Elijah finally makes an appearance! There's a little fluff in this chapter, just so I can better explain what's happening. I probably won't bring in the Freya/Dahlia drama. (I prefer this to revolve around Elena and the Mikaelsons)

Chapter 4

Days went by at the Compound without incident. Elena had settled in to a life in New Orleans with ease, even being friendly with Klaus on occasion. However, Kol still didn't trust his brother's intentions with her. Klaus had filled Elena and Kol in on the current situation in The Quarter. Klaus had gotten the wolf girl pregnant and, to keep his daughter safe from the witches, she was thought to be dead by the entirety of New Orleans. Elena had also learned that Elijah and Hayley were off together with the baby and she had a pang of jealousy at that, though she wasn't sure why. She decided to put it out of her mind, no emotions meant no feelings. As long as her switch was still flipped, she was able to forget about what she thought she felt for the noble original.

They all sat around the table in the formal dining room, eating a meal that Elena had prepared. Since she moved in, Klaus had all but fired his cook. He saw no reason in paying someone who didn't work. On tonight's menu was lobster bisque with handmade biscuits and a delectable wine.

"Darling, if I could gain weight by eating your food, I'd be at least five hundred pounds by now," Kol remarked as he tore in to another biscuit.

Elena blushed, murmuring, "Thank you."

"Are you both going to flirt with each other over food?" Klaus piped up, sipping his soup as he looked at Elena, "I thought that you were well past that stage, sweetheart, seeing as you two go at it like bunnies all night."

Elena saw Kol stiffen in her peripheral vision at his brother's comment. Anger seemed to roll off of him in waves as his hand gripped the edge of the table.

"I don't think that's any of your business, Klaus," Elena hissed at him, "You're just jealous because I'm not sleeping with you. At least Kol can keep the same girl in his bed more than two nights in a row."

Klaus smirked at her, ignoring her last comment, "It wouldn't take much though, would it, sweetheart?" He asked seductively as Elena heard a sharp snap, "Your predecessors were drawn to me, therefore a part of you is drawn to me, too. All I have to do is hit all the right buttons and you'll simply fall into bed with me."

Kol was up from the table in an instant, a piece of the table broke off in his hand. He pinned his brother to the far side of the room and spoke in a threatening voice, "I have asked you multiple times to show Elena the respect she deserves. She is my companion and will be treated as a member of this family," he accentuated his words by digging the sharp end of the makeshift stake into the flesh that encased his heart.

Klaus laughed at Kol's actions, "Like a stake could kill me, brother. You'll have to do better than that."

Kol smiled and snapped Klaus's neck in an instant, "You're right," he said, looking down at his brother's fallen form, "But this will keep you occupied for the moment."

Kol turned to Elena who still sat at the table. She cringed slightly having his intense gaze on her. He rushed to her and knelt in front of her. She gasped slightly at his sudden movements as he laid his head in her lap. Her hands fluttered over his head, unsure of what to do.

"Please forgive me, darling," Kol said as he looked up at her and took her hand in his, "I don't want to lose you. I can't allow Klaus's words to cause any doubt it your mind," he searched her brown orbs for some emotion, but came up empty, "I'll be here for you always."

Elena flew to her feet. She paced the room, walking around Klaus's body. A tight coil in her chest felt as if it might break at any second. She knew a part of her cared about Kol, maybe even loved him, but she wasn't ready to confront those demons, not yet. If she let in the emotions she felt for Kol, then she would have to let in the grief she felt for Jeremy and all the innocent people she managed to slaughter.

"Darling, what is it?" Kol stood and tried to take her hand again.

Elena jerked her hand from his grasp, her eyes blazing at him, "What are you trying to do Kol? Do you want to mess up what we have?" Her mind was spinning; she didn't know what to say to keep her emotions from boiling over, "I'm happy with our arrangement. I can deal with Klaus and whatever else he can throw at me, but I need to know that this is just us. You'll only want me when I don't have my humanity. That's it."

"I will want you even when you have your humanity, Elena," he said softly, "I will only want you for the rest of my life."

Elena recoiled slightly, "The whole point of no humanity is having no attachments. We have great sex, don't get me wrong, but that's all we have going for us."

"Then let's change that!" He practically shouted at her, "I want all of you. With or without emotions. I can wait until you're ready to feel again. I'll be what you need in the meantime."

"Now what on earth has happened here?"

During their argument, neither of them noticed that they were not the only three in the Compound anymore. Elena looked towards the voice and paled immediately, turning her back to him before he had a chance to see her face. Standing in a crisp suit, designer of course, Elijah motioned to Klaus's body while the other hand stayed on his hip.

Kol recovered first and spoke icily, "Hello, brother. What a pleasant surprise that you're home this early."

