Hostage Control

by LittleHandGernade

:::Complete:::Addie's agreed to be Klaus' hostage in order to keep everyone she loves safe. She's left her boyfriend in charge of watching her sister, despite his lingering feelings for Elena and her feelings for him. Damon's jealousy and everyone's expectations are becoming too much to bear. Can they find their way back to each other or is one summer too long apart? Sequel Coming!

12. Chapter 11

If she had known Damon was going to be at the Grill Addie never would have agreed to meeting Bonnie. The rest of the week had passed without a peep from him, which was good. It had been even better when the next few weeks had as well. She hadn't been lying when she told him she needed some distance from him. It was so weird to feel like she couldn't trust him. Every time she told herself she could because he was her Damon and would never hurt her, there was a nagging, uncomfortable twisting in his stomach. What really bothered her, though, was that she wasn't convinced Damon thought what he did was wrong on any level.

Any time a vampire had tried to deceive her on any level, to the best of her knowledge, Addie had always sensed something off radiating from the vampire, like a bad aura. When Damon had decided to give her the drink there hadn't been a negative energy coming from him. In fact, even later that night and the next morning she didn't sense anything dark or shady from him, like he was hiding a secret. The only way she could make sense of Damon not giving off a bad vibe was if he truly believed he wasn't doing anything wrong. It was possible that during their time apart he had changed his mind but he was one stubborn dick and she wasn't entirely convinced he had like he'd said. There was that whole scale of right and wrong that he had talked about and he would do it again; that didn't make it sound like something he repented.

"Addie!"

"Sorry," she mumbled, tearing her gaze from Damon's back and looking at Bonnie. "What did you say?"

"Every time I close my eyes I have that nightmare! On repeat!"

Addie bit at her lip as she tried to think of what nightmare Bonnie was talking about. For how long had she spaced out of the conversation? Her brows furrowed as she innocently asked, "The same dream?"

The witch grimaced, "Yeah! Four coffins at the old witch house and Klaus is in one of them. It's weird."

"I don't suppose your dream is telling us how we get Klaus into the coffin, does it?" Bonnie shook her head. After a moment of thinking Addie smirked at her best friend, "What if it's like a return-to-Dracula you're seeing where and in what Klaus sleeps."

Bonnie snickered, "I don't think so. Besides that would mean it's like a witch dream and it's not. It's just the stress knowing he's still out there and he knows we tried to kill him." Her eyes flickered towards Damon and she added, "Well, you didn't try to kill him."

"Mmm," Addie hummed neutrally. She hadn't told Bonnie what Damon had done; she hadn't told anyone. Their tolerance and acceptance of Damon's less than appropriate behavior only stretched so far. Plus, she didn't need the lecture about staying with someone who would drug her. After about the tenth time she was starting to get pissed off at herself every time her own mind started on it. As far as anyone knew, she wasn't involved in the plan because Damon hadn't wanted her involved. It was true enough.

"What about Stefan? Has there been any sign of him?" the other girl asked quickly, seeing a cool shift in Addie's demeanor.

She flinched internally. That was something she still hadn't even discussed with Damon. Again she lied, "He betrayed us, Bonnie. The Stefan that we know is gone."

"How's Damon handling it?"

Addie frowned, her eyes traveling moving to Damon's broad back and the way his leather jacket stretched across it. She didn't know. She'd been too focused on her own issues with Damon to think about his issues with everything, particularly his disappearing brother. It looked like he had half the bar in front of him; how much of that was because of her versus what was over Stefan? Would explaining to him what happened between Klaus and herself help? She didn't know what Klaus had told Stefan to convince him to save him. Had he ordered it? Persuaded him so that Stefan had betrayed them? Or told Stefan that Damon would die if he did and managed to tap into Stefan's humanity?

Shrugging she answered uncertainly, "Damon is… Damon."

After a minute Bonnie quietly confessed, "Elena told me about your panic attack and that you've been staying at home."

"Like I said, he's Damon. We got into a fight," Addie mumbled.

"You can talk to me, you know."

With a small, sad smile she shook her head. "No, I can't. You can't talk to me about Jeremy because he's my brother and I'm biased. I can't talk to you about Damon because he's your natural enemy and you're biased."

"Is there anyone not biased when it come to Damon, particularly you and Damon?" Bonnie challenged.

"Even though he was Damon's brother, I don't think Stefan was biased. I think he's the only person who didn't automatically assume the worst of Damon if I was upset," she decided after careful consideration.

Addie froze when Alaric, who was sitting a few seats over from Damon with a stack of papers in front of him caught her eye. Confusion filtered through her at the angry and frustrated look he gave her. She couldn't think of anything she had done to warrant that expression. He cocked his head, gesturing for her to come over. Excusing herself from Bonnie, Addie made her way to the bar. She leaned against it, her back purposefully to Damon. Casually she asked, "What's up?"

"Do you know where your brother is?" Alaric demanded.

Her lips pursed and her arms crossed as she felt herself go into protective mode. Defensively she retorted, "Just because Elena has you playing the guardian because she got ours killed again doesn't mean you actually are our guardian. That means Jeremy doesn't have to report his every movement to you. He's allowed to be wherever he wants."

"Ok," he drawled out. Addie's attitude towards him was always so mercurial and he could never predict if she was going to like him or not. "Well, I am his teacher and that's why he has to explain to me why he copied his entire mid-term off of the internet. I'm not required to care about him but I do which explains why I'm curious as to why he was fired a week ago but is still lying about being employed."

"Oh."

"Oh," Alaric repeated. His eyes flickered towards Damon and back to Addie. Going from gentle to strict he continued, "What's going on with you and Jeremy? He's plagiarizing his paper. You don't even bother to turn one in. In fact, you've missed four days of school in two weeks. What happened to the straight A's?"

A crease formed between Damon's eyebrows as he frowned. Sharply he asked, "When did you miss school, Addie?"

Addie's jaw clenched as she pointedly ignored Damon; it was none of his damn business.

"Well, there was two days last week and then two days this week," supplied Alaric.

"Why were you absent?"

Her eyes narrowed so much Alaric wasn't even certain Addie could still see him. Ignoring Damon she told him, "I can get Jeremy to show up at the house. I'm not going to help you and Elena chew him out."

He nodded in thanks. "We won't chew him out. I just think it's time that all of us have a typical, atypical family dinner."

"Shame I'll miss it. I have plans," she muttered, pushing herself off the bar and turning away.

"Addison!"

Her dyed blue hair whipped around her face as she quickly spun back around to face Alaric, her eyes bright with fire. Vehemently she quietly fumed, "You do not call me that. You're not family. You're not the boss of me. Elena and Jeremy can play pretend all they want but it doesn't change anything. Stop trying to play 'dad' or 'uncle' or whatever it is with me."

Damon watched her with interest as she stormed back towards Bonnie. "I wouldn't take it personally," he advised Alaric, finishing his glass of bourbon and promptly pouring another; he wasn't exactly sure why he was bothering with the glass. "She doesn't like to be called by her full name."

"I gathered that," the other man muttered. Suddenly worried he asked, "Damon, me being at the house, does that have something to do with why Addie stays with you?"

He shrugged, swivelling on the barstool. "It's possible but it's not about you. In her eyes you're there because Elena wants you there. If it's something Elena wants, Addie generally doesn't agree with it. Or it could be she blames Elena for her parents, John and Jenna, meaning there should be no one left to be in charge and you being there disrupts the way things should be, in her mind. I just know that the reasons that culminate in her not staying at home have to do with Elena."

"Why is she back home? What did you do to her?"

"We had a fight."

"You always fight. What did you do?" hissed Alaric.

Damon finished the last of his glass, which was unfortunately the last of the bottle and stood up. "Ric, we both know I'm not stupid enough to tell you what happened if you're just going to get protective of her and stake me again. Make up your mind on if you want to be my friend and you're asking because you actually care or not."

Wandering over to the dartboard Damon yanked out the six darts. Addie moved into his peripheral vision as he backed up to the line twenty feet from the board and began shooting.

"Jeremy, call me the minute you get this. I swear to God, Jer, you wanna get to me before Elena and Alaric get to you. Call me!" she exclaimed into the phone, careful to keep her voice low enough to not draw attention. Pocketing her cell she bitterly laughed, "Unbelievable!"

He quickly looked at her before becoming very focused on aligning a dart. Trying to sound disinterested her muttered, "Do I suddenly exist now?"

"Uh-uh," Addie said firmly, shaking her head. "Right now I'm processing what's going on with my fucked up brother. I cannot handle one of your attitudes at the moment."

"He's fucked up because he lost his job at the Grill? He can survive, Addie. You're overreacting."

"He's spiraling! Ever since Bonnie broke up with him he's moody, he isn't really talking to anyone - "

"Sounds exactly like you. But he's at least bothering to turn in his homework and going to class," he interrupted, firing his last dart into the bullseye.

"This isn't about me!"

Damon smiled at her over his shoulder as he collected the darts again. "Of course it's not."

