Disclaimer: I do not own TVD or SOA
Story Title: Yellow Flicker Beat – Lorde
Author's Note:
1. Elena has graduated high school. She has turned nineteen as of leaving Mystic Falls.
2. Jax is about twenty-six at the start of the fic, regardless of how old he is in the show.
3. Elena's outfits are on tvdcrossovers on tumblr.
4. If you have any questions about the fic that will help you understand, let me know. I will gladly answer them. Please let me know what you think. I love hearing from you guys.
Elena let out a bored sigh, stretching out as best she could in the passenger's seat of Elijah's car. They were about an hour into California, the sun shining brightly through the windows. Almost four straight days of driving effectively turned her into a poor road trip partner. Elena was beyond ready to be out of the car. Pushing her sunglasses further up the bridge of her nose, she inspected the road signs as they passed, trying to gather any clues about where they were going.
"Are you taking me to Los Angeles?"
"Further north than that," Elijah answered, used to her questions at this point.
She looked over at him, raising her eyebrows.
"San Francisco?"
"Closer but we'll still be northeast of there."
Elena's suspicions rose at her words.
"Are there any cities northeast of San Francisco?" she questioned, almost certain that she already knew the answer.
"That depends on your definition of city," he replied, meeting her gaze.
She let out a long whine of his name, knowing that she sounded like the teenager that she still was.
"I've spent my entire life in a small town. You couldn't at least settle me down in Sacramento or something?" Elena said, disgruntled at this point.
"My goal here is not to just drop you in the middle of a city, Elena," Elijah explained, looking slightly frustrated.
The feeling was mutual. It was too long to spend in close quarters with another person, no matter who they were.
"I know, you want to keep me hidden away while you try to defeat Klaus," she sighed, leaning her head back on the seat.
"I want to keep you safe, something I failed to do before," he corrected her, saying all of this while navigating the twisting highway. "You gave me your trust and I do not take that lightly."
Elena turned her head to look at him without lifting it from the seat. It was all too easy to hear the regret in his voice. She knew that feeling well. For weeks she'd driven herself crazy by trying to figure out where she'd gone wrong. Going to the party the night that her parents died. Brushing off Bonnie's warnings when Stefan and Damon first arrived in town. Not listening to every instinct that told her to run the other way. Keeping so many secrets from Jenna and Jeremy. Dismissing Katherine's warnings too easily when Stefan and Damon both assured her that it was just manipulation. Elijah might have been a thousand years old but she wondered if he had thoughts like that too.
"Where is this safe place?" she finally asked, finally deciding to quit doubting him.
He looked over at her, a strangely amused look in his dark eyes.
"You'll see."
"Who the hell names a town Charming?"
She eyed the welcome sign with amusement as they drove across the town border around five in the evening. Elijah huffed out a near laugh at her deadpan question.
"Someone with a very optimistic outlook on life," he replied, glancing around as they made their way into the town.
Elena peered out through the windshield, narrowing her eyes at the, dare she say it, normal looking town. They turned to Main Street and she saw people milling about, some closing down their stores and others simply chatting on the sidewalks. There was a large banner hanging over the street, announcing the state fair that was coming through town in a few weeks. If she didn't know better, she would think that this was nothing but a small, peaceful town. But she did know better. A lot better. After all, she lived in a town that looked much like this and if there was one place that had its secrets, it was Mystic Falls.
"What's wrong with it?" she wondered.
Elijah gave her a strange look, not quite following her train of thought.
"Vampires? Werewolves?" Elena said.
"None of the above," he answered.
She gave him a look of disbelief.
"Nothing?" Elena questioned, wondering if he was pulling her leg. "No supernatural anything? Witches? Ghosts? Leprechauns?"
Elijah shook his head but she didn't feel any reassurance.
"There has to be something. This isn't just a normal town," she said, refusing to believe that everything was as idyllic as it all looked.
