*Skipped The Descent*

"Well, its good to know that you still like pickles" Caroline said smiling in amusement. Claire gives her sister a funny face while eating the pickle causing Caroline to laugh. Claire joins her while rocking Madelyn gently in her carrier. The two sisters were at the Mystic Grill having some sister time.

"So, Tyler's pretty mad at you" Claire brought up. Caroline sighed nodding as she looks at her fries grumpily.

"Do you blame him?" Caroline grumbles. Claire sighs looking at her sister. "I kept Mason's death from him."

"You couldn't tell him about Mason without selling Stefan and Damon out." Claire reminds her. While she honestly didn't give two shits about Damon, she still cared about Stefan.

"I know" Caroline muttered.

"He'll forgive you, don't worry" Claire reaches over grabbing her hand. Caroline gives her a small smile. "So, do you still care about Matt or is it Tyler now?" Claire asked.

"I don't like Tyler like that." Caroline tells her.

"You and Tyler kissed" Claire deadpans. "Right after you kissed Matt"

"It wasn't right after" Caroline said defensively. Claire rolls her eyes. "I still love Matt"

"But you can't be with him" Claire told her. "Your words not mine" She added quickly.

"I know, I know" Caroline sighed.

"And I don't think you should be with Tyler either." Claire told her gently. "He's a werewolf, Care, he could kill you. You saw what Jules did to Rose. Rose went crazy and was in intense pain before she died. I don't want that happening."

"It's not going to" Caroline told her reassuringly. "Because Tyler and I aren't getting together." Claire relaxes and smiles at her.

"Good because not only is he a werewolf but he's a complete asshole who cheated on me. There isn't an inch of my that trusts him with you." Claire told her.

"He's changing" Caroline reminded her.

"Not that much" Claire mumbled. "He may be a better friend but he's still going to be a shit boyfriend. Claire told her. "Just please, don't get involved with him."

"I'm not" Caroline told her slightly annoyed.

"Ok, ok" Claire holds her hands up in surrender. Caroline sighs and gives her an apologetic smile. Claire just nods returning the smile. "We should get going, I need to put Madelyn to bed soon." Caroline nods and the two stand up. Caroline pays while Claire gets ready to leave.

"Ready?" Caroline asks. Claire nods picking up the carrier. The two leave the Grill and walk towards the car.

"Hey! Hey!" Matt shouts racing the two of them down.

"Hey" Caroline smiles at him.

"I'll give you two some time" Claire winks at Caroline before walking to the car. Madelyn squirms and makes baby noises. "I've got you... I've got you" Claire whispers. "We'll be home before you know it" She mutters putting Madelyn in the care safely while Caroline walks over. "So, you and Matt all good?" Claire asked.

"We're gonna be" Caroline said smiling but soon it disappears.

"What?" Claire asked frowning her eyebrows. Caroline gives her a look before turning around.

"Excuse me, Caroline right?" A woman, Jules, asks standing in front of Caroline. Claire secures Madelyn in the car before closing the door.

"I'm looking for Tyler. You haven't seen him, have you?" Jules asked Caroline.

"No, not since earlier. Sorry." Caroline turns back around, her eyes locking with Claire. Claire gets an unsettling feeling in the pit of her stomach knowing Jules was no good.

"I know you're lying" Jules commented.

"Really? How? Is that one of your little wolf tricks?" Caroline asked as Claire walks around the car, standing beside her sister. Caroline and Claire link hands, Claire gently siphoning from her.

"Actually, it is" Jules snarks.

"Well, I have a trick too" Caroline said looking at Claire. Claire gives her a small nod releasing her hand. Caroline vamps out and hisses at Jules but Jules sprays vervain on Caroline.

"Caroline!" Claire shouted and quickly knocked the spray can out of Jules. She goes to use her magic but someone grabs the back of her head and pulls her back. Claire cries out as he head is slammed into the car hard enough to break the window. Madelyn screams and cries as Claire is thrown to the ground, her head slamming onto the concrete.

"Claire!" Caroline cried but before she could do anything, Brady, Jules lover and the one who knocked Claire out, shoots Caroline in the head.

"So, are we taking both of them?" Brady asked.

"Put her body in the car, we're not taking her. We just need Caroline, she'll be dead by morning" Jules said knowing the head trauma would kill Claire. Madelyn continues to cry for her mother. Brady picks Claire up and hides her in the backseat.

"What about the baby?" Brady asked.

"Someone will find her eventually. Hurry up, we need to get out of here" Jules orders. Brady nods picking Caroline up and taking her away. "I don't know what Tyler ever saw in you" Jules mutters looking at Claire before disappearing.

"Claire, when you get this, please call me back. I'm worried about you, Elskan." Elijah tells the voice box. He sighs and reluctantly hangs up. He paces in her room. Her scent is faint, she hasn't been home in hours. "Damn it" He snaps and leaves the house.

He had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. The second he started feeling it, he came to her room. It didn't settle well with him that she wasn't home. He had called her multiple times, texting her at least twice as much.