There was something about the way his smile didn't quite reach his glassy, cool eyes that made her snap, "Is there something you want to say to me?"

He shook his head as he moved to start shooting the darts again. "These past weeks you've missed school four times and you haven't turned in your work and I'm the equivalent of gum on the bottom of your shoe. Am I not supposed to think that's not all linked together?"

"I didn't go to school because I didn't have my work done and if I missed a day that gave me a whole day to do it and it meant I could turn it in late without getting points taken off if I said I was sick. I didn't have my work done because I kept getting distracted by thoughts of you. Yes, it's all connected. Yes, it all comes back to you. Happy now?" she sneered viciously

"No," he answered through gritted teeth. The dart struck the board harder than he intended, sinking in well past the pointed tip.

"Huh?"

"Addie, your education is very important to you. That makes it very important to me. You screwing up in school is not something that's going to make me happy, especially if I'm the reason," explained Damon.

She frowned as he sunk another dart with strength beyond that of a typical human. If he kept it up Damon was going to go through the game board and into the wall. People would definitely be asking questions then. She moved closer to him and softly Addie inquired, "You okay?"

He shot another dart far too hard before looking at her with a hooked, quizzical eyebrow. "What makes you think I'm not ok?"

"Your dart throwing isn't exactly inconspicuous. Not to mention you're day drunk. It's not exactly your most attractive look," she shrugged innocently.

"Hmm…" Unconsciously Damon took a step towards her. He had to shove the hand not holding any darts into his pocket to keep from touching her as he wondered, "What is my most attractive look?"

Smirking, Addie straightened the collar of his leather jacket, keenly aware of his eyes on her. "Before I knew I was going to be leaving for England and had to fit what I could of you into a suitcase, so your cologne, which I then had to replace, I was originally going to get you a tie for your birthday. Obviously I wanted to get you one you liked so I became very familiar with your collection. I thought, I don't know, maybe if I got one for you, you'd find more reasons to wear it," she admitted, trying to sound bold but turning bright red.

"Wait a minute," he mumbled thoughtfully, his hand brushing along the scruff on his cheeks and chin. "I thought you liked this. Have I cut my shaving down to just Sundays and Wednesdays for no reasons?"

Her fingertips skimmed along his jaw, the smattering hair a conflicting feeling of rough yet soft. She quietly reassured him, "I like it."

"You are just full of contradictions, aren't you? You think my best look is dressed up in a tie but unshaven like I don't care?"

"Yeah but you're forgetting the 'just-rolled-out-of-bed' hair. That's the most important part," Addie smiled sweetly.

Wanting to touch her, to kiss her, he gave a small groan. His eyes sparkled suggestively as he murmured, "I'll make a note on the scruff and the tie but my hair will always be perfectly styled."

Addie opened her mouth but an aloof English voice shocked her into silence. "Don't mind me."

"Klaus," Damon grimaced, turning to face the hybrid. Klaus gave him a smug grin and a nod of acknowledgement towards Addie. Damon slipped a possessive arm around her waist. She could be upset with him for touching her later. It didn't matter as long as it was clear to the Original bastard that he couldn't touch Addie. Not in the mood for a fight, or entirely sober enough, he sighed, "You gonna do this in the Grill? In front of everyone? It's a little beneath you, don't you think?"

"I don't know what you are talking about. I just came down to my local pub to grab a drink," Klaus replied innocently.

"I'm surprised you stuck around town long enough for happy hour."

He shrugged nonchalantly. "My sister seems to be missing. Need to sort that out. In fact, Addison was supposed to be helping me with that but she doesn't seem to be making good on her word. I suppose I'll need to sort that out, too."

Damon growled softly, angling himself so that he was partially blocking her. "Addie," he stressed, "doesn't know anything. Besides, a cute, blonde, bombshell psycho shouldn't be too hard to find. You don't need Addie."

Klaus regarded the young vampire for a moment before turning his focus to Addie. He smiled slightly at her wary gaze. Smart girl. Matter-of-factly he explained, "Truth is I've grown to rather like your little town. Think I might fancy a home here. Oh, I imagine you're wondering how does this affect you? The answer is: not in the slightest. As long as I get what I want and everyone behaves themselves, you can go on living you little lives however you choose. You have my word."

"So-" Addie felt Damon's grip around her waist tighten in a manner that told her to shut up. Irritated, she pushed his arm away with a scowl. Indignantly she faced Klaus again. "What more do you want besides my sister's blood?"

"Well, for starters, you can tell me where I might find Stefan."

"Stefan skipped town the second he saved your ass," Damon snapped.

Klaus plucked a dart from Damon's hand. "Well, you see, that is a shame." Bullseye. "Your brother stole from me. I need him found so I can take back what's mine."

"Didn't I already tell you a ripper should be pretty damn easy to track if you're that desperate? That's a problem between you and Stefan, not the rest of us," Addie curtly reminded him.

Damon had already pulled Addie so she was behind him entirely when Klaus took a step closer. They were going to have a very serious talk about what the hell she thought she was doing.

"Consider this me broadening the scope of tracking, sweetheart," he purred, an unspoken threat stitching together every word.

Addie tried to push pass Damon as Klaus turned and walked away but he held up an arm to block her. When she went to step around him, he moved to be in her path. Huffing, she shoved at his back but he didn't move. Finally he turned back to her, his eyes dark and angry.

"Car."

"Huh?" she breathed in confusion.

"We're going to the car." His voice was much too soft.

She couldn't help but laugh, "To sit in it? You're are far drunker than I thought if you think I'm actually getting in a car with you driving it."

He took a deep breath. It wouldn't do to get mad at her so soon. He tried appealing to reason, "We have a lot of things we need to discuss. Home is the safest place to do that."

"I'll follow you."

"Given the fact that I haven't existed to you for nearly a month I'm not exactly convinced my car won't suddenly cease to exist too and you'll end up somewhere besides home."

"That's a valid concern. It's just a chance you're going to have to take." Simply not following had been a very tempting idea that had crossed her mind. She just didn't have the energy to have a row with him; all week she had barely slept because of the nightmares.

Damon rolled his eyes as he pointed out, "Even drunk my reflexes blow yours off the map. Your safest bet is to ride with me."

"No."

"Fine," he grumbled. He fished the car keys from his pocket and placed them in her hand. "You drive."

Addie stared down at the little pieces of metal as if they were completely foreign to her. Confused she mumbled, "You said you'd never let me drive your car."

"I sure as hell don't want you driving my car but I'm pretty damn desperate," he snorted humorlessly.

---

When they had arrived at the boardinghouse Damon had gone straight to the study. He'd been very grumpy, stormy and stompy and in all in a mood that suggested he wanted to talk. Addie cited his bad temper to the painfully quiet car ride. It was easier to be angry at him for being a grouch than it was to be mad at him for having a silent fit as she drove his car. That car was his love, his baby, his pride and joy. She still couldn't believe he had let her drive it.

Addie's jaw unhinged as she yawned loudly. Sitting on the couch playing the staring game for two hours was not what she had in mind. She got up and stretched. Briefly she scowled at Damon, "Whenever you're done brooding or sulking or whatever it is that you're doing and decide you want to act like a grown up and use your words just give me a holler. I can't take sitting here for another minute."

"You can't leave," he objected, suddenly breaking out of his silent daze.

"I'm not," she reassured him, gently running her fingers through his hair. He at least needed a trim. "I'm just going to walk around, go watch TV, or something. This room can only handle so much negative energy. If we're gonna start fighting it's probably wise that at least one of use be in a halfway decent mood. You're radiating tension and I need a break."

Already sensing her leaving the room he mumbled his acceptance. Damon dragged his own fingers through his dark silk locks, trying to get rid of the sensation of her. It wasn't fair that she could touch him but he couldn't touch her. It definitely wasn't fair when her touch already affected him ten times more than his did her.

She'd been heading for the livingroom when the door to the cellar caught her eye, Damon never had answered her about where Rebekah was. He'd left one daggered Original, Elijah, locked in the basement before and she'd undaggered him. Surely he wasn't stupid enough to do the same thing again. Although she never thought he would have been stupid enough to drug her.

Her ears strained for any sound of Damon moving as her hand rested on the door. When she heard none she quickly and silently slipped onto the stop stair that led down into the cellar, careful to close the door without a sound. He heart thudded in her chest as she took the stairs two at a time; he'd be furious if he found her down here. A sense of dread filled her as she noticed a familiar turn-style combination lock in addition to the regular lock on the door to the small room in the cellar.

In the viewing window she could see a desiccated body, the bright red dress and blonde curls confirming that it was Rebekah. Knowing it was futile Addie tugged at the lock in frustration. Damon had added the same extra level of "protection" to Elijah; he had just conveniently told everyone but her the combination to the lock. Elena had told her though.

Determinedly she spun the dial until the arrow passed zero twice before landing on nine. Damon had set the first number to her birth month. She twisted the lock counter clockwise until the arrow pointed at eight, her birth day. Her eyebrows pulled together as she tried to think of the last number. It wasn't the last two numbers of her birth year; the dial only went up to sixty. She tried adding together the last two digits and turning to that but the lock failed to open. She repeated the process for the two numbers she knew and tried the sum of all the numbers in her birth year to no avail.

