After saying goodbye to Katerina, I had one more stop before I would return to New Orleans. Elena, despite being emotionless, had convinced me that Katerina would never be the woman I fell in love with again. She had grown to use people, manipulate them for her own good. Just as she was using me to get free of Niklaus. I would no longer be used.
I followed Elena's scent to the Salvatore's home, only to hear her screaming from the basement. Without hesitation, I ran at vamp speed to the cellar, the same that housed me after being daggered. As I approached, I was sure the brothers had not seen or heard my entrace, and continued their assault on Elena. They had taken her daylight ring and were letting the sunlight shine through the window onto her, burning her skin. I could smell the vervain in the air, as well as her blood. They had almost bled her dry. No doubt this was an attempt to make her turn her emotions back on. I knew fairly well that it wouldn't work. Yes, torture would bring forth emotions, such as pain and fear, but those kinds of things would only persuade her to keep her emotions off.
I pushed the door open, and within seconds had both of the Salvatores in my clutches, preventing them from any further harming of the girl whom was this way because of them.
"Elijah, help me." I could hear the whispers escaping her mouth. There was raw emotion in her voice. "Please?" She was alive again, but at the brink of death. With each hand on the sides of the brothers heads, I snapped both of their necks with ease in one shot. As their bodies fell to the ground, I flashed over to Elena, who was almost unconscious.
"Elena, tell me the truth, are your emotions back on?" I compelled, looking directly into her brown irises as her pupils dilated at the sound of my voice.
"Yes, I tried to tell them, but they didn't believe me. They- they thought *cough* that I was lying *cough* to get them to stop. I am a monster, Elijah!" She said, crying. I could tell she hadn't had blood in days. They were trying to make her dessicate. I untied her restraints, and lifted her into my arms, locking the brothers in their own cellar on my way out. I flashed away, still carrying her. When we were a safe distance away in the forest, I laid her on the ground and held out my wrist to her. She needed the blood, and mine was much more powerful than a humans.
I let her drink her fill and watched as the color and life returned to her. She had turned her humanity back on, somehow in the midst of being tortured endlessly for days, and they hadn't believed her, and continued. I knew that blood sharing was an intensely intimate act, but she needed the blood, and I would not deny her of it.
Ever since the moment I had compelled her to forget, I had regretted it. But now, I could not reverse the compulsion in fear that she would return to her emotionless state, not when she killed the one person I had compelled her to forget, for her own good. I had not realized that by my compulsion, it had ultimately led to my own brother's death. I knew I should never have done it, but my brother had a reputation for a reason, and I did not want to see Elena get hurt by his games.
Kol was known for his reputation of using women and disposing of them after he got what he wanted. Although the moments I had witnessed of his interactions with Elena were different, I did not want to take any chances. Needless to say, my actions were the reason Kol left Mystic Falls to begin with. I had not counted on him hearing of the cure and coming back.
It was true that I had fallen under the spell of the dopplegangers allure once more, and I wished nothing more than to protect Elena and give her all the happiness in the world. To see my brother with her had indeed made me jealous, pushing me to complete my unforgivable deed. And I would not be able to reverse the compulsion, because then she would realize that she was the reason behind the death of a man she could have been in love with. It made me cringe just to think of the words.
Flashback
"Elena, darling, you look ravishing as always." I heard my brother say to Elena as she approached from behind the trees.
"Why thank you, sir. You do as well." Elena responded, laughing. They couldn't see me from behind the trees. We were deep into the forest, at a meadow I was familiar with as a child.
"I'm so glad I decided to dance with you at the ball, all those months ago. You, darling, have changed me. I just wish we didn't have to hide this anymore. But both of my brothers along with the Salvatores would be glad to dagger me, claiming I have you compelled or such nonsense." Kol said to Elena, brushing a piece of hair out of her face.
"It's too much of a risk right now, I don't want anything to happen to you. We just need to wait until I can get all the daggers." Elena said, leaning into his embrace. I couldn't believe what was unfolding before my eyes, my brother, the reckless and impulsive younger version of me, was with the innocent, compassionate Elena Gilbert. Surely he would use her just as he had done countless times before.
"I don't like how those Salvatores keep trying to steal what is mine. They think they own you, and have to control your every move. I hardly ever get to see you, because of them. I don't understand why you can't just let me compel them to leave you alone." Kol asked in a frustrated voice.
"You know I hate compulsion, Kol, and don't you think other people would notice something suspicious if they just started ignoring me?" Elena asked truthfully.
"I know, I just want to be able to show you off, see you more than once a week. Take you away and show you the world." Kol said, looking into her eyes.
"I want those things too, Kol. We will get there, remember, you have forever." Elena said sadly.
"But you don't, and I know that isn't what you want." Kol said turning his head to the side. It was the first time I thought I saw a flicker of emotion in him, but my mind couldn't process that, all I could think about was how I was jealous I was that she was finally looking away from the salvatore brothers, but at my brother instead of me. Did she know all of the things he had done in the past?
"Let's not talk about that right now, we don't have very long so why don't we make the most of our time, and not talk about the depressing things. Now tell me more about your life as a human, I like those stories." Elena said as they sat down and she leaned her head on his chest.
After about an hour of talking, they kissed and said their goodbyes. By then, I had already made up my mind. After I knew Kol was gone, I followed Elena and flashed in front of her.
"Elijah?" She asked quickly as she saw me.
"Hello, Elena. You will forget the time you have spent with Kol, and return to life as normal. You will then forget ever being compelled by me. Now return home and forget this ever happened." I said as I watched her eyes widen and dilate. She hadn't even noticed I had taken off her vervain necklace. I watched her eyes go blank, seeing that the compulsion worked. I flashed away before she came to. Kol stormed off the next day, saying he was leaving for good. Seeing my brother hurt made me regret my decision instantly.
END Flashback
