First Meeting
He saw her standing there, unaware of anything going on around her. Maybe this is how it was around here in New Orleans. Who was he to know? Elijah hadn't been here in ages. He ordered some wine and the blonde bartender smiled at him, sliding him one almost immediately. She had that look of efficiency in her eyes and Elijah thought that maybe she could help him find her brother. Her help would be very useful to him. He tried to make a move, do something for her to notice him.
She looked like she was in the mood for conversation, having nobody around so she asked, "So, what brings you to the Big Easy?" Elijah smiled as he noticed how careful she was with details. "Oh, I used to live here." he responded simply and she looked like she wanted to get more out of him. Elijah let her. "Oh, really? When?" "Oh, it feels like a hundred years ago." Elijah said, taking a sip of his drink.
Her curiosity was still showing as she offered him a kind smile. "I…uh…I just moved here myself." Elijah found himself a bit curious as well. "Really? How come?" he asked and she smiled, looking at her hands. "My uncle needs help. Perhaps you know him. His name is Father Kieran." she told him and Elijah frowned, having heard of that name before. "You obviously hadn't heard of him. He's…um…the priest of the city. Leads some very strange business here." Elijah frowned. "Strange?" "So, what brings you back?" the blonde bartender asked him, clearly wanting to change the subject.
"I'm here looking for my younger brother. I hear that he's gotten himself in quite of a bind around here." Elijah responded to her and she frowned, starting to clean up some of the glasses she found on the counter, to keep her hands busy as she kept talking. "You say it like it's a common occurrence." Elijah was surprised by her way of interpreting things and her impeccable observation. He smiled and then looked back at her drink. He decides to tell her more. "My brother, he's defiant and a little temperamental." The woman frowned as Elijah spoke. "You see, we don't share the same father. Of course, that never bothered me but my brother resents it deeply. He also felt like he doesn't belong in this family so, he has a history of getting himself into trouble."
"And I'm guessing you have a long history of getting him out of it." She thought of saying quickly and the stopped. She knew what he quick logic did to the people around her, it sent them away and she kind of liked this guy and wouldn't want to make him think she was strange. Elijah however did not look displeased at the woman's deduction and smiles at her in a comforting way. The young bartender looks into his eyes and smiles as well. When she realized how long she had been looking at him, she looks away and so does he. She went back to cleaning her cans and glasses and cleared her throat.
"So…uh…what kind of bind is your brother in?" she asked him. Elijah looked back at his drink and said, "He believes that some people in this town are conspiring against him." She looks at him for a minute and thought that he was just messing with her but from the seriousness in his eyes, he clearly wasn't. She looked at him for a while until her eyes grew big and she let out a huff. "Wow! Narcissistic and paranoid! There is nothing to fix about that." She nods her head, understanding what he was saying.
Elijah was surprised at her words and leaned back a little, putting his hands on the counter, with a smile on his face. She realized what she had said to him and blushed slightly, trying to avoid eye contact with him. She thought that she had made a fool out of herself again and tried to get herself out of this. "Sorry, bartender with a college degree in psychology. Total cliché." She told him with a bit of humor, making him smile even more as he looked at her. There was something about him. She couldn't put her finger on it but there was something that made her curious to know more.
Elijah was the one who leaned in closer to get a look at her name tag but still finding some weird way to make the bartender blush. "Camille, is it?" Elijah asked, looking back at her with a smile. Camille gulped and nodded a little, the smile she kept trying to make was still visible on her face. He was making her blush one too many times. Maybe she should be wrapping this up. "Um…I will finish my shift soon so would you like anything else?" she asked and Elijah looked back at her, shaking his head. "Ok then."
Camille moved to get her stuff from the back. As she turned around, she gasped as Elijah was standing right next to her. "Pardon me, I didn't mean to frighten you." "How did you get back here so quickly?" Camille asked, smiling a little breathlessly. "I have my ways." She continued packing her things when he said. "Camille, I do intend on having my brother fixed…and I think I could very much use your help with this." Elijah concluded, making Camille blush even more. "What? Me? What can I do?" "You explicitly said that you have a degree for psychology, is that correct?" Elijah asked and she nodded. "You are a very intelligent girl and maybe your help is exactly what I need to get my brother back on his feet. Could you help me?" Camille looked at him for a while. She had a hard time trusting strangers.
"I don't even know your name." Elijah frowned and said, "Have I not mentioned it? Please, pardon my rudeness. Elijah Mikaelson." Camille smiled and responded, "Camille O'Connell." Elijah nodded and held out a hand to her. "What do you say? Would you care to be partners?" "In this mission to get the brother you once had back?" "Precisely! I wish to find his redemption." "I must head back to my apartment now, Elijah." Camille said and looked at the clock and saw how late it was. What was with her trusting him? This wasn't her. But there was something about Elijah that made her want to believe that he was not like any other guy around here. He was being honest. "Can we be partners?" Elijah asked, holding out his hand. Camille sighed and took it. "You can find me here tomorrow morning." She said and Elijah smiled. "Good to know. Goodnight!" And then he disappeared.