Nearly as swiftly as the kiss had started, Elijah broke it, taking hold of Elena's wrists again and pinning her back against the wall firmly.
"This isn't right, Elena." He gasped, his chest heaving. "We are not in our right minds."
"And?" She rebutted, her breaths coming as harshly as Elijah's. "Doesn't it feel right to you?"
"It does," Elijah admitted, swallowing thickly, "but-"
"But what?" Elena bit out, pulling at Elijah's grip on her and narrowing her eyes at him. "I'm not Katherine?"
"This isn't about Katerina." Elijah said firmly. "There is something else at play here, Elena, can't you feel it?"
"We both know I don't feel anything." Elena snapped, a muscle in her jaw twitching.
Elijah inclined his head somewhat at her words, pulling away from her slightly. "Of course, my mistake." He said softly. "Get dressed, there are things we need to discuss."
Before Elena could snap a retort that he didn't control her anymore than the Salvatores did, he had disappeared from her room; Elena suddenly freezing at the loss of his warmth.
Elena narrowed her eyes at Klaus as she caught the blood bag he threw at her, pursing her lips as the pressure of her hand on the bag caused some of the liquid to slosh onto her hand. Klaus shrugged, throwing his own empty bag in the bin and turning his back on Elena.
"Ugh, I am so over this sickness crap already." Hayley muttered, walking into the kitchen behind Elena and heading straight to the fridge. After a moment she shut the door with a huff. "Do we seriously not have any milk? I still need to eat normal human food, even if the rest of you don't."
"Didn't realise milk was a requirement." Elena scoffed, grinning sunnily at the wolf when she turned narrowed eyes in her direction. She sipped at her blood languidly, hiding her smile behind the tubing.
"Do ignore her, Hayley," Rebekah sighed, entering the room and sitting at the dining room table, "she can be rather tiresome when she wants to be."
"Wow." Elena breathed, bringing a hand up to her heart. "You wound me, Bekah, I thought we were almost becoming friends."
"Oh please." Rebekah laughed. "You're more fun like this, but lets not forget you did stab me in the back, Elena."
"Times must and all that." Elena let out a whimsical sigh. "I am sorry about that though, Damon didn't think you'd help us with Klaus."
Before Rebekah could say anything in reply to Elena, Elijah entered the room, straightening the lapels of his suit jacket. He strode to the fridge and opened it, placing a carton of milk in front of Hayley before turning his attention to Elena.
"May we talk?"
Elena shrugged, inclining her head in a slight nod, watching as Elijah left the room out the corner of her eye. She smirked at Hayley, not missing her pursed lips and narrowed eyes; someone was jealous. It was entertaining, so why did it send a pang of irritation through her?
She binned her empty blood bag as she followed Elijah into his study, flopping lazily into one of the large armchairs in front of his desk as he shut the door behind them, remaining there for a moment before walking around to sit in the chair behind his desk.
"We can talk freely in here," Elijah started, moving aside some papers on his desk, "I had this room magically soundproofed sometime ago."
Elena didn't say anything in response, staring up at the ceiling once she'd adjusted herself to be led across the chair, her legs dangling over one of the arms.
"I would like to apologize for my actions, I-"
A sharp scoff from Elena cut Elijah off quite effectively. "Oh please, just grow a pair and admit that you wanted to do it, so you did! There's nothing wrong with that, Elijah."
"It is wrong, Elena! This entire situation is wrong!" Elijah snapped, taking a deep breath, and rubbing his temples to try and reign in his control. "I should never have reacted the way I did," he sighed, staring at the dark wood of his desk as he held his head in his hands, "not then, and not now."
"You really know how to charm a girl." Elena muttered.
"That's not why we're here, Elena."
"Oh, I'm very aware!" She bit, rolling her eyes to herself. "I don't meet up to your high and mighty standards, do I?"
"Stop twisting my words." Elijah sighed, running a hand through his hair. "We will never make any progress towards remedying this illness if you insist on being so childish."
"I'm childish?" Elena laughed, swinging her legs around to sit on the chair and glare at Elijah. "I'm childish?" She repeated, her voice rising and finally dragging Elijah's head up to look at her. "Last I checked, I wasn't the one lying to everyone around me!"
"That's different."
Elena snorted. "Oh, of course, forgive me, I forgot that the almighty Elijah has different rules to play by than the rest of us measly beings!"
