Writers Note: This FanFiction takes place after 4x6, and no events that take place AFTER 4x6 are included in the FanFiction.
Part One.
"Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it.
Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it.
Hatred darkens life; love illumines it."
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Elena Gilbert finally rose from the chair she had been sitting on for many hours now. Her brother Jeremy, had not come home yet, and she suspected that he was still with Elena's friend, Bonnie, trying to figure out more about Jeremy being forced to join the five, a special group of vampire hunters. So much had happened in the past 24 hours, and as she looked back on the events she thought of so many things she should have done, or should have said. They say you regret the unknown things that you don't do more than the wrong things that you do, and at this moment, Elena agreed more than she ever had.
She shouldn't have let Stefan leave, she knew that for sure, but when they had sat quiet for what seemed like an eternity, he had rose from the front steps of her house, and made his way back to his car, driving back home without even looking back. She shouldn't have let him go. It wasn't because she still wanted to be with him, in fact, she knew she didn't, but finally admiting it to herself was harder than anything she had ever done. The truth is, she wanted to still love Stefan, but her feeling's for his brother, Damon, kept on getting in the way of that.
And then there was Damon, who was an entirely other story. She wished it was easy enough to just leave Stefan behind and start fresh with Damon, and the truth is that if she was ready she would be able to just find him and admit her feelings. It would be that easy. But she was still not so sure about Damon, and she most certainly couldn't move on to Stefan's own brother while their breakup was still so fresh. So, Elena decided, she would stay single for a while.
That thought hung in her mind as she went to the sink and started washing the dirty dishes. She would be single. No one that she trusted with everything anymore, no one that she could call at any time and know that they would rush to her side in a heartbeat, with words of wisdom to push her through. Elena thought that maybe after a few weeks, maybe even months, her and Stefan could gain back a sustainable friendship, and Elena always had Damon. Just like always, it was just different now. She had two Salvatore's as friends. No drama.
After Elena finished wiping the pots and pans clean, she dried them and put them away in the lower cupboards. She was about to retreat upstairs to her diary, who was calling to her, begging for the days gossip, when she heard the familiar sound of the doorbell ringing. She looked puzzled as she walked to the door to answer it. No one should be here, and the few people who would stop by to check on her would just walk right in.
Elena was curious, but also cautious, and as she opened the door she knew she had reason to be. There, standing before her, was Niklaus Mikaelson, or as Elena and vampires all over the world called him "Klaus". The man who only cared about himself. Klaus had done many things throughout the time that she had known him to earn her hatred, and he had done it all for himself. He had made her life a living hell for his own personal gain. To create his own, sired, hybrid army.
Elena didn't move to the side to invite him in in any way, she simply narrowed her eyes towards him before speaking in a bitter voice.
"What do you want, Klaus?". Elena looked unimpressed as she leaned against the doorframe, looking at the man standing on her front step.
"I just came to check on you, Elena. I have to make sure you're okay. Make sure the suicidal vampire phase is over." Klaus cocked his head to the side as he spoke, each word rolling off his tongue flawlessly, his accent giving him a more formal sound than most people in the area. Elena hated it, but she had to admit it was sort of nice to come all the way over to check on her, so she moved out of the way, letting him in.
"Can't have your last doppleganger dead before you find that cure, now can you?" Elena said, the sarcasm heavy in her voice as she watched Klaus walk into her house. She lead him to the kitchen and politely offered him alcohol, which he declined.
Elena looked at Klaus for a breif moment while thinking. He was such a strong, feared, powerful man. He had to have better things to be doing with his time then to be here. But the more that Elena thought about it, the more that she realized how little Klaus really had, and what the real reason was for him trying to build this army. He didn't have any friends... hell, most of his family hated him, and for a breif moment Elena felt sorry for Klaus. Sorry that he was so alone.
Elena quickly snapped out of it, but Klaus looked like he was in a similar trance that she was in, staring at the wall, obviously in thought. Elena bit her lip, not wanting to distract him, but also wondering exactly what he was thinking about...
And then Elena had it. It was a bold move, but when Elena set her mind on something there was no turning back.
"Would you like to go for a drink at the grill? I need to get out of the house... Me and Stefan just broke up and im looking for a drinking buddy?" Elena watched Klaus as she spoke and saw him jolt out of his trance. He looked at her as if not understanding the question, but soon he nodded.
"I'm sorry to hear that you and Stefan broke up.. But I'd be happy to go to the grill with you and help get your mind off of things." Klaus smiled, a genuine smile, that was so rare for him.
Elena and Klaus arrived at the grill in Klaus' car. Elena looked at Klaus before unbuckling her seatbelt and making her way towards the front door of the grill. As she walked in she saw many familiar faces, and realized that in such a small town things spread quick. Soon everyone would know she had came here with Klaus...
But why should she care? First of all, she wasn't here with Klaus on a date, they wern't even here as friends, she was simply curious about him. They say curiosity killed the cat... well if that was true Elena really would have died nine times over.
Klaus followed her inside as she walked to sit at the bar. Everyone in town knew who she was, so they knew she was under the legal drinking age, but as soon as Klaus sat down, the bartender poured two glasses of jack daniels for them.
Elena looked over at Klaus, an eyebrow raised as he brought the glass to his lips, taking a generous sip.
