Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters familiar to the show.

Echo-dancer: I hope you will enjoy where I take this.

Ryksa: Thank you. I couldn't wait another day, so I posted early. Hope you all don't mind.

SwanQueen4055: Thank you

Lapislazuli101: I wonder if you'll enjoy this chapter then?

Eva: Loved you reviews! They made me laugh. As always, I'm glad my smut came off well. I just hope you aren't disappointed with where I took things in this chapter. I have to admit that I re-wrote this chapter a few times so I hope I don't let any of you down.

Sunbelt: More smut will be coming, though not yet…and as for talking…well, you'll see soon enough.

Author's Note: I'm glad that people are enjoying this. For those of you that have stopped to favorite this or ask for an alert, I hope that you aren't disappointed. And as to my reviewers, you brighten my day whenever I read them. Thank you for taking the time out to review them. This chapter is where things got away from me. I didn't originally intend to place such attention on everyone's reactions, but I'm kind of glad I did. The only one that I was really uncertain of was Stefan, and hopefully he wasn't too OOC. I'm still remembering back to his character around that time, and I think he was still being weird.

Chapter 4

"I'm the idiot here, Elena, so why are you crying?" Damon demanded, angry that the sight of her tears could temper his anger. She had managed to cast a spell over him during the course of their relationship, and he was beginning to realize that it wasn't such a good thing. Over the previous months, he found himself saying and doing things that he never would have before. It had been easy to ignore when she appeared to be so appreciative of it. However, he was beginning to grow disenchanted with it all.

She shook her head, knowing that out of the two of them, he was the one who deserved to be upset. "I…I didn't mean to hurt you, Damon," she cried softly as her tears ran down her cheeks. And she really hadn't. He had come to mean so much to her in such a short amount of time, and she didn't want to lose that…him. And really, he deserved better. While the bad things that he'd done to her…to her friends couldn't be erased, she had been able to put it in the past.

"What did you think was going to happen when you fell into bed with him?!" Her excuse was unbelievable! And more than that, what a cliché! "How could you do something so...what is wrong with you?" He sprung forward, and was in her face within a matter of moments. "When you died, did your brain cells refuse to come back to life when you did?" Her eyes widened in response and he couldn't find it in himself to care about the severe insult. When she looked down, he continued to berate her. "They are the bad guys, Elena. Or did you forget that somewhere between your sheets and the bed itself?"

"It wasn't like that," she denied. "I…it's more than that, Damon," she whispered miserably, not at all able to explain it for him. Things weren't black and white. They hadn't been in a very long time. Just because they once thought they were the good guys didn't mean that they hadn't committed villainous acts themselves. He'd done his generous share of things, and she hadn't been innocent either.

His eyes pierced her as he read further into her denial. "Don't tell me you actually have feelings for him, Elena." He studied her expression, noticing the way that she bit her bottom lip, but she met his gaze through her tears. "You can't be serious! He's a thousand years older than you. Just think of all the venereal diseases he could be carrier of."

"Even if that was the case, you aren't so far behind him," she spat back at him. Her tears immediately stopped and her ire rose. Glaring at the man before her Elena shook her head. "You forget that I know all about your past. Do you even have the right to point fingers?" She'd heard stories about Damon and his previous conquests, and while the numbers may have differed, he had no room to judge.

"It is so not the same," he denied casually as he waved away her words. He ignored her observation; because for him, he was over it. He didn't want the casual sex. He'd been there before, and while it could be satisfying, he wanted more. He wanted the girl in front of him. "Christ, Elena, I thought that we were…" He ran a hand through his hair, unable to finish his statement. While nothing had been verbally declared, the emotions were there. Stefan was aware of it, and he'd been so sure that things were coming together for them. Finally, he would get the girl.

She nodded slowly; once again her guilt got the better of him. "I know," she finished lamely as she gave his wounded form a once over. "For a while there I thought that maybe you and I could make a go of things." If anything, she owed him the truth; she just hoped that it wouldn't hurt him in the long run. "I had given up on the idea that Stefan would become the Stefan I had fallen in love with." She really thought that she had closed the book on that chapter in her life; and then she saw the look on Stefan's face when he found out about their kiss…

"And somehow you went from kissing me to falling into bed with someone else? How does that happen?" At least if it had been Stefan, he would have been somewhat prepared for that. They at least shared a past, but Elijah? That seemed to come out of nowhere. Sure, he had seen moments between them, looks that passed between them, but they had been innocent. Hadn't they? She and Stefan had been together at the time.

