So finally a scene with Elijah! So thank you guys for the feedback as always, I know I'm a bit slow on the updates because well...I suck. Anyway, please review I love to read everyone's thoughts :)

Chapter Three
We Should be Allies, We are Friends

"We don't want you girl. We want Elijah Mikaelson."

Elena's heart dropped at the thought. It wasn't in her mind set to choose one life over another, and for that, she was torn.

Stefan was a man she loved once, even if afterwards they had a rocky relationship, which became more like harsh turbulence once she began to see his brother. That didn't mean he deserved to die…

Elijah on the other hand, Elijah gave her a chance for survival when she hadn't even asked for it. She didn't realize she wanted-or deserved- anything. He had given her the chance to live her life when Klaus was desiccated. He may have used her, but her promise did not go without reward, he did everything he could to protect her friends for her cooperation, and in the long run she earned his respect and he earned hers. It was a complicated relationship, not nearly as cut and dry as it had been with the Salvatores, but still one she treasured. Elijah was going to run for her, and had everything gone to plan, he would have allowed her to remain human. She couldn't just let him die.

Pushing her personal feelings aside on the matter(which were much stronger than she cared to admit now) she had the other vampires to worry about. At minimum Elijah turned a quarter of them, which would give the witches a powerful advantage.

She was going to have to break Stefan out instead.

"No." Elena decided, stepping closer, making it a point to take in the scent of the warlock's skin.

"Elena!" Caroline began to chide-or maybe she was begging- since her and Stefan had always been close. "You don't mean that! She doesn't mean that!"

"No Caroline." The brunette's voice could not falter now. "We are not giving you Elijah."

Her friend's bright blue eyes widened disbelief, reminding Elena that her past concerns were true.

Elena Gilbert-filled with compassion and morality- had fallen from grace. She felt the pain of this recollection, but her brain was stirring with a plan in the back of her mind. She wasn't going to let Stefan die, but she wasn't about to let her friend see that just yet. As much as it hurt her to say it, she would have to put Elijah first, but she was going to fight like hell to bring Stefan back.

So torn, and in so many pieces, Elena was going to fight.

A crumbling sound in the warlock's pocket brought her attention back and the man smiled deviously as if he had been waiting for it.

"See…you aren't the only one who was given our offer." Swiftly, he unfolded the paper from his pocket and laughed. "Looks like we are done here. The offer has been accepted."

"What are you talking about?" Elena snarled, her plans now tossed out the window.

"Damon Salvatore-his brother." The man smirked again and turned to leave, taunting the girls with the new information.

Without a second thought, the vampire had the warlock's dark green shirt in her hand. She was angry, and she was hungry. They didn't think she was just going to let him leave did they?

"I regret to inform you that the witches have sent you to your death sir." She hissed, pulling him back. "Now we have our own bargaining chip."

With resistance from the vampire's new (and only) captive, the brunette, fueled solely by the feelings of anguish and betrayal, put the warlock into a sleeper hold, knocking him into unconsciousness.

"All right." Motioning for the group of vampires to come down from the porch who were all waiting with their weapons ready until then, Elena tossed the man to the ground. "Bring him inside, Care, I'm going to pay a little visit to Damon. Do you mind keeping an eye on the warlock?"

Caroline nodded nervously, her friend was angrier now than she had ever been-or at least shown- before, but never before has she had to make a life or death decision between two people Elena cared for. She just wasn't ready to admit to any of it yet.

"Are you all right Elena?" inquired the blonde, "I mean…what are you going to do? Good luck trying to stop Damon from getting his brother back."

The other vampire recoiled instantly, remembering she couldn't blame Damon for wanting Stefan back, and turned sharply with her eyes burning. "Care, I want Stefan safe just as much as you or Damon, but I am not killing Elijah and in turn his entire bloodline to do so." She huffed as she moved for the rest of the vampires to take the warlock's lifeless body inside of the manor. "I will however, now that I know he is alive, do everything in my power to bring him back."