Whining, she yanked at the lock pointlessly and stomped her foot. Why did Damon have to be such a dick? It was highly unlikely she was actually going to remove the dagger from Rebekah, making locking her away most likely completely pointless. Addie knew the Original would go after her sister upon awakening.

A distant knock from upstairs reached her ears and Addie scurried up the stairs and back into the foyer. If Damon found her down there it would be another thing he would want to add to their list of things to argue about.

Damon strolled down the hall just in time to see his girlfriend emerge from the cellar, a modest blush staining her cheeks. As he got closer he quietly demanded, "What were you doing down there?"

"Expecting company?" Inquired Addie innocently.

"No. Wha-"

It was more than a protective instinct that made him catch Addie around her waist and pull her back flush against his chest when she tugged open the door and revealed Klaus. Damon clamped the hand that wasn't pinning her to him over her mouth. He had really thought he'd been making the house safe when he put the deed in her name. She was supposed to be the one who shot down Elena's instinct to trust every vampire because she didn't trust anyone. Except Addie had been the one to invite Elijah and Rebekah into the house. He was not about to let her do something beyond stupid.

"Well isn't this an interesting little domestic greeting," Klaus mocked, casually leaning against the doorframe.

"Leave," Damon growled. He swore as Addie bit hard enough at the palm of his hand to draw a little bit of blood but that wasn't enough to convince him to let her speak.

The hybrid held his hands up innocently. "I meant what I said; I mean you no harm as long as I get what I want. While Addison may be smart enough to see the reason in that, I figured you might take some further convincing. I thought we could have a drink. Admittedly I didn't expect Addison to be here. Her car wasn't outside," he said, looking over his shoulder as if to double check.

Addie struggle to break free of his grasp made Damon reposition his arm to trap hers at her side. Warningly he hissed, "We have nothing to - ah!" A sharp piercing flanked his left side. His hands moved from Addie to grip at the stake she kept driving further into him. Yanking the wood out he gasped, "What the hell, Ads?"

She gave him an innocent smile as she rolled her sleeve up and revealed the force activated stake ejector from Alaric. It had been meant as a precautionary with Klaus running around town; she'd never anticipated needing to use it on Damon. She wiped the small amount of his blood from her lips as she muttered, "You'd think you'd have learn after the first two or three times of doing of covering my mouth that I don't like it."

"So you stake me?!"

"Every time I bite your hand you never seem to get the message so I decided for a more forceful approach." Addie shrugged, squashing down the guilt she felt. She was already going to have an epic fight with Damon; it was best she just pile it all together. Taking a deep breath she flatly informed Klaus, "You can't come in."

His lips twitched as he gave her a knowing look. "I gathered that from Damon's little man handling. Deed in your name?"

"Addie," Damon muttered forcefully, grabbing at her elbow, trying to pull her away from the door.

"Yes but you can come in," smiled Addie. Her teeth ground together as she tried to shake her arm free of Damon.

"Have you lost your fucking mind? Are you that pissed over what I did? Have you completely forgotten the sole purpose of a safe house?" spinning her by the shoulders so he could roar in her face.

She cupped a hand over her ear, pointedly stating, "Ow. There's no need to use your outside voice when I'm two feet away and most clearly inside." Addie brushed his hands off of her and took a step back. His jaw clenched as he noticed the movement was closer to Klaus, who had stepped in the doorway. Innocently she reasoned, "I know you think the whole world revolves around you, Damon, and for once, we're going to let it. I don't think it's such a bad idea for you and Klaus to have a drink, for everyone to get on the same page, so to speak."

"Same page?! You have lost your damn mind, Addie!"

She looked at an invisible watch on her wrist and then back at Damon. "It's been five seconds and neither one of are dead. If Klaus wanted us dead we would have been dead four seconds ago. Actually, we would have been dead at the Grill."

"Or he's just, I don't know, biding his time? Playing with his food?"

"Now you're just being ridiculous," Addie sighed dramatically, rolling her eyes. "Klaus isn't his father and he knows he can't drink my blood."

Damon's hands dragged down his face as he tried to keep from yelling, "It's an expression! I'm not being literal! I'm not joking! I'm trying to get you to understand what you've just done!"

"I've just invited Klaus into the house."

"You sound more bothered when you talk about the weather. Clearly you don't understand the magnitude of what you've done!" he scolded.

"Huh. Well, I should probably go to timeout and reflect on that like a three-year-old who has drawn on the wall," Addie retorted sarcastically as she headed towards the study. Over her shoulder she called, "Since Klaus is already here, though, and has so politely offered to have a drink with you, I'd recommend you be a proper host and do that. Otherwise you're the one acting like a petulant child."

In the library Addie pursued the shelf of Ancient Greek texts until she found Homer's The Odyssey. She'd finally finished the epic poem about the Trojan war and it was time that she reread the epic tale of Ulysses twenty year struggle home. Settling into one of the large, leather chairs she curled up with the book. Barely opened to the first page she could already hear Damon entering the room. There was no way he was going to leave her anywhere alone in a house that Klaus could enter.

Oh, Damon had been so right. Temporary insanity was the only explanation she had for inviting Klaus into the house. Well, there was her greater agenda that Damon definitely wasn't going to agree to and so she needed Klaus' strength but even that plan was risky. Klaus was unpredictable at best and Damon was going to be down right furious. She wasn't sure if she was more bothered that she was willing to provoke two volatile vampires or that dealing with two volatile vampires had become such a common part of her life that she didn't fear it.

As she read her book Addie could overhear Damon pouring a drink. From his words she could guess that Klaus had followed him into the room as well.

"Considering you blackmailed my girlfriend into spending the part of the summer with you nearly four months ago I'd say we're long overdue for a talk on an understanding."

Klaus strolled over to the fireplace and ran a finger over the mantle piece, inspecting it for dust, which there was none. "You mean ex-girlfriend, don't you? She told me about what happened in Chicago. You just couldn't be sure enough in her feelings for you to trust that she wanted you even if she chose to stay with me."

Addie peered over the top of the book to notice Damon tense, his tumbler of bourbon halfway to his lips. As they had agreed not to tell anyone they were back together but Damon was quite a jealous and territorial when it came to Klaus she was particularly interested in his response. His eyes seemed to flash to her for an answer but she quickly became absorbed in her reading again.

"She was my girlfriend at the time you blackmailed her. Whether we are together or not, I will always remain protective of Addie," Damon responded curtly, a warning edge to his tone.

"Yes, I'm counting on that," muttered Klaus pensively.

"Leave. Her. Alone."

The Original snorted, "Did you not just get that I want you protecting her? If I intended to bother her, wouldn't I want the opposite?"

"You're one fucked up bastard; I don't figure your mind works in the most rational of ways," Damon replied matter-of-factly.

"Fair enough. I can't quite figure your mind but I know it's been quite busy with all your plotting and scheming."

Humorlessly he said, "You know me, never miss a chance to plan an epic failure."

"Oh, don't be too hard on yourself," Klaus taunted. Addie jumped when his hands clapped the back of her chair. "Who could have guessed your own ex-girlfriend, or whatever, would stop you?"

She sunk further into the chair as she felt Damon's piercing glare. "That's the funny thing about women," he retorted, trying to sound calm and casual, "you never know what they're going to do. I mean, I did have a front row seat when your sister lied to you."

The hybrid shrugged, walking around towards the young vampire. "Yeah, well, she's fickle, that one. And you say you have no idea of her whereabouts?"

Damon forced a smile as he shook his head. "You got a double whammy there; Rebekah's a younger sibling and a woman. It's a completely unpredictable combination." He filled a second tumbler with bourbon and held it out to Klaus. "Drink?"

Klaus took the glass and stroked a finger around the rim as he contemplatively remarked, "Addison falls into both those categories but I find her to be remarkably predictable."

With both men's eyes on her Addie raised her book in front of her face more. Perhaps this had been a really idea. Couldn't they go back to discussing anything but her?

"I expect you knew she was going to tell you all about my plan, then," Damon spat, tossing back his full glass of amber liquid and pouring another.

Knowingly Klaus gave him a smirk, "Of course. It was my idea."

"W-w-wh-what?" he coughed and spluttered, choking on his sip of bourbon.

Placing her book in her lap Addie sighed dramatically, "It's not how it sounds."

"Sure it is," Klaus beamed airily.

"No," she snapped, "it's not. Your idea was for me to stop Damon or let him die."

"Which was my subtle way of leading you to tell me what you knew," he said obviously. "Between the fact that you don't like Damon doing things that could get him killed and his nature to avoid letting you get involved in anything dangerous, it was highly unlikely that you knew much. However you are a nosy little thing and you had to know something.

"It's I told you to either stop Damon or that my hybrids would kill him when he killed me. However, we both know you couldn't have stopped Damon. First of all, you didn't know what the plan was that you needed to stop. Second of all, well, his stubbornness is only a match for yours.

