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Chapter 13

Days had passed, yet Elena still refused to leave the comfort of Elijah's bed. Her phone had been buzzing nonstop, but she didn't have the energy to bother with it. Finally all cried out, she lifted herself from the bed and made her way into the bathroom; she desperately needed a shower.

She scrubbed her skin raw, wanting to remove every trace of Damon from herself. Sure, she knew that she cheated with Elijah, but she didn't want to hurt Damon. Besides, she thought it was a one-time thing, but Damon had been hooking up with Bonnie for months.

Finally pulling herself from the shower, she dried off and headed to the bed, knowing that she needed to check her phone. She groaned as she saw the dozens of texts and calls from her friends. Erasing the missed calls, she focused on the texts as she opened each one.

From Caroline:

Where the hell are you and Damon? Bonnie flew in and she's waiting to see you guys!

From Damon:

Baby, I'm so sorry. I know you need your space, but please come back to me. Bonnie and I were a mistake. She'll never mean anything to me like you do.

Elena snorted, "Yeah, right," she muttered to herself as she kept scrolling.

From Stefan:

We need to talk…do you think we could talk about everything that happened before Damon came back? I'm really sorry about how I acted.

Sighing, Elena deleted the multiple texts from Damon before she settled on one that made her uneasy.

From Damon:

I know you don't want to see me, but you left your daylight ring here and I know you need it. Call me so I can drop it off. I don't want you getting hurt, baby.

She blinked and looked down at her hand. Sure enough, her ring was gone. Probably still sitting on the bedside table where she took it off to sleep. She groaned, she didn't want to have to deal with Stefan or Caroline and especially not Damon.

She flicked through the rest of the messages, smiling when his name came up.

From Elijah:

I haven't heard from you in a few days. Is everything all right? Did I do something wrong?

She reread his message a few times not sure why he was blaming himself for her lack of response. Hitting reply, she made up her mind to ask him a favor. She knew he would help her.

Elijah sat at Rousseau's, making idle chat with Cami as she poured him a Scotch. He swirled the dark liquid in his glass and smiled at what the blonde prattled on about, happy that he could have some company when Elena was closed off from the world.

As soon as his phone vibrated in his suit pocket, he pulled it out, smiling as her name came across the screen.

From Elena:

I really hate to ask, but I need a favor. I left my daylight ring in my hotel room, would you mind getting it for me? I'm staying at the Plantation House right now…Please and thank you, 'Lijah!

He looked down at his phone, confused for a moment. How on earth could she leave her daylight ring behind? And why is she at the Plantation House?

"Ooh, is that from Elena?" Cami asked slyly, noticing that Elijah had his phone in his hand, "I told you to just give it time!"

He pursed his lips and looked up at her, "She's asking a favor of me and I've yet to understand the circumstances she's in."

"Are you seriously questioning her motives for texting you?" The blonde put her hands on her hips and gave the Original a look of exasperation, "I mean, she texted you in her time of need. That's gotta mean something, right?"

"I suppose so," he amended, his lips quirking into a small smile.

"Then don't leave your lady waiting!" She exclaimed, shooing him out of the bar.

Elijah stood in front of Elena's hotel room. He didn't want to just barge in. With his hand poised to knock, the door suddenly flew open as he came face to face with piercing blue eyes.

Damon scowled at him as he leaned against the doorframe, "What do you want, creepy?"

"I'm here to collect Elena's daylight ring," Elijah said questioningly as he took in Damon's rumpled appearance.

"Why didn't she come and get it?" The raven-haired vampire said cockily.

Elijah narrowed his eyes at Damon's hostile behavior, "Well, besides the fact that it is indeed daylight out, I assume she has her reasons for asking me."

"You don't know then?" The younger man shook his head in disgust, "I figured she would've because of how close you two are."

Elijah didn't like where this was going at all. What had Elena failed to mention to him? Why was Damon acting like a spoilt child?

"What happened, Damon?" The Original demanded.

Damon shrugged his shoulders, "I messed up. What else is new? She dumped me and ran off a couple of nights ago. I haven't seen her since, but it's not for lack of trying."

Anger rolled through Elijah as he wrapped his hand around Damon's throat, "What did you do?" He compelled.

"I called out Bonnie's name during sex. I cheated on her in the prison world with her best friend," Damon said robotically, before blinking and clawing at Elijah's arm, "What the fuck? You can't just compel me to get what you want!"

"Get me Elena's daylight ring. Now," he said darkly, dropping Damon and waiting expectantly.

Damon pulled the small ring out of his pocket and handed it to the Original with a growl, "She'll come back to me, you know. We're meant to be together."

Tucking it away, Elijah smiled before clocking Damon in the face, sending the younger vampire reeling with a broken jaw. He plucked a handkerchief out of his suit pocket and wiped away the small amount of blood that coated his knuckles. Looking down at the vampire rubbing his jaw, he regained his sense of aloofness, "Mr. Salvatore, I recommend that you feed relatively soon to help with repairing the damage. Some young vampires are just too cocky for their own good."

"Elena?" Elijah called into the Plantation House, wanting to make his presence known.

Night had crept up on him and he knew that she would be happy to have her daylight ring back for the next morning.

When he received no answer, he made his way upstairs. He could hear her soft heartbeat coming from his bedroom.

Smiling to himself, he opened the door and his eyes fell on the gorgeous creature sleeping in his bed. Approaching her slowly, he made his way to the side of the bed. He picked up her hand and slipped her ring onto her index finger before setting it back down on the bed.

"Mm, 'Lijah?" Elena's sleepy voice almost caused him to melt onto the floor.

Stroking the hair off of her face, he knelt down beside her, "Yes, princess?"

She looked down at her hand and twirled the ring, "Thank you for getting my ring for me. You didn't have to, but thank you."

