While her and Elijah declared one another as friends, she still steered clear of him. Summer was now here and things had changed. Bonnie had left the night after graduation to travel the world, leaving behind her acceptance to Whitmore college and rooming plans with Caroline.
Jeremy had talked enough sense into Bonnie let the veil go back up and let him go, but she struggled with his wishes and ended up writing to Elena and Caroline that she needed some time and space away from Mystic Falls and all the supernatural. It had destroyed her. And Elena didn't blame her.
Caroline was left getting ready for college on her own, freaking out at Bonnie's departure. Her ideas for college were being destroyed, and so, Elena helped her come up with the idea to stay in a single room. She'd have less to worry about in hiding blood bags from a random roommate and she could design her room however she well pleased. Caroline thought it was brilliant and compelled the college faculty to give her a single style room.
Stefan had written to her weeks after his departure on graduation. Lexi had disappeared just after they figured out where to drive, and he landed himself in Washington. He was enjoying the scenery and trying to move forward in life. He had made a closer connection with Damon in his time gone as well, talking with his brother almost daily.
Matt and Rebekah were off traveling the world, seeing everything from France to Iceland together. They sent her postcards from every new place they went, telling of the adventures they were having. It made Elena happy to know Matt was having fun with Rebekah. Not only did the pair deserve it, but he had never been anywhere in the world.
Elena stayed home in Mystic Falls for the summer, choosing to commute from Whitmore as Kol stayed on campus. They deferred all big college travel decisions for a year until they could figure out their place in the world. Kol had tried to get her to live on campus, and while it was a great thought, she rejected the idea, instead making frequent visits between her campus classes.
With recently buying an apartment and paying for college courses, she couldn't afford room and board at the university on top of that. Of course, Kol had tried to pay her way for her, but Elena was insistent she do this on her own.
It was late at night and Elena was piled in work for her editorial position. Since picking up school, she had been slammed in trying to make enough money to pay the bills, tuition and other living expenses. With papers all around her, she sat on the floor, hunting for her colored pens that were stashed in her piles of work.
"You've got to be kidding me," she sighed as she heard her phone start to ring. Somewhere in her mess was also her phone. Shuffling everything around and trying to find the device, she quickly grabbed it with success. Klaus, it read.
"Hey, can I call you later?" she asked after picking up the line. She was still looking for her pens and trying to meet a deadline.
"Something is wrong," he told her anxiously. "She won't stop crying Elena. My daughter won't stop crying!"
Elena stopped searching for her things and listened to Hope screaming in the background. Since staying in Mystic Falls, she had spent more time with Hope and Klaus. The big bad hybrid was still figuring out how to be a single parent and fretted almost every second of the day. From trying to decide if he should raise his child in Mystic Falls or New Orleans, to if he was using the right kind of diapers. He was all about Hope.
"Have you-"
"I fed her, changed her. We've walked around outside; held Mr. Bunny and I've even read to her. Elena, I need it to stop. Make it stop!"
"Okay, okay," she said getting up. "I'll be there as soon as I can. I have to find my keys and-"
"Just run here," he growled.
"I have to-"
"Elena!" he barked. "Get over here. Now!" Hearing the line go dead, Elena gathered her things and sighed. The thing about Klaus being such an attentive father also meant that he was an absolute terror when his child was doing anything but cooing.
Quickly packing a bag for the night and grabbing her work, she ran to the mansion.
She didn't bother knocking or ringing the doorbell. Elena had become so accustomed to spending time at Klaus's mansion that it was now almost like a second home. Walking in the door with her bag slung over her shoulders, she listened as Hope's cries echoed throughout the rooms.
"Elena," Elijah's voice said surprised when she walked into the kitchen. It was the first time he laid eyes on her in about two weeks. She had done a very good job avoiding him at every possible turn. She had looked tired, some dark circles under her eyes.
"Enough with the pleasantries," Klaus growled as he held his screaming child. Handing her over to Elena after she dropped her bag, he had yearned for his daughter to stop crying. The sound continued. Elena bounced the child in her arms, patting her as she did. Still, Hope continued to cry.
There was something about Elena holding a child that comforted Elijah. Even with Hope's ear-splitting cries, he liked the sight of the two of them.
Elena tried to ignore Elijah's stares and held onto the infant. Bouncing them up and down lightly, she felt the baby's forehead, but found it wasn't warm. "Where is her blanket?" she asked the men. She had an idea.
