"I can't believe you all actually agreed to this," Rebekah said staring at her siblings and Elena as they all made breakfast together. "Mother is going to kill us!"
"Not if we stop her first," Kol reminded his sister as he went to set the table. Elijah had talked to both Kol and Klaus that evening before he and Elena went up to bed. He knew his sister was going to be more difficult and it was going to take her much more time to get on board, so he didn't bother telling her until the morning.
"Oh, right, because it's so simple to kill our creator!" she barked back at Kol.
Elena winced and cautiously corrected Rebekah as she set the table with utensils. "Actually, it was blood from my family line that created you all, so if you're going to kill anyone, it should be me."
Rebekah rolled her eyes. It was the concept of the matter that needed addressing, not Elena's wish for death to creep into the conversation. "And what happens when we get back, hmm? What then?"
Rebekah stood with her hands on her hips, defiant in helping them all with the morning food. They looked like some television happy family cooking and prancing around.
"We find out about our mother's ill intentions and stop them before any harm can come to us or Elena," Elijah answered while flipping a pancake at the stove.
Rebekah rolled her eyes. He looked so cliché, even in his business attire. "Nik?" she asked her brother hoping for backup.
Klaus shrugged, grabbing his glass of blood and sitting at the table. "As much as I'd love to be the voice of reason Rebekah, I'm actually tired of running. And honestly I think our mother needs to have a talking to."
Rebekah rolled her eyes again. Why she had asked her brother, she didn't know. She knew the real reason he wanted to be returning to Mystic Falls. He fancied one Caroline Forbes.
"It's the only reasonable solution we got Bekah," Elena said signaling for her to sit down with them as breakfast was ready. "Clearly running off is a bad idea. Me getting myself killed is another. So, we are left to fight. And that means we have to be in Mystic Falls to do so."
Everyone began eating and Rebekah sat in her chair pouting for a moment. She wanted to say screw her mother and continue to take off. Not that she would ever admit to anyone, but she was enjoying her time with her brothers and Elena on the run. It felt different than most times. Living together over the past few weeks in the house seemed almost normal and she had just started getting used to it.
"Well, if we only have five days to make the most of things, I say a shopping trip is in order. Elena, after breakfast let's go out."
Elena coughed with her pancake in her mouth, making Kol and Klaus snicker as Elijah glanced over to her slightly worried.
"What?"
"Oh, come on," Rebekah said beginning to eat her food as well. There was no point in continuing to pout. It would only waste the day. "I need some new clothes anyhow."
Stuck in what felt like an embarrassing situation, Elena pushed around her food. "I can't Rebekah…"
The fork hit the plate with a loud clatter and the blonde sat at the table incredibly frustrated. "Elena!"
"I don't have much money right now, okay?" Elena blurted out before Rebekah could yell at her more. If it was one thing Elena knew about Rebekah it was that she was used to getting her way. And if she didn't, the consequences were deadly.
The table fell in awkward silence and Rebekah slowly calmed down.
For as much time as Elena worked, she also had to use that money for her hotels, food, and other expenses while on the run. It didn't leave her with much in terms of savings, and it's not like she was getting paid just for living.
"Well, no bother then. You can use ours." Rebekah stated it simply, picking up her fork and resuming to eat her food like it wasn't a big deal. But to Elena it was a huge deal.
"No, no way-"
While the Mikaelson family was well off, it was not in Elena's personhood to take money from others. She especially didn't want to take it to give people the impression she was with Elijah for his money. She felt more comfortable working things out herself and paying her way like everyone else.
"Now why the bloody hell not?!" Rebekah exploded standing up and dropping her fork, only for it to hit the plate again. The loud sound made everyone with their sensitive hearing wince.
"I can't just take your money Rebekah. I'm fine with the clothes I have. I can go with you if you'd like, I just can't afford to buy anything right now."
The blonde narrowed her eyes at the doppelgänger. It was no fun shopping for one person.
"Elena, just use our money," Elijah said wiping his face with his napkin before pulling out his wallet and handing her a wad of cash.
Elena went to protest but was cut short by Klaus. "For all our sakes, love. You'd be doing us boys a favor. My sister can get…shall we say, a tad temperamental."
"Well that's the understatement of the year," Kol grumbled making Rebekah shoot him a look.
Sighing, Elena took the money from Elijah and put it in her pocket. "Fine."
