Waking up in what seemed like a dream was rather surreal. In a small cot next to Tatia's one, she slowly sat up. She shook her head and then pinched herself, wishing this to be different, but it wasn't. She was still in...whatever year this was. Elena had plans with Rebekah but more than that she wanted to go to the Mikaelson home to see Ayanna. She needed answers. If she was going to be stuck here even for a little while, she wanted to know why and if she was stuck here forever...then she needed to deal with it. Though never seeing her family again was a thought that caused her to tear up.

"Elena, are you alright?"

She had been so lost in thought that she hadn't heard Tatia sit up. She looked at the older girl and smiled weakly.

"I am fine, just a little out of sorts...this is all strange" She answered. It was the truth in a way.

"Meeting your mother for the first time? I can imagine. But you know you have a sister so you'll never be alone" She assured her. If Elena wasn't tearing up, she was now. Tatia moved over to Elena's cot and wrapped her arms around her in a tight hug.

"You'll be fine. You've got me and from what I hear you're already friends with young Rebekah" She said. Elena managed a smile. She really did like Rebekah.

"What about you and Elijah?" Elena teased, really needing a change of conversation. She saw a deep blush cross Tatia's face. She seemed smitten and so did Elijah for that matter. Tatia told her of the first time they had met, she had literally run into Elijah and he'd caught her as she fell. It sounded like something out of a fairy tale. But it was when Tatia mentioned Niklaus that Elena became confused.

"I'm not sure what I think of him, he seems to always be around...wanting to do things for me. How do I tell him that what I feel for Elijah is so very strong...?"

What was Elena supposed to say to that? Maybe Tatia was meant to be confused, maybe this was the natural cause of things and she would messing with the future if she said something. But it wasn't in Elena's nature not to help her. So in the best manner that her sixteen year old self could, she gave her some advice.

"You just have to be honest and in time he will thank you for it, as hard as it may seem now" It seemed like pitiful advice to Elena, but not to Tatia. To her Elena was just confirming what she had to do and Tatia needed to hear it out loud.

"We must get up and prepare ourselves for breakfast, mother may be a dragon but she always has the best fruit" Tatia said. Elena chuckled and got up with her. She saw that she didn't have a choice. But Tatia was right. At least she wasn't alone. The dragon lady (Who insisted that Elena call her 'mother' while she was there) had some food set out. Finally she was a little more at ease with some food in her, though she was dying for some coffee. Had it even been invented yet?

"Would it be alright if we went to see the Mikaelson's today mother? Rebekah has taken a shine to Elena" She said. This seemed to confuse the dragon lady, but she agreed anyway. It surprised Elena but she was not going to question it. As soon as they had cleaned up after themselves they headed out into the village. It wasn't a far walk at all. Esther was the one that welcomed them both in.

"Elena right? You must be Tatia's twin" She said with a warm. But there was something in her tone that Elena did not trust. But she smiled back.

"Yes I am, it's pleasure to meet you Mrs Mikaelson"

Elena was quite proud of herself and her propriety that she managed to muster. Rebekah came bursting into the small room, grinning from ear to ear.

"You're both here? Then we must go at once! Niklaus and Kol are going to come with us. Henrik and Elijah are off with father" She told us. Tatia seemed a little disappointed that Elijah wasn't going to be with us today. But she covered it well. When Niklaus entered the room and Elena looked up, she smiled at him unaware that she was doing so. Tatia however was. She noticed the look between the two and grinned. Rebekah was too young to notice a thing at all. She was too excited to have a new friend.

Soon they were off, Rebekah leading the way with Elena on her arm. Kol walked beside them, he too seemed to be very interested in the new girl.

Niklaus walked alongside Tatia and felt there was something she was wanting to say. But was too afraid to ask. Would be hurt by any admission of hers? He wasn't a fool. He knew there was something going on between her and Elijah. Elena's coming to town had changed things of course, but his eyes still lay deeply on this girl that he had cared for for a long time.

"I wish you would say something" He eventually said, giving into the silence.

"I wish that I had the words...there is nothing that I would say that would make this any easier" She replied. At least that was something.

"Start with this, who do you love more?" He asked her, he wasn't heartless. He wanted to help her as much as could. If he were to move on, this was what he needed to hear.

"I love you both" She conceded and Niklaus almost sighed before he realized that she wasn't done. "But I know with my heart that I am in love with Elijah, it's not something I can control and I wish that I didn't have to hurt you...but you are better off knowing the truth...I went to Elena for advice, asked what I should do. She told me to tell you both the truth"

Tatia was looking at him with a concerned expression, how would he react to this? She saw no emotion for a while and he stopped walking.

"I hope that you remain my friend, Tatia" He said. But he couldn't mask the hurt, it would take him time. Though he wasn't allowed to think anymore. Rebekah ran over to them.

"We're going down to the swimming hole, are you two coming?" She asked.

