Chapter 13 – Calm Before the Storm
Elena sat quietly at the spot she was pretty sure would one day become the Wickery Bridge, just watching the water flow by. It had been nearly three weeks since what was referred to as the 'bear incident', and Elena hadn't a chance to talk to Elijah at all. Esther had kept him confined to the house for nearly a week and since then, well, Elena was worried that Caroline's little confession had scared him off.
She was also starting to worry that her conversation with Caroline that night in the caves had hurt their relationship. Neither had brought it up again and she didn't think they would. Elena had also made sure to not mention Klaus' talk to her either, she wasn't even really sure what to think of it herself. She was trying very hard to separate the man she interacted with now and the man that ruined her life nearly a thousand years from now, but it was easier said than done.
A sudden snap of a twig behind her caused her to jump as she turned to look at the sound, "I did not mean to frighten you." Elijah told her, gracefully moving to join her on the ground, "I hope you don't mind, but I followed you out here."
"No, I don't mind. How are you feeling?" She chose to ask, thinking it was the safest route to go. Elena could see some faint scars on his arms and it made her cringe at how close he came to death.
"Much better, but I think that had more to do with your sister than anything my family did." Elijah answered and smiled slightly at her, but noticed that she didn't return it.
"I am glad that she was able to help." Elena said quietly, glancing away from him and back toward the ragging water.
"Elena," He said but she still not look at him, he used his hand and gently cupped her chin, turning her to face him, his eyes meet her brown ones and he continued, "I am very thankful that Caroline came to my rescue. You have nothing to be ashamed of or have to worry about it changing my feelings toward you."
"I was just worried that it was the reason you have been avoiding me for two weeks." She replied honestly, keeping her eyes locked on his. The moment was very intimately charged and she knew that if she gave the slightest indication that it was okay, he would not hesitate to kiss her. It got her mind racing if that wasn't what she truly wanted him to do.
"No that was not the reason. Truthfully, I wasn't sure what to say to you. I have so many questions and I was afraid to ask you them, worried that you would deny me or…." Elijah trailed off, not sure what it was he was trying to say. Being so close to her, touching her, was causing him to feel some unexpected things, and it was messing with his usual control.
"Ask me anything you want Elijah, I promise not to lie to you, but I might not be able to answer the question either." Elena told him and brought a hand up to grasp the one still on her cheek. She gave him a small smile and watched as he leaned in ever so slightly, giving her more than enough chance to pull away, but she did no such thing.
His lips touched hers softly, checking for any resistance or disgust. When he found no such thing, he deepened the kiss and placed his other hand on her opposite cheek, cupping her head. Elena found herself getting lost in the feelings that his lips were causing. But then, an image of Stefan popped into her head and she broke the kiss and the hold his hands had on her. She turned away from him and looked back at the water, her lips feeling full from the masterful kiss she had just received.
Elijah cleared his throat, obviously embarrassed by his actions, "I apologize Elena, I should not have done that. You are already in a confusing enough situation with those brothers, I should not be adding to your troubles."
Elena almost laughed at Elijah apology, but knew that would send the wrong message, so she replied, "You have nothing to be sorry for Elijah. This is a very emotional time for all of us and I think that your near death experience is just bringing those emotions to the surface."
Elijah nodded in response, trying to convince himself that what she was saying was the complete truth, but he was having a hard time believing it, "You're right. It was a moment of emotional weakness and will not happen again."
"Exactly, we wouldn't want such emotions to ruin our friendship." Elena agree, though deep down she knew that her words would not be the truth forever, "Now, what are some of the things you wished to ask me?"
"Right, the questions." Elijah answered, and cleared his throat again before starting, "Caroline told me that she is a vampire and needs blood to survive. I….I witnessed what her features can become. How did she become such a creature and yet you remain human?"
Elena was a little stunned, that was not the question she was expecting, "Caroline was turned as a message to me. An enemy of mine was being…vindictive and turned Caroline hoping that I would back off. I think she was also hoping that Caroline would betray me and join her in her vendetta against me. Caroline is just too good a person for that kind of malice though. She killed a person her first night after she awoke a vampire, the blood lust is nearly impossible to resist at first I've been told, that mistake nearly broke her. Caroline is unique, at least among the vampires I've met, she has kept a large part of her humanity that the others have either chosen to let go or they just stopped fighting for it."
