The next morning gave me mixed feelings for a few reasons.

1. I have not actually met my family from this universe so it is going to feel incredibly awkward.

2. I am going to have to deal with the Salvatore brothers, which I am actually dreading, at least being Elijah's prisoner is fun, for me anyway.

3. Perhaps the most important one here is that I know I am going to be watched very closely and I know for a fact that I am going to HATE it. Just thinking about it makes me hate it all the more.

So, I took my very sweet time getting ready to go. Perhaps taking too much time if the sound of Elijah's pacing was anything to go by, which I am sure it is something that I need to take into consideration. Taking a deep breath I brace myself as I walk out of the bathroom, after stepping into the living room where Elijah is trying to burn a hole in the rug I sit down and twiddle my thumbs boredly.

"Elena." Elijah says, the glaringly obvious annoyance showing in his voice.

For a manipulator he can sure have a hard time keeping his temper in check. Oddly enough I am sure that didn't improve with his age. But, then again, he is not exactly a wine. I raise an eyebrow at him as Luka sits down beside me looking a bit disappointed. Luka has become a friend of mine, one that I have warned of his own death and how to prevent it should Elijah be a dumbass and accept an invite to the Salvatore's for 'tea' or whatever it was. . . was it dinner? ugh, I can't remember. It was not exactly important information at the time.

"Yes dear?" I reply cheekily, wide grin on my face after making him wait so long for a verbal reply.

I both adore and dislike Elijah. I, by all means adore Niklaus, for a few reasons, one being how straight forward he is. But, both have their flaws. Niklaus is what one would consider 'extremely' protective, to the point where if he believes his family is safest in a coffin then they will damn well be placed within them. Both Elijah and Niklaus have a bad habit of leaving their enemies alive or forgiving when they shouldn't.

In reality, they really should follow Kol's example with enemies, kill them all so that you don't have to worry about them trying to plot different means to kill you. Kol's issue is that he is literally missing a piece of himself, his magic to be precise. Honestly, that was probably a major part of Finn's issue as well after turning aside from the whole having to drink human blood thing.

"Lets go over the delivery."

The word itself perks my ears up, my lips twitch in amusement as I ask him. "Does that mean I get ride in a delivery truck?

Luka snorts and Jonas hides a grin as Elijah lets out a sigh and pinches the bridge of his nose. "No, Miss Gilbert. Please take this seriously. Then you can return home."

"But, I've never ridden in a delivery truck before Eli." I tell him with a pout. "Besides, the Salvatore's will recognize you either way. Its not like they didn't see you."

"I know. But I want to warn them."

I roll my eyes in annoyance as I cross my arms over my chest in frustration. "So, is that what this is then? This is you showing off your power that you claim to have over them? Or is it power that you're trying to exert over me? In the way of threatening my family in the process of your claim for control?"

Elijah freezes then as he takes in my words, The Martin's are sitting stiffly, looking between each other unsure. "I will not threaten your family Miss Gilbert."

"Good." I tell him coldly, apparently quite coldly because he straightened himself up. "Because if you did, I swear on my own life that you will not live to regret it. Regardless of how invincible you believe yourself to be, I assure you that.

His eyes darken in anger as he assess my threat, looking me over darkly. I wonder, which of us would cause the world to burn the most? "You dare to threaten me?"

A cold grin appears on my face as I look at him. "Oh, no Eli. I am making you a promise, one that I hope will reach your darling brother."

Because despite me not knowing Jenna or Jeremy for real they are my family and I know that they are at the very least decent people. They also have their own flaws. But, I have flaws as well and some of mine are much darker then either of theirs.

"I could easily kill you Miss Gilbert, do not test me." He threatens lowly.

But, my grin only widens at his words as I shrug without a care. Eh, there could be less interesting ways to go. "So you could." I comment calmly, smile and all.

He watches me for awhile longer and then he nods slowly. I hold back the urge to grin at him wider. "I have no intention to harm your family."

At that I hold back a snort. I raise an eyebrow at him, closed lipped smile now. "See Elijah, I don't trust you. Your 'no intention' could turn into 'intent' the moment you disagree with me. You remind me of a Jinn, or a lawyer. Both of which are slippery little fuckers and so are you."

"Miss Gilbert." Elijah says sharply, watching me with that displeased look on his face. "Should you betray."

"No." I say flatly, interrupting him as I stand up and move in front of him. "The thing you seem to not understand Elijah Mikaelson is that the moment you threaten my family or place them in danger is when I will be plotting your demise, along with anyone else who dares help you. That applies to your family as well. You cannot control me, I will not let you."

Minutes pass, perhaps hours as we stare at each other before he nods. "Fine, Miss Gilbert."

"I want it in writing." I state as I cross my arms over my chest, watching him with a frown. "I want it in writing that you will not harm my family under any circumstances unless they have specifically tried to kill you with a white oak. Keep in mind that, that means the Salvatore's do not count. . . they are idiots and I have no claim nor any control over their stupidity."

"White oak trees are no longer."

"Are they?" I ask him vaguely. "So?"