He remembers Claire telling him that Caroline and herself were going out to the Mystic Grill. The second he arrived, the scent of her blood reached his nose. He growls lowly as he follows the scent to Caroline's car parked on the side of the road. Madelyn is crying and there's a window broken.

"Elskan?" He calls out inching towards the car. The he sees her. She's laying across the backseats, beside Madelyn. There's blood coming out of her head and a big puddle of it on the ground. "Claire?" He practically rips the door open and pulls her out. "Claire!" She doesn't respond.

He listens to her heart beat and realizes that it's slower than the time he found her after Trevor kidnapped her. He presses her back to his chest, her head laying on his shoulder. He bites his wrist and opens her mouth, pressing it against her lips.

"Please, Elskan" He begs in her ear. "Please, drink" She remains unresponsive. Complete and utter fear courses through his veins the longer she takes to drink. "Please, Claire... Please drink.. I can't lose you, I love you" He whispers in her ear. "I need you with me, I will do anything, just drink." The bite on his wrist heals and he's forced to re-bite it.

A few moments after he presses the reopened wound to her mouth, she starts to wake up. She releases a groan and starts to suckle on his wrist, feeding from him. He releases a relieved laugh, his head burying in her neck.

"Thank God" He whispers kissing her skin. "You're going to be alright, I've got you." He reassures her.

"What happened?" Claire groans pulling away from his wrist. He turns her around, so her back is against the car. She grabs a hold of his suit to keep herself up. He doesn't answer her, simply presses his lips on hers.

It takes her a moment for her to register, as her head is pounding against her skull. Soon, her lips move against his. Her body relaxes against him as she gives herself into the kiss. But then she remembers what happened before she woke up against Elijah.

"Oh my God, Caroline" She gasps pulling away.

"It's actually Elijah" Elijah comments shrugging. Claire gives him a look and slaps his chest. He smiles and kisses her again.

"Wait, someone took her" Claire told him. "We were leaving the Mystic Grill and.... Jules!" She said thinking of the woman who came. "She sprayed Caroline with vervain and when I went to defend Caroline someone grabbed me. I don't know who it was, I didn't see them."

"Are you alright? Are you still in pain?" Elijah asked grabbing her face gently, his eyes pouring into hers, his eyebrows frowned.

"I'm fine El-" She froze as she heard Madelyn. "Oh my God, Madelyn." She shoves Elijah off of her and races around the car to her daughter. "It's alright, sweetheart, it's alright" Claire whispers taking her out of her car seat. "Mommy's here, mommy's here." Claire bounces in a soothing motion as she comforts Madelyn. "Everything's alright" Claire kisses Madelyn's forehead holding her tightly.

"Claire" Elijah calls out. She turns to him.

"We need to find Caroline. I don't know where she is or why they took her but she's scared and she's in pain. Don't ask me how I know that, I just do" Claire told him frantically.

"I will find her" Elijah reassures rubbing Claire's arm. "Lets just get you home alright?" Claire nods and allows Elijah to take her home. "I will personally search for Caroline but you need to stay here, alright?" Elijah tells her. "Do not leave this house."

"I won't.. Just find her" Claire pleads. Elijah nods and kisses her forehead.

"I will, don't worry" Elijah reassures before disappearing.

The entire time Elijah was gone, Claire couldn't calm down. All she knew was the Caroline was out there, scared and in pain. She wanted to be out there searching for her but she's no match for werewolves and vampires. She knew she wasn't skilled enough, that would have to change. But for now she had to trust Elijah to find and bring her home safely.

"Elskan... Elskan" Claire slowly wakes up before bolting off the couch. She stumbles slightly as she becomes dizzy. Elijah quickly steadies her

"Caroline" She whispers.

"Is fine" Elijah reassures. "Everything's been taken care of. She's in the shower. It's been a long night, let her get some rest. You'll see her in the morning."

"Alright" Claire nods in agreement.

"Come on" Elijah mutters leading Claire into the room. Claire smiles at Madelyn's sleeping form. Elijah cocoons around Claire as she watches Madelyn.

"Thank you" Claire mutters. "For saving my life.. again."

"I'll always save you" Elijah reassures.

"I never said it back." Claire whispers. Elijah kisses Claire's shoulder tightening his grip on her.

"Said what back?" He mumbles against her skin. Claire smile softly.

"I love you too" She mutters. He tenses at the words. He hums not thinking he heard her right. Claire smiles and turns in his arms. She cups his face and presses their heads together. "I love you, Elijah"

"You just made me a very, very happy man, Elskan" He said before pressing his lips to hers. She smiles tangling her fingers in his hair, pulling it lightly. He growls pulling her away from Madelyn and up against the wall.

The kiss almost instantly becomes more frantic as the two try to pour everything their feeling into it. His hands roam her body while she clings to him like a life line. In an instant, Elijah as he legs wrapped around her waist and her back pressed more firmly against the wall.

Claire breathes heavily as his lips leave hers and trail down her neck, placing open mouthed kisses along her skin. Her legs tighten around him as he grinds his hips against her. She moans pressing her head against the wall. She bites her lip and closes her eyes, immensely enjoying the feeling she got from Elijah.