"What do you mean they lost their humanity?" Elijah asked, watching the emotions play across her face as she told her sister's story.
"They don't seem to have any regard for human life. Most just use humans for blood and either compel to forget the experience or simply kill them. Caroline dislikes doing both, which is why she feeds of the blood of animals." Elena explained, watching as Elijah took in her words.
"How many vampires do you know that you can have such detailed knowledge of so many different habits?" Was his next inquiry, amazed that such creatures existed without his knowledge.
"Not counting Caroline. I know at least a dozen vampires, though not all of them are still alive." She answered honestly, thinking of the Salvatores, the Originals, Lexi, Rose, Anna, and so many others.
"You can kill vampires?" He asked, and thought of a comment Caroline had made about werewolves being extremely dangerous for her.
"Yes, there are many different ways." She replied, and eyed him carefully, "I can trust you to not use this against Caroline?"
"Of course not, I owe her my life." Elijah confirmed, feeling slightly insulted she would even need to ask, but quickly dispelling the feeling. Her story about Caroline made it clear she was not willing to risk her sister's life.
"A vampire can be killed by a wooden stake to the heart, sunlight, or a werewolf bite." Elena revealed and hoped she wasn't betraying Caroline, but she trusted Elijah, and was pretty sure that Caroline did as well.
"But Caroline walks around in full sunlight." Elijah pointed out.
"Caroline was given a gift from a witch friends that allows her to walk in the sunlight without be harmed." Elena informed him, "You really should ask Caroline some of these questions. She could explain what being a vampire is much better than I."
"I don't know if you have noticed but her and Niklaus are gone most afternoons. It makes catching her alone very difficult." Elijah teased, a smile finally gracing his features once again.
"I am aware." Elena stated and felt herself become annoyed at the concept. She was okay with it when Caroline was just having a fling but now she was in love with him and that changed things.
"You do not approve of Niklaus and Caroline, do you Elena?" Elijah asked, catching the tone in her voice.
"Your brother just…" Elena started to say when she was interrupted.
"Reminds you of someone you know back home?" He finished, and she nodded, "That is your explanation for a lot of your opinions on people I've noticed. What about your past are you not telling me?"
"Many things Elijah, many things." She answered truthfully, and after some serious thoughts added, "I promise that one day I will tell you everything and I hope you believe me when I say that it is not because I don't trust you."
"I do believe that Elena and I hope you know that I trust you as well." He replied and managed to catch her eyes with his.
"I know." She whispered, and could feel the emotions from earlier starting to fill the air again.
Elijah could feel them as well, so he glanced away and said, "Niklaus will never hurt Caroline. I have never seen him behave this way with a woman, he does truly love her Elena. I felt the ultimate proof to that was when he didn't shun her away after learning the truth about what she really is. Not many men would be able to handle that. I am not sure I would have been able to." He admitted, and felt somewhat ashamed for admitting it, but he also knew that Elena would not judge him.
"I do not think you give yourself enough credit Elijah." Elena responded, "I have been trying, though it has not been going very well, to accept Klaus as a part of Caroline's life. She has told me how she feels and I want to be supportive, but it is hard. Especially when I just don't understand..." She trailed off, not really sure how to express her feelings without telling him that they were from the future.
"Understand what? How she can love my brother?" Elijah asked, his voice full of an anger that Elena had never heard.
"Honestly Elijah? Yes, that is what I don't understand." Elena replied, her voice just as angry, and quickly got to her feet, "I know he is your brother Elijah, but I cannot trust him. Not with Caroline's life or with her heart."
"What is it Elena, why do you hate him so?" Elijah demanded, getting to his feet as well and facing her directly.
"I can't tell you Elijah!" Elena screamed at him and started walking back toward the village.
"You keep saying that one day I will understand, why can't today be that day?" He wondered trying to return his voice to its normal candor, catching up to her easily with his longer strides.
"Please drop this. It is already hard enough. I can't keep doing this Elijah, either accept that I have to keep things from you or we will have to end our friendship." Elena informed him, stopping dead in her tracks and looking at him carefully. She could see that her demand had taken him completely off guard.