He signs in annoyance. "Miss Gilbert, you are aware that signing it or even writing it up won't prevent the possibility of your family getting harmed if you try to take off don't you?"

"I will add in that I will not run, nor will I kill myself. However, I did talk to Luka about that, making the contract sealed so that neither or us can go against the contract without the stated consequences."

"And what are the consequences?" He asks suspiciously as I grin up at him.

"We burn to death." I tell him excitedly. "Of course, in your case that means that you would literally be burning forever if you broke the contract and I would just be well, dead." but the consequences are the same so I would call it fair.

He glances from me to Luka and then Jonas, "Is this possible?"

The Martin's glance at each other and then back at him with a nod. "Yeah, yeah it is. Its just. . . not something widely done or acknowledged. As I am sure you know, most people won't sign a contract if they plan to go against it. Especially not one with magical consequences."

Elijah nods and looks back at me, again for awhile before he nods stiffly. "Fine. Can I read it over before hand?"

"Yeah." I say with a chuckle. "I would recommend that. Besides, when your little bro arrives he is gonna have to sign one two. I am not unfair enough to not make sure that we all must follow the same rules of conduct with each other."

"He will refuse." Elijah says stoically as he unbuttons the sleeves of his suit coat.

Shrugging my shoulders I smile. "Yeah, then I guess I will just have to convince him won't I?"

The original shakes his head and lets out a resigned sigh as I hand him the paper after Luka hands it to me. We sat there for hours as he read through it, asking questions, clarifying things and going over it twice, three times and making sure he didn't miss anything. Pinching the bridge of his nose he lets out a deep sigh as he goes to sign it when Luka and Jonas stop him awkwardly.

"It needs to be signed in blood." Jonas says hesitantly, expecting Elijah to react angrily perhaps.

Elijah nods, his face stony as he does so before his eyes go to mine untroubled ones. "Of course." He responds softly as they hand him a quill and a place to drop his blood.

I sign it right after he does, cutting the tip of my left ring finger and then signing my new name down in the best cursive I can manage. Hm, I wonder if anyone will notice that my writing is different then hers?

Late that night, well past midnight I walk into the Gilbert house to notice that everyone is already sleeping. Aunt Jenna is asleep on the table, a glass of water and a bunch of papers spread out. In the living room Alaric sleeps surrounded by maps and notes. My guess is that Jeremy is either sleeping in his bed or at the Salvatore boarding house. Walking over to Aunt Jenna I shake her awake, only for her to look at me confused.

"Elena?" She whispers, her voice cracking and I give her a small smile.

"Yeah, why are you sleeping at the table Aunty?" I ask her.

"You, you're back." Jenna says with a mumble before she quickly stands, nearly knocking me the both of us over. "ALARIC, JEREMY. . Elena's HERE, She's HOME."

"Of course I am." I tell her holding back as sigh as I rub her back gently while she sobs. "I am sorry it took so long. I got lost."

I hear grumbling behind me, tilting my head I see Alaric rubbing his eyes. "Finding your car?"

"Yeah, I must've been pretty out of it." I say blissfully as Jeremy comes into the kitchen with a baseball bat.

I wonder what I missed out on while I got to know the Martin's and Elijah, but perhaps this is a typical Jeremy response if he is woke during the night. Its a good practice to have if you hear shouting and crying. "Brother."

"E-Elena?" He asks as he stumbles over his words, looking both relieved and angry as he looks at me. "Where, Where have you been? Do you have any idea. . . Damon and Stefan said that you were kidnapped."

Ahh, staged response. They must have told Jenna that they saw me being kidnapped and tried to save me but didn't get to me in time or some shit like that. Which reminds me. Jenna doesn't believe in Vampire's and Werewolves yet which means that I need to tell her that they do.

I hum and continue holding my Aunt as I reply. "Yes, vampires do that sometimes. Jeremy and Alaric suck in a breath as they watch Jenna's body freeze in my arms."

"Vampires?" She says with a near scuff as she pulls herself to sit up straight as she wipes her eyes.

"Yeah, they didn't tell you?" I ask her as I gesture to Alaric, "Like, his ex/vamp-wife, is a vampire and my mom. Or that Damon and Stefan are vamps? Or that there are Werewolves as well?"

That reminds me that I need to tell Tyler that the Salvatore's, or rather that Damon killed his Uncle Mason. Then I need to make sure he understands that Caroline is innocent and had nothing to do with it. By all means she was threatened by Damon and Stefan not to tell him the truth. Honestly, how could those two not expect that shit to blow up in their faces.

"What?" She asks confused as she looks between all of us. "Is this some sick joke? You just, you just got back and you're. . It's not possible."

"Let's get to bed and I will explain it all to you tomorrow while we find a way to permanently protect you and Jeremy. . and Alaric from it all okay?"

"I must be losing it." I hear her mutter quietly.

Turning my eyes towards Alaric and Jeremy I know that they have questions. After coming out of her room after helping her calm down I see Alaric and Jeremy standing by the door, both of them have their arms crossed over their chests and a frown on their face.

I just raise an eyebrow at them and lean against the closed door.