So, this chapter talks of Elijah's ex-wife, should I make her Celeste or Aya? I can't make her Katherine or Tatia since that may be too hard to explain. And I already have an idea for Hayley (who will be a small part in the story but in no way involved with Elijah).

I also stuffed up a few chapters earlier, when I said Bonnie was 24, she's 25 in this.

My Word program is still playing up, so sorry for the inconsistencies when it comes to spelling. This stupid document keeps saying I've spelt colour and organise wrong! It's a pain in the butt since almost every second paragraph I have to write Maid of Honour and it tells me I've spelt Honour wrong!

I do not own The Vampire Diaries.

Chapter 3

Small World

…

Two weeks later, in between dress searches and fitting, countless phone calls with caterers and limo companies and venues, back in Virginia, because Caroline had always wanted to get married for the church in Mystic Falls. Elena had somehow also managed to fit three more dates with Elijah into her busy schedule, plan an engagement party with Bonnie and write for her book, then send the pages off to Jeremy in California so he can illustrate.

It was now the last weekend of February and Elena was dressed to the nines for Caroline and Nik's engagement party. Apparently Nik's parents and his youngest brother and his oldest brother and family had come all the way over from England. Most of Caroline's fiancé's siblings lived in the States, though.

Elena could count the number of times she's met Caroline's future husband on one hand. There had been the dinner that he had come to, three months into his and Caroline's relationship, when he had met her and Bonnie. She had not seen him again until Nik had followed Caroline back to Virginia for the holidays. He had been at the annual Mystic Falls Christmas ball at the Lockwood's and then at the New Year's party at Elena's parents and the weekend after his and Caroline's engagement, when Bonnie and Elena had gone to dinner with him and his sister, Rebekah, (his only sibling that could make it at such short notice) and Nik's three year old daughter, Hope, to congratulate the happy couple. Something about this struck a familiar cord with Elena, but she had been so busy lately she had not stopped to ponder why.

Caroline had been messaging her and Bonnie all day, making sure that everything was going according to plan. Elena went to the Airport after lunch and picked up Liz, Caroline's mom and Bill, her dad, who had come in on different flights. That was difficult, since both of Caroline's parents hadn't been in a confined space for longer than an hour since they divorced, ten years ago. Needless to say, the car ride to the hotel Caroline had booked for her parents was a headache.

Elena did a last check of her outfit and make up, before grabbing her bag and heading out the door.

It was almost another two years before she saw Elijah, again. It was five days before Christmas and she was at the airport. All flights had been delayed because of a possible blizzard.

"This is what I get for leaving it until last minute," she said into her phone to her brother. "My flight to Richmond's been pushed back four hours, tell mom and dad that I'll just rent a car there and drive to Mystic Falls, myself. No need for them to drive out and get me in the middle of the night."

She hung up and went to the restaurant, thinking she would get some dinner.

"Elena Gilbert," she hears and she turns around. There stood Elijah, his hair was longer again, but combed to the side, he also has a day or two of growth on his face. He was wearing another suit, dark grey in colour and a white shirt, he had a black, woolen, trench coat and a white scarf over his arm and a laptop bag and black, travel garment bag resting over a small suit case to his side, he was smiling widely at her. "The little, undeclared freshman."

"Elijah, what are you doing here?" She asked, adjusting the strap on her carry-on over her shoulder.

"The same thing as you, I assume." He smiled, his eyes twinkling, "Waiting for my flight," he said, after a moment. "I didn't know you lived in New York," he said.

"I moved here with my friends after graduation. One of them got into a graduate program at NYU. Are you heading back to England for Christmas?" She asked.

"I am, in fact." He nodded to her carry-on and own winter coat, scarf and beanie in her other hand. "Are you going back to Virginia for the holidays?"

"Yeah, but my flights been pushed back to eleven, tonight, which means I won't get into Mystic falls until after two." She checked her watch, "Why does New York need to have a blizzard in the week before Christmas?"

"Murphy's law, my dear." He rose his eyebrows and smirked. "But take comfort in the fact that the flight to Virginia is far shorter than mine to London, and I leave at midnight. I am not looking forward to an eight hour flight."

"You have my sympathy," Elena said with a smirk.

"I don't suppose I could entice you to have dinner with me? To chat," he asked, then gestured to his luggage, "After I check-in, of course."

