Read and Review please. CLM18
Chapter 3After supper Elena went up to bed, she pulled her phone out, she hovered her finger over Damon's name, she really wanted to phone him. But she didn't want to wake him. She decided she would text him goodnight instead, text Damon - I hope you are resting, will see you tomorrow. I love you. Goodnight -E
Elena sighed as she felt sleep take her, wondering if she would be visited by any more dreams.
At the hospital Damon was faced with his own dreams.
"Mommy, please come back." A young 17-year-old Damon whispered to a grave below him, taking deep gulps of a bottle of bourbon. A young Stefan, walked up to him.
"You missed your speech." A 10-year-old Stefan said, tears forming in the little boy's eyes.
"I did not know what to say." Damon mumbled, clearly embarrassed.
"You could have just said goodbye!" Stefan cried.
"I…" Damon's voice was caught in his throat.
The dream blurred, and he was transported to a different time, an even darker time.
This time he was in the boarding house in 1994.
"I want my ring back Stefan," Damon demand holding a woman in his arms, the woman was clearly heavily pregnant. Blood was covering Damon's mouth, the rest of the house guest's lay dead, their necks ripped open.
"Damon please don't do this! You don't have to do this! I know you promised me an eternity of misery, but this is going too far." Stefan yelled at him clearly upset.
"Zach will never forgive you please Damon, please don't do this." Stefan pleaded.
"Stefan, I promised you an eternity of misery brother, and an eternity you shall have." As the Damon in the dream spoke he dug his fangs deep within the woman's neck…
Damon shot up in the hospital bed screaming, alerting the nurses.
"Mr. Salvatore! Are you alright?" The nurse came rushing to his bedside.
"Uh, yes sorry, just a bad dream." Damon said his face red with embarrassment.
"Now, now Mr. Salvatore you have had quite a day, here your phone is blinking, I think that it is from that nice young brunette from earlier." The nurse named Meredith said handing him his phone.
Damon moaned as she passed him the phone, "Thank you."
His mind was racing, he had done so many bad things. He looked at his phone he smiled looking at the message from Elena, text Elena – I love you too babe, sleep well.
He looked through his messages from the day before. He felt tears coming to his eyes. "Stefan." He groaned, Stefan was gone, Klaus had him, and if Damon knew his brother, Stefan was deep in bodies by now. Damon cringed, remembering his vow to his brother. Whenever you fall off the wagon I'll be there to pick you up again, every second, everyday until you don't need me…
'I'll find you Stef, please stay strong.' Damon thought to himself.
Miles away in New Orleans…
"Rippah! Come on now, there are more people we need to meet." Klaus said to Stefan as they walked across Bourbon Street.
"Klaus, why are we here, what do you need me for?" Stefan was terrified.
"Well, lets see. Your friends deceived me, you are my collateral." Klaus said as they walked into a bar on the end of the street. "Now, we are going to get nice and comfortable here, we are going to be the best of friends Stefan, brothers wouldn't you say?" Klaus smirked.
"I already have a brother." Stefan snapped.
"Ah, yes that pathetic creature; Damien is it?" Klaus snickered.
"DAMON, is not pathetic, he will save me." Stefan confidently said.
"Oh, Rippah you are very delusional. No matter, you will obey me, and we will all get what we want." Klaus said indecisively. Stefan could feel that there was things Klaus was not telling him, he didn't know what Klaus wanted with him, he only knew that things were going to get dark.
"I won't do what you want of me Klaus." Stefan fought the compulsion.
"Now, now, Stefan I really didn't want to have to do this. I wanted us to be on good terms. After all the things I've done for you, keeping your little friends alive. This hurts me more that it will hurt you." Klaus said as he dragged Stefan to the back of the bar.
"What are you doing Klaus? Where are we going?" Stefan was panicking.
"Turn it off." Klaus said firmly.
"What?" Stefan said his eyes wide.
"I said, TURN IT OFF!" Klaus yelled, staring directly into Stefan's eyes, his pupils dilating.
"No, no. Please don't do this." Stefan moaned diverting his eyes from Klaus's gaze.
