Happy Birthday, Elena
Chapter 20
As Rebekah and Caroline went to talk to Elena, the guys were left in the living room, trying to figure out what to do. Elijah and Alaric were staring each other down, while Klaus, Kol, Matt, Tyler and Jeremy looked between the two to see which one of them would break first. It was silently decided between the 5 of them that given Elijah's millennia of years under his belt, that Alaric would be the one to break. But when the door upstairs slammed shut, all of the men winced.
"Is there something going on that we don't know about?" Tyler asked.
"Yeah, I don't think I've ever seen Elena like that. Especially towards Ric." Matt agreed.
"There's been some tension over the last few weeks." Jeremy said.
"What could have happened that would cause this much tension?" Matt asked.
"You want to take this one, Ric? Since it was your ego that got in the way?" Jeremy inquired, looking over at his sister's step-father.
"Not particularly." Alaric replied.
"Well, it's not my story to tell, nor is it Elijah's." Jeremy countered.
"And I don't have to talk about what happened if I don't want to." Alaric responded.
"That sounds very immature." Tyler commented.
"It's embarrassing." Alaric admitted.
"Your ego getting in the way of logical thinking is embarrassing?" Jeremy questioned with a raised eyebrow.
"If Alaric doesn't want everyone to know the specifics of what happened, you shouldn't try to guilt trip him into saying it." Elijah said. "Especially since he is your guardian, Jeremy." He added.
"Thank you Elijah." Alaric said.
"Although, your attitude towards Elena is not helping the situation get resolved."
"Now you're lecturing me?"
"Has it dawned on you just how much keeping her distance from you has hurt Elena? She's already been through so much, and to have what happened between the two of you thrown on top... I don't like seeing the woman I love in so much emotional pain and have there be nothing that I can do to help her." Elijah said.
"What did you just say?" Alaric asked, his eyes narrowing.
"You heard me. And I'm not going to keep it a secret. Not anymore. I love Elena, and you hurt her, and are continuing to hurt her by acting the way that you have been acting since you got here."
"I'm trying to be a reasonable adult about the situation as a whole. A situation that we wouldn't all be in- that Elena wouldn't be in- if she hadn't been involved with Vampires in the first place." Alaric said.
"Except her life was surrounded by the supernatural from the moment of her conception, simply because of who her biological father is, and what his family has been doing since 1864. And because of the fact that she is a doppelgänger, Elena herself is a supernatural being. There was no way she would have made it out of this life without the supernatural elements of her life being revealed." Elijah argued. "And do I have to remind you of your own secondary job? If your wife had kept Elena, and you had raised her as your step-daughter from the beginning, how would you have kept being a Vampire Hunter from her? Or Isobel's fascination with the supernatural from impacting Elena's life?" He asked.
"I only became a Vampire Hunter after I thought a Vampire had killed Isobel." Alaric said.
"Well... technically, Damon did kill her." Jeremy inputted.
"Not helping Jeremy." Alaric replied.
"Like it or not, Alaric, Elena's life was bound to be impacted by the supernatural from the beginning. It just took 17 years for it to happen. She has made her choice to be with me, and I will continue to do everything I can to keep her safe, but in order for her to be truly happy, she needs you to stop treating her like a child and respect her decisions. And as for the situation we are currently in regarding Katarina, it has nothing to do with Elena being involved with Vampires. Katarina would have come after Elena no matter what, simply because she would have seen impersonating Elena as yet another survival tactic to staying off of Niklaus' radar." Elijah explained. "Now, if you gentlemen will excuse me, I'm going to go check on the women and make sure everything is going to be okay."
TVD – HBE – TVD
Rebekah hadn't meant to slam the door when she and Caroline got up to the bedroom, but after it happened, she felt like it was a good measure. Taking in the sight before them, both Caroline and Rebekah's hearts broke for their friend. Elena was curled up into a ball in the middle of the bed, and the sniffling indicated that she had been crying. With a quick look to each other, the two blonde vampires quickly moved to the bed and each took a spot on either side of the brunette.
"Why does Ric have to be such an ass?" Elena asked in a small voice as she uncurled herself and pulled her knees to her chest.
"Elena, what happened between the two of you?" Caroline questioned. She needed to know what had happened to be able to answer her friend's question.
"Over the summer, with it just being him, me and Jer, Ric got the image in his head of us being a family and not needing anyone else. He had truly started to see me as his step-daughter, and so when Elijah brought me home the night of my party, I ended up falling asleep on the drive home, so he had to carry me inside. When Ric saw me asleep in Elijah's arms, something snapped in his head. He got overly protective. When we stopped by the house a couple days later to pick up the necklace that Stefan had given me, since it belonged to Esther, and it's Rebekah's, Ric was acting like he was in love with me, when really it was just his twisted and skewed perception of who was part of our family. He lashed out verbally to Elijah, and things just kind of fell apart." Elena said taking a deep breath as more tears formed in her eyes.
