AN: This chapter got a little longer than I meant it to be.
"How was the appointment?" Elijah pulled up to park in her driveway and came around to open her door. They had gone for dinner and lingered over the dessert. They were now much later than they had meant to be.
"It went well," Elena stepped out of the car and took his pro-offered hand. "Everything is fine with the baby; just like I told Katherine it would be. And we found out it's a girl."
"That'll make you an aunt then."
"Mmmm," Elena agreed before deadpanning. "It's a shame really; I was looking forward to being an uncle."
"Maybe next time," Elijah chuckled and followed Elena into the house.
"Maybe," Elena giggled as she shut the door and shed her coat. "It does make Jeremy an aunt though."
"True enough."
Elena hung her jacket in the closet; she handed a hanger to Elijah before pausing to listen. The rest of the house was silent.
"Katherine didn't find that joke very funny," Elena grinned up at him. "She said it didn't work that way."
"Your sister has no sense of humor," Elijah swooped down to give her a chaste kiss.
Elena wrapped her arms around his neck to hold him close. She murmured, "Agreed," before pulling him in for another kiss.
Elijah gently walked until Elena's back was pressed lightly against the door. He ran his tongue along her bottom lip to ask for entrance to her mouth; Elena was more than happy to oblige.
Elena threaded her fingers through his hair as their tongues battled for dominance: she lost – submitted. Elena shivered when he slipped his hands under her blouse to stroke the skin of her back. His thumbs came up to rub small circles along her waist; Elena felt her stomach muscles clench tightly as a fire ignited in her belly. She tugged his hair and bit his bottom lip when Elijah pulled away from her with a moan.
"What were we talking about?" Elena panted. Her breath fanned out across his neck.
"Your sister's sense of humour," Elijah supplied letting his hands wander to rest against her back again. "Would you like to go back to that conversation?"
"Maybe later," Elena's eyes glanced at his mouth. "If it's alright with you I'd rather not talk right now," she smirked and kissed him again. Elena pulled him closer until his body was flush against her own. She could feel every hard inch of him pressed up against him and every inch of the door at her back; including the handle that began rattling at against her hip.
Elena pushed him back with a grunt. She turned to look down at the door; the handle was definitely moving.
"Did Katherine go out?" Elijah muttered behind her.
"She's hardly left the house since she moved back in," Elena motioned to a blue jacket in the still open closet. "And her coat is still here."
Elijah moved her gently to the side to peer out the peephole. His body stiffened when he saw the person on the other side. He spun to blink slowly at Elena.
"Did Katherine get a restraining order?"
Elena quickly pushed him aside to stare at the person on the other side of her front door. She nodded her head once.
"Can you get ready to call the police?" Elena reached to unlock the door. Turning the knob she murmured over her shoulder. "I'll try asking him to leave first."
Elijah was already fishing his phone out of his pocket.
Elena made sure to stand in the center of the door to block all entrance into the house.
"You need to leave Damon," Elena stated flatly. Her hands grasped the door frame tightly. "I'll give you three minutes to get off my property and then I'm going to call the cops."
"Where's Katherine?" Damon took a step closer and scoffed. He acted as if he hadn't heard him.
"What makes you think I'll tell you that?" Elena drew herself to her full height to glare into his icy eyes. She attempted to find the patience that she practiced with her students. It was impossible with Damon; the only thing she saw when she looked at him now was Katherine bloody and broken in the hospital. White hot rage burned through her. She felt an overwhelming desire to claw out his eyes; her fingers twitched against the doorframe. The rage dissipated slightly when a warm hand rested against her back.
"She's carrying my child," Damon argued. His hands came up to rest on the other side of the door frame. "I have every right to see her whenever I want."
"I'm fairly certain there is a restraining order that says otherwise," Elijah's low voice rumbled behind them.
"And you lost any rights you had when you put her in the hospital," Elena whispered furiously.