"I would never jeopardize our friendship over something like this Elena. I promise to never bring it up again." Elijah assured her quickly and she could see the sincerity in his eyes.
"Thank you." Elena replied, her voice sighing in relief. And they walked back to the village in silence, but it was a comfortable one, even after their kiss and argument, and Elena was worried about what that meant.
Caroline was happy that spring had finally arrived, she felt like winter had lasted forever, but the approaching summer brought its own problems. They would return home in mid-June, or at least they would if Klaus and the others became vampires before then. That though meant that Henrik would soon die and the boy was full of such life and promise, it saddened her deeply to think that his death was sooner rather than later. Caroline was also worried that Klaus would be very angry with her when he learned the complete truth. She could prevent Henrik's death and therefore prevent the creation of vampirism but the world would not be the same if she did those things. She was sure eventually he would understand but he was going to so angry when he first became a vampire. He was going to learn so many truths about himself and when he triggered the werewolf gene, he was only going to have an even shorter temper.
Footsteps altered her to his presence, she had come to recognize the distinct way in which he walked. She remained motionless on her blanket, just enjoying the feel of the spring sun on her skin.
"A young woman should be wary of being alone so far from the village. There could be nasty men about." He teased and laid down beside her, placing a light kiss on her forehead.
"I think I can handle any 'nasty men'." She replied, turning on her side to face him, a seductive grin on her face.
"Can you now love?" He played along, his hand grazing over her hip and pulling her flush against him.
"Do you need me to prove it to you?" She asked and leaned in so her lips were mere centimeters from his.
He didn't answer with words and closed the distance, landing his lips on hers. She immediately melted into his touch and he pushed her back onto her back, positioning himself over her.
Caroline wasn't sure how long she was lost in his embrace, time always seemed to slow when they were together. They no longer felt to the need to rush their encounters for both knew that there was nowhere else they would rather be. Caroline had never felt so completely loved by a man before and wished they could remain this simple forever. She curled more securely into his side, suddenly afraid he was going to disappear.
"Hey, what's wrong?" He asked, feeling the tension in her body and slowly ran his hand over her exposed back.
"I'm afraid." She whispered, her voice barely audible as she spoke from her place on his chest. Her fingers were ghosting over his many scars, there were more than she ever would have imagined.
"Of what?" The question was full of concern and he felt his own body tense.
"That one day this will just be a memory and you'll want nothing to do with me." She admitted, her heightened insecurities finally breaking through to the surface. The closer the time to return home, the more insecure she was feeling in her relationship.
"I can promise that will never happen Caroline." He assured her, his entire body humming with the confidence that was in his voice.
"You can't promise that!" She yelled as she quickly changed to a sitting position, her bare body now even more visible to the world, "You don't know what the future holds, you can't promise that you'll love me forever."
Klaus copied her position before answering, blue met blue and he said, "You can no more predict the future than I can Caroline. All I can say for certain that is as long as I continue to feel the things I currently am, I will always love you. Why do you not have faith in that?"
Caroline didn't answer, she couldn't answer. If she said anything more she would reveal too much and that was definitely something that could not happen. Klaus would never allow Henrik to die and that was the catalyst to everything.
"What are you not telling me Caroline? I can see that you are still holding something back from me." Klaus asked, putting his hands on her face, gently forcing her to look at him.
"I can't." She whispered and felt tears start to fill her eyes, "I want to tell you, I want to tell you so badly. I just can't, one day you will understand I promise."
"You have said that before love." He replied and wiped her fallen tears with his thumbs, "But I will not press you further on this matter, not when it makes you so upset. It hurts me to see that I caused you this much distress."
"It isn't your fault, I promise you that." She tried to assure him and gave him a sweet kiss before saying, "We should probably be getting back, it will be dark soon and I wouldn't want to get you in even more trouble with your father." She said the last part as she glanced back at his scared chest, he had never told her the reason for them all, but they both knew she knew that almost all were from Mikael.
"Let him be angry." Klaus told her and kissed her with passion and need. Caroline knew exactly where this kind of kiss led and just let herself go to the sensations. She was going to enjoy every moment she could get with Klaus, because he was right, she did not know what the future holds for her when she finally returned home.
