This town is colder now,

I think it's sick of us,

It's time to make our move (I'm shaking off the rust),

I've got my heart set on anywhere but here,

I'm staring down myself,

Counting up the years,

Steady hands just take the wheel (every glance is killing me),

Time to make one last appeal... for the life I lead

That Monday afternoon is her turn on Elena watch - the spell to keep her inside the house is enough to keep Elena safe from herself but does little to keep the danger from coming to the front door. Claudia's main job is to prevent Elena from finding a way to contact Klaus, which she manages to do, rather effectively, by simply asking Elena to give her a manicure. It's not beyond her notice that the girl is eager to find ways to bond with her in any way she can. So, with Elena's hands busy and nothing else to do, it's only a matter of time before she asks the dreaded question.

"So, you and Elijah..." Elena began to ask, tentatively. Claudia sighs through her nose but otherwise resigns herself to answer. Having Claudia's wordless permission, Elena goes ahead. "You were... together, right?"

"Yup," her tone is clipped, eyes focusing on her half-painted nails rather than looking at Elena.

"For how long?"

"About 30 years, I think."

"What? 30 years?"

"Give or take, yeah. As you can imagine, things got pretty serious between us."

"That's like... a marriage. 30 years is a marriage, Claudia!"

"For humans, maybe. It's different when you're a vampire - and I don't even know if we can get married. Vampires and the legal system are... complicated."

"...Did you want to marry him?"

"I still do."

"...But then... why aren't you still together?"

"I know this is the most cliche thing I could possibly say, but... it's complicated, Elena. I had to make a choice a long time ago, and I didn't choose him. I've been avoiding him since."

"What was the choice?"

"I can't tell you the specifics, but... there came a point where I had to choose between Elijah and my brothers, and... I chose family."

"But who would-"

Claudia held up the hand that Elena had finished with and was almost dry - they both fell completely silent. Someone was prowling around outside.

"Claudia?" Elena whispers, big brown eyes somehow bigger and browner than usual. Claudia shakes her head slowly to signal to be quiet and rose from her seat on Elena's bed to stalk silently towards the window. Peering outside reveals no one that she can see, but it's at that moment that the front door closes and voices can be heard in the hallway.

Claudia and Elena exchange a brief look of panic before rushing for the stairs, hoping to intercept whoever Jenna has just invited into the house.

Even undercover, Elijah still looks out of place in the hallway of the Gilbert home. He's in 'casual clothes', by his standards, and talking differently in an effort to come across as someone who isn't hundreds of years old. He must have known she was in the house, too, because as she descends into a place on the staircase within his line of sight, Elijah's eyes swing her way with no hint of surprise in them at seeing her here. He glances away from her for the briefest of moments to register Elena's presence behind her, but then his eyes return to her and are for her and her alone. Jenna clearly notices this and shoots an uncertain smile in Claudia's direction that she only half returns. Seeing him again hits her as hard as the first time back in the run-down mansion Elena was being held captive in. Truth be told, it hits her as hard as the very first time she'd seen him too. Elijah holds her gaze evenly, the space between them becoming inexplicably charged.

"Claudia, Elena... good to see you again - just who I was looking for, in fact." He places a hand on Jenna's arm and thanks her for her hospitality. "Could I actually get a word alone with these two?"

Jenna falters - she mostly sees the good in people, and she's mostly friendly and welcoming with everyone - but not so much so that she's going to let her niece and her niece's friend be taken aside for a private word with a stranger without objection. Elijah realises this and locks his eyes with Jenna before she can finish her next sentence.

"I don't think-"

"You will go into the kitchen and cover your ears. You will stay there until I leave, and you will not question anyone about me. Go."

Jenna swivels and walks to the kitchen at a fast pace, her hands are over her ears by the time she reaches the doorway.

"Jenna-" Elena pipes up but quickly recognises it's not much use to do so and doesn't continue.

"Good. Much better. Now we can have a... conversation." Elijah gestures for them to join him in the hallway. "Ladies, if you'll join me, please."

Reaching behind her to take a clumsy hold of Elena's hand, Claudia leads her down the last few steps to come face to face with Elijah. His eyes roam her person, likely looking for signs of change since their last meeting.

"Couldn't you just call, Elijah? You're completely capable of using a phone."

"Mm, no, I'm afraid not. How could I gain an invitation into this charming home over the phone? Besides, it's always nice to see you, Claudia." He almost looks fond as he says it.

She eyes him suspiciously. "Really? 60 years of hide and seek and you're still glad to see me?"

"Well, you know what they say - absence does make the heart grow fonder." Elijah holds her stare for a moment longer before clapping his hands, startling her out of her reverie. "But that's not what I'm here for. Elena: while noble, your death wish is, unfortunately, leading us towards some very unfortunate consequences. This ritual is no small thing, I promise you. My brother undoubtedly has rather... murderous plans once he's seen it through - he always does - as I'm sure you remember, Claudia."

"Yeah, if you think Damon's volatile..."

"I can't just stand by and let everyone around me suffer when I could trade my life to save all of theirs!" Elena was clearly very passionate, but ultimately misguided. What Elijah had just said about Klaus is true, and while his intentions for whatever power he's hoping this ritual will grant him is unknown, it's unwise to assume he won't end up killing far more people than Elena would save by handing herself over.

"Elena... you don't understand what Klaus is like. He's violent, unpredictable and if you let him use you for this ritual, he'll be even more powerful than he is now, which is... a terrifying prospect, to be honest." Claudia reasons.

