"Okay," Elena said nervously. All the supplies were gathered and the needle was being pulled from her arm. Concentrated liquids of both franklin tree and vervain, and two bags of Gilbert blood.
"Do we know how much of each to add?" Kol wondered.
"No," she sighed. Her father's journal wasn't very descriptive on that part.
"How do we know it will work?" Rebekah wondered as Elijah was putting away the last of the blood kit.
Elena grabbed the bags of vampire blood and human blood. Klaus had helped her come up with the answer to this question. "First, Elijah will release them from their compulsion. Then, they take the elixir, and my guess is that they will be hungry, so we have open bags of both waiting for them. Whichever they go for first will tell us if it worked or not."
"And if they go for vampire blood?" Kol wondered, thinking the plan was risky. If the Salvatores were still infected, they could pass the virus along to any of them.
"Then I shove them back in the tomb and we compel them again," Elena concluded.
"You?" Kol asked.
"Gilbert blood," she answered bluntly. She was the only one probably immune to this virus.
"But you don't know that for sure, do you?" he asked his friend.
She shrugged.
Kol scowled. This was a horrible idea.
"Ready?" she asked Elijah when he was finished putting the kit away. Grabbing the blood bags, she placed them in her purse. Grabbing his hand, she waved to the siblings and left for the tomb.
"You are to exit the tomb and not move," Elijah compelled them. Both Damon and Stefan followed Elijah's instructions.
"You'll take this first," Elena told Damon and Stefan, hand raised with a clear liquid vial of Franklin tree. "After that, you'll take a half bag of my blood, and then a concentrated shot of vervain," she told them, holding up another clear vial. "My guess is that you'll pass out from the vervain since you both don't have a tolerance. Elijah and I will be right outside of the tombs. Two different blood bags will be on the floor for each of you. One will be vampire blood and the other human blood. You won't know which, but your hunger should kick in and we can take it from there."
"You mean if we go for the vampire blood you know the cocktail didn't work and we are screwed," Damon simplified.
Elena shot him a look.
"Okay," Stefan breathed. This was his best hope of ever getting out of the tombs and back in a bigger space away from his brother.
Elijah compelled each of them to drink the vials one at a time. He figured the more controlled it could be, the safer for everyones sake. After the brothers passed out from the vervain, Elijah sped them outside the tomb.
"I hope this works," Elena said nervously. They had come too far for it to fail. She couldn't lose them.
Elijah kissed her forehead and waited. It took only 10 minutes or so for the vervain to wear off and for them to wake up. Hearing them stir, Elena cautiously went to peak at what bag Stefan and Damon were hungry for.
"Ugh," Damon complained as he sat up from the cold ground. Smelling blood, the veins around his eyes changed and his hunger was overwhelming. Jumping for an open bag, he began sucking it dry. Elena watched as Stefan did the same. Their hunger for blood irresistible.
"It's human," Elena spoke with relief to Elijah. Smiling, she watched as her hungry friends fed. Elijah cautiously stayed at the top of the tombs with Elena, holding her back from going further. Hungry vampires were still not a thing to mess with, especially when they were carriers of a virus.
They waited until the men were done feeding.
"How are you feeling?" Elena wondered down to them.
"Hungry," Damon called to her after finishing the human blood bag. There was no desire for the other one. "We need to get Stefan in the cellar to detox normally," he added. Stefan was still feeding off the nearly empty bag, looking very Ripper like.
"Come on buddy," Damon said getting up. Snapping his brother's neck, he scooped the man's body over his shoulder.
"Damon!" Elena exclaimed. She was going to have Elijah help them both back to the boarding house.
"This is quicker," Damon claimed as he passed her. The three ran back to the boarding house. Damon had never been so happy to see the old place.
"Here we go," Damon grunted, setting his brother's body down. Tossing a human blood bag in the cell, he shut the door, locking it from the outside. Grabbing a bag for himself, he waved it in the air to Elena and Elijah and began drinking. They had taken the duty of restocking the house of human blood for them.
Elena ran up, hugging him. "I'm really glad you're back," she claimed before pulling back. Damon tried to not look pained at the girl he loved. He had been dying to hug her since she almost died in the tombs.
"Me too," he smiled to her. "Now get out of here. Go spread the good news."
Hugging him one last time, she pulled the Christmas invitation out of her back pocket and handed it to him. "Bye, Damon." Wrapping her arm around Elijah's waist, the two of them left the house.
Damon sighed. And there went Elena with his heart.
"Oh! What about this?" Elena asked Klaus as they were out Christmas shopping. The pair was picking up some last-minute things for Hope. Holding up a cute stuffed giraffe with a matching blanket, she wiggled it in the air for Klaus. He gave a face.
"Come on," she huffed, bringing over the toy and setting it in their basket. "She'll love it. I know she will."
It took them another two hours downtown before finally making their way home. Elena had finished shopping for each of the Mikaelsons and even got a few more things for Hope. She was excited for her first Christmas with all of them.
Klaus hadn't been the worst company in the world. He wanted his daughter to have a memorable first Christmas and to feel loved. He listened to most things Elena recommended doing.
