Elena was silent, sitting in the passenger's seat of her own SUV while Elijah drove to wherever it was they were going. They hadn't spoken much since leaving the boarding house, Elijah having replenished his weakened state from the stash of blood bags in the basement.

Well, maybe the silence was for the best.

At least this way, Elena wouldn't risk saying something stupid or possibly provoke Elijah's anger, the brunette fully realizing that she was walking a very fine line with the Original.

Maybe she couldn't read him like an open book, but she also wasn't blind, his body language telling her enough while they continued to drive out of Mystic Falls. Elena glanced sideways briefly, but Elijah's attention was set forward, left hand calmly griping the steering wheel while the right rested lightly on his thigh.

"We will arrive soon," Elijah spoke, voice betraying nothing as he reached into a pocket of the tattered suit jacket, producing her previously surrendered phone. "Perhaps you would like to call your friends?"

"If that's okay," Elena said, hesitantly taking the item but not too hesitantly in case he changed his mind.

Elijah barely shrugged in acknowledgement, lapsing back into silence as they continued on the open road. Then, they were turning onto a long dirt road, Elena toying with her phone instead immediately calling. She noticed that the item had been turned off, preventing any sort of tracking.

"Wow," Elena whispered as the vehicle pulled up to a stop in front of an imposing home, timeless in its elegance and entirely appropriate for someone like Elijah.

"We won't be here long," Elijah mentioned, turning off the SUV and removing the key from the ignition. "I am stopping long enough to obtain a suitable change of clothing."

Elena's forehead furrowed lightly, "And then what?"

Elijah only got out of the vehicle, Elena doing the same and then following him up the stairs to the front porch. "I'm afraid we won't have time for a house tour, but do make yourself comfortable while we're here, Elena."

With that he opened the front door, Elena entering first and finding herself in a modest foyer, on either side were sitting rooms while another hallway linked the foyer to the back of the house. A staircase, leading both up and down, was near to the hallway, Elijah heading up the stairs without a word.

Once she was alone, Elena went to the nearest sitting room, turning her phone on while she paced.

Drawing her lower lip between her teeth, Elena narrowed down her choices as to whom she should call, automatically ruling out the Salvatore brothers, Bonnie and her brother.

She couldn't explain to Jenna without giving too much away.

And she wasn't sure if she wanted to burden Caroline.

A tiny sigh escaping her, Elena made her choice, hoping that it was the right one while she waited for Alaric to answer.

The concern and anger she expected, but Elena pleaded to Alaric to just let her speak; the teenager quickly explaining that yes, she was with Elijah and that yes, she knew what she was doing…. Even if that last part was an outright lie.

"Alaric please, just trust me."

"You know they're going to be pissed."

"I know that and I'll deal with them, okay? But just let them know that this was my choice. We're going to have to return to Mystic Falls anyway if Damon still has the moonstone."

And as far as she knew that much was true, Elena not saying much else in case Elijah was ready; just bidding Alaric goodbye when she turned to see the Original standing in the entryway to the sitting room.

"I do not have much in the way of food that would be suitable for you," Elijah said, adjusting the sleeves of his clean suit jacket, "however, we can stop somewhere."

"Thank you," Elena replied, turning off the phone as she walked towards him, intending to hand it back to Elijah before he reached down, taking her free hand in his and covering the phone.

"We will also acquire clothing for you, of course."

Elena only nodded, exiting the sitting room mutely, the brevity of what she had done finally sinking in. She had more or less turned her back on the people who were trying to help her and trying to protect her to go to a destination unknown with one of the most powerful beings in existence. And she had done this all willingly.

If anything else happened to her at this point, she only had herself to blame.

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Yes I know it's been awhile but I'm hoping to get this story on track. I have a good idea of where I want to go with it, but we'll see how everything plays out. I thank you in advance if you're still reading and thank you again to anyone who has favorited and/or reviewed.