"Sure," she said, "I was just going to get something to eat, anyway."

They were seated and enjoyed talking. Elena noted that he no longer wore the wedding ring that he had two years ago. She rubs her own bare finger and remembered the gaudy, ostentatious ring that had adorned it just a few short months ago.

"You travelling alone?" She asked, trying to probe at his marital status but knowing she really shouldn't.

"Yes, I'll be the last to arrive in England, except Klaus, he's spending the holidays with his girlfriend's family." Elijah said, taking a sip of wine. "He's planning to propose soon, from what he's told me and was hoping to get her parents blessing over the Christmas break."

"Which one is Klaus?" Elena asks, "Is he the one that vomited on you the night of the party?"

"No," Elijah laughed, "He's the artist, it was my other younger brother who emptied his stomach on me, Kol."

"How many younger brothers do you have again?" Elena asked, thinking it was three or four.

"One older and three younger, plus two younger sisters. First, there's Finn, he's a teacher and two years older than me." Elijah cut into his dinner and paused, chewing some of his meal. "After me, there's Niklaus, the artist. He's 28 and a little under eighteen months younger. Between him and Kol is only eleven months. Freya, the sister who dragged me to that frat party, is 25, followed by Rebekah two years later. Then lastly, the baby of the family, Henrik, he's only sixteen."

"Wow," Elena said with a smile and wide eyes. "I take my hat off to your mom."

"I wouldn't be too impressed," Elijah said, smiling wide. "The nannies did a lot of the work."

"Oh," Elena laughed, "I see. You have one of those families, huh? The boatload of kids, all raised by the nanny in a big house in the English country side." She sees his face. "I'm kidding," she adds, hoping she's not offended him.

He smiles, "I know, but your face was too priceless to resist." He lets out a chuckle. "The funny thing is, it was a bit like that."

They finish up dinner and move to the bar, sharing a bottle of wine between them.

"So, I see you went with the English major?" Elijah asks, topping up her glass and placing a hand on her leg.

"Yeah, how did you know?" Elena asked, her breath hitching.

"Imagine my shock, when last week, I go to get my niece her Christmas present and I see 'Written by Elena Gilbert and Illustrated by Jeremy Gilbert' at the bottom of the book I'm buying." His eyebrows are raised and he has a teasing smirk in place.

"You have a niece? I'm so jealous," Elena asks, tapping her hand on his arm. "Jeremy's nowhere near ready to have kids, I don't see myself becoming an aunt for a while."

"I actually have two nieces and two nephews," he tells her. "Finn and his wife, Sage, have a little boy, Andrew, he's four and a new baby, Tessa, three months old. Niklaus has a daughter, who's almost three from a fling he had and Freya has a son, Mathias, named for her late-husband, who sadly passed before he was born. He's almost one."

"Oh, that's terrible," Elena said. "Your poor sister."

"Freya is an incredibly strong woman," Elijah said, with a sad, but proud smile. "I commend her, I have no idea how she got through it."

"I'm sure Freya having such a large family helped."

"Anyway, let's not speak of such sad topics," Elijah said. "My nieces and nephews will be receiving books by Elena Gilbert for Christmas."

"Well, I hope they like them."

"I'm sure they will," Elijah said. "Would you like another drink?" He holds up the empty wine bottle.

"Oh, my God, we've drunk that whole bottle? I should stop soon, then," Elena says. "Or I'm not going to be able to drive back to Mystic Falls from Richmond, later."

"Water or coffee then?"

"Water, I'll have a coffee after my flight." Elena takes a large gulp of cool water. "So, we've talked of my career, what about you? Mr Big-Hot-Shot-Lawyer type or not?"

"I have my own firm, actually, myself and an old friend of my brother's. Mikaelson and Gerard. But, enough about me, I'd much rather talk about you." She blushes and he drains the rest of his wine, then orders a water as well. "Elena," He says after a minute of quiet, "I've had enough liquid courage to admit that you have no idea how much I regret not putting your number into my phone before my brother caused me to wash it off, five years ago."

"Sometime, I wish that, too," Elena said. "But the timing wasn't right. I'm a big believer in everything happening for a reason. It wasn't right back then, and it wasn't right two years ago, because I saw the wedding ring on your finger. Hell, if I'd seen you six months ago, it wouldn't have been right then, since I was engaged. But if it was meant to be nothing, I don't think we would have kept running into each other again and again all these years later."

