Chapter 2

Before long Elijah and Gayle each had the key to a rental vehicle. Elijah got into his dark blue, smallish SUV and looked for the slot in which to insert the key. He couldn't find one. It took him a frustrating moment to remember the man had said to just push the "start" button. Not for the first time he thought that new and better inventions were a nuisance. He had spent centuries learning new things. It was never-ending. Since the car was new, the year of the model told him what year the present was. He had wondered if years of being "dead dead" had passed, but it turned out it was only months.

Soon, he drove from the car lot and Gayle was right behind him. The airport was somewhat north of the city, but they had to go southward. Although she now had a map of the Charlottesville area, he knew she could make a wrong turn and get lost. They had gone over the route he would take so that she should be able to get south of the city on Rt. 29, which went right through the outskirts of Mystic Falls.

Gayle did a good job of staying behind him, at least close enough that she didn't lose sight of his car. As a result, she was one car behind when they left the city and drove into rural land. Elijah considered that this time as he was driving to Mystic Falls it was not during a blizzard. He could well-recall that time when he had stopped to help a woman whose car had skidded a bit off the road and had become stuck in the snow. He had offered her a ride, but then his own vehicle had skidded off the road and had slid down a hill. Well, not this time.

In less than an hour he turned onto the street that led to the center of the small town. He spotted Gayle behind him. He entered the center and drove around the central park and out the southern route. In no time he came to the entrance to the Salvatore school and pulled into the parking lot. Gayle parked right beside him. He got out of the car and she did too, saying something as she did.

"I did not quite hear you," he said. He focused his ears for increased hearing, a trick vampires could do.

She reached into her car to pulled out her purse and she repeated what she had said. Again he didn't hear it correctly. When she stood up and saw a questioning look on his face, she said louder, "I said I'm more nervous than I thought I would be. Look at this place! I though it would be a nice, older private home. The brochure had pictures, but this place is much larger than depicted. I wonder what its history is."

Elijah heard her well enough this time, but he was now aware of reduced ability to hear. Was it possible he had lost some of his vampire skills? Or all of them? Was it actually possible that he was no longer a vampire!? The thought dumbfounded him. He was quite shaken by the possibility. He was no longer sure how to live without the knowledge that he had special strengths to trust and fall back on. With Gayle looking at him, he did not dare cut his arm with the car key to see if the small wound would heal.

"Are you alright?" she asked with concern. "You look a little worried."

"Yes, I am fine." He tried to sound positive and gave her a small smile. "You commented on the history of this place. I do know some of it."

"Do tell me," she said, pulling her suitcases and carry-on bag from the car's trunk.

Taking the handle on one of the larger suitcases, he said, "My understanding is that the main section was built as a boarding house for returning World War I veterans. Even then it was quite elegant. As you can see, the additions on each side are smaller. Somewhat recently two Salvatore brothers lived here and kept it as a private residence. One of them passed away and the other has moved away. Now it is this school."

As they headed for the main entrance, he didn't mention the times he had been there, nor did he tell her that there were dungeon cells in the basement, one of which he had been locked up inside for a short time. He also did not mention that his brother Niklaus still owned a mansion a short distance away. It was leased to another family who could afford the place.

Coming to the front door, Elijah hesitated. The place was under different management, meaning that if he was still a vampire, he needed to be invited in. Or, since it was a school for a group of youth, perhaps he needed no invitation. Or – he felt a qualm in his stomach – if he was no longer a vampire, he needed no invitation.

He reached out to the door knob to open the door for Gayle who had both hands full. He was a gentleman, after all. He stepped aside as the door swung inward. "After you, m'lady," he said with a smile.

"Thank you, kind sir," she said with a grin and she entered the ample hallway. There was a small ornate desk between a doorway and the base of a stairway. A lady came from the room to the right and smiled at Gayle.

"May I help you?" she asked in a pleasant voice.

Elijah had cautiously stepped inside, following Gayle. He felt no barrier against him. This did not really answer his question. Was he or wasn't he? He was surprised to see the desk and the woman there, but then realized that a school would monitor and greet whoever entered. There were other entrances/exits of course, but this was the main one.

"I'm Gayle Hunter. The new Ancient History teacher." She rested her luggage on the polished hardwood floor.

