"Jeremy! Come on! We're gonna be late for school!" Elena shouted as she hurried down the stairs.
"Come on, Jer! Elena and I are leaving now and you're gonna be out of luck for a ride!" Jenna shoved the last of her papers into her bag as she spoke.
"Jeremy!" Elena opened the door and came face to face with John Gilbert. "Uncle John."
Seeing the face of one of the people she'd left behind when she was ripped out of heaven, it tore through her soul, reminding her of the peace she'd been taken out of and she fought for control of her breathing. She couldn't break down. She couldn't.
Elijah, she needed Elijah. He could make the pain stop.
Shaking her head, she fought back the tidal wave of emotion. No. She needed to deal with this herself. She could take it. For now
"Elena," he greeted her with a guarded smile.
His cool demeanor helped reel Elena back into the present and after a few deep breaths, her heart rate was back under control.
"John, you made it," Jenna said.
"I said I'd be in by noon." John entered the house.
"What you say and what you do are usually two different things."
"Hey, um, Uncle John, I think you and I need to talk, but it's going to have to wait until after school. Jeremy!"
"What? I'm ready." Jeremy came down the stairs. "Uncle John, hey, what's up?"
"Jeremy." Turning to Elena, John studied her for a long moment, then said, "Of course."
Elena and Jeremy hurried out to the car and Elena started the engine.
"Does he know that you know?" Jeremy asked.
"No. That's actually what I want to talk to him about. To tell him what I know about his connection to me, and to get him to leave certain vampires alone. It's physically impossible for him to put Elijah down permanently and I really'd rather not have Anna or her mother die, since she means so much to you."
"You're not going to tell him, are you?"
"About Anna? No. But I will tell him that the new generation of Gilberts are a lot more vampire friendly than the previous one and if he doesn't like it, he can leave."
"Keep Vickie out of town until John is gone."
"I'll tell Matt John's in town and he hates John. And I'll tell Elijah to pass the word to Rose to make sure Vickie stays out until it's safe. If worse comes to worse, I'll go with Matt to visit her in another town, away from him. Just so they can see each other and she doesn't cross John."
"Thank you. I'm gonna warn Anna too."
"Good. Maybe we can keep him from hurting anyone. Tell her to stay out of town, or move, or something, until we're sure he won't hurt her or her mother."
When Elena pulled into the school parking lot, she pulled out her phone and texted Elijah.
John Gilbert's in town. His trip is open ended. Pass the word to Rose that Vickie's planned meet up with Matt might have to be somewhere else.
I'll let her know.
Thanks.
How are you feeling?
I'll be okay.
I'm here for you, always.
I know.
"You look annoyed," Matt said as he fell into step beside Elena on their way inside.
"Uncle John's in town. He's got no plans of leaving any time soon."
"Never did like that guy."
"I really wish-" Elena cut herself off and sighed.
"He's something else."
XXXX
When Elena walked into the kitchen that evening, she overheard John say, "We used to sleep together."
"Ew, that's the last thing a girl wants to hear, who her biological father used to fool around with," Elena gagged as she walked into the room. "Especially when it involved her aunt."
"So, you know," John said slowly.
"Yeah, that's actually what I wanted to talk to you about, that I found out, but since you're being a jerk, I figured 'why be nice about it?' Oh, and I know you're in contact with my bio mom, so don't even pretend to be innocent there."
"She mentioned something was going on," John said carefully.
"Whatever she told you about whatever, just know, I'm the one behind it. It's all my plan and if she or you try to stop it or interfere in any way, I will bring hell on earth, and trust me, I know how." Elena got into his face. "If you want to get to know me as your daughter, you're going to have to accept certain things about me, and you're going to have to be nicer to Jenna."
"Wait, John is your father?" Jenna demanded.
"Yes, I am." John studied Elena's face carefully. "Do you know the bit about Aztec thing?"
"Yes, including that. Now, stay out of that part. Steer clear completely and no one gets hurt."
John stood up and caught Elena's arm, pulling her into the living room.
"You're compelled."