"You know, I'm probably not the best person to go to for advice on a happy family anymore," Elena told Klaus as they walked arm-in-arm down the snowy sidewalk to the next shop. "It was Grayson Gilbert who created the Ripper Virus after all."
Klaus looked away. That was what had made her more perfect to be his guide, and one day, Hope's role model. "Grayson Gilbert and I have much in common," he told Elena. She looked at him with confusion. "Elena, when my daughter grows up, she'll come to know the truth about everything I've done and continue to do. She'll hear the horrific stories and cries of injustice I've bestowed on people."
He frowned. "I've been trying so hard for my little girl's first Christmas because I know when she grows up, she'll come to hate me, as most rightfully have. I'm pathetically trying to savor these times with her, where I'm just her father in her eyes. She's still so innocent enough she doesn't know any better."
Elena's heart dropped for him.
"If anything were to happen to me, or anything to happen between Hope and I, I know she'll go to you," Klaus told her, stopping their walk and turning to Elena. "You were raised by an evil man, but you turned out just fine. Through it all, you still love, you laugh, and you know how to hold on to people. You help make others better just by your presence and seeing the good in everyone. I want my daughter to have that."
Klaus sniffled against the cold air. "You'll be able to understand her. You'll have it in common with her, that the fathers who raised you were monsters. And I don't want my daughter to be alone."
Elena stood dumbfounded.
"Just promise me, Elena," Klaus said looking to her with wet eyes. "Promise me that no matter what happens, my daughter won't be alone."
"Klaus…" Elena wanted rebut against everything he was saying, but with the look on his face, she gave in and nodded. "I promise."
Klaus sniffled once more and resumed their walk.
Laying her head on his shoulder, she ventured on with him thoughtfully. "She'll never be alone, you know," Elena told him. "Even in her darkest days, she'll always have a piece of her heart that belongs with you. You may be the villain in everyone's story, Klaus. But even the villain can be loved."
It was how Elena felt about her father. Even though he was a horrible man and broke her heart for his atrocities, she could help but continue to love him. He was her father and would always be her father.
Klaus kissed the top of Elena's head. He hoped that would be true.
As they pulled up in the driveway, Klaus and Elena found the family loading up the cars. Elijah was walking out of the house with Hope in his arms, bundled in her winter gear. He went to put her in her car seat.
"What are you doing?" Elena asked getting out of the car and walking up to him. "And what are you doing with all of Hope's gifts?" she asked as she noticed the car filled with all the presents Klaus had wrapped for Hope on Christmas day.
Once secure in her safety seat, Elijah kissed the baby's little cheek and looked at Elena. "We are all taking a trip."
"it's almost Christmas," she told him. They couldn't go anywhere. They were expecting a part of guests to arrive on Christmas day.
"I know," he replied kissing her and taking her in his arms. "I have it all taken care of."
Elena stared confusedly at him.
"I packed your bag. All you have to do is get in the car," he said nodding to his vehicle in next to Kol's sports car.
"But-"
Elijah planted a kiss on her lips. "Trust me."
Narrowing her eyes at him, she sighed and kissed him. He wasn't leaving her much of a choice.
Smiling to her as she left him, Elijah walked over to Klaus to explain what was going on.
New Jersey. He had driven them back to the house she had run away to with his family.
"What are we doing here?" she wondered getting out of the car. It had been long days of him driving and her not knowing where they were going. Klaus, Rebekah, and Hope were in one car, while Elijah and Elena in another, and Kol drove his sports car.
"Spending Christmas together," he answered simply, staring at the outside of the house with her. He wrapped his arms around her from behind and kissed her cheek. Handing her the keys, he went to go start unloading the cars.
A rush of memories flooded Elena as she unlocked the large doors and stepped inside the familiar mansion. It was exactly how they had left it, almost as if they had just left. Elena could remember every detail of the place. Smiling and walking around the land, she ventured through each room. Their makeshift combat room, the living room that Klaus and Kol tore apart, her room she shared with Elijah, the kitchen, and even the backyard where Elijah once set up their epic date.
"Ah!" Hope's squeal echoed through the house. Elena shuffled her way back to the front of the house to help unload the bags from the cars.
"I got it, you take her," Rebekah told Elena, passing Hope off in her arms. Elena took the baby and kissed Hope. They walked around and turned up the heat, getting settled in. All they needed now was a Christmas tree.
"Ho, ho, ho," Kol announced, dragging a giant, freshly cut pine tree through the front doors. "Isn't that what the creep says?" he asked Elena, as her and Hope stood looking at him.
"It's Santa, Kol," Elena laughed. Kol rolled his eyes. Hauling the tree up over his shoulders, he went and put the tree in the living room.
"Look!" Elena pointed to Klaus. Hope was excitedly bouncing and clapping in her arms at the sight of her dad.
Klaus broke out into a smile, setting all the bags down that he and Elena purchased earlier on the porch and took his daughter from her arms. Smiling at the pair, she grabbed their items and took them upstairs.
