Summary: Elijah would do anything to keep her safe. Even if it meant destroying his own family.
Genre: Romance; Supernatural
Pairing: Elijah/OFC - Louisa
Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries.
CHAPTER ONE
A crisp autumn breeze blew past her, mingling with the white curtains hanging over the open window. Louisa moved forward, pulling the curtains open a bit, intent on securing the glass pane. She paused a moment, her eyes catching sight of a black vehicle in the driveway. She frowned, wondering who was visiting today. Her mother had been entertaining quite a few guests as of late. Louisa paid very little mind to them, of course. She would just smile and wave whenever possible.
Louisa shut the window and pushed the latch. The small click that sounded confirmed it locked properly. She climbed back into bed, sinking against the pillows. A light gasp escaped her lips as she began to recall the images that danced in her head.
She found herself alone in a room, engulfed in darkness. A laugh would vibrate on the walls, just before the room would ignite into flames. And then she burned. All witches had a fear of burning alive. History seemed to repeat itself in that way. The visions always came to her when she slept. The term 'sweet dreams' was an understatement. A nightmare is what she believed it to be at first, but it kept repeating each night. For the past month, the same vision played over and over in her head, showing no signs of stopping.
"Louisa," beckoned a voice from outside her bedroom door. "Are you awake?" She pulled the quilt over her head while replying, "No, go away." Louisa was not ready to face the outside world just yet.
"You have a visitor," they called again.
Louisa frowned, pulling away the covers. "Why must I be bothered today of all days," she whispered. "Mother," she yelled at the door once more. "I don't want to see anyone today. Tell them to go away."
A few seconds pasted and there was no reply. Louisa smiled gratefully, very content with the outcome. But no sooner when she shifted in the bed to a more comfortable position, did some begin twisting the door knob. Louisa jumped from the bed ready to attack her mother for intruding. She was tired, upset, and confused with her subconscious. She needed time to herself. Time to think things through.
"Can I at least get the morning to my-" Louisa stopped instantly. Her eyes wide and mouth slightly opened. "Elijah…"
At the sound of his name, he inclined his head forward, a crooked smile on his lips. "Hello Louisa," he said, taking a single step forward. His eyes scanned the room, taking in every detail. Forty-two novels on the tallest bookcase, a hairline crack was visible just below the window seal, empty chocolate foil wrappers littered the nightstand, while a light sheen of dust began to accumulate on the dresser.
And then Elijah's eyes found her. Her current attire consisted of a white shirt, long sleeved, and a pair of shorts with a blue flannel pattern. Her cheeks still held the natural rosy hue he had always admired. But the black curls she once had, he noticed, were replaced with brown, a shade very similar to his own.
"You dyed your hair," he commented, inspecting the visible black roots on her head.
"Elijah, what are you doing here?" The bemused expression on her face made him smile once more.
He leaned against the door frame, placing his left hand in his pocket, revealing a small green box. He handed it to her while saying, "Happy Birthday, Louisa."
Gripping the rails until her knuckles turned white, Louisa descended the staircase slowly. Slower than she thought possible. A bad feeling was starting to settle in her stomach. Louisa stopped when she reached the foyer below, catching sight of her mother, who was busy rearranging a vase of flowers. The older woman jumped, nearly dropping the vase, when she felt someone grasp her arm, but quickly recovered seeing it was her youngest child.
"Oh, Louisa," she began. "Aren't they beautiful? A gift from-" Louisa pulled her mother further away from the drawing room, where Elijah was waiting patiently for her.
"Why didn't you tell me he was coming," she whispered harshly towards her mother. Whispering wouldn't do much good, of course, with an Original in the house. "What does he want?"
"He surprised me, Louisa," her mother replied honestly. "I was on my way out," she said, "and when I opened the door, he was there." Her mother paused, eyes focused behind her daughter. Louisa turned around and found Elijah standing there.
"Do you make this a habit now, arriving unannounced," she asked him quickly. Elijah shrugged casually, ignoring her completely.
"Jillian," began Elijah, "if you had plans prior to my arrival, please don't let me stop you."
"Oh, no, Elijah," she began. "I wouldn't dream-"
"Nonsense," he interrupted. "I do not wish to keep you." Elijah's eyes flickered back towards Louisa. "I must confess, my intention today was to see your lovely daughter again. It has been a very long time, after all."
Louisa rolled her eyes in response. She moved past him, walking into the drawing room. Elijah entered shortly after her, but not before saying goodbye to Louisa's mother. He found the young witch seated on the sofa. He took the chair across from her and simply stared.