"And you may hate me but you wouldn't let Damon die simply to get rid of me. Of course your only option was to come running to me, begging me to save Damon. Someone as smart as you knows that knowledge is power and so you told me everything you possibly knew that could help me save my own life."

Damon's glass clanked loudly against the table as he set it down, groaning, "Seriously, Ads?! You couldn't have just kept your mouth shut?"

"Oh, my. Have you two not discussed this yet?" Klaus asked in mild amusement, trying to sound shock.

She gaped at him in bewilderment, "Did you miss the part where you died if Klaus died?"

"That was my call to make!"

"And that's exactly why I didn't get your opinion on the matter! Tell me your life wasn't worth Klaus' and I'll grovel and beg for your forgiveness," Addie bit back.

"It's not my life I'm worried about! It's y-"

"That's my point!" she interrupted loudly. "Why do you get to care about my life but I don't get to care about yours?"

He shook his head, taken aback by the question.

"I sold you out to Klaus because no matter what you did that night, you were going to die. He was the only one who could make sure that Mikael didn't kill you when you failed to kill Klaus. And you couldn't just kill Klaus because of the hybrids. I wasn't willing to let you die because… well, I just wasn't," she explained reasonably. Turning her attention back to her book she pointedly told Klaus, "I'm sure your visit serves some other purpose besides causing a little dispute between Damon and myself. I assure you that if you want to start a much bigger argument, I'd get to your point and get to leaving as soon as possible."

Klaus swirled the contents of his glass around, his lips twitching in amusement. He'd love to know what that argument would be about. Turning his attention to Damon he informed him, "I came here to discuss your brother. My family, the Originals, I had them daggered, boxed-up awaiting the day I saw fit to wake them. And your brother went in and pinched the lot."

Damon nodded slowly and clicked his tongue in disapproval. "Of course he did. Such a buzzkill, my baby bro. Well, I'd love to find him. Just the trouble is, I sure as hell don't work for you."

The was an icy calm in his voice as he told the other man, "You know, your drink stinks of vervain," a dark shadow crossed the hybrid's face as he dumped the contents of his glass onto the floor, glaring at Damon, "so I can't compel you. There's no point in killing you because you're actually the one most likely to be of help in getting me what I need. And yet it would seem a demonstration is in order. Perhaps I wasn't clear enough when I told you to find Stefan. Well, it seems you people respond best to displays of violence. Why don't you take this as an example of my reach?"

Addie's eyes went wide as the copy of The Odyssey was yanked out of her hands. Instinctively she went to inhale in surprise but a hand was clamped around her throat, cutting off her air supply to a thready stream. Her eyes bulged as she stared up into Klaus' amused steely blue ones. He gave her a wink, a smile hinting at his lips.

"No!" Damon yelled, ripping Klaus away from Addie and pinning him onto the floor.

Klaus easily pushed the other man off of him and gracefully got back up to his feet. He smirked at Damon as he pulled out his phone and messed with it. Smugly he said, "Just had to test those protective instincts. The text I sent is making my real point." He gave Addie a small smile and slight bow, "Apologies for the scare, Addison. I've said my piece, so I'll take my leave and let you two get on with that argument."

"I'll see you out," she said quickly, jumping up and ignoring the incredulous look on Damon's face.

Klaus held his hands out, motioning for her to lead the way. Addie started down the hall. The Original was light on his feet and soundless but she had grown so accustomed to Damon's steps that she could hear him following. She had hoped he'd stay in the study but there was never really any expectation of that.

"So, Rebekah," drawled Addie.

"Yes?"

"I have some information but I'm not just going to give it to you for free," she said, forcing a sense of false confidence into her voice.

Warily Klaus reminded her, "I don't like bargains."

"Then I guess you don't like information," Addie shrugged.

"I do relish the thought of killing Damon."

Suddenly stopping in her tracks, Klaus almost ran into her as she spun on her heel. She held a finger directly in his face, speaking very slowly, "Let's get this straight if you plan to 'make a home' here and want to 'work together.' As you may have notice from my tolerance with Damon, I will put up with a lot of pointless bullshit. You weren't around for the part where he was a threat to everyone I loved. I didn't put up with that guy; in fact, I shoved that guy into a burning building. You may believe you are truly immortal but if you continue to use the people I love against me to do whatever you want I will find a way to destroy you. And trust me, I'm running on like two to three hours of sleep a night right now so I have plenty to figure out how."

"Again, the fact that you have the nerve to talk to me like that is just fascinating," he uttered with mild interest.

"And you're just nauseating. We clear on the 'no threatening people I love' thing?"

Klaus cocked in his in consideration before shrugging. "Sure. What's the information?"

Addie shook her head. "Uh-uh. Not yet. That was just a general understanding. Before I share this particular information with you I need your reassurance that there will be no repercussions to anyone involved. Now, I don't expect you to give this out empty handed. In honest and good faith I can tell you that your sister is perfectly safe."

"Addie," Damon warned. He didn't know where she was going with her train of thought but it did not sound promising.

"You wanna make up for screwing up? Shut up," she hissed, her eyes never leaving Klaus.

He drugged her because he didn't know what else to do with her! He knew exactly what needed to be done with Rebekah. Had they not gone over all the possible options of what to do with the daggered sister? She was going to get both of them killed.

"What do you know about my sister?" demanded Klaus.

"Your word."

He glowered and snarled, "Fine."

"My sister may have daggered your sister in the back," Addie rushed out, raising her hands defensively and taking a step back.

"What?"

"Addie!"

Walking backwards through the foyer, she nodded. "Yeah. Your reaction is a hell of a lot better than mine was. Um, she's, um," Addie jerked her thumb over her shoulder towards the basement door, "down there. I'd get her for you but, see, Damon's put this lock on the door because he thinks that I'm going to undagger her and then she's gonna go all 'rawr' on Elena."

"Oh, my god! Addie!"

Ignoring the burst of rage from Damon she continued on in a light, carefree manner, "All you need to do is go down there and rip off the lock. As far as the daggering thing goes, well, you want my sister alive to make more hybrids and your sister probably wants to kill my sister. I'm just thinking it might be a good idea to let you sort all that out"

"So you've known my sister was daggered in the cellar this whole time?" Klaus challenged frostily.

"Of course not! I only found out she was in the basement right before you showed up," Addie replied proudly.

"You've just known she was daggered, of course."

She opened her mouth to protest, closed it as she thought over her word and opened it again, "I had no knowledge of what my sister was going to do. Rebekah is my friend. She's far more entertaining up and about then desiccated." For the first time Addie dared to look at Damon and felt a coil of anxiety compress inside her at the red rage on his face. Her hand ran through her hair, her confidence faltering. "Well, you know your way to the basement. The front door is right there. And I gotta get back to The Odyssey. Ulysses just wrecked his boat and I gotta find out if he drowns."

Addie scuttled back to the study. She knew all of Homer's works forwards and backwards; she just didn't like awkward situations. Damon had been the one to drug her because he didn't want to deal with her reaction to the Rebekah situation in the moment so he could deal with the fallout of her reaction now. As she could overhear commotion between the two men she ran her hand through her hair. It was possible that she hadn't thought this plan entirely through. Too late. Walking over to the fire she sighed deeply and gazed into it, the red and orange flames dancing over her face.

Silently Damon slipped into the room and angrily hissed, "What the hell are you doing?"

"Watching the fire," she whispered.

"You know what I mean, Addie."

She shook her head slightly and confessed, "No, I really don't. There are so many things that just happened that you could be asking about."

"I'm talking about all of it!" he exclaimed.

Her eyes narrowed as she snapped back, "Well you know I don't handle a lot of things at once very well."

"Let's start with you betraying me to Klaus."

"No," she said firmly. "I'm not going to discuss that. I made that choice to save your life. How many times have you made decisions in the name of protecting me? I let you get away with the crap 90% of the time. The one time the tables are turned and I have the opportunity to protect you, you're going to accept it."

"Ad-"

"I am not arguing with you about this, Damon. You can be pissed all you want. Guess what? I'm pissed at you the majority of the time for doing things I don't like. Get over your fucking ego and suck it up," she interrupted, frustration coloring her cheeks.

His head tilted in confusion. More calmly he tried to explain, "It's not an ego thing when it comes to you. My pride can be pretty cumbersome but I can't let it interfere when you're involved. Me killing Klaus had nothing to do with my personal attitudes towards him and everything to do with the fact that he's a danger to you." As he sat on the arm of a chair Addie would have swore he pouted when he continued, "How are you, out of all of us idiots, fooled into thinking he's safe?"

Softening slightly she moved to stand in front of him. Addie uncrossed his arms and took his hands in hers as she sincerely questioned, "Do you honestly think I, out of all of us idiots, would be the one fooled into thinking he's safe?"

"I would hope not but how else am I supposed to interpret you doing whatever he wants?" he scowled.