"I thought you had Hope?" Elijah asked, coming into their room with bags in hand.
"Klaus took her," Elena answered stuffing the bag with his gift in her side table drawer.
Elena walked over, kissing Elijah after he dropped their things.
"I love being here," she sighed contently.
"I know," he said lovingly. "Merry Christmas, Elena."
"Merry Christmas, Elijah," she said happily, kissing him once more.
Once the cars were unloaded and everything was brought in, Elena quickly wrapped all of her newly bought gifts to put under the tree.
"Elena! Come on!" Rebekah called from downstairs.
Grabbing all the gifts in her arms, she came downstairs. Christmas music was playing through the house's stereo system, while Klaus made some fresh hot chocolate for all of them. Kol stood by the tree tangled up in all of the Christmas lights and Rebekah sat laughing at him from the couch. Elijah was on the floor playing with Hope, also chuckling to himself at his brother's curses and complaints.
"Look!" Rebekah told Hope as she ran to plug in the string lights. Kol looked glowy.
"Ha, ha," Kol snarked to Rebekah with a glare, as he stood there wrapped in lights.
"Help?" he asked Elena as she passed by him to put her gifts under the tree.
Smiling, Elena went over and attempted to help her friend before he decided to break the lights.
"You're up, love," Klaus said, coming up from behind her and kissing her cheek. He handed her a hot chocolate and snickered at Kol. Elena thanked Klaus and left to go bake gingerbread.
"Hey!" Kol shouted. His arms and shoulders were still tangled in the long wire and no one else was willing to help him.
The siblings all laughed at him as Elena started prancing around the kitchen.
"Need any help?" Elijah offered, coming into the room with his own mug. Shedding his jacket, he uncuffed his sleeves and started rolling them up.
"You can get all the supplies out for the houses," she hummed as he walked over and kissed her lips.
Part of the new tradition was going to be gingerbread houses. Elena had done it since childhood and she thought the craft should be started with the Mikaelsons. At first, no one was excited on the idea, so to make it fun for the competitive Mikaelson family, they all decided to make it a competition. Whoever won on Christmas day got to go out and smash everyone else's house. Elena was the baker and so she was in charge of making all of the house stencils.
"Oh, what are these?" Kol asked, speeding over and squishing a gum drop. Rebekah had finally helped free him from the lights and was putting them up around the tree.
"Move, Kol," Elijah said shoving his little brother, as he set out the decoration for their competition. Elijah wasn't about lose to his little brother because they were low on supplies due to him being unable to stop eating whatever was in sight.
Elena laughed.
"How does this look?" Rebekah called to everyone. Elena wasn't sure how the female had put the lights on the tree up so fast, but it looked perfect.
"I don't know, I think it could use some more," Kol said staring at it. With speed, he opened up another box and went around the tree. Staring proudly at his work, everyone laughed when they realized he had wrapped Rebekah in lights with the tree.
"Kol!" she shouted in annoyance.
It was a lighthearted rest of the evening. After Elena finished up with the gingerbread and Elijah set out the supplies, the two helped Rebekah, Kol, and even Klaus finished decorating the tree. Hope was sleeping by the time the gingerbread had cooled and so the adults let the competition of decorating begin. They each had to build and decorate their houses.
Elena realized only a few minutes into the competition she should have set more ground rules. Each Original had used their vampire speed to construct their house.
"Oh, come on," Elena whined, still frosting the sides of her house together. It was cheating.
Each snickered at her, and even Elijah laughed. Elena swatted his arm.
"No super speeding through decorating," she told them all. And so, the process became much longer. It took them hours to each finish. Elena's house was happy and had a classic gingerbread look, Rebekah's two story and posh; Elijah's house was very minimalist, and Kol's was a comical mess.
"What?" he asked. His little gingerbread people had vampire teeth and a half-broken roof because he was too rough when sticking on his candies.
Klaus's house caused argument. All war ensued with the extra decorations because of him. His house was completely piped, professional and clean looking.
"I did no such thing!" he yelled, shielding himself from flying gum drops and small candy canes as they all called him a cheater.
"I only looked up ideas beforehand!" he admitted.
"That's cheating!" Both Rebekah and Elena yelled at him, throwing mini marshmallows at him. Klaus soon retaliated, throwing pretzels and mints back.
With all the throwing came huge disasters. Klaus started plucking candies off other people's gingerbread houses, which then made Rebekah grab for Klaus's house. Klaus's house got smashed, so he retaliated by destroying Kol's. Kol got mad so he went to swipe at Klaus but hit Elijah's house. Elijah figured if he didn't have a house, the girls couldn't have one.
Both Rebekah and Elena fought for their houses to stand, throwing whatever they could at the men, including chunks of gingerbread.
Eventually, Elena found that she had no decorations left on her house due to everyone throwing them, and Rebekah's house looked like hurricane hit it.
Ending night, the girls called it quits by sticking their hollow houses over Klaus and Elijah's heads, with Kol getting a picture, and smashing the houses against their skulls.
