Elena wasn't exactly locked in a tower in the middle of an endless forest, but she was as close as one could get. It was an old ranger's station, long-abandoned, in the woods surrounding Mystic Falls. She remembered hearing stories of kids sneaking out here to hook up.

But now the windows were boarded over, and the door was locked. It had been nearly a week since Klaus had brought her here for safekeeping until it was time for the sacrifice. It had been two days since Elijah had shown up to tell her that they were concocting a scheme against Klaus and that he would let her out when they had dealt with him. And it had been over twenty-four hours since the food had run out.

She laid on the floor, watching the patches of sunlight that came in through the spaces between the boards slowly make their way across the room. Her head felt floaty and everything seemed kind of like a dream.

At some point, she drifted off again, dreams disconcerting – running through dark woods as trees melted into blood around her; soaring over Mystic Falls and divebombing her loved ones with fluttering feathers; the door of the ranger's station opening, Elijah standing in the door, sun blazing blindingly behind him.

"Elena," he said, closing the door behind him. He crossed the room to light the oil lamp in the corner.

She watched him from the ground, absent-minded.

"I brought you something to eat," he said, kneeling beside her. "My apologies for being away for so long." He pulled a sub sandwich out of a paper bag.

Elena's fingers scraped along the rough wooden floor. It felt pretty real. Realer than her previous dreams, at least. She could smell the sandwiches. She squinted up at Elijah, forcing her eyes into focus. Then she reached out to touch his hand. He felt pretty real too.

"I'm… awake?" she said uncertainly.

His face betrayed a hint of a smile before looking concerned again. "Yes," he said. "And you need to eat."

She pushed herself up into a sitting position, but almost immediately pitched sideways. Her head swam. Elijah grabbed her by the arm to keep her upright.

"Careful," he said. "You are bound to be light-headed from lack of sustenance."

"And whose fault is that?" Elena muttered, eyes tightly closed, hands braced against the floor until the spinning feeling went away.

"Once again, I apologize," he said.

She opened her eyes and looked up at him, then at the sandwich. He held it out and she grabbed it eagerly.

"What happened?" she asked. "Is Klaus… dealt with?"

Elijah sat back and Elena didn't think she had ever seen him sit on the floor before. It wrinkled his suit and made him look more human. She kinda liked it.

"Yes," he said, though his tone was strange.

But Elena was too focused on her sandwich. "Thank god," she said through a full mouth. "I think I'd go crazy if I had to stay in here much longer."

"Don't eat too quickly," Elijah said. "Your body needs to readjust."

"What do you know about eating food, Mr. Been-a-vampire-since-Viking-times?" Elena said but slowed up a bit. "How'd you do it anyway?"

"Become a vampire?"

She rolled her eyes. "No, deal with Klaus."

"Your witch friend, Bonnie, found a spell," he said. "And channelled the power of a celestial event to enact it."

Elena stopped midbite. "That's a bit vague."

"The important thing is that it worked," Elijah said.

She put down the sandwich and studied his face. "What aren't you telling me?"

His eyes flicked over her shoulder, and she followed his gaze to the door.

"You locked it again," she said and looked back at him. "Why'd you lock it?"

He shifted slightly. Elena's heart began to race. She dropped the sandwich and pushed herself to her feet.

"I don't think standing is advisable–" Elijah began to say, getting up as well.

Elena stumbled sideways a bit but doggedly made her way to the door. She fell against it, tugging at the handle, but it wouldn't budge.

Elijah's hands were holding her up and she found herself flinching from his touch. "Please take care," he said quietly, but she pulled away from him, leaning against the wall for balance.

"Why aren't you letting me leave?" she demanded.

"I think it's safer for you to stay here," Elijah said. "For the time being."

"You said–" Elena closed her eyes tightly against her growing headache. "You said that once Klaus was dealt with, I could leave. If he's gone, it's safe again."

"He's not the only threat to your safety, Elena," he said.

"What are you talking about?" she burst out, throbbing head making her irritable.

"If I let you out, you will run right back into their arms – those brothers who are infatuated with you," he said. "They will be your undoing."

Elena ran a hand through her hair – messy from her days of captivity. "Stefan is– Damon isn't– How is that any of your business?"

"I gave my word that I would protect you."

"You also said you'd let me out of here!" she exclaimed, banging a fist against the wall. "But you lied to me about that, too."

"I did not lie," he said quickly. "When I said that, I fully intended on letting you out. I simply changed my mind."

Elena took a step forward, pissed and hungry and exhausted. "You can't just loophole your way out of this. You broke your word, Elijah."

He was silent for a long moment. "Perhaps I did," he said, shamelessly.

Elena growled in frustration. "And perhaps they will be my undoing or whatever, but you can't decide that for me."

"Clearly, I can," he said simply.

She clenched her fists, tears pricking at her eyes. "So, what, you're gonna keep me locked up here like freaking Rapunzel?"

"Rest assured I am looking into better accommodations," he said. "You shall only have to tolerate this place for a few days more."

"No," Elena said, stepping forward. "You will let me out. I'm not just gonna sit around here because you decided it was best for me." She took another step. "Did you even do anything about Klaus? Or are you just keeping me around so he can do his sacrifice anyway?"

"You no longer have to fear any violence from my brother," he said.

"And why the hell should I believe you?"

He sighed.

"You almost always told me the truth before, but you also used to respect my decisions."

"What makes you think I ever did?" he asked coolly. "Perhaps this is simply the first time your decisions go against my plans." He fixed her with his gaze. "Do not mistake me for the younger Salvatore brother, Elena," he said. "I will not entertain your self-destructive whims."

"Then you'd better remember what you told the elder Salvatore brother when he didn't respect my decision," Elena countered. "I won't forgive you for this, Elijah."

"So be it," he said, grabbing and carrying her across the room. While she was still disoriented, he sped to the door. "I will return later tonight with your dinner."

Elena tried to run after him. "Elijah!"

But he was gone, the door locked behind him before she reached it. She grabbed hold of the hand, pulling at it with her whole body until her hands slipped and she tumbled to the ground. She hugged her knees, sobs beginning to wrack her chest. The walls were pressing in on her. She closed her eyes, silently begging Bonnie or anyone to find her, and soon.

The sun set and night fell on the woods. The lonely oil lamp cast a small circle of light around it. Elena curled up on the floor beside it, all cried out and even more tired than before. She finished the sandwich slowly, wanting to make it last.

Her next meal wouldn't come until Elijah's return, and she did not want herself to begin to wish for it. Just because he had made her reliant on him, that didn't mean she had to accept it.