"I never said it was normal. A town can be entirely human without being entirely ordinary," Elijah reminded her.
"So that brings us back to my original question. What's wrong with it?" Elena repeated, giving him an expectant look.
He didn't answer, turning onto another street. She narrowed her eyes at him, wondering if he was playing a game with her.
"You can keep your secrets, Elijah. I'm aware that you have plenty of them. But this is my life and I should know what I'm getting into here. I need some assurance that you're not screwing me over," Elena said, unable to keep her overwhelming curiosity at bay.
"I thought you trusted me now," he said, looking over at her as he stopped a red light.
"Trust. Not blind faith," Elena replied.
He sighed heavily, most likely realizing that she had a point.
"I imagine that you'll figure it out rather quickly," Elijah said, still being frustratingly vague.
She didn't push it any further, pressing her lips together as she looked out of her window again.
"You're angry," he acknowledged after a minute or so.
"You're treating me like a child," she shot back through clenched teeth.
Elijah didn't answer, slowing down the car to pull into a parking lot. Elena looked up to see that they were at a mechanic garage. The sign on the building said Teller-Morrow. The garage doors were both shut, making it clear that they were closed for the day. Elena glanced around the parking lot, spotting a tow truck parked beside a shiny black Dodge Charger and several other cars. A few feet away, there was a line up of at least half a dozen motorcycles. She eyed the bikes warily, wondering if her initial suspicion could possibly be right. Elijah parked in one of the last available spots, turning the car off.
"Where are we?" she asked, aware that her tone was clipped.
"A mechanic garage," he told her.
Elena gave him a look, making it clear that she wasn't amused by his stating the obvious.
"Where are we?" she repeated.
Elijah stared at her, a glint in his eyes that made her bite back any more angry responses. Sometimes, she forgot that she was dealing with one of the most dangerous beings ever to live. Elijah made it easy to not remember just how old and powerful he was.
"When you first learned of the Salvatores and their secret, why didn't you tell your family?" Elijah asked.
She looked at him with wide eyes, not expecting that particular question.
"They wouldn't have believed me," Elena said after taking a moment to gather her thoughts.
"You believed it when proof was laid out before you. Why didn't you tell them?" he pushed her.
Elena stared back at him, wondering what this had to do with anything.
"I don't understand why-"
"Elena," Elijah cut her off, giving her a knowing look.
He was already aware of the reason. She just had to admit it out loud.
"It wasn't my secret to tell," Elena finally said.
Elijah nodded, looking at her meaningfully. She let out a heavy sigh, throwing her hands up with surrender.
"Can't I just be in a normal place where no one has secrets?" Elena wondered aloud, collapsing back against the car seat.
She wasn't really counting on an answer but Elijah gave her one anyway.
"Everyone has secrets," he said simply.
She bit down on her lip, nodding at his words.
"Yes they do."
Without another word, she reached for her door handle. He did the same, climbing out of the car. Elena glanced around, inhaling the fresh air as a light breeze flowed around her.
"They aren't axe murderers, right?" she asked, falling into step with Elijah.
"No, zero axe murderers," he confirmed.
"Good. I don't want anyone wearing my skin as a dress," Elena decided.
He cracked a slight smile, leading her towards a covered area with multiple picnic tables. Side-stepping them, they both made their way towards a dark grey door. Elijah knocked twice, waiting for someone to answer it. Moments later, the door opened to reveal a man with sharp blue eyes and dark curly hair. He wore a black button down shirt with a leather vest over it, several patches sewn into it. Behind him, she heard music and the low hum of voices.
"Elijah," he said, his face breaking out in a grin. "It's been a while."
"Years," the vampire agreed with a nod.
They shook hands before the other man's eyes fell on Elena.
"This is Elena Gilbert," Elijah said, stepping aside. "Elena, this is Tig."