Present
Damon finished his drink in one gulp and signaled the bartender for another. He was drinking at the Grill tonight mostly because he was sick of drinking at home. Alaric was supposed to meet him but was running late, which was something that was quickly becoming a habit with him lately.
A jingle above the door caused him to turn his head, and he immediately regretted it as the two youngest Originals walked in. They headed to a both, laughing about something as they did. Damon noticed that Kol was carrying the grimore that Bonnie used for the time travel spell. He was very curious as to why Bonnie would trust such an important piece of their plan to get the girls back with Kol and Rebekah.
Damon was very suspicious of the Originals, all of them had been acting differently since the spell. He knew they claimed that they had received locked memories of the girls in the past, but he doubted that those could change who they fundamentally are.
He watched as Matt went over to their table to get their orders and decided to listen in, it wasn't like he had much else to do.
"Hi Matt." Rebekah said, overly flirty in Damon's opinion.
"Hello Rebekah." He replied, his voice its usual friendly tone, and then it dropped when he turned and said, "Kol. What can I get you guys?"
"Matt," Kol started, his voice low, "I wish to apologize for what I did on the night of my family's party. I was acting out and it was wrong of me to take it out on you. My siblings have assured me that you are a good man. I do hope that we can one day move past my actions."
Matt's face was one of confused shock, and Damon's matched it from his place at the bar. Rebekah was smiling smugly, giving Damon the impression that this act of contrition on her brother's part was all her doing. Probably trying to make her seem more appealing to the quarterback, who the entire world knew she had a crush on.
"Are you serious?" Matt asked, the question being the only thing to pop into his head after Kol's apology.
Kol cleared his throat before answering, Damon could see the restraint to hold onto his temper, "Yes Matt, my apology is sincere."
Matt took a moment to think, glanced at Rebekah and smiled at her before turning back to Kol, "If you are truly being sincere, than I accept your apology."
"Thank you Matt and I'll have the bacon cheeseburger." Kol responded, handing Matt the menu.
Matt let out a small chuckle before looking to Rebekah, who was practically smiling with the radiance of the sun, "I'll have the same. Thanks."
"No problem." Matt said and walked away, silently laughing to himself as he did.
Damon just shook his head at the whole situation, not believing in Kol's apology for a second, but Matt was not on his short list of people he cared about, so the boy could get himself into whatever situations suited him. Damon wasn't going to lift a finger to help the boy this time, unless Elena made him.
"Sorry I'm late." Ric said as he slid onto the stool next to him and ordered a drink.
"More Jeremy issues?" Damon asked, knowing that boy was not handling his sister's time traveling adventure well.
"I haven't seen him for a while, he and Tyler have been spending a lot of time together at an undisclosed location." Ric replied, his tone saying he was unhappy with the situation, "Meredith and I were trying to figure out who is killing the council members, still no solid leads."
"Well, at least they seem to be taking a break. No one else has been attacked since you were before the ball." Damon reminded him and took a sip of his drink.
"I don't think that is a good thing Damon. It means that he is probably planning something big." Ric told his friend, swirling his glass before taking a long drink.
"And we will handle it Ric, just like we have handled everything else." Damon assured him but he could see that words were doing nothing to unsettle the man next to him.
"You can't be serious!" Rebekah suddenly yelled from across the room, causing everyone else in the place to look at her. She didn't seem to notice and just continued to yell while pointing at something in the book in front of her, "How did this happen?"
Kol just shook his head and both left the building quickly, not even glancing at any of the eyes that followed them.
"What do you think that was about?" Ric asked, turning back to his drink as the Originals disappeared out the door.
"I am sure we won't have to wait too long to find out." Damon commented and finished his drink. He did not think that they were going to like whatever caused Rebekah to react so strongly.
AN: Well my wonderful readers, what did you think of this chapter?
I have noticed some questions about wanting them to get back to the future, so I outlined the story a bit, and I have planned 5 or 6 chapters more chapters in the past, depending on how long the chapters run.
I am guessing the next update will be on Wednesday, so see you then my dear, awesome readers. Don't forget to review! It really makes we write faster.