Torture Chamber
A mansion. Of course it was a mansion. Why would Derek assume it was anything else? What he could see through blurred eyes, it was a sight to see. The room, filled with onlookers, was surprisingly dim given that it was lit by a large chandelier directly in the center of the room. The glow remained eerie throughout a corridor that Derek found himself in. “Medieval much?” Derek spoke in a soft voice. Faint pants exited his mouth as Klaus and his army dragged his large frame through the deep hallway.
“Derek…” a voice spoke. It was familiar and despite that fact, Derek couldn’t place it. An ice cold chill ran down his spine. “It has been too long.” The voice spoke once more. He positioned his head forward to investigate. Another original, great. “When did you join the circus of cross-breed monsters, Kol?” Not another word was spoken. Instead, he received claws entering into his biceps causing Derek to wince. Kol disappeared when Derek attempted to search for him with his eyes.
A room, almost too dark to see, contained a large chain hanging from the ceiling. Hazy eyes locked onto the shackles dangling from the hanging chains. They threw him onto the solid, hard ground and shut the door. Derek cradled his aching abdomen. The wound may have healed, however, the pain remained.
“You are not playing the game properly, Derek.” The British voice startled him due to the fact that he had thought he was alone. “You attack me and I bring you so incredibly close to death that you beg to die.” Derek peered upward until he spotted the hybrid standing closely, a little too close. “Klaus…” He began only to be met with strong fingers wrapped around his neck. The man that held Derek’s life in his hands lifted him from the ground. Once he was standing, Klaus proceeded to quickly wrap rusted shackles around Derek’s wrists. He tipped sideways but was caught by the chain.
“You have failed to listen, Derek.” A smirk curled at the edge of his mouth. “Maybe you’ll listen now.” Klaus left the room. Derek lifted his head and watched as a large man entered. He took the opportunity to look around the room and spotted more torture devices than what could be found in the house of a dominatrix. Derek let out a pained whimper. It was all too real. He couldn’t be a killer, not at all. He couldn’t listen to Klaus’ demands to slaughter the world.
A deep set worry couldn’t be denied. Derek could handle this, but what if Allison were injured? How could he have left her alone in the clearing? He couldn’t handle the thought of her getting hurt. Before he even admitted his feelings toward her, Derek had been ripped away.
“Let’s have some fun.” The man standing only a few feet away huffed laugh through his nose and a smile spread across his face.
Had it been hours, days, weeks, since he had arrived? Derek couldn’t be sure. As a whip penetrated into his skin over and over, the only thought on his mind was Allison. Seeing her face in his head helped to numb his mind. Derek could feel the hot blood dripping down his shirtless torso. Would it ever end?
With that thought in mind, finally, the torture stopped. The large man exited the room and was replaced by Klaus. “Maybe now you’ll be more eager to listen.” The hybrid spoke. Derek looked to Klaus as he panted. Pain radiated throughout his entire body. He looked down for a quick second to see a puddle of blood beneath his feet.
Did Derek have any intention of listening? He was so, incredibly torn. On one hand, if he listened, Allison would be safe. It wasn’t in his beliefs to kill. Despite the fact that he had followed Klaus around as if he were a lost puppy and listened to the hybrids commands to kill, Derek was nauseated at the thought of more death.
“You’re free to go.” Klaus said finally. He freed Derek’s arms and walked away. “You might consider to answer your phone from now on. I do not enjoy home visits.” The man called out over his shoulder.
Derek fell to the ground. The chains clinked above him. After collecting himself, he bolted as quickly as he could managed and landed himself near Allison’s car. Derek collapsed. He lifted his blood coated hand in an attempt to grab her attention. “Allison?” He said, barely above a whisper. He wasn’t even sure if she could hear him.
It had been a week. A week of despair. A week of panic and endless searching. Allison had woken up, lost and confused after the encounter with Klaus. There had been no trace of Derek. No way to contact him. Nothing. Allison had pushed through and had tried to track him. She had tried to track him every day for seven days. She ached. She ached because she didn’t even know if he was still alive. She ached because she had not been able to tell the man she loved that she loved him. She ached because e there was nothing she could do to help.
