(1) The Phoenix (D. Salvatore)

Chapter Twenty-Two

Damon and Daphne reappear in the parking lot of the Mystic Falls hospital. Damon bends over immediately, fighting a wave of nausea. Daphne flicks her hair back and smirks watching him. Everyone always feels weird the first time. He glances at her. She just gives him a look back before walking away, heading towards the hospital. Damon takes a deep breath and follows after her. His eyes settle on something before he grabs her arm and pulls her down behind a car. She frowns at him. He nods across the parking lot to where Klaus is standing with his sister Rebekah.

"He doesn't look all that scary" She comments as she stares at Klaus, Damon snorts and looks at her.

"Neither do you" He adds, she looks at him. "But come on....bet you're just as dangerous" She smirks and hums a little.

"Don't you forget it" She teases, he looks over her and smiles. This tiny little redhead looks about as threatening as a butterfly clip, but he's pretty sure she could take them all out without much effort. He finds he rather likes that about her. Beautiful but utterly deadly.

"I'll distract, you rescue," Damon tells her and nods towards the hospital. She hums and nods in agreement. Damon stands and vamp-speeds away to get into position. To come at Klaus from a different angle so his back is to Daphne. He waits behind another car, watching as Klaus and Rebekah talk with one another before Rebekah leaves. Damon takes this as his chance. He vamp-speeds into Klaus' eye line, drawing his attention.

"Well, look who finally decided to show up to the party" Klaus comments turning to fully face him.

"Where is she?" Damon demands, curling his fingers into his palm, shifting so he keeps Klaus' back facing the hospital.

"Elena? Ah, she's making a donation to a greater cause" Klaus answers. Damon needs to keep his attention firmly on him so Daphne can get into the hospital. Damon goes toward the hospital but Klaus stops him. "I'm afraid I can't let you interfere, mate"

"You'll have to kill me"

"Oh, I would love to kill you, but I made a pledge to your brother, and unlike him, I keep my word. Although, you know what, thinking about it now, he probably doesn't care that much anymore" Klaus pushes Damon against the hood of a car and is about to kill him.

"Don't you want to know about your friend Mikael?" Damon asks, shocking Klaus. And it is clear that it works. That look in Klaus' eyes shows Damon just how much Mikael bothers him.

"What do you know about Mikael?" Klaus asks. 

"Just that he knows you're here" Damon answers with a victorious smug smirk. Klaus moves closer to Damon, trying to figure out how honest he is being about this. How much he wants to risk it.

"You're bluffing"

"Katherine and I found him. Consider it our leverage" Damon argues. The two of them stare at one another before Klaus throws him against another car, and Damon falls to the ground with a groan. When Damon gets back up to his feet, Klaus has disappeared. Damon just hopes he bought Daphne enough time to get Elena out.

..........

Inside the hospital, Daphne walks down the hallway, looking for Elena. She finally finds her room and sees her inside. She's asleep but appears unharmed. Daphne lets out a relieved breath and walks into the room. She touches Elena's arm and glances around at all the tubes. She looks at the tube which is pumping out her blood, Daphne frowns and then gently pulls it out of Elena's arm, which still wakes her up.

"Daph" Elena whispers seeing her sister.

"Hey, fancy meeting you here" Daphne whispers back with a smirk. Elena smiles back weakly. "Wanna go home?" Elena nods as Daphne brushes her hair back from her face. "Come on" Daphne helps Elena up to her feet before she uses apparition to leave the room with her.