"Wait.. Elijah, wait" Claire whispers trying to settle her heart rate.

"What?" He asks just as breathless. "Do you want to wait?" He asked pressing his forehead on hers. "I'll wait for as long as you want." He reassures her. She smiles at him falling more in love with him by the second. She brings his lips back to hers for a more gentle kiss.

"It's not that I want to wait" She mutters against his lips. "But my sister who has vampire hearing I across the hall and my daughter is sleeping in the room."

"Both valid points" He mumbles against her lips. Claire's eyes continue to flicker from his eyes to his lips. "You're not making this any easier, Elskan" He growls smelling her desire, her arousal. He reluctantly sets her down on the ground.

"You should get out of that suit" She whispered gripping it tightly.

"Why don't you help me out of it?" He growls his lips brushing against her ear, a shiver racing down her spine.

"Oh no, big guy" Claire said using the rest of her self restraint to push him away. "You're clever but... now's not the time."

"As you wish" He said taking a few reluctant steps back. Claire quickly gets lost in his dark eyes. She could feel the tension between the two grow. Her heart rate began to escalate and she found her mouth suddenly dry. "I'll be back" Elijah says thickly before disappearing releasing Claire from his intense, desire filled gaze.

She releases a breath of relief but felt slightly disappointed. She walked over to the bed and sat on the corner. She took a few breaths to calm herself before looking at Madelyn.

"Cock block" She grumbles before falling back on the bed. Soon, she hears Caroline talking in an angry voice. She stands up and walks to the main room where Caroline it talking to Tyler.

"I didn't know what to do!" Tyler shouted.

"You help your friend, that's what you do" Caroline snapped.

"I'm sorry" Tyler tells her but Caroline shakes her head.

"No, it's too late, because we're not friends anymore. Claire almost died, she would have if Elijah hadn't found her!" Caroline snapped.

"Who's Elijah?" Tyler asked but Caroline ignored it.

"And what happened to me tonight, that will never happen again. So, you take that back to your little werewolf pack, and you get the hell out of my house!" Caroline shouted slamming the door.

"Care?" Claire muttered softly. Caroline jumped slightly. She was so focused and angry at Tyler she didn't even noticed Claire.

"Thank God you're alright.. I didn't know if you were alive or dead" Caroline cried speeding over to her sister. Claire held Caroline tightly.

"It's gonna be ok, Care" She mutters. "We're fine, we're going to be fine" She promises softly. "We're gonna be just fine."

"Elijah is in your room" Caroline sniffed pulling away from her sister.

"You're the one who needs me right now" Claire said. "Elijah's a big boy, he can handle himself." Caroline smiles at her. Claire lifts her pinkie and Caroline looks at it with new tears in her eyes. "BTBFF?"

"BTBFF" Caroline muttered locking pinkies and pressing their foreheads together. "I love you" Caroline whispers.

"I love you, too, Care-bear" Claire responded before hugging her tightly. Caroline returned the hug before another knock sounds from the door. They pull away and Caroline answers it, this time it's Stefan.

"Hey" Caroline greets.

"Hey" He said smiling at her before nodding to Claire who smiled back.

"What's going on?" Caroline asked.

"I was a bit worried about you, after everything you went through tonight." He said.

"I'm fine" Caroline reassures him gripping Claire's hand.

"Good" Stefan nods. "But, just in case, I brought some back up." Stefan moved to the side allowing Bonnie and Elena to appear.

"We're gonna slumber it!" Elena shouted.

"We haven't done it in ages" Caroline cries and all the girls hug each other.

"I'm just gonna check up on Madelyn and I'll be back" Caroline winks at Claire but doesn't say anything. Bonnie and Elena get the slumber party ready while Claire slips into her room.

"Looks like you won't be needing me tonight" Elijah says smiling at her softly.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know this was happening." Elijah shakes his head and presses a kiss on her forehead.

"Go, have fun with your friends. I'll be here looking after Madelyn and getting some work done" He told her.

"You're the best" She mutters. He smirks and kisses her lips. "I love you" She whispers against him.

"I love you more" He whispers in return. "If you need me, just call" He says.

"I'll be fine" She reassures. She kisses him again before slipping out to join her friends in the living room.

April 1, 2010
Dear Diary,
Today started out normal but as usual, it didn't end like that. Only a few hours ago did I almost die and Caroline was kidnapped. I would be dead if it weren't for Elijah. I love him... I really do. He's been there when I needed him and even now, when I'm with my friends, he's watching after Madelyn.
I love that they're getting along great. Though at this point Madelyn loves anybody that gives her attention. But Elijah didn't have to accept her like he did and yet he has. I can see it in his eyes, he adores her. I love it.
Tonight I realized how close Madelyn was to losing her mother. This is the second time in only a couple of weeks that she almost lost me. I have to change that. I can't be such an easy target anymore. I have to learn to be better, for her. I have to learn how to not only protect myself but to protect Caroline and Madelyn. It won't be easy because I will be at a disadvantage being a human but I have to try. Maybe Elijah can help me. Help me not be so... weak anymore. I know I can rely on Elijah to protect me but it's going to be the day he's not around that really matters.