"As much as the idea of us might have appealed to me, it wouldn't have worked," she denied softly. It was a slow realization, but it still hurt…and she knew it would hurt him as well. "I don't want to get between you and Stefan, Damon. I never have, and I tried not to. Things happened and we changed and I really thought that we could have…but in the end, it wouldn't have worked." She would have been no better than Katherine as far as the Salvatore brothers were concerned. Her ancestor had left a lasting impression on both of them, one that could still affect their actions to that day. She didn't want to add to that. Forever was such a long time to exist. When Damon and Stefan thought back on her, she didn't want there to be any hard feelings.

"And that's how you're justifying this…whatever it was with Elijah?"

She ignored his sneer. "There is no justifying it, and I shouldn't have to." Granted, she felt guilt over hurting him, it wasn't as if they'd exchanged promises with one another. "Whatever emotions that existed between us, you and I were never more than friends." Elena hated to say it, hated to throw it in his face, but it was the truth. "And as for Elijah," she sighed. "I really can't explain that right now." Whatever little leeway she'd made with Damon was instantly smashed and she watched with slight fascination as his features darkened once again.

"Playing coy does not suit you, Elena."

Swallowing her groan of frustration, she inwardly rolled her eyes. "I'm not playing anything. I really can't explain that right now."

"Whatever. I'm out of here." He brushed past her, refusing to meet her gaze. "Oh, and when it all goes to hell, don't come crying to me."

She watched him storm out of her room as she claimed a seat on the edge of her bed. There were either two things he was leaving to do. The first, he would head to the Grill and start his drinking earlier than usual; or, he would head right to Stefan to share the news with him. Then again, maybe he would do both? The only question was, which would he do first?

Despite the fact that her relationship with Stefan was over, feelings had still existed between them. She'd fought so hard to bring him back to himself and just when she had given up on the idea of that ever happening, Stefan cracked. He'd shown more emotions upon hearing that, than he had in a long time. He didn't deserve to hear the truth second hand.

"Damn it!" She huffed as she stalked downstairs to grab her things before leaving her house. She really didn't want Damon to be the one to tell Stefan. She knew that he'd twist everything around and make it sound worse than it was…though she had to admit that from his point of view, it probably was. At least it worked well that Stefan would take the news with a grain of salt. He knew that Damon could act and/or speak out in his anger.

Then again, based on the way Stefan had been acting lately, who knew how he would react to it? Until the night that he threatened to drive off Wickery Bridge with her in the car after force-feeding her his blood, she never once thought that he'd act against Klaus. He had no qualms about taking her life to get back at the hybrid, what would he do against Elijah?

It wasn't as if she even owed Stefan any answers! He hadn't spared any expense in turning her away time after time. After threatening to kill her, things were fairly, officially over between them. Whatever lingering feelings she felt for him, were just that, lingering. She would always treasure the time she spent with Stefan, but she couldn't imagine opening herself up to him again.

During the once familiar drive, her thoughts continued to war on in her head. It would have been so easy to just turn around and let Stefan find out from Damon. She didn't owe him any answers, not after what he'd done to her. But he really was one of the most important people in her life, didn't she owe him some in that respect?

Parking her car, she cautiously stepped out as she peered around for Damon's car. She hadn't been able to convince herself to turn around, but Damon would be the deciding factor. If he was anywhere around, she knew she wouldn't be able to deal with both Salvotore brothers at the same time. When his car was nowhere to be found her heart rate began to speed up. She'd almost wished for Damon to be there so she could drive on to the hospital.

Stepping up to the boarding house door, she took a deep breath and knocked on the door. Her heart began to pound as she anticipated his reaction to her revelation. She'd expected Damon's anger, and once upon a time, she would have correctly predicted Stefan's response. However, that ability had long since passed.

"Elena," Stefan greeted arching an eyebrow. She hadn't been around lately, so he was slightly surprised by seeing her standing at his door.

"Can we talk?" When he opened the door wider as a silent invitation, she shook her head. "Here's fine." She was afraid that if she agreed to go inside, they'd exchange meaningless words and her nerves would get the better of her before she had a chance to tell him everything. During the short drive to the boarding house, she'd nearly turned back to her house twice because of them.

Stefan only shrugged before joining her on the porch, closing the door behind him. "So…?"

