I do not own TVD or TO.

Pairing Elena x Elijah

Stretching upwards she arched her back and grunted. Her fingers just grazed the bottom of the shelf. Standing on the tips of her toes allowed her nails to scrape the box, but instead of pulling it forward she knocked it further back.

"Damn it," she feel back on her heels. Crossing her arms she glared at the shelf and cursed her lousy genetics.

She took out her frustrations on the shelf and swore when the pain reverberated up her leg. She stumbled backwards into a solid structure that she quickly realized was a body when arms snagged around her waist and kept her from falling over.

"Do you have a problem with all shelves," an amused voice sounded just above her ear, "or has this one done something to personally offend you?"

She pressed her lips together and spun around slowly to look up into the face of the most attractive man she had ever seen. She had to swallow when her mouth watered. Amusement flickered in his piercing eyes. His jaw and cheekbones looked sharp enough to slice her skin. A small amount of stubble covered his jaw.

She had always loved the barest hint of stubble; almost as much as she loved an accent, and he had both.

"It's… umm," she rubbed her palm over her flushed cheek, "it's just this one."

"Ah," he nodded, "and what has this shelf done to offend you? Shall I defend your honor?"

Elena couldn't stop herself from giggling at his earnest expression.

He smiled when her eyes sparkled with genuine amusement.

"I don't think my honor is in need of defense," she drew in a deep breath. Her chest brushed up against his Christmas sweater. She tilted her head and looked him up and down slowly.

"You're tall," she hummed.

He leaned back a bit and let his eyes wander over her slim frame, lingering slightly on her eyes, lips, chest and hips.

"That's one of the stranger first things someone has said to me," he smirked.

"Not the strangest?" Elena cocked an eyebrow.

"Not even close," he shook his head.

"What's the strangest thing?"

"I'll spare you having to hear that," he shuddered. It had not been pretty. "What does my height have to do with anything?"

She smirked and tipped her head back.

"My honor is not in need of defense," she lifted one hand towards the top shelf, "but I am in desperate need of that box of Christmas lights. Mine burnt out today, and it's the last one."

"How do you know that's not what I'm here for?" He teased.

"You would steal my Christmas lights?" She gasped dramatically.

"How about a trade?" He pulled the lights from the shelf and held the box in his hand.

"What did you have in mind?" She tilted her head.

"How about coffee?" He cocked an eyebrow.

Before Elena could respond a little girl with auburn hair and bright blue eyes came running around the corner and grabbed his arm. Her eyes darted to his hands when he turned to the child; there was no ring.

"Do you think mom will like it?" She lifted a leather bound photo album. "I want to put all of our pictures in it."

"I think she'll love it," he smiled.

"It is a lovely photo album," Elena nodded.

The child turned around as if just seeing her and tilted her head.

"Who are you?" She clutched the book to her chest. "Who is she?" She tilted her head back to look at him.

"I'm Elena," she smiled, "who are you?"

The man nodded encouragingly and the little girl held out her hand.

"I'm Hope," she shook Elena's hand.

"This is my niece," he chuckled and gave the little girl a slightly stern look. "Did you give your father the slip, sweetheart?" He was already pulling his cell phone from his pocket.

Hope's response was a slow smile.

Elena got the sense that Hope was a very precocious child. She had a mischievous twinkle in her blue eyes.

"You can't run off in department stores Hope," he frowned.

"I didn't run off, Uncle Elijah," she shook her head, "I ran to you. You said you were going to get some more lights for outside."

"Outside, huh?" Elena raised her brows. "Pretty sure those are inside lights." She looked at the box in his hands pointedly. "You wouldn't be trying to con a date out of me would you?"

"Uh oh," Hope giggled, "I think she caught you."

"And to think I might have gotten away with it if not for my troublesome niece," he chuckled.

Hope grinned and lost her grip on the photo album. It fell to the floor and slid off to bounce against Elena's boot.

Elena bent before he or Hope could do it and picked up the book. Standing up she closed the album again and handed it back to Hope.

"I think I'll take my lights now," her fingers grazed his hand when she claimed the box.

She was calling merry Christmas over her shoulder before he could respond to her cheeky grin or call attention to the business card she had slipped into his palm.

Elena rubbed the back of her neck and reached for the pot of coffee. If there was one thing she loathed it was thirty-six hour shifts in the ER at Christmas time. Not for the first time that night she wondered if the draw had been rigged; this was the third year in a row she had pulled this shift.

Thankfully it was quiet at the moment.

That would be short lived. Someone was bound to fall off their roof at any moment.

It seemed like the moment she said it the sliding doors opened to admit her latest patient. She took a moment to down half of the cup before taking the chart to the ER bed.

"I'm telling you I'm fine," the man's heavy accent caught her attention.

"And I'm telling you," Another male voice reached her from around the corner, "the wrist is not meant to swell that way."

Her heart stuttered when she heard his voice. She knew that voice; she'd had vivid dreams of that voice, but it couldn't be the same voice, could it?

She pulled the curtain aside and felt her breath catch in her throat.

"Elijah." For the first time in three years she forgot about her patient.

"Elena?" A slow smile lifted the edge of his lips.

"For someone who didn't bother calling you look rather pleased to see me," she crossed her arms.

"Would you believe I lost your number?" He smiled sheepishly.

"You lost it?" She arched an incredulous brow.

"Well…" Elijah chuckled, "… technically my younger brother dropped it in the fireplace."

"Could you not flirt with my doctor?"

"Is this the brother?" Elena turned to the blond man who was holding a bag of ice to his wrist.

"This is a brother," he leaned against the stand by the bed. "Niklaus is Hope's father. Kol knocked the card into the fire."

"Big family," she nodded. Setting down the chart she reached out and took his brothers arm. "How'd you do this?"

"I fell off the roof." He hissed when she felt along the injured area.

"Putting up Christmas lights?" She guessed.

"Yes, ma'am," Niklaus nodded.

"Oh, please don't call me ma'am," she checked the circulation in his fingers, "it makes me feel old. I don't think it's broken, but we'll get an x-ray to make sure." She looked out to the floor and flagged down a blonde nurse. "Caroline can you take Mr…." She glanced down at the chart, "… Mikaelson up for an x-ray?"

"Sure thing," Caroline grinned, took the chart and reached for a wheelchair, "right this way."

"I'm fully capable of walking, love," he rolled his eyes and stood from the bed.

"Alright," Elena sighed, "but if you pass out it's on you." She heard him chuckle as he followed Caroline through the ER.

"Mikaelson," she hummed, "where do I know that name?"

"The downtown law firm," Elijah stepped towards her, "my brother's and are partners."

"That would be it," she nodded.

Elijah's hand brushed her arm when he raised his phone.

"I don't suppose I could trouble you for your number again?"

Elena tilted her head and pursed her lips before smiling and reaching for his phone. She added the new contact details before passing it back to him.

"Call me this time," she met his eyes.

"Are you busy right now?" His eyes scanned the empty ER. "I could take you for that promised coffee."

"Make it a hot chocolate and you're on," she smirked. "I'm due for a break."

"You're sure you're not needed?" He stepped closer.

"If they need me they can page," she grinned. "Come on," she started backing up, "the good coffee's this way."