It was Christmas Eve and everyone was coming to stay at the house. The Mikaelsons had paid for everyone's fare to get to New Jersey and spend the week with them. Elena couldn't have been more excited. Besides Matt was Caroline, Sheriff Forbes, Damon, Stefan and even Bonnie and Marcel.
"I promise, I'll be there," Bonnie spoke to Elena over the phone. "I get in after dinner."
Elena sighed. She had wondered what was up with her friend. She was being so secretive lately, it worried Elena.
"I have to go," Bonnie spoke. "Love you."
Before Elena could reply, Bonnie had hung up.
"Everything okay?" Elijah asked, seeing Elena's disappointed face as she walked down the stairs. The entire morning, she had been dancing around the house waiting for all of her friends to arrive.
"Something is up with Bonnie," Elena said, coming to sit on the couch with Elijah, who was holding Hope in his arms. "I don't know what is going on with her, but she missed her flight. She's grabbed the next one and will be here after dinner."
Elijah put his hand on her leg in support. "I'm sure it will work out." Giving a kiss to her head, he bounced his knees and made Hope laugh. "Shouldn't you be getting ready?" Elijah wondered, as Elena kept her head on his shoulder. Hope had given Elena her full attention, no longer paying attention to Elijah.
Elena groaned, burying her face against his shoulder. It made Hope laugh.
"Yes, it's funny," he told Hope as he bounced her.
Caroline was insisting that everyone dress up for Christmas Eve. With a full party coming into town, she wanted to celebrate it.
Huffing, Elena kissed Elijah's cheek and Hope's little hand. She needed to go shower.
"Say bye-bye," Elijah said taking Hope's hand and waving to her.
Elena showered and quickly got ready. Grabbing a long off the shoulders, red sweater dress and a pair of black leggings, she met Caroline and Matt halfway at the stairs.
"Hey—"
"Back up," Caroline commanded, bringing her bag up the stairs with Elena.
"What—" Elena hadn't even had a chance to say hello to any of them yet, let alone usher them into the house.
"March!" Caroline barked. While Elena looked nice, Caroline wanted her to look sexy. Elena never could flaunt what she had, and so as her best friend, she had brought extra clothes to make that happen.
"Thanks Matt!" Caroline called behind her as he brought in the rest of her bags from the house from the car. "Come on!" She told Elena, pushing her up the rest of the stairs.
The girls got ready in her room, Rebekah soon joining them.
"Here," Caroline said shoving a top at Elena. Holding it up, Elena looked unbelieved at her friend. She was not wearing this. It looked like lingerie. The only thing covering the navy spaghetti strap top, was the fabric and sequins on the boobs. The rest of the shirt was dark sheer and see through.
"It is a hot top," Caroline stated with her hands on her hips, waiting for Elena to refute it.
Giving Caroline a look, her friend waited. She was going to try it on.
Hearing a knock on the door, Elena dropped the shirt and went to get it.
"Save me," she whispered to Elijah, who was looking curiously at her.
"I heard that!" Caroline yelled to her.
Elena groaned while Elijah chuckled. He didn't understand why Elena had to change. She looked nice.
"Will you be done soon or can I grab my things?" he asked. Modeling a white long-sleeved Henley and jeans from earlier, he figured his attire didn't match Caroline's strict dress up orders. The girls had been taking up their room for hours and he waited as long as he could to get ready.
Caroline came over to the partly open door, handing Elijah some clothes before pulling her friend back in and shutting the door. These were not the things Elijah had picked out for himself earlier. Debating on knocking on the door, he decided against it. Taking what Caroline gave him, he walked away to find another room to get ready in.
"You're wearing that," Caroline demanded to Elena. Slipping on her own clothes, Caroline smiled to herself. With a black leather crop top that was split between the boobs, she had on her favorite long taupe silk skirt with a deep slit in the side.
Rebekah came out in a dark green sleeveless top with a deep plunge in the front. Adding pleather leggings, she went to slip on some heels.
Groaning, Elena put on her dark skinny jeans and grabbed some strappy high heel stilettos. Letting her hair down, she applied some more makeup –at Caroline's insistence and waited for approval.
"Hot," Caroline stated, looking to all of them. Happy with their appearance, she put on one last coat of lip gloss before walking down together to the party.
"Wow," Marcel claimed as the girls all entered. Damon stared lustfully at Elena as she walked over to greet them.
"Stefan," Elena smiled, going in for a hug. She was happy to see him.
"Hey Marcel," Elena smiled, hugging him next. She was really grateful he had decided to come. When he had come to visit, she had wanted him to stay until Christmas so they could celebrate the holiday, but he insisted he had to go home. She made him think about coming back, and he did.
"Elena," Damon spoke, staring up and down her body. Elena smiled at the man's intense blue-eyed stare and hugged him.
"Drinks?"
They all held up their own and Elena gave a laugh. Excusing herself to get one of her own, she ruffling Kol's hair at the look he was giving her as she passed, and ventured off in the kitchen to find herself a strong drink.
She let out a breath of relief when she found only Elijah in the kitchen. With his back to her, she walked past him and to the liquor.