She gave him a small smile, uncertain of what to think of this man. On one hand, his words were friendly enough. On the other, he looked like the type of man who had no qualms about violence. She'd been around plenty of people like that. It was easy for her to spot them now. They had a certain look in their eyes.
"Clay told me you were bringing a friend," Tig nodded.
"Not just a friend. I brought her here for protection."
"The club's protection. I know."
Elena glanced between them, feeling like they were speaking in vague terms. As far as she knew, from Elijah's reassurances, this Tig and whatever club he belonged to were human. How could they possibly protect her from Klaus?
"Come on in. The others are waiting," he said, turning around as he waved them inside.
She shot Elijah a confused look, wondering just how many people were waiting for them and why. She wasn't really in the mood to deal with a bunch of people after two days of travel. Once they walked down a short hallway, she finally realized that they weren't just at a mechanic garage. This was a full scale bar and, judging by the multiple black leather vests that all of the men wore, it was a biker bar. This time, the look that she gave Elijah wasn't one of confusion, but annoyance.
Just when she'd given him the benefit of the doubt, he was delivering her straight into what looked like the headquarters of a motorcycle charter. When she caught sight of the back of one of the men's vests, she saw what could only be described as a reaper staring back at her, scythe and all. The women who were scattered around the bar wore just as much leather as the men. Or they wore next to nothing, in some cases. She didn't judge them, knowing that it wasn't her place, but the men leering at them did make her stomach do a disgusted twist.
"Where the hell did you bring me?" she muttered.
Tig didn't hear her but she knew for a fact that Elijah did. The look on his face told her to hold her judgment. Elena wasn't terribly inclined to do anything that he wanted in that moment.
"Well I'll be damned," a woman's voice said loudly.
They all looked around to see a woman approaching them. Though beautiful, she practically screamed "don't fuck with me" with her heeled black boots and sharp eyes. Elena definitely wasn't sure that she wanted to cross this particular person.
"Elijah Mikaelson," the woman said, putting her hands on her hips as she stopped just a few feet away from them. "You haven't aged a day."
Elena pressed her lips together to keep from snorting out a laugh, wondering whether the woman knew how ironic her words were.
"Gemma, just as beautiful as ever," Elijah said, giving her the slightest of smiles.
He looked even more out of place in the bar than Elena, what with his expensive, tailored suit. But he still looked far more comfortable than she felt. The longer they stood there, the more stares they attracted. She didn't like all the attention on her. Someone like Caroline would have flourished in this situation. Elena simply wanted to back away slowly and get the hell out of there. The woman, Gemma, let out a scoff and waved him off.
"You're just trying to flatter me," she accused him.
"I wouldn't dare," Elijah said gravely.
Elena watched this exchange in silence until Gemma's eyes fell on her. There was something in the older woman's gaze that set her on edge. It was almost like Gemma recognized her. There was only one way that was possible but Elena brushed it off. Elijah wouldn't dare bring her to a town where Katherine had been before. That would be far too risky.
"This must be your friend," she said, stepping closer.
"Elena Gilbert," Elijah nodded, gesturing for her to come forward.
She didn't say anything, feeling very out of place in this bar.
"Well any friend of Elijah's is a friend of ours," Gemma said, reaching towards her.
Elena was expecting a handshake. She was taken by surprise when Gemma pulled her into a hug.
"We don't shake hands here darlin," she said in a quiet voice.
They pulled away, Gemma giving Elena a nod before turning to stand beside her.
"This is my husband, Clay," she said, gesturing to a man who stood nearby.
He was tall and just as tough-looking as his wife. There was a bandana wrapped around his head and a cigar in his hand. As he turned to face her, she saw that one patch on his vest differed from the others. President.
"Nice to meet you," she said to him.
Clay smirked, giving her a once over that made Elena feel vaguely uncomfortable. Gemma distracted her, throwing an arm around her shoulders like they were old friends instead of strangers.
"You want something to drink?"
