It was finally dusk.

Elijah sat perched on Elena's windowsill as he watched the golden glow of the horizon sink just behind the sky's lacy, white clouds. It was a beautiful sight. Klaus could have easily painted this vision perfectly. Elijah then began to think about Klaus, as well as the rest of his siblings, out of habit if nothing else. Rubbing the slight stubble on his jaw, he wondered how they were all doing. With Finn dead, he knew that they'd never be the same. They'd never be the Originals without him – not really. Perhaps an illusion of what once was, but somehow empty. Unfulfilled.

"Elijah?"

His head automatically turned towards the voice coming from somewhere near the door – already so attuned to it, it wasn't hard to recognize whose it belonged to.

"I'm here," she said.

Yes, she was. As she closed the door to her bedroom behind her, Elijah couldn't help but feel a shiver spread throughout his entire body at the prospect at finally being alone with her.

It had been too long.

Not knowing what to say, Elijah simply gazed at the magnificent being in front of him. She was so beautiful it hurt.

"So," she suddenly started. Elijah perked up, alarmed by the abrupt change in her tone. She almost sounded angry. "You're back."

"Yes…" A lazy eyebrow started to arch on his forehead as muddled thoughts confused his mind. She was upset now?

"For good?" Elena folded her arms across her middle section - what could only be an act of defiance.

"Elena." He took a step towards her and she then allowed her arms to drop by her sides again. Perhaps she was as eager as he was to be close to him. Or maybe just as vulnerable.

"I never wanted to leave. I never wanted to leave you."

"Then why did you?" Elena's eyes quickly brimmed over with hot moisture and her voice broke as she spoke. "Why did you leave, Elijah? Why?" Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she struggled to control her inhalation. If she wasn't careful, she would soon start to hyperventilate. Elijah could hear the frantic beating of her heart to prove that.

And, it killed him.

As he took another movement forward she backed away, as if afraid of him.

"Please don't…" she whispered.

Elijah's mouth dropped open in horror as he realized this. "Elena, I won't hurt you. I would never."

"Too late."

Pain ripped through Elijah's chest, and he nearly stumbled back from its force. He tried to speak and failed, although succeeded a few moments later.

"Elena, I left because I thought I was harming you. My mere presence was in fact, harming you. I couldn't see you suffer anymore because of me. You have options, Elena, and I want you to have as many as you can in your lifetime. I want you to have everything you've always wanted. But, I also want the best for you. And one thing I am sure of, is that I am not that. I didn't leave to harm you. It broke my heart too, more than you will know."

"Options?" The tears came even faster than before, now cascading down her cheeks like sheets of crystal.

"Please, Elena…" He reached out to wipe the liquid from her skin but she turned her head sideways so that he couldn't. How many more times must she hurt him further?

"Yes… options. You have them. And you need to know that."

"I do know that."

"Well… I'm glad then." Another polite smile lit up his features, the same as before.

"Don't do that." Elena tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"What?"

"Don't pretend like everything is okay between us."

Sighing, Elijah clasped his hands together behind his back - his professional stance. "I just want you to be happy. And if you're happy, Elena, right now, with the Salvatores…" she flinched at their names, "Then I can leave in peace knowing that you are."

When she said nothing, Elijah gathered his coat from the windowsill and shrugged into it, striding past her and towards the bedroom door again. Grabbing ahold of the brass handle, he hesitated.

"Goodbye, Elena."

Just as he opened the metaphorical entrance out of her life forever, her voice sounded once more in his ears.

"Wait! Elijah!"

"Yes?" He turned to look at her with genuine surprised etched inside his face. She had made her choice already, had she not?

"I've been thinking…" she started. "Maybe… maybe if you would stay, we could try. Maybe… if I had a little time, I could sort out my feelings and…"

"Elena – " he interrupted. "You don't have to say those things to make me feel better. You are under no obligation to me for anything, do you understand?"

"But – " And then she stopped herself.

This time Elijah smiled warmly at her, feeling a large lump slowly form in his throat.

"I know. Me too."

He heard her choke out something as he turned away from her for the final time – something to make him completely stop in his tracks.

"What… did you say…?"

Through the tears on her cheeks, she struggled to find the words again.

"Please stay."

Elijah's whole frame tensed like steel wire at her words, and he clenched his jaw. What was she doing to him? Was she serious?

Suddenly angry, he threw down his jacket and stared into her eyes, brown against brown. He was nearly glaring at her.

"Give me one good reason as to why I should stay with you."

"One reason?" She bit her lip and he desperately tried not to take notice.

"One."

"Fine then." She paused, inhaling deeply through her nose.

Closing her eyes shut, her hands turned into fists and she gasped out, her voice as pitiful as Elijah could bear it.

"I love you, Elijah."

Elijah stopped breathing then.

Darting to her side so fast that his basic outline blurred, Elijah cupped her face in his hands and kissed her, forcefully pressing his lips against hers. At first she resisted, keeping her mouth to a steady halt against his, but to no avail. After a few moments, she completely melted into his body, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulled him closer – kissed him harder. His hands slid down her body as they traveled to her tender waist, and Elijah embraced the warmth of her skin there just before moving his head to her neck so that he could breathe in her all too tempting scent. They stayed tangled together for a long while, Elena eventually guiding Elijah over to her bed beneath their kisses. As Elena wriggled herself under his lean and perfect body, she fumbled on his shirt, her hands shaking too hard for her to successfully unbutton the cotton there. He did it for her, however, and his lips soon softened on hers while their salty skin mixed in unison below her bed sheets.

She was finally his.

Finally.