Elijah caught the sight of her out of the corner of his eye. Finishing cutting some limes, he heard her going for a drink. "I was about ready to call a search party for y—"
Elijah faced her, eyes sweeping her body. Swallowing hard, he attempted to gather himself. It was a good thing Caroline hadn't given him a tie or he would have had to loosen it. "…you." The see-through top showed most of her abdomen, dark fabric only covering the support of her luscious breasts.
"Caroline's choice of outfit," Elena told him as she grabbed a lime from his cutting board and added it to her drink.
"Wait," he said catching her before she could leave. Sparks grew in his stomach as he wrapped his arm around her waist, longingly admiring her figure. While a very un-Elena-like outfit, she looked extremely sexy. Her clothes hugged her body perfectly.
Elijah felt his pants constrict.
"You look different," she commented, noticing a lack of tie and dark khaki-colored pants.
"It wasn't what I had planned on wearing," he told her, moving so she leaned against the counter. Caroline had given him a white button-down shirt and a black vest with brown pants. He didn't think it would all go together, but upon the alternative of challenging Ms. Forbes, he wore what she gave him.
"It looks good," she assured him, straightening out his collar and popping the very top button.
"You look…" Elijah wasn't sure how to find words to describe her without taking her upstairs and showing her. Grabbing her hand, he brought it down between them, cupping at his erecting member.
Leaning forward, he brought her in for a long kiss. He could taste the alcohol on her breath.
As laughter broke out in the other room, Elena pulled away. While her body was humming at the sexual tensions, it was not the place or the time for…that. Clearing her throat and removing herself from his grasp, she gave him a knowing look and walked off with her drink.
Elijah stayed at the counter attempting to pull himself together. Waiting so that he wouldn't embarrass himself, he put the limes in their place. It was going to be a very long night.
Elena resumed the party where it was in full swing. Marcel and Damon had everyone laughing. Hearing the doorbell ring, she got up and went to go get it. The only person missing was Bonnie. Sheriff Forbes was arriving tomorrow after her shift.
Swinging the door open, Elena smiled at her friend. Bonnie looked different. Now with short hair and no bangs, her friend sported a new wardrobe.
"Bonnie," Elena said reaching out and giving her friend a hug. It had been too long since she had actually got to touch her friend. "I missed you."
"I missed you too," Bonnie said pulling back with a smile. "And, uh, I have a surprise for you," she said putting her hands in her back pocket and stepping aside.
Elena furrowed her brows in confusion and looked back to the doorway where Bonnie was waiting. Stepping around from the sides of the house and into the light, were Jeremy and Alaric.
Elena gasped. Without question she jumped into Jeremy's arms. He held her tightly, eyes filled with tears. He had missed his sister while on the other side.
Upon hearing Elena's gasp, everyone got up to make sure everything was all right. Catching the sight of Bonnie with tear filled eyes, everyones eyes turned to Elena hugging Jeremy and Alaric. What?
Elijah blinked to make sure he was seeing the sight correctly. Glancing to his siblings, they all shared the same look. Bringing back the dead, even if it were for a visit, was not normal. Bonnie must have done something grave to do this.
"Ric," Elena said next, leaving go of Jeremy to hug her guardian. She couldn't believe that they were here and she could touch them.
"I brought them back, Elena," Bonnie said wiping the happy tears from her face.
Elena pulled back from Ric and looked to her friend.
"I did it," Bonnie said with a smile.
Elena didn't understand how it could happen.
"One other thing," she told them as a group gathered in the hallway. Alaric and Jeremy walked inside, making way for one other person. Finn.
Elena took in a sharp breath. Finn walked up to Elena and smiled. Unsure how to greet her or anyone else, he found himself being pulled into a strong hug. Finn chuckled, leaning down and hugging Elena back.
"Finn," Rebekah breathed with tears. The Originals couldn't tear themselves away from the sight of their dead brother.
"Baby sister," he said next, leaving go of Elena and walking to Rebekah. He held her with strength and she let out a tearful breath. She could touch him again.
"Bonnie, how did this happen?" Elena wondered wiping her tears and holding on to her two favorite men. Bonnie shut the front door and braced herself for the long story.
When backpacking the world, she had come to learn more about her powers. She got stronger and more powerful. After settling in Europe for a while, she found a hotspot and began testing her magic. She casted a spell and was able to pull Jeremy, Alaric, and Finn from the other side.
"But, what about others?" Caroline wondered, thinking back to the frightful night at the Grill with Connor.
"It was only people I could call and touch me," Bonnie assured them. "The portal I made only dropped for about a second or two. Jeremy was already watching over me and the rest is history," she smiled to them.
Jeremy smiled appreciatively to Bonnie before looking back to his sister and hugging her side.
When the shock was over, everyone was ushered further in the house. As everyone laughed and chatted, the Originals took time away from the others to talk about what had happened.
Walking to the library, Elijah was followed by Klaus, Rebekah, Kol, and now Finn.
"This isn't natural," Elijah commented with a drink in hand.