Allison slammed her car door, and banged on her steering wheel repeatedly. She was a hunter. She was trained to trace and track out the creatures of the night but she couldn’t find Derek. “Damn it!” She whispered, staring out the parking lot of the school. She was lost in her thoughts, her teeth biting her bottom lip in worry.
There was a loud thump on her window and Allison jumped, a gasp tearing out of her when she saw the bloodied handprint but what had her jumping out of her car was the quick flash of Derek’s face.
“Derek!” Allison called out, falling to the pavement next to him. He was bloodied, injured to the point Allison wasn’t even sure he should be alive any more. What had Klaus done to him?
“Derek! Stay with me. Just stay with me” Allison analyzed her options quickly and she knew he couldn’t go to a hospital despite that being her first instinct. Despite the severity of his injuries, he would still heal too fast to not draw attention to himself.
Maybe it was the adrenaline in her veins mixed with her fear but somehow, Allison had managed to lift Derek into her car and help him walk up the stairs to his loft. By the time she had been able to get him to the bed, Allison was panting. It was only then that Allison managed to really look at his injuries. There were open wounds on his abdomen, slash marks, whipping marks. Allison’s eyes watered with the images that went through her head. How had Derek managed to stay alive this long?
Sniffling, Allison left his side only to get the first aid she had insisted he keep at his house. Derek wasn’t conscious anymore – and she was partially relieved for it because his mind was trying to protect itself from the pain – so she felt a little better as she tried to clean his wounds. It wouldn’t do anything; his body was designed to heal itself but it made Allison feel better. Feel like she could somehow take care of him.
She sat back on the edge of the bed once she was done and he was bandaged up, counting every breath he took to make sure he would stay alive. She leaned over him and placed a kiss on his forehead, smoothing back his hair. “You’re going to be okay.” She whispered softly, unsure if he would even hear her.
Time went by and every moment that Derek didn’t move, Allison worry magnified. She was standing by the loft window, biting at her nail as she scanned their surroundings. Her worry and fear had started to transform. They catalyzed into anger every time she glanced back to the bed to check on her wolf. Klaus wouldn’t get away with this.
Allison wanted to leave in that second and hunt him down. She wanted to bring the heat and look him in the eye as he burned for the damage he had done, not just to them but to everything he touched. He was poison and Alison and Derek would never be at peace until he was gone.
The creak from the bed and the pained breathing were the only thing that snapped her out of her thoughts and she spun around to see Derek trying to sit up. “You shouldn’t do that, Derek. You’re still healing.” Allison finally spoke up, moving to kneel next to where he sat. “I wish I hadn’t been right about us needing that first aid kit.”  Brown hues found his hazel eyes and she reached up to cup his cheek, her thumb stroking his cheek bone. “I was so worried about you. I couldn’t find you.”
As he fell to the ground, Derek witnessed Allison coming for him. A sense of relief calmed his nerves. The smallest smile tugged at the corners of his mouth with the sight of Allison’s face. “Allison…” he spoke, barely above a whisper. Blood accumulated in his mouth and slipped down his throat causing him to cough. He groaned. The action had rippled through his body, setting his wounds on fire. The touch of her hand on his body settled his fit of pain. By the time Allison tugged him into her car, he blacked out.
How long had Klaus kept him captive? The days had blurred together; seconds felt like hours, hours felt like years. The fight to stay alive deep in the caverns of Klaus’ mansion were a struggle. Struggle isn’t even the proper word. There wasn’t a word for how difficult it has been. The only thing that had kept him alive was seeing Allison again. It had taken every ounce of strength he had to keep fighting.
Flashes of light touched his tired lids. He couldn’t be sure if he was even alive at that point. Soft padding cradled around his body, assuring he was among the living. Allison’s scent calmed him. He fell into a deep sleep and fought off nightmares. Derek couldn’t escape; the longer he slept, the worse it became. He couldn’t run, he couldn’t hide. The terror left him with a sense of panic resulting in his awakening.
Derek jerked awake and gasped in result of the pain that consumed him. His entire body ached; it felt as if his body was on fire. He slowly raised himself into the sitting position and tugged his legs around to hang off the bed. “Allison…” he panted heavily and watched her place herself in front of him with blurred vision. “How did I get here?” He questioned. Warmth spread across his face. He nestled into the palm of her hand and sighed with a sense of relief.