Her eyebrows knitted together as she tried to understand what he wasn't saying. "Are you jealous that I listen to him and I don't listen to you?"

He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly and mumbled, "Kinda."

"Oh, Damon, you really are a bit of an idiot," she giggled, pushing dark, silk locks out of his face. "Remember when I first met you, before I even knew what you were, and I asked you how to stay protected from someone like you? The night we met you were going to kill me. I may have complained about it but didn't I help you when I thought Katherine was in the tomb? Didn't I, you know, not throw a massive fit when you kidnapped me for a road trip to Georgia?"

"Your point," he exhaled loudly.

"Isn't it obvious? I did what you wanted without question when I was still scared of you. Is that what you want?"

"Of course I don't want you scared of me. I just want you to listen to me. Why is that so wrong?"

Addie bit her lip, brushing her thumb over his slight pout. He truly didn't understand. For someone so experienced he could still have such a child-like view of the world. Her stomach clenched uncomfortably as she thought of how to reason with him.

"You did everything Katherine ever told you. What did you learn from that?"

He recoiled as if she'd slapped him in the face. "Addie, I would never abuse your trust like that."

"You drugged me. How about we don't throw around the 't' word right now?" she replied cautiously.

"That was-"

She placed a finger over his lips and whispered, "I know. We're moving past it."

Damon quickly kissed her finger before taking her hand and desperately saying, "I don't understand where you're going with all this."

"What you had with Katherine, that wasn't real. It was blind obedience in a very twisted relationship. Do you want that from me? Or do you want me to be like Caroline and do everything you ask without question because of compulsion? That's not real either."

"I want it to be real. I want you to do what I say because you know I'm just looking out for your best interest."

Addie gave him a pain smile as she reminded him, "What about wanting me to grow up? I don't get to do that if you're making all my choices. Look, it's like why Alaric and I are both pissed at Jeremy; he's made some mistakes that have hurt him and it hurts us to see that. Alaric's approach is to lecture him into doing the right thing. Mine is to explore why he's doing such self-destructive behavior so he knows how to avoid going down the same path in the future. You have to let me make my mistake so I can learn."

"I don't see why I can't just keep you sheltered and protected from everyone, including yourself," Damon retorted nonplussed.

"Because as much as Klaus is a danger to the people I care about and to my own physical health, the protection I need from him doesn't even begin to compare to how well I need to defend myself from you," she replied, her voice soft and scared.

"From me?"

She nodded solemnly. "The only protection I have from you is what my own mind can provide and that's not much. When we were broken up… this past week… I hate who I am when things aren't right with you. I feel lost, pathetic, needy, and weak." Addie sighed and curled up into the chair, resting her chin on her knees. "I am completely and utterly defenseless when it comes to you," she mused aloud. "You're like this bulldozer with all you attitude and ego that my challenging of you is the only thing that keeps you from completely consuming my identity. I know you won't hear out my ideas or opinions because you think you're right so my choice is to either bend to your whim or stick by what I believe to be right and upset you."

Damon stroked Addie's hair as he looked down at her, still perched on the arm of the chair. She looked so small and troubled. Was he watching her trying to accept what he already knew?

"Make me understand this, love. What was with giving Rebekah to Klaus?"

"In relation to you or in general?"

"Both."

Leaning her head against his side Addie sighed, "Stefan's A.W.O.L. with something Klaus wants. He's not leaving here until he gets what he wants. It turns out that what he wants is his family. I don't know how we're supposed to help Klaus get the rest of his family but we had one part. Returning Rebekah showed we were willing to work with him. I've learned that working with Klaus is a lot easier than working against him. And if we are going to work against him, it helps if he's fooled into thinking we're going to help him."

"I don't like you playing games with him," Damon scowled darkly.

"I survived the summer without you, Damon. I'm defenseless against you; I still have my wits about me when it comes to Klaus," she bit back harshly.

"You're right," he murmured, rubbing her back. "I just worry about you."

She gave him a dry smile. "I knew you'd never agree to give back Rebekah. I had to tell Klaus where she was so he could just take her. He couldn't do that without being invited into the house. I never would have done that if I knew the combination lock and could have hauled her out of the house."

"Yeah," he scoffed, "you totally screwed up the purpose of a safehouse. Addie, Klaus can come in here at any time."

"Oh, yes, you are in every position to yell at me because all of your plans have been so perfect," she retorted bitterly. "I was a bit hot headed and short sighted. I guess you're rubbing off on me."

"Love, you're letting the wrong parts rub on you," snickered Damon. He chuckled when she smacked him lightly in the stomach with the back of her hand. Soberly he prodded, "So, did returning her have to do with standing up to me in some way?"

Frowning, she looked up at him. "I don't know. I guess. You weren't letting me have any say in the situation involving her. She's my friend. My sister staked her. I should have some voice."

He nodded slowly. "I can respect that." His fingers gently stroked her cheek as he wondered, "Why do you feel so defenseless around me?"

"Because when I think of how I am with you, all I can think of is some romantic idiot in a Austen or Bronte novel. And I don't mean like at the beginning when she's all strong and independent," Addie mumbled into her knees.

"Ads, when Klaus hinted at killing me you told him you wouldn't tolerate him using the people you-"

"Shut up," she interrupted, standing up abruptly.

"Excuse me?"

As if a cornered animal Addie slowly backed away from him, shaking her head. Softly she pleaded, "Just stop talking."

"You're scared," Damon noted in surprise. "Terrified, actually."

"No," she said but the crack in her voice betrayed her lie. "I just don't want to talk anymore."

He approached her cautiously, keeping his voice gentle, "I would really like it if you would talk to me or at least tell me why you suddenly don't want to talk."

Her eyes searched around the room frantically as she bumped into the couch and found she couldn't back away any further. "Don't do this."

"Do what? Try to understand my girlfriend better?"

"Damon," she whimpered, gripping the back of the couch for support.

"Ads," he murmured. Noticing her watching him wide eyed and wary he hesitated when he reached for her. Determinedly he cupped her cheek and entreated, "My Ads."

Her eyes dropped from his but she allowed herself to press into the reassuring touch of his hand. "Stop looking at me like that."

"Like what?"

Addie shrugged bashfully. "Like you… you would… like you…."

"Like I love you," finished Damon, holding her face in both his hands and forcing her dark blue eyes to meet his. He shook his head as his lips twitched upwards. "I can't help it.

She fisted the sides of his dark olive shirt, unsure if she wanted to pull him closer or push him away. Meekly she repeated, "Damon."

"You don't have to be scared," he assured her between soft kisses to her forehead, the corners of her eyes, her cheeks.

"I do," she sighed.

"Why?" She shrugged, refusing to answer to him. His thumbs stroked her cheeks as he dipped his head to rest against her forehead. "Oh, love," Damon whispered consolingly as he felt something wet on her face. "Don't cry."

Her breath caught as her eyes slipped closed and her hands wound around his waist, wringing together at the small of his back. Just loud enough for him to hear she begged, "Then don't make me say it."

"Is it true?" he mumbled, brushing her nose with his.

"Damon."

"Addie." One hand traveled into the dark blue tresses at the back of her neck and gently tugged, tilting her face further up into his. He softly coaxed, "Talk to me. Let me in."

He felt her shiver and pull him closer as she admitted, "It's true."

His heart began to race as butterflies took flight in his stomach. It was only the despair on her face that kept him from breaking into a giddy grin. Genuinely confused he implored, "Then why can't you say it?"

"Because it's you. It's us. You drugged me. I work with your nemesis to thwart you. It's not right!"

"Yeah," he sighed as he kissed her temple, "we have our issues. We both took such extreme measures because of how we feel about each other, though. Ads, I fully believe we both do everything with the right motive, making us right. What's wrong is that we don't communicate. How we feel is right. How we go about showing that to each other is sometimes questionable."

Addie scoffed, finally looking at him again, "Sometimes?"

"You stuck around to put up with my very bad temper. I… well, I'm working on being a better boyfriend," he shrugged, giving her a roguish smile.

"You make sure I don't want for anything. Definitely financially and you do your best emotionally. You bought me a car. My dream car! When I left for London you gave me a bank card with access to more money than I even want to know. But there are also the amazing times you're there for me. Like when I came back this summer. You were really mad at me and we were broken up but you still let me sleep with you and held me because after everything, I just needed the safety of your occasional drugging and over controlling moments aside, Damon, you're a better boyfriend than I ever would have expected," she reassured him.

Chills ran up his spine as Addie's hands slipped under his shirt, lightly scratching at the bottom of his back. He grinned sheepishly and tentatively asked, "Really?"

Her lips brushed the corner of his mouth as she nodded. "Mhm. There had to be some explanation for why I…," she trailed off quietly, unable to finish.

"You really can't say it?" he lamented softly.

"I - you got me to finally believe in it. Isn't that enough?" Addie whispered helplessly.

Damon had to resist shaking his head. To not believing in all-consuming, everlasting, unbreakable love to accepting that that he felt that way towards her to having her return those feelings was tremendous progress that was practically unbelievable. It was just so hard to believe that he needed to hear it. He needed to know he wasn't making it all up in his mind, that he wasn't just seeing what he wanted to.

