Thank you to StefanxKlaus14, Sci-fi Christian, BlueJean452, Lovely Rain Dancer and chillwithJyl for reviewing!

This one is what I consider to be short but sweet (and by sweet, I mean bittersweet).

Disclaimer: I still do not own TVD

Part VII

Elijah

Birmingham, England 1560

There was only one time when Elijah truly regretted his decision to leave his brother, and the rest of his family, behind. He was hiding in plain sight when he had received the news that crushed his new world.

The news that he was sure would break his already broken brother more than he could take. If he had not lost his way before now, than he would surely do so now. Elijah considered himself to be one of the few who really knew Niklaus, he certainly has been the longest. He can still remember vividly when Nik was but a child, following him around with all the eagerness of a little brother.

But times had changed. They had changed.

Niklaus used to follow his brother Elijah, but, as the years had passed, the terms flipped and it was Elijah who followed Klaus instead. It had been like that for centuries, until Elijah could barely recognize the boy Niklaus had once been.

No, that side had been blocked from him. Only rarely showing itself when he spoke to Rebekah. And then, later, Caroline.

And then Elijah learned the possible truth behind his mother's death and he could take it no longer; he left. But he did not go far, after all, someone needed to keep track of his troublesome family. Someone needed to watch over them; their parents had certainly never done so.

Elijah decided to do so, at least for a while, because, though he tried to forget it, they were still his family and he needed them safe.

And the news he had received showed that he was not doing his job.

The Forbes family had been completely slaughtered, leaving behind only two human survivors and Caroline. And Klaus had done the honorable thing for the first time in his existence that Elijah could remember; he had taken away Caroline's pain and let her go.

But, in the process of all of this, Elijah knew that Klaus was in his own pain, a deep pain that would never again heal. It would be just as immortal as its carrier.

And then Elijah got it, that strange feeling that he never expected he would have.

Regret. He regretted ever leaving in the first place. He regretted not being there with his family. But, most of all, he regretted never being able to save his little brother, that little boy that had been Niklaus. That little boy that had followed him around almost reverently.

Elijah was a failure to his family, a failure to himself. And so he felt regret.

And, in that moment, he wanted nothing more than to return to said family. But, then he remembered his mother and recalled why it was he had left in the first place and the homesick feeling was quickly pushed aside.

It was time he put it all aside, for good, he decided. No more hiding in plain sight. No more watching, no more keeping track. A clean break.

That night, Elijah quit his unofficial job as the protector of the Mikaelson family and arranged for a boat to take him elsewhere, anywhere other than England.

And yet, despite all this, when he did finally sail away, the regret still tugged at his heart and he could not help but wonder if Klaus was truly broken.

Elijah could not help but wonder if his brother was as broken as he was himself.

Ok, guys, that's it. This is the very last one-shot of The Stories of Old and the closing of my story arc in the 1500s. This was a lot of fun to write; I loved being able to explore all the characters like this, so thank you for giving me the opportunity to do so and supporting me in the idea.

Thank you so much to all of you who have been following, or have favorite or reviewed this story. It means more than I can tell you.

Now, I wish you all a happy holiday season and I hope at least some of you will continue to join me in The Scars Not Seen.

Thank you a million times,

RW