Any movement he made shot white hot pain through his torso. He took in a sharp breath and groaned in pain. “Klaus.” He spoke quietly. “Klaus wants me to kill with him.” Derek placed his fingers against the back of Allison’s hand and laced their fingers together. Derek tugged at her hand gently to bring their interlocked hands to rest in his lap. “I can’t do that.” He spoke and shut his eyes. The thoughts of torture played in his mind. Derek opened his eyes in a quick motion and locked them onto Allison’s face. Terror was clear in his features.
“Allison, I can’t do it and if I won’t do it, Klaus could come after either of us.” This time, Derek placed his hand on Allison’s cheek and rubbed his thumb against her skin. “I can’t stand to see you hurt.” He couldn’t stand it. He couldn’t stand that thought. She wouldn’t stand a chance against the originals. Derek believed in Allison, he knew she could hold her own, but not against them. “Please don’t go after him.” She knew who he was talking about. Derek leaned forward and pressed his forehead against Allison’s.
Allison smiled softly at Derek’s question. The simple fact that he had enough energy to talk again made Allison’s heart soar. It was a sign that while he may be in inexplicable pain, he would make it through. “I carried you up here…. more or less.” She would leave the part of her dropping him on the floor out. She had tried her best but Derek weighed so much more than her and despite her strength, it was no match for the weight of an adult werewolf. Derek was heavy.
Brown eyes search pained hazel eyes and it was almost as if she could see everything Derek had been through with one look. It shattered her. No one should be forced to go through torture the way Derek had. She didn’t know how he lasted a week. Klaus’s motive for the torture didn’t surprise Allison in the least.
He was that type of men who couldn’t handle things not going the way he wanted them to. He lashed out when they didn’t. The only problem was that he was asking something that Derek couldn’t bend on. Derek wasn’t a killer. It went against everything he believed in but how long could he keep ignoring Klaus until the hybrid snapped and took his “punishment” to the next level.
“I know you can’t…” She paused, unsure of what to say that wouldn’t be a complete lie. “We’ll figure it out, Derek. We always do.” She sighed, pressing her forehead against his, her eyes fluttering shut. They were both scared but in that moment, Allison knew that they would make it through somehow. “I’ll be careful.” She leaned up, pressing her lips tenderly against his in chaste kiss- Derek’s lips chapped but light against hers. “Come on, you need to rest some more.”
Allison helped him back onto the bed and laid down next to him, her head lightly resting on his shoulder. “I’m so happy you’re alive.” She whispered, listening to the sound of his heartbeat to calm her nerves. The tension she had been holding in her body the last few days finally taking their toll and she found herself falling asleep in tune with Derek’s breaths.
Could Derek obey Klaus? Could he live with himself if he killed with the hybrid that brought him pure torture if he disobeyed? The question plagued his mind. He knew the answer. It was an easy answer. Derek had listened to Klaus in the past only once. It killed him on the inside. It absolutely killed him. The guilt, the regret of his actions, it ate him alive. Derek may have obeyed the demand once however, he would never listen to that man, that monster, again. Even if it meant torture. But what would he do to Allison?
While pressing his clammy forehead against Allison’s soft skin, he shut his eyes tight. He would never allow that man to hurt her, not again. Derek cracked his eyelids open and looked to her with a plea written clearly in his features. He would admit it only to Allison that he was truly afraid. The day he was turned was one of the worst experiences of his life. He wished he had fought harder for his life; the life he was forced to leave behind the moment Klaus turned him.
His dry lips pressed softly against Allison’s while his fingers curled underneath her jaw line, pulling her close for a brief moment. Derek let out a sigh through his nose and nodded. For once in his life, he allowed himself to listen intently to a light demand. While scooting across the bed, he let out a loud groan. Pain radiated throughout his body. The slash marks across his torso ached as if they were still fresh. Still, he pushed himself backward until he could lay comfortably in the near center of the bed.
Instinctively, Derek tucked his arm underneath Allison’s head and held her close to his body. With his free arm, he found Allison’s hand. His fingers threaded effortlessly with hers. His thumb circled against the back of her hand. Derek placed a light kiss on the top of her head.
Once Allison’s breathing indicated that she had fallen asleep, Derek slipped himself away and kept his wincing to a minimum in an effort to keep her in a deep slumber. He didn’t want her to worry any more than she had to. Derek made his way to the long table in the center of the room and pressed his palms against the edge. The table squeaked against his weight. Derek quickly shot a glance at Allison; her breathing remained the same. He sighed in relief.
