Faint Secrets- A delena fanfiction

In Sickness and Health

Damon sits by the fire, watching the flames lick the wood as he sips bourbon from his glass. A soft knock sounds upon the door, and he frowns, not expecting anyone, but then realizes it could be any number of people, especially Elaina. He walks over to the door, opening it to find Sarah Elizabeth, supporting a very pale Elaina. She doesn't look well, her warm brown eyes dull, her skin a grayish hue. Even her hair was matted down to her forehead, beads of sweat slowly trickling down her face. She is shivering so Damon takes her in his arms and inside, and beckons Sarah Elizabeth in also, but she shakes her head quickly, looking down at the floor before responding, "oh, Mr. Salvatore, I can't stay. I brought Elaina here because I thought you may be able to help. She hasn't eaten in days Mr. Salvatore, I do not know what to do, please." He nods. "Very well then," he replies politely. "Thank you for bringing her here, and Sarah Elizabeth," he inquires and she looks up to meet his eyes again. "Call me Damon." He says, and see gives a bashful smile.
"Very well then Damon, would you mind updating me on her condition when suitable?" He nods.
"It would be my honor." Elaina tugs at his shirt.
"I should be going then, goodbye Damon, feel better, Elaina darling." And with that she vanishes
into the night. Damon sits Elaina in one of the armchairs by the fire in an attempt to warm her,
but also wraps a wool blanket around her shoulders for extra effort. He retreats to the other room and returns with some soup left over from his supper and some hot tea. She shows little
interest, but does take them. "Thank you," she manages before coughing. He gives a small sad smile. "No problem." They sit in silence for a while, Elaina taking several attempts at her tea, and picking half heartedly at her soup before she looks to him.
"I'm just tired Damon," she whispers, and he nods, helping her to the bed, pulling back the covers
for her. After she climbs in, he pulls up the covers around her, but she pushes them away. "Too...
Hot." She murmurs before her eyelids close and she is fast asleep. He smiles and kisses the top of
her head before going into the lavatory to retrieve a damp cold cloth. He returns and presses it to her forehead, causing her to murmur in her sleep with relief. He just stays there awhile before
climbing into bed beside her, rubbing her back, and after some time, he drifts off to sleep.

Elaina's eyes wander the room feverishly, until she spots something in the corner of it. Someone
she thought she'd never see again. A beautiful middle aged woman, dark hair, and warm brown
eyes much like her own. "Elaina my darling," she whispers.
"Mama." Tears spill over Elaina's eyes, staining her cheeks. Her mother approaches her and places a hand on her under her chin, lifting it up to meet her eyes. She points to Damon.
"Who would this be, Miss Elaina?" She gives a sad smile, looking over at her lover.
"This is Mr. Salvatore." A pause. "Damon, and I love him." Her mother looks at her, sternness
upon her face as she searches her daughter's.
"You are not pure." Elaina's face falls.
"Mama," her mother interjects.
"Elaina Pierce. You are a disgrace to this family, a disgrace to the Pierce name. How dare you give yourself to a man whom you are not wedded to?" She continues, but Elaina can't stand to
hear anymore. She closes her eyes, tears streaming down her face once more. She stands up.
"Enough, mama!" She yells, and doesn't here Damon stir awake behind her. "I am not a disgrace, and I could not be happier to be in love with Damon, mama he's good for me, and HE LOVES ME! Please mama," she quiets slightly, begging her mother. "Please, I'm your daughter, stand by me, love me for who i am, not who you want me to be." Her mother shakes her head sadly.
"You understand Elaina. I can't stand by you, not after what you've done. Goodbye my daughter." She fades fast, and oh how Elaina howls in emotional agony! Damon bolts upright in
the bed and takes Elaina in his arms, holding her tightly, stroking her hair.
"Elaina, shhhhhh, the fever is causing you to have hallucinations, I'm sorry, everything will be
all right." She just sobs, trying to respond between hiccups.
"No Damon, my mother hates me!" He hooks her brown eyes into his cool blue ones. His pupils
contract.
"Elaina, love, your mother doesn't hate you. She loves you, and what happened to her and your
family wasn't your fault. What you say was just a dream, not real. It wasn't real." Now, her pupils contract, and she repeats his words.
"It wasn't real. I'm okay." He nods, and helps her get situated back in bed. It breaks his heart,
having to compel her, but she needed to know it wasn't real and what happened wasn't her fault.
He watches her fall asleep, and watches over her until she awakens the next morning.

