Fate doesn't care what happens to us.
Elena let her gaze wander through the large room and finally, he got caught by the clock at the other end of the hall. A soft groan abducted her. She stood there as ordered and not picked up. For a brief moment she thought about leaving, but then decided against it. Dr. Richards, the chief surgeon of the children's surgery, had made every effort in the last few weeks to persuade her to come. It would be extremely important if his best assistant doctor came to the hospital's biggest charity celebration. Elena had smiled and said she would come if her schedule allowed it. Of course, her chief doctor had arranged for her to be released that night. The brunette took it gritting her teeth. Elena reached for the next full glass of champagne. It was her fifth, she noticed in a bad mood. She hated such events. Caroline had been on fire. She had been the one who had squeezed her into this terrible dress, styled her hair, put it up and painted it her face. The blonde would have preferred to come along, but there were only a handful of invitations and Elena couldn't explain to Dr. Richards why she wanted her sister with her. Now she was standing here where her chief physician told her about fifteen minutes ago: "He wants to introduce someone to her", had parked her and had been swallowed up ever since. While Caroline was lying on the couch in her apartment in downtown New York watching movies. She envied the blonde for her evening. She knew that the hospital was dependent on donations, but in Elena's world, there were easier ways. She and Caroline were vampires. She could manipulate anyone to give them the money voluntarily. Unfortunately, she could not tell Dr. Richards. He would think she was crazy, and it was easier to live unrecognized among the people.
At the beginning of her studies, it had been very difficult for the brunette to keep her blood-thirst under control. As the years went by, it became easier and easier, and now she no longer felt thirsty when one of her little patients was lying on her table. Of course, Elena needed much more blood than Caroline, but luckily she was sitting at the source.
Caroline and she had disappeared from Mystik Falls 12 years ago. It was the day after hell had collapsed. Stefan, Katherine, Damon, and many others died. Caroline and they lived. There was the possibility to continue their life as people. They both decided against it. They turned their backs on the small town in Virginia and hadn't been there since. Caroline studied architecture and she chose medicine. The blonde had always raised her, how masochistic that would be. The first years were hard. They had to get over Stefan's and Damon's death and finance their studies. From morning until afternoon both were in university and in the evening they worked. Fortunately, vampires didn't have to sleep too much, keeping everything they once heard was an added benefit. They had come to New York almost five years ago. Elena liked to remember the day at the Registration office. Caroline manipulated the official so that he issued them new birth certificates and new passports. A smile stepped on the face of the brunettes. "We have known each other all our lives, we live together and somehow since our transformation we even share the same blood. Now we are also sisters on paper," the blonde laughed and held Elena in her arms. Sometimes it was very easy as a vampire, she thought,.
"Dr. Sommers." the voice of her chief physician resounded. Elena's gaze flew to the big clock at the other end of the hall. Almost 35 minutes, she thought angry. Nevertheless, she put on her most beautiful smile and turned in his direction. His voice sounded busy and Elena stared at the two young men. It had been 12 years since they left Mystik Falls and another 5 years since she last saw Elijah. 17 long years and the two didn't seem to have changed. Elena sounded herself an idiot inside. The two brothers were also vampires, of course, they didn't change outwardly. "Dr. Sommers will tell you a lot about her work in the hospital. You will experience everything that interests you. Excuse me for a moment, please," he walked past Elena and patted her shoulder. The brunette looked at the two brothers in disbelief. Of over 9 billion living beings on this planet, she met just these two.
"Elena", Elijah was the first to find his language again. "What are you doing here?
"I work as a doctor in child surgery," the brunette replied truthfully.
"You're a vampire," Klaus said, and he didn't sound as sure as she remembered him.
"The One doesn't exclude the other," Elena replied evasively. "It's just a little self-control that's needed," she added.
"How are you?" Elijah did not respond to her answer.
"Good. Thank you. It's been a long time. I hadn't thought I'd meet you of all people here," the brunette admitted honestly.
"It's actually Rebekah's project. She supports children's hospitals all over America. She is unfortunately prevented tonight," explained the original vampire.
"Did you put her in a coffin again?" the doppelganger asked Klaus.
"No, what makes you say that?" He was still a little surprised.
"She can't get sick," Elena explained.
"I have changed," the original hybrid almost sounded a little offended.
"How about we talk outside," Elijah asked.
"If you give Dr. Richards a few hundred thousand dollars, I'll be free for the evening," the smile on Elena's lips clearly said it was a joke.
"Just a moment." Elijah started to move.
The brunette turned in the direction of the original vampire, but the vampire was heading unerringly towards her chief physician.
