"You know what I think?" Elena asks him days before the sacrifice—minuets after he tells her he…cares about her too much to watch her die. It's late, about three in the morning, and Elena comes out of the Salvatore house to find him patrolling the parameter.
Elijah casually looks over toward her, arms at his sides. "What do you think?"
He watches as she catches the patronizing tone in his voice, watches the anger turn to annoyance then quickly chances to a knowing almost-smile.
"I think you have an affinity for doomed…girls."
She doesn't say it, but they both know Petrova is implied.
Only because it's Elena does he suppress the anger at her accuracy.
"I try not to, you must realize," he replies, giving her a lazy smile to cover the majority of his emotions.
She nods once in decisive understanding, "Which is why you were so willing to sell me out to Klaus in the beginning." Her tone is wistful, but not accusatory. "You didn't want to make the same mistake again—I understand that."
Elijah looks toward his feet. "You know the saying, I can assume?"
Fool me once….
They both know the question is rhetorical. Elena continues speaking, "You must, then, understand the risk I'm taking…trusting you."
Elijah meets her eyes and gives her the barest nod. "I won't let you down."
Elena seems to believe him. They walk the parameter together for awhile before she speaks again. "When Klaus dies, Katherine will be free of his influence."
"I know that, Elena," he says, the teasingly patronizing tone back once more.
"What are you going to do then?"
Elijah pauses in his measured steps as he remembers Katerina. "I'm…not sure."