"Now that's more like it," Klaus said cheerfully, leaning back in his seat and glancing at everyone. Rebekah had finally calmed down, Kol continued eating, and Elijah and Elena snuck looks at one another.
Klaus snickered to himself. He was off the hook in potentially shopping with his baby sister by manipulating Elena into it. He was still the big bad hybrid himself.
After breakfast the girls decided to quickly change before going out shopping. Elijah gathered with Rebekah in the main hall, citing off precautions they needed to take while out shopping, as they waited for Elena to come down.
"Yes, you definitely need a new wardrobe," Rebekah said looking over to Elena when she spotted the girl. Elena was wearing a long sleeve tee shirt, thin, with a few small holes down the sleeves of it. Her jeans were faded in certain spots, no doubt beginning to wear. And while there was nothing wrong with her clean white tank top, the whole tank under the long sleeve ensemble was just getting annoying to Rebekah.
"Gee, thanks," Elena grumbled. She didn't have many clothes, but she had at least thought this would have been good enough to go shopping in. It was going to be quite the day with Rebekah.
"Well, come on then," Rebekah said turning on heel, already practically out the door.
Elena turned to Elijah. "I guess I'll see you later then." She fell into his arms, suddenly dreading having to be without his presence.
"Come on!" she could hear Rebekah say.
Elena and Elijah parted from their kiss. "Good luck," he chuckled. Elijah knew his sister had a short span of patience. And now Elena was about to figure out just how short.
Smiling at one another as they departed each other's arms, Elena left the house and glanced back to Elijah on her way to the car. Both were slow and dreading the feeling of being away from one another.
"Took you long enough," Rebekah huffed.
Elena rolled her eyes and shut her car door. "Come on, let's go."
"Yes, you are getting that. All of it," Rebekah told Elena when she came out of the dressing room. Hours had passed and the two had their hands full with bags.
"I just bought an outfit similar to this," Elena said looking down at herself. She was wearing a pair of dark skinny jeans with a V-neck button down halter top blouse. Over it was a black leather bomber jacket and she paired it with some high heel boots.
"No, this is different, trust me," Rebekah said coming of her own dressing room in a dark green spaghetti strap shirt.
Elena watched as Rebekah went over to a full-length mirror to look at herself. "It looks great on you," Elena noted. Rebekah was very gorgeous in just about everything she had tried on.
"It does, doesn't it," Rebekah smirked. Deciding to take it she nodded over to Elena. "Come on, now. Keep going."
Glancing at the pile of clothing hanging on the racks, along with their purchases scattered all over the floor, Elena raised her eyebrow to Rebekah. "Don't you think we have enough by now?"
Rebekah sighed. While she wanted to go shopping for herself, part of her trip was to help Elena. She would be returning to Mystic Falls and she had overheard the girl talking to Elijah about her fear of things changing. "Elena, you're going back to Mystic Falls in less than a week. You need to start a new you."
Elena pensively stared at their purchases. Rebekah had a very good point. As much as Elena was looking forward to going home and seeing everyone again, she was terrified of how different things would be. Maybe a different her wouldn't be so bad either.
"Okay," Elena gave in. Grabbing the next batch of clothes, she changed again.
After ten more purchases and their hands full of bags, they decided to head home. "Hey, wait," Elena said stopping Rebekah in front of a hair salon.
"A new me, right?" she echoed, flashing a glance to Rebekah. Steeling herself, Elena walked forward and headed into the shop.
When she was finally been seated with a stylist, she let Rebekah take the reins. While Elena was into the girly things like cheer and shopping, hair was not her forte. All she knew is that she was ready for a change.
They decided they were going to shorten the length of her hair, adding layers, a bit of volume and some curl. Rebekah also advised some longer side swept bangs, so Elena waited and watched as the hairdresser got everything ready.
"Have you never gotten a haircut before Elena?" Rebekah asked, noting how anxious the girl looked. The hairdresser began cutting, shedding long locks of Elena's hair. Long strands of brown hair covered the floor. "It is just hair. If you don't like it, it will grow back." She stood arms crossed looking at the doppelgänger in the mirror as she supervised the hairdresser.
"It's not that," Elena spoke, watching as the strands of her long hair floated down in front of her eyes and fell to the floor. "My mom always liked my hair long. Any time I wanted to cut it, she would tell me that it was too pretty to waste. So I never cut it. And then when she died, I felt like it was wrong to do anything with my hair because she liked it how it was. I just kept it."
