I do not own the Vampire Diaries or any of its characters; these are just some of my own musings.
Alright so I was surprised by the amount of people who enjoy time travel pieces, I'll be sure to make a mental note of that. Additionally, I switched to Elena's point of view at the end of the chapter, I promise I have a reason for doing so, you'll see. Oh, and the M rating will continue just to be on the safe side. Actually I take that back this chapter is darker than I originally set out to make it so M suits it. It's not horrible and gory it just is somewhat dark towards the end so this is your warning. Hope you all enjoy, and thanks for all the reviews J
Chapter Three: Choices
Elena's POV:
The house is quite frankly making me squeamish, I don't want to appear girly but there are animal skins carpeting the floors, mounted on the walls and ugh covering the couch we're on. I will never be able to watch Bambi again, inwardly groaning at the realization that so many of my childhood films have been ruined in the past two years. Michael has just entered the room dropping a deer on the wooden dining table. Stomach lurching at the sight, I am happy for the distraction when Esther finally speaks again.
"So, I went against the balance of nature and made my children immortal and now I have sought to restore said balance again by making a new original vampire hunter with a special indestructible stake. Did I miss anything?" She challenges us to contradict what we have just recited to her.
"That is indeed what has occurred." Elijah pipes in.
"Excuse me if this sounds brash, but you don't seem all that surprised…" trailing off my implication is crystal clear. We just told her we come from the future, that her entire family has been turned into vampires, and that she is trying to murder them all now; yet her face remains neutral and attitude glib as though it is the most commonplace occurrence. Something is definitely off, and though getting on the original witch's bad side is not a feat I wish to push, we also needs answers if we are ever to return to our time.
"There is more at play here than you know, my dear." At 'my dear' an involuntary shiver runs down my spine, she's toying with me like a lioness circling her prey before…"And even more that you both have neglected to tell me. Tsk tsk." Her grin is truly feline, surprisingly white teeth shining through her predatory smile.
I'm so focused on the threat sitting in front of me that I failed to notice where Michael disappeared to. Where could he have…
"I suggest you answer my wife, Elena." I jump almost a foot into the air from my position on the couch upon hearing Michael's voice behind me. Sheesh I had given him benefit of the doubt before that his creep factor had only rooted itself after the transition; apparently not. It's obvious he relishes the intimidated look on my face, if his glower is the measuring stick from which to judge.
"You, umm" I look over to Elijah to check if I should explain my part in all this, he squeezes my hand in a quick, reassuring gesture.
Before I am able to continue, however, I am abruptly cut off by Esther, "I used you in the binding spell, it is necessary that you remain alive." I simply gawk at her, mouth slightly agape, expected her to sense some of what is going on, but for her to know this much…In my defense Elijah looks equally taken aback by his mother's knowledge of events. "My only question is why. Why did I use you? What makes you so important?"
My mouth is either unable or unwilling to respond. Whichever it is, only a croak escapes my lips in my dazed state. Luckily Elijah gallantly comes to my aid, addressing his mother outright, "She is the doppelgänger, the one from which you originally used to transform us. Her blood has certain, magical properties that make the spell possible."
While everything Elijah said is true, I noticed he neglected to mention which number doppelgänger I am and my role in the Sun and Moon curse. He doesn't trust her still, even in this time period he is weary of giving her too much information, making a mental note to be more careful about what I say around her than already, I ask the question weighing on our minds, "So will you help us, get back I mean?"
"That remains undecided, you do not belong here, and yet it appears I cannot let you leave. It is an unfortunate predicament we find ourselves in I'm afraid." Her mock sincerity is even more unnerving than her previous voracious stance, can't she just make up her mind on whether to torture me or be grandmotherly? "I will have to do some research before I am able to help either of you."
"So it is true, you will help us then?" Elijah asks seeking a direct answer from the woman that bore him.
"I will find a way to send you back, yes." She responds in short, sighing she stands "Now it is late, you both must be tired. There is a spare room in the back." With that she walks away, leaving me, Michael, and Elijah alone.
"Do you remember the way boy?" Eliciting a astonished gawk from me at his audacity in calling Elijah a 'boy', his only saving grace from Elijah's obvious annoyance being he is his father.
"It has been many years; nonetheless my memory does not fail me. Thank you." Bowing his head ever so slightly in a display of forced respect before guiding me to the small room a few paces away.
Once the wooden door is properly shut I turn on Elijah, "What do you think Esther's hiding?"
Elijah visibly looks exhausted, his eyes that have never before looked old and tired are glazed over in sheer fatigue, his normally impeccable posture reduced to a slouched state, that glossy brown hair of his disheveled in different directions, Armani suit completely amuck with the lapels unbuttoned continuing all the way to where his toned pectoralis muscles in his chest met. Seeing him so disheveled is kind of sexy, and endearing at the same time; for he never looks so undone in my presence. Immediately I regret asking him about his mother's intentions, seeing a pained expression flash across his face that is just as quickly replaced with a mask of indifference.
"I do not know, however if there is one thing my mother has proven to concern herself with; it is the balance of nature. Despite whatever magic transported us to this time, trapping us here would be a gross imbalance. I doubt she will allow it." Elijah seems to notice my discomfort and asks, "Yet you do?"