Elena glanced at the bar before looking over at Elijah where he was speaking to Tig. Before she was forced to answer, she felt her phone vibrate and stepped away from Gemma, pulling it out of her pocket.
"I actually need to take this. I'll be back," she said quickly, relieved at the excuse to leave the crowded bar full of possibly dangerous people that she didn't know.
She hurried out through the same door, answering the phone without bothering to check the ID.
"Hey!" Jeremy said as soon as she picked up.
"Jer," Elena sighed, relieved that it was him.
"What's going on?" he said.
She sighed, glancing around the parking lot.
"Well we just got to Elijah's safe place," she answered, packing back and forth between the picnic tables.
"And how is it?" Jeremy questioned.
Elena sank her teeth into her lower lip hesitantly. How could she explain it to him without freaking him out?
"The town is called Charming," she finally answered.
His answering laugh made her smile and forget how out of place she felt in the bar. Elena knew better than to tell him more. Elijah was clear that, even though they were all on vervain, Klaus had ways of getting the information he wanted. It would be better if no one knew the specifics of where she was.
"And is it charming?" Jeremy questioned.
"That remains to be seen," Elena muttered, sitting down on one of the wooden benches.
He didn't say anything for a moment, clearly sensing that something was off.
"You okay?" he asked.
Elena inhaled deeply, tilting her head back.
"I don't know what I'm doing here," she said honestly, putting a hand to her forehead. "I mean, I know why I'm here but…"
"You'll be okay, Elena. You're strong."
She let out a scoff, torn between laughing and crying at her brother's positivity. After everything she'd been through, Elena couldn't remember the last time she was okay.
"I'm serious," Jeremy said, sounding determined. "We both are. It's how we got through the last year without ending up like everyone else in our lives."
Elena couldn't bring herself to argue with him.
"I have no idea what I'm going to do here," she admitted, kicking her feet back and forth.
"Maybe just live a normal life for a while," he suggested, clearly grinning on the other end. "Try not dating any vampires while you're there?"
"Smartass," she fired back, laughing at his words. "I can say that my dating prospects are severely limited at the moment. Vampires are definitely at the bottom of my list."
"That's good news," Jeremy said.
She couldn't help but agree. For the first time in what felt like forever, she just wanted to live an uncomplicated life. It would be nice to be just another girl in the world. Not the girlfriend of a vampire or a doppelganger. Just Elena Gilbert, typical human.
"I miss you," she said, unable to keep a slight waver out of her voice.
"You too."
They sat in silence for several more moments, neither of them knowing what to say.
"I'm really sorry, Elena, but I have a shift and…"
"Don't worry about it, Jer," she said with a shake of her head.
She knew that she was just going to have to get used to everyone else living their lives at this point. It was how it had to happen.
"I'm glad we got to talk. I love you," Elena said, leaning back against the picnic table carefully.
"Love you too. I'll call you later."
They hung up at the same time. She stared at the screen of her phone until it faded to black before tossing it in her purse. Elena stood up, walking back and forth once more, the heels of her hands digging into her eyes as she tried to gather the courage to walk back into that bar She barely heard the roar of another motorcycle pulling into the parking lot, paying no attention to it. As she paced, she listed off her reason for coming here. Maybe it wouldn't be as bad as she was making it out to be. A biker bar didn't mean that Elijah was placing her in a bad situation. Why pull her out of Mystic Falls just to drop her in the middle of a group of dangerous criminals?
"You okay?"
She whirled around to see a man standing not three feet away, a concerned frown on his face. Elena hesitated, knowing how weird she must look. He was wearing the same leather vest as the others, though he looked younger. His blonde hair was long and he was undeniably attractive but that wasn't the most striking thing about him. His eyes were bright blue, visible even from where she stood. Elena realized that he was staring at her expectantly, waiting for her to reply. The longer she took to answer, the more confused he looked, his brow furrowing as he frowned at her.
"I'm fine," she answered, pulling her purse strap up higher on her shoulder.