"I don't have much time, I…I'm expecting a call from Alaric and I have to go pick him up. I just wanted…something's happened and-"

"Elena, stop rambling," Stefan interrupted. "What is it?" He watched as she began to fiddle with a loose string on her purse. When she bit her bottom lip, a habit she had when she was nervous, he knew that something was upsetting her. During the silence that settled over them, different scenarios began playing through his thoughts. She appeared to be more worried than frightened, so he figured that whatever it was couldn't have been life or death. "Elena, if you're going to struggle to speak, can we at least go inside and sit down?"

"I had sex with Elijah last night," Elena whispered through his question, bringing her head up to meet his eyes. She watched the impassive expression on his face harden, his mouth settling into a thin line as his eyes glittered in anger.

"Of course you did." If it wasn't Damon she was kissing, it would be someone else. He'd known that she would move on eventually, he'd pushed for it, but he'd been attempting to prepare himself for her relationship with his brother…not someone else. And sure as hell not Elijah Mikaelson!

When his mouth twisted up in a half smirk while the rest of his expression completely neutral, she sighed. "Stefan…I…"

His mouth pulled into a frown. "Why are you telling me this, Elena?" He could have gone without knowing about her sexual partners. They weren't together, and they didn't owe each other any answers.

"Because Damon found out this morning, and I thought you deserved to know from me…not second hand."

"Why? We aren't together, and we haven't been for a while. You don't owe me any answers." He sure as hell didn't want any, not if they involved her, having sex with…anyone.

Pursing her lips, she nodded in acknowledgment. "I know that we haven't been together for a while, but…there were still feelings there." He may have tried to turn them off completely, but they lingered. "If our roles were reversed and it was you moving on, I think I'd… No, I know that I'd feel upset if I learned it second hand."

Shaking his head, Stefan crossed his arms over his chest. "Is this like…are you asking for my permission?" His tone was cold and biting.

She shook her head. "No. I just…"

"Then what? Are looking for me to say something?" He bit out in the same bitter tone. "Well, I guess I should thank you for not spreading your legs for my brother. You'd think he'd be tired of my sloppy second by now," he finished with a detached tone of voice.

"It isn't like that," she jumped in, her patience thinning with his insult. While her actions with Elijah only furthered the complications in her relationships with the Salvatore brothers, he wasn't the only factor. "I just…you were once the most important person in my life, Stefan. And I thought that you deserved to know from me, before you heard anything from anyone else." She frowned at him. "But obviously I was wrong." Tearing her gaze away from him she pulled her purse higher up on shoulder as she attempted to calm her nerves. "Look, I had a pretty crappy night, and this morning isn't shaping up to be any better…"

Narrowing his gaze on her, he shrugged. "I'm sorry that Elijah wasn't a better lover for you."

She gaped at him. It wasn't the first time that he'd been so severe with her, but she really thought they were getting past that. Shaking her head, she yanked her keys from her purse. "I've had just about enough bruised egos that I can stand for the day. I'm not going to apologize for my actions, Stefan. And I didn't come here to hurt you in any way. For some…stupid reason, I felt that I owed it to you to tell you first. Next time, I won't bother." Spinning on her heels, she walked away from him, not bothering to spare the vampire a backwards glance.

"Well that's a relief!" Stefan called out after her departing figure.

"Ah, I've found you."

Elijah looked up from the papers he'd been searching through. Sparing Finn a quick nod, he turned his attention back to the papers before him. "Yes, well with the way things played out earlier, I thought it best to hide away for a while." While Klaus had mysteriously locked himself away in his room; Rebekah continued to stomp around the house, determined to remain in her bad mood. And even though Kol hadn't had a harsh word against him, he was growing annoyed with the younger man's smirks.

"While I know that I have been absent for several hundred years, I did not forget about your feelings for Tatia. I have also learned of your relationship with Katarina Patrova." He watched as his brother dropped the papers with frustration, though he wasn't sure if it was because of him or because the papers themselves. "Please tell me that this is more than a sort of fascination…"

His first reaction, was to glare at his brother for asking such a thing, Finn should know that he would never behave so cavalier without there being a reason for such. It was then that he realized that Finn couldn't know better, because he didn't know his siblings any longer. They lived nine hundred years without him, evolving to match the changing world around them. Running a hand through his hair, Elijah picked up a few sheets of paper and handed them to his brother. "It is more than that," he acknowledged. Giving Finn a chance to skim through the papers, he gracefully stood up and walked around the large desk before leaning against the front of it.

