Elena let out a sharp huff of breath, throwing Elijah's suit jacket onto her bed with a frown. How was it that he was able to aggravate so many emotions so quickly? Her switch was off, and she was determined for it to stay that way, but Elijah seemed to have other ideas, whether he was doing it on purpose or not.

As much as it irritated her, it wasn't like she could leave, she and Elijah needed answers; answers she wouldn't get if she left New Orleans.

She dressed swiftly, a blood red top, with a black jacket and black jeans, she pulled on her boots, absently thinking that she would look like Katherine if not for the streak of colour in her hair.

She was almost surprised when she ran into Hayley in the hallway, the werewolf had pulled on a loose sweater over a pair of leggings, and was frowning, her face weighed down with remnants of the sleep she'd been roused from.

"What's going on?" She asked, folding her arms over her chest as she looked at Elena.

"Nothing concerning you." Elena said in a sugary voice, grinning at the brunette who rubbed her just the wrong way for a reason she couldn't put her finger on. "You should go back to bed, I don't think you want them to find out about…that." She trailed, looking pointedly at Hayley's stomach.

"You know?"

"You sound surprised." Elena scoffed, running her hand along the back of her neck to collect the hair that was trapped under her jacket, flicking it loose. "I've spent enough time with Elijah to learn to pay attention to everything." She smirked at the wolf, enjoying the flicker of jealousy she could see on her face. "Seriously, the people down there really aren't fond of Klaus, who knows what they'd do to you if they found out."

Hayley glanced in the direction of Elijah's voice, a frown again marring her face before she nodded after a moment. "Okay, thanks, I guess." She muttered, turning back to her bedroom.

Elena rolled her eyes as the door shut behind Hayley, straightening the front of her jacket before turning sharply on her heel, her still damp hair flicking behind her.

She could hear Rebekah and Klaus joining the cacophony of voices downstairs and sighed; she really wished Elijah hadn't told the Mystic Falls gaggle where they were staying.

"Must you all be so loud?" Elena asked with a sigh, slipping by the Originals to retrieve a glass of whiskey from their alcohol cart.

"Elena," Caroline breathed, relief seeping into her tone, "Stefan told us what's going on, you're sick?"

Elena rolled her eyes slightly, glad her back was to the rest of the room as she knocked back the alcohol in her hand before pouring another glass. "Guess that cat's out the bag."

"Why didn't you come to me for help?" Bonnie asked, her voice tinged with hurt. "We could've fixed this together."

Elena scoffed. "No offense, Bon, but you're a bit too…emotional to be useful."

Bonnie shook her head, her jaw twitching as she looked at her friend. "This isn't you, Elena."

"That's where you wrong, Bonnie, this is exactly me now." Elena smirked at her friend, sipping at the drink in her hand this time. "Now if you all could leave, I'd like to go to bed."

"You don't look like you were sleeping before we showed up." Damon retorted, folding his arms over his chest and narrowing his eyes at the girl in front of him.

Elena shrugged, sitting on the unoccupied end of the couch Elijah sat on; she swung her legs over his lap as she took another mouthful of alcohol. "They have a nice pool outside."

"Didn't realise you came packed for a vacation." Damon snarked.

"I didn't."

The dark-haired Salvatore glared at her, his eyes flitting between her face and where her legs lay on Elijah.

"Elena," Bonnie said softly, trying to placate the tension she could feel radiating from the man beside her, "just let me try a spell, I have the materials already, we can figure out why you're sick, you and-"

"No." Elena denied easily, not giving the Originals any chance to jump in, and glad when they didn't try. "You won't be performing any magic here, Bonnie. Elijah has a plan, and I'd like an unbiased witch on my side."

"Elena-"

"That's the end of it, Bonnie." Elena interrupted, her tone and gaze hardening as she looked at the witch. "I'm sure the city has plenty of hotels where you can all get some sleep before heading back to Mystic Falls in the morning. I don't need or want your help."

"Is this sickness affecting your brain?" Damon snapped. "You're acting like a crazy person, Elena! Do you seriously think that they care about helping you?"

"They don't need to care, Damon," Elena drawled, rolling her eyes, "Elijah and I have an understanding."