"We were gonna donate some money anyway.", Klaus confessed and handed Elena a new glass of champagne.
"Ask what you want to ask," demanded the brunette and the primordial hybrid looked stepped on the ground. It seemed as if he had really changed.
"How is Caroline?", his voice sounded different.
Elena wanted to open her mouth, but then another idea came to her. Her sister still had a picture of the original hybrid in a denim jacket in her closet. "You know what, ask her yourself," the brunette pulled out her house key from her golden clutch. "West End Ave 37, fifteenth floor."
"You...", he broke off.
"Yes, I'll give you my key. I somehow don't think you want to kill Caroline or me. I... Klaus, it was a long time ago. For you, 17 years are perhaps not much time for us already. After you left, she was very unhappy for a long time. Of course, Caroline tried to play it over. You know her, but I saw how sad she was. At some point, she fell in love with Stefan. He died three months after they got married. I don't know if you know what happened in Mystik Falls, if not Caroline will surely explain it to you. My point is: She has always been alone since that day. There was no one else in her life. I think she would be happy," Elena came to the point. The brunette smiled a beautiful smile. "There is nobody in your life, is there?" she just asked out. The original hybrid shook its head. He was surprised by the new Elena. "Then you should go," the brunette pointed towards the door.
"Thank you," Klaus brought out and crossed the hall at human speed.
"You haven't changed," said Elijah, who had appeared behind her. "You still put the welfare of others above your own."
"You're wrong. I put Caroline's well-being above my own," she shrugged her shoulders.
"May I?", gallantly Elijah offered her his arm and the brunette raked herself under him. He skillfully led her through the masses of people to a small side exit. He led them into the huge garden that stretched over several hectares. "I'm very sorry about Stefan," he said after they had walked next to each other in silence for a while.
"It was long over between Stefan and me by that time," said Elena, looking into the night-black sky.
"What about Damon," the original vampire asked frankly.
"Died when we destroyed hell. That was all a long time ago, Elijah. Much has changed," Elena took her arm from him and stopped.
"I'm very sorry about all this," he said again.
"What's it like in New Orleans," she asked to steer the conversation to another topic.
"I don't know," Elijah said and Elena looked at him in astonishment. "We left the city five years ago."
"Why?" it burst out of the brunette.
"Klaus wanted this city back because he had founded it. It seemed as if after years of fighting he had to realize that the world had changed. New Orleans no longer needed a king. Rebekah, Klaus and I went to Chicago and lived there for a while. At the moment we live in the Hamptons," he smiled.
"How is Rebekah?", Elena settled on a small park bench.
Elijah looked at the doppelganger in astonishment. "You don't know," he asked and looked almost shocked.
"We've broken all the bridges behind us. I haven't seen my own brother in years," confessed Elena meekly.
"Why?" Elijah sounded honestly interested.
"Because I look like Katherine and he would always be in danger," she said honestly and her heart became heavy. "So what don't I know?", the brunette wanted to cover up her true feelings.
"How do I explain this to you?", Elijah let herself sink next to her and looked into the darkness for a while. "I'll show you," he said after a few minutes of silence. The original vampire rose and held out his hand to Elena. The brunette hesitated. "Don't you trust me anymore," asked Elijah.
"I always trusted you," said the doppelganger and put her hand in his. For the first time in years, she felt like she was coming home.
Elijah raised her hand to his mouth and kissed her. "Let's go." His voice was gentle but firm. Elena nodded and a short time later they were gone.
Caroline sat on the couch, the TV was running, but she looked out into the darkness. The sushi she had ordered was still untouched. She hated being alone. Every time her thoughts began to circulate and in the end, she became weak and pulled the crumpled photo out of her old denim jacket. She hated herself for still thinking of Klaus Mikaelson. Caroline heard the key being put into the lock. She quickly drove her hands over her face. She straightened her curls and pulled her dress into shape. Elena shouldn't worry about her. Her best friend, who was now her sister on paper, had enough problems of her own. She would never admit it, but she regretted the break with Jeremy. "You're already back, it was quick." Caroline had got up and cleared her throat. "Elena, are you all right?" she turned towards the door. For a moment the blonde had the feeling that the world would stop. "Klaus," she breathed. The original hybrid leaned in the door frame and smiled. "Like...", she broke off. "What...", Caroline didn't know what to say. "Klaus," she abducted it for the second time.
"Elena gave me her key," he said, holding his breath.
"What are you doing here? the blonde hurried through the room and stopped half a meter in front of him.
"I wanted to see you," Klaus said honestly.
"It was almost twenty years ago," she breathed breathlessly.
"I promised to be your last love," the original hybrid carefully stretched out his hand to her and laid it on Caroline's cheek.