"Ah," Elijah groaned, "My marriage. That was a disaster and a half."

"What happened, if you don't mind my asking?"

"She just wasn't who I thought she was," he said. "The marriage was for all intents and and purposes, arranged, by my father. I did grow to love her, but I was never in love with her. The she had an affair with one of my oldest friends, which is why I left England. We've been divorced almost two years now, and they're happily married. I was in the middle of proceedings when I ran into you last, at that coffee shop."

"I was supposed to be getting married next month," Elena said, clasping Elijah's hand. "He was funny and passionate and it was great. Like really great, for a while, until I realised that I never saw my friends any more, even though we lived together. I didn't wear what I use to, I didn't go out to the movies or the clubs with Bonnie or Caroline. I felt like I didn't make my own choices, any more. He wasn't physical or anything, but he was controlling and it wasn't healthy. I broke it off in August, three months after we got engaged."

"Elena," Elijah said, "Do you think it would it be all right if, after we get back to the city after the holidays, I could take you out to dinner, on a date?"

"I'd like that," Elena said, a big grin covering her face. They announced the boarding of her flight. "Oh, shoot… um, give me your cell?" She asked, holding her hand out and putting her number into his phone. She was not about to let another opportunity pass her. "What's your last name, by the way?"

"Mikaelson," he told her, taking back his phone, then snapping a quick picture to accompany her profile. "Spelt with a 'k'."

"I had fun tonight," Elena said, picking up her stuff. "I hope to hear from you, Elijah Mikaelson with a 'k'."

"You will," He walked her over to her gate. "I should probably make my way over to the international side. Good bye Elena and have a good Christmas."

"Merry Christmas to you, too," she said back. Then, feeling impulsive, she pushed herself up onto toes and placed a kiss on his cheek, only Elijah turned his head slightly at that exact moment and their lips met.

It was only for a second, but Elena broke off, her face flaming.

"Um, bye," she said, making her way over to the entry of the gate, her ticket out and a large smile on her face.

"Goodbye, lovely Elena."

Just before turning her phone off for the flight, she saw that she had a message from an unfamiliar number. Once she opened it, she let out a laugh.

Message received 10:47pm. Dec, 20th 2013

Elena Gilbert

You have my name and number now, I expect to see you after the New Year.

Elijah Mikaelson

There was a photo of him, looking rather awkwardly at the camera at the bottom of the text.

She saved the photo and then programmed in the number, attaching the photo to it.

Sometimes, Elena didn't know why she bothered to own a car in New York. Sure, they lived outside of the city, but with the amount of times she actually gets to drive it, it's ridiculous.

She had almost taken her car tonight, but at the last moment decided otherwise, and for that she was grateful. Especially when she saw the traffic just three blocks from the venue that Caroline and Nik's engagement party was.

She was running slightly behind and had been getting text after text and phone call after phone call from Caroline for the last half an hour.

Elena finally walked through the door of the art gallery that Nik owned (it was also where Elena learned that Caroline and Nik had met, after Caroline organised the opening party last March. Caroline had gone into the contract with only one other event planned solely by her under her belt and come out with not only a kick-ass party and a huge number of possible clients, but a date with the owner, Nik).

Elena pulled open the door to the gallery, flustered and in a hurry. The room was filled with people, champagne going around the room on trays carried by servers, along with trays of hor d'oeuvres. There was a bar set up to the side of the main area and pictures of Caroline and her new fiancé littered the walls.

"I know, I know, I'm late," Elena huffed to Bonnie, who was talking to a tall gentleman with dark hair and his back to the door. "Sorry I made you hold down the fort, Bon, was Caroline hard to deal with?"

"Elena," Bonnie said, passing Elena a flute from a passing tray. "Thank God, you're here. Why are you late?"

"Stupid editor," Elena grumbled, taking a sip of the champagne. "There was something wrong with one of the pictures Jeremy drew and even though I said I was busy tonight the idiot would not get off the phone."

"Ah hum," the man that Bonnie had been talking to coughed, in an obvious attempt to get Bonnie's attention back.

"Oh, how rude of me," Bonnie said. "Elena, this is Kol, Nik's brother. Kol, this is Elena, the Maid of Honour and mine and Caroline's best friend."