Of course, it had to be by Elijah, who it was near. He picked it up from the counter and brought it over to her. Taking it from his hands, she did a walk and bounce with Hope to the living room. Setting the upset child on the floor, she laid out the blanket and set her down. Putting her in a tight swaddle, Elena picked her back up and the crying soon stopped.
"Oh, thank God," Klaus groaned.
"There we go," she smiled to Hope. "Colic," she told them as she watched the infant fell asleep in her arms. She ran a finger over little Hope's face. "I remember my mom having to deal with it when Jeremy came around. He'd cry incessantly for hours. The only things that would help was wrapping him in a blanket and a warm water bottle on his stomach."
Elena's heart ached a bit for Jeremy. She had never gotten to say goodbye to him the night the veil dropped, but she had figured he had planned it that way. The two of them could never really say goodbye.
"How long will it last?" Klaus asked. He didn't think he could keep up with his child if she continued like this. She had a strong pair of lungs.
"They usually grow out of it, but you'd have to look up how long."
Klaus sighed. His ears were still ringing and he was exhausted. "I can't do this," he spoke helplessly as he flung himself down on the couch. While he wanted to raise this child on his own and be the father that he never had, raising Hope was a tremendous amount of work. He missed his hybrid days.
"She'll be fine, Klaus," Elena said softly. "It's just colic. It happens with babies and it will pass. You'll make it through this."
Elijah was comforted by her warmth to his brother. Elijah had never really seen Niklaus in such distress as he did with Hope, but with Elena, Niklaus seemed to really listen.
"I'll stay the rest of the night. Get some sleep while I'm here. I'll wake you up before I leave tomorrow."
"Don't leave," Klaus said in what was halfway a plea and a command.
"I have a deadline and class tomorrow," she told him as she held Hope. "I have to go."
"I'll pay for your schooling once Hope is older. You can have a full ride. And as for your deadline, forget the job. I'll pay you for your time here."
Elena sighed. This was not the first time Klaus had offered something like this. Each time he thought he was close to a breaking point he offered something similar. But she couldn't. She needed to do this for herself.
Giving him a knowing look, he growled. "Elijah, talk some sense into her."
Elijah stood stone-faced, unsure how to approach this.
"Don't say a word," she told him sharply. Kicking Klaus's foot on the table, she knocked it down. "Go get some sleep. I'll put Hope to bed and get her in the night if she cries."
"You're a godsend," Klaus muttered. Getting up from his chair, he went over to the girls, kissing Hope on the forehead and Elena on the cheek. Smiling back at the hybrid, she watched him go to bed.
"See baby Hope? Everything is okay," Elena cooed.
Elijah was displeased with the affection Niklaus had given Elena. A kiss to the cheek? What did that mean? How close were they?
"I am going to put Hope back in her room and grab the monitor. Can you start some coffee, please?" Elena asked Elijah. Passing him with Hope in her arms, Elena held the child gently and put her back to bed.
"Ugh, thank you," Elena sighed as he was waiting at the bottom of the stairs with a mug of coffee made how she liked. "You have no idea how much I need this," she told him. Walking back into the living room, she grabbed her bag and sat on the floor.
"We have desks around here, you know," Elijah told her standing in the distance watching her. Hands in his pockets, he watched her. She wasn't in much better shape than Niklaus. The light now casted on her, and she wasn't just tired, but her body worn down as well. He could see from her posture and features that she was running on fumes.
"Elena, I know my brother continually proposes that he pay you for your services but-"
"Elijah," she warned not looking up from her papers. She knew where this was going. He would try to convince her to take him up on the offer.
"You're exhausted," he claimed walking towards her and sitting down on the floor near her piles of papers. He waited until she was ready to talk.
"I've just been busy," she sighed looking up to him with his stare unnerving. "I've got a few deadlines I have to meet tomorrow; I haven't touched my notes for my lectures and I stayed up way too late these past few days convincing Caroline that the purple curtains and pink pillows she had bought and hung up matched fine together."
He stared at her.
"Let us help you," he said softly. "There is nothing wrong with that."
"There is," she insisted. Closing her pen, she ran her hands through her hair. "I don't want anyone thinking I can't do this myself. I can. I don't want to be some charity case or anyone assuming I'm friends with you all for your money. You all do enough for me."
"Is that what you are worried about?" he wondered. "What people think of you with us?"