"No." The blonde made a sentence to the back. "You can't just show up after all these years and pretend like nothing ever happened," she shook her head.
"I don't want to pretend as if nothing had ever happened," Klaus said gently.
"You have gone. From one day to the next you just disappeared, as if nothing had ever happened. You walked as fast as you came back then. Where is my sister anyway," she asked and Klaus pulled his eyebrows together questioningly.
"Which sister? now he was a bit confused.
"Elena", Caroline could read the question clearly in his face. "Sit down," she demanded. "Would you like something to drink?
"Something with alcohol," Klaus accepted her invitation and sat down on the dark leather couch. Caroline went towards the kitchen and came back with two glasses of blood and a bottle of whiskey. Klaus took the glasses from her and put them on the glass table. "Elena is with my brother," he added and Caroline shook her head gruffly. "We met her at the charity event. I thought Elijah was hit," he laughed a soft, pleasant laugh.
"He missed her?" asked the blonde interestedly and took a big sip of blood.
"Just like you did to me," confessed the original hybrid and Caroline looked embarrassed to the floor. "What happened in Mystic Falls?".
"We destroyed the hell. Many have died, but I think you know that" he nodded to confirm. "Elena and I lost everything, so we left. She manipulated Jeremy so that he lives his life and doesn't look for her. She looks like Katherine. There are certainly enough vampires who would use Jeremy as leverage. He was the last of her family, after that we left," Caroline poured herself some whiskey and took a big sip.
"What about your mother?", Klaus asked interestedly.
"She died of cancer. There was nothing I could do, not even vampire blood could help her." the blonde exhaled heavily.
"I'm sorry, love," Klaus sounded sincere.
"Elena and I studied, then we traveled through the country for a while. Somehow all this did not make us happy. Five years ago we settled here. Elena started at the children's ward and I went to a big architectural office. I just wanted to work and not think about the past. Somehow I thought it would be easier," Caroline put her head on his shoulder. "It hasn't gotten any easier yet," she confessed quietly.
"Why did Elena study medicine? That's for a vampire..." Klaus didn't find the right words.
"You wonder why she's doing this to herself?", Caroline straightened up and looked Klaus in the face. "She wanted to help the people and somehow it was just obvious. Maybe she just wants to punish herself because she manipulated Jeremy, otherwise, I can't explain it to myself," Care admitted.
"How come to Elena and you have the same last name?" Caroline smiled again.
"I manipulated the official at the residents' registration office," she admitted honestly. "Across here and across there, Elena and I already had the same father. You have your brothers and your sister. I have lost everything in my family. Elena is my family now. I only helped a little," she said meekly.
"What about Bonnie?" asked the original hybrid and Caroline looked down again.
"She lost her boyfriend in the inferno of hell. Enzo is dead and she hasn't been the same since. Bonnie set off on a trip around the world about twelve years ago. She never came back. Every now and then a few maps come from the remotest corners of the earth. She writes that she is well and no longer. I don't think she will come back. A person does not simply return to his old life after twelve years. Those who survived Mystic Falls have scattered in all directions. Elena and I are the only ones who stayed together. There were moments when I wanted to look for Bonnie or Matt, even Tyler. I didn't find Bonnie. She cast a spell over herself. You can't track her down. Matt plays football in Atlanta. He got married and had children. A boy and a girl. I think he's happy. I stood in front of his house one night, but I didn't want to disturb him. It wouldn't have been right to reopen old wounds because I'm lonely," Caroline ended up emptying her glass.
"Didn't you say, you have Elena," Klaus didn't quite understand.
"She works an average of 16 hours a day. She comes to this apartment sleeping a little and then we go jogging, shopping, eating something or doing something else to distract us. None of us have been happy in the last twelve years," the blonde confessed quietly. "I missed you," she added quietly.
"Come with me", Klaus had got up.
"Where are we going?", Caroline looked into his blue eyes and had to swallow. He was not only her last love. He was also her first.
"Trust me," asked Klaus and the blonde nodded.
"Wow." Elena took it when they were standing in front of the huge white villa. Elijah and she had walked up the long driveway lined with rose bushes. The brunette looked around with interest. "It's beautiful here," she said. In the background, you could hear the sound of the sea. She loved the ocean. At some point, she wanted to buy a small house on the beach.
" You are welcome to stay here", Elijah saw from the side how the doppelganger turned red.
"I have to talk to Caroline first", Elena bit her lower lip. Why was she still so nervous in his presence after all these years? The original vampire unlocked the big front door and let Elena in. The entrance hall was clad in white marble, red carpets lay on the floor, and the obligatory landscapes hung on the walls.