"I remember the days when you would put Stefan first Elena…" the blonde warned, "I know you and Elijah have your history but…"

"But nothing Caroline." The brunette snapped, "It's not just our history that comes into play here. Elijah brought everything I needed out when I transitioned. He never gave up on me through everything we had done to each other. Nothing deserves my loyalty to him more than that, and I am not going to let him die."

Of course, it had become much deeper than that, but Elena did not want to open an old wound. She would save the salt for later.

She remembered it as clear as day, waking up in the hospital, being much fresher than she had hoped, cold and most of all…hungry. Before she could react, or even explore the sensation, a blood bag was shoved in her face, a hand lightly supporting the back of her head.

"Drink this Elena." Damon's voice soothed as her vision cleared, she was still in the hospital; the morgue, as appropriate as it was.

"What happened?" she choked out, the words like sandpaper against her throat. "Where…where is my mom?"

She didn't know why she asked for her mother, the last thing she remembered was being underwater and Stefan's distraught look as she begged him to save Matt. At first, she thought he saved her instead of him, but then she realized that now she was awake, in the morgue with a blood bag in her face.

She had died, and nobody allowed her to rest in peace.

Damon crouched before her, and when she turned, each bone weighing a hundred pounds, to see Stefan, still wearing his usual gloomy expression. Her first thought was to smile at him, but as she tried, a piercing feeling, like the needle from when she tried to pierce her own belly button at fourteen (and failed) , going through her gums.

"Elena you need to feed. You are in transition." The younger Salvatore's voice was weighed with worry as Damon's-while not happy- seemed to hold worry in his lips, but relief in his eyes. These new senses were spectacular; she would never put so much emotion to another's expression. It was no wonder that the vampires could not trust anyone as each curve of their wrinkles or lips could betray a number of unspoken emotions.

She wanted to shake her head no, but they looked so desperate, and for a moment so human. Her mind went to her brother, as she allowed her eyes to drift around their surroundings, he was still so young. He needed her, but she needed to be able to handle herself first. She wasn't sure if she would be able to do it, but she knew she had to try. She had to do it; she was the only family he had left.

Everything after the first blood bag seemed to fly by-time was shooting past her as if nothing even mattered.

She was in their home when it finally hit her. She died, and now she was a vampire.

Elena locked herself in a room, burying her head in her hands as she tried to cry in peace, but now she knew the full feeling of what it was like to be a vampire. She could hear everything from downstairs, so she knew they could hear her tears. She wanted to kill, maim and torment, while a part of her cried to remain human, she could do it. She had to, but fighting those initial urges were proving difficult. Damon told her the feeling would pass but Elena found herself tossing the first thing she saw, an old vase, with a scream, and for a second those urges went away, bringing on her destruction. In a rapid fit of rage, she destroyed anything she could get her hands on, barely caring about the noise she was making or the objects she was ruining.

Both brothers soon ran up to stop the hysterical girl, pulling her away as she screamed in tears trying to punch and kick them off when her gaze fell into Damon's eyes, finished with it all.

For a moment, she regretted everything.

Her first day she cried, staying alone after her bat with anger management, the day after Caroline came with food and alcohol.

"It will make you feel better, trust me." She told her, but Elena wasn't so sure.

Not long after, she was around others, Stefan and Damon had taken her outside in their backyard when Jeremy and Bonnie came over.

Everything should have gone smoothly, she had fed right before she saw them, the night was quiet and she didn't have a daylight ring yet (as per her own request) but of course it doesn't always go as planned.

When she first saw her friends, her gaze focused on Jeremy and instantly she fell with despair, crying as she ran into his arms, the tears leaving a stain on his shirt.

Her brother held her tightly, whispering words of comfort, but before she could say a word, she began to hear his heart pounding in her brother's chest. First, the pound was slow but as her nose grazed his jugular she could hear the beat quicken which only enticed her more. There was no chance for her to act however; she was yanked off by Stefan, who was yelling at Damon.

She wasn't ready.

Elena cried out an apology, she was wrong, everything was wrong. She should never have turned and in that moment-sheer spontaneous action- Elena fled, her intentions were to finish what Rebekah had started and die…again.