"Yes! We've been expecting you. Welcome. I'm Margaret Smith. I'll let Mr. Salzmann know you are here." She reached in the pocket of her skirt for her cell phone and hit a button. In a moment she said, "Miss Hunter has arrived. Yes, at the front desk." To Gayle she said, "He'll be here in a minute." She then looked at Elijah without recognition.

"I am Elijah. I made sure Miss Hunter did not get lost coming here from the airport." He noted that she still did not show any sign of recognition, which surprised him a little. He thought she would be aware of the names of Hope's family members. Or perhaps she knew that Hope's uncle Elijah had died along with her father, and thus did not think this was the same Elijah.

"This is a lovely place," Gayle commented as she looked at the dark wall paneling and the carved banister of the stairway. A stained-glass window lit the first landing. There was a large framed photographic portrait of a young, dark-haired man on the wall behind the desk. "Who is that man?"

"That is Damon Salvatore, a modern member of the Salvatore family, which goes back to before the Civil War and even further back to Italy. Damon and his brother lived here up until a few years ago. The Salvatore Trust owns this lovely estate," Margaret Smith said.

Elijah had noticed the portrait and had experienced assorted feelings about the pictured man. Sometimes enemy, sometimes friend. Damon, his brother Stefan and their friends had temporarily killed Elijah several times. And they had been instrumental in the killing of his brother Finn, brother Kol, and even their parents Mikael and Esther. They had brought Elijah to the brink of killing Niklaus. Some of the residents of Mystic Falls had been a real danger to the

Mikaelson family. Now, Hope was residing there and supposedly safe, learning how to temper her powers.

Looking at the picture of Damon, he could see the glint in those blue eyes and a strand of dark hair curled jauntily at the side of his forehead. The hint of a smirk was on the lips. The vampire Damon Salvatore could laugh at the world.

"What a handsome young man," Gayle observed.

Elijah guessed that she might be thirty, while Damon was perpetually twenty four. And he noted that Gayle still gave no sign that she knew vampires and witches existed. She knew nothing of the people who lived in Mystic Falls except for the school for special kids. Finding out would be a shock to her. Would she quit and leave town?

The head of the school, Alaric Salzmann, walked down the hall toward them. His eyes were on Elijah with an intent look. Elijah stared back. The man was older than the last time they had met, since he was not ageless. He knew about the deaths of Hope's mother, father and uncle.

"Mr. Salzmann, this is our new teacher Gayle Hunter," the other woman said, smiling.

Salzmann's eyes shifted to Gayle and he gave her a welcoming smile. "I'm glad you arrived. Welcome." They shook hands. "You were able to find the school alright, I see."

"Elijah led me right here," she said and looked at her guide. "He knew of the place."

"Oh, I'm sure he does. I'm surprised to see you, Elijah. After Hope's report."

"You are not half as surprised as I am to be here."

Salzmann did not ask him to explain at this time. Then again, he knew the Mikaelsons had a tendency to come and go, and come back. "Are you staying in Mystic Falls?"

"I am undecided. I have no destination at the moment."

"We have an empty room in the south wing. You are welcome to stay. Hope will be surprised to see you. Margaret, call Eddie to come take Miss Hunter's bags to her room."

"Please call me Gayle."

"I will in private, but not in front of the students. I'll show you to your room myself and then give you a tour. Elijah, make yourself comfortable in the study."

Elijah walked into the room across the hall. It looked unchanged, for the most part. There were many shelves of books, several small tables with desktop computers, a big fireplace, comfortable chairs and a sofa and a grand piano. He knew Damon could play it. Above the fireplace were old weapons, one of the most dangerous ones being the crossbow. A white oak "bolt" fired from it could kill a Mikaelson, as Finn and Kol had found out.

Because there were children and teenagers at the school, the study did not now contain an unlocked supply of liquor. This was a bit disappointing to Elijah. Damon had always kept a good supply of such beverages, especially fine bourbon and scotch. Not wanting a soft drink, sports drink or bottled water, Elijah went to the piano, sat down and played a soft tune. It reminded him of Paris, the nightclub there and especially of the woman Antoinette. He missed her like he missed Hayley. He was doomed to lose women he fell in love with.

A/N I hope you all were not bored by the various references of past things. Returning to Mystic Falls has to bring back many memories for Elijah. Thank you for reading and the review.