What Klaus had done… Derek wouldn’t tolerate it. Klaus had hurt the girl he had fallen in love with. His mouth set into a hard line. Anger coursed through him the longer the thought remained in his mind. Derek gripped the table hard and he shook his head. They had to find a way to stop an original.
After standing for much longer than he should have, he finally retreated to the bed slowly. Derek carefully crawled into bed and resumed the position next to Allison. He slipped his arm underneath her neck and wrapped his free arm around her body. Her body reacted to his touch and he felt her curl close against him. Derek cradled her with a light touch. His eyebrows knit together while he looked to the ceiling. Finally, his eyelids grew heavy and he fell into a deep slumber.
A smell awoke Derek. He cracked his eyelids open only to snap them shut due to the sun illuminating the loft. Derek placed his hand over his eyes and moaned. The pain in his abdomen had calmed down; Derek sighed in relief. Finally, Derek sat up with his hand continuing to shield his eyes. “Allison?” He called out without removing his hand. Derek finally crawled out of the large bed and went to investigate the smell wafting through the air.
Allison woke up to a small stream of light coming from the large loft windows. Her eyes squinted, fighting to adjust to the brightness of the morning. She groaned in defiance before snuggling against the warm body that had her wrapped in it’s arms. Finally, she cracked her eyes open and smiled as she glanced up to see Derek’s calm and sleeping face. There was peace in his features and Allison was happy to see that he didn’t seem to be in pain.
Moving strategically, Allison managed to untangle herself from his embrace and sat up on the bed, one leg curled under her. Her eyes scanned over Derek’s body, lifting up the bandages slightly to peak at his injuries. On the outside, they seemed to have healed almost all the way but she was sure they were still sore. Once she was convinced that he was okay, Allison glanced around the loft. It was quiet, peaceful….or at least it was until her stomach gave a fierce growl .
She knew from experience and observation that Derek didn’t have cooking anything. The bags of take out she had previously seen were proof enough. Glancing back at Derek, Allison made up her mind. She was going to cook him breakfast, hoping it would lift his spirits and part of her – if she was being honest- just wanted to take care of him.
Moving stealthily to avoid waking him up, Allison managed to get up and leave the loft for a quick shopping trip. When she came back from the grocery store, it was only about nine in the morning and Derek was still asleep. It didn’t surprise her much because of the extent of his injuries. His body was still trying to recover and would probably still keep him asleep for a couple of more hours.
Before cooking, Allison needed a shower. She was still covered in dirt and some dried blood from yesterday and she felt gross. Besides, Derek and her were in an odd middle ground right now and she wanted to at the very least smell clean to the man she finally admitted to loving. Stealing a pair of sweatpants and a black tee from Derek’s closet, Allison jumped in his shower and quickly washed up.
About an hour later, Allison’s hair was air drying as she finished up with the bacon on the stove. Beside her were two plates with eggs and toast and Derek’s brand new coffee maker was brewing a fresh pot coffee. She placed equal part of bacon on the plates and had just taken a bite of her toast when she heard her name coming from the bedroom. She saw him make his way to the kitchen and smiled at him as she chewed. He looked better and it calmed the anxiety she had been harboring. “Morning. I thought you could use some real food to help you recover.” She leaned against the counter and watched him approach, suddenly feeling insecure.
Last night, they had been vulnerable. Actually, every night they ever had any type of romantic encounter – be it spoken or physical, like their kisses – there had always been some kind of extreme emotion propelling their action. Now, in the bright light of a new morning, there was nothing holding them to the unspoken words between them. She ached for a good morning kiss - to be able to run her fingers through his hair as he lifted her on the counter with the knowledge that Derek was hers as he kissed her. But right now, Allison didn’t know where they stood. She didn’t know if he wanted the same things she did so she opted to just meet his gaze, a twinkle in her eyes and smiled at him.
It was as if it were routine to call for Allison. It didn’t hit Derek until he stepped foot in the kitchen what he had done. There she stood, familiar clothes hung loosely around her frame. He huffed through his nose and a tiny smirk curled at the edge of his mouth. Derek could not take his eyes off of her, even when he stepped closer to her, his stare held steady with Allison’s. His expression grew soft.