He glanced around the parking lot before returning his gaze to her.
"Where did you come from?" he asked, his eyes flitting over her.
Elena looked past him, pointing in the direction of the town border.
"About twenty-seven hundred miles that way," she answered, rocking back on her heels.
He looked slightly amused, stepping under the covered area.
"That's a long way from home," he said, stripping the leather gloves off of his hands.
Elena shrugged, moving to sit on top one of the tables. Somehow, though she didn't even know his name, this man put her at ease. It was a strange feeling.
"Home is complicated," she said, crossing her legs.
He grinned, flashing her a set of dimples that were unfairly adorable as he pulled out a pack of cigarettes.
"Clearly you haven't been here long," he said, offering one to her.
Elena hesitated, looking at the pack warily. She hadn't smoked anything since the night her parents died. Bonnie hadn't ever been a fan but she jumped on the wagon early with Caroline, Matt, and Tyler. It had been easy enough to quit while she grieved her parents and then when she met Stefan. Elena hadn't ever looked back and she knew that it was a bad idea to do it now.
"What could possibly be so complicated about a town named Charming?" she asked, refusing his offer with a polite shake of her head.
"You have no idea," he said, sticking a cigarette between his lips.
Elena watched as he lit it, pressing her lips together. She felt curious about him, wanting to know who he was. She could see the Vice-President patch on his vest and knew that he was likely someone important in this club. It should have been a big flashing warning sign but Elena was always bad about obeying those. Just ask the Salvatore brothers.
"Who are you?" she asked, tilting her head to the side.
"You're in my stomping grounds, sweetheart. I should be asking you that."
She ducked her head, hiding the smile that tugged at her lips in response to his words. Before either of them could say a word, the door to the bar opened and they both looked up.
"Jackson?" Gemma said, stepping out.
She was closely followed by Elijah and Clay. All three glanced between the two, wondering what they'd missed.
"You two introduced yourselves?" Clay asked, his eyebrows lifting.
"Not yet," the younger man answered, looking over at Elena.
"Jackson?" she said, hopping off of the table.
"Jax," he corrected her.
He tossed his cigarette on the ground, stomping on it before holding his hand out to her.
"Elena," she said, shaking his hand.
His hand was larger than hers, enveloping it with ease. Elena noted that his palm was rough with calluses before pulling away.
"My son," Gemma piped up, stepping forward.
She nodded, assuming as much.
"We're headed to Gemma and Clay's house to speak with them," Elijah said quietly, moving to stand beside Elena.
He put his hand on her lower back, steering her towards his car. Glancing over her shoulder, she met Jax's eyes. Despite every instinct screaming at her that he was yet another dangerous man, she couldn't help but give him a small smile.
"See you," she said with a nod.
"Count on it," Jax said with a smirk as he walked backwards towards the bar.
Elena's smile grew as she turned to face the car. She could feel Elijah's eyes on her but didn't pay much attention to it as she slid into the passenger seat.
The house that they arrived at was probably on the nicer end of town, decently sized with a trimmed lawn and flowers planted around the house. Elijah parked at the curb as Gemma and Clay pulled into the driveway, her in the Dodge Charger and him on his bike.
"Why are we here, Elijah?"
He glanced over at her, a serious look on his face.
"Gemma and Clay owe me a favor."
Elena narrowed her eyes at him for a moment before looking past him to see the couple walking to their door, their eyes on Elijah's car.
"You want me to stay with them?" she said as if the idea itself was insane.
"That is exactly what I want," he nodded, unbuckling his seatbelt once he turned off the car.
"I don't know them, Elijah."
"I do," he said simply.
"That doesn't actually make me feel better, believe it or not."
Elena didn't flinch away from his gaze, staring him down equally.
"I trust them," he said.
"I don't."
"But you trust me. We've already established this."
She let out a frustrated noise, looking away from him towards the house.