Elena didn't stop running until she was out of Mystic Falls, locking herself in a motel room with no direction, mind or reason. Once the sun came up, she was going to burn, maybe to prove a point, maybe to give her time to get her affairs in order. If she was able to, maybe even change her own mind.

A stake to the chest would have been much more realistic and proficient, but she held back, not sure if she could stab herself.

Staying away, she took in the stars from her window, counting each one. The motel was right on the high way-not one of her wisest decisions- when she saw a familiar car, a black Mercedes with dark tinted windows, drive past.

Ducking away from the window, she listened closely as the car pulled up, driving over the gravel parking lot. He must have seen her.

Elijah was going to come for her. She moved over to crouch on the floor next to the door hoping he couldn't see if he peered into the window, and thought that maybe he came to kill her. Maybe he would end her existence of a vampire; after all…he knew this was never what she wanted. She could have welcomed him with open arms as the saying goes, but when a soft knock on the door broke her thoughts, she wanted to wait for the sun. She couldn't face the Original.

"Elena? Open the door, it's all right."

His voice was soft and remorseful as he spoke from the other side. The new vampire, was right next to the door, scared to tears as she hugged her legs to her chest when she heard the doorknob click. She should have known better to think a door would stop him.

"Elena?" he asked as he entered slowly, looking down to her on the floor and got down to his knees- a surprising position for the Original- and matched his auburn eyes with hers. She shivered at the look, averting his gaze.

"Why are you here?" she tried to dry her tears.

"I…I stopped by the Salvatore's to pay my respects and express my deepest apologies for my sister's unforgivable actions. I was under the impression that you had passed. I had no idea of the vampire blood…then they told me that you turned, and then fled." He quickly explained, "I had hoped maybe to find you…but I must say I am surprised that I did."

Elena eyed him suspiciously through her strands of hair. He seemed so genuine, yet there was never a time he didn't. Elijah never said anything he didn't have to or meant.

"What are you doing here Elena?"

Closing her eyes, she thought deeply through her emotions. She trusted this Original, even after everything that had happened; their dance of betrayal, and misleading words, he was a friend.

He was going to run for her entire human life, and had she had children, their lives as well.

He deserved a response.

"I came here to die."

She hadn't expected his reaction, the usual cold and aloof Elijah Mikaelson seemed shocked, yet after a second's thought his expression to turned an odd sense of understanding, as if he had been there before.

"Why do you wish to die Elena?" He didn't yell at her, tell her she was a fool, selfish or become angry, it was a nice change to the swirling emotions she was feeling inside. He calmed her just by being in the same room. It was odd and relaxing.

She opened her mouth to speak, but stopped, her explanation not entirely making sense anymore.

"Because I am weak Elijah." A tear ran down her cheek, but before she got the chance to wipe it away, the Original's cool hand brushed against her skin first.

"Don't say that lovely Elena." He smiled coyly, "You are the strongest woman I know and if anyone can handle the transition, it is you."

The brunette was startled by his words- so honest and confident- it gave her the hope she needed to move on, maybe he was meant to find her.

"Do you really mean that?" she asked, wondering how terrible she looked, tear stricken and miserable. She anticipated him to laugh at her, but when he placed his hand over hers she felt safe, complete.

"I give you my word Elena Gilbert. You will do amazing things as a vampire. I know it.

That night, as it turned into morning, Elijah stayed with her, fetching her blood when she decided that she believed him. He had helped her. They talked for the entire day, forming a new kind of relationship, a bond that she couldn't understand or explain and when he took her back to the Salvatore's that night, they were upset with her, but they understood as well. She believed Elijah, who had gone in before her to talk to them, had shared his feelings on the matter with them. He knew she was worried about how they would react.

Elena had wished she asked Elijah to stay to help her, but she never did. She didn't want to be a bother.

Now, looking back to that, she was only reminded of just how much she owed the Original.

She owed him everything.

During the day, most vampires slept, and at the boarding house, they would sleep in the cellar, one of the safest areas for them. Meanwhile, Damon, the only vampire with a daylight ring left (besides Elena, Caroline and Stefan) and the hybrid Jack would stay up during the day. Sometimes they would go out one at a time just to canvass, looking for more survivors if possible. Damon would complain, sometimes hoping that the witches would attack them just so he could get some action.

