AUTHOR'S NOTE: Yes, yes I know the chapters are short. Bear with me, they'll be longer soon. As for it all being Elena's POV so far, don't worry that will be alternating soon.

DISCLAIMER: No I don't own Elijah, Elena, or anything to do with that which is The Vampire Diaries series. This is just my version of it. ;-)

Bound By Blood

~Previously in Bound By Blood~

Squinting at her, Elijah tilted his head and stalked towards her, forcing her to back up against a tree. "What do you mean, Elena?"

Composing herself, she took a deep breath and looked him in the eye as she softly said, "I didn't have a choice that night, Elijah, but I do now, and there's something you should know."

Chapter 3 - Where She Needed To Be

"Tell me."

It was a simple request. Any other time, any other reality, it could've been someone telling their friend they broke a window, or boringly enough forgot to water their plants while their friend was out of town. Elena wished it was as easy as that. Something that could be fixed at a moments notice. That wasn't her reality though. This request wasn't small and she had no idea how they could fix this. Or if they could even survive it.

Swallowing thickly, she shook her head. "Not yet. What you need to know right now, is that the ritual Esther cast, she's planning to end it tonight, Elijah."

Eyes widening slightly, he growled, "What?! It's already noon, Elena!"

Elena held her hands up, halting his outburst. "I'll explain in a bit, alright? I wish I had told you sooner. I wish that this wasn't even happening right now. Most of all, I wish... I wish there was a way to stop her. We need a plan, Elijah."

Inhaling deeply, Elijah prepared himself. It has to be done. "You know, one thing I've learned in my time on this Earth..." he trailed off, watching confusion fill her face. "Be careful what you wish for," he said bitterly.

"Wha- Ah!" Elena yelped, as Elijah grabbed her securely around the waist before stomping his foot in the dirt, effectively making the ground crumble around them and release them into the tunnels.

Coughing from the dust and dirt floating in the air, Elena gripped Elijah's jacket tightly in her hands. Feeling his arms wrapped around her back helping keep her steady on her feet, she was grateful that he was still being a gentleman. Sort of. Sighing, she rested her head against his chest for a moment before stepping back and releasing her hold on his jacket. "I guess I deserved that one," she whispered quietly, watching him stiffly cross his arms over his chest. When he didn't say anything she leaned against the side of the tunnel. "So what happens now? What's the plan?"

Clearing his throat, he kept his tone even as he said, "I should think that quite obvious really. You are now our hostage. One of my siblings will stand guard here while I attend to the matter of negotiating with the Salvatore's. Don't try to escape."

"I won't," she responded instantly. Her mind turning to what could happen if they failed tonight, she muttered, "There's no use in trying to anyways."

Narrowing his eyes slightly, Elijah chose to ignore that comment. For now. Debating in his head, he knew he only had one option. It'd be the riskiest, but also the safest. For everyone.

Watching him remove his phone from his pocket, Elena didn't hesitate. "Call Rebeckah."

Pausing with his thumb over the call key, he raised an eyebrow at her. "Being that she would've been my first choice... Given your history with each other... Why on Earth would you want her to be the one to stand guard? She'd sooner kill you than, what is it called nowadays? Ah yes, braid your hair and have 'girl bonding time'," he smirked, briefly smiling when she snorted at his use of air quotes.

"You're full of surprises, Elijah," she smiled softly, before quickly sobering at what she had yet to reveal. "My history with Rebeckah is the exact reason why I want you to call her. She has just as much right to hear this as you do," she explained, watching him purse his lips before nodding abruptly and walking a ways down the tunnel to make the call.

Sighing loudly, Elena slid down the wall and pulled her knees to her chest as she settled in to wait for Elijah to return. Wondering if, maybe one day, they could ever move past all this. Hoping it wasn't too late.

"There has to be a way," she whispered, leaning her head against the wall. "Please let there be a way."

After everything he'd done for her. Helping her, protecting her, keeping her safe as best as he could. Saving her from his own family over and over again... Elijah deserved the chance to truly live and she'd be damned if she let anyone, even his own mother try to erase his existence from the world.

If he managed to survive this, it would all be worth it. Nothing else mattered. Not herself, not Esther, not the whole damned curse that was messing up everyone's lives. If going behind her friends' backs like this meant that they'd be safe, that they'd all come out okay, and that he would make it, that's all she cared about. Doing this was necessary. This was where she needed to be.