Elena looked at the guy for the first time and saw that he was very handsome, just like Bonnie said, but other than that, there was something almost familiar about his looks. Elena just couldn't put her finger on it, since he didn't resemble Nik very much.

"Lovely to meet you, darling," he said, taking Elena's outstretched hand and placing a kiss on the back of it.

"It's nice to meet you, too," Elena said, blushing a bit. Bonnie was also right about him being charming.

"I'm curious, but have I ever met you before?" Kol asked, his brow furrowed. "It's just that you look familiar."

"I don't think so," Elena said, shaking her head. "I don't mean to be rude, but I've got to go find the bride-to-be or she won't have a Maid of Honour because she would've killed me."

Kol let out a laugh and Bonnie shook her head as Elena walked away, "She's not joking," Elena heard Bonnie mutter and it just made Kol laugh louder.

Elena found Caroline talking to Nik, her parents, another couple, who she suspected were Nick parents and a man about Nik's height.

"And here she is now," Caroline said, spying Elena. The other couple turned and Elena offered them a meek smile, but that smile fell off her face at the other man turning. "One second," Caroline said, holding up her index finger.

Caroline walked over to her and stared with her lips pursed.

Elena's eyes got wide and she almost dropped her drink, "Shit," she muttered under her breath. It was Elijah.

"Why are you so late?" She snapped, "I had to meet Nik's parents and the rest of his siblings on my own." She turned back to the group, her grip tight on her arm and muttered out the side of her mouth, "C'mon, let get you introduced to Nik's parents and his brother."

Elena tore her eyes from the grinning Elijah, Nik's brother, who was standing next to Caroline's fiancé. Caroline grabbed Elena's wrist and dragged her over to the group.

"So, you'll be the Maid of Honour?" The middle aged blonde woman asked, but Elena's eyes were still on Elijah, who was just smirking at her, the bastard.

"Yeah," Elena said to the woman who was obviously Nik's mom. She shook her head, sent a quick glare at Elijah and smiled, "I'm Elena Gilbert, nice to meet you."

"Elena, this is Nik's parents, Mr and Mrs Mikaelson." Elena was even more shocked, Nik's last name was Mikaelson, with a 'k', I'll bet. "And this is his brother, Elijah, he'll be the Best Man." How had Elena not put it together? Both Nik and Elijah had huge families, they were both from England, they both had a brother names Kol and there was even a slight resemblance. Nik must be Elijah's brother Niklaus, the one that he calls Klaus. In her defence, Elena had not known that Caroline's future surname would be spelt with a 'K'.

"Good evening," Elijah said, taking Elena's hand and placing a kiss on it. Elena's eyes were wide. Elijah then turned and faced his parents. "You won't mind if I steal my partner in the wedding for a bit, so I can get to know her?" When Caroline said it was fine, he smiled. "Mother, you look lovely. Liz, so nice to meet you and Bill. Caroline, welcome to the family. Now if you'll excuse me?"

Elijah tucked her hand into his elbow and led her over to the other side of the room.

As soon as they were out of earshot of Caroline and his brother, Elena rounded on him.

"Did you know?" She asked, smacking his arm lightly. They were now in a corridor which Elena assumed led to the offices, affording them a little privacy.

Elijah just smiled and tucked a curl behind her ear. "I suspected," he said, "but I didn't know for sure until last week, when I met with Niklaus and Caroline, who mentioned her friend," he gestured to her, "Elena."

"And you couldn't've warned me?" Elena snapped, "Oh, my God," she smacked her hand over her face, "I just met your parents... I just met my boyfriend's parents."

"You just called me your boyfriend," Elijah pointed out. "You never called me that before."

"Sorry," Elena quickly said, now very embarrassed. "Um, I didn't mean to. I'm rambling, never mind."

"No, no," Elijah said, cupping the side of her face. "I like it. I can be your boyfriend, if you be my girlfriend?"

"I still can't believe you didn't warn me," Elena pouted. Elijah just gave out a soft chuckle, which caused Elena to whack his arm, again. "No, I mean it, Elijah. If you had to meet my family, I'd warn you. In fact you will, mom and dad are good friends with Liz. Maybe I'll sneak them on you, unprepared."

"I'm sorry, sweetheart," Elijah said, cupping her face again and then leaning in a pressing a short kiss to her lips. "Don't be mad, please? I promise, I'll make it up to you later." He gave her that deadly smirk, the one that always got her hot and bothered.