"I'm not compelled. In fact, I'm the one who contacted Elijah. As soon as I found out about the curse, I brought him here. Because Klaus would have found out about me anyway, and if I go along with what he wants, the people I love stay safe."
"But you die."
"He needs my human blood for other purposes after he kills me, so he'll make sure I survive the ritual and Elijah's got a potion that will bring me back. We've provided him with a vampire he'll be more than happy to use, and Elijah's looking for a suitable werewolf that I won't hate dying along side. Now, all we need is the moonstone, and then Klaus has all the pieces he needs and the people I love stay safe."
"You're really going to do this."
"Yes. Now, tell Isobel to tell Katherine to hand over the moonstone and Elijah will negotiate with Klaus for Katherine's continued survival and to get her off the top of Klaus's 'I plan to end you' list."
"So, that wasn't a ploy to get Katherine into a trap?"
"It's not. In fact, it was my idea. Elijah's going along with it because he needs my cooperation to keep the witches involved happy and to sweeten things with Klaus."
"I'll let her know."
"Oh, one more thing."
"What's that?"
"We're much more vampire friendly these days as a family, John, and Stefan saved my life that night when Mom and Dad died. Now, I'd like to have you in my life, whether as a father, or if you want to continue in your role as jackass uncle, which I'd rather you didn't. And don't even think of trying to put the Gilbert device together, because Elijah's fireproof, and a wooden stake to the heart will only piss him off."
"There is another way."
"Which means getting close to Klaus to get what you need to put him down, and Klaus can compel vampires. Even if they drink vervain, because he can get them off it and then they're vulnerable. So, don't bother. Put Elijah down and I'll find a way to Klaus myself." Elena's voice turned pleading. "I'm safest as long as Elijah's around."
"Damn. Just how much do you know?"
"More than you do. Now, behave, no killing any vampires in or around this town if they aren't causing anyone trouble, and that includes robbing blood banks."
"You two alright in there?" Jenna called.
"Yeah. we're just trying to figure out where we stand. Are we daughter and father? Or niece and uncle?" With one last warning look over her shoulder, Elena returned to the kitchen.
"Founders parties. Just another excuse for the Council to get together and gossip about vampires," Elena muttered, catching Elijah's arm as she came around him.
"And to show off their eligible children to each other," Elijah said as the bartender handed him his glass. "You look especially lovely tonight."
"Thank you."
"And how are things with John?"
"I'm trying to make peace with him. He's not overly happy about what I said, but I told him that I was safest as long as you remained dagger free." Elena picked up a glass of water. "It's hard, seeing him again, after everything. It brought so much back."
"What was taken from you, before you woke up this time?"
"Yeah." Elena lowered her gaze to the glass in her hands and wiped off a bit of condensation from it.
"I talked to Rose and she said something about meeting in Richmond, once they're sure Vickie is under control, if John's still in town."
"He seems to want to get on my good side, but I don't trust him, not yet. He doesn't understand that sometimes, vampires can be good, or fight to be, even if they sometimes fail." Elena looked up at Elijah and found him staring at her, his dark eyes intense.
"You think I'm good?"
"I know you try to be. You want to be." Feeling brave, Elena cupped his neck, running her thumb over his jaw, then kissed his cheek. "I think you are good and when you do bad things, it's because you're trying to protect the people you love."
Elijah caught her hand and pressed his lips to her palm, then used his hold on her to draw her closer, his gaze falling to her lips as he placed his other hand on her waist, securing her against him. Elena's breath caught in her throat in the anticipation of his kiss.
Just before his lips brushed hers, someone cleared their throat and they both turned, startled to find Jenna standing there. Elena stepped back and Elijah released his hold on her.
"You said-"
"Yeah, I know what I said, but keep doing what you're doing and people aren't going to believe you haven't done it already."
"And John will start something if he sees," Elena muttered.
"Considering he is apparently your biological father, he can do it too."
Elena exhaled through her nose, annoyed, "Alright, we will try to behave."
"I apologize, Miss Sommers."