Her eyes shifted downcast. It was something she worried about often when she and Elijah were together. She wasn't using him for his money or trying to get in on their fortune. She had heard those allegations as well at the baby shower in New Orleans.
He sighed. "You are more than capable of doing this on your own, Elena. But you are stretching yourself thin. Your friends need you and you should be using this time to enjoy college. Let us take care of the rest."
Elena bit her lip.
Elijah raised his arm, bringing his hand and cupping her chin, pulling her lip from her teeth with his thumb. Sparks.
They stared at one another.
Friends. Friends, Elena! She reminded herself. Pulling away from him, she looked away. "Um…I-I have to finish these."
Elijah set his hand back down and sighed. Right, friends. "Give me one," he said with a hand out. Elena furrowed her brows.
"You think I can't edit properly?" he questioned with an amused look. Giving a laugh, she gave him one of her assignments. Together they sat there, Elijah lying beside her, propped up on his elbow as they worked. He watched her from time to time, as she'd raise a pen to her face, tapping it against her head before making some sort of mark on the paper.
At one point when he glanced over at her, he found her starting to fall asleep. "Ugh," she groaned. Wiping her hands over her face, she got up. Going and pouring herself more coffee, Elijah put her things away and closed his own pen.
"Come on," he spoke taking her hand.
"Wha-"
"You need sleep," he insisted.
"Elijah," she said doubtfully. "I've got two more articles to get through. Plus, I told Klaus I'd take care of Hope. I can't just-"
Taking the coffee from her hand, he set it down on the table. "I can finish those up for you and I can wake you if I hear Hope." Bringing her to the couch, he sat down and put a pillow on his lap, looking to her with a raised eyebrow. "Well?"
Elena wasn't sure what he was doing. Lay with him? Was he-
Pulling her by the arm, he sat her down on the couch, setting a blanket over her. Guiding her to lay her head on the pillow in his lap, he rubbed her hair. "Sleep, Elena," he commanded lightly.
She shuffled and turned to face him. "Are you sure?"
He gave her a look. "Sleep."
Studying his face, Elena slowly let her eyes droop and fell soundly into slumber.
It was probably the best night of Elijah's life since he and Elena had declared themselves friends. Here he was helping her with her work and convincing her to get sleep. He marveled at her beauty for a while before finishing up editing the papers. This was the closest thing he could get to being with her, and he soaked it up. "I love you, my lovely Elena," he said softly. She hummed in his sleep and he was warmed to the core.
Instead of quitting her job, she let Elijah help her every time she was given new assignments. They'd make a night or two out of it, staying at her place or up late at Klaus's after taking care of Hope. He was able to correct work fast enough that Elena was submitting pieces almost weekly.
"I haven't found anything new yet," Elena said talking with Klaus about the virus as they took Hope for a walk in the stroller. Their pet research project had been put on the back burner since Hope was born and Elena had work and school. But with Elijah helping her out and school work being light, she had picked it up again. "I still need to talk to Damon though. Maybe symptoms manifest after a few months. We should make sure he is okay. And I'll bring my research to show you on the plane tomorrow."
Klaus had decided to officially move back to Mystic Falls to raise Hope. He and the family (minus Rebekah) had all planned to help him pack up his things from New Orleans and bring them back here for him to settle in.
"Don't go alone," Klaus instructed. "If this is as bad as Finn experienced and the Salvatore is infected…we have no idea how this transmits." And I need you here to help me with my daughter, Klaus thought to himself. He wasn't sure how to deal with Hope on his own. He didn't grow up with a stable family or a loving home. None of the Mikaelson children really did and Elena was the only one who could model that for his daughter. Not to mention she still cried at nights from time to time and Elena had always taken it. It was his biggest reason of deciding to stay here.
"Now, on to better topics," Klaus said jovially. Taking off his jacket for a shivering Elena, he put it around her shoulders. The weather was slowly starting to shift into Fall. "What is it with you and dear Elijah? You've been spending quite a bit of time with him."
Elena rolled her eyes. Of course, he'd find fun in this. Even though he was a worried dad, he still had time and energy to be the big bad hybrid. She and Elijah were finally getting into the groove of having a friendship. While there was some building sexual tension every now and then, they mostly enjoyed each other's company. It wasn't complicated like being in love was.
"Not that it's any of your business," she said pointedly to Klaus, "but nothing is going on. We are just friends."