"He's betrayed you before!"

"We betrayed each other," Elena shrugged, "and we've buried the hatchet, so to speak." She didn't miss the curious looks she garnered from the two younger Originals standing behind Elijah; she also noticed Elijah turn his head to look at her, a curious tilt punctuating the movement.

"You heard her, mate." Klaus interrupted, finally. "You're not welcome in this house, or in this city."

"We're not going anywhere without Elena." Damon argued instantly, his typical arrogant bravado shining through his demeanour.

"She doesn't want to leave with you." Klaus said, his voice hard. "I want you out of my house; I wouldn't make me repeat myself if I were you."

"I'd listen to him." Elena piped up with a grin.

"Damon." Stefan chimed in before his brother could carry-on arguing. "I don't think you should push this right now." He warned, familiar with the look on the hybrids face.

"I agree with Stefan," Bonnie said, levelling Damon with an even glare when he turned to face her, "if you start a fight with him, I won't help you."

"Neither will I." Caroline agreed. "We need to think about this more."

"You're all crazy." Damon muttered, throwing a final glare in the direction of Elena and Elijah before storming out of the room.

Stefan followed quickly after him, barely sparing Elena a glance as he left. Bonnie shook her head slightly as she looked at Elena, starting to say something before changing her mind and leaving the house.

"We just want to help you, Elena." Caroline said softly, looking at her friend.

"You want to change me." Elena denied. "This is who I am now; this is who Damon made me."

Caroline sighed. "You don't have to be what Damon made you; you're your own person."

"So are you, Caroline." Elena said softly, tilting her head at the blonde. "Remember that."

"We're here for you, Elena, me and Bon. We love you." Caroline sent Elena a passing smiled before leaving the room swiftly, knowing better than to expect any positive answer from her.

"Well, that was all rather dramatic." Klaus sighed, rolling his eyes. "I'm back off to bed, although it seems not all of us were so rudely awoken." He said, raising a pointed eyebrow at his brother as he vacated the room.

Rebekah didn't bother saying anything as she left, her lips pursed slightly at the development between Elijah and Elena. She may prefer the doppelganger with her humanity off, but that didn't mean she wanted her as a permanent fixture of their family.

Elena knocked back the rest of the drink in her hand, swinging her legs off of Elijah and standing from the sofa.

"Thank you, Elena." Elijah said softly, effectively stopping her in the doorway. "You didn't have to stop Bonnie from telling Niklaus."

"I didn't do it for you." Elena said, not turning to face the man behind her.

"Then why did you?" Elijah asked, coming to stand behind her.

"For the sake of my sanity." Elena replied after a moment, taking a deep breath. "If Klaus found out before you could tell him he'd be unbearable." She whispered, all too aware of Klaus's advanced hearing in the house.

"All the same," Elijah murmured, "thank you, Elena. I hope this can be the beginning of a true alliance, we can look out for each-other."

"An alliance…" Elena nodded slowly, letting out a long breath. "Yeah."

She disappeared before Elijah could say anything, leaving him only with a pit in his stomach and a spinning head as he collapsed back onto the couch, rubbing his temples tiredly.

Elena woke with a soft sigh, stretching out languidly in the plush bed the Mikaelson's house had offered up. She grimaced at the bright sun shining through a small gap in the curtains, rolling onto her side to stop the beams from irritating her eyes any further. She stretched again, rolling her neck to the side and letting out a soft noise of relief when she felt it pop.

The sound of vomiting pierced her cocoon of calm and Elena grimaced, rolling her eyes as she threw the white duvet off of her. Hayley must have morning sickness; it didn't sound pleasant, how women liked being pregnant she wasn't sure.

Would she have liked it? If she were human? The thought was dismissed as quickly as it arrived, a soft shake of her head sending it on it's way.

Nearly an hour later, she was done indulging in the positively luxurious shower in her adjoined bathroom; she was gently running a comb through her wet hair when a knock sounded at the door.

She called for them to come in, knowing only one member of the household would bother knocking on her door. He slipped in, shutting the door softly behind himself.

"Elena, I was hoping we could discuss-" Elijah cut off abruptly. "You're naked." He breathed, swiftly averting his eyes and turning his back on Elena.