"Elena has spent that last 3 weeks here with Elijah to give herself and Alaric both the chance to clear their heads, but she hasn't spoken to him, or seen him, in 3 weeks, and based on his attitude downstairs, 3 weeks hasn't been enough time." Rebekah finished.
"Maybe space and time isn't what is needed here." Caroline suggested.
"What do you mean?" Elena asked.
"Maybe the reason Ric is acting like an ass is because you've separated yourself personal life from him, so he hasn't had a chance to see it and start to accept it. Maybe this plan of yours, to get everyone that you love and care about into this building will be exactly what is needed to start to get things back on track between the two of you." Caroline explained. "It was clear, even before we all found out that he had been married to your birth mom, that he adored you, and saw you as a daughter. That tidbit just heightened that feeling. So it's possible that seeing you with Elijah, as well as just seeing you every day at school could help."
"Caroline is right, Elena. You haven't given Alaric the chance to come to terms with the fact that you are with my brother. He hasn't seen it, so, in his mind, he can still imagine that it's not real. Only for that image to come crashing down all over again when you do see him." Rebekah said.
"You just agreed with me." Caroline said.
"Yes well, we have more in common than our looks." Rebekah replied.
"So what you're both saying is that it was wrong of me to essentially move out, and force a separation between Ric and I?" Elena asked.
"Not wrong, per se, more of a misguided notion that you thought was for the best but has turned out to only have done more damage." Caroline replied.
"What should I do?" Elena asked.
"You and Alaric need to sit down before school starts and really hash things out. Because I can guarantee that if you two don't talk within the next few days before the first day of school, that everyone in your history class will be able to feel the tension between you, and it could start some pretty ugly rumors that could ruin you both." Rebekah replied.
"Which is exactly what I didn't want to happen we had thought that he was in love with me." Elena said with a groan as she fell backwards and let her head hit the pillow before frowning up at the ceiling.
"You don't have to go through this alone, Elena." Caroline said. "We're here for you, and I'm sure Elijah is as well." She added.
"And if for whatever reason my brother isn't here for you, I'll kick his arse for you." Rebekah said.
"I assure you, Sister, that won't be necessary." Elijah said from the doorway.
"How long have you been standing there?" Rebekah asked.
"Long enough. May I have a moment alone with my girlfriend?" He asked.
"Of course. We'll be downstairs, knocking some sense into Ric." Caroline said as she pulled Elena into a sitting position and gave her a hug, which Rebekah joined in on.
"Thank you. Both of you." Elena said.
"Us girls need to stick together. There's three of us and seven of them." Caroline replied, and Rebekah grinned.
"I can easily take on three of them." Rebekah commented.
Elijah cleared his throat, and just like that, Elena was sitting alone on the bed. She was staring at the comforter, and only faintly heard the door click shut before feeling the bed dip as Elijah sat down next to her. When he sat back against the pillows and held his arms open for her, Elena happily let herself fall into his embrace. They didn't say anything for a few minutes, just sat there with Elijah running his fingers through Elena's hair after he had taken her ponytail out.
"Caroline and Rebekah think I went about dealing with what happened the wrong way." Elena admitted.
"Do you agree with them?" Elijah asked.
"I can see where they're coming from with it. They think that the reason Ric was acting out so rudely downstairs is because I didn't give him a chance to really see us together and to get used to the idea of you being in my life." Elena explained.
"I'm sure that's not all they said." Elijah gently prompted.
"No, it's not. They said that if this plan works, and we get everyone that I care about into the building, that it'll give Ric a chance to see us together, and hopefully help him come to terms with it." Elena said. "And that he and I need to sit down with each other before school starts and hash everything out, or else the tension between us could turn into some vicious rumors that could end his career." She added.
"I have to say that I agree with them full heartedly, my darling Elena. I hate seeing you like this, and since the tension between the two of you is causing you to be this distraught, then you should sit down with him and really talk things through." Elijah commented.
"That's what they were taking about when they said they would be there for me, and that you would be there for me too." Elena offered.
"Ah, then my sister's words make much more sense now." Elijah said with a smile.
After Elena retuned Elijah's smile, the couple lapsed into silence once again. Elena had repositioned herself so that her head was rest on Elijah's chest, and she had one arm resting on his stomach as she drew patterns on his chest with her fingertip. That was when another part of the plan dawned on her.
"You know... if this plan works out, I wouldn't have to stop staying here every night. And even if I wasn't physically in this bed with you, we wouldn't have to go very far to be with each other." Elena commented as she glanced up at her boyfriend.