Watching her stand in his kitchen, dressed in his clothes, it made him feel comfortable in a way he had never felt before. It seemed normal to wake up and find her in the loft. He had called out for her and despite the ability to pick up her scent, he didn’t even need to do that in order to know she remained in his home. Derek didn’t want her to leave.
They hadn’t established what they were. The fact that Derek wanted to see her every morning when he awoke, to see her period in the home he had created for himself. He wanted it to be their home but, Derek almost felt as if he were in the wrong by thinking that. She wasn’t his. That thought made his stomach drop. Should he admit that he wanted her to himself? That he had fallen in love with her? What if she didn’t feel the same? Derek didn’t have an answer.
He looked to her with a look of content. It felt comfortable. With the panic growing in the city, and within Derek, comfortable was mandatory. Once again, he took a step forward toward her and reached for her hand. He squeezed it lightly. “You didn’t have to do this.” He stated quietly. His eyes broke from her stare to look to the plate full of food. Derek hadn’t had a home cooked meal in a long time.
His eyebrows arched inward. “Wait…I don’t have any food.” He stated with a perplexed expression. When his eyes returned to her, he cocked his head to one side. In a quick second, he felt the incredible urge to kiss her and that near startled him based on the fact that they weren’t in a relationship. The look on her face had him wildly curious if she wanted the same thing.
“Allison…” he began, but paused. Derek took a step closer, filling the space between them cautiously. He dropped his head to look to her hand. It held his with a gentle touch. He squeezed it once more and took a small breath in. He thought over his next words slowly. “You and I…did you kiss me last night because you wanted to or because you were afraid that I would die?” He asked seriously. Derek near word vomited how he felt toward her but held it back. With his free hand, he grabbed her other hand, holding their interlocked fingers at their sides. He looked to her with intensity. His hazel eyes searched hers, looking for an answer.
Allison loved the way he looked at her. Derek looked at her like she was the only thing in his world; he looked at her the way Allison looked at him. She rolled her eyes playfully at him, leaning her weight against the counter. “I know I didn’t have. I wanted to. I thought you could use a home cooked meal.” She told him, giving a small shrug before continuing. “You’re right…. you didn’t have…well, anything really.” She glanced around the kitchen with a smile on her face. She didn’t confirm or deny the fact that she bought everything she had used this morning. The look Derek had in his eyes when he saw her in the kitchen, realizing he had actual food ready to eat…well, that was more than enough to replace the monetary value of anything she may of have bought.
Allison’s hands found Derek’s easily, her eyes locked on the way their fingers interlaced together so perfectly before she raised her eyes to meet his. She saw the question in his eyes before he even spoke it. It was the same question, the same doubt, she had burning inside of her. They were both confused on where they stood and neither knew how to approach it. Allison sighed softly to herself, trying to figure out how to word her thoughts. “Was I scared that you were going to die?” She asked him, looking up to meet his hazel eyes again. “Yes. I was. Was it the reason I kissed you? Partially, I won’t lie to you.” She paused, letting go of one of his hands to cup his cheek, her thumb caressing his skin. “It wasn’t the only reason I kissed you. I kissed you because I wanted to.”
She gave a small laugh and shook her head. Her heart was racing in her chests and she was sure that he could hear it. “I talked to Scott while you were missing. I broke things off with him because I couldn’t stand the thought of finding you alive and not being able to be with you, Derek. “She dropped her hand again and grabbed his hand once more. “Derek, I love you, in a really, really big – pretend to like your taste in music, let you eat the last piece of cheesecake, hold a radio over my head outside your window – way. I tried to fight it because we are not supposed to happen and I didn’t believe in things like fate but….” Her eyes found his again and for a moment, all the breath left her. “When I look at you…. there’s no place I rather be. You are my fate.”
“I kissed you because I’m in love with you and I can only hope you feel the same way because I am not Lottie. I am not Kate and I know I can be stubborn and hard headed and I know we have a lot against us but I think I’m good for you and I know you’re good for me. I want more for us.”