"I take it you come here a lot?" She asked, a small chuckle escaping her lips.
"Well concidering it's the only bar in mystic falls- Yes. I do." Klaus gave her a smirk, that had the hint of a smile. Klaus' smile was so rare, that Elena couldn't help but notice. Elena chuckled, Mystic Falls definitely was not the biggest town.
"Well you're right there." Elena took a sip of her own drink. She didn't really like the taste of straight alcohol, but it did curb the cravings.
Throughout the hour that followed, Elena and Klaus talked about many things. Sports, Media, things that regular people would talk to other regular people about, and for a breif moment Elena felt normal. Ironic that she was with one of the original vampires, but she felt like a human again. Throughout their conversation Elena started to notice small things she had never noticed before, like when he looked up the bar light caught his eyes and made them sparkle, or the way his laugh sounded. Elena shook herself, maybe she was still going crazy. This is KLAUS she was thinking about.
Soon Elena and Klaus ran out of normal things to talk about, and the conversation slowly steered towards Elena and Stefan's breakup only hours before.
"It's weird..." Elena said softly. "To be with someone for so long, and then to have it all just go away. Its almost like it never happened... I keep thinking I'm just going to go home and he'll be there waiting... But I know I'll get home and be alone. More alone than ever." Once again Elena looked at Klaus, who seemed to be thinking intently. Finally he spoke.
"You deserve better than either of them... Stefan and Damon... They both act like fifteen year olds sometimes. And they never use their heads."
Elena chuckled lightly before realizing the depth of what Klaus had just said. She deserved better... Than Stefan or Damon? Was there any better? Both Salvatore brother's were the most brave and honest men she had ever met. Was it even possible for her to deserve better?
She looked at Klaus, who looked a bit shocked at what he himself had said. If there was an underlying meaning to what Klaus had said, neither of them picked it up at that time, and soon it was forgotten entirely.
The rest of the night went by quickly, to quickly for Elena's liking. They drank, talked, joked, and had a good time, and by the end of the night she thought a real friendship could spark between them. Elena looked up at the clock another hour later and sighed. She knew she should be getting home, Jeremy would start to worry if she didn't. Klaus seemed to read her mind.
"You need to get home... to your brother." He said softly, and Elena nodded, grabbing her jacket and putting it back on.
"Yeah, I don't want him to worry too much."
They walked out of the grill and back to Klaus' car. He unlocked the doors and Elena opened the passenger side, slipping into the leather seat of the car, buckling her seat belt up. She watched Klaus as he sat in the front seat and put the key into the ignition, starting the car. Elena felt more comfortable with Klaus now, so she reached over and turned the radio on, the song "Lonely lullaby" came on the radio.
~I sang my princess fast asleep,
'Cause she was my dream come true,
Oh Annmarie, believe me, I loved you.
But now those lonely lullabies,
Just dampen my tired eyes,
Because I can't forget you. ~
Elena bit her lip. She had always loved the song, but now it just reminded her of her and Stefan, so she quickly changed the station. A song with a faster tempo came on and she felt relieved. Klaus' eyes moved over to her, as if he knew what she was thinking. Elena caught his eye and a small blush came over her cheeks as he gave her a sympathetic smile. She looked away, back out the window, and that's how she stayed until they pulled into her driveway.
Klaus was old school, so Elena wasn't surprised when he blurred out of the car to open her door for her. She smiled thankfully and got out, walking to her front door. Klaus closed the car door and followed her to her door step, smiling at her when she stopped in front of it.
"surprisingly, it was a nice night, Klaus." Elena gave him a smile. He smiled back at her warmly, the type of smile you wouldn't expect from Klaus.
"Well, I can be nice when I want to be." Klaus watched Elena lean against the door, and instict caused him to move in a bit closer to her.
Elena looked into his eyes, not finding the words to say, nor the need to retreat inside. She didn't resist when Klaus leaned in closer, and her eyes found her way to his lips. He seemed to notice and leaned in further, about to close his eyes.
But what the hell was she doing? Elena snapped out of the trance she seemed to be in, and blinked, letting out a little chuckle, and pretending the almost-kiss didn't just happen.
"Well, it's getting late.. I should probably go inside." Elena bit her lip, looking at Klaus' puzzled expression as he stood back up straight.
"Of course, Elena." He said, stepping back. "You sleep well."
Elena watched Klaus retreat to his car and drive away before turning back to the front door, opening it and walking inside, before really thinking about what just happened. She shook her head and looked at the time- it really was late. Jeremy was probably in his room by now, and Elena didn't want to desturb him, so she walked into the bathroom and took a quick shower.
After she was done she changed into an old pair of pyjamas, before walking back into her room and picking up her diary.
"Dear Diary, today me and Stefan broke up..."
Elena thought of what to write next, but drew a blank. Me and Stefan broke up. That's all. She left that sentence with that, and went on to write about her hallucinations. At the end she finished with.
"And the weirdest part, is I think I may have feelings for Klaus.."
But she shook her head and crossed that part out. There was no way THAT sentince was true.
Elena closed her diary and put it on her side table before turning out the light and crawling under the covers, closing her eyes, hoping to get a somewhat decent nights sleep.