"I…" I need to choose my words carefully, sure Esther already attempted to kill her children twice over in our time, but she is still his mother and that only makes it hurt all the more with what I am about to tell him. "She reminds me of you, somewhat, at least the way she uses words. I can't help but recall the first deal we made in my bedroom." Elijah's eyes glistening in recognition a trudge onward, "You were so careful with your words to me back then, only promising to keep my friends and family safe. Not me. Elijah, Esther said she will find a way to help send you back, not me." Recognition dawns on his face, and I have never seen him looking so dejected before, like a wounded puppy. Raising a hand before he interrupts, "That's not it though; I just get this unsettling feeling around her. I know she has only told us the truth, but I can't help feel like she's also found a way to manipulate it. I think she genially wants to know the extent of my involvement, but she already knows a lot. No one can be that intuitive, witch or not." My stance grows more defensive towards the end, with the grand finale starring me defiantly crossing my arms over my chest, and indignant outbreath capping my speech.
"You are right Elena, I am sorry that I missed that I've just been…it is a bit more unnerving being here again, with my family, then I have let on. It's distracting; I promise you Elena it will not happen again, we shall go home together." The last term came out in a deep, husky tone that held an intense promise in it causing me to involuntary shiver.
Catching my shiver Elijah in one fluid motion strips himself of his suit jacket wrapping it around me. Not giving him a chance to pull back, my arms finds their way around his neck—pulling him into a deep hug. Eventually his stiffened reaction melts, and the hands that were already on my back pull me in close. "I'm so sorry Elijah." I regrettably plead into his neck. "You deserve so much more than this; I can't imagine what you're going through. Maybe, maybe you should try to talk to your brothers, and Rebekah, you won't get another opportunity like this Elijah. Please don't hold back, I don't want you to have to live with that kind of regret…I know if I were given the opportunity to see my parents and aunt Jenna again with Ric, I'd- I wouldn't want to be clinging to my inhibitions that would keep me from appreciating it." I pull my head away from his neck gently, needing to see his face. He just stood there frozen, lost in his own thoughts for a good five minutes before he stared down at me, meeting my gaze his eyes gleaming with wonder.
"You are truly a remarkable creature Elena. Thank you." Brushing my cheek softly, his hand quivers and he quickly retreats from me.
"Elijah? What's wrong? Are you okay?" I start to edge near him out of concern for his suddenly stricken appearance, no sooner has my hand extended out to touch his shoulder than he grabs my wrist pinning me against the wall.
Elijah's POV:
I felt the urge to caress Elena's tender cheek slightly In appreciation of her compassion, the need to feel closer to this beautiful creature—to extend the moment just a while longer—is overwhelming. That's when I feel it, the flow of blood from the flush in her cheek. It should not be having this much of an effect on me! Something is very wrong, sure I have not fed in a while but that is no excuse. I am not a newborn fledgling unable to control its appetite. I'd been feeling increasingly woozy and weak since arriving back to this time, and while it is odd I thought it just a side effect of the time travel. I need her to stay away from me until I can regain control. God, why does she have to be so compassionate? Doesn't she know I will…The second she touches my shoulder, all bets are off. Shit she smells good! All I can concentrate on is her scent; I need to be closer to it. Pressing myself against her warmth I zero in on the thing I want. Her heart must be a hummingbird, it's the only way it can be thumping so erratically; pumping all the blood all the swifter. I need this, a fire burning in my throat, aching to be soothed. Never in all my years has the need been so great, so insatiable.
Euphoria strikes, but I need more. Grasping at whatever is closest to bring me nearer. The warmth that I had originally pressed myself to has faded. A minor inconvenience but there is a fire after all which I readily move two, sucking on that blissful thing the entire way. Your cold Elijah, THINK when was the last time you were cold. You're a vampire! My hummingbird seems to slow, stilling its annoying pecks and twittering. STOP! YOU HAVE TO STOP THIS! The pain in my throat spreading to my stomach, I'm annoyed by the incessant voice in my head distracting me from my little bird. Listening though, I can no longer hear the angelic thumping; and it is here that I come to.
No! This cannot be true! It was hellish the scene which I had caused. My lovely Elena lies on the ground covered in her own blood, some of it still flowing freely from her wounds. Her neck and arms are having vicious looking bite marks on them and I am completely horrified at what I have done. What came over me? Fighting another onslaught of dizziness I scoop Elena from the ground straining my ears, willing them to pick up her pulse. It is faint but it is still there. Biting into my wrist, I force my blood to trickle down her open airway. Waiting for there to be enough that she must swallow, I repeat this until I am sure she has had enough to heal her injuries. How can she ever forgive me for this? I do not know what I can even say to her, for I'm at as much as a loss as she is as to what just occurred. Gently I set her down on the bed, but as I straighten myself up darkness consumes my line of vision. The last sight to grace my vision is Elena's fragile form alongside me.
Esther's POV:
Their footsteps waning noise indicating they are now a safe distance away, I begin lighting the candles. Stepping into the shielded circle of salt, I sit; waiting for her to show, we have much to discuss her and I.
End of Chapter:
Ok so I originally planned to end this chapter a bit later, but after typing that last sentence it seemed like a good place to end. Plus I now know exactly how I'm going to start the next chapter xD I'm sorry if the Elijah Elena scene got a bit dark but that's how I wanted it to be. Rest assured I will explain what's wrong with Elijah in the next chapter, and phase one of what Esther's up to (yes there are multiple phases to her plan she's a bit diabolical that one). Hope you all enjoyed. Let me know what you think.