"You continue to be a lovely little minx, Elena Gilbert." Elijah said while tilting Elena's chin up and leaning down to press his lips to hers.
The shift in their position had happened before Elena could react to it, but she didn't mind how they were now. Elena simply wrapped her arms around Elijah's neck and pulled him down closer to her. With Elijah surrounding her, the fact that their friends and family were downstairs waiting for them drifted away from Elena's mind, and she lost herself in Elijah's lips. Much too soon, and to Elena's displeasure, Elijah broke the kiss and moved them to their previous position causing Elena to scowl at him.
"I might be a minx, but you Elijah Mikaelson, are a tease." Elena grumbled.
"Well, aren't we a pair, then?" Elijah questioned with a laugh.
"You wouldn't be laughing if I had done to you what you just did to me." Elena replied.
"You're quite right, my darling. And I promise to finish what I started." Elijah said. "After our guests leave." He added in a whisper.
"Can't you just go downstairs and let them know that we'll let them know when the plan is put into motion so that we can get back to what we were doing?" Elena asked.
"That might be the most selfish thing I've heard come from your lips." He commented with an amused smirk.
"We've been together for 3 weeks now Elijah, and every time we get close to having sex, something happens that requires our immediate attention. There's only so much we can do by ourselves before we explode from sexual frustration." Elena groaned.
"And you are far too pretty to have that happen. I promise you Elena, we will have our time." Elijah said pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Why don't you take a nap darling? I'll go back downstairs to disperse our guests, and then I will be back to join you." He suggested.
"I don't like sleeping without you. I've grown way too accustomed to your presence. It helps me sleep." Elena said with a frown.
"I won't be long my dear."
"Are you ever going to tell me what you are wanting to say in place of that?"
"Eventually, but 3 weeks is still too soon. And I promise, you'll know what I've been wanting to say once it's said."
"How long should I anticipate waiting?"
"A good few years, Elena."
"Years? Come on, Elijah. Please tell me?"
"It would ruin the impact that I intend it to have when I first say it."
"Will I like the change?"
"I'd like to think you will."
"You aren't going to give me any hints, are you?"
"Not at all."
"Smug ass."
"Again with calling me an ass, Elena. I'm starting to believe that is how you actually think of me." Elijah said.
"Would it make you feel better if I tell you that it's not how I see you, but that you have an amazing one?" Elena asked.
"Maybe." Elijah replied.
"Elijah... honey, I don't think you're an ass. You act like one sometimes, but I don't think you're an ass. But from what I've seen of it, you've got an amazing ass." Elena said with a grin.
"Is that a request to see all of it, darling?" Elijah asked.
"Perhaps. Get everyone to leave, and I'll let you know." She said before rolling away from him and pulling the pillow that Elijah usually slept on under her head.
Elijah smirked at Elena's actions. Moving so that he was directly behind her, Elijah draped one arm over her waist and leaned down to kiss her neck.
"You did that on purpose, didn't you?" He asked.
"I have no idea what you're talking about honey. I was simply taking your suggestion to take a nap. And since you have to go downstairs to send our guests away, and I can't go to sleep without you, I went for the next best thing: your pillow." She replied giving him a glance of her shoulder.
"I'd like it to be made known that I don't believe that for one second. But if it's what you're going with, then I'll accept it." He said with one more kiss to her shoulder. "I'll be back shortly." He added.
"Okay." She replied as her eyes drifted shut.
TVD – HBE – TVD
True to their word, Caroline and Rebekah laid in on Alaric once they got downstairs. It didn't take long for Matt and Tyler to duck out when the berating of their history teacher by two very upset blonde vampires started. Klaus and Kol, on the other hand, stuck around, enjoying the show. Jeremy stayed quiet as he watched the scene play out in front of him. He had already given Alaric a piece of his mind because of this.
"Who are you trying to punish, Ric? Elena, Elijah, or yourself?" Caroline asked after having a taken a break from her ranting on Alaric, and Rebekah had come to a stop as well.
"I'm not trying to punish anyone, Caroline. I'm just wanting what's best for Elena." Alaric replied.
"And you think that you are what's best for her?" Rebekah asked.
"No! But I also don't think she should be with a vampire, period. Even if she's considered a supernatural being due to being a doppelgänger, she's still human. If she were to get seriously hurt, and she's around any of you, the first instinct that every single one of you would have would be to feed because of the smell of blood. It would be an afterthought that she's your friend, but by then, it could be too late." Alaric explained. He was getting really pissed off with being the bad guy here.
"And if she were to be turned?" Caroline asked. "By her own choice, if any of us turned her, would that change anything?" She continued.
"But she doesn't want to be a vampire." Alaric argued.
