Chapter 34: Our Parents, Ourselves

(Wednesday the 16th of December 2009)

The morning started all wrong, and it only got worse. For one thing, Elijah managed to sleep most of it away, having been laying awake most of the night. And after deciding to talk to Darwin, he found him and Finn in the kitchen, speaking to each other in Old Norse, which he may have been able to understand, if they hadn't both been dead drunk.

He finally gave up having a sensible conversation with either of them, when Darwin started singing 'I Feel Pretty,' and Finn was drinking Household Ammonia straight from the bottle.

In the parlour, Stefan and Elena hung their heads, while Damon and Kol were playing a game of 'Who the Hell Cares Less?'

Elijah sighed. "Ok, what has happened now?"

"Caroline's a no-show, "Elena explained, sadly. "And her mother says she hasn't been home. We have to assume Klaus still has her."

Elijah frowned. "I'm sorry to ask, but could she be dead?"

"It's not likely, "Stefan said. "Bonnie sent her a message. She says she wouldn't have been able to if she was dead."

Damon shrugged. "Caroline knows how to take care of herself."

Kol simply yawned, thereby winning their game by a mile.

"We'll think of something else, "Elijah said, getting really tired of keeping up hope, while in serious doubt himself. Klaus usually got what he wanted, except for so far the moonstone and a living doppelgänger together on a fullmoon. He would be expecting any move they could possibly make this time.

The doorbell rang. "I'll get it, "he said, glad to be distracted, if only for a moment.

Outside stood a dark-haired teenager, looking oddly dazed and jumpy at the same time. Elijah recognized the signs of compulsion. "Yes?"

"I'm Tyler Lockwood ..." he began, but Elijah interrupted him.

"I know, who you are, "he said impatiently. "What do you want?"

"I have a message from Klaus, "Tyler sounded mechanical, as if citing a familiar poem he didn't really understand. "He wants the doppelgänger alive by the evening of the 30th, or people will die; one every half an hour, until she is delivered to him."

"I see, "Elijah said drily, while the boy blinked, the dazed look disappearing from his eyes. He had obviously served his purpose.

"i will not let that happen, "Elijah turned his head, seeing Elena standing in the doorway to the parlour. "I'll give myself over to him."

"Don't be silly, "Elijah said, feeling his patience wearing thin. He offered her no comforting words this time, not wanting to hear himself say 'we'll think of something' again.

In stead, he turned to the werewolf on the doorstep. "Do you want to come in? Have a drink?"

Tyler wiped his hands on his jeans, looking very confused. "I really shouldn't, "he said, hesitantly.

"I insist." Elijah held his gaze, making him appear dazed once more.

"Ok, "the boy followed him into the parlour without question. He gave Kol a look of recognition. "Hey, I remember you from English class!"

Kol raised his glass at him, looking bored.

"I don't know what you did to our teacher, "Tyler said. "But he still claims that 'Wuthering Heights' was written by Abu Hamza."

Elijah poured a drink, then got a vial of vervain from the drawer underneath the table. He emptied half its contents into the glass. The less werewolves Klaus could compel, the better. "Well, Kol has a way with words, "he said, handing Tyler the glass.

Kol snickered into his own glass.

Stefan and Damon was exchanging dark looks, obviously impatient to discuss what had been said in the hall, but not wanting to say anything about it, while the werewolf was there.

Which made Elijah wish so much more that he would stay for awhile.

(Break)

"Good morning, Jenna, "Elijah said, recognizing the light footsteps. He had his back to her, scanning the bookshelves in the Library for anything interesting. They had decided not to tell her and Alaric about their visit from Tyler. At least, not until they had a plan.

"I usually don't sleep till after noon, "she said. "But I couldn't fall asleep last night."

"None of us could, "he told her, picking a book and looking through it. "Except Kol, of course. He doesn't care enough to worry."

"Maybe deep down he does ... " Jenna remarked. "I'm pretty sure I saw him watching 'God TV' last night."

Elijah smiled, shaking his head. "He has found out 'Playboy Channel' takes over after 11."

"Oh." He heard her moving through the room and carefully sitting down in a chair. "That actually makes more sense. " She paused. "No, it doesn't."

He shrugged, setting the book back on the shelf and picking another. 'Finnigans Wake.' The only book he had ever read ... several times, no less ... without understanding one single sentence. But it was supposed to be so; incomprehensible like a dream.

"Where will you go after this?"

He finally looked up at her, frowning. "What do you mean?"

"When this is all over, where will you go?"

"Well, "he sat down on the couch across from her, setting the book beside him. "I was living in New York City, before I came here. Maybe I'll go back there."

She was nodding slowly. "That's one thing I envy you vampires. You get to see the world. See it change over centuries."

He leaned forward, resting his hands on his knees, choosing his words carefully. "Most of us do see the world, when we are young, but after some time it becomes an inconvenience having to move every couple of years. Surprisingly many of us have a few favourite places, we return to over and over again, some of them not for from where we lived as humans." He smiled at her. "A lot of us have jobs, you know, and friends and relationships like humans do. And very often a family member or two."