It had been a very long time since Elijah had paid the family a visit. A decade to be precise. A lot can happen in ten years. Especially, when you're human. Elijah had not seen Louisa since she was 15 years old. Due to a personal matter, he was unable to visit the Mason Household as he normally would.
And now, Louisa was in her early twenties and stunningly beautiful. Her once ebony hair, now brunette, was pulled back in a messy bun, twisted to fit snuggly in place. All her years in the sunlight gave her once pale skin a most appealing completion. A natural pinkish hue tinged her cheeks and lips, making make-up unnecessary. But those hazel eyes were his favorite.
Brown centers rimmed in olive green stared at him from across the room patiently. Elijah broke the silence between them. "I see you didn't care for my present," he commented, noticing her neck was bare.
"It doesn't go with my outfit," she replied bluntly. Blue jeans and a yellow sweater. The pearl necklace would have matched perfectly.
Elijah seemed almost hurt by her words. "I have to admit," he began, "this wasn't exactly the type of greeting I was hoping for."
"I'm sorry. What were you expecting," she asked him. "A parade with streamers and confetti?" Elijah laughed softly.
"Are you angry with me-"
"What are you doing here, Elijah," she interrupted, lightly tapping her fingers on the arm of the sofa. "What do you want?"
"I wanted to see you. To make sure you were well," he said, leaving particular emphasis on the last word.
"Why," she pressed him further. "I assumed you stopped caring about me years ago." The Original hesitated for a moment. Louisa lifted an eyebrow. "Why wouldn't I be well?"
Elijah stood suddenly, moving towards the window. "Have you heard from Niklaus as of late," he asked her, looking through the glass.
Louisa crossed her arms about her chest, barely able to contain her laughter. "Why on earth would your brother ever come to see me? He doesn't like me remember."
"Louisa, I am very serious in what I say to you," he began, turning toward her, asking her again. "Have you heard from him?" The unwavering look in his eyes showed the importance of his question.
"No," she answered truthfully.
Niklaus, or Klaus as he liked to be called, was probably Louisa's least favorite being in the world. She found him to be very arrogant, rude, and untrustworthy. His very presence was disturbing to her. It was especially so when she was younger. Louisa remembered flocking to Elijah's side when he first introduced him to her.
"That's why you're here, isn't it? It's because of Klaus."
"Yes."
"Why would he be coming here?" The nobler of the two Originals just looked onward out the window. Growing a bit frustrated, Louisa rose from her seat and stopped at his side. "Well, Elijah," she spoke again.
"Do you remember that story I used to tell you? The one about the sun and the moon?"
"I don't care about a silly bedtime story, Elijah. Just tell me what's going on," she pleaded.
"Years ago, a curse was placed upon my brother, concealing his true self." Her confused look was expected. "You see, Niklaus was born a werewolf." Louisa's eyes grew nearly to the size of teacup saucers. "When he became a vampire, a witch cursed him causing his werewolf side to lay dormant. Witches, being the agents of nature, would never allow something that powerful to roam the earth."
"So, what exactly does that make him? Is he a werewolf or is he a vampire?"
"He is both," replied Elijah. "Niklaus found a way to break the curse a month ago, releasing his werewolf bloodline, becoming the most powerful creature in the supernatural world. It is his wish for there to be others like him. Niklaus will require a witch to make sure his tactics go accordingly." Elijah approached her.
Louisa's eyes grew even wider. "No," she shook her head quickly. "I know what your thinking and I know your wrong. There are hundreds of witches in this world, Elijah."
"Yes, but there are very few that have the power he needs to keep his plan in motion."
"Trust me. I'd be useless," she attempted to reason with the vampire again. "I haven't practiced magic in years. I wouldn't know where to start."
Elijah did his best to conceal the surprise in his voice at her unexpected confession. "A witch out of practice does not mean she forgets what she has learned. The Mason family, your family…you are incredibly powerful," he continued, "and Niklaus knows this."
"Is there anything he doesn't know?"
Elijah took a few steps toward her, meeting her gaze. "He doesn't know that I'll be here, waiting for him should he decide to drop by."
Louisa's heart jumped. She never expected him to say that. "So, you're planning to stick around then?"
"For as long as my brother poses a threat," he replied. "Unless something else warrants my attention."
"Oh," she said. Louisa cleared her throat nervously, her eyes suddenly finding the rose painting to her right rather interesting. "What else could possibly keep you here?"
Elijah took another step toward her, placing a hand under her chin. Lightly grasping the delicate skin, he turned her to face him once more. As he proceeded to speak, an all but too familiar voice halted his words.
"Am I interrupting something?" Both Louisa and Elijah turned around quickly only to find the once cursed hybrid smirking behind them.