"So I just walk into this situation blindly? Hoping that you're right?" she said with a resigned tone.
"Do you want to live?" Elijah asked.
Elena looked over at him again before giving a reluctant nod.
"Then this is how you do it," he said simply.
She gave a heavy sigh, knowing that he was right as she finally opened her door to climb out. They walked up the path to the house together. As they reached the door, Clay opened it and stepped aside to allow them in. Elena walked over the threshold first before realizing something. Turning around, she watched as Elijah walked inside as well.
"You've been here before," she said, the words slipping from her mouth.
She was taken by surprise, considering that she didn't hear Clay invite him in. Even Elijah had to play by the same rules when it came to humans and their homes.
"You mean he's been invited in before."
She turned to see Gemma walking into the entryway, a knowing look on her face.
"She's aware of your true nature then?" the older woman said, looking at Elijah.
"Elena knows more than most humans in this world," he answered, adjusting his tie.
She looked between them with wide eyes. Until now, no one gave any indication that Gemma and Clay knew about vampires. She couldn't help but wonder how and why. Was Charming was like Mystic Falls after all? Did everyone else at the biker bar know? What sort of situation had Elijah led her into?
"Relax," Elijah placed a hand on her shoulder as if he sensed her rising distress. "There was a vampire problem in Charming several years ago. I helped Gemma and Clay resolve it."
She let out a breath that she didn't know that she'd been holding, nodding her head slowly. It made sense. Elena could only hope that it didn't go any deeper than that.
"Let's talk," Clay said, leading them into the living room.
It was a nicely decorated house, clean and neat in a way that put her at ease.
"Anything to drink?" Gemma asked.
Elena and Elijah shook their heads, both taking a seat on two different armchairs.
"So what's the deal?" Clay questioned.
"Elena's in a little bit of trouble and we need a place for her to stay for a while," Elijah said smoothly.
She kept a blank look on her face, wondering why he was downplaying the trouble that she was in. These people should know what they were getting into when it came to Klaus. Why would he keep that from them if he was counting on their ability to keep her hidden?
"I'm guessing this trouble is from your world," Gemma said, a knowing look on her face.
"We live in the same world, Gemma. Some people just don't know it," Elijah said simply.
"But we're pretty far from your side of things. That's why you're here," Clay acknowledged.
"Yes."
She watched as they spoke, worrying at her lower lip with her teeth anxiously.
"How do we know that this trouble won't follow her here?" Gemma asked.
Elena looked over at Elijah, wondering the same thing.
"I'll keep the trouble busy," he said simply, leaning back in his chair. "You won't have to worry about it. All you need to do is keep her safe."
"That shouldn't be too hard," Clay said confidently, looking at Elena.
"You would be surprised," Elijah muttered.
Elena shot him a look before focusing her attention on Clay and Gemma.
"I know that you don't know me. I don't know you either," she said, leaning forward with a serious look. "Elijah assured me that I can trust you. If I find out that me being here puts you or anyone you love in danger, I will leave. I promise that you can trust me. I am not here to screw with your lives. I'm here because I have no other choice."
Gemma and Clay stared at her, looking surprised by her words. When their eyes flitted to Elijah, he looked almost proud, sitting back with the ghost of a smile on his face. Elena waited for their answer, hoping that her spontaneous speech might have done the trick.
"Okay," Clay said, glancing at his wife.
She nodded in agreement, looking almost amused.
"Welcome to Charming," Gemma said to Elena.
She smiled at them both, relieved that it didn't take much prodding.
"Good," Elijah said, standing up.
Elena looked up at him with wide eyes.
"Where are you going?" she asked, standing up as well.
He gave her a look that made it clear where he was going.
"I can't stay here, Elena," he said quietly.
"You have to leave now?" she said, her voice trembling slightly with anxiety.
Elena thought she would at least have a few days to get used to this place before she was left all alone with people that she didn't know. Elijah glanced at Gemma and Clay, both of whom were watching them closely.