"Elena-"
"Don't 'Elena' me!" She snapped, spinning away from him. "You don't get to sit here and tell me what to do or how to act, I am so sick of people telling me what to do and how to behave, I'm not a little puppet, Elijah!"
"Something's wrong…" Elijah gasped, his hand clutching at the area of his chest above his heart. "I can't-"
Elijah cut off his own words, falling from his chair with gasping breaths escaping him.
"Elijah!"
Elena appeared by his side in a second, catching the original just before he could hit the floor.
"I can't breathe." He gasped, his hand moving to clasp at his throat desperately, as Elena held his torso up. "Elena, I-"
"Just shut up." Elena said softly, her words lacking any malice that would be expected to go along with them. "You're gonna be alright."
"What's happening?"
"It's alright." Elena murmured, gently pulling Elijah around to sit rather than kneeling awkwardly like he was. "You're okay." She sat behind Elijah, her legs either side of him, and moved the remarkably pliable Original to lean against her, his legs straight out in front of him.
His ragged breaths calmed slowly as Elena ran her fingers through his hair in soft movements, his body gradually melting further into Elena. When his breathing returned to normal, he remained leaning against Elena, closing his eyes as he drew some strength from the woman behind him.
"We're missing something." Elena muttered, only speaking when she felt that Elijah had fully relaxed against her, and his breathing had returned to normal.
"What do you mean?" Elijah whispered, dropping his hand from his throat to cover the one that Elena had wrapped around his waist.
"There's something obvious right in front of our faces, and we're missing it." She huffed. "I don't like it."
"I'm bored." Elena huffed, throwing herself onto the couch in the lounge area.
Elijah and Klaus both raised an eyebrow at her in near-perfect synchronisation, making Elena laugh.
"I think that's the first time you've ever looked related."
The brothers shared a glance before looking back at Elena.
"I fail to see what you want us to do about it." Klaus snarked, ignoring Elijah's sigh coming from beside him.
"I want to go out." Elena said firmly, folding her arms over her chest and pursing her lips. "Rebekah and Hayley get to go out."
"Rebekah and Hayley don't wear the same faces as two other woman and have magical, mystical properties in their blood."
"Hayley carries your baby." Elena retorted, watching as Klaus turned to Elijah, a look of indignation on his face. "Elijah didn't tell me, it's not exactly hard to figure out."
"If you-"
"-say anything to anyone you'll gut me, string me up, and leave me to die, blah blah blah, I get it." Elena rolled her eyes. "I don't care about your weird impossible baby; I was just making a point. I want to go out."
Klaus only glared at Elena for a moment before rolling his eyes and standing from his armchair. "She's yours, you deal with her." He looked at Elijah pointedly before striding out of the room.
"I don't belong to anyone!" Elena protested, glaring at the now empty doorway that Klaus had left through. "Unbelievable." She muttered to herself, shaking her head.
"Elena…"
"Don't start with that tone, Elijah." She interrupted immediately. "I am so sick of hearing that tone of voice from you, you cannot keep me cooped up here forever!"
"I do not intend to," Elijah sighed, closing and putting aside the book he'd been reading, "but it isn't safe for you in this city."
"I'm not a fragile, little human anymore!" Elena snapped, glaring at the man in front of her. "I can take care of myself."
"The vampires in this city have centuries on you, Elena. While I am sure you have a surprising ability to look after yourself, if Marcel discovers your presence here, he will stop at nothing to attain you and use you against us."
"Self-preservation, of course." Elena sneered. "I shouldn't be surprised really." She stood from the sofa in one, swift movement, storming out of the room.
"Elena-"
"Don't touch me!" She snapped, spinning around and throwing his arm off her shoulder. "You have no right."
"Where are you going?" Elijah called after her as she marched into the hallway, lacking the energy to continue to fight with her; he felt rather ill all of a sudden.
"Out!" Elena shouted, slamming the front door behind her as she left the plantation house.
"Congratulations, brother." Klaus drawled, leaning against the kitchen doorframe. "Amazing work."
"Do shove off, Niklaus." The older brother muttered, reclaiming his seat with a sigh; he wasn't completely sure if it was the illness making him talk so, or spending too much time with Rebekah.
Somewhere in Elena, she could recognise the irony in finding her way to a church.
After her actions for the past few weeks, it seemed totally absurd that her wandering had brought her to a place of worship and repentance.
She stood stalk still for several minutes, staring at the building in front of her with a cocked head, something drawing her to the old house of worship.