She laughed. "Oh please, like you haven't seen it all before, what, with Tatia and Katherine."

Elijah swallowed thickly, shaking his head. "Never Tatia." He whispered, his hands slipping into the pockets of his slacks almost of their own accord.

"Right…" Elena nodded. "Bit old-fashioned back then I suppose."

"You could say that." He murmured, intently staring at the door in front of him.

"What's with the bag?" Elena asked, the duffel bag next to his feet catching her eye.

"Miss Forbes dropped it off for you. She thought you may need some clothes."

"How sweet." Elena sneered, wrinkling her nose as she stepped closer to Elijah to retrieve the bag. "Do I make you uncomfortable, Elijah?" She whispered, leaving the bag and trailing a hand across his back as she took in the rigidity of his form.

"I don't wish to be a cause for regret when you turn your humanity back on."

"Regret?" Elena prodded, ignoring her surprise at the Original's honest words.

"You would not be acting this way under normal circumstances," Elijah said softly, "I will not be a source of guilt for your emotions."

Elena let out a soft laugh. "Such a man of honour aren't you, Elijah?" She teased, running her hand along the back of his neck.

"I try." He said, ignoring Elena's tone.

Elena hummed, walking her fingers along the side of his throat, Elijah grabbed her wrist as she continued her soft movements, turning his head slightly to catch her eye, a silent word of warning in his gaze.

"What's wrong, Elijah? Am I testing your limits?"

Elena let out a soft gasp as she found herself pressed against the wall beside the door, Elijah pinning her arms to either side of her head. She grinned, tilting her head as she looked at him curiously. She tugged one of her wrists from his grasp, lightly running a thumb along the veins pulsing under his eyes.

"When was the last time you fed?"

Elijah didn't reply, allowing Elena to take her other wrist from his hold and mimic her touch on the other side of his face. He closed his eyes, his hands falling to the wall either side of Elena's head as he forced his vampire visage away.

"Have you had any blood since we left New York?" Elena asked again.

"No." Elijah said softly, not opening his eyes. "Nothing that I have been able to keep down."

"You feel it more than you let on, don't you?" Elijah finally opened his eyes to meet hers as he took a deep breath. "Our sickness, I didn't think it was affecting you much, but it is."

Elijah nodded softly. "It comes and goes. From what I can tell, I am not as…physically afflicted as yourself."

"Well, aren't you the lucky one." Elena muttered.

"I am afraid I would have to disagree."

"Well, we should get you something to eat." Elena said softly, though neither of them moved. Noticing Elijah's gaze stray to her neck, she smiled. "Do you want to bite me, Elijah?"

"I have spent the better part of a millennia learning to control my urges." He muttered, resolute in his words although his gaze did not move from her throat.

"Fat lot of good that's doing you now."

"Why do you insist on testing me so?" Elijah rasped, his voice tainted by his hunger. "This…our situation, is not a game, Elena."

"But its so much fun."

Elijah let out a soft huff of breath, his head falling forward against hers. "I am not myself, Elena, this is not the time for games."

"It's exactly the time."

Before Elijah could say anything, Elena tugged his face down to meet hers, smiling into the kiss when his hands moved to her still naked waist and pulled her against him.

midnight-writer97: Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed their moment, hopefully it doesn't feel too OOC! I hope this make up for the interruption ;)

HisSecretLover18: It's definitely nothing they've ever experienced before that's for sure! I'm trying to keep it from feeling too overwhelming as a storyline, but consistent enough that it doesn't feel neglected! It won't be a quick resolution to deal with it though! I'm not really sure if anyone from MF will have come aside from the core four introduced in here, especially with Alaric and Jeremy gone, but we'll see!

Guest: Thank you! Hopefully this is enough of a fill!

Guest: Thank you so much!

So, I wasn't intending on posting this chapter so soon, but I finished it today and I was sooo excited to share it with you all that here I am! Please let me know what you think! What do you want to happen next? I can't wait to hear from you all!

I also keep forgetting to mention, the title for this story is taken from the song Armor by Landon Austin, feel free to check it out!

~ I x