"Is this…? You are…? Are you certain?" Finn stumbled over his words and Elijah was quick to nod his acknowledgment to each inquiry. "How did this even happen, Elijah?" Other than his feelings for Tatia, Elijah didn't form attachments with his partners, so the fact that he marked this woman, was surprising.

Crossing his arms, the elder brother sighed. "I don't know," he admitted in a gruff tone. "I seduced Elena one afternoon. I never intended for anything to happen with her. When I met her, she was nothing more than a means to an end."

"And you went from intending to use her to seducing her how?"

"She captivated me."

"Yes, I gathered that since she shares the same face as Tatia," Finn supplied dryly.

Elijah shook his head. "It was rather more than that. I was not prepared to meet another doppelganger. If you can imagine, I was surprised, but I was resolved in the beginning. She was clever and brave, but it wasn't until she daggered me, that I realized that I had underestimated her." He noticed the way that Finn arched a single eyebrow and felt a small smile play at his lips. "When I made the decision to seduce her, I thought it would be nothing more than that. She was involved with Stefan Salvatore and I was fine with the way things were." He had it all planned out. They'd have their one afternoon, he'd give her the elixir that would bring her back to life after the sacrifice and then they'd go their separate ways.

"How did you go from seducing her into bed to marking her? I watched you seduce many women, but it was never more than that."

"Our coupling was more intense than it had ever been for me. I didn't even realize it until I had bitten her, and once I realized it, I released the skin. When the afternoon ended we were both prepared to put it behind us. The sacrifice happened, I was daggered, she died… There was no time to really think on it."

Handing the papers back to Elijah, Finn narrowed his eyes as he considered Elijah's story. "It has changed things for you…"

"Aye. My body calls to her. I took her last night, twice, and I had no intention to do so upon seeing her again." His desire for her rivaled the lust he felt upon first transitioning into a vampire. "She is so responsive to my touches, Finn." Just thinking about it caused his member to throb with desire.

"That could be from her inexperience," Finn suggested cautiously.

"Oh, I have no doubt in that," Elijah easily acknowledged. He did not mind that fact in any capacity. He looked forward to the things he would teach her; and even though she'd known the touch of another, he would consume every aspect of her sexuality. When he was through with her (as if that would ever happen) her most intimate parts would curve around him. "Yet when I touch that mark, it increases everything. I would almost swear it increases our urges."

"And you have turned to studying it?"

"I never thought that I would mark someone." He had never had the desire to, and over the span of his existence, he'd only seen markings a handful of times. "My ignorance has hindered me in this subject. How can I explain everything to her when I don't fully understand it myself?" Marking was an instinctual act for vampires. Elena, as a human, seemed to feel the same effects; they were lessened, but still there. However, all Elijah had to do was think about Elena and his penis hardened. His body ached for her. His body ached to complete the marking. "This was such a rare occurrence, and I have never heard of marking a human." Even if they completed the act, there would be differences. "She doesn't feel things with the same intensity that we do, she doesn't understand the primal instinct."

"You are worried that she will not want this," the younger brother observed. As humans, Elijah always put his family first. There were women; oh, there were women, but none of them meant anything to Elijah…until Tatia. Until she arrived, he never showed any genuine interest in them. Even then, she'd been a widowed mother of a youngling, and he'd been spellbound. While anyone had yet to really go into specifics about her, he knew that this doppelganger was the same age as Tatia when his brother met her.

"Not only is she human, but she is still young," Elijah mentioned, reminding his brother of one of the many factors against him and Elena.

Finn scoffed. "If she lived when we were human, she would be married with at least one child."

"Times have changed, Finn." He was amused by his brother's perspective. "People live much longer now than they ever have. Some couples don't have children until their late twenties or later." When he caught Finn's attentive gaze, he nodded. "Based on the laws in America today, Elena is not old enough to legally consume alcohol."

"These are strange times," Finn admitted with a shake of his head. "With all the knowledge and experience that these human possess, why do they shelter the young?"

Handing the waitress her menu, Elena offered the server a polite smile before she turned to look at her friends. She couldn't remember the last time that the three of them had met up for anything that didn't include the supernatural. The last time she'd spent time bonding with her best friends, had been to celebrate Caroline's birthday, and even then it had been haunted by their everyday lives.