"I can't deny you anything, Elena," he whispered, brushing his knuckles against her delicate cheek, "You know that. However, it took every fiber of self restraint in my body not to rip his worthless heart out."

Her doe eyes fluttered as she looked into his warm depths, "Why didn't you?"

Elijah blinked owlishly before he elegantly stumbled for his words, "I-I didn't want to hurt you. You've been hurt enough lately and I didn't want you to go through losing someone again."

She nodded, understanding his reasoning. Suddenly, worry clouded her features as her eyes widened in alarm, "You didn't tell him where I was, did you? H-he can't know where I am. He'll try to make me go back-"

"Elena, I didn't tell him anything, I promise," he soothed, stroking her hair reassuringly, "I would never do anything to endanger you."

Elena threw her arms around is neck, startling the Original slightly before he returned the embrace. She sobbed quietly as he shifted himself onto the bed and pulled her into his lap.

"Shhh, princess. I'll protect you," he murmured into her hair as he rubbed small circles along her spine, "I'll even deal with Damon if you'd like."

She looked up at him with watery eyes, "Are you sure you wouldn't mind?"

"Of course not," he smiled down at her as she nuzzled against his neck once more, "I'll take care of everything."

She mumbled something sleepily before her breathing evened out. Elijah placed a kiss to the top of her head as he held the broken woman in his arms.

It wouldn't be easy, but he knew that she would be worth it. He would do anything for her.

"Where the hell are Damon and Elena?" Caroline huffed as she picked at the croissant on her plate, "I mean, I haven't heard from either of them in days."

Bonnie fidgeted with the napkin in her lap as Caroline talked to Stefan. They had been meeting everyday at a cute bakery in the French Quarter, but had yet to see the two people they all wanted to see.

"I'm sure they're just reacquainting themselves with each other," Stefan murmured as he sipped a cup of coffee, "They were away from each other for a long time."

"Oh my God, Stefan, stop!" Caroline squealed as she smacked his arm, "I don't want to hear about their sexcapades and I'm sure Bonnie feels the same way! Right, Bon?"

Bonnie looked up guiltily as Caroline awaited her answer. She chewed the side of her mouth before she let out a sigh, "Guys, I did something bad…"

"What? You lit something on fire again?" The blonde snorted, "As long as you didn't kill anyone, you're fine."

Stefan's brows furrowed as he took in the witch's expression, "What did you do, Bonnie?"

When Bonnie didn't say anything for a few minutes, Caroline spoke up, "Come on, Bon! Spit it out. We'll still love you no matter what. I promise!"

"Isleptwithdamon," Bonnie let out in one breath, her eyes looking down after her burst of courage.

"You what?" Stefan and Caroline said in unison.

Bonnie kept her eyes down as she repeated what she said slower, "I slept with Damon."

Caroline looked confused for a moment before she stood up in a flash, "You slept with Damon?"

"I didn't mean to! We were alone in the prison world and it just happened. I never meant-"

Caroline laughed, a loud harsh sound as her eyes became angry, "What? It was an accident? You both happened to be naked and he slipped and fell into your lady parts?"

"It wasn't like that!" Bonnie defended, looking at Stefan in hopes of a mediator.

"I am so disappointed in you, Bonnie Bennett. You slept with your best friend's boyfriend. That's so not okay! You hurt Elena!" Caroline smacked Stefan's coffee cup out of his hand as her rage turned to him, "Why aren't you upset about this? Your brother cheated!"

Stefan sighed, "I'm upset, but I don't see the point of making a scene, Care. It won't solve anything and it only draws attention."

"Is everything okay over here?" A man asked from behind Caroline.

She was just about to turn around and tell him to shove it when Stefan interceded.

"Finn, it's nice to see you again," he said stiffly, addressing the Original currently towering behind Caroline.

Finn walked to the front of the table and regarded the group wearily, "Is Elena all right?

Caroline snorted, "Ask Miss Spreads-A-Lot over there."

"Caroline!" Bonnie gasped in disbelief.

"Whatever, I'm done here," the blonde said as she grabbed her jacket before she turned to Finn, "Long story short, Damon cheated on Elena with Bonnie for, like, months in that stupid prison world. No one's heard from either of them in a few days so we assume that Elena found out. And, now, I'm going to go and find my bestfriend and see if I can comfort her."

Finn balked at the blonde's admission. He never once believed that the elder Salvatore would cheat on the perfection that was Elena Gilbert.

"I can track her if you want," Bonnie suggested meekly.

Caroline turned around, her face slightly shifting as she screamed, "I don't want anything from you, Bonnie! You ruined an epic love story by weaseling your way into Damon's pants! Good going!"

Bonnie's mouth dropped open as she watched Caroline leave the bakery.

Stefan sighed as he wrote down something on a napkin and passed it to Bonnie, "This is where Damon and Elena were staying. I'm sure he's still there. I wouldn't suggest coming around Caroline right now."

"Stefan, please-"

"I'm sorry, Bonnie," he cut her off as he stood up and shrugged on his jacket, "I can't be around you either right now."

"It's all my fault," she mumbled to herself as Stefan abandoned her. She looked up at the Original still frozen at the head of their table, she held up the napkin, "Do you know where this is?"

Finn appraised the writing before he nodded stiffly, "It's a hotel about ten blocks from here."

"Would you mind taking me?"

"I'm sorry, but I must see to it that Elena's all right. I'm sure you understand," he said, his hazel eyes turning cold as he looked at the witch.

Bonnie's eyes watered as she nodded, "Of course."

Finn, always the gentleman, set a twenty down on the table in front of her, "That should be enough for a cab."

The Original left the crying witch in the middle of the bakery, wanting nothing more than to find Elena and make sure she was okay.

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~Grace