Elijah regards Elena closely, studying the persistent determination in her eyes. "I am willing to make you a deal."

"I'm not going to-" Elena protests, but Elijah continues speaking, unperturbed.

"Just listen. Hear me out. If you don't like my terms then you are still free to throw yourself at the feet of the devil." He pauses, waiting for Elena to nod before going on. "I need you to cease this suicidal behaviour and to stop trying to contact Klaus. If you do as I ask, you have my word that everyone you care about will be safe and sound. Keep yourself alive and human so that I may find a way to kill Klaus before the ritual is complete and both of our problems are solved."

"But why would you want your own brother dead?" Elena's voice is softer, less impassioned than it had been.

"He has hidden our siblings from me - keeping them locked away somewhere in a state halfway between death and, well... whatever we vampires consider life."

"God, Elijah, you should have told me-" Claudia butts in, picturing their situations in reverse.

"I fail to see how I could have informed you given that you have been doing your best to evade me the past 60 years or so."

"... That's fair."

Elena is playing with her sleeves. She looks like she wants to say something, but knows it might not be well received. "What about Claudia? Will you protect her too?"

"Naturally," Elijah affirms, brows furrowed as he contemplates Elena's question. "I assume you're fond enough of her by now to want her safe."

"I want your word that whatever happened between the two of you in the past won't affect how well you protect her in the present."

Elijah is silent for a moment or two before responding, considering Elena's words carefully. "You have my word."

An uneasy quiet crowds the room around them, making the space feel suffocating and busy. Claudia avoids looking in Elijah's direction, afraid of what she'll find in his expression if she does - malice? Sorrow? Nothing? She can't decide which would be worse.

Elena holds no such qualms - she watches Elijah shrewdly, big brown eyes slightly narrowed in her examination. "Good."

"Well, I shall give you some time to think over our deal, Elena. I trust you're in good hands with the Salvatore siblings - hopefully, they'll be more loyal to you than they have to me." Despite his words, Elijah takes a gentle hold of Claudia's hand and lifts it to his lips, pressing his mouth in a lingering kiss over her knuckles, eyes making a brief map of her face before parting from her. "Goodbye, Claudia." He steps away from her then and nods in Elena's direction before opening the front door and leaving as suddenly as he had come.

Claudia lets her hand hover in the air where he had left it for a second, brain failing to catch up with the shock flooding her system. It subsides quickly, and she crosses her arms over her chest instead. She and Elena stand in the hallway, staring at the front door until Jenna emerges from the kitchen, Elijah's conditions for her re-entry having been met by his departure.

"What are you two doing standing in the hallway like zombies? Come and watch Grey's Anatomy with me. Come on - I've got popcorn and pretzels... maybe even some brownies..." Jenna was doing her very best to gloss over the brief encounter with Elijah - the compulsion he had placed her under shutting down her prominent wish to ask questions.

"How long's an episode?" Claudia asks, glancing at her phone for the time and noticing a missed call from Damon.

"Uh... about... 45 minutes minus adverts?" Jenna responds airily. When this doesn't get an immediate response she tries to sweeten the pot. "I think this is the one with the bomb in the guy's chest..."

"Ugh, Jenna, you know me far too well already. The Meredith and Derek angst fuels me." Claudia admits. "Wanna watch an episode or two, Elena?"

"Sure," Elena agrees readily, but it's obvious her mind is elsewhere. Probably on Elijah's deal.

"Cool. I'll set it up and get the snacks all ready." Jenna rushes off to do just that.

"I'm just gonna call Damon," Claudia tells Elena and leaves her in the living room with Jenna while she retreats to the hallway.

Damon answers on the third ring. "You're watching Grey's Anatomy, aren't you?" He says by way of greeting.

"How the hell did you know that? What, are you outside or something?" She peers through the small glass panes in the front door for any sign of her brother or his car.

"Nope." He makes sure to pop the "p" extra loud. "I did happen to spot the collector's edition Grey's Anatomy boxsets right by the DVD player last time I was over there, though."

"Cool. Well, if you're done being cute... Elijah got himself invited into the house."

"What? How? When?"

"Just now, Damon. He just left."

"And you didn't stop him?!"

"Do you really think I would just let him waltz on in?"

"Oh, I don't actually know what you would do for Elijah, because you won't tell anyone how you know him, how well you know him or how long you've known him for!"

Claudia doesn't respond. Clenching and unclenching her jaw, she allows the silence to hang between them for a few moments longer before she speaks.

"I told Elena." She admits.

"Why Elena? You guys are barely friends."

"She did that thing with her eyes."

"Oh, she pulled the big brown Bambi eyes trick on you, huh? If we're not careful now she'll have all three Salvatores wrapped around her finger."

"Let's hope the power doesn't go to her head."

Damon leans back from the phone a little to laugh. Another slightly awkward silence follows.

"I'm sorry, Claud. I'm just... on edge today." His voice is quieter, softer than it has been.

Claudia nods though she knows he can't see her. "Yeah, me too. There's a good reason I kept it all a secret, though, I promise."

"I know." Damon asserts, then they say their goodbyes and hang up the call.

Claudia lingers in the hallway for a moment, staring at her phone as if it might come to life and give her all the answers she's looking for. It doesn't, of course, because it's a phone. She sighs, pocketing it and stepping into the living room to distract herself with some Grey's Anatomy.

They're trying to come back,

All my senses push,

Untie the weight bags I never thought I could,

Steady feet don't fail me now,

I'm gonna run till you can't walk,

But something pulls my focus out... and I'm standing down