He rested his head on her shoulder and buried his face in her neck so she couldn't see the pained expression when he asked, "If it's true, if you feel that way, why can't you just say it?"

"You've already said it."

"Mhm."

"If I say it too…"

"Yeah?" he encouraged, brushing his lips against the base of her neck. He stopped as she tensed.

"It just makes it all too real," Addie sighed, resting her cheek against his head.

He frowned in confusion. "What is it now? Make believe?"

"Of course not!" she objected, holding him tighter.

"Then what do you mean?"

Uncomfortable and uncertain she whined, "Why does it matter?!"

"Because it makes it real," Damon whispered.

Cheekily she retorted, "What is it now? Make believe?"

He gently held her chin between his thumb and index finger as he forced her to look him into the eye. Damon softly confessed, "Right now it's all in my head. I think I know how you feel, Ads, but I don't know. The only thing that I know to be real is that you are my life, my world, my everything. For the first time I'm experiencing something real and not just lust. I just want to know this isn't a one-sided thing. I love you, Addie."

Anxiety, truth, and love reflected in his bright blue eyes as Addie stared into them. Nervously she licked her lips, her mouth suddenly dry. Her voice cracking she muttered, "Damon, I -"

A loud ringing cut through the room. Damon groaned as Addie visibly exhaled in relief. Her hands still shook as she pulled her cell from her pocket.

"Jeremy's finally calling me back," Addie said quickly, sounding a bit defensive as she showed the glowing screen to Damon as proof. She shrugged apologetically as she moved away from him. "I need to warn him."

---

The hot spray of the shower rinsed the soapy lather from Addie's hair as the scent of cucumber melon filled the bathroom. The water pressure was awful as she had become accustomed to the glory that was Damon's three showerheads. Feeling tense after the long day made her long for the massaging effect of his shower even more. Or perhaps she just wanted Damon. The thought made her scowl as she squirted conditioner into her hand with more force than intended. She didn't like wanting or needing Damon to feel alright.

It had turned out that Jeremy hadn't been calling her back; he'd seen her message but he hadn't listen to it. As a result, he was cornered by Alaric and Elena but he only provoked them further by inviting the sired Tyler into the house. Turned out that Tyler had somehow gotten Jeremy off of vervain and at some point he was compelled by Klaus. The point the Original hybrid referred to making before he'd left the boarding house had been to get her brother to stand in the middle of the road and be plowed down by one of his hybrid minions. Kicker was that Klaus had told Jeremy to take off his ring. When he died, he'd stay dead.

Gratefully Alaric had pushed him out of the way just in time and it was he who had died. Alaric had the protection of his own ring, though. Sort of. Something had gone wrong with the ring, almost as if the magic was wearing off. It had taken all day for Alaric to come back to life and when he had, he wasn't healed. He'd woken up and almost promptly collapsed as he choked up bright red blood, his pulse weak. It turned out he had severe internal bleeding, three broken ribs, and a concussion.

The obvious solution was vampire blood but Addie couldn't get in touch with Damon. Bonnie had called Elena earlier in the day to tell her that she had gone out to the old with house in an attempt to figure out the dreams only to run into Stefan. Upon discovering Stefan's whereabouts Elena had insisted that they directly go and talk to him and force him to give Klaus his family back since since Jeremy had almost been killed. Addie decided to let Damon and her sister go on that little adventure alone because she wasn't sure she wanted to face Stefan. Either he'd save Klaus in exchange for his freedom, which meant that he kinda had betrayed Damon, even if she had proposed using him to Klaus or he saved Damon because his humanity was back on, in which case she felt kind of guilty that she was willing to let him stay trapped as a slave to Klaus in exchange for Damon.

Elena had come back from the outing, her mission unaccomplished, but Addie hadn't heard from Damon and she kept getting his voicemail when she tried calling him about Alaric. She wasn't sure whether that was a good sign or a bad sign. With time being of the essence, Elena decided that they needed to take Alaric to the emergency room.

It was a swell idea until the hybrid who ran him over showed up and compelled away the paramedics. They didn't stand a chance in getting around him to try and take Alaric to the hospital themselves. Klaus' minion offered to heal him in exchange for being invited into the house. Before the sisters had time to consider the deal the hybrid was sprawled on the front porch, an arrow sticking out of his back. Jeremy had managed to graze his heart with the crossbow but that wasn't enough to kill him. Of all the awful and horrible things she had witnessed Stefan and Klaus do to their victims and all the times she'd seen Damon covered in blood, Addie always managed to fight the nausea that hit her. But watching her big brother take off someone's head with a meat cleaver had made her violently ill. Her arms wrapped protectively around herself at the memory, shivering despite the hot water.

They heard from Damon about five minutes after Alaric had been admitted into the E.R. The last Addie had heard he was on his way to the hospital to patch Alaric up and then he would come by the house to take care of the corpse. Addie had at least managed to get it to the side of the house while Jeremy took Alaric to the hospital. So instead of explaining a body at the front door they'd just have to explain the huge pool of blood if any of the neighbors asked. She touched the dead body; Elena got to clean the porch.

As the water started to cool Addie decided to get out of the shower. She wrapped a large, fluffy towel around herself and another around her dripping hair. Back in her bedroom she was surprised to find Damon stretched out across her bed.

"Finally!" he sighed dramatically as he sat up. "I've been waiting for nearly two hours. I was starting to think you drowned."

"No, I was just thinking," she uttered, self-consciously adjusting her towel. She hadn't been expecting him. Quietly she moved over to her dresser to pull out her pajamas.

"I already picked something out," Damon informed her, pointing to the pile of neatly folded clothes on the opposite end of the dresser.

Looking between him and the clothes Addie frowned, "I'm a big girl; I can pick out my own clothes."

Damon nodded his head in acknowledgment. "I know. As much as the possessive part of me finds you in my shirts and boxers really hot, I just figured, I don't know, a little change might be nice since you're not sleeping at my place," he shrugged innocently.

She raised her eyebrows at him as she held up the bright red camisole he'd selected by the strap. Knowingly she retorted, "Or you just want to stare at my breast."

"No," he objected with a sly grin, "I just happen to really like you in red. It's not my fault that's the only red shirt you had."

"Whatever, Salvatore," Addie scoffed, rolling her eyes. She took the rest of the clothes and went back into the bathroom to change. Quickly she blasted her hair with the blow dryer until it was just barely damp. When she went back into her room she found Damon's bright blue eyes lingering on her chest. Shaking her head Addie crossed her arms and lightly chastised, "Damon!"

It was just so easy to get a rise out of her. He snickered, "Ads, love, you, uh, only encourage the looking with the," he mimicked crossing his crossing his own arms. "It boost and accentuates your features."

"Damon!" she whined, uncrossing her arms and poutily stomping one foot.

"I'm just screwing with you," he laughed.

Grabbing a pillow Addie smacked him with it and complained, "Well, stop it. You're not funny."

"I'm hilarious," he smirked, snatching the pillow from her. His grin faltered as he noticed her stiffen as he rested his hand on her waist.

"Hilarious looking," she retorted, sticking her tongue out at him as she moved to sit on the bed.

He eyed her challengingly and seriously said, "We both know that not true."

"Don't you ever get tired of carrying around that huge ass ego?" Addie asked curiously.

Damon shook his head, his eyes sparkling. "No, superhuman strength makes it seem as light as a feather."

"I figured there had to be some supernatural explanation," she grinned, playfully pushing at his thigh with her foot. "So, what's up? Why have you been waiting nearly two hours?"

Pulling her foot into his lap he began to gently knead it. "You just saw your brother chop off someone's head," he said as if it explained everything.

"And you just saw your brother after he went postal and stole from Klaus," Addie repeated in the same tone. Frowning she shook her head in confusion. "I don't get what we're doing. Are we just pointing out facts?"

"I'm here to make sure you're ok, Addie."

"Oh," she muttered, suddenly very interested in her fingernails. "Well, I'm not the one who chopped off someone's head so," she shrugged, leaving her sentence unfinished.

"Your brother is going to be fine," Damon promised. "He's going to go to Denver for awhile. Once w-"

"What?" Addie blurted in confusion.

He licked his lips anxiously. Hadn't he decided he was going to let Elena tell Addie what he'd done? It was her idea. Reluctantly he replied, "Well, I'm sure you've heard his plan of you guys just packing up and going."

She shook her head insistently. "It's not a plan. It's a pointless, idealistic wish we both have. It doesn't mean anything. We both know we can't just move away from the Klaus problem."

The aching in his chest that had been present while she was in the shower returned but he tried to shut it out; he didn't want to dwell on what it or her words meant. He continued hesitantly, "Or it does mean something. The Klaus problem isn't a Gilbert problem; it's an Elena problem."

"Jeremy wouldn't just move and leave her to deal with him on her own," Addie snapped. "And as much as I may not like my sister, I wouldn't do that to her either."