Klaus laughed. While she may have fooled herself into putting Elijah in the friend zone, he knew his brother felt otherwise. The day after Elena had called friends, Elijah became a broodier version of himself. He wanted to respect the girl's wishes because he was noble and all that. But he loved her. And then it wasn't until the night Elena came over to help with Hope's colic that it changed. The pair spent more time together, and as they did, the more his brother was returning back to his own Elijah self.
"Why did I come on this walk with you, again?" Elena muttered.
"Because you love my daughter," Klaus answered. It was true. Elena loved little baby Hope. Even if it was made from Klaus and Hayley, she adored the bald baby.
"Look," he said in a more serious tone. "While I am all for the 'will they won't they', you eventually are going to have to make a choice, Elena. Elijah loves you with his entire being. You're stringing the poor man along."
Guilt ate Elena. Part of her knew that. It was hard not to. She could still remember the looks of love and adoration he gave her the morning she ran to her bathroom, before telling him they could only be friends. She knew he loved her and she still loved him. But she was afraid to trust him again and to let herself love him. It was just easier to be his friend.
They returned home from the walk and as Elena planned to sneak out from the mansion hopefully unnoticed by Elijah, but she failed.
"Welcome home," he told the three of them. Grabbing Hope, he kissed her little cheek. "Elena, did you want to start on the papers now?"
Seeing Elijah, all big, tall and muscular holding a cute tiny child, stirred many feelings in Elena. It made him more gorgeous and undeniably sexy than he already was, but it also made her heart heave with guilt as she thought about her talk with Klaus. "Ummm…" She curled some hair behind her ear. "Actually, I won't have any time tonight. I forgot I have to…go check on Damon." She came up with the excuse quickly and was praying that he wouldn't question it. Stuffing her things in her bag, she cursed at all her papers she spread out all around the table.
Elijah was lost at the way that she suddenly couldn't look at him and was attempting to rush out of the house. She had been fine saying hello to him this morning. "Aren't they due tomorrow?" he wondered, remembering her deadline.
Crap.
Think, Elena. Think. "Uh, well…I-…I'll figure it out." She stuffed the last of her papers in her bag. "Thanks anyway." Rushing to the door, she stopped back to grab her pens from the counter.
"Not alone, Elena!" Klaus called as she kissed Hope's little hand and went to fly out the house.
"Elena-" Elijah turned to try to ask her what was going on.
"I'll bring Caroline!" Elena called from behind her as she closed the door to the mansion.
"What was that?" Elijah asked his brother looking back at where Elena last was.
Klaus stood in the kitchen silently amused. Sipping his drink, he didn't dare answer his brother.
Elena had dragged Caroline from her dorm to the Salvatore boarding house. Knocking on the door, they were met with a suspicious Damon. "What do you two want?" he asked them.
Elena rolled her eyes. "We came to see you and check up on how you're doing since Stefan isn't around. Can we come in?"
"When did I need a babysitter?" Damon questioned when the girls pushed their way inside.
"Since you've been MIA," Caroline answered. They hadn't heard from Damon in over a week. He had been holing himself up in the house more and more.
"Yeah, well maybe I don't feel like hanging out with a group of teens."
Elena rolled her eyes. "Are you okay? What's been going on?"
"I'm fine, Elena," he scoffed. Grabbing himself a drink from the liquor cart, he gestured to the house. "Anything I can help you with?"
"Damon," Elena sighed. Of course, he wouldn't make this easy. "Look, Caroline and I are going out for a pizza. Did you want to join us? It could be fun."
"Yeah and afterward we can sit around and play truth or dare," he said sarcastically. "No, Elena. I don't want to go out with you guys."
She narrowed her eyes at him while Caroline just huffed. Elena had known Damon long enough that when he was pushing someone away it was for a reason. Seeing how he wasn't mad at her, something else was going on.
"Take off your jacket and shirt," she commanded.
"Elena," Damon faked offended, "there are children here," notioning to Caroline. She scoffed.
"I'm serious Damon," Elena stated. Finn had taken a chunk out of his neck months ago and while it was healed, she couldn't tell if there were any lasting effects. He was wearing his leather jacket that had a high collar which was covering his neck. She had a hunch if he was infected it could have spread like werewolf venom.
"I'm not undressing for you. Not if-"
Speeding to him, she pulled down at the collar of his jacket to get a good look at his neck where Finn had once bitten him. Nothing.
"Hey!"
