Chapter 29:

Kol opened the door to the mansion, holding Elena behind his back as he looked at the mess before him. Broken glass covered the floor, smashed paintings and priceless jewels lined the hallways. They heard the loud crash of glass against the wall. "Klaus!" He shouted as he looked back at Elena. How could this creature, smeared with dirt, wide eyed and small cause such as mess? When Kol's calls to his brother failed, Elena cleared her throat.

"Go away." She told him firmly, "Please." She corrected her attitude towards him before Kol turned on his heels and walked out of the house. She took in a deep breath, trying to figure out what she would say to him. She exhaled, "Klaus." Her voice was suddenly weak- she could barely speak his name as her eyes roamed over the destruction at her feet. She didn't have to repeat herself- he materialized before her in seconds.

His breathing was ragged as he stood in front of her, speechless- not prepared to speak. His chest heaved as he tried to control himself. He didn't kiss her with painful pressure, nor did he try to ravage her. His arms wrapped around her in the strongest embrace she'd ever been in. They remained in silence in the middle of his own personal hell for almost 300 heartbeats- the only thing Elena had to base time off of. Her ear pressed against the cotton of his t-shirt as a few tears fell from her eyes. She smelt his Macallan 64 Year Old in Lalique scotch in which cost $460,000- and was the most expensive scotch in the world. She knew this only from his conversations with Alaric and Klaus' attempts to seduce her with his fine tastes in alcohol. "What are you thinking?"

"I've gone completely insane." Klaus replied as he kissed her hair softly, "I should know this isn't real but I desperately want it to be." She felt his own tears on her shoulders as he shook, "I need it to be." She couldn't respond, she barely even knew if it was real. To feel him- to know that he could feel her- sent tingling sensations through her.

She broke away from him, "I have to take a shower…join me." She demanded, "We can figure out what is real and not real while I wash the stench of death off my skin." She pulled his hand, going towards their bedroom before stopping to look at the wreckage. She thought she saw him blush at his mess- she didn't say a word about it. She didn't need him to explain what she'd already witnessed him do. He was grateful for that.

She stripped from her death dress as she stepped on broken glass and wood. For some strange reason, he found it quite alluring that she stepped over his destruction with those beautiful feet. She unclasped her bra, letting it fall among the rubble- then she commenced to removing the rest of her clothing- including a silk slip. He followed her- still convinced the alcohol was distorting his brain-with a soft grin on his face. "Even though you're covered with dirt, you're still beautiful." He mused as she turned on the hot water.

"Why don't you test the water with me?" She asked, tilting her head with a seductive smile on her lips. He seemed to hesitate because he had so many things to ask her. She practically read his mind, "I don't want to talk about these last few days right now…I want to love you."

"But I do, Elena…you were dead." He said as she backed into the shower, "I can't just put that in the past, angel." Even with his words, he pressed himself against her body as they submerged themselves under the scolding hot water. "Talk to me."

She closed her eyes as the dirt washed from her skin and hair, falling into the drain as it dripped down her body. "Why can't we just talk about it in the morning?"

"What don't you want to tell me?" He asked, pressing her tightly against the tiles that lined the shower. Water drops fell into his hair, darkening it until it turned brown. The water drops lined his eyelashes as he looked deep into her brown eyes. "You can tell me." He moved his arms until his hands were pressed against the wall beside her head.

"Your mother wanted to pass on, Klaus…" She started, watching the way his face changed as he moved away from her. "See, this is why I didn't want to tell you!" He moved his hand up to his chin as he tried to process her words.

"My mother-" He looked up at the running water, "My mother brought you back?" He was upset- even a little angry. He closed his eyes tightly, feeling like he was losing her all over again. It didn't help that she was exposed in his shower at such as close proximity to him.

She spoke quickly, "She wanted to pass on." She repeated, "It's not trick, Klaus. It's not a game. Do you think I would come here if it were?" She slapped him so he would open his eyes, "You know I would never intentionally put you in danger. She wanted to go to heaven and she knew the only way to do so was right her wrongs against her children. I love you so much…please don't turn away from me."

"How could I ever turn away from you?" He asked, still suspicious of his mother's motive. "That's the problem Elena, I can't. I've been in hell these last few days- closer to death than I've ever been. I can't be me, without you and that's insane because I've been me for a thousand something years without a problem."

She reached for him, "It's not a trick." Her chest touched his back, "I know it's hard to think a woman who has cursed you with being alone for so long would give you something you love back, but believe me I saw it in her eyes. She loved you, Klaus. Can you look at me?"

He did so- that's when she showed him the new her. Her soaking wet hair lined her shoulders like the halo he only saw around her head. The veins crawled down from her eyes to her cheeks as the gold tints of her eyes sparkled. He was amazed. His fingers tracing the veins as a smile crept on his face. This was her proof that he wasn't alone anymore. The logic he needed to believe her testimony on his mother's behalf.

He accepted it.

"You're like me now." He noted, "How does it feel to be invincible?"

"Relatively the same." She answered, "How does it feel to know I'm invincible?"

"Like Christmas." He chuckled, "I'm sorry…"

"For what?" She asked as he pressed his body against her own once more as his finger continued to trace her features.

"Doubting that you wouldn't find a way to return to me."