NOTE (PLEASE READ): The following chapter contains violence, inappropriate language and physical torture. Read at your own risk. However this chapter is the most important chapter in the whole story and without an insight in this you won't be able to understand stuff clearly.

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Klaus's reason for capturing Melanie was very simple though it might not seem so at first. His sole purpose of coming to Mystic Falls was the same too. He wanted the moonstone which could free him of his curse and he was perfectly sure that the Salvatores knew about the stone and where it was. He wanted to manipulate them into getting it for him and for this, he had prepared two plans in order to minimize his chances at failure. 

He locked the door shutting Mel inside and ignoring her screams of protest, made his way to the other side of the mansion whistling blithely. He knew everything was going to happen exactly as he wanted to.

Damon was tied up to the ceiling with iron chains drenched in vervain. He was cut up brutally and exhausted from all the torture such that his eyes were drooping shut. The last thing he wanted was for Klaus to come back. But that that was exactly what happened.

"Have you made up your mind yet or not?" His harsh voice alerted Damon who tried to look up but couldn't. 

"Fück off, Santa Klaus," he managed to reply. 

"You're not quite in the position to make snide remarks today, mate," Klaus leaned casually against the wall but his eyes were fully focused on the tied up vampire. 

"You're not... Quite in the position to... Order me about," he replied back. 

He smirked, "as a matter of fact, I very much am in the position to force you to do anything I please."

"In your dreams."

"Sometimes dreams can take a rather cruel spin on reality, Damon. I hope you keep that in mind before answering my sole question... Do you know where the moonstone is?"

Damon sighed as if wary of him, "you still haven't learned to take a hint, mate. I do not care in the least of what happens to your or to that dear precious stone of yours."

"I thought so," Klaus inched closer facing him directly, "but you do care about yourself, right? How about we continue this little game of me torturing you until you oblige? I'm not that interested however."

"You can torture, as you put it yourself, however you want and for whichever time you prefer. I don't know anything about the moonstone and even after hours of further physical torturing, I'll still say the same."

"You'll say the same because you're damn stubborn and it's starting to piss me off."

"Pissing you off is my specialty," Damon had a fleeting smirk on his face as well letting Klaus know that two could play at his game. That he won't get much out of him by what he was doing at the moment.

"But," this time Klaus's face broke into a lethal grin, "how about I shift the subject? How about I switch the torture on to someone else? Someone who you care about... Dearly or so I've heard..."

Damon was slightly ticked off at that. He was suspicious that perhaps Klaus had come to know about Mel and how she was staying in Mystic Falls under a fake identity. And he surely didn't want her to get involved in any of Klaus's evil plans.

"You know I never care about anyone other than myself," he replied though his jaw was clenched slightly at the possibility of Mel getting involved.

"This time you will," Klaus sneered, "trust me, you will care. I'm still giving you a last option. Tell me where the moonstone is and I'll let you go. No other harm. No other strings attached."

Damon considered. He couldn't see how Klaus would know about Mel as it seemed almost improbable. He assumed that if he wouldn't give in to his demands, he would most probably threaten to torture Elena. 

And then all that preventing him to get the moonstone was for Elena's safety. He made up his mind that Klaus torturing Elena would be bearable but he couldn't possibly let her get killed. 

"You can use your plan B for all I care," he replied finally.

Klaus raised an eyebrow, "you sure? You won't like it."

"Stop fooling around. Either let me go or deal with the crap I'm throwing your way. I don't bloody care what you do or what you don't."

He shrugged, "right. Enjoy the ride."

"See ya, Santa Klaus," Damon flashed him a smirk which annoyed him.

"Of course you will. See. Bloody moron," Klaus slammed the door and left the room.

Damon rolled his eyes, "who the hell he thinks is a moron? I truly didn't ask him to define himself."

A short while passed. To keep himself occupied, Damon tried to twist open the chains but to no avail. The vervain singed at his flesh and he scowled in frustration. 

The door opened finally. He could hear screams and pleading cries in the distance and it made him anxious. He realized that Klaus wasn't only posing empty threats.

He entered dragging a girl behind him mercilessly and threw her in front of Damon. When she looked up, he got a shock. She was none other than Melanie. 

Seeing him, she immediately stood up and no sooner than that her hands were cupping his face, "Damon, what has happened to you? Are you alright?" 

It took a while for him to register what exactly was going on. He couldn't believe Klaus knew about Mel and had captured her.

"What are you doing here? he spoke through gritted teeth. 

Before she could speak Klaus answered, "she is my backup plan. Want to see what else can be done to her?"

He kept silent hoping Klaus would let her go seeing that it wasn't having any effect on Damon. Melanie was desperate, her hands rested on his shoulder and there was a pleading look in her eyes. 

