elena please. It's time to wake up. Tyler was wrong. This isn't where you belong. You belong out there, in the light with your friends. With the people you love and who love you. We'll fight side by side to protect everyone like we always do and we'll survive. If we are all going to survive this, you need to be out there with us."
"Leave before I kill you to." Elena starts to run away but an arm emerges from the darkness and stops her. Elena struggles to free herself and the rest of the body emerges into view. Klaus. He is holding Elena firmly against him. As I have weathered many fears from Elena, I am actually surprised I haven't encountered Satan Klaus before now. He's caused so much pain and terror in all of our lives, he will probably haunt Elena for the rest of her life.
Klaus spins Elena around grabbing her by the throat and pushing her to the ground. He hovers above her. I run after them and tackle him off of Elena. We roll across the ground and Klaus winds up on top. No surprise he is stronger than anything I have ever encountered. Klaus stands up hauling to my feet by the lapels of my shirt capturing the talisman in his grip. I struggle to free myself but his grip doesn't budge.
"If there was a time to wake up, now would be it, Elena" I say sarcastically.
Klaus tilts his head and smirks at me releasing one of his hands and plunges it into my chest. "Fuck!" I scream. The pain is excruciating.
"Leave! Now!" Elena screams. Even if I wanted to leave I can't as Klaus still has the talisman tangled in the hand gripping my shirt.
"I'm not leaving until you wake up Elena. There are people waiting out there that need you. If you won't wake up for yourself, then do it for Jeremy and Alaric. You are the only family they have. Wake up for Stefan. He loves you and needs you." I plead.
"LEAVE!"
Klaus squeezes my heart. "Ahhhh. My heart is about to get ripped out Elena. Is that what you want? To finally be rid of me. WAKE. UP."
"Get out! Please." Tears are streaming down her face.
Klaus squeezes harder and I'm not able to break his hold. I've often wondered how I would ultimately die. So this is it. I die at the hand of an imaginary original vampire hybrid conjured up in the mind of an eighteen year old human girl. Only my dumbass self goes out in this non blaze of glory.
I lock eyes with Elena. "Please Elena. I need you. I won't lose you. I'll stay here and die if it means you wake up." I whisper.
Elena closes her eyes. Klaus starts to laugh. I drop my head and stop struggling. I failed. She isn't going to wake up. Tyler or whatever baddie is coming will take her and I won't be around to stop them. I open my eyes to take one last look at her before my heart is ripped out. Shock is the only emotion I can register before Elena hits me full force around the waist hard enough to knock me free of Klaus's hold.
I grab her hand and wrap it around the talisman with mine as we fly through the air. "Bonnie" I yell.
I feel myself land in my chair next to the Elena's hospital bed tipping over sideways and skidding across the floor slamming into the wall. Fighting to pick my head up, I see Elena bolt up in bed gasping for air. She's awake. Her heart rate and breathing are very rapid, too rapid.
I hear everyone talking at once calling Elena's name and shouts of joy.
"Shit, Damon" I hear Matt mutter. "Caroline, get over here now."
Caroline appears in my line of vision. "Is she okay? Is Elena okay?" I croak.
"He's covered in blood, Caroline. You have to get him out of here. Someone will be here any second to check on Elena."
My eyes close and I can feel myself start to lose conscious, but I fight it as I need to know if Elena is okay. I feel someone picking me up and I pry open my eyes again looking to Elena. Stefan is sitting on the side of the bed with his arms wrapped around her. Her eyes are only half open, but she seems to tilt her head in my direction slightly and I see her mouth 'thank you' before letting her head fall, burying her face against Stefan's shoulder. I breathe a sigh of relief and I let me eyes close again.
"Damon, I'm really sorry about this." Caroline whispers in my ear and then I feel like I'm falling before intense pain radiates throughout my body on top of the pain from the wounds I already had as my body comes to an abrupt stop.
I hear a thud next to my head. "Elena is awake. I'll get more information once I get you home." Caroline says as picks me up.
"Did you just throw me out the window?" I groan the realization hitting me of why I felt like I was falling. As Caroline moves me I can feel my back is broken.
"I had to get you out of the room as fast as possible and dragging you through the hospital covered in blood didn't seem like the best option." I feel Caroline set me in a car.
"Take me to the Lockwoods. Don't take me home." I say as I continue to fight to stay awake. Tyler needs to die and he needs to die as soon as possible.
"Why?" Caroline asks starting the car.
"Because I have to rip Tyler Lockwood apart for hurting Elena." I lose my battle to stay conscious.
A/N: Woo hoo, Elena is awake. I know some of you wanted Stefan to be the bad guy. I contemplated having it be him, but I just couldn't to do so it fell to Tyler. There is still more to the story now that Elena is awake so please keep reviewing!