Most teenagers looked forward to their weekends, but for her, she'd been ready for her weekend to end. After the ordeal with Alaric, and then her emotional confrontations with both Stefan and Damon, her weekend dragged on. After picking Alaric from the hospital the previous day, she'd been emotionally exhausted and she wanted nothing more than to hide away from the world. She was half tempted to call Elijah for both nothing and everything, but she refused to be the first person to break radio silence. Instead, she settled on laying low for the remainder of her weekend before making plans with Bonnie and Caroline.

Her relationship with Elijah had intensified greatly. He'd gone from one position to another within a matter of minutes. Not only had he managed to seduce her body, but he'd begun to chip away at her heart. Despite the fact that he managed to touch her body as if he was a master musician fine tuning his interment, she would not be the one to cave and call him. She didn't want to come off as clingy to him, and she refused to appear as such. It was difficult though. So many times, she'd wanted to call him.

She wasn't exactly looking for the go-ahead from anyone, but she desperately needed to hear something other than the fact that Elijah was evil, that his family was evil. She needed the perspective from someone that wasn't so emotionally invested with her. Damon and Stefan were both nursing bruised egos, and because of that, she didn't place a lot of stock in their words. At least with Caroline and Bonnie, she could expect the truth, no matter how much she didn't like it.

"So…why are we meeting up again?" Caroline asked after they finished ordering their food. When she noticed the looks she received from her friends, she offered them a smile. "Not that I mind," she added with a sheepish shrug. "It's just been a while since you called us to just hang out, Elena. Or well, if we aren't dealing with some sort of supernatural thing or trying to cheer each other up over a supernatural thing…"

While Bonnie felt the same confusion as Caroline upon receiving Elena's call, she wouldn't have questioned Elena's intentions. Of the three of them, Caroline had always been the most outspoken. She asked things that most people didn't, and Bonnie didn't know if it was because she was born without a filter that separated her thoughts from her mouth, or if she just didn't care.

"It has been a while since we've just…hung out," Elena agreed. "It almost feels weird doesn't it?" No one was near death or under the threat of death.

Bonnie nodded. "It…really does," the witch agreed after a pregnant pause. "But I can't say it's a bad thing. I could have used you guys these past few days," she admitted softly.

"Is everything not okay with your mom?" Caroline asked.

Elena turned a concerned gaze on Bonnie. "I thought that you two would have been well into the bonding?" She asked.

Shrugging her shoulders, Bonnie stopped to consider the best words. "I'm trying, it's just difficult. I mean it's the woman that I'm supposed to call 'mom,' but she's like a stranger to me. Grams was the only mother that I've ever really known and I don't know if I can just look past everything." She knew that she'd always been harsh when it came to her judgments, but it served her well through the years. It always ensured that she would be protected from hurt and heartache. "The only thing we have in common is the craft, and even then our conversations are stilted."

"Bonnie, it's my fault that she left," Elena broke in softly. "My parents were the one who put her in that situation."

"But it doesn't explain away her reasons for never coming home," Bonnie denied easily. "I can't look past that." Pausing in her words, she looked at each of her companions, both who had suffered the loss of a parent, or both. "And I know that I must sound like the biggest asshole to both of you."

Caroline instantly shook her head as he placed a comforting hand over Bonnie's. "My father left me too," she reminded her friend. "I was just as cautious as you, and if things hadn't worked out the way they had, who knows how handled my relationship with him."

Elena preferred to keep her thoughts quiet on that subject. On one hand, she could see where Bonnie was coming from. Abby had essentially abandoned her and she had every reason to have her reservations where the elder Bennett was concerned. But on the other hand, she had her mother for the first time since she could remember. Instead of embracing that fact, she hid from it. She had no idea how lucky she was to have her mother back. Moving towards more neutral territory, Elena cleared her throat. "Have you thought about telling Abby how you feel?"

"I did, the night I found her." It was part of the reason why Elena and Stefan left the two Bennett witches alone.

The brunette shook her head. "No, I mean, since bringing her back here after spending time with her," she clarified. "Have you unloaded since then?"

"No," Bonnie confessed. "I want to, but then I'm afraid that I'll say or do something wrong and she'll run from me again."