"No, neither of you would," agreed Damon. "That doesn't mean Elena thinks it's fair that you guys have to give up a normal life just because of her."

She snorted bitterly, "Huh. Pretty damn sure I told her it wasn't fair about a year ago and she didn't really give a damn and chose to keep playing with vampires."

"People can change a lot in a year. We both have."

Addie scowled at him. She didn't particularly like him being right on this point; it almost bordered on being defensive of Elena. She huffed and refocused, "Elena. Jeremy. Denver. Connect the dots."

"Your brother just beheaded a monster. He cheated on his witch girlfriend with his dead, ghost, vampire ex-girlfriend," Damon rationalized, building up his defense. "His life here isn't normal. He was almost killed because my brother suddenly has an itch to be devious and diabolical. Jeremy isn't safe here. You know he'd never willingly agree to leave but…."

"Oh, my god," Addie gasped in horrified realization. "You didn't!"

"He's going to have a better life," he stressed.

She shook her head, looking at him completely appalled. "You don't know that! You don't get to decide that! What - Why the hell do you think you have the right to take away someone's free will? You did the same thing when you compelled me to take control of my life!"

"And your life got better!"

"I was a smartass with a vampire. I befriended the most lethal vampire I knew. I made a deal to work with Katherine! I think you're confusing 'getting better' with 'becoming reckless and stupid,'" she cried in exasperation.

Damon sighed, running his hand through his hair. Compelling her was a touchy subject and she was already upset enough. He tried to keep the attention on his current actions. "Look, that's over and done with. Jeremy is the situation now. I know he'll have a better life because I made that part of the compulsion, Addie. He's going to stay with some nice family friends in Denver. He's gonna be at a new school. He'll meet new, living girls/ He's going to drink a few beers, take an art class. Jeremy is going to do whatever he wants. He's going to leave Mystic Falls behind and never think twice about it. He's going to be safe. He's going to be happy. Isn't that what you want for your brother?"

Addie's eyes narrowed at his trick question. Of course she wanted Jeremy to be safe and happy. And it was obvious that he currently was neither. Instead of answering she deflected, "If Elena is doing this for Jeremy, because it's not fair for him to not have a normal life, why isn't she doing it for me?"

"She is. Well, she wants to. And now she's pissed at me because I refuse to compel you away, too," he shrugged, rolling his eyes.

Her hand traveled through her hair as she wondered aloud, "Jeremy's going to be safe and happy. Are you not compelling me because you literally can't or you wouldn't even if you could?"

"I know how I'm supposed to answer that."

"What does that mean?"

"It means I've been asking myself the same question. I know you'd never want me to compel you again so it's something I shouldn't consider. Thing is, I love you and all I want is for you to be safe and happy, even if it means you hate me. That part of me says maybe compelling you and getting you far away from Klaus is the best thing, especially since he has some weird interest in you and you agree to play his stupid games and yet you talk back to him and you're probably going to get yourself killed. Then there's the part of me that is a really selfish bastard with a really big ego and thinks that I am perfectly capable of keeping you both safe and happy because that is what will keep me happy. The selfish bastard has the bonus of keeping your respect." Damon shook his head, dropping it into his hands. "Truth is I don't know what I'd do."

Addie frowned, crossing her arms. "At least you're honest about."

His brows furrowed as he looked at her baffled. "Of course I'm honest with you. Ads, I'm always honest with you."

"Except when you drug me."

"Yeah," he muttered. "Did I lose so much of your trust that it really surprises you that I would tell you the truth, even if I know you won't like it?"

"I don't think so," she said uncertainly. "I mean, I've come to always expect the truth from you."

"I really screwed up."

"Mmm…. What'd you mean about Stefan being devious and diabolical?" Addie recalled after a minute.

Damon groaned loudly. "How about instead of discussing Stefan I just do this?" he suggested as he took her other foot and began massaging it like he had the first one.

"While that is nice," she muttered contently, "we did discuss my brother so I think a little quid pro quo is in order. Jeremy just chopped off some hybrid's head. Stefan actually stole Klaus' family and is the indirect reason why Jeremy did what he did. Really, your brother is much more discussion worthy."

He eyed her wryly but she didn't back down. "Fine," he grumbled. "My brother is a dick!"

"Must be a genetic thing."

"I'm serious," he pouted. "I've been wondering how Klaus got Stefan to save him. Turns out that all Klaus had to do was guarantee Stefan his freedom. That's almost as bad as what you did! If Stefan would have just let me carry out my plan, he would have had his freedom!"

With the foot he wasn't rubbing Addie gently prodded his thigh, trying to get his attention as opposed to watching him glare at himself in the mirror over her dresser. "We've discussed this, Damon. He screwed you over because the entire point of the plan for him was to gain his freedom from Klaus. Saving Klaus guaranteed that. Stefan had no control over you and your plan to kill Klaus; there was no guarantee that it would work and he'd be free. Then Klaus offered him a way to be sure he got his freedom. Stefan wanted his freedom more than he wanted to kill Klaus."

"Yeah, I know, Addie. I've accepted that," Damon insisted irritably. "That doesn't change the fact that he's a dick."

"What's his plan?"

He scoffed, looking helplessly up at the ceiling, "That's half the problem. He has no plan! He says Klaus' family is the one weakness he can use against the bastard but to use against him to do what?! Stefan doesn't know."

"Since he has no plan I don't suppose he would just-"

"He's not going to give the coffins back, Addie. Elena already tried asking for that," he interjected. Giving Klaus what he wanted wasn't a bright idea. Letting the bully win just increased their sense of power. "My brother, he's sort of running his own show right now. He's hiding in a haunted house, for Christ's sake!"

"So what is he doing with the coffins?"

"Hiding them."

Addie snorted, "You know, I think Klaus can follow Stefan to the house."

"Klaus won't find them," Damon said stiffly. He really didn't want to lie to Addie but he didn't know if he wanted to tell her the truth.

"Well, where is he hiding them?"

"Somewhere safe."

"How do you know it's safe? I mean, if Stefan is kinda off balanced can you really trust his judgement on what's a safe place?" she pressed.

He licked his lips. "I trust my judgement."

"So where are they?"

"Why does it matter?" he asked bristling.

Addie tilted her head at him as she began to understand. "Why don't you want to tell me?" she demanded.

Inhaling sharply Damon confessed, "Because I'm not the only one who's lost some trust. After what you did with Rebekah I don't trust you not to lead Klaus to everyone else."

She pulled her feet from his lap as she brought her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs. Her lips pressed into a hard, thin line as she stared blankly at him. She couldn't quite work out how she had broken his trust. He was the one who hadn't told her where Rebekah was.

"I didn't mean that how it sounded," he sighed. Damon reached for her hand but stopped, his heart and hand falling when she shook her head.

"You don't think we should give the coffins back?" she mumbled.

After careful consideration he answered, "I think we don't need any more Originals running free,."

"Jeremy almost died because Klaus wants them back."

"I'll protect you," he reassured.

Addie's lips turned down at this. "I know you will. I'm not worried about me. I'm worried about everyone I care about. What are you going to do about them? Compel half the town to Denver?"

"You were right when you threatened him. Klaus doesn't just get to live forever. There has to be another way to kill him"

"That's your plan?! Keep his family as ransom while you look for a way to kill him, which may or may not exist?"

He shrugged. "I still have to work out the finer details."

"This is so screwed up," Addie mumbled, resting her forehead on her knees.

"You've had a long day and it's late. You should go to sleep," he said, going towards the door.

"Will you stay?" she asked so softly he wasn't sure he heard her correctly. Addie avoided looking at him as she snuggled down into her blankets and curled her arm around her pillow. "Just until I fall asleep at least."

"Yeah, of course," he nodded, flipping the light switch and sending the room into darkness. Awkwardly he sat down in her desk chair.

"What are you doing?"

"Well, you don't really want me touching you so I'm giving you space."

Rolling her eyes Addie grumbled, "Just get in the bed, Damon. It's far creepier with you just sitting there, lurking in the dark."

Damon snorted as he slipped off his shoes, "I'm not lurking."

"You were sitting in the corner of my room, watching me from the dark shadows. What would you call that?" she giggled as he laid down next to her, a respectable distance between them.

Defensively he countered, "You wanted me to stay."

"And you interpret that to mean I want you to lurk in the corner?"

"I was trying to be respectful. You know, I can still leave," he finished suggestively.

"No," Addie objected quickly. Trying to appear cool she added, "Just shut up. You're preventing me from sleeping."

---

His laugh was mirthless as he killed, the blood splattering on the concrete slabs at her feet. Around his mouth the skin is stained red and up to his elbows he's painted red with fresh blood. The woman takes her last shuddering, shallow breath with a choking gurgle mixed with the blood filling her lungs and dies. She presses herself harder against the rough brick wall as he grins at her savagely. She doesn't get why he's playing with his food, why he's torturing his victims and making them suffer. He drops the body to the ground with a soft thud, leaving it next to the other heap of flesh. Instead of tearing through that one's chest cavity he had ripped his arms off.