"Rebekah," said Elijah and his sister appeared a few seconds later at the foot of the stairs. "I brought visitors." The blonde original vampire stood there for a moment as if rooted, then she set herself in motion and pulled the doppelganger into a hug.
"I told you something had changed," Elijah grinned and looked as young as seldom before.
"I still don't understand," Elena had freed herself from Rebekah's embrace and looked confused from Elijah to the original vampire and back again. Something is not right here at all. Slowly the brunette began to worry. Maybe she had made a mistake when she sent Klaus to Caroline.
"I promise you will," Rebekah said and smiled. "Don't worry, you're now part of the family," the doppelganger was about to return something, but something stopped her.
"Elena," she heard a voice ask, which she otherwise only noticed in her dreams. The head of the brunettes rose and she looked at the spot where the voice came from.
"Jeremy," her voice sounded strangely strange in her ears. The young man set himself in motion and ran down the stairs at vampire speed, then pulled his sister into his arms.
"I never thought I'd see you again," he confessed and fought with tears. Elena's arms closed around his neck and tears ran down her cheeks.
"Are we too late?" asked Klaus, who had just entered.
"Jeremy?", Caroline sounded breathless. She stepped out behind Klaus. The young vampire detached himself from his sister and briefly pressed the blonde against him.
"I still don't understand anything," Elena wiped her face with her hands and tried to stop the tears.
"How about we sit on the terrace and explain it to you," Rebekah asked and the two friends nodded.
Rebekah had poured everyone a glass of whiskey. The six vampires sat on the terrace behind the sea. A few candles on the table. The original vampire
Interlaced her hand with Jeremy's and smiled a happy smile.
"Wait a minute." Caroline looked at them. " You...?" she didn't know what to say.
"You are often speechless tonight, love," Klaus noticed and stroked her back calmingly.
"Rebekah and I got married four years ago," Jeremy confessed and looked at his sister waiting.
"That's what you meant by family," Elena didn't seem to have coped yet. "I am happy for you. I'm really looking forward to seeing you again, but... I need something else," the doppelganger honestly said. "How did you meet?", the brunette leaned back and emptied her glass in one go.
"You forbid me to look for you because you wanted to protect me and I was so angry for the first two years, Elena. I was angry at you and Caroline because you left me alone. I felt betrayed," he was interrupted.
"I'm so sorry, Jer," Caroline and Elena said like out of one mouth.
He waved off. "Water under the bridge" he simply said. "You manipulated me and I couldn't find you. So I looked for someone who could look for you. I went to New Orleans and met Rebekah. She promised to help me. Well, one thing came after another and we fell in love," he beamed at the great vampire.
"We started looking for you, but it wasn't that easy," Elijah continued.
"We also searched for Caroline Forbs and Elena Gilbert," Klaus interjected. "At some point, Elijah came up with the idea of searching the big universities and we actually got information. We could work with that," Klaus stroked Caroline over his back again. The blonde looked at him in disbelief.
"Are you saying that you spent the last few years looking for us?" She sounded out of breath.
"Yes," confirmed Elijah. Caroline and Elena gave each other a meaningful look. "Jeremy came up with the idea that you might not be working under your real name. So we expanded our spectrum a bit," Elijah continued.
"You have no idea how many Dr. Sommers there are in the USA, do you?" Rebekah asked and shook his head amusedly.
"That's why you were at this charity event," Elena kidnapped it and she got a confirming nod from Klaus.
"Actually, I wanted to get the private addresses, but Jeremy thought that would probably not be a good idea," explained the original hybrid.
"You can't stand in front of the door of strangers," said the young vampire. Klaus grinned. "Well, you can, but we agreed that this wasn't a good idea," he rowed back.
"Are you just telling me that you've been looking for us for the last five or six years?" Elena sounded incredulous.
"I hope you stay now." Elijah said and reached for Elena's hand again.
"Overnight?" asked the brunette.
"No, I actually thought to the end of all times," Klaus looked at Caroline questioningly.
The blonde looked towards Elena. " For all I care," she said and the doppelganger nodded. She still felt run over.
"Well, then I don't have to have a guilty conscience now", Klaus muttered, flashed forward and had disappeared with Caroline shortly afterwards.
"You'll excuse us for a moment, won't you," Elijah asked Jeremy.
"Now that she's staying," said the young vampire and Elijah did the same to his brother. Jeremy put an arm around Rebekah's shoulders.
"I guess you won't see your sister again that soon," Rebekah laughed.
"As long as we have eternity ahead of us, it doesn't bother me," he said and kissed the original vampire.