Squeezing Bonnie's hand in her own, Caroline gathered her attention. "You'll never feel truly happy until you do," she predicted. "This feeling will only fester into resentment down the road if you don't." While she still felt robbed of her father, she found piece in the knowledge that they were able to come to terms with their relationship before his death. She knew that if they hadn't, there was a good chance that she would have been haunted by it for the rest of her life. "It won't be easy, but you have every right to tell her how you feel. And if she does run from you, then you don't need that kind of person in your life."

"And we'll be there to support you, no matter what," Elena added.

"I'll think about it," she agreed. It was all she could promise at that point in time. Forcing a bright smile and the conversation to the back of her thoughts, she looked from the blonde towards the brunette. "Okay, so onto a different subject…" She left her statement open ended to turn the attention away from herself.

"How's Alaric doing?" Caroline asked turning towards Elena. "And before you answer, I can't believe you didn't call us to tell us what had happened," she chided softly.

"Everything was such a blur," Elena defended weakly as she looked between her friends. When they both wore matching expressions of disbelief she sighed. "I didn't want to bother you guys," she excused weakly. At the time, her reasons sounded good to her own ears, but she doubted it would fly with either of them. "Bonnie, you just got your mom back, and Caroline, after your dad…I figured that you both had enough to deal with."

"You just finished telling me that I would have your support in this situation with Abby," Bonnie reminded her softly. "Why won't you let us support you?"

"I know," the brunette agreed grudgingly. "I really am working on it, it's sort of the reason why I asked you guys out. But Alaric is fine, his ring made sure of it," she informed them, not mentioning the fact that she'd had to kill him to jumpstart the healing process. "Your mom still doesn't have a suspect, does she?"

"No," Caroline hedged uneasily. "And she doesn't think that it's over. She actually asked me to talk to you, Elena." When Elena offered her an expectant look, she continued on. "She mentioned that, and I totally agree; that maybe you should find somewhere else to sleep."

Elena frowned. "Excuse me?"

"It's just…you're alone more often than not," Caroline rushed to explain. "And I know that Alaric agreed to stay and be a guardian to you and Jeremy, but he sleeps more at his apartment than your house…"

"Well, yeah," Elena hedged. "And I can see why she's concerned, but why would the suspect return to the scene of the crime? I've already changed the locks on my doors and Alaric installed a security system." The fact that Alaric was attacked in her house, was still unsettling, but they'd taken precautions. "Besides, vampires spend more time at my house than most humans. I think I have enough protection," she added in a whisper, conscious of the fact that they were in a public place.

"I'm sorry for intruding," a male voice broke in then. "I am new in town and I wanted to introduce myself."

Elena watched as an attractive brunette looked from both Bonnie and Caroline with casualness before settling his interest on her. Next to her, she felt Caroline stiffen, a rare occasion in itself. Normally, Caroline was friendly to new faces in town; more specifically to handsome new faces. No, if she was reacting in such a way, then something must be wrong with him.

"The name is Kol," he extended, obviously expecting their names in reply.

"I'm Bonnie," she introduced, holding out her hand for him to shake. "And this is Caroline," Bonnie said gesturing towards the blonde. She took notice of the fact that while he didn't reach for her hand, he nodded in a polite manner. "And that's Elena."

Sweeping his gaze past her friends, Kol turned on his most charming smile. "Elena, what a beautiful name," he complimented, testing her name on his lips. Taking her hand in his, he brought it to his mouth and placed a kiss upon it. "And just as lovely as your predecessors I see." Her eyes widened and she yanked her hand from his. Letting her hand go, his smile turned into amusement when he realized how uncomfortable he'd made her feel. "So you're the one causing trouble for my brothers…" She opened her mouth to reply, but he simply shook his head. "Oh, don't worry about it, darling. If it wasn't you, it would be something else." Pausing to look from one girl to another, he tilted his head. "Ladies, it was a pleasure to meet you. I look forward to our next encounter."

"Who the hell was that?" Caroline asked as she watched the attractive brunette leave the restaurant. Once he was out of sight, she turned to Elena with an expectant gaze. She hadn't missed the words he'd said to her friend. "And don't think I didn't hear him," she reminded the human pointedly. "What did he mean about his brothers? What brothers? What did you do?"

Turning her attention back to her friends, Bonnie wore a thoughtful expression on her face. While his coloring was different, he had similar features to Elijah. "He's one of the brothers that Klaus kept daggered, isn't he?"