"Yeah dude, I can't sit here all day." Jack whined, running his fingers through his greasy hair, typing it into a ponytail. "We need to figure out how to get your brother back."

"Yeah, assuming he's alive." Damon shot towards him, even he was beginning to doubt his brother's survival, not after all of the witches that they have killed.

"Still, it's worth a shot. I can't imagine them taking him just to kill him. It doesn't make sense." The hybrid pointed out. Damon knew he was right; it wasn't like him to give up so easily. He should have been protecting his little brother, and while being caught up in the house, he hadn't gone after him, he tried to think of a way to get him back, but he couldn't figure out how.

He had given up on his brother, at least, in a way he did. He never felt so useless-even as the self-proclaimed "leader" of this group- he had since accomplished nothing.

"Well, if you have any ideas, please do feel free to share." The blue eyed vampire groaned placing his hands behind his head as he fell back onto the couch.

"I can help." A voice piped in from the doorway, and Jack was to his feet, rushing to the door where a witch, a young curly strawberry blonde headed girl, stood, her green eyes piercing the hybrid.

"Help us?" Damon laughed. "Your people did this!"

The vampire stood next to the hybrid, his jaw clenched as Jack pulled the girl in.

"Is it common for your kind to risk a young witch by tossing them into the lion's den?" he growled, unafraid to allow his fangs to extend. Feeding on the witches was an empty threat, as they ingested vervain at least daily. One time Damon and Stefan had captured a witch in an attempt to get the vervain out of her system and compel her, but her "sisters" raided the house with full force, nearly tearing it down in the process.

"Well…we have an offer for you." She looked straight to Damon, ignoring the threatening hybrid.

"An offer? What do you want? We aren't backing off."

The witch nodded, a smirk pulling at the corner of her mouth.

"We would never dream of that." She smiled, "No Damon, we are offering a trade, simple as that. We want the Original. Elijah, and in return, we will give your brother to you."

The girl grinned as her eyes scanned the vampire's expression, awaiting an answer.

"I'm sorry, so you want Elijah and we get Stefan?" The Salvatore didn't know what to think about the offer, it seemed too good to be true, and all they needed was to find his body. "Fine. We will bring him to you." He agreed, but Jack gave him a shocked expression.

"Are you sure Damon?"

Damon steered towards the hybrid, a look of discontent, the answer was obvious.

"Jack, it's Stefan. I can't leave him behind."

"Very good, then by the day after tomorrow, deliver him to us."

"Where?" Damon could see Jack didn't trust the witch- not that he had a reason to. The hybrid lost his wife-a werewolf- early in the war. She was killed mercilessly by the witches when she attempted to protect a werewolf pup, who was their child. The witches killed them both without any thought, they were simply proving a point that the vampires weren't the only species they were going against.

"Neutral ground, I think the high school?" the witch only spoke to Damon, completely ignoring the hybrid that was dangerously close.

Damon nodded, agreeing with the terms, and the witch continued. "Now Salvatore, please call your abomination of a mutt back and I will be on my way. If I don't go back, they will come for me and it won't end well."

The vampire nodded to the hybrid, who looked disgusted by the witch, but backed off. He understood that Damon needed his brother; he would have done the same for his own family if circumstances were different.

It had been barely an hour of Damon and Jack making a plan on how to retrieve Elijah's body, who only Tyler knew of his location, but the Lockwood wouldn't give him up so easily; it would take a lot of persuasion. After all, the Original was half of their treaty bargain. It would be foolish of him to just turn their chip over to the witches (by default). The two were hardly done with their planning when the front door swung open, breaking off of it's hinges, bringing the vampire and hybrid to their feet defensively.

"What the hell Elena?!" Damon yelled when he saw the brunette standing before him, looking livid. "I just fixed that door!"

Before he could laugh at his own joke, the younger vampire had him pinned against the wall.

"Damon, how nice to see you." She spat, pushing harder against him once before letting him go. "You and I need to talk."

The Salvatore brushed himself off and moved to the bar to pour himself a drink, he could tell this was going to be a long conversation.

