Disclaimer: I do not own the Vampire Diaries.

Chapter 25

"How long, AJ," he demanded. Suddenly he didn't feel as if it had only been a day or two.

"A couple of weeks," she stated, trying to keep any evidence of emotion out of it. She failed. She knew she sounded sad and miserable.

He said nothing as he absorbed the information. Weeks? Weeks? He had to physically refrain himself from breaking the door off the car or smashing in the dashboard. "Weeks," he repeated, strained. How could she have let him remain dead for weeks? It was yet another question he had to add to the list labeled 'AJs Trust.'

She sighed. "Elijah, I'm so sorry. I really am. I should have revived you sooner," her voice was glum and depressing. She sure sounded sorry. She hoped he understood that. She wished he'd understand.

"Why didn't you?" He sounded borderline accusing. Why would she have allowed the only true person who could keep her safe to remain dead? How could she have kept herself safe for so long? Did she not want him around? That couldn't be so, she had revived him today, hadn't she?

"Because," AJ whispered, unwanted tears brimming in her eyes, "They didn't trust you. They… they said that you were going to allow Elena to be sacrificed. But I didn't believe that. I didn't want to, at least. And so much has been going on… They've kept an eye on me, too. They didn't want me going near your body. But you won't let Elena die, will you? You have to have some kind of plan so she doesn't die, right?" She looked at him, hopeful.

He thought again. She hadn't revived him because the others had been watching her, expecting her to do so. How had she gotten away with it, today? And she seemed to have so much faith in him, to be good, to do the right thing. Where did that come from? He rubbed at his eyes before he opened another blood bag to drain. She was forever a mystery.

"I have—had plans to ensure her survival. Now that it's been so long, I'll have to see what I can do. Or if I even want to do anything," he said bitterly.

AJ understood, but wished she hadn't. Elena had betrayed him, as well as Stephen and Damon. What did he owe them? She sighed, wiping away the moisture that had formed in her eyes. She knew he saw, but she didn't care. She pretended as if they were nothing. They arrived at the boarding house, then. AJ thought it was the best place to get Elijah a new suit—a new tenant arrived, who was only staying for a few days, and he had nearly as nice as suits as Elijah did. She told him this quickly, and where to find them. He disappeared for a few minutes, and then reappeared in new attire. He looked good. The man who the suit belonged to was very nice, so she felt a little guilty for letting Elijah steal one. They definitely weren't cheap.

AJ started driving again, this time to the little waterfall so that they could talk. Elena and the others didn't know about that place, so they wouldn't be able to find them there. The ride was silent as both AJ and Elijah thought about what was happening, though Elijah knew much less. He was very curious, but he could see AJ was deep in thought, possibly debating with herself as she seemed to do a lot. Well, at least she did weeks ago, before he was dead for so long. He was still bitter about that.

They arrived at the waterfall, and Elijah wasn't surprised that that was where she wanted to talk. It seemed this was a haven of hers, of some sort. She got out without saying anything and walked towards where the sound of the water was coming from. There was just barely a path. She went and sat on a large rock and pulled her knees up to her chest. She closed her eyes and listened to the peaceful sound, appreciating it. She was anticipating him to start yelling and demanding answers. He didn't. She opened her eyes to see him next to her, watching her. She was surprised but she didn't show it.

"Tell me what's happened since I was killed," Elijah said. It wasn't so much of a demand, but AJ could detect just the tiniest hint of it in his voice.

She told him. She started with how she found out about his death, even if it was somewhat irrelevant. She wanted him to know that she grieved for him, that he could trust her. But would he find her grievance for him silly? She wasn't sure. She continued to tell him about Katherine and how she was released and wanted to help them, then disappeared. Stephen and Damon now felt that Klaus had her. She told him about Alaric and how he seemed normal up until Elena made her go to the Seventies Dance and it was really Klaus. He was surprised to hear about Bonnie and what she did, how she was still alive, and how much power she had. She left out the part about Luka and Jonas. And the part when Klaus spoke to her. He wouldn't be happy. She wasn't really sure how to tell him about it.

He scrutinized her as she told her story. He listened to her steady heart beat, the way her voice would change and waver on occasion but was completely genuine. The long yet very short pause she made in between telling him about Katherine and then Klaus. She was leaving something out. And he saw the way, every so often, she would hold a hand to her abdomen, gently prodding something there. She seemed to be refraining from telling him several things. But he could smell the blood. He had feared this.

"You're hurt," he stated, looking now at where her hand hovered over where he presumed the wound was.

She looked away from him. "I'm fine." In truth, the wound began to sting pretty bad a while ago. She needed a new bandage and some more painkillers.

"No you aren't," he said. "AJ. Look at me."

It was the first time his voice sounded gentle since he woke. She reluctantly turned and looked into his eyes. The liquid chocolate ones she'd wanted to see for so long.

"What's happened to you?" he asked, still gently as he indicated her wound.

She kept her mouth stubbornly shut and only looked at him with a mask of void emotion.

"AJ," he prodded, looking at her puzzled, "What's happened? Who hurt you?" At the mere thought of someone hurting her, a surge of anger so strong went through him that he gripped his hands into fists to keep from smashing the large rock they were sitting on. The moment he found out who hurt her, he'd rip their hearts out. No, that was too quick. He'd rip their veins out, slowly. "Tell me," he demanded, still gently. AJ didn't know how someone could demand something, but do it kindly. It seemed as though Elijah was perfect at it, though.