All of a sudden, Klaus grabbed her arm and tore her away from Damon furiously. His claw like hands were digging onto her flesh. She tried get free but he was too strong for her. Blood was now dripping down from her forearm.

Damon kept his face emotionless as if seeing Mel in pain had no effect on him whatsoever. But internally he was seething. 

Klaus had tied her to the chains facing Damon so that both of them were now face to face, "if you won't tell me where the moonstone is, your dear lovely Melanie will suffer. Right in front of your eyes."

"You may do whatever you like, it's not gonna make you achieve your goal," he replied. 

Melanie's eyes widened in disbelief at hearing those words come out. "Damon, how could you?" 

He looked at her with a straight expression that meant *keep silent, I know what I'm doing*. She looked hurt and it tore him from the inside but he managed to prevent his expression from wavering.

Klaus had not been expecting that. He realized that he would have to torture the girl a bit harder so as to get Damon feel real pain. "Pity Damon doesn't care for his little princess anymore," he whispered in her ear. 

She flinched and drew back. As if the reaction had satisfied him, he took out his knife and pushed it in her arm dragging it down leaving a deep cut as blood trickled down her wrist.

Damon had clenched his hands so tightly that his knuckles went white. Klaus looked over at him, "still no effect? Or have you lost your voice box, Damon?" 

He was staring at him as if he would pierce him with his stare alone, "we may be having a bit of a disagreement but don't ever lay a hand on her."

Klaus remarked, "glad to see the smirk's wiped off your face." He grabbed her head and pushed it back exposing her thin white neck. She was squirming from pain and tears rolled down her cheeks. He was holding the knife against her throat and she had tensed immediately.

Damon was beginning to lose his outward calm. He was becoming mad with anger and his features were distorting. 

"Get your filthy hands off her," he threatened. 

Klaus laughed, "oh Damon feels! Finally. Just tell me where you're hiding the moonstone and none of you will have to suffer."

His mind was racing. If he told Klaus about the moonstone Elena would be in danger and Klaus would figure out exactly how to get Damon to do his bidding. If not, then Mel would get injured much worse. Probably even die, and he could never let that happen. 

Damon knew Klaus was enjoying giving pain to her and he also knew that Mel probably hated him now for behaving like he did earlier. Like he honestly didn't care. It would have broken her heart.

He tried to get free and thrashed about ignoring the sting of vervain on his skin. 

"Not so easy," Klaus smirked, "give me my end of the bargain and I'll give you yours."

The knife slashed down her back and she screamed again making Damon feel more reckless than ever. He struggled harder to get himself free from the vervain drenched chains. Her cries were driving him insane. 

"I won't ever let you get hurt, princess," his own words rang in his mind increasing his desperation. Gathering all the remaining strength in him, he switched to his Vampire form he broke free with a loud clash.

With one swift movement he tore Klaus away from Mel and snapped his neck in a matter of seconds. Grabbing the knife, he dug it into his heart then turned to face Mel who was gasping for air. He knew he couldn't possibly kill an Original but the current deed could keep him passed out for enough time to get Mel safely out of there.

He dropped Klaus on the ground in a bloody mess and wrenched off the ropes bounding Melanie. Her watery eyes were filled to the brim with pain and hurt. Her face was badly bruised and her clothes were bloody as he helped her to her feet, all the while his eyes focused on searching major injuries to be healed first and foremost. But she collapsed in his arms not being able to stand.

Her hands reached out to grab him for support and she buried her head deep in his chest shaking from her own sobs. He tried to quieten her like he used to years ago whenever she had nightmares. But this time it was not a nightmare. For her it all was as if old wounds had cut open and bled again.

She had been tortured again only this time it was right in front of Damon. Damon who had always promised to keep her safe and not let anyone hurt her was himself the cause of her shattered condition. And he hated himself for it. He hated himself for the pain his daughter had to go through due to him.

He carried her back to the Boarding House and laid her down on her bed. She was in a subconscious state. He sat down beside her supporting her limp figure and bit his wrist to let her drink some of his blood so she could heal.

He could feel her pain with twice the intensity and it was burning him in a fire of his self guilt. His eyes were struggling and he couldn't control his own tears as they poured down. He had broken his promise to Melanie. And he loathed himself for it. He smashed his fist into the wall in frustration but of course it was of no use. He wanted to kill himself but he knew he couldn't.

He glanced down at her who was still slightly trembling, revealing the torn and troubled within. Her breathing was heavy and unnatural while her eyes were filled with agony and anguish.

"I'm sorry, Melanie," he spoke in a choked voice, "I'm so so sorry."