"I guess," she hedged. Based on the things that he'd mentioned in nonchalance, it made sense, which brought her to the reason why she'd invited her friends… Elena let out a weary sigh. "This was part of the other reason why I wanted to get together with you, but I wasn't expecting such an introduction for this," she confessed in a small voice. She waited until she had the undivided attention of both of her friends before she continued on. "Something happened the night I took Elijah to the hospital. It was the same night that Damon and Stefan had dinner with Klaus and Elijah."

"Yeah," Caroline nodded. "I remember wondering how Damon would manage getting Stefan there."

"And during the night, Elijah un-daggered the rest of his siblings," the doppelganger added. "I ran into Rebekah…literally, when I was leaving the hospital. She was ready to kill me, she tried to, but Elijah saved me. And then…we sort of had sex in an alley," she mumbled as she pulled her eyes away from her friends.

"Excuse me?!"

"You did what?"

Upon hearing their simultaneous reactions to her revelation, she shifted in her seat uncomfortably as she looked around the room before giving them each a pointed look as if to remind them that they were in public and she didn't want other people in her business.

"So…how was it?" Caroline asked after a pregnant pause.

The question pulled Bonnie from her shock and she reprimanded the blonde for her question.

"What?" Caroline demanded quietly. "At his age, just imagine how much experience he has under his belt," she excused easily. While he wasn't exactly her type, she could easily admit that he was one of the most attractive beings she'd ever met. "He probably knows every way possible to bring his women to orgasm."

Scrunching her nose, she was reminded of Damon's words a few days earlier. "Um…yeah," Elena cleared her throat. "He took me home and we talked for a while. He ended up staying the night."

"You did it again, didn't you?" Caroline prodded, eager to hear the details. When Elena's face turned an interesting shade of pink, she waggled her eyebrows playfully. "And you enjoyed it."

It wasn't as if she required any permission from her friends, but Elena had grown to value their opinions. Whenever she felt torn about something, she knew that they could often lead her back to her heart. Considering the fact that Caroline joked about it, she knew she was unfazed by it. However, Bonnie hadn't said anything since reprimanding Caroline for her first reaction. "Bonnie? You haven't said anything."

"What does it mean?" She studied her friend, watching as she tried to come up with an answer. "I've seen that look on your face before." It reminded her of gaze Elena used to get in her eye when she would talk about Stefan. "This is something more than a casual encounter."

Elena had the sense to look away from Bonnie's probing gaze, but didn't bother to deny her words. How could she? It was more than a casual fling. Even if there was no marking, something told her that her feelings for Elijah would have evolved. Bringing her gaze back up to Bonnie, she shrugged. "I don't know what it means, but I do want to explore it."

Sighing, the witch leaned forward towards the brunette. "We went to go find Abby so that we could unlock that coffin and use it against Klaus. Do you really think that Elijah will just step aside so that you can kill his brother?" She wanted to be happy for her friend, and if it had been anyone else, she could have been. Elena deserved it, after all the pain she'd gone through the last few months. Getting involved with the Originals had brought them nothing but trouble, how could she overlook that?

"Obviously there are still things that we need to discuss," Elena agreed stiffly. "I don't know what all of this means for us as a couple," she lied. She had wanted to tell them all about the mark that Elijah had left and the implications of it, at least what she knew of it. However, she found herself holding back upon seeing their reactions. While Caroline didn't appear to have any issues with what had been revealed, Bonnie seemed unable to find any happiness or support for her. "And I really wanted your support in this."

Bonnie pushed her chair back. "I'm sorry, Elena, but I don't think I can," she confessed softly. Her declaration gathered the attention from both of her friends. "I can't help but feel as if you're asking for a broken heart, and I won't stand by and watch it."

"And if it was that, it would be my mistake," the brunette reminded. "Why can't you just be there for me, should I need you?"

"Because you're making a mistake, Elena."

Caroline looked between her friends, her sympathy for Elena faded away to confusion by Bonnie's words. "Bonnie…"

Standing up, the witch didn't spare the vampire a look. "I'm sorry, Elena. I really am, but it changes nothing." She would continue on with their plan to get rid of Klaus, with or without her help.

Elena and Caroline turned to watch Bonnie leave the restaurant. Caroline grabbed her purse and stood up. "I'll go talk to her." Leaning down she hugged her friend. "She'll come around eventually, she did for me."

The brunette simply nodded her head, but she couldn't find any conviction to place behind her action. Bonnie had only been able to do so because Caroline had been her best friend. Even after years of working on the same side, Bonnie still detested Damon, and remained unsure about Stefan.