"She used dark magic," Finn clarified. "Jeremy was already linked to her. She was able to pull him, and just Alaric and I, before her magic gave out. It took quite a few days for her to recover."
"But you're back," Rebekah clarified.
"I'm human," Finn corrected. He no longer was a vampire. And Jeremy was no longer a hunter. Both men were human. Alaric was the only one still gifted with the supernatural. They guessed it was because of Esther's magic, that he remained a vampire after being pulled by Bonnie.
"Is he dangerous then?" Kol wondered after hearing this.
Elena slipped in the room. After noticing all the Originals had disappeared, she went looking for them. Walking into the private conversation, she hesitantly joined. Going to Elijah's side, she stood there ready to listen. She knew this was about what had happened. "Please, continue," she said taking in a deep breath.
"Alaric is not dangerous, no. It seems the best side of him came back," Finn answered.
"Is this permanent?" Elena asked quietly. She had to know if this was another one off like graduation or if her men were here to stay in her life.
"Permanent as far as I can see," Finn answered to her. "Your friend, Bonnie, did bring us back."
Elena was mixed with emotion. Bonnie brought them back, but at what cost? Elena knew the spirits and witches were not forgiving. For every action was a reaction. Bonnie acted and brought people back from the dead. What did she tip in the balance because of that?
Hearing Hope cry, everyone began to part.
Elijah held Elena's hand, giving it a squeeze. Letting a smile grace her lips, she gave him a quick peck.
The rest of Christmas Eve was filled with laughter and fun. Damon was glad to have his drinking buddy back, Elena her brother, Bonnie her love, and the Originals their brother. For once it felt peaceful.
"Hello," Finn told Hope as he held her. "We've met before," he spoke as she stared at him. He held her only one before this, at the Mystic Falls graduation. She had gotten much bigger since then.
"Um…" Finn stared at her and then to Elena who was sitting next to him. It was cute to see Finn try to interact with his niece.
"You think that I'd have practice with this growing up with five other siblings," he murmured to Elena.
"She likes you," Elena encouraged. "Usually when Damon or Hayley hold her, she starts crying right away." Elena put a finger in Hope's outstretched hand. Playing peek-a-boo with her, she had the baby laughing.
"I truly am sorry for all that I did to you, Elena," Finn said watching her and his niece.
Elena glanced up surprised. She had forgiven Finn a long time ago. "We figured it out, you know," she told him. "—a remedy to the virus. It doesn't cure it, but it stops the symptoms."
Finn nodded. He had watched over everyone on the other side, especially Elijah while he was in London.
"And I guess I should apologize as well. Regardless of how you contracted the virus, you were infected because of my family." She sighed. "it was created to protect me and Jeremy. But it was wrong. I'm sorry it happened to you and led to your death. I'm sorry we couldn't stop it in time."
"I think because of it, I got to fully understand how much I wanted to live," he told her. "When I was first awakened, I couldn't bear the thought to live another day. And then when I ran away and got sick, living was all I wanted to do."
Elena nodded. She could understand that. A taste of death could do that.
"I, thank you. For not only taking care of my family, but for sticking by them when I did not."
Elena looked away from Hope and stared into his eyes. Sadness and guilt were the two things she saw. "I get it," she told him. "I get when everything changes and you feel like you can't breathe. It's easier to give up than to try again." She glanced to Elijah who was laughing with Klaus. "it's really hard."
"But worth it," Finn said following her gaze to his brother.
"It is," she smiled. "But it takes some time to realize that. And I'm here for you if that happens again. I know it will probably a bit tough jumping back into this life. Just know I'm here if you need someone to lean on."
Finn admired the girl. She had done a great deal for his family. And while surely jealous in the beginning, the more time he spent on the other side, the more he saw how much they all needed Elena, and Elena needed them. She was a kind person, kinder than anyone they had the opportunity to know for a long while. She was not in their lives to play games or use them for something. It was strictly out of kindness and love from her being.
"Selfie time!" Caroline exclaimed, running to her bag and pulling out her selfie stick.
"Selfie?" Finn asked Elena.
"A picture of yourself," Elena supplied for him. Everyone scrunched together to fit into the camera's picture. With big smiles, they all documented the moment.
Elena and Caroline were teaching Jeremy a new steps dance that was popular. "This is worse than the cha-cha slide," he muttered, trying to keep up with the song. Half of the phrases he didn't even know what to do.
Trying to imitate whatever they were doing, he laughed along with the girls as they were in a fit of giggles. "Whatever!" he said giving up.
"Like this, Jeremy," Alaric said, getting up and showing him the moves. They were dead on.
Elena and Caroline looked at the guardian impressed.
"What? I know a thing or two," he said to them. Everyone laughed with one another once again. With drinks being passed around, everyone was happily buzzed. Hope had been put down for the night and so many of them were dancing around to their generational songs to get Finn acquainted to the music.
"It's very…" Finn took the drink from Elijah's hand. "Poppy."
"Yes," Elijah agreed, watching as the group of them danced. He appreciated the view of Elena and the way her hips swayed.
"I'm happy for you, Elijah," Finn told him as he caught the way his brother was looking at Elena. "She is quite the girl."