"Of course, but you'll have to beat me there Rebekah" He exclaimed, running off. Rebekah quickly chased after him. There was nothing better than to smile until you actually felt it. If Niklaus distracted himself then he would be more likely get over this 'infatuation' as his father called it. But the more he thought of it, the more he was sure that he wasn't in love with Tatia. First off he was caught up by her beauty as everyone else was, then the way she talked. She was charming, lively and sometimes when all attention was turned towards her.

But Tatia only had eyes for Elijah, he had to accept that.

Elena decided to sneak up on Niklaus when she had a spare moment from Kol's chatter and Rebekah's ideas about the world. Tatia was joking and threatening to push them both in the water if they didn't behave. Aside from Niklaus, she was the oldest. He was lost in his own thoughts when Elena tapped him on the shoulder. He jumped and turned around to face her.

"You scared me" He said, but he wasn't angry.

"I had to, you were so lost in thought that I thought I'd have to push you in the water to wake you up" She replied. The idea made him chuckle. She was as tiny as Tatia. He doubted that she could do it.

"I know my sister claims that I smell, but I do not need a bath" He was charming and Elena couldn't look away from the boyish teasing expression. He seemed carefree. A look she did not see when his father was around last night. She found herself laughing.

"That's what little sisters and brothers are for, to annoy us to no end" She added.

"A little brother? I was not..."

"It was just an example, I mean looking at Kol and Rebekah. Even though they are quite lovely" Elena thought that it was a good save and Niklaus believed it. He smiled fondly at his younger siblings.

"Rebekah is not like most young girls, more interested in sharpening knives and learning how to fight. I think you are changing that already"

Elena was surprised. She had been here less than a day. But Niklaus knew Rebekah far better than she did.

"I can already see how much she looks up to you" Elena mused, they walked along side each other slowly towards the others.

"Yes, father says it is much to her detriment." Niklaus muttered darkly.

"I think she's turned out perfectly" She assured him. His smile was back again. They reached the others and Kol was the first one to come up to Elena, whispering in her ear.

"Want to help me push Nik in the lake?" He asked with a devilish grin. Elena couldn't resist. She looked over at Tatia who gave a knowing smile and a nod of approval. So they worked on coaxing Niklaus down to the lake but just as Kol was about to push him over the edge, he grabbed Elena's arm, pulling her down with him. They made a huge splash and Elena came up, gasping for air. Niklaus was laughing at her more than himself for being pushed in.

"I've been living with Kol for the past fifteen years, I know him too well" He said, grinning from ear to ear.

"I will get you back for this" Elena said, half joking and half serious. She splashed him water, hitting him right in the face. She poked out her tongue.

"How mature" She was surprised at the sarcasm, but smiled. At least someone else had the same sense of humour as her.

"I know" Elena began to climb out of the water, trying uselessly to dry her hair.

"We might want to take a long while walking back, mother will kill you" She said, but her expression wasn't scolding, just a little nervous.

"Okay, but if we get in trouble...we blame Niklaus" Elena said the last part a little louder, causing Rebekah, Kol and Tatia to laugh.

"Perhaps I should challenge you to a duel, Miss Petrova. Would that suit?" He asked, their banter was throughroughly entertaining to those around.

"I wouldn't want to hurt you, Mr Mikaelson" She said, all innocent. Though she doubted the fencing her dad had tried to teach her was anything compared to the actual sword fighting that Niklaus was used to.

"I'm quivering with fear already"

"Then perhaps you need to go home and get to bed early, you need to be rested up for our duel"

The talk continued on the way back, everyone joined in. They were all betting on Elena to win to annoy Niklaus. Although Elena knew it would never happen, did they ever let woman do anything of their own accord in this village.

Back in their home, Tatia and Elena helped prepare dinner. She couldn't believe that yet another day had gone by and still she hadn't been able to talk to Ayanna. It was getting frustrating and Elena wasn't the most patient person in the world. Tatia seemed to notice too, but her questions when they were sitting up in bed were entirely on another subject.

"Do you like Niklaus?" She asked, her tone was gentle but it still made Elena uneasy.

"I can't like him" Elena answered. What was going to happen, she likes Niklaus and then she has to leave all of a sudden? It wasn't fair on anyone.

"And why not?"

"Because...what if I have to leave?"

Tatia frowned, not liking the thought of her new sister going anywhere. But she could see the real doubt and concern etched onto her face.

"Don't spend your time worrying about it, you might miss something incredibly amazing. He might be the right one for you and you would have never known it because you were too afraid of what was going to happen" Tatia said, now more confident. Oh dear. Elena had turned her into Dr Phil. But truth rang in every word she spoke.

"I'm only seventeen," She said, using the age the dragon lady had told her to use. "I need not worry about anything just yet"

"I happen to disagree, I think you can fall in love now. Just don't dismiss him" Tatia begged. More than anything she wanted Niklaus to be happy and if Elena made him happy then she was going to do everything in her power to get them together.

"I promise I won't" She told Tatia before she went to sleep. She certainly had a lot to think about tonight.