Meeting Rebekah's eyes, she straightened her posture and took in a deep breath. "But, it's time for a new me. I want to start living again and be out of the past. I think it will look good, don't you?"
Rebekah smiled kindly at Elena. She truly was growing attached to the girl, more than she'd ever like to admit. "Absolutely."
"We're back," Rebekah called out in the house as she walked into the front room with all of her bags. The two had made such a grand amount of purchases, Elena was surprised they had all fit in the front room of the house.
"Did you buy all the stores?" Kol asked coming out of the kitchen, tossing an apple in the air.
"Oh shut it," Rebekah snapped.
"Woah," was all that Kol could amount to say when he glanced over at Elena.
Elena had put on some of the new clothes that Rebekah had mad her purchase before she had gotten home, not to mention she was sporting her new hairstyle. Surprisingly, the doppelganger felt good. She felt new and sexy and even refreshed.
"Well who are you?" Kol asked jokingly in a flirtatious voice. He leaned against the wall, giving her a wink before biting a chunk out of his apple.
Rebekah made a face at her brother while Elena just laughed. She didn't look that different. "You're pathetic," Rebekah sneered at her brother.
Before the banter could continue, Klaus came in, surveying the bags and his sister. "Well, finally gracing us with your presence, I see." His eyes twinkled with delight as Rebekah rolled his eyes at him. He then turned to Elena and one of his eyebrows rose up. "Taking this return to Mystic Falls seriously, hmm? Trying to make those Salvatore boys jealous? Want to let them know what they are missing…"
Elena brushed off the comment and kept a bored look on her face. She didn't let it show how Klaus's words has struck a chord. She had felt guilty for the way she left Stefan and Damon the night of the ball and she couldn't imagine how mad they were. But Elena wouldn't dare let Klaus get the satisfaction in letting him know that. "I changed my hair and Rebekah made me buy some new clothes. Get over yourself. You know, maybe you should let her freshen up your 90's look."
Klaus laughed at her snark. She was definitely getting better – obviously not as good as him, but she was working past the sweet old Elena look and becoming a more sophisticated being – one that stood up for herself and didn't let people push her around. It was interesting to watch. "Touchy, are we?" he continued to tease as he put his hands behind his back. He enjoyed ruffling people's feathers, especially hers.
"Dodging a change, are we?" Elena mocked back.
Footsteps echoed through the house stopping behind Klaus. "What is going on here?" Elijah taking a quick glance at the scene in front of him. He had come to see all of them huddled in the front room, the floor riddled with bags. It had been over five hours since the girls had left, and now he could understand why. Everyone stayed quiet and he was guessing Elena and Klaus were jabbing at one another. Without having to look up he knew his brother and Elena were glaring at one another. Klaus thoroughly enjoyed egging on his love and she had surprisingly taken to it well.
"Are you two done?" he looked up to the pair, pausing in pleasant surprise when his eyes casted upon Elena. She had changed. From her clothes to her hair, his eyes roamed from bottom to top and took her all in. The old ratty converse shoes she once had on were now replaced with short heeled boots. Rebekah must have also made Elena get new jeans, as the worn old ones his sister commented about earlier, were now gone. (She instead had on a pair of a dark skinny jeans that accentuated her long legs perfectly). From there was a red blouse hugged tightly at the top of her form, fitting to the shape of her breasts and plunging down enough to model some cleavage. And together they had topped her off with a black bomber jacket that screamed Elena.
"Looks like Elijah here is speechless," Klaus snickered as Elijah cleared his throat once he was done surveying Elena. Her hair was also now a crop shorter too, wavier, almost luscious looking. It wasn't like Katarina's whose hair was tightly curled to frame her face, rather it was soft curls his Elena now modeled.
Elijah attempted to fix his composure, taking in a deep breath and peeling his eyes away to his sister. "I see you girls enjoyed yourselves."
"That we did," Rebekah smirked at her brother, knowing how much he was enjoying the new look she created on Elena.
Ever the gentleman, Elijah motioned to the bags. "Shall we get your things?" He was surprised that the girls had fit all of their purchases on their arms while in the city. It took both him and Kol to carry up Elena and Rebekah's bags to their rooms, with each girl holding a few as well.