"Excuse us."
They nodded as he led her from the room, taking her out to the front porch. As soon as the door was closed, Elena rounded on him.
"I'm not ready for you to leave," she said, making her thoughts clear. "You can't go yet."
"I have to," Elijah said, looking at her with a frustratingly blank look on his face. "Every day the trail to Klaus gets colder. Every day, more people are in danger because of him. I need to start right away if we want this to end soon."
Elena shook her head, refusing to acknowledge the lump forming in her throat.
"You can't leave me alone with these people," she said, stepping towards him. "I need more time."
"You'll be fine," Elijah assured her, reaching out to brush a a fallen lock of hair behind her ear.
Now that she was closer, she could see the slightest hint of sadness in his dark eyes.
"What do I do?" Elena asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Live," he said simply. "Not just survive. Have a life. You're human, act like it."
"Here?" she scoffed, gesturing around.
He knew that she meant the general town of Charming, not just Gemma and Clay's front porch.
"Here's as good a place as any," Elijah said.
"I don't know anyone here," Elena reminded him, frustration rising in her chest. "No one in this town gives a shit about me."
"They do," he said, pointing at the house.
She gave him a confused look, not sure what he meant by that.
"You really don't see the effect you have on people," Elijah said, looking at her with disbelief. "Katerina knew what she could do all too well. You just have no idea."
"What do you mean?" Elena questioned.
"You are a Petrova, Elena. There is a certain…charm that comes with that. You have the ability to make people trust you, even love you, with a single look. You use it for good, whereas Katerina used it for her own gain. You just brought Gemma and Clay over to your side with little effort."
Elena grimaced, not liking the thought of being anything like Katherine.
"Don't worry. It'll help you," Elijah assured her.
She looked at him, still not entirely convinced about any of this.
"You'll be careful, right?" Elena asked.
He looked amused at her concern.
"Don't worry about me. Just focus on yourself, for once."
Elena followed him down the sidewalk to his car, retrieving her duffel bag from the back seat. As he turned to say goodbye, she found herself closing the distance between them. She knew that he was taken by surprise when she wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Elijah grew stiff for several moments before relaxing and winding his arms around her carefully. Elena pressed her face into his shoulder, trying to hold onto the last part of her old life for a little while longer. Pulling away, she pressed a soft kiss to his cheek and stepped back.
"I'll see you soon?" she asked, picking up her bag.
"I hope so," he nodded, truth ringing in his words.
Elena sighed, turning away. She glanced up at the house as she walked towards it, seeing Gemma and Clay standing in the doorway waiting for her. Glancing back, she saw Elijah get into his car before meeting her gaze. For several moments, she stood halfway between his car and the house, unable to move. Then he pulled away from the curb and took off down the street. As she watched him go, the loud roar of another engine got her attention. She looked towards the other end of the street to see a motorcycle making its way towards the house. The rider was familiar, his blonde hair visible even from beneath his black helmet. Jax pulled to a stop in the driveway, grinning at her as he dismounted the bike.
"Told you we'd see each other soon," he said, placing his helmet on the seat.
She couldn't help but smile, shaking her head as she turned towards the house. Elena headed inside, knowing that Jax was close behind her. She slipped past Gemma and Clay as they welcomed her inside. If she was going to do this, she was going to dedicate herself to it, just like Elijah said. Home was far away, but then again, home was a matter of circumstance. She just had to figure out whether this place could be her home, at least for now.
"I'll show you to your room," Gemma said, gesturing for her to walk down the hallway as she looked over at the males. "You two make yourselves useful. Pizza tonight."
Jax and Clay nodded, standing back as Elena walked off with Gemma.
"You'll be good here," the older woman said confidently.
Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Jax watching her go.
"I hope so," she said softly, turning away to enter her new bedroom.
I would love to hear what you think!
Edited: 4/11/21