Elena laughed and leaned against Kol. They circled Marcel as he showed them some moves.
"She is," he agreed, sipping his whiskey. He couldn't imagine life without her.
"Ready girls?!" Caroline said in her cheer voice.
Bonnie and Elena protested with laughter and head shakes.
"Come on, guys!" she whined. Klaus looked at Caroline from the couch with amusement.
"Are you about to do a cheer routine for us?" Marcel asked with a teasing smile. He still couldn't believe all three girls were cheerleaders in high school. Caroline he could believe for sure, but Elena and Bonnie did not fit his idea of a cheerleader.
"Oh, there is more to cheer than just routines," Bonnie told him.
"Especially with Caroline as captain," Elena answered, laughing as Caroline hit her.
"What? You can't even dance in that skirt anyway," Elena said chuckling.
Caroline was not going to let her wardrobe stop her. "I just won't do the jumps. I can still do it."
Elena and Bonnie both groaned.
"Oh, come on," Stefan said from the couch, enjoying the light ribbing.
"You saw how bad I was when I re-joined cheer," Elena said glancing back to him. "I quit for a reason."
Elijah looked interested at that. Feeling jealous of the past relationship Elena and Stefan shared, he sipped his drink.
"I barely had time to see anything. You made me join the football team, remember? And then bailed on me the next day!"
Elena laughed at that. That she did.
"Come on," Caroline whined again, stomping her foot to both her friends. Giving a groan, Elena and Bonnie gave in.
"These have to move," Bonnie told Kol, pointing to the couches. The men quickly moved. Bonnie and Elena quickly slipped off their shoes and threw them off to the side.
"Hit it, Matt," Caroline said standing front and center.
Matt and Rebekah hit the play button on Caroline's phone. It was a mix of a handful of songs, but started with Ed Sheeran's Shape of You that played over the stereo.
"Remind me to limit Caroline's drinking next time," Elena muttered to Bonnie. Bonnie laughed and Caroline reached back, smiling and swatting at her friend.
Beginning the routine, everyone watched as it wasn't a usual cheer clap routine, but a dance. They moved, shook, shimmied, and twirled.
Elijah had never seen Elena in this form. Smiling and laughing with her friends, she did her moves from memory. Her form was excellent and she looked like she was enjoying herself. Her face was concentrated on what she was doing.
"What are we supposed to do at this part?" Bonnie asked, knowing Caroline's flips were supposed to be here.
"Stop?" Elena asked. The move was in a couple of beats.
"Don't, you, dare," Caroline said.
"She's never going to let us quit, is she?" Bonnie wondered huffing for breath as she danced.
"I feel like I'm back in cheer," Elena replied.
"I heard that!" Caroline yelled. Everyone laughed. "Tower!" she instructed.
"No, way!" Elena said knowing she was the one who was going to fall flat on her ass. Groaning as the part came, Elena got in position with her friends.
"You both better catch me," She muttered to her friends as she put her feet in their hands. Letting them lift her, Elena held her formation. "Oh my god."
Jumping into the fall, she closed her eyes, feeling her friends catch her. It had been years since doing that and she was much heavier than her freshman year self.
Everyone cheered at their dance moves and Caroline had them continue.
Rolling their bodies, they swung their arms and danced in unison.
Elijah stared at Elena lustfully, tracking her body with his eyes. He had never seen her like this.
"Solos!" Caroline declared. "And don't even argue with me Elena!" Caroline barked, knowing her friend was going to protest.
"I don't even have the right partner."
"I'll do it," Kol volunteered. He was enjoying seeing them all dance. Elena moving like she did was sexy as hell. "it will be like training," he said.
Elena went off to the side huffing for breath as Caroline danced. She didn't have much of a choice. Showing him a few steps before she was up, she slid up to the floor with Kol. Particular Taste by Shawn Mendez played.
Elijah wanted to growl when Kol started touching Elena and she rolled her body off of him.
Quickly jumping into a dance routine, Elijah watched her hips shake and body roll.
He took in a deep breath to calm himself. Before he knew it, her solo was over and Bonnie was up.
Clapping hands with Kol, Elena let him sit back down.
"Last part," Caroline called as Bonnie was finishing up.
Elena groaned. Catching Elijah's lustful eyes, she winked and jumped into the routine with Caroline and Bonnie. It was Sorry Not Sorry by Demi Lovato.
"Rebekah, jump in," Elena said knowing she was around at the time for this dance routine.
Rebekah shed her shoes and walked over. Jumping in right before the chorus, the girls showed the guys how to move. They had every man's attention.
Getting near the end of the dance, they all started shaking their asses. Laughing as all the men were practically drooling, they ended with freestyle. Elena did a few flips, while Caroline some cheer claps and Bonnie and Rebekah some dance moves. Ending the dance, they all laughed.
"I am so glad I was not the one raising you at this time," Alaric stated. He couldn't handle her doing those moves in school. Boys were probably flocking.
Elena laughed. "We didn't do those often. I think Caroline managed to fit the entire three years of dances in one song," Elena glared at her friend still trying to catch her breath.