Sunlight floods the small room, causing Elaina's warm brown eyes to flutter open softly. She
notices a familiar silhouette standing by the window. Slowly, she sits up in bed, rubbing the
sleep out of her eyes. "Damon?" She calls groggily, and he rushes to the bedside, steaming mug
in hand. He sits down on the edge of the mattress and hands it to her, and she takes it gratefully.
"Thank you." She takes a sip. "How did I-" he smiles slightly.
"Sarah Elizabeth brought you here to me last night," he pauses, pressing a cold hand to her
forehead. "Your skin is still warm to the touch. How are you feeling?" She grins, and is about to
say she feels fine, but she suddenly grasps Damon's shirt as a wave of nausea consumes her. She feels her tongue begin to sweat, and she regurgitates all over herself, Damon, and the bed.
"Elaina-" she is sick again. He holds her, rubbing her back while she continues to excrete the bodily fluid. When she is finished, the linens, Damon, and herself are soiled. She wipes her mouth with the back of her shaky hand, and shakes her head.
"I'm so sorry Damon, I- I do not know what is wrong. Look at me, I'm a mess. I've spoiled the bed linens, and your clothes-oh goodness I-" he presses his index finger to her lips softly.
"Elaina, darling, there is no need to apologize. You are sick, and I am taking care of you. Now
come, I'll draw you a bath." Noticing the shaky unstableness of her body, he helps her up and to the lavatory, where he starts to fill the tub with warm water, easing her frail body down into it. He removes his soiled shirt and sits on the edge of the tub, watching her. She is beautiful, every part of her. Her eyes meet his, the familiar glint of them slowly returning. Without a word, he takes the sponge from the shelf above the basin, lowers it into the water, and soaps it up. Elaina moves so that her chin rests on the side of the tub comfortably, her back facing Damon as he begins to massage the sponge into her body, hitting every pleasure spot, soft moans escaping her lips. He soaks it again and repeats the process until her entire body is clean. When he is finished, he smiles slightly and plants a soft kiss on her forehead. "Feeling better?" She grins.
"Much better. Thank you Damon."
"My pleasure." He stands, and helps her out of the tub, wrapping a towel around her body above
her breasts. "Will you be fine on your own while I bathe?" He asks, and she nods, but her feet don't move as he begins to remove his belt. She sees the signature smirk splay across his face.
"Miss Elaina are you staying for the show?" He jokes, and her eyes avert from him as she promptly leaves the room, leaving him wishing she had stayed. Elaina sits by the fire, watching the snow fall beyond the window as she waits for Damon. A sharp, rapid knock comes upon the door, and Damon yells out from the lavatory. "Elaina, would you be a darling and get the door please?" She replies that yes, she would, and hurries to it, to find Sarah Elizabeth and what appears to be a young woman. Only, something is wrong. The woman seems to be bleeding from her neck, pure white dress stained a deep shade of crimson. Sarah Elizabeth's face is pale. "Elaina, I found her in the woods, I don't know what happened. Please, is Damon here?" She asks frantically, eyes darting around the small cottage. She hurriedly beckons them inside, slamming the door after them. Damon comes out with a towel wrapped around his waist, raven hair dripping, and his eyes find the young woman and Sarah Elizabeth. His eyes are full of something she has never seen before. He rushes over to her and lifts her to the bed stripped of sheets. Sarah Elizabeth, I need you to take Elaina in the other room while I asses this situation." She nods curtly.
"Yes Mr. Salvatore." Elaina starts to protest, but one cold look from Damon shuts her up, and she follows Sarah Elizabeth away from the scene. After what seems like an eternity, Damon comes to find them. He addresses Sarah Elizabeth first.
"Your friend shall be fine, but she should rest here overnight so I can keep an eye on her." She
curtseys politely.
"Thank you Damon, thank you so much." Damon nods, then his eyes find Elaina's. Sarah Elizabeth chuckles lightly to herself before muttering under her breath, " I should probably be going." And exiting the room. After she has left, Damon touches Elaina's forehead gently with
the back of his hand and smiles lightly.
"Your fever has broken, wonderful." His attempts to divert the inevitable conversation is weak.
"Damon," she says softly, quivering slightly. "What happened to that poor woman? Her neck-"
He presses his finger to her lips.
"All that matters is she is fine now. I haven't the slightest idea as to how she got into this predicament." Elaina shakily puts two fingers to her neck, as if feeling her pulse.
"Damon, her neck," she swallows hard before attempting to speak again. "My mother,". Damon
pulls her in, and she sobs, breathing in his familiar scent with each sharp inhalation. Whatever
kinds of demons are out in the world, she knows Damon will protect her from them.