"I've always heard that these places work the best if you actually go inside."
The voice startled her from her confused reverie, and she jumped, turning to look at the man who'd managed to sneak up on her while she'd been distracted.
"Then what are you doing out here?" She countered quickly, raising an eyebrow at him.
"Offering a word of advice to a beautiful lady." He shrugged, grinning at Elena.
"Well, aren't you a smooth talker." Elena smirked, her eyes travelling down his form curiously.
"I try." He grinned again, holding a hand out in Elena's direction. "I'm Marcel."
"Elena." She returned, placing a hand in his, smiling when he brought it up to his lips and placed a kiss on it. Absently, she wondered if Elijah and Klaus were wrong about Marcel. Perhaps he didn't know the significance of the face she wore? Although, historically, attractive men who made a point of chatting up Elena tended only to do so because of her face. Speaking on a matter of probability, Marcel likely knew who she was, but he most likely didn't know that she was aware of him…somewhat.
"Forgive me if I'm overstepping, but I assume you don't practice very often."
Elena shrugged, taking her hand back when he released his gentle hold on it. "Definitely not recently, but I guess I've never really put much stock in some almighty being who has a plan for everyone, and looks out for you if you pray hard enough."
"You sound rather bitter about it." Marcel prodded, tilting his head at her.
"My parents died in a car crash when I was seventeen," Elena offered easily, forcing some emotion into her voice, "I was in the car with them when it happened."
"I'm sorry." Marcel murmured, a surprising hint of sincerity in his voice; either he was a good actor, or he was genuinely sorry for her.
"It was a while ago." Elena shrugged, looking at the dirt below her feet and slipping her hands into her back pockets.
"Is that why you won't go in?"
"I'm undecided as of now." Elena denied, looking up at the older vampire and smiling softly, before looking away at the trees behind him. "Truth is, I'm not sure I'd be welcome in there." She whispered, conspiratorially. "I've done some…bad things lately."
"Correct me if I'm mistaken, but I do believe churches are historically a place of forgiveness and repentance."
Elena looked back at Marcel, smiling again, and letting out a soft laugh. "I don't know if I want to repent."
"You don't seem like the sort of girl who likes hurting others."
"I never said I hurt people."
"I felt it was implied." Marcel rebutted quickly, raising an eyebrow at the brunette. "You seem rather defensive all of a sudden."
"A stranger is asking me personal questions." Elena returned, shrugging her shoulders slightly.
"Of course, my apologies." Marcel said easily, turning his gaze from Elena to the church behind her. "Although, if I may, if you don't want repentance, why are you still here?"
Elena let out a soft huff of breath, turning to look at the building behind her as well, not caring that she was turning her back on the very vampire she'd been warned about several times over. "I'm not entirely sure." She mused softly, tilting her head as she inspected the worn stone. "There's something about this place, I feel kind of drawn to it, it's weird." She dismissed, rolling her eyes to herself and turning back to Marcel. "Why are you here?"
"Visiting a friend." He shrugged.
"God?" Elena inquired, quirking an eyebrow lightly.
Marcel laughed, shaking his head. "No, I can't say I'm much of a follower either."
"That surprises me." Elena admitted, tilting her head at him.
"Why?" Marcel laughed again, folding his arms over his chest, not threateningly, just comfortably. "You've only just met me."
"I don't know." Elena shrugged. "Guess you just strike me as the religious type."
"I'm not sure if that's a compliment." Marcel conceded. "Come inside with me?" He offered. "You can see what all the fuss is about."
"Sure."
It crossed her mind that she could be following the lion into his den; perhaps Elijah had been right about Marcel, maybe he was trying to trap her. Who was she kidding? Elijah could shove it. Where did he get off telling her what to do and who to trust?
HisSecretLover18: Thank you so much! I'll try my best to keep it up :D
midnight-writer97: You're welcome! I'm so glad this helped you feel better, and that the chapter made up for Elena's friends showing up all gung-ho! Thank you so, so much for your lovely words, it honestly means so much to me that you think so highly of my development in this story, and I hope I can continue to do this justice! :)
Guest: Thank you! They really are, aren't they? I think I'll forever be salty that they never got together on the show, they would've blown the other pairings out of the park!
Thank you to my wonderful reviewers, I hope to hear from you again soon!
Does anyone have any idea what Elijah and Elena are missing? What's going to happen to Elena with Marcel? Review, follow and find out!
~ I x