Klaus pinned Stefan to the wall. "TURN IT OFF!" he demanded staring deep in Stefan's eyes. Stefan had tears rolling down his cheeks, he felt the humanity inside him slipping away. "I am sorry brother," was the last words he said before his body and mind was void of humanity.
"Good, now Rippah Welcome to New Orleans." Klaus laughed, Stefan smiled his face showed no emotion but pure evil. All that was left inside of Stefan was the monster.
The next day…
The sun was just rising as Elena awoke. She rubbed her eyes, groaning as she noticed the time on the clock, 5:45. Her sleep was restless, she couldn't stop thinking about the events the day before. Everything was blurring together.
She slipped out of bed, grabbing a comfy outfit for the day and getting ready. Her stomach clenched, quickly she went to the bathroom and threw up. The sudden sound of sickness woke Jeremy.
"Elena? What is wrong? Why are you up so early?" Jeremy groaned as he entered the bathroom that he and his sister shared.
"El! Jeez what is wrong with you?" Jeremy said grabbing his sister's hair for her.
"I'm sorry Jer, I just haven't been feeling well." Elena said going to the sink and rinsing her mouth.
"Wow, no kidding, last night and now this morning you have been so sick, should I let Aunt Jenna know? Maybe you should go see someone?" Jeremy was worried about his sister.
"NO! I mean no its okay, I am going to see Damon today I'll just ask one of the doctors there if I feel bad again." Elena panicked, nobody could know about the baby yet. Not until she told Damon, not until Bonnie and Grams find out what is going on.
Jeremy nodded, "Okay, well get better sis." Jeremy said leaving the bathroom.
Elena finished getting ready, slipping downstairs to get some breakfast. Aunt Jenna woke up at about 6:30.
"Elena! What are you doing up already?" Jenna said startled as she walked in the kitchen. Elena was sitting eating some cheerios.
"I couldn't sleep." Elena said pulling the spoon up to her mouth.
"I can understand." Jenna sympathized. Jenna went and got a coffee. "Have you had coffee yet El, I'll get you a cup if you like?" Jenna smiled.
Elena wondered if she could drink coffee being pregnant. "Um, no its okay I think I'll skip it today." Elena forced a smile.
"Oh okay, that's not like you El. Are you sick?" Aunt Jenna was worried.
"No, I just don't feel like coffee this morning that's all." Elena rushed her words out.
"Oh, okay then. So, um I guess your probably not going to school today?" Aunt Jenna said blowing on her coffee.
"I, no I was going to see Damon at the hospital, I feel really bad for what happened." Elena explained taking her bowl to the sink and rinsing it.
"Yeah, no that's understandable, but El, don't beat yourself up about it. Accidents happen." Jenna said patting her niece on the shoulder.
"Yeah, well um I think I will get going, it's a bit of a walk." Elena said as she went for the door.
"Elena, you don't have to walk, I am home today take my car okay?" Jenna said handing her the keys.
"Are you sure?" Elena was shocked.
"Yeah, its not a problem, we will have to go this week to get you a new car. But until then you can use mine okay?" Jenna smiled.
"Yeah okay that's great thanks Aunt Jenna." Elena smiled.
"Your welcome, drive safe. Tell Damon to get better from Jer and I." Jenna said as Elena went out the door.
The drive over to the hospital was quick, she wasn't sure if visiting hours had started yet but she really didn't care. She had to see Damon, she had to tell him about the baby.
When Elena got there, she went to the front desk.
"Um, I realize its early, but I was wondering if I could see Damon Salvatore." Elena asked the front desk nurse.
"Oh, I suppose that would be okay, I'll just ask him if he is okay with visitors, could you give me your name?" the young nurse asked she was a little woman with thick blonde hair.
"Elena, Elena Gilbert. I am his girlfriend." Elena said.
"Gilbert, as in Grayson?" the nurse asked her eyes wide.
"Um, yes he was my father." Elena said she felt her chest tightening at the thought of her father.
"Oh, I am sorry I didn't mean to upset you. I do that sometimes say things I don't mean, excuse me I'll go see if Mr. Salvatore is up for company. He had a bad night last night." The nurse said as she slipped down the corridor.
'Oh, no a bad night.' Elena thought to her self.
"Mr. Salvatore?" the nurse whispered as she entered the room. Damon was sleeping soundly, he groaned.
