Chapter 14:

Alaric & Elena:

Elena walked with Alaric in the grocery store with Jeremy's list, "I like it when things are normal around here." Alaric commented as he threw Cosmic Brownies into the shopping cart. "Jeremy still hates your boyfriend but it's the way a brother should dislike his sister's boyfriend… The other night they were playing video games, arguing, but they were still playing video games."

"Are you chaperoning the high school dance tomorrow night?" She asked him, "Jeremy and Bonnie are going to the dance and I want to go but I don't think Klaus will want to."

"You've been on eight official dates in the last two weeks…if you want to go, he'll go." Alaric chuckled as he picked up another pack of pastry snacks. "Why does your brother insist on buying out Little Debbie?"

"He's a teenage boy." Elena frowned as she processed Alaric's words. "Do you think we're moving too fast?"

"As vampires, your emotions are extremely heightened. You both feel things differently than I do. I believe you two rushed into sex but not a relationship. The fact that someone like Klaus wants to be around you, wants to please you, shows that he's not as heartless as we thought he was."

"I wish people would stop saying someone like Klaus, he's not different than any of us. Of course he has a higher body count than us but as I've gotten to know him- I've begun to understand him. I don't agree with his methods, you know that. But, he's complicated. You drink with Damon every night and he's killed so many people."

"Trust me, I get what you're saying." Alaric and Elena had lowered their voices to a whisper, "Have you talked to Caroline?"

"No." Elena grabbed a bag of bread, "And she hasn't talked to me."

Alaric walked through the isles, "I thought you and Jeremy didn't like thick steaks."

"Klaus does." She smiled.

Alaric looked at her, "I didn't know we were buying groceries for the originals."

"Aw, don't be like that. I'm going to cook dinner for us and he told me his preferences…"

"A thousand years old and he's going to have his young girlfriend slave away in the kitchen…" Alaric said as he threw steaks into the cart.

"You make it sound like he's 50 and I'm 18 and pregnant." Elena snorted, "I'm capable of cooking for the man I care about."

"I just think he should cook for you." Alaric shrugged, "You know I am glad I don't have to worry about teen pregnancy."

"Alaric, Jeremy isn't sterile." Elena said, "You do have to worry about teen pregnancy if he's not practicing safe sex."

"So, I'm just going to add condoms to this list." Alaric joked as they found themselves on the 'Family Planning' isle- with Carol Lockwood. "Carol." Alaric nodded as he started to blush.

"Mr. Saltzman…and Elena." Her lips were pursed as she spoke to them, "Why on earth would the two of you be on this isle…together?"

"I don't like what you're implying, Carol." Alaric said, "Plus, use your head. If I were having an affair with Elena I wouldn't need to be here."

"Yeah, just like you wouldn't have to be here if you weren't having an affair with someone else." Elena said, "How dare you?" She yelled, "He's got the mentality of an 18 year old boy and you used him! He's the same age as your son!"

"Are you talking about Kol Mikaelson?" Carol asked, uninterested in Elena's words. "He was a simple fling."

"You toyed around with his emotions." Elena hissed, "You broke his heart and now you're sleeping with someone else?"

"Don't think Miss Forbes hasn't told me about you and your extracurricular activities…you should be ashamed."

"Because I'm in a committed relationship?" Elena scoffed, "You don't even deserve your position as mayor in this town because you're heartless and you don't care about the innocent people you leave in your path."

Carol turned on her heel and checked out. "Damn." Alaric nodded, "That's one way to put it."

"She pisses me off, Ric." Elena shrugged, "Do you know how she dumped Kol? She just left him high and dry at a public event like he didn't even matter. She's selfish."

"You really have gotten closer to this family." Alaric said, "Now how do we go about this whole sex thing with your brother? Do I throw them at him or do I have to sit down and have the talk?"

"Definitely the talk but only for my entertainment."

XXXXXXXXXXX

"I have a vampire for you." Carol Lockwood breathed into the phone, "Elena Gilbert. Yes, Grayson's daughter. I know a tragedy." She smirked as she watched Alaric and Elena exit the store. "She's causing problems around this town. I want her eliminated."

"That won't be a problem." A rough voice told Carol through the line, "I can be in Mystic Falls by tomorrow night."