"The masked ball? They still do that?" Were the first words out of Elena Gilberts mouth when her daughter asked if she could go. Miranda was going with a few friends and had invited Bella.

"Yes, so can I go?" She asked, giving her best innocent look. Bella was quite well behaved, but she had moments.

"I was hoping you'd come meet some family tonight" Elena told her honestly.

"Please? They could go too even!" Bella exclaimed. Elena laughed. She supposed she could let her daughter have some fun. Though she would stay away from any alcohol tonight, last night was enough of a lesson. Well for the next couple of weeks in any case.

"I'll go see Elijah" She said. Elena was thinking that she really needed to get his number, not that he would give it out to anyone.

"Can I come?" Bella asked.

"His family is there and..."

"They're my family too!" She exclaimed. She remembered what it was like losing pretty much all of her family and now that Bella had the opportunity to know more of them she had to say yes. But that didn't mean that she wouldn't pull Bella away with a moments notice if Kol showed up.

"Fine, but you stay close by Elijah or myself" Elena warned her. Bella promised she would and ran to get her jacket. She waiting at the door before her mother got there.

"I can't believe I'm doing this" She mumbled.

"Huh?"

Elena just smiled and put on one of her daughters CDs. That distracted her well enough. The mansion was about fifteen minutes out of town and Elijah was standing out the front when they pulled up.

"You brought Bella?" He whispered when he pulled Elena in for a hug.

"She wanted to meet some more family" Elena replied, smiling. Elijah put another of his fake smiles and Elena was starting to notice the difference between the two. Elijah gently took Elena's hand in his own and then invited both of them inside the house. Rebekah was in the kitchen and her eyes brightened when she saw who was there. Elena wasn't used to the Original being happy to see her or anyone she knew.

"Hello Elena and you must be Bella" She said.

"Yeah, that's me. I really love your dress!" Bella managed to make Rebekah like her in the first second they met (even Elijah was impressed).

"Thank you dear, maybe someone will finally go shopping with me" She said.

"Of course! I don't really know the shops around here but when you come visit we can!"

The two hit it off right away and Elena had no need to worry. Somewhere deep down she felt that she could trust Rebekah with Bella. Elijah quietly pulled Elena upstairs. It was the first time she had been in Elijah's room and she couldn't help but stare at the simple beauty of it. It was amazing. The fanciest thing Elijah had was a four post bed which Elijah quickly informed her that Rebekah had picked up that part of the décor.

"I told Caroline and Klaus last night about Bella. I know you might be mad at me Elena, but he values family above all else and she is part of that. He even said that he'd protect her to ends of the Earth like the rest of us" Elijah told her. Elena turned to face him. An all powerful was not a bad person to have on your side.

"He thinks of you as family now too" Elijah added. That shocked her.

"I didn't really think about why he is the way he is..."

"He's still a prick Elena, he just won't stake family anymore...well maybe Kol." Elijah was now smirking. He cared for his younger brother. But Kol was impulsive and didn't quite care about the murder trail that followed behind him. He was lucky that the cops weren't able to take him out.

"Guess he can't be too bad to have around" Elena shrugged.

"Not really"

Elena's thoughts were slowly becoming more aware of where she was. Those feelings that came over her when Elijah was kissing her and holding her close. She forgot about the others downstairs.

"Lets go, I want to get know my daughter too" Elijah eventually said, breaking the tension.

"A few minutes with Rebekah won't kill her" Elena said, walking right up close Elijah.

"Miss Gilbert, I..."

Though when Elena kissed him a thousands years of patience and self-control didn't help him one bit. His mouth molded against hers and he cupped her face in his hands. They slowly found their way to her legs and he hoisted up her. Elena wrapped her legs around his waist. He carried her back to his bed and pushed her back on it. His suit seemed too heavy and he wanted nothing more than to take it off. Footsteps coming up the stairs distracted them both Elijah quickly stood up. Elena only sat up. Even though she didn't need the air, she felt out of breath. It was only Klaus and Caroline though.

"I think we interrupted something dear, let's move on. You probably need to a few hours to do your hair" Klaus said, he got a glare from Caroline and they left without saying another word. Get ready, sure...Elijah knew that look on his brothers face.

"I should go shopping with Bella for a dress"

"You're going tonight?"

"It's the masquerade ball, of course I am"

Elijah smirked at her sassy tone.

"Be my date then?" He asked. She felt like a lovestruck teenager once again.

"I'd love to" She jumped on Elijah again and for once he was expecting it.

"You seem happy Elena"

"I definetly am" She kissed him not being slow this time. She put all of her passion into it. Elijah soon pinned her to the wall and pressed his hips into hers causing a moan to escape Elena's lips. She managed to peel off his jacket this time. So much for taking it slow.

"You two ready to go shopping?" Rebekah yelled up stairs. She knew exactly what was going on and thought it hilarious that she was interrupting them. Elena growled in frustration and Elijah chuckled.

"Coming now!" He yelled at his sister.

"You are staying with me tonight Elijah" Elena decided, he was impressed by her guts. But then she had always been that way.

"Let's go and get this over with"

Elijah opted out of shopping and left the three girls to to do their own thing. He was a thousand year old vampire, he didn't need to sit there and wait while they tried on numerous outfits. Elijah would have rather watched paint dry.

Though it's not to say that without him they weren't thriving on this little shopping trip. The boutiques of Mystic Falls might be quite small, but the shop owners had things you would never find anywhere else. Elena was quicker than the other in finding a dress and got bored, twidling her thumbs. She almost cried though when Bella came out in her dress. She looked amazing.

"Good thing I'm a vampire so I snap a boys neck if he looks at you the wrong way" Elena joked. Bella rolled her eyes. She had though many times about becoming the same thing as her mother many times, but the more she thought about it the more she was against it. Bella wanted to live out her life, make choices, be human. But the thought of her family being around forever was always the back of her mind and now that she had met her father. Things could be different.

"I gotta make up my mind" She grumbled to herself, feeling slightly frustrated.

"What was that?" Elena asked dumbly, she had heard of course with vampire hearing and everything. Bella knew that but she didn't say anything either.

"I'm just confused is all" Bella answered. Elena felt sympathy for her. She had gone through this many years ago and she probably wouldn't have had Bella not come along with the father she had.

"About what sweetheart?" Elena put her arm around her daughter.

"About living forever, but I..."

"You don't have to make the choice now. If you choose to live a human life or become a vampire at some point. You don't have to decide now. I will still love you"

"Thanks mom" Bella leaned her head on Elena's shoulder as they waited for Rebekah to choose a dress. She never would have thought of being friends with the Original and Rebekah probably still wanted to kill her deep down. But now they something in common. Family.