"Not yet," Damon smirked. He leaned closer to explain in a whisper, "There is no proof that I ever laid a finger on her; other than her word. I'll be cleared in a few days at the trial. And then you'll be seeing a lot more of me."
Elena tried, but she couldn't stop the fist that collided with his nose. Damon's head jerked back as blood flowed between his fingers.
Elijah quickly moved to restrain her by wrapping his arms around her. With her hands pinned to her sides she should have been safe from causing any more damage. However her legs were still free; she didn't bother to try to stop the knee that connected with Damon's groin.
"Get. Off. My. Property." Elena spat as Damon stumbled to his feet and lurched to his car.
"Remind me to never get on your bad side," Elijah watched the blue mustang speed away down the street. He let go so she could lock the door. "Do you still want to call the sheriff?"
"No," Elena shook her head as the lights finally faded away. "He's gone now," she murmured looking down at her hand. She could feel the bruises beginning to form under the bloodstains. She gaze up at him again with wide eyes, "Did I really just punch him?"
"You did more than that," Elijah led her to the kitchen. He pulled an icepack from the freezer and wrapped it in a towel. "I'm pretty sure you broke his nose," He quickly cleaned her hand before laying the ice against her knuckles. "I don't think he'll be having sex anytime soon either."
"What a shame," Elena quipped.
"I'd offer to stay tonight in case he comes back," Elijah chuckled gently squeezing her hands, "but it appears that you have everything under control."
"Who said you needed a reason to stay over," Elena wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. "Other than the promise of my company?"
"Are you propositioning me, Miss Gilbert?" Elijah gasped raising his hand to rest over his heart. "What will the neighbors say? My honour will be ruined; my reputation shattered."
"I'm pretty sure I ruined your reputation months ago," Elena threw her head back and laughed. She tossed the ice in the sink and used her hands to lower his from his heart. "None of the neighbors seem to care."
"Oh right," Elijah slipped his hands around her waist. He gave her a thoughtful look before asking. "Should I be offended that nobody cares?"
"I care," Elena offered with a smirk. "I just prefer you with a ruined reputation." Elena's arms wrapped around his neck; her fingers began to play with the ends of his hair. She placed small kisses at the corners of his mouth and along his jaw line.
"Life is much more fun this way," Elijah cupped her face and placed a sound kiss on her lips.
"Definitely," Elena smiled. Her brow suddenly furrowed and a small frown tugged at the edges of her lips. "Could what Damon said be true?"
"About being cleared? I don't know," Elijah admitted. "I'm not a lawyer though."
"Katherine's lawyer seems confident," Elena murmured thoughtfully. She leaned back against the counter, "but Damon has a way of getting what he wants. He gets away with everything. What if the lawyer just telling us what we want to hear?"
"It's a possibility," Elijah tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I can ask my brother to take a look; he is a lawyer."
"Kol's a lawyer?" Elena's voice rose in shock.
"Not Kol," Elijah chuckled and pulled out his phone again. "My older brother Finn is a lawyer."
"Would he mind?"
"I don't think so," he shook his head. "At the very least he'll be honest with you."
"That would be great," Elena nodded. She looked at him through the corner of her eyes. "What does Kol do?"
"He's a third year med student," Elijah raised his phone to his ear, "he wants to be a surgeon."
"Never would have pegged Kol for a doctor," Elena grimaced staring at her hand. "Should I have him fix up my hand?"
"Personally I wouldn't let him near me with a band aid," Elijah joked, "but I remember when he broke Rebekah's collarbone trying to take off her hat." He grinned at the memory, "They were seven at the time."
"How?"
"I have no idea," from his expression Elena could tell that the question had been plaguing him for years. "He was always a little clumsy, or at least he was as a child."
"Hi Finn," Elijah smiled when the line connected. "I need a favour. Can you meet me tomorrow around 10?" Elijah listened to the raspy voice of his brother. "Yes I do know what time it is. I'll text you the address later." He hung up the phone and turned to his girlfriend.
"He'll meet with you tomorrow."
"Thank you."