She couldn’t stop talking. It was embarrassing almost. Talking to Derek about how she felt was overwhelming because she felt so much for the man she used to hate. In a matter of months, Derek had gone from someone she hated to someone she loved with every fiber of her being. How could she possibly ever find the words accurate enough to explain how much she cared for Derek. I love you just didn’t seem like enough. Using their clasped hands, Allison tugged him closer to him, wrapping his arms around her waist as she smiled up at him, waiting for his reaction to her confessions. She knew how Derek felt. Allison knew him better than he knew himself sometimes. Derek loved her as much as Allison did. If there had been any doubt in her before now, it was was erased the moment she saw the fire behind his eyes when she finally admitted that she was in love with him.Â
Listening to her confession caused Derek to loosen up. He allowed himself to set free the emotions hidden deep in his mind. Closed behind lock and key were the feelings he had for Allison. Derek didn’t want to get hurt again. He had been hurt too badly to allow himself to feel again. That was before Allison waltzed into his life. Feelings scared Derek but Allison, Allison was different. He no longer allowed himself to run from his own emotions.
It took every ounce of strength Derek had to avoid a very intense word vomit. His thick brows arched inward and for a quick moment, he shut his eyes to consider what he could possibly say. In the deep, dark caverns of his mind held something more precious than what would be considered “love”. Derek knew that he loved her, that was more than obvious and he would never deny that. However, this wasn’t just love, it was so much more.
“Allison…” Derek drew in a deep breath and released it through his nose. He listened to the hard thumps of her heart deep within her chest. Derek’s hand stroked her lower torso as he spoke. “Do you remember that night at the creek?” His eyebrows knit together, wrinkling his forehead. “The night that I told you that I love you?” Granted, it had been a word vomit, however, he knew now that it was highly true. He loved her in a way that could not be described. “I meant it. I hadn’t realized just how true that statement was.”
Derek shuffled his bare feet forward, leaving zero room between them. The grasp on her waist grew stronger, holding her tight against his body. “I’m in love with you - love doesn’t even begin to describe how I feel about you, Allison.” Nothing he could say was strong enough to describe his feelings. Instead, he cupped Allison’s jaw and placed a short but firm kiss on her lips. “I’m in love with you.” He whispered against her mouth once breaking from the kiss. “I never believed in fate until you proved to me that it existed. Until you stepped into my life, I didn’t know what true love was.”
Derek placed his forehead against Allison’s and shut his eyes. “I need you like I need oxygen in my lungs. I want you at my side until the day I die.” Words couldn’t describe. He opted to kiss her once more, putting everything he had, everything he felt into that one simple kiss. Derek pulled his face backward until he could look to her. Once they locked eyes, he stared at her with a look of content. A look that could only be described as comfortable. Derek felt absolutely comfortable despite expressing his feelings. It used to scare him to allow someone in his life and now, with mutual emotions toward each other, he couldn’t bother with fear. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
When she admitted that she loved him, the relief that passed Derek’s face broke her heart. He had been hurt so much before that it seemed like he expected it to happen again. Whether he admitted it or not, part of him still doubted her. It would always be in the back of his mind. Allison was an Argent after all but the fact that he had fallen in love with her and trusted her so much…it made Allison’s heart soar and she knew, with time, she would help heal his old wounds.
Allison’s heart soared with his confessions. She had already known but from assuming to know and hearing him admit that he loved her…well…there was no words to describe that emotion. The way he looked at her, it made her feel so precious and loved. She had never felt anything like it. “I want you to be at my side till the day I die too.” She whispered, her eyes closed as their foreheads were pressed together. Her lips met his naturally and she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him in impossibly closer.
Every emotion she held in her body for this man she put into their kiss. She wanted him to fell that he had become her world and that she would be by his side for if he wanted her to. When they pulled away, Allison smiled happily at him. “Does this mean I get the label of your girlfriend?” She was so content that they had finally cleared the air between them and that they knew the love shared between them. Yet, calling him her boyfriend seemed so insignificant compared to what she felt for him. Allison wasn’t dating him to find out if they could work. She already knew they would.Â
It felt like once she admitted that she loved him, everything suddenly made sense. For now, she guessed, boyfriend would be the only thing she could call him even though he was so much more. “I love you.” She whispered to him, a grin still on her lips. It felt good to be able to say that. She leaned up on her toes and kissed him again, short and sweet, but the simple fact that she could do that now made it somehow more important to her.
“Come on, we should eat. Breakfast is probably could by now.”
