Elena wasn't sure what had come over her. She knew Elijah wasn't trying to be mean or control her. He was the only person that truly cared about anything she ever wanted but her emotions were going crazy. She had no reason to feel upset but she did. She had lived with him for months and in her heart she knew she was in love with him but she couldn't bring herself to say it. She supposed he knew it but wasn't sure what was keeping her from saying it out loud. Maybe it was because he had this odd obsession with trying to make her reveal herself. He wouldn't let her wear the necklace in his house and up until now she hadn't thought much of it. Maybe all he wanted was Katherine too.
She compelled a woman on the street to trade clothes with her and entered a bar. Her stomach was doing backflips. It probably wasn't the best idea to drink while angry but she didn't care right now and downed drink after drink. She thought she would get angrier the more she drank but she actually calmed down and she felt an overwhelming need for Elijah as she thought about what he had said. She realized she was acting stupidly, of course he didn't think she was Katherine. He had known who she was even through her disguise and he was the only one. She should suck it up and tell Stefan and Damon how she really felt. The only problem was she didn't want to do it alone, she wanted Elijah with her when she talked to them because she was still afraid so she got out her wallet to pay her bill. She would go find Elijah and she would apologize for acting like a crazy person and tomorrow she would end all of this. She just wanted to be with Elijah and would do anything he wanted if that meant she could stay by his side. She would tell Stefan and Damon to go to hell and stop wearing this dumb necklace. She was about to leave when a voice spoke in her ear.
"Hello there." She froze unsure what to do. "You're Elijah's little pet aren't you? You were with him earlier."
"So what?" She snarled.
"So we just wanted to ask you some questions. Have you seen this girl?" Damon held up a picture of her.
"Actually I have." She said playing with the necklace.
"See Stef, I told you Elijah was lying to us. Elena's here and we have to get her back." Elena felt a sharp pain in her neck and her world spun as she fell. She wanted to puke as she felt Damon pick her up and speed off. She was thrown into what she assumed was the trunk of a car.
Elena had passed out and immediately recognized where she was when she woke up. She was back in Mystic Falls locked in the all too familiar basement of the boarding house. She tried to rub her aching head but her hands were stopped by burning against her wrists. She cried out realizing the restraints were covered in vervain and she was too weak to do anything and it sucked.
"Looky here. Blondie is awake." The door flew open and Damon walked through followed by Stefan. They both looked furious.
"Please let me go." She begged. "You don't understand."
"I understand perfectly that Elijah lied to us. I'm trying to find someone and I will not stop until I do." Damon revealed a stake and quickly lunged it into Elena's stomach. She screamed out in pain. Not only was it a stake but it too had been soaked in vervain.
"Stop! Please!" Tears ran down her face. "Let me explain." He looked into her eyes but she waited. She had to opportunity to tell him who she really was but she needed to know if he would recognize her. Elijah said he had recognized her by her eyes. Maybe Damon would too. After a moment he growled turning away from her and she felt her heart shatter but at the same time felt relief. The next time she saw Elijah she was going to tell him that she loved him.
"I'm not a very patient person and I really hate playing games." He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. "Hey there Elijah!" He turned back to her smirking.
"Damon don't!" She called out and he hesitated only for a moment.
"I've got your little girlfriend here and I'm willing to make a deal with you. Tell us where Elena is and maybe I'll return her with all her body parts." Damon twisted the stake that was still stuck in her belly and she cried out again as he yanked it out. Elena finally snapped.
"Dammit Damon! I am Elena!" She screamed and everything was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
"What?" He was pissed. It was extremely painful and she barely reached but she managed to grab her necklace and tear it off letting it drop to the floor.
"It's me Damon." She coughed up some blood and it spilled down the front of her shirt. "It's been me the whole time." The phone crushed under Damon's grasp and she continued to cry.
"Elena I…" He felt guilty, it was written all over his face but Elena didn't care right now. It didn't matter to her that he hadn't known it was her. She was tired of him doing things like this because of her.
"Please let me go." She begged again looking away. Damon quickly undid her restraints.
"Elena…" He looked at her with those puppy dog eyes.
"Don't even say that you're sorry because you're not. If I hadn't told you it was me you wouldn't have stopped. You would have killed me!" She snapped. "Just help me up." He did as she asked and brought her back upstairs gently setting her down on the couch. She rested her head against the back of the couch and took a few deep breaths.
"Okay, what the hell Elena! You been with Elijah all this time!?" He yelled pacing around the room.
"No. Not the entire time. I was alone for a couple weeks." She explained. "That's when he found me. It was by complete accident, I was more than content alone but he insisted he wanted to help."
"You could have turned him down." He argued as Stefan walked in with a blood bag. He handed it to her but she didn't drink. She was too tired.
"No, I couldn't." She laughed.
"I don't see what's so funny about any of this!" Damon was getting mad again. "Is he compelling you to stay with him!? I'll kill him!"
"Elijah wouldn't do that Damon. You need to calm down." Elena gripped the blood bag. She wanted it so badly but she couldn't will her body to move.
"He kissed you." Stefan finally piped up and she smiled. "When we first ran into him, well, both of you. He kissed you."
"Yeah, he did." Elena closed her eyes and pictured his face. She missed him so much.
"You're in love with him aren't you?" Stefan's voice was sad and Elena did feel bad but she couldn't change how she felt.
"Yes." She confirmed and Damon hit the roof.
"No! That is not happening! Stefan! Stick her back in the basement! She's obviously lost it!" Elena flinched as he sped to her and shook her hard. "Why Elena!? Why him!?" She started to cry again afraid of what Damon was going to do to her.
"I don't know. I can't explain it, I just love him Damon. He knew me right away. I was wearing the necklace when he found me too but he recognized me." She said. "It's just right."
"I won't let you go." He growled low and the anger in his eyes terrified her. This was why she wanted Elijah with her but she had no choice. Damon pulled out another stake. He was about to thrust it into her heart but he was knocked back.
"What the hell are you doing!?" Stefan was standing in between them. Elena gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. Damon had just tried to kill her.
"I'd rather see you dead than with Elijah!" He snarled coming at her again. This time Stefan had to hold him back.
Elena wasn't sure where she got the strength but she stood and sped out the door and away from the boarding house. She was running on pure instinct and before she realized it she was home. Before she could get inside she fell over and everything went black.