Elena narrowed her eyes. Going for his shirt he pushed her away. The two stared at each other in a deadlock.
"Guys…" Caroline said awkwardly.
Elena held Damon's stare. He could be angry all he wanted. He was hiding something.
"Fine," he seethed. Pulling up his shirt, he showed her there was nothing. There was no scar, no bite, no mark. Nothing. Just very nice abs.
"Now, get out," he said venomously.
"Damon…."
"Get out, Elena!" he yelled in her face.
Huffing, Elena walked out of the boarding house with Caroline in tow.
"I still can't believe you almost made him strip," Caroline giggled as they ate.
"He's hiding something, I know it," Elena said stubbornly.
"Well, if he is, maybe he'll come to us when he's ready," Caroline said gently. But even she didn't believe that. Setting a hand on top of her friend's, she put on her best supportive face. "Just let him be for a while, Elena. I'm sure it's hard on him with Stefan being gone."
Elena sighed. She hoped that was all it was.
A knock on the door made Elena get up from her spot on the floor. After returning from dinner with Caroline, she quickly packed for her trip to New Orleans and then put on some coffee to get down to work. She still had 4 pieces to review and she needed to get it done before she left town.
Opening her door, Elena was met with the man she wanted to avoid for a while longer. "Elijah? What are you doing here?"
"Niklaus told me about your hunches concerning Damon after you left. You had said you were going over there with Caroline and I wanted to make sure you were alright. Can I come in?"
Elena glanced back to her living room where her piles of papers were. She was sure Elijah would offer to stay and help her.
"Elena?" he asked with raised brows.
"Uh…" she turned back to him.
Staring at her with narrowed eyes, he tucked his hands in his coat pockets. "Are you avoiding me?"
"What? No," she said a bit too quickly. He pursed his lips and gave her a knowing look. Damn. He knew.
Opening her door wider for him to enter, she saw his eyes catch her work on the floor.
"Why didn't you call me?" he asked turning to her as she shut the door. "I would have come to help you."
"It's fine," she sighed, walking over to her things. Picking up the piles, she tried to clean up.
"Elena…I don't understand. Talk to me."
You're stringing the poor man along, Klaus's voice echoed in her head.
"Nothing," Elena sighed setting down some papers on her desk. She didn't know what she was doing anymore. She didn't want to hurt Elijah or pull him along with her, but she was. She knew of his attraction to her, as she felt with him. The undeniable pull and love she had for him had grown since declaring themselves friends. But she didn't trust stepping into a relationship with him would be a good idea. Staying friends caused less problems and was less complicated. But was it right?
Catching her with his body before she could grab more of her work from the floor, he looked to her. "What is going on with you?"
As Elena stared at him, the air changed. That caring and concerned face and his rugged looks. She swallowed hard as she was captivated by his eyes.
Elijah could feel as things shifted between them. The way Elena looked up at him with her chocolate orbs. Desire. Uncertainty. Love. He could see it all, and he could hear her heart beat hard. Slowly, as if not to spook her, Elijah brought his hand up, running it in her hair. Cupping the side of her face, he leaned in gradually, giving her ample time to push him away. When his lips finally touched hers, he let desire take over.
They kissed with maddening fury. With their heightened speed and agility, they were grasping at each other, shedding each other's clothes and dominating each other's lips all around the room. It wasn't until they laid on the edge of the bed with only Elijah in his pants and Elena in her underwear and bra that she pulled back from him.
Friends she said. Friends she kept repeating to herself. And sex was what they were starting to do.
"We can't," she whispered, realizing what they were about to do. Pulling back, she felt him set his forehead on her shoulder and groan. His body hovered above her.
Pushing at his chest and shoulders, she swallowed hard. She was giving into desires and she couldn't. They couldn't. They had to be friends. She couldn't love him again. She couldn't feel that for him.
"One night," he bargained. Looking into her eyes as she tried to push away from him, he knew. Elena loved him. Elena desired him. But so afraid to hurt again, she kept fighting it. He saw how much she wanted him and he could feel it as her body pressed against his. He knew she was in love with him. "One night," he repeated, bringing his hand up from her body to her face. "No holding back, no pushing me away. Just one night where you stop fighting how you feel, Elena."
Her heart beat quickened.
"And then we go back to friends." He ran his hand back down her body, brushing the skin against her hip as he grazed the band of her panties.
"Just like that?" she wondered softly. There had to be a catch.
