In her last moments of human life, Elena sees blood dripping down Bonnie's face. She wants to call out to Bonnie and say that she needs to get out of there—that it isn't going to work—but there's a hand covering her mouth, and another picking her up, and she listens to her instinct to play along.
She can't explain why, but she feels safe at the unfamiliar touch, and she dies peacefully in his arms.
-x-
When she's in transition, in the strange period between physically dead and almost a vampire, she feels his hands in her hair.
It's soothing.
-x-
She can hear Stefan and Damon and Katherine arguing loudly, and she tries to yell at them, but they aren't listening to her.
From above her, she hears a low laugh, and the first thing she sees as a vampire is Elijah's amused eyes.
"Your hearing's a little sensitive right now, Elena," he explains quietly.
"Why?" she asks—and she's not talking about her hearing.
"Caroline's helping Bonnie, Jeremy's with Matt and Tyler, Alaric's watching Jenna, and the Katherine and the Salvatore brothers—as you heard—are busy arguing outside. I decided to sit with you and wait."
She doesn't question his ability to know what she's thinking. And she doesn't move from his lap either.
She feels safe.