"Uh, yeah?" he said slowly opening his eyes.
"I am sorry to wake you, your girlfriend, Miss Gilbert is here to see you." the nurse said softly.
"Elena? Please tell her to come in." Damon said sitting up on the bed, and turning on his beside light.
"Of course, I'll send her right in." the nurse smiled.
"He is awake and asked for you to come in." the nurse motioned to Elena.
"Thank you." Elena said as she went into his room.
"Hey, you look a little better today." Elena smiled.
"Yeah, I think Caroline's blood is finally working, I feel a lot better. How are you?" he asked her gently.
She sat down on the end of the bed, "I am okay." She sighed, she didn't know how to tell him, what to tell him.
"Hey, kitten what's wrong? You don't look good sweetheart." Damon said placing his good hand over hers.
Elena felt tears welling in her eyes, she couldn't do this, she didn't know how to tell him.
"'Lena what's wrong baby?" Damon said pulling her to him. His icy eyes melting to a more ocean blue.
"I…" Elena choked on her words.
"Elena, I know. I already know what you are trying to tell me sweetheart." Damon said kissing her forehead.
"How?" Elena felt the tears falling.
"Kathrine already told me yesterday, and I heard it before all my powers went away. Its okay Elena, shh." He wiped the tears from her eyes.
"I'm scared Damon," she mumbled into his chest. He just held her with his good arm.
"I know, I know. We will figure it out, you need to stay strong okay," Damon said kissing her hair.
She just whimpered. "Hey, I am going to get out of here today okay, and then we will figure it all out. Everything's going to be just fine." Damon said holding his girl in his arms. 'It had to be.' He thought to himself.
Another nurse walked in, "Oh! I am so sorry I didn't know you had a visitor already Mr. Salvatore." The nurse went to leave. "Hey! Um could you ask the doctor if I can get discharge papers, I feel fine, and I am needed at home." Damon said to the nurse as she went to leave.
"Oh, um yes I suppose I can do that for you." she said slipping out of the room.
"Damon, are you sure you can come home, I don't want you to get sick, your human now, if your arm doesn't heal right you could get an infection." Elena said getting up from the bed.
"Elena, I will be fine, if anything I'll just ask Caroline for more of her blood. I need to be home, I need to help you." Damon said getting up from the hospital bed, he felt a dull ache in his ribs, "El, could you pass me that bag." He asked motioning to the duffle bag under the bed. Elena nodded. She handed him the bag.
"Thanks. I am going to go and change okay, if that doctor comes in tell them I'll be right out." Damon said ruffling through the bag getting out a shirt and a fresh pair of underwear, socks, and pants. Elena nodded.
When Damon got to the bathroom he took a deep breath, he lifted the hospital shirt over his head with one arm, awkwardly moving down the one with the cast. He gasped at himself looking in the mirror, he had a slight gash above his eye, his ribs were almost black, he was pretty sure if he hadn't taken vampire blood the day before he would have internal bleeding. He cringed as he got dressed and headed out of the bathroom. He felt better being in his own clothes.
"Mr. Salvatore, my name is Dr. Laughlin. Meredith tells me you are asking to be discharged?" the young woman doctor asked him concerned.
"I feel fine doc, I really need to be at home, my uncle needs my help with family business. And my brother is missing Mam." Damon explained.
"Okay, but you need to assure me that you will rest Mr. Salvatore." The doctor said firmly.
"I will, right Elena I will rest?" Damon said almost begging.
"Yes, Dr. I will make sure he rests." Elena nodded.
"Okay well I'll draw up the paperwork." The Dr. said as she wrote on her clip board.
Damon sighed in relief, he hated hospitals, everything about them sang death.
"The nurse said you had a bad night, are you sure that you should be going home?" Elena asked worried.
"I just had some bad dreams Elena, its nothing to worry about, after a century and a half of being a evil blood sucking creature, some things are coming up. Its fine I'll be fine okay babe." Damon assured her, deep down he didn't know how fine he really would be. All these mistakes he made in the past were deeply affecting him.
All he knew is that Elena needed him and that he needed her. However, neither of them knew how important it would be for them to stay together. There were dark times a head.