"Humor us. If Elena were to change her mind, and asked to be turned into a vampire, would that change how you act towards her?" Rebekah questioned.
"You're seriously entertaining this 'what if' scenario?" When Alaric was met with silence and expectant looks, he sighed. "She is my step-daughter. She will always be my step-daughter. And if she were to ever change her mind and want to become a vampire, it would take me some time to adjust to the change, but I wouldn't stop loving her because of it. I wouldn't stop wanting what's best for her." He said.
"Then how is that any different than trying to accept her wanting to be in a relationship with Elijah? She made a choice. She got herself out of a toxic situation with Stefan and Damon, and she chose to be with someone that puts her needs before his own. Puts her wants before his own. Elijah is good for Elena. He looks out for her without pushing his own ideals onto her. He is everything a father, or step-father, could want for their daughter to find in a man. The only issue you have isn't even that he's a mere vampire, but that he's an Original, and that makes him unpredictable to you. But you should know by know that our family puts each other, and those that we love, before our own interests, and we protect each other." Rebekah said. "And we have accepted Elena into our family, so between Elijah, me, Nik and Kol, no harm will come to her." She added.
"I'm sorry that I can't take you at your word, Rebekah, I truly am. But Elijah has broken his word to Elena ending up with her being in danger more than once. Klaus drained her of her blood, and killed Elena's aunt and my girlfriend, in the same ritual to be able to break a curse put on him to bind his werewolf side." Alaric argued.
"All of that was done before Elijah and Elena got together." Caroline pointed out.
"So, what? We're all just suppose to forgive and forget that they happened?" Alaric asked.
"That's not what they are saying, Ric." Jeremy replied.
"Then please, someone explain to me what exactly I'm expected to do in this situation." Alaric demanded.
"Leave the past in the past and move on from it." Caroline said.
"Move on? Klaus killed Jenna and drained Elena of her blood 3 months ago!" Alaric exclaimed.
"Watch it with the yelling, please. You're in a room of vampires. We have sensitive hearing." Caroline chided as she winced.
"Look mate, if you have an issue with what I did in the ritual, take your anger out on me. Don't blame my brother for what I did to Elena. The only reason that Elijah went back on his word that night was because I told him I would reunite him with our siblings. And I can assure you that every instance through the 1000 years that he's been a vampire, that he has only ever gone back on his word when it comes to family." Klaus said.
"Nik is right. If Elijah went back on his word to Elena, it was because of our family. Family means the world to us, Alaric. And while we are Vampires, we aren't perfect. We will make mistakes, as everyone does, but we are the safest place for Elena to be. And she wants to be able to extend that protection to you and the rest of the people that she cares about." Rebekah said.
"I do hope everything is going okay down here, as I would hate to have to tell Elena that she lost someone else in her life. Literally or figuratively." Elijah said from the base of the stairs.
"Well, none of us have attacked him for being a ginormous idiot, so that's something. Matt and Tyler left though." Caroline said as she moved to sit down next to Jeremy on the couch.
"And did you and Rebekah relay your suggestion to Alaric? Because I agree with it, and Elena understands how it could help." Elijah inquired.
"We haven't. Not yet. We were trying to get him to see reason first." Rebekah replied.
"I'm standing right here." Alaric grumbled.
"Yes, we are aware of that, Ric." Caroline responded.
"And have Miss Forbes and my sister gotten you to see reason, Alaric?" Elijah asked.
"Depends on what reason they are wanting me to see." Alaric replied.
"We're trying to get you to see that Elena choosing to be with Elijah, and you needing to come to terms with that, isn't all that different than the 'what if' scenario of Elena choosing to become a vampire, and you coming to terms with that." Caroline said.
"I see how the situations are similar." Alaric said with a sigh.
"And... what are you going to do about it?" Rebekah asked.
"I take it the 'what if' scenario directly ties to the idea that you two told Elena about?" Alaric responded.
"It is." Caroline said with a nod.
"What's the idea?" He asked.
"That the forced separation for the two of you wasn't what was needed in this situation. You need to see Elena with Elijah on a more regular basis. Because if you don't see them together, then your mind still tells you that it's not real, only to that to crumble apart when you do see them. So all of us living in this apartment building together, although in different units, you would see them together and you would be able to come to terms with their relationship." Rebekah explained. "Just as if she were to one day decide to become a vampire, you would have to see her as a vampire to come to terms with that fact." She continued.
"Because you seem to have the 'if-I-don't-see-it-I-won't-believe-it' mentality going on, Ric, and it's not going to help make things better between you and Elena." Caroline added in. "Also, the two of you need to sit down and really talk things through, or else rumors will undoubtedly fly around school, and that could ruin both of your reputations."
"Okay."