"There was a problem in the bayou that required my immediate attention. I left Hayley and Hope with Camille. Hayley is more than qualified to defend Hope if need be," Elijah said, taking a seat at the formal table, "However, I was unaware that you had returned, Kol. Or that you brought a companion."

Elena stayed rigid. Hearing Elijah's voice brought her back to the days when they worked together. When she relied on him to keep her friends and family safe. When she was still human.

"I found her wandering about in Canada," Kol said, a smirk in his voice, "I always had a habit for picking up wounded animals."

Elena spun around at his words, "A wounded animal? Is that all I am to you?"

"Elena, darling, you know that's not what I meant," Kol sighed as he pulled her against himself. She allowed herself to relax in his embrace, completely forgetting about the other awake man in the room. She could see herself being happy with Kol, possibly building a life, or unlife, with him.

"Elena?" Elijah's amazed voice cut through her daydream, "Elena Gilbert?"

She disentangled herself from Kol and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, "Hi, Elijah," she said shyly.

He was in front of her in an instant, taking her in. He blinked a couple times before speaking, "I like what you've done with your hair. And if my hearing is correct, you've also joined our way of life."

Elena's shyness dissipated as soon as the words left his mouth. She squared her shoulders and looked him in the eyes in defiance, "You have your sister to thank for that. She tried to kill me and my friend. She succeeded with one of us at least."

She watched an emotion flicker through his eyes, "There's something else. You…you're not yourself. You've abandoned your emotions. Why?"

Elena scoffed at his words, "My brother's dead. Your ex killed him."

Elijah seemed taken aback by her words, "I'm truly sorry for your loss, Elena. I haven't been keeping up with the ongoing drama that is Mystic Falls. I assure you, I'll take care of Katerina."

"Too late," Elena said, walking away from the pair and grabbing her wine glass from the table, "I took care of Katherine as soon as I flipped my switch," she took a sip as she watched Elijah, "She's rotting somewhere off the coast of New York."

Elijah looked to Kol for confirmation that just nodded, "I wish you would have left her to me. She had much that she needed to pay for in regards to Niklaus and myself."

Elena was appalled, "She killed my brother to get back at me. All she did was run away from your family. She was mine to destroy," she hissed at him, "Now if either of you don't mind, I'm going to bed. I refuse to be around a pompous ass that only cares about his personal vendettas. The old Elena might have actually been hurt by how you've acted. Good thing she's dead." She placed her glass back on the table as Klaus began to stir. She sidestepped him and went to Kol's side, placing an urgent kiss on his lips, "Come to bed soon, please. I have some things I'd like to discuss." She sauntered off towards the stairs, the men gawking after her retreating form.

Klaus got up, cracking his neck back into place as he grabbed his wine from the table, "She's a little firecracker, isn't she?"

Kol smirked, admiring how his companion handled herself, "Oh, you have no idea."

Elena got to Kol's bedroom and went straight for the shower. She turned on the water and quickly shed her clothes as she stepped under the cascade of warm water.

Am I stupid? She thought, why am I even here? I can't play house with original vampires, let alone the three most dangerous ones. How can I leave now?

Elena continued beating herself up until the water ran cold. She knew Kol was the key to her humanity, but she wanted to keep it locked up tight. She couldn't grieve Jeremy, not yet anyway. She stepped out of the shower, forgoing a towel and rushing to Kol's bed. She pulled the blankets over her head and allowed sleep to overtake her.

"What on earth are you doing with her, Kol?" Elijah's hushed voice asked over the formal table, "Hasn't she been through enough with our family already?"

Kol sighed, annoyed with Elijah's morals, "She's my companion for the time being. She's quite happy being with me."

"I will not allow you to throw her aside when she no longer pleases you, brother," Elijah warned darkly, "Elena deserves better than that."

Klaus laughed suddenly, Elijah and Kol giving him confused looks, "Can you not see it, Elijah? Our little brother fancies the doppelganger. If anyone were leaving in that relationship, it would be her. Kol would never let her go willingly."

"I think she could be my mate," Kol said as Elijah's eyes nearly popped out of his head and Klaus choked on his wine, "I have to wait for her to turn her humanity on to find out, but I think she might be."

Elijah sat in silence, taking in his brother's words. He thought for sure that this Petrova doppelganger would be his and his alone. When news had reached him of her death, he mourned for the loss of such a compassionate creature. Elena was everything that he adored about being a human. He wouldn't give her up without a fight, even if that meant dismembering his own brother.

"Is seems as if we may have a fight-for-the-doppelganger on our hands, seeing as I find myself attracted to the girl as well," Klaus said, observing the deadlock his brothers were engaged in as he raised his glass, smirking, "May the best Mikaelson win."

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Please be sure to leave a review!