A/N: I do not own The Vampire Diaries

Songbird

The first time he saw her she was serving pizza and beer in a rundown little bar. Her hair was up, cascading from the ponytail like silk down her back. She was dressed in casual clothing, jeans and a blouse with the bar's name splashed across the apron at her waist. Her smile looked forced, her eyes haunted, but she didn't dare show it on the surface. He watched her as she took orders and delivered them, stopping here and there for a chat before moving on.

When she approached him he got his first real look at her, and he studied her with an air of curiosity and reserve. On closer inspection he noticed the badly covered bruise on her left cheek and he felt a strange feeling grip him. He was an Original, had been around for many years, yet the sight of this young woman brought about something he did not expect.

"Hello, you look new here. What would you like?" She asked him with a quick smile that didn't travel to her eyes. Said eyes were watching him almost as closely as his watched her, and he found himself caught in the depth of them. They were a gray color, he wondered if they would look silver if they were to be brighter. In all his years, all of his travels, he had never seen eyes so filled with sorrow, and again he felt something unknown settle in his chest. When he didn't answer right away she tilted her head and waited, her smile became more forced, but he didn't sense any discomfort. He noticed the way she looked him over, in his crisp business suit to the carefully composed expression and brushed back short hair.

"What would you recommend?" He replied and she thought a moment, biting the corner of her bottom lip, unaware that he watched her every movement.

"Well, our house specialty is pizza of course but the calzones are wonderful. I guess it really depends on if you want a lot of grease or less," she answered and he watched as a quick smile flashed across her lips before going back to the polite one from before.

"I see," he said. "Surprise me."

"Are you allergic to any food?" she asked and he looked back at her with amusement and shook his head no and she returned to the kitchen area. While he waited, he watched the other patrons, his mind wandering. He was only in this town because he was trying to find his brother Niklaus. He feared that he was at another dead-end but something had led him here, to this bar. His next stop would be Mystic Falls, where rumors of the Doppelganger's existence originated from, along with the Salvatore's. He was well aware that his brother was also trying to find the girl to break his curse, but he could not allow this to happen.

"Here you are, one extra large pepperoni calzone," a familiar voice pulled him from his musings as she placed the platter before him. "It's not terribly original mind you but it's very good, promise."

"Thank you," he said politely and she smiled back. "Would it be forward of me to ask you to join me? You look as if you could do with a break," he asked and she thought it over, tilting her head like before. She shot a glance to the kitchen area and called that she was taking a break, and one of the others nodded. She set the tray she carried on an empty table and took the seat opposite him. She jolted as she realized that she'd completely forgotten to ask if he wanted a beverage, and blushed bright red to his enjoyment.

"Ugh, I'm a horrible waitress," she told him as she met his laughing gaze, "Would you like a drink? We have beer, soda, tea or water?"

"I think tea would do, thank you."

He watched her stand again and hurry to a drink machine behind the bar and pour hot water into a cup, pulling out all the tea options they carried along with sugar and milk. She grabbed a soda for herself and made a mental note to put money in the register for it later and hurried over to him with an apologetic look.

"You look like you prefer hot tea to iced," she said and he nodded in gratitude.

"How do you like this establishment miss—"

"Samantha Blake, but everyone calls me Sam," she answered as she watched him carefully cut into his food. She had the thought that he probably hadn't ever had a calzone before but since he didn't complain she answered his question. "It's not so bad, gets busy sometimes but I've been here for a while so I'm used to it."

They sat in silence as he ate and she began to wonder why he'd asked her to join him, not that she wasn't flattered by the offer. She sipped her drink and watched him just as she suspected he was watching her.

"What brings you here sir?" she asked half in curiosity and half courtesy.

"I'm looking for a family member," he replied finishing his mouthful and stirring his tea. Inwardly he was pondering over his initial reasons for inviting the girl to join him, as well as why he'd entered the bar in the first place. "And it's Elijah," he took her offered hand at his name and brushed a kiss across her knuckles, noting the warmth of her skin.

"Pleasure," she smiled and swallowed down the tingle his kiss has ignited and turned when she noticed the stage empty. "Also," she said as she stood much to his surprise, "I get to sing anytime I want."

His eyes followed her as she approached the empty karaoke stage and pressed a few buttons on a machine near the wall and took her hair down, taking a long pull of her drink and stood in front of the mike. Music started to play over the speakers and his thoughts emptied as she began to sing, the entire bar stopped to listen. In all of his years, all the time periods he had witnessed, he had never been heard such a strong and angelic voice, he watched as her beautiful eyes closed as she lost herself in a song about heartache, abuse, and lost innocence. He almost forgot exactly why he'd come to town, and knew this was the reason he'd been drawn here, to this bar. She was the reason.

He joined in on the applause and watched as she blushed once more from modesty and he felt his respect for her raise. She joined him again at his table and he was pleased to find that her eyes did indeed look silver when they were filled with happiness. His gaze roamed once more over the barely concealed bruise and wondered if the song was from personal experience and felt cold fire fill his veins. Her glowing expression leftover from the performance faltered and he pushed away the feeling, lest she become scared of him.

"Enchanting, Miss Blake," he murmured to her.

"Thank you," she said and looked down at her drink to avoid his piercing gaze. Something about the way he watched her made her feel as if he could see every thought and feeling in her mind. There was also the fluttering as he studied her that she did not know how to rationalize. "I've been singing before I could talk practically, that's why I stay here. I started work and then after closing the manager heard me one night and told me I could sing when I have a moment and I've done it ever since."

Elijah observed as the girl fiddled with a napkin in front of her, seemingly embarrassed and covered her hand with his own to still it. He brought it to his lips and brushed another kiss over it, brown eyes meeting gray as he gave her a charming smile. "You were lovely."

He thought for a moment and made a decision, "What time do you get off Miss Blake? I would like to walk you home if that is agreeable to you."

Cheeks reddening further she muttered out a reply and he released her hand that he still held and allowed her to return to work. He stood and adjusted his lapel, leaving her a generous tip before going to where she and the register stood. He handed her the proper amount for his meal and waited until her eyes met his, "It has been wonderful, Miss Blake."

Without another word he left, intending to find his alternate means of nourishment before his return once the woman was done for the night. He allowed himself to dwell on her performance once more before blurring away.