Caroline laughed. She had been waiting to use that compilation of all of the songs she taught everyone in cheer one day. "Well, you remembered every single one. I must have done something right!"
Bonnie laughed. "Yeah, kept us hostage in practice for too long."
The girls laughed as Caroline went to go swat them again.
"Teach me that one move," Kol said to Caroline. He liked some of the moves. He could use those in the clubs. As music continued to play, Elena went back to sit next to Elijah, still completely out of breath.
He wasn't sure what to say.
"What?" she asked seeing an odd look on his face.
Leaning in, he surprised her with a hard kiss. Smiling as she pulled away for air, she laid her head on his shoulder and watched her friends.
Caroline tried to teach Matt, Jeremy, and Kol a dance to Old Town Road by Lil Nas X ft Billy Ray Cyrus and it was a laugh. Caroline had her cheer captain attitude, rubbing the guys the wrong way, so Bonnie and Elena stepped in to help. Teaching them some of the move slower, they all tried to grasp the dance. The girls busted out laughing quite a few times as the guys were unable to tangle their feet from one another. Lecturing them all like she would as cheer captain, Caroline wanted them to go again but instead they all shook their heads and called it quits.
Klaus put on a slower song. Walking over to Caroline he asked her to dance.
Elena smiled at the pair, and as she went to leave the floor she was swept up by Damon. She was surprised. It wasn't the man she thought it would be. Damon held her close and danced slowly with her. He twirled her and dipped her. Elena smiled, chuckling at how good of a dancer he was. She had no idea.
"How come you didn't tell me you could dance so well?" she asked him.
"I have way more talents on the floor than just the town's dance," he told her, sharing that moment with her. She was beautiful.
Elena caught his eyes and her smile faltered. What she saw was not what she was expecting. Desire.
Nervously chuckling, she linked her mind with Kol's. He felt her awkwardness and looked at her.
"I've missed spending time with you, Elena," Damon said looking at her.
Elena tried to smile through her growing fears. She knew Damon had feelings for her, but since the tomb they had grown stronger and more apparent. Stefan had told her that he had hallucinated about her a few times.
Hearing a throat clear, Elijah stood between the pair. "May I?" he asked to Damon with dark eyes. It was not really a question, but a proper necessity.
Damon wanted to ignore Elijah and say no, but glancing to Elena's nervous face, he backed down. Lowering his arms from her body, he kissed the back of her hand and left.
Elena watched as he went outside to get some air and Alaric stared at her curious, going to follow his friend.
"Are you alright?" Elijah asked lowly in her ear. He had been talking to Kol when Kol nodded over to Elena. The scene of her and Damon was intense and appeared intimate. They held one another closely. It filled Elijah with jealousy and rage at first, until he saw that the look on Elena's face. It did not match Damon's passion-filled one. She looked uncomfortable
"Yeah," she breathed trying to shake off the stir of emotions. She worried about having to break her friend's heart all over again. She had thought her and Damon were past that. But then she remembered he had called her 'baby' in when she was lying in her own blood in the tombs.
Could his feelings still be that strong?
Elena glanced to Elijah, happy that she was in his arms instead. Letting out a breath of relief, she enjoyed slow dancing with him. Elijah pulled back only to spin her back into his arms. She smiled at him with surprise.
"I may have a move or two in me," he smiled to her. They danced for a long while longer before parting ways to socialize.
It was almost 4am by the time everyone departed to their rooms.
"I'm exhausted," Elena sighed, pulling the sheets of the bed back. It was an enticing idea just to plop right down in bed, but she still needed to change.
Catching Elena as she passed him to go find pajamas to change into, Elijah brought her to his arms and kissed her passionately. In a house full of people nothing would be happening between them, but that didn't mean he couldn't kiss her like he had been wanting to all night.
With his lips covering hers, he brought his hand up, brushing her hair from her face.
"What was that for?" Elena asked breathless.
"Does it have to be for something?" he questioned.
Elena shrugged. Leaning forward, she kissed him again. They parted with little kisses to one another's lips. The desire to be intimate with one another was strong, but they refrained.
Elijah snuck his hands under her sheer shirt, rubbing the muscles of her abdomen. Forgetting her ticklish spot, his thumb grazed her skin and she jumped. With the moment broken she swatted his hands away and went to find something to change into.
"Here, wear this," he suggested unbuttoning his vest and offering his white button down he was sporting. Knowing how she enjoyed the smell of his worn clothes, Elijah hoped she'd take the shirt to sleep in. He wanted her to wear it down on Christmas morning when they all went downstairs to open presents. He wanted Damon to see Elena in his shirt, smelling like him.
Accepting the offer, she waited for him to discard the clothing, doing the same with her own. Standing practically naked in front of him, he helped her into his shirt and buttoned it for her.
With a muffled groan, he kissed the side of her neck and stepped away to finish changing.
"Merry Christmas, Elijah," Elena sighed happily as they snuggled in bed together.
"Merry Christmas, Elena," he replied, holding her tight.