"Don't look at me all haughty and outraged," he scolds her a giddy smile playing at his lips. "Don't be so mean, Addison. Have a heart."

And she catching the object hurtling towards her face. It's warm and slippery. Her hand is coated in some sticky substance. Almost dropping it she instinctively her grip tightens. At first the object bends under touch then it's tough and resisting. Horror rips through her as she unfurls her hand to reveal what he has thrown at her. She swears the woman's heart pulses in her palm.

"Ads! Ads! Addie!" Damon called to her, his volume gradually increasing as he tried to shake her awake. She was already tossing and thrashing so much that his moving her wasn't even registering with her subconscious. "Wake up!"

Startled awake Addie inhaled sharply, at least she tried to but found herself choking on the air. She gasped, trying to find her breath as she noticed her heart racing in the familiar way she associated with fear and panic. Remembering her dream she held up her hands, inspecting them for blood. A sob racked through her as she realized they were clean.

"Hey," Damon whispered soothingly. He took one of her hands in his, giving it a reassuring squeeze. The thumb of his other hand wiped away the steady stream of tears falling. His lips turned up sympathetically as she looked at him in confusion. "You were having a nightmare."

No shit she'd had a nightmare. Wasn't that obvious? Why was he still in her bed? He was just supposed to stay until she fell asleep. The point of that was to trick herself into believing that he was with her while she slept because she didn't have nightmares when she slept with him. But he actually was with her and she'd still had a nightmare; that didn't make sense. Something was wrong.

Over heated, Addie kicked at the blanket until it gathered around her hips. That was interesting; sleeping with Damon usually kept her cool. Addie eyed him wearily, trying to make it all add up. When she realized he was still on top of the blankets the pieces fell into place. Her hands wound around his neck, pulling him closer while she simultaneously scolded herself for being so pathetic. Just sharing a bed with Damon wasn't enough to keep away the nightmares; apparently she had to be clinging to him like a needy koala.

"It's ok," he murmured, rolling onto his side and taking her with him. Addie rested her face next to his, sharing his pillow. Damon felt her trying to press herself closer to him. He saw the fear in her eyes and repeated, "It's ok. It was just a bad dream, Addie."

It was more than a dream; it was a memory. She shuddered and kicked the blankets off the rest of the way so she could tangle her legs with Damon. Increasing contact with him was proving to have a direct correlation with making her feel better.

Trying to lighten the mood he cheekily grinned, "Guess whatever part of you questioned me touching you is over that little trust issue."

In the moment. Addie wasn't sure how'd she feel when her heartbeat slowed back down. She was still shaken from the nightmare. Her lips brushed against his ever so slightly and she felt tinge better. It made logical sense to her that more of a proper kiss meant more of feeling better so that is what she did.

Breaking away Damon gave a whiny, unsatisfied moan. His fingers trailed along her jaw as he sighed, "I can't. Addie, I have really missed holding you and kissing you, believe me. I can't, though, not if it's just because you're upset."

"Since when do you care?" she challenged, her voice hoarse and weak.

"Since it's you! I'm not going to take advantage of you, Ads."

Her eyes narrowed at him as she pouted, "Upright, moral you can be as annoying as dick you. At least dick you is amusing."

"Trust me, I know the dick me is more amusing. I have a lot more fun being that guy," Damon remarked dryly.

"So can't you just be that guy?" Addie mumbled, moving in to kiss him again.

After a chaste meeting of the lips he pulled away again. "There are just times when I can't be that guy because I love you and I only want to do right by you," he explained.

"Ok," she said slowly. Purposefully she ran her hands through his hair, her nails gently scraping his scalp. A sense of smugness briefly lit up inside her as his eyes fluttered close. Reasonably she questioned, "Are you really being that guy if what I want is to simply kiss you?"

"I know what you're doing, Addison."

"Are you really so proud that you have to hear me beg to makeout with you?" challenged Addie, deciding to change her tactic.

"It's - It's not a pride thing," he stammered, disarmed by the accusation. "It's a - a respect thing. You're upset."

"Yes and being with you, touching you is easing the cold, dead feeling that nightmare left me with. Is it really so awful that I just want my boyfriend to kiss the fear and pain away?" Perhaps the truth was just the best strategy. With a little white lie to help convince him. "I'm not trying to avoid some deep emotional problems with physical contact; I'm just trying to get over a bad dream."

His lips brushed her forehead, her temple, her cheek, the corner of her mouth. "No," he murmured, " it's not awful at all. I didn't consider it that way. I'm sorry."

"There's a very easy way for you to make amends," Addie smirked as she continued to play with his hair.

Damon smiled slightly, bowing his head towards her. It felt like the lightest of shocks as he let his lips ghost by hers. He made to pull back she encouraged him closer. She pressed her lips to his insistently. Slowly his moved and molded with her. He slipped his hand from her cheek, down her neck, gliding along the silky skin all across her shoulder that his shirts usually cover.

He grinned, resting his forehead against hers, "Am I on the right path?"

"Getting there," she whispered. It hadn't occurred to her that she had been clenching nearly every muscle since she had woken up until she had started to feel herself relaxing under his touch.

Keeping it slow and lazy Damon kissed her again but this time he deepened it Traces of her cinnamon toothpaste were still detectable. She gave a content sigh as he softly nibbled at her lower lip.

When she began working at the buttons of his shirt he stopped exploring rarely exposed skin to travel up her arm and capture her hands. He broke away, looking at her with complete love and adoration. He shook his head and gently whispered, "Not tonight."

His eyebrows arched in surprise as Addie gave him a full blown pout with the jutted bottom lip and pleading eyes. It was a genuine, sulky pout; he'd only ever seen her do that sarcastically before. His lips twitched as he fought against a smile. "While you are highly adorable, still no. I will cuddle and kiss you until you're walking on sunshine but things aren't getting… heated."

"I'm not trying to turn this into a grope fest," she scowled. "I just… we've had this discussion: guys are fascinated by boobs and I… enjoy your chest for it's lack of breasts, great definition and your finely sculpted abs."

"Well, flattery will get you so far," he conceded, moving to undo his shirt. When Addie tried to help him he shook his head and brushed her away. "Nuh-uh. You undressing me almost always leads to more."

She reached for the blanket at the foot of the bed as he shrugged out of his shirt. Pulling it up around both of them she asked, "Will you stay the rest of the night? Once I go back to sleep? Until morning?"

"Of course, love. That dream shook you up pretty bad, huh?" Damon noted rhetorically as he wrapped his arms around her, letting her bury her face in his chest.

"It wasn't a dream. You, you keep the nightmares, the memories away," Addie admitted quietly. Wrapped up in his big, strong arms it was safe to whisper the truth.

He tensed. His voice a pitch higher than usual as he repeated, "Memory?"

She sighed and gently pushed him onto his back so she could rest her head on his shoulder. Dismissively she said, "I told you I had seen some shit with your brother and Klaus this summer,"

"Yeah but -"

"It's not a big deal, Damon. I don't want to discuss it."

"Do you not know that you scream and bawl during your nightmares? I'm not inside your head but I know what I saw and heard both while you were asleep and after you woke up. You have to be going through hell. That's a big deal," he reprimanded. "You need to talk about this."

Her glare was hard and icy as she looked up at him. "No, I don't."

"Do you have them every night?"

"No."

"Are you lying?"

"No."

"Why do I think you're not telling me the truth?"

Addie looked away from him and mumbled, "I didn't have them until a few weeks ago. I didn't have them when I was sleeping with you. I started having them every night when I started staying at home."

Damon was quiet for a long time as he absorbed that information. "I'm not sure how to react to that," he finally decided. "Part of me is mad at myself because in addition to everything else I fucked up when I drugged you, I'm now responsible for this. You've been having these nightmares because you are uncomfortable sleeping with me. Part of me is upset with you for putting yourself through this every night when you knew exactly how to avoid it. Part of me is just glad I can help and happy to know I can be such a source of comfort for you."

"Good to know you're so conflicted over my problem, Damon. Don't worry your pretty little head about it," she muttered.

"Your problems are my problems, Ads. I love you. I worry about you. I mean, how are you going to deal with this."

She leaned up, resting her hand on his cheek. "I appreciate your concern, I really do, Damon. But, I have tonight figured out. Let's just go to sleep. Ask me about tomorrow night when it's a little closer."

"That's not a long term solution," he frowned.

"No but it works for now and that's all I really care about at," she glanced at the clock, "a quarter to three in the morning."

"Fine. For now," conceded Damon.

Addie gave him a small smile before returning her head to his shoulder. She felt herself completely relax once she entangled her legs with his, draped her arm across his chest and felt him hold her close, one hand on the small of her back and the other on her hip. As Damon's chest rose, Addie inhaled, matching her breathing to his.

---

A/N: Yay! They're sort of not so much fighting! Thank you again to everyone who favorites, follows, and especially everyone who reviews. Times have been crazy and I haven't really had time to get back to those but I appreciate them so much.