She frowned, as if trying hard to comprehend what he was saying. "But you could go anywhere you want. Do anything you want to do."

"So could you, Jenna, "he picked up the book. "If you don't mind leaving everything behind."

They sat in silence for awhile, the only sounds Jenna's breathing and steady heartbeat.

And then all of a sudden, he was able to pick up one more sound: A faster beat, more than 100 beats a minute. He lowered his book, listening intently. The sound seemed to multiply, beating in seperate rhythms.

He stared at Jenna, who moved uncomfortably. "What?"

"I can hear heartbeats, "he informed her.

She raised her eyebrows questioningly. "Mine?"

He nodded. "Yes, but more than that."

She perked up, suddenly realising what he was talking about. "You can hear the baby's, too?"

"Yes, but ... "he tilted his head to one side, listening again.

"But what?" she asked in alarm. "Is something wrong?"

"No, "he shrugged. "I just think there is more than one."

"Oh God!" She jumped out of her chair. "Don't say that! Do not say that!" She gave him a helpless look. "How many?!"

He considered for a moment. "Two or three."

Her eyes grew wide.

He listened again. "Definitely no more than three, "he concluded, trying to reassure her.

But it seemed to have the opposite effect.

She stared at him with wild eyes, but he just shrugged again, not knowing what else to do, and turned his attention back to his book.

She spun around and he heard her running through the house, screaming: "Alaaaric! Riiiick!"

(Break)

"It's here, "Kol announced and Finn pulled up infront of one of the oddest buildings, Darwin had ever seen. It was completely covered in grey and blue seashells, except for the black roof.

For a minute they all just stared.

Then Finn turned his head, addressing Darwin, who was on the passenger seat: "Do you want us to come with you?"

"Nah, "Darwin opened the door. "She'll just feel that we are ganging up on her."

Finn turned a bit further, giving Kol on the backseat a meaningful look. Kol nodded. "She will."

Finn turned back to Darwin. "I don't like it, "he stated flatly.

"Don't worry, "Darwin got out of the car. "She would rather die than hurt me." He padded the roof of the car. "I'll be back soon."

The bar was pretty much as he had expected. The dark room, two young people dancing drunkenly by the jukebox, a group of humans gathered around the pool table, and the walnut bar with the carvings of horses and cavemen that Kol had described to him.

Hanna was standing behind the counter, leaning a bit forward with both hands flat on the surface. She was talking to a middle-aged, balding man, who were dressed completely in black leather. Her hair was braided, thrown over one shoulder and reaching down past her chest.

Her expression was polite, but guarded. At least that meant she wasn't talking to a lover.

As soon as she looked up and saw her son, though, a look of surprise crossed her face, then settled on wary. "Excuse me, "he heard her say across the room, and she moved past the bar, gesturing to a table placed halfway between them.

They both sat down, facing each other. He saw that she was dressed in a long, black silk dress that went all the way down to her ankles, and was buttoned high in the neck. She crossed one leg over the other, a distinct femine move, he had never seen her do before.

She tugged almost nervously at her braid, which he noticed she had dyed the grey out of. "I wasn't expecting you, "she admitted, letting her eyes wander around the room."

"And I wasn't expecting to come here, "he said drily. "But I had a sleepless night. Thought we may have some unfinished business."

She nodded in agreement. "That's most likely, "she sent him a questioning look. "Did you come alone?"

He shook his head. "No, Kol and Finn are waiting in the car."

"Good."

A long silence stretched out between them. Neither of them heard the mumbling voices around them or the jukebox playing 'Summer of 69.'

Finally, Hanna cleared her voice. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry, "she paused, looking down. " ... For what happened with your father. We shouldn't have made it about us."

"You? Sorry?" Darwin frowned. "There's something unnatural about that."

"No, "She shook her head. "I was cold-hearted. I said some things I wish I hadn't said. I should've been more sensitive."

Darwin laughed, incredulously. "Sensitive? Come on, don't be ridiculous. That's not you, Hanna."

"Elijah was right, "she looked away again. "About everything he said. I guess that's why I got so angry."

"Well, you were right too, "Darwin took her hand and for once in her life, she didn't pull away. "I now understand that you were trying to protect me."

"Yes, "she took a deep breath. "But at the end of the day, he was not the one, who abandoned you."

"No. He wasn't."

On the surface she was composed again, but he knew her well enough to see the desperation. Something in her eyes begged for understanding, but that was something he wasn't sure he could give her just yet.

Instead, he changed the subject. "Well, I'm just the tiniest bit glad that you're still here, "He said. "At least so I can tell you I'm sorry that I killed you."

"Well, "she smiled one of her rare, crooked smiles. "Neither of us could have predicted that."

"No, "he agreed. "We couldn't. But that doesn't mean that I don't have just as much to apologize for as you do."

She took his hand between both of hers, squeezing it slightly, then sighed. "Maybe for now, it is good enough if we can simply make our peace with one another."

AN: Stating the obvious; don't drink household ammonia. If you do, you will most likely die ... And get a Darwin Award.