Thank you for the wonderful reviews, I'm so thankful you enjoyed the first chapter. I hope it wasn't too much of long wait for me to post this next one. Okay well here it is :D


Chapter 2

The morning sun exposed it's mesmerising light through Elena's curtains, which made her eyes flutter from the ambience of the sudden light. She rolled over to her right and slowly opened her eyes to a new day. The day she was going to meet Elijah for the first time after what she thought was too long. Elena didn't want to bother telling anyone about it since she already came to the conclusion, not everyone likes the idea of her and Elijah cooperating behind shades. Especially Damon. Even though he brought Elijah out of the dead himself, Damon would constantly find his way back to despising the Original. Elena was always impressed by the way Elijah handles the Salvatores level of stubborness, into his own hands as if they were just a mere tedious task on a casual day. He was by far an Original. He must've had centuries of experience to how the world worked within generations after generations.

Elena finally rose from her warm sheets of her bed and uncovered the quilt from her legs. She stood up and went out of her room, and trailed down the Gilbert stairs only to bump into Alaric who was casually sipping his morning decaf from his cup.

"Morning Ric," she said, continuing down the steps as Alaric gave her an inviting nod, while going the opposite direction. Elena nonchalantly walked into the kitchen only to see Caroline standing by the bench, pouring black coffee into two mugs.

"Caroline..." Elena stated, taking her a bit of time to paint a smile on her face when Caroline turned around to face her, returning the welcome with her pearly whites. She approched Elena with two mugs and said, "So...I heard about yesterday." Elena grew a heat of curiosity in her eyes, Caroline continued, "With Stefan?"

Elena resolved her inner uncomfort and flew her mindset back to the topic, partly afraid that Caroline might've known about her little run-in with the new vampire in town, Theo and Elijah's letter, "Oh yeah, that...I just realised that my feelings for Stefan were not where they were supposed to be in order for me to stay in that kind of relationship." She tried to seem affected terribly by the situation but to Caroline's instincts, she failed.

"Come on, you and I both know that there's more to the the reason why you broke it off with Stefan than just a simple 'it-wasn't-right'." Caroline cocked one of her eyebrows with the intention of mocking Elena and sipped her coffee along with the gesture. A long silence came between them which enabled time, to fill the atmosphere with a sense of hovering curiosity from Caroline and a certain wave of nervousness from Elena. She was certain that her best friend would always see right through her no matter how hard Elena tried to cover things up. Lieing to Caroline about anything would be useless anyhow.

Elena remained hesitant before Caroline broke in and breathed, "Is there someone else Elena?" The blonde tilted her head sympathetically while she observed Elena's features somehow become softened yet conflicted.

Elena never wondered about the reason why she felt obliged to break it off with Stefan that night. She was in a bundle of conflicted emotions to even think straight but yet she still carried on with the situation. She was sure it wasn't in behalf of Damon. Although that state of mind would've been completely different to what she thought a couple of months ago. Damon had been one of the few people to fully stand by her continuation to live on this messed up planet and Elena allowed that to cloud her judgment about him. She thought that after everything he's been through, the only thing he needs is the love of brotherhood he once had. Stefan and Damon endured so much pain in their vampire lives that it enabled Elena to feel like what she's going through was just a mere obstacle on the road. She felt horrible for attacking and intruding the wealthy nature of their family that it urged her to let go of them and leave them be. The thought had always been one to tug with her feelings, because no matter what she loved them both. But not enough to be selfish to choose either/or.

Caroline muttered, "You okay?" she brushed her soft hand on the olive surface on her skin. Elena interrupted her thoughts and turned back to reality while she replied with a fake smile, "I'm fine." Caroline sighed and took that as a sign to hold the conversation for a little while later.


Elijah walked down the forest tracks and observed the morning sunlight peak from behind the tall trees that hung over him like guards of mother nature. Elijah smirked to the irony that even though it was green and seemingly peaceful, it would always embellish a cruel atmosphere in the town called Mystic Falls. Memories and memories came flooding back. Reminded him of that one day he took a stroll down the same tracks with Elena, only with the intention of terrorizing her in a way that could've possibly broke the profound bond he grew with her over the period he was in that town. He wondered whether Elena would show herself that day. Somehow Elijah wanted it to go both ways. If she showed up, he would have to face the tension of seeing her again after these few harsh months and feel the need to explain why he'd been such a coward to avoid confrontation. But if she didn't present herself, then he guessed there was nothing else to be resolved and what they had was completely gone.

Elijah stopped by the nearby boulder and leaned against the rough surface of its rock. Then suddenly he heard footsteps approaching the area. His shoulder tensed and his brow furrowed in curiosity. Elijah turned around a restless Theo appeared before him.

Theo said while continuing to approach him before he reached two meters from his position, "That Elena girl resembles Tatia immensely, don't you think? I mean, despite the fact the fact that she's a doppelganger as you call it, is there another reason you're helping her?"

Elijah tilted his head in mock of him and replied with straight-forwardness, "I brought you back from the dead in order for you to help in my brother's destruction and now you're judging my perspective?," he remained contained with his stance as Theo scoffed with amusement and answered assertively, "All I'm saying, is don't allow the memory of Tatia confuse your choice of allies, Elijah. She may appear to be igniting with Gilbert purity, but at the end of the day, she's still a Petrova. " Theo tilted his head and quirked his eyebrow, "Petrova's could only lead to emotional toxication. You don't want that to happen again, do you?"