"Well, I'll leave you two to it then," Rebekah smirked, winking at Elijah before shutting Elena's bedroom door. Rebekah wasn't even sure her brother had heard her, as he was too busy gazing lustfully at Elena.
"I only have about a hundred bucks left," Elena noted nervously after Rebekah shut her door. She pulled out the large bill from her back pocket guiltfully. While she didn't want to disappoint Rebekah on their shopping trip, she also felt horrible for spending so much of Elijah's money.
"Elena, I wanted you to spend it all and more. My money is yours," he breathed stepping towards her.
Elena quickly stopped him by putting her hand on his chest. "Oh no. That…no-" She stared at him with a serious expression on her face. She needed to set the record straight. "Look, I appreciate you giving me money for all these new things, but I can pay my own way. I don't want you to think you need to take care of me."
"But what if I want to?" he asked, leaning forward and grazing the side of his face against hers. He could hear her heart quicken.
"'Lijah," Elena breathed, struggling to keep focus of their important conversation.
Elijah smirked and pressed feather light kisses to her cheek, jawline, and down her neck. Her hair smelled fresh from the salon. "I want to give you everything Elena. Everything I can possibly give you. I'd give you the world if I could."
"I-I…I don't need the world," she murmured pushing him back. Sliding her hand up from his chest, she cupped his cheek. "I'm perfect right here."
He kissed her hard then, backing her up against the wall near the door. His will was breaking in being gentle with her. Their weeks of teasing encounters and her new look was filling him with desire. He could hear how her heart was beating rapidly against her chest. He could smell the sweet scent of her blood. Kissing her lips and holding her waist tightly, he bent his head down moving to kiss her neck. Her blood was calling him.
A wisp of wind went floating in front of Elena and it startled her. Opening her eyes at the sudden loss of contact from Elijah's tight embrace, she found him with his back to her a few meters away.
"'Lijah?" She hesitantly walked forward to where he stood. She reached out to put her hand on his shoulder but he stopped her by putting an arm out.
"Don't," he stated with a hand to his face.
It made Elena even more concerned that he was being guarded with her now. She gave him a moment, and then very slowly set her hand on his shoulder and waited until he relaxed.
"Look at me," she commanded softly. Craning her neck to the side, she saw how the features of his face held his vampire traits. She let out a relieved sigh.
"You don't have to be embarrassed." She cautiously grasping his chin and had him look at her. Even with his face in its natural vampire state, it didn't deter her from loving him. In fact, she loved him even more. She wasn't worried about him biting or attacking her. She trusted him.
The features slowly began to face and he was soon back to his human looking self. "I'm sorry," he said swallowing in shame. "I never want you to see me in that manner."
He brought her closer to him and took in a breath. The desire he felt for her in the previous moments was overwhelming. He hadn't been that close to losing control in over a hundred years.
"Why not?" she wondered. Pulling back slightly, she traced her fingers over his features. She smiled when he caught her fingers and brought them to his lips to kiss them.
"That isn't usually me."
Elena kissed him. "But it is a part of you."
She continued to graze his face with her touch. Every part of Elijah she loved. From his chocolate eyes to his perfectly smooth skin. "Don't hide from me," she spoke softly as she stared into his eyes.
They were lost in one another. His eyes were captured with hers and Elijah never felt this content with anyone. He knew from the moment he found her that it was Elena. Her eyes…they were unmistakable, even if they were just brown eyes. He'd recognize them. And he did. "I love you Elena."
A small intake of breath was heard between them and Elijah watched as Elena's face went from surprised to breaking out in a warm smile. "You love me?"
Elena felt happy. Happier than she ever remembered feeling. Elijah Mikaelson, a big bad original vampire just confessed his love for her. While she couldn't have a moment to jump around giddy and girl swoon, she took the moment to enjoy how it felt to be loved by him and to hear him say it. Elijah Mikaelson fell in love with a human. Elijah Mikaelson fell in love with her.
"I do," he replied staring at her face, both happy and nervous. From what he could tell Elena was delighted by his confession, but it worried him by her lack of words that she didn't feel the same about him. "I love you Elena Gilbert."
Elena let out a laugh and shook her head. It felt unreal. Grabbing the lapels of his suit, Elena brought him to her for a hard kiss. It surprised Elijah, but he recovered quickly and held the love of his life tightly in his arms