"Just like that," he said simply. Watching as looked for any hint of a lie in his face, she caved in and gave a soft nod. A bright smile crossed his face and dove for her lips again.
An unrestrained Elena was the same as the previous nights they shared, but this time, it felt different. Both of them felt lighter.
Moving her up higher on the bed, Elijah bent down to kiss her neck, collarbone and unclasped her bra to then kiss her breasts.
She held him against her chest, raking her nails over his shoulders, before cupping the back of the neck. She sifted her hands through his hair and moaning in pleasure as his mouth teased her nipples.
"Elijah," she moaned, as she felt him slip off her panties. Bringing his head back up to hers, she kissed him with passion and moved her hands to undo his belt and push down his jeans. Within minutes of shedding his clothes he was buried deep inside of her. Hugging her body with his, he cupped the back of her knee to bring it higher, and thrust deep.
"Yes…. Elena," Elijah groaned. Falling forward to kiss her, he buried himself inside her. Slowing his motions, he put his forehead against hers. "Look at me," he commanded. Thrust….thrust…thrust… Elena finally looked up at him.
Thrust…thrust…
Elena gave little gasps as they moved with one another.
"I… love you," he breathed, as he held onto her hips, thrusting against her harder.
Bringing her hands up to his face, she ran her fingertips over his features.
"No holding back," he reminded her. He knew what she wanted to say. He knew exactly what she was feeling. But he wanted her to say it –to admit it.
Pulling himself out of her, until just the tip of himself was inside of her, he swiftly plunged himself back deep in between her legs.
"I love you too," she whispered. His eyes watched hers, and he brought her into a strong kiss. Taking her to the place she needed, he held her body and watched as he gave her a mind-blowing orgasm.
"Say it again," he commanded breathlessly once he finished inside of her. Bringing her to lay on his chest, he held naked body tight against side.
"Elijah…" she cautioned. While she meant the words deeply, she couldn't let this become more. It had to stay one night.
"Please, Elena," he told her. Glancing to her, her eyes melted and she gave in. "I love you too."
He moved, bringing her into a kiss. He wanted her to say it over and over. He wanted it for more than tonight, but for now he'd take what he could get.
"Tell me again," he breathed, forehead to hers.
"I love you too," she whispered.
"Again," he commanded as he sat them up. "I love you," she told him.
Pulling her to sit on his lap, he pushed past her wet folds and he seated himself deep inside of her. He watched as she gasped as he thrust up into her. He'd never get enough of her saying it.
"Again," he commanded, thrusting once more.
"I love you," she moaned. He went and kissed her neck. "I love you," she panted as he played with her nipple. And then the rhythm set in. Watching as she bounced herself on top of him, he kissed and pleasured her as she whispered her love and desire for him until she came all over him.
"Don't stop," she commanded as he slowed his movements to let her ride down her high. Doing as she commanded, he picked up their rhythm again. He bounced her and listened to her moan as he thrusted himself into her. His fingertips dug into her hips as he felt himself get close to the edge.
"Yes," she hissed. Knowing he was at the edge, she kissed and nipped at his neck. Moaning against him, she told him the one thing her heart could no longer keep to itself. "I'm in love with you."
And he exploded. Pushing her down into him, he orgasmed the hardest he had ever felt before. It took lots of kissing and touching from Elena to get him to focus again.
"What did you say to me?" he asked unbelieving as they stayed in one another's arms. She blushed and looked away.
"Elena," he said strongly. This was the most important thing to him. He had to know he heard correctly and what she said was real.
"I'm in love with you," she repeated, running her hands down his muscular chest.
Gently tipping her chin up to meet his, he gazed lovingly at her. "Then why are we doing this?" he asked. "Why-"
She shut him up by planting her lips on his. "Please," she said with utter vulnerability. He asked her to feel, to let go, to let him in. And so, she did, but it would be only for a night. She couldn't let it be more than that.
They had mind-blowing sex, and they made pretty good friends. They could make each other laugh, smile and know when to cheer one another up. But more than that and Elena questioned if they could be what they were again. What if Hayley came back into the picture? What if they tried and it didn't work? What if it were always and forever again?
Elijah watched the swirl of emotion in her eyes. She was in love with him, but he had hurt her so badly she couldn't do it again. How had he screwed up so bad?
