Coming Home (A Klaus Mikaelson Story)

27. Goodbye to the Pain

When I woke up I was lying on a large four poster bed. I sat up rubbing my neck, the bastard had snapped it. Looking around me I knew I was in his house, I jumped off the bed and went to the door but as I reached for the handle it opened and in he walked, a smug look on his face.

I folded my arms in front of my chest, "You can't keep me here Klaus." I stated matter of factly.

His response was just to laugh, "Have you ever noticed that you call me Klaus when you're mad at me, and Nik when you're... not?" he asked, completely ignoring my statement. I tried to run past him but just as quickly as I made my move he had me pinned to the wall, he was holding my shoulders gently but firmly and my struggles just made him laugh harder. He picked me and carried me back to the bedroom where he threw me on the bed. I was looking at the window contemplating jumping out of it but Nik's voice stopped me,

"Don't even try it sweetheart. It's the middle of the day, you won't last a minute out there." He held out his hand, sitting on his palm was a ring. My eyes darted to my own left hand, where there should be a silver ring resting on the middle finger there was no longer.

I looked up at him, "My daylight ring... Give it back to me Klaus..." I tried to make my voice dangerous and threatening but he just smirked at me. I looked to the window again, how bad would it really be? Yeah I would burn, but if I moved fast enough maybe....

The thought trailed off as Nik was sitting on the bed next to me, wonder in his eyes. "You would really risk it wouldn't you? I can't have you risking your life for them..." as he leaned closer I realised what he was going to do, I jumped off the bed and made another run for it but as quickly as I had the thought about it I was back on the bed, Nik above me, pinning me to the mattress, then bending his face to mine I noticed his pupils starting to dilate.

"You will not leave this room to go save your friends. You will not get involved with helping them in any way." he compelled.

He sat up then allowing me room to move but I just lay there looking at the ceiling. The bastard, it was obvious what he had done. I could leave here as long as no part of me wanted to help Elena and the others, which meant I was really stuck here. I turned on my side away from him. I couldn't look at him right now I was so mad. He started to say something but changed his mind. I felt him rather than saw him get off the bed, I heard a whoosh noise and then I was on my own.

I got of the bed and sped to the door, but when I tried to leave the room I couldn't. I pushed against an invisible barrier. After a moment I gave up, I had known it would happen but had to try. I didn't even have a phone to contact them. Ugh, that man could be so infuriating.

I started pacing around the room, time was passing so freaking slowly. It was several hours later and I was lying on the bed when I heard the screams of someone in immense pain. Without thinking about it I was off the bed and following the screams. I was halfway down the stairs when I realised I was out of the room. It didn't take a genius to figure out that I wasn't trying to go to my friends so the loophole kicked in, as I stood there looking at the front door wondering if I could chance it when I heard another scream. It sounded familiar and I forgot about leaving momentarily and followed the noise. I entered a large room of to the left of the foyer and froze.

Damon was strung up, his blood covering his body. I ran to get him down but as I reached up to pull the chains it felt like I couldn't move my hands. I was getting really frustrated when I remembered the compulsion, I couldn't help my friends in any way.

But... I thought to myself, I don't see Damon as a friend. He is a friend of a friend, I haven't fully forgiven him yet...

With that thought I reached up again tentatively and this time I was able to pull on one of the chains releasing his right arm. Smiling to myself at my small victory I caught Damon as he fell forward and I was holding him as I reached up to unchain his left arm when I was suddenly thrown across the room into the wall.

I jumped to my feet and prepared to attack but it wasn't needed, Klaus had already turned his back to me and was securing Damon back into his chains. Then, as if in afterthought, he lifted a knife from ground and placed the blade against Damon's bare chest and sliced. His screams filled the rooms as I rushed to try and help him again. But Klaus grabbed me, his arm snaked around my waist, my back pressed against his chest and held me facing Damon, forcing me to watch his pain.

"My sister Rebekah was fond of this kind of procedure to bleed the vervain from a vampire. Have to hand it to her, very effective." Klaus boasted. I looked up into Damon's eyes, and he smiled faintly back at me. He understood that I would help if I could but I just couldn't. Klaus saw this little exchange and wasn't happy. He dragged me back to the bedroom and threw me on the bed. He stood at the door watching me as I once again lay down and turned from him. His voice was low as he spoke,

"I do not want to hurt you Jennifer, but this is just business. I don't understand why you can't see that, as for Damon... after all he has done to you how can you run to help him so easily?"

I could hear the jealousy so clearly in his voice but I didn't turn around, didn't acknowledge that I had even heard him. After a moment I heard the door close, I was alone in the room once more. I could feel the tears start to form in the back of my eyes. I didn't know what to do, he had to know if he killed my friends he might as well kill me as I would never forgive him. He has to know it.

As I lay there, time dragging I felt my eyelids getting heavy. I hadn't realised I was tired but I suppose when you're stuck on a big bed for god knows how long it was inevitable and before I knew what was happening I drifted off.

I was sitting by the road that lay between Mystic Falls town centre and my parents' house. I stood up in confusion, dusting myself off. How had I gotten here? Did Nik let me go? I couldn't remember. It didn't matter though, I had to get to Caroline and the others, noticing I still didn't have my ring back I was glad it was night time.

 But before I could head off I saw a car approaching that looked really familiar. The car stopped and my heart stopped beating at the same time, my father got out and took a few steps forward... I was about to run to him when my world stopped for a second time.

Damon was on top of him in a heartbeat, ripping into his neck. I felt the scream rip from my throat and tried to stop him. He just continued on as if I weren't even there. When he finished he dropped my dad to the ground like a piece of trash. I fell to my knees and pulled my dad's head onto my lap. Damon just sneered at me, I looked up at him, "Why?"

Damon threw his head back and laughed at me. "Because I can, I can do all this... to good people and I know that you're friends will still forgive me and expect you to help me. Now if you'll excuse me, you're mother isn't going to kill herself now is she?"

He started towards the car, I realised for the first time my mother was standing there, tears running down her face as she looked at me and my dad. Damon grabbed her and spun around, he pulled my mother so that her back was pressed against his chest, then he pulled her head to the side and bit down cutting her scream in half. I couldn't move, I was frozen to the spot holding my dad, watching my mom die.

I sat up in the bed, a scream stuck in my own throat. Where was I? I was still in Nik's room and he was standing by the door. I felt like I was been ripped apart in different directions. Did Nik somehow give me that dream, I couldn't hold in the tears that started to pour down my cheeks. Nik was beside my side in a second but it didn't matter, my heart was breaking. Who did I have to trust, on one side Nik who wanted to hurt my friends and on the other side, my friends who would protect the man who murdered my parents and me.

I think Nik knew he had gone too far when he slipped my ring back on my finger but it didn't matter, it was too much. The pain... I couldn't bare it any longer and that was when I gave up. I don't know how I knew it, but it was like it was there in my mind, a switch. And if I flipped that switch the pain would go away. Closing my eyes I took a deep breath and flipped it.