"I don't know, are you worthy of forgiveness?" Elena asked, teasingly, and pretended to think it over. "Give me a massage and your full, undivided attention all night and I may consider it."

"Oh," he said, frowning, "You drive a hard bargain, my lovely Elena, but you have a deal." He leaned forward and captured her lips in a heated kiss, then kissed his way to her ear and whispered, "But for the massage, I must insist that both you and I be devoid of any clothing."

Elena giggled, when his kisses reached her neck, her breath stuttered and her eyes fluttered closed.

"Well, well, well," a voice said, behind Elijah. "What do we have here?"

Elena and Elijah sprang apart and Elena's face glowed red, her eyes wide, looking around. Elijah turned and came face to face with his younger brother.

"Eli, you naughty boy, diddling with the Maid of Honour," Kol said. Bonnie was standing next to him, a knowing grin on her face. "I knew I recognized you from somewhere, darling. You're the lady my big bro's bonkers for. He kept going on and on about you at Christmas."

"Kol," Elijah started, a stern, disapproving look on his face.

Bonnie came over to Elena at the same time as Elijah started to admonish Kol, for embarrassing Elena.

"So this Elijah is your Elijah, huh?" Bonnie asked, "What a coincidence. You're dating Elijah, who you've known for years and Caroline's getting married to his younger brother."

"Plus, you're dating Kol… wait a minute." Elena turned back to Elijah and, Kol who were talking. "Kol, your brother, Kol?" Elena said, getting their attention. "The brother that threw up on you that first night, after that party?"

Kol looked at her sheepishly. "Yeah, sorry about that, darling."

Elena just shook her head.

"You know you can't tell Caroline that you two are dating, right?" Bonnie said, breaking through Elena's thoughts. "Not yet, anyway."

"What, why?" Elijah asked, suddenly confused. Why could he not just let his brother and future sister-in-law know that he already was very well acquainted with the Maid of Honour.

"She's right," Elena said, regretfully.

"But, why?" He repeated.

"Yeah, Bonbon and I are dating and we're in the wedding party, why should you two be any different?" Kol asked, wrapping his arm around Bonnie's waist. "Caroline was the one that set us up!"

"You're both just Groomsman and Bridesmaid, if your relationship went sour, she could just switch up the positions and pair Bonnie with one of your other brother's and stick you with one of your sisters." Elena explained, "But she can't do that with us and if she found out that we're together, she will be a nightmare, if our relationship didn't work, she can't swap one of us out. I love Caroline, she's basically like my sister, but she takes OCD to a whole new level. She's been planning her wedding since we were nine."

"She can be scary," Bonnie added, nodding her head in agreement.

"No," Elijah said, shaking his head. "This may be your friend's wedding, but I'm not hiding my relationship with you because Caroline has control issues. If anything, she should be happy for us. Happy that we're happy."

"And she will be," Elena said, taking Elijah hands. "After the wedding. It's only four and a half months away."

"You know what," Kol said, leading Bonnie away from the couple, "How 'bout we leave you two to talk."

"Elena," he said, shaking his head, his lips pursed in frustration.

"Please," Elena said, placing her hand on his chest. "Just for a few months, just think about it. Please?"

"I-I," Elijah broke off, and just shook his head and walked out from her embrace. "Excuse me," he said, walking out of the hall way.

She followed. "Elijah," she said, somewhat feebly, watching his back as he walked away and back into the crowd.

Elena stood there, shocked at first, but then sadness and anger rose in her. She steeled herself, willing the tears that welled in her eyes to not fall as she took a deep breath and rejoined the party, a forced smile on her face.

I still have no idea what to make Kol and Freya do for a living? Again, I would love some suggestions.

Don't worry, I have no intention of letting this argument last very long. They'll go back to being the loving and overly sexual Elejah that we know and love very soon. In fact I guarantee that they will make up, with lots of sex in the next chapter.

Don't be mad at Caroline, her reaction will probably shock Elena when it finally dose come out. Bonnie and Elena rally shouldn't jump to conclusions. But they did say that Caroline would be a Bridezilla and come on, we've all seen Caroline under pressure and planning stuff, we all know that when they time come, Caroline Forbes will be the biggest Bridezilla... EVER!

Never mind about the ex-wife thing, I've decided to make her Aya.

Leave a review and let me know what you think…