Motioning for her to follow; Damon led Elena to the kitchen so they could talk under the illusion of privacy, he knew what this was about.

"What's your deal Elena?" he scoffed, his expression clouded in contempt. "You should be rejoicing. I found a way to get Stefan back!" Damon bit into his tongue slightly, as if holding back the insult to injury by saying 'Not like you were doing anything to fix it.'

"You are an idiot Damon. Are you aware of this?"

The Salvatore stepped off for a moment, taken aback by the accusation, and leaned against the counter, crossing his arms.

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that we can't give them Elijah! Do you have any idea how many vampires that would kill? Because I know that I have no idea for sure!" Elena pointed to the direction of the stairs that led down to the cellar. "It may just be you, Stefan and Jack once you do so!" The younger vampire moved to the liquor cabinet, pushing past Damon and grabbed a bottle of rum.

He could tell she was hungry.

"Elena, have you fed?" he reached out to touch her arm, but she moved to avoid him. The coldness surprised Damon, even through everything that had happened, they still remained close.

"I fed on the way." She grunted taking a sip directly from the bottle. The image of her standing before him, even one hundred years later, in her tight black clothing and a new taste for alcohol, reminded him slightly of Katherine, something that in the past got him into a lot of trouble in their relationship, even though their personalities were quite different.

"Okay, so it's not lack of blood that is making you a fool…"he laughed, approaching her closer, "I am not letting Stefan die Elena."

"And I don't want him to die either Damon, but I'm not about to let you kill Elijah and his bloodline in the process!" The younger vampire grasped his shoulders, determination and a hint of…something else in her eyes, as she pushed him away. "We will have to find another way."

Damon eyed her, feeling jilted. "And what is it you suggest Judas?"

He watched her as she pursed her lips, her eyes digging into his. There was a time his glare would have made her heart race-whether it be in fear or anticipation- but now she didn't care. She would stand up to him rather than bend to his will.

"We bring him back." She fixed her gaze on the bridge of his nose, but Damon's eyes only opened wide.

"You have got to be kidding! You want to bring Elijah back rather than save Stefan?!"

"Can't we do both?" she shrugged, which only made him angrier.

"Elena, don't you feel anything? This is Stefan we are talking about and you want to put his life at risk in order to save Elijah?" Elena's brown eyes narrowed, reminding him that she was no longer the fragile human doppelganger-but the vampire fighter who only wanted her kind to survive. They were two different kinds of people, yet entirely the same. "How will Elijah be able to help us get Stefan back anyway?"

The brunette looked at him directly, already having an answer ready.

"He can help us fight this. With the Originals back, the witches will be frightened, and for the record, I never said I would rather bring him back than save Stefan, I am simply trying to save both."

Damon could tell she was hiding something, in truth, he questioned if Elijah would even help them. After all, he had his own life to worry about, and being an Original, he would have a nice big target on his back. His best action would be to run. She had to be hiding an underlying, deceitful plan, but he let it go. There was nothing he could do about it anyway.

"Well, we don't have a witch to break the spell." He pointed out with his usual all-knowing tone, but Elena only shook her head making him wonder if she had planned something like this all along.

"I've heard rumors of a wolf in Tyler's pack having the power of magic. It is one of the only reasons the witches haven't wiped them out yet, they still believe they can get the wolves to join their side."

Damon found the idea a joke; they killed the werewolves as heartlessly as the vampires, so he assumed there was some other reason.

Elena quickly explained her intentions, if they didn't bring Elijah back, the witches would go hunting for him anyway. They could bring him and possibly use him as bait.

"You are going to use Elijah as bait?" Damon could see her reservation of course, and he knew she was just trying to convince him how her plan would succeed. She was working on something else.

"Something like that." She agreed, taking it as it was while she took another sip from her bottle.

Damon tried to trust Elena's intentions, but found it difficult. Even after all of the things she has seen, she was still driven by her heart and morals, even under the rough exterior. She seemed different, but it was likely her judgment was clouded by her own ideals.

They were friends, so with that, they should have been allies without question.

"So, when do we head out?"

He may have to do what is best for his brother, which meant he was going to have to figure out his own plan.

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