The Original pondered on the direct agqusition but decided to ignore his comment and returned to business, "You just focus on keeping this town under shadows concerning my return. If I hear any word around town, that my exposure has reached the intelligence of unwanted minds, you'd be-"

Theo defensively put his hands in the air with a mischievious smile and replied as he pointed his finger towards Elijah, "Don't you worry about that my friend." He trailed back into the forest and disappeared behind the bushels. Elijah pursed his lips together in thought of Theo's remark and tensed his eyebrows to the question of whether he was right to say such an observation. He smoothened the creases on his suit before he continued to make his way through the forest, as he waited for a young brunette to hopefully stop him in his wonderous tracks.


It was a quarter to noon and Elena walked out of the Gilbert Residence with a feeling of anxiety burning in the pit of her stomach. She invested a lot of her morning in wondering how the meeting with Elijah would go and also trying to keep Caroline off her edge while attempting to remain perfectly usual. Elena stepped into her black car and sat in her seat for a moment of silence. She rested her head on the seat and sighed, realising how tired she really was. Elena was afraid that this was what her life was going to be. Just constant exhaustion and continuous struggles in this big war with Klaus. She just hoped Elijah was determined enough to morally stand by her and truly help her with the ascending situation. Elena shook off her reflecting thoughts and started the car, pulling out of the driveway with newfound eagerness.

Elena whisked through the opening tracks of the forest and kept her eyes on the lookout for Elijah who most preferably be wearing a suit. It was exactly noon, and the sun was surprisingly beaming considering the fact that it was gloomy all week. She squinted her eyes from the sunlight and continued down the trails until she finally saw a man, in a rough, dark greay suit leaning against a boulder next to the bushels.

Elijah.

The man heard the familiar heartbeat, thud continuously with heated anxiety which tempted him to turn around. Although he took a minute to prepare himself to face the moment he had dreaded throughout the last few months. Finally, the Original turned around and caught sight of innocence, Elena, who struggled to contain her nerves, just a few feet away. Elijah's brow eased gracefully and replaced the expression with a visage of sorrow and guilt, ordering himself to step forward and explain everything, anything. Elena inhaled a deep breath and shook her head in a gradual motion before she mumbled, "Where have you been Elijah...?" Her face slowly exposed the newfound regret that was beginning to shine above all her soft features whereby only showing the conflict that controlled her deep desires.

A beam of sadness pierced through his undead heart while he heard those little words. Elijah replied, with a tone equivalent to his guilt, "You don't want to know." Elena tilted her head to the side with empathy, he continued, "I figured that for me to turn my back towards you makes me a coward and I'm deeply sorry Elena." The girl closed the gap between them until she met him, five feet away. Elijah's eyes pleaded for any kind of forgiveness but all that was returned was silence and more silence. Elena wanted to enunciate her emotions with an igniting desire, and tell him the truth. The truth about the anger she held against him for leaving her. The truth about the happiness she contained in the pit of her chest to finally see him in pure daylight. But mostly the truth about how relieved she felt to see him alive and walking on solid earth.

The silence was broken by the emotional girl, "I shouldn't be selfish with you Elijah. I can't hold my anger against you only to satisfy my own conscience. Mystic Falls is like your poison and you have every right to leave if it were to make you happy once you did." Elena pursed lips together and asked desperately, "Did it?" Elijah gazed forward to the curious girl and she continued, "When you left, did you get what you wanted?"

Elijah insisted to ignore the question but without hesitation replied, "No, Elena. I didn't." his voice cracked slightly towards the end of the the statement which caused Elena to flinch in surprise but with also a tint of anxiety. The solid ground beneath them was solitary yet it seemed like it was moving in a circular motion, juggling both Elijah and Elena like a challenge. The rustling turmoil of the leaves were almost dead compared to normal. No sign of life or the goodness of nature. Just unmoving accessories of the Earth. Their eyes shared a moment of free willed proximity because somehow, behind all the conflict, what brought them back as one was the result of their compassion and honour they had built in their foundation. It caused great consequences but in light of it all, it brought greater understanding. And greater understanding could only lead to good things. At least that's what they both hoped for.

Elena struggled to conceal the smile of admiration that began to peak in the corner of her lips but quickly shook the gesture out of her conscience and said, "In the note, you said you had information on Klaus?" her voice emphasised a strategic tone, ready to accumulate to steady questions and answers. Elijah began to looses his position on the ground and moved towards the innermost area of the forest and gestured to Elena while he said, "Follow me..."

He walked inwards into the surrounding environment filled with trees and various species of plants as Elena walked behind him, feeling as if Elijah was her own personal bodyguard. And she quite liked that. She's always believed the idea of having that one ideal being that could protect you in the heart of any situation and in that ponderous moment, the only person that came to mind was Elijah. She figured it would be Damon, considering the fact that he'd continously boast his confidence in behalf of protecting her all the time but she never understood the motive that he would act upon his feelings for her. But for simply a woman's love. And she felt guilty for not living up to that expectation.

Then Elijah stopped when he met the opening footpath of a consolidated apartment, right in the heart of the forest. It seemed forcibly oppressive and dark as if it's been abandoned for several weeks, even months. The walls were crimson red with a hollow overlay of brown which was slightly weared away by the look of it. Logs were scattered all around the outside spaces, with heavy bushels towards the entrance. Elena said, confused, "Where are we?"

Elijah slowly turned around before continuing on, "It was my mothers..."

Elena's eyes widened at the statement and watched Elijah walk towards the deprived apartment. She took a moment to absorb the foundation of the situation before she followed him into the witch's apartment with only an expression of curiosity and somewhat a hint of fear for what she may see that could possibly affect her in some way.