A/N: OKAY everyone. SO, some very kind-hearted soul reached out to me and let me know that someone had ripped off my story and started posting it under The Originals. The summary is exactly the same. The title is exactly the same. Everything is exactly the same, except for a few character name changes. This really got under my skin. I mean, I know that I'm not a real writer and this is only fanfiction, but a lot of work goes into these stories. We fanfiction writers don't get paid. We do this is in our spare time and the fact that some people think that it's okay to steal work is just insulting. Okay. Rant over.

I DO NOT OWN THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, OR THE CHARACTERS.
Music Credit: "Broken" – Seether featuring Amy Lee

~*.*~
'I wanted you to know – I love the way you laugh.
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain away.
I keep your photograph – I know it serves me well.
I wanna hope you high and steal your pain.

'Cause I'm broken, when I'm lonesome…
And I don't feel right, when you're gone away.
You've gone away – you don't feel me anymore.'
~*.*~

Chapter Twenty-Three:

The days began to blur together, until Klaus was finally out of his coma. After Kol's spiel, they let us share the room and didn't give me any trouble about staying in there. As much as I tried not to think about it, my thoughts kept drifting back to Damon. I wish that they didn't.

Damon was dead, but he still managed to plague my nightmares. I couldn't sleep. I was jittery and I refused to talk about the attack. I was just wasn't ready. I just couldn't find the strength to willingly relive the horror… or the words. I just wanted to forget – I needed to. It was all too fresh – too raw.

Klaus didn't seem to mind too much, really. We weren't where we had been, relationship-wise… but we weren't really back to square one, either. He was the only one – save for the doctors – who I let touch me. It was minimal, but it was there.

When there was talking, Klaus did it for the both of us. Everything that happened with the attack… it was all too close for comfort. None of it was without bloodshed.

Stefan survived, only to be thrown into prison. I have no idea how long that'll last or how long he'll end staying there. As long as he stays out of our lives, I don't really care what happens to him. I didn't want to think about it.

Esther has a mild concussion. Katherine and Rebekah both had their fair share of bruises. Kol had a broken arm and a shiner to match. Elijah had gotten shot in the leg, but was expecting a full recovery. As far as our side goes, Klaus and I took the bulk of the injuries.

Katherine had basically moved into our hospital room. It was like she was afraid to leave me. I didn't bring it up, because I understood why she was doing it. It was her way of trying to protect me and maybe even herself.

Rebekah liked to lay with us. I didn't mind. It put me at ease being closer to her – to them. Elijah and Kol kept busy. They took the reign of handling the Mikaelson affairs, while we recovered.

As much as I wanted to believe that I would, I wasn't sure how I was going to make it past this. Not sleeping was getting to me. I was petrified of the thought of being medically aided to sleep. I was afraid of the inevitable nightmares lurking there. I didn't feel strong enough to face them. I didn't feel strong enough for anything.

Try as I might, I just couldn't feel clean. I felt dirty. I could still feel Damon's presence and smell him on my skin. I feel his metaphorical blood on my hands.

I took a human life. Was it justified? Probably… but I knew that killing someone is never right. How do you do that? How do you even justify a death – a murder? He's dead by my hands. How will that ever be okay?

"You will need to come in for your follow-up appointments, but I see no reason why you can't go home today." The doctor's voice was cheerful, life he truly believed he was giving us good news. My heart dropped. I wasn't ready to go back there. I couldn't.

"No," I breathed. Everyone looked at me. I shook my head. "No," I repeated, louder. "I can't." I scrambled off of the bed, but Klaus was quick on my heels.

"Sweetheart, we don't have to go back there. We can go somewhere else." Klaus told me, gently. I shook my head. His fingers enclosed around my wrist gently and he turned me around. My chest tightened and I felt like I couldn't breathe. My hand flew to my chest, as I started to hyperventilate.

Klaus' lips were on mine, before I could fully process what was happening. My hand flew to Klaus' face and the slap echoed across the room. I pulled away and gaped at Klaus, in disbelief at what I had just done. Tears welled in my eyes, as I fled to the bathroom.

I tried to shut the door, but Klaus wouldn't let me. He blocked me from locking the door. I slid to the floor and dropped my head into my hands and let myself cry. I'm losing it. I'm really losing it.

"I hit you. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Klaus. Oh, my, God, I'm so sorry. I'm just like him… I killed him… I'm a monster. I need to go. I can't go back there. I can't. He… Those things he did to me… in your room… in your bed… I'm so sorry." I sobbed. I didn't even flinch, as his arms went around me.

"Your reaction was natural. You have nothing to apologize for, love. You never have to apologize for that. I will never make you go back to that place…. Elijah came up with a solution of sorts, earlier today. We have other property in New Orleans. Our other estate needs a lot of work, but my brother has had people working on the bedroom nonstop. We'll stay in a hotel for the week, then move in. No one else wants to go back to that place either, sweetheart. We will get through this. I promise you that. Nothing that animal did made me love you any less. You did what was necessary to survive, sweetheart. No one can fault you for that." He tried to reassure me. I didn't know what to think about any of it. I want to believe him… I just don't see how we'll get through something like this.

~*.*~
'The worst is over now and we can breathe again.
I wanna hold you high – you steal my pain away.
There's so much left to learn and no one left to fight.
I wanna hold you high and steal your pain.

'Cause I'm broken, when I'm open…
And I don't feel like I am strong enough.
'Cause I'm broken, when I'm lonesome…
And I don't feel right, when you're gone away…'
~*.*~