She bit her lip, looking at the waterfall. She could see the anger building up inside of him, but she wasn't sure why he'd be so mad that someone hurt her. Unless he was mad that he hadn't been able to prevent it or something like that, since that was why he made a deal with her in the first place. Well, that, and so that Klaus wouldn't get anywhere near her. She sighed. She didn't want to have to tell him that both of the things he'd been there to prevent happened after he was killed. And that his witches were dead. She only now remembered that Jonas had been his witch. Fabulous.

"AJ, if you don't tell me now, there will be bitter consequences. Was it Lucas?" he asked suddenly. He zoomed to his feet. If the boy had indeed found AJ and hurt her again, he wouldn't live to see another day.

"No, Elijah, it wasn't!" AJ stood up quickly to calm him down, but she only ended up hurting herself more. She cried out in pain as her stitches tugged against her skin excruciatingly, and bent down a little as she held onto her wound. She breathed in haggardly.

Elijah's anger flared more when he saw how much pain she was in, but he pushed it aside. He gently took hold of her forearms to hold her steady as she caught her breath.

"Then who was it? What did they do to you?" The questions rushed out of his mouth. He needed to know now. He made sure his hold on her arms didn't reflect what he was feeling. He kept it gentle and soft.

"Why is it so important?" She nearly shouted, and then brought her voice down, "It's just a stupid wound, and it'll heal. It's nothing to worry about." She didn't like it when people fret over her injuries, and she didn't get why he was. She thought Originals weren't supposed to care. She realized, then, how unfair she was being. He was showing that he cared. He was making sure she stayed steady on her feet. She should be kinder, more appreciative. She was surprised, actually. But she brushed that off. And she brushed off thinking about how comforting his touch was.

His mouth settled into a grim line as he looked at her. "It's a big deal to me," he said quietly. "Please tell me, AJ."

She looked up into his eyes, catching the way he was looking at her. This was the Elijah she knew before the others killed him, this was the kinder Elijah. The seemingly caring one. She sighed. "Can we sit?" she asked, feeling tired suddenly, "It's a long story, and you aren't going to like any of it."

He nodded. He helped her sit down and then sat next to her again. He waited patiently for her to start.

"After you were killed," she began, not daring to look at him, choosing instead to look at the shimmering water, "Jonas and Luka tried to revive you. They did some sort of spell that must have made Luka invisible. Katherine had been there, so she tried to stop him but he put a stake in her stomach. Then Damon showed up." She sighed. This part made her sad. "He grabbed a flamethrower and basically roasted Luka until he was dead, then told Stephen to see what was happening at the witches place. When Stephen got there… Jonas was hysterical. He was going to go after Elena." AJ swallowed hard. She hadn't glanced up at him yet but she could imagine how angry he must be. "Elena had been at the Grille, so Stephen got there as soon as he could and I followed in my car. I didn't want him to get to her. But as I tried to distract him as Stephen got Elena out… he stabbed me. I was lucky someone called an ambulance." She dared to peek up at him now. He seemed to be trying to stay calm, but he was breathing hard. His face was red with anger.

"And what of Jonas?" he asked, clenching his fists.

"He's dead. Katherine killed him."

Elijah nodded. Although the witch had been very important for him to stop Klaus, he probably would have killed the man anyway, after finding this out. But she was still leaving something out and he knew it. Her wound should have been halfway healed by now. "What else aren't you telling me?"

She sighed deeply and closed her eyes, rubbing at them. "It's… well, it's Klaus," she said reluctantly. This would be the worst part to tell him.

"What about Klaus?" Elijah asked through clenched teeth.

"Elijah, before I go on, just know—"

"What about Klaus?" Elijah demanded.

She suppressed a groan. She knew this would suck. "At the dance… Well who I believed at the time to be Alaric led me to his classroom… As soon as he began locking the door, I knew something wasn't right. Then I knew it was truly Klaus."

"Klaus was alone with you?" He asked, truly pissed.

"Not for very long," AJ said, rubbing her covered arms up and down. It'd suddenly gotten a little chilly out and her jacket wasn't of much help.

"What happened? What did he say to you?"

"He said that with time he could convince me to help him. I told him to go to hell. And when I mentioned telling the others that he was possessing Alaric's body… well let's just say he hit me pretty hard where Jonas stabbed me. It reopened the injury and made it worse…"

Elijah growled but did only that. He didn't want to frighten her. But he would make sure Klaus paid for what he did to her. And he would make sure no one harmed her, not again. Whatever trust he thought he lost in her had been fully restored. And how could that be possible? The only word that popped in his head was enigma. And he was growing tired of not being able to find all the pieces to the puzzle. But he would. Soon, he would.

"I have a question…" AJ's voice caught his attention again.

"Yes?" He liked that she hadn't changed really at all since he'd last seen her, weeks ago. She always had questions.

"When I was in the hospital, Damon gave me some blood to heal me. It didn't work. Why do you think that is?" she asked, still puzzled over that. It had bothered her every day since.

A wash of envy came over him at the thought of Damon giving her blood, but he controlled it. He should have said something about this sooner. "Only the blood of an Original vampire can heal the Warrior."

Tell me what you think and check out the poll about Klaus and Elijah on my profile!(-: