No One's POV
Sunlight peeked through the blinds of the bedroom as morning dawned, the tone of an alarm ringing, rousing both inhabitants from sleep.
"Lijah?" Eliza whispers, her body turning into the Original to snuggle closer to his warmth.
"Yes, Elskan. Shhh. Go back to sleep. I will wake you in a little while." Elijah hushes, finger sliding across his phone to silence his alarm, arms wrapping around his mate to hold her just a little closer for a few moments longer before waking up and climbing out of Eliza's bed.
"M'kay." Eliza mutters, quickly falling back to sleep, having not even opened her eyes.
It had been nearly a week since Niklaus had called, Elijah delaying returning to Mystic Falls, claiming he had business to finish up, but since then Elijah really hadn't left Eliza's house, much to the annoyance of the Gemini siblings.
"Eliza. Elskan." Elijah rouses an hour later, his bags packed and set in his car to take him to the airport where he would board one of the many private jets the Mikaelsons owned, and breakfast now made for his mate and sitting on a tv tray.
"Lijah?" Eliza mumbles, eyes blinking open sleepily.
"Good morning sleepy head." Elijah smiles down at his mate, fingers brushing lightly over her cheek.
"Morning, 'Lijah." Eliza smiles back. "Oh, you made breakfast?"
"I did." Elijah smiles affectionately.
"You didn't have to. But thank you." Eliza leans up to kiss Elijah softly.
"You're welcome, Eliza." Elijah leans down to return the kiss equally as gently. "I have a gift for you."
"Elijah!" Eliza half-heartedly protests. "You're the one leaving. Shouldn't I be the one to give you something?"
Elijah simply smiles a sort of mysterious, pragmatic smile.
"Two gifts, actually…" Elijah corrects, to which Eliza groans playfully again. "One, which I am hoping you will wear, and another you do not have to if you do not wish." At this he pauses, looking down at the tray between them, an almost nervous action, before pulling two small boxes.
"It was always meant to be yours… I do not- I do not want you to think that- I am not trying- or that you are not- that I do not see you as different… You mean as much, more to me, than her…" Elijah stumbles over his words, now pushing the small wrapped gifts towards Eliza, both not needing Elijah to say Eliza Carter's name for either of them know who he was speaking of. "But- I simply thought that- that- as I said… It was meant to be yours… I did not feel right keeping it. And- I hope that someday… You are my mate… You are my future, Eliza. The only woman that I ever wish…"
"Why don't you let me open them, Elijah?" Eliza cuts the Original off and his clear rambling at this point, sliding one hand over his before taking the boxes after another moment.
"Yes." Elijah nods.
Eliza unwraps the boxes carefully, then nearly dropping them as she fumbles, opening the first box; inside the first box sits a thin, platinum band ring with small diamonds inlaid into the band.
"Are- are you proposing to- to me?" Eliza asks, feeling a little hysterical, her voice possibly cracking, she wasn't sure; frankly she wasn't sure if she was hallucinating right now. "We've- we've known each other a week… Two- two at most…"
"No." Elijah answers. "Unless you want me to... Then, yes." He waivers for a moment, clearly not really able to understand Eliza's completely blank look on her face, Eliza still starring at the ring in the box as if it was going to jump out and bite her like a rabid animal.
Eliza chokes a little on air.
"Not- not necessary." Eliza immediately rushes out, voice still a little strangled. "Alaric will murder me. And then you. Liv and Luke will help. And- and I'm in pjs."
"You are still beautiful." Elijah leans in to press a kiss to his mate's forehead.
Eliza felt a little like laughing at Elijah's ability to make this as sappy and romantic as possible.
"If- if I open the second box, am I going to see another engagement ring?" Eliza asks.
"Yes." Elijah answers, the unspoken name goes unsaid.
Eliza opens it, the ring silver and elegant in a completely different way, older, more timeless, as if meant for a different era.
The world went dark a moment later.
Within the black blur and haze, memories swam before her unconscious mind; flashes of a decade long since lost, an old dog, a kind servant, a country mansion, a loving father, a socialite mother, the blur of Chicago, memories of parties and vacations across Europe, the Roaring 20s, the life of Eliza Carter coming alive again.
"ELIJAH!"