"You know, I get it, sometimes feelings can get away from you, just please, be careful. I don't want to have to deal with John trying to stir up stuff because he's trying to assert authority over his daughter who's got an older man in love with her and she clearly returns his affections."
With a rueful glance over her shoulder towards them, Jenna walked away.
"She's not wrong," Elijah said softly. "We can't act like this in public, at least not until you're eighteen."
"You're right. I'm sorry. It was stupid of me." Elena hung her head.
"Don't be sorry, Elena. Knowing that my affections are reciprocated will make the wait easier to bear." He brushed her hair behind her ear. "I do believe they are summoning us to the main room. May I escort you, Miss Gilbert?"
"You may, Mr. Mikaelson."
Offering her his arm, he led the way to where the rest of the attendees were watching Mayor Lockwood in anticipation.
"The Confederate troops are a bit much, don't you think?" Elijah sneered.
"We are very proud of being with the Rebels during the Civil War around here."
"It would make sense that a town obsessed with maintaining the status quo, even if it's wrong would be obsessed with their greatest failure."
"Thank you all for joining us tonight. In just a few moments we will officially begin the countdown to our Founder's Day Celebration," Mayor Lockwood said, "and it's a very special one this year, the one hundredth and fiftieth birthday of our town."
The crowd clapped and Elijah used the noise to muffle his next words.
"They founded nothing, yet they act like they should rule and own everything. There were people here before and yet no one cares."
"Because they're not the 'right kind' of people," Elena agreed.
"And I would like to welcome back one of our town's favorite sons, to do the honors of ringing our official charter bell. John Gilbert, would you please join me up here?"
John made his way to stand with the mayor, catching Elena's eye as he moved.
"One hundred and fifty years," John said. "Community, prosperity, family. We take care of each other, look out for each other, protect each other."
He looked at Elena then and she raised an eyebrow as she shifted so that she was slightly in front of Elijah, as if to shield him from John.
"It's good to be home."
Amid the claps and cheers, John rang the bell.
Once John was able to break free, Elena sought him out.
"I hope you don't plan on doing something stupid," Elena hissed, coming behind the blond man.
"Like what, Elena?"
"Just stay out of things. It's better for all of us if you did. Trust me."
"I won't let you do this."
"I thought we already had this conversation! You can't stop Klaus!"
"Listen to her, John, please. You can't stop my brother. We can't be killed through traditional means. Anything you do to attempt to dissuade him from his goals will only enrage him. The way things stand now, I have a chance of keeping the people Elena loves safe. But if you do this, no one is safe. No one."
John looked from Elena to Elijah.
"Stay away from my daughter."
"You don't get to make decisions for me!" Elena snapped. "Just because I know the truth doesn't mean you know me, or what I've been through."
"What have you been through? A few vamp scares?"
Leaning close, Elena whispered directly into his ear, "You know nothing, John. I've been through things I can't tell you about without risking everything."
"You're blinded by your feelings for him. Don't think I didn't see your almost kiss earlier."
"And you're blinded by your hate. I wasn't in love with him when I contacted him."
"But you are now."
"That just means I have something more to lose now," Elijah said softly. "I will do everything in my power to see to it that she comes out of this alive and to make sure those she loves are safe, not because of a deal we made, but because of how I feel about her."
"I don't trust you."
"Then, trust your daughter to know that she's not walking into this because I asked her to. She's doing it because she's a Gilbert and the Gilberts do what is necessary for their family's survival and for the safety of this town."
John looked from one to the other, his brows furrowed.
"Please, John."
"Fine. I'm trusting you, Elena."
"Thank you." Elena wrapped her arms around him, hugging him.
"I just want you safe."
"I will be, I promise." Elena released her hold on John and stepped back so that she could hold Elijah's hand.
"If I can help you, I'll try."
"Please get Isobel to cooperate. Without her help, we won't have everything Klaus needs and that could send him into a rage."
"Okay. I'll do my best."
"If you have trouble, let me know and I'll handle it," Elijah said.
"Let's hope it doesn't come to that." With an awkward nod, John walked away.