They went at it for most of the night, each wrapped in pleasure and bliss. By the time the sun started coming up Elena was spent. Holding and touching one another, Elijah watched as she drifted in and out of slumber. He couldn't fall asleep. He didn't want the night with her to ever end. While he promised to go back to being friends, his heart ached knowing how she felt for him.
While Elena slept, he finished her work, stacking it in a nice pile and bundling it on her desk so it was ready to go. He laid cuddled with her in bed, watching her in a peaceful slumber. And then when it was time to leave her, he struggled not to wake her. He wanted to hear moan his name one last time, to watch as she told him she loved him, and to hear that she was in love with him. Instead though, he dressed and left her a note, waiting until he could see her again in a few hours.
When Elena woke, she found her bed empty, with nothing but a note on the pillow.
It may have been only one night, but you have my love, always and forever.
I'll wait and be here as long as it takes.
Keep me in your heart,
-E.
She sighed, reading it over and over again. Glancing at the clock, she found herself running late. Dashing through the shower and rushing to work to turn in her assignments, Kol then picked her up and they drove to the private plane waiting on the tarmac.
"So, was it mind-blowingly good?" he asked waggling his eyebrows as they made their way down the aisle of the plane. Elena turned and swatted him with the back of her hand. Glancing to the open row in front of her on the right, she found Elijah in the row across from hers on the left. He was reading a paper, having glanced at her and Kol's conversation.
Turning a dark shade of red, she looked back to Kol who was hardly containing his laughter.
"I hate you so much," she muttered him shoving her bag at him. Staring at him as he caught it, she focused on their link, sending an overwhelming amount of thoughts and feelings his way. They had figured out with time that their link could only hold so much. When they pushed one another, feeling and thinking too much for either party to process, it'd send sharp pains in their head.
"Ow! Damn it, Elena!" he said grabbing his head. Giving him a pointed look, she turned and sat down.
"Good morning, Elena," Elijah spoke returning to his paper. She could tell he was trying to hold his smirk, but she knew him well enough to see it.
"Elijah," she breathed, buckling her seat belt and glancing out the window. She wondered how much he had heard of their conversation before getting on the plane.
Kol came and plopped down in the seat next to Elena, placing himself and the aisle way in between her and Elijah.
"Wake me up when we get there," Kol told her, closing his eyes and using her shoulder as a pillow.
Elena shoved Kol's head off her shoulder, making him whine. "Come on, darling. Please?"
With a puppy dog look, Elena caved. Slouching down more in her chair, she let him rest his head on her.
"She's not a pillow, Kol," Elijah called, still reading his paper. Elena glanced to him with a look in her eye. Was this because of last night?
"Bugger off, brother," Kol muttered, snuggling more against Elena and falling asleep.
"I can handle myself, Elijah," Elena spoke softly, knowing he could hear it.
"My brother should not treat you as property," Elijah told her. Before either of them could say more, the sounds of Klaus's swearing and Hope's whimpers were heard.
Klaus walked onto the plane, two different very full diaper bags slung over each of his shoulders, Hope in a baby carrier in one arm, and a stroller in the other. "Bloody hell," he growled as he had difficulty in the small aisle way.
"Kol!" Klaus barked.
"No," Kol snapped back with his eyes still closed.
Elijah got up and grabbed the stroller from his brother, going off to stow it, and so Elena gently slipped out from being Kol's pillow and grabbed Hope from the hybrid.
Smiling at the child, Elena sat back down in her seat and pulled the infant out of the carrier.
"Hi baby," Elena smiled bouncing Hope on her knees, as Kol resumed laying his head on Elena's shoulder.
A gust of wind pushed Elena's hair back and Kol was smacked in the face with an airplane size pillow and blanket. Elijah had thrown it at him two aisles over.
"Not near my daughter," Klaus growled as he sat in the seat next to Elijah's.
Elijah ignored both, Klaus and the look Elena was giving him, and went to sit back down in his seat. Within minutes the plane took off and Elena continued to play with Hope while Kol and Klaus slept in their seats.
Elena held the baby's tiny little hands and arms, bouncing the child and making her burst out with baby giggles and laughs. The two of them smiled at one another, while Elijah watched from behind his newspaper, falling deeper in love with Elena as she held his niece. He wondered if she changed her mind about children or if she still didn't want any. She had been amazing with little Hope, as she saved him and Klaus from numerous baby crises.
Focusing back on his paper, he tried not to sigh or think about his time with Elena last night.