Salvatore Boarding House
November 2, 2010
"I'm not entirely sure how they are going to handle all of this, Caroline," Elena started. They were almost to the Boarding House and for Elena the anticipation was a double-edged sword. On one hand, ever since becoming immortal herself she was anxiously waiting to catch up to the timeline she'd originated from, but on the other hand a lot had changed for her and she was worried how it would affect relationships with people she once thought forever lost to her by the trip to the past.
"I'm sure everything will settle down once they get over the initial shock," Caroline tried reassuring her friend. Although she didn't show outward signs of believing it Elena could easily hear Caroline's heart beat skip. In truth Elena didn't blame her or any of her friends for their probable reaction; still she was just thankful that Caroline Forbes was by all appearances her friend.
"Thanks for that Caroline I really do hope so, but I need you to do me a favor if we can't convince Bonnie to lower that boundary spell she has erected."
Elena wasn't really surprised about Caroline's revelation concerning the majority of her friends and her brother having turned the boarding house into a proverbial fortress against the supernatural variety. It would take a lot of a witch's magical power toward a building of that size, Elena knew from what she learned about magic in the last five hundred years. Granted every time she had been watching others attempt the same feat via Astral Projection, but she was fairly confident in her understanding of the underlying spell mechanics. Which if she was right, would be a problem getting her children as well as Tatia back.
"Whatever happens, promise me you'll keep my children safe," Elena said.
"Lena, I…" Caroline started.
"I'm just… You know how Damon can be, and now Stefan and his vendetta against Nik, I mean Klaus… Care, I honestly don't know what they might do, with either my babies or for that matter Tatia. Without someone watching out for them… It doesn't help that she doesn't speak English and won't until I can place a similar spell on her that was once used on me in the past."
She still had so much to tell her friend about her life a thousand years in the past, but now wasn't the best time to really go into specific details. Caroline didn't respond as she pulled into the long driveway; the gravel crunched under her tires. The first to notice their arrival were their friends, then likewise her family turned towards their arrival as well. Undoing her belt, the blonde vampire made motions to exit when Elena's hand caught her friends before she could fully open her door.
"I'll do what I can. I promise," Caroline spoke in a hushed, somber filled whisper so only Elena could hear her before exiting the vehicle, which Elena quickly followed herself. It was hard to believe that the last time that she was physically at this very location was right after she returned Rebekah to Klaus just before her journey back in time.
As much as she missed her family, including her husband and children, Elena's eyes were fixated on her little brother, already dreading his reaction. Out of her peripheral vision she noticed but didn't react as Caroline kept giving her worried looks over the top of her car.
"Caroline run!" Bonnie yelled.
It took her a minute to take in the scene; except for Matt and Tyler, most of her childhood friends were present. Seeing both Damon and Stefan, Elena felt a twinge of apprehension from how they were sure to react. But it was her little brother that her attention finally settled upon. She didn't know if it was just her imagination but he looked older than the last time she physically saw him.
"We were wondering when you'd finally get here, sister. I don't think your husband is too pleased with me, however. I revealed your connection to us, Ella," Rebekah's voice penetrated her reverie of just being here with Jeremy and everyone else. Knowing her sister-in-law like she did, Rebekah was no doubt already anticipating with fervent eagerness for the oncoming storm, which is sure to follow.
"Bekah… This is going to be difficult enough for me," she sighed. If it wasn't for her supernatural healing she'd probably already be feeling the first indications of a monstrous headache building on the cusp of her sanity. Bowing to the inevitable, she moved to stand next to her husband who thankfully looked both pleased to be reunited with her but also somewhat displeased with their family's obvious enjoyment at the expense of her childhood friends.
As drawn by her brother's eyes she reflexively made contact with them before he shifted his attention to the blonde vampire who, to Elena's relief, stayed with her in spite of the deeper connection to the individuals on the other side of the salt line. She had acrimonious thoughts of where they had come up with so much salt in such a short time. While it did keep them out as they wanted, it was also keeping Elena away from her son and daughter.
"Caroline, come on, you'll be safe-" Jeremy started, but Elena just wanted to get whatever sort of reunion this turned out to be over. There was only so much an immortal mother could take. It had been so long since she even held either of her babies.
"Hello Jeremy, it's been a long time."
There were moments in an individual's life where everything seems to slow down and details people normally overlook instead are almost heightened into sharp clarity. That was what it suddenly felt like to Elena right at the moment. Thanks to her supernatural senses she could hear every heartbeat of everyone in the general vicinity. The sounds of the world faded as if in anticipation of what was to come.
"Oh great she knows our names already! Barbie Klaus, what else have you shared about us with your so-called sister-in-law? Stefan's preference for his bunny diet, perhaps?" Damon spat. Elena's vexation ticked a notch upward. If the safety of her children and Tatia were not at stake she might consider maiming him just a tiny bit for his offensive remark.
"Damon, you might be surprised about what I do or don't know, but my family and I didn't come to fight with all of you," Elena said, feeling somewhat surprised that Klaus was letting her take charge; he had as much reason as she did to get the boundary spell down. She did notice that he kept checking his phone and furiously typing what she could only assume were orders to someone.
"Then why did all of you come here? Klaus and Elijah got what they wanted. I assume that you were in the locked coffin," Stefan said, joining the discussion. Part of her was relieved, but there was something in his expression that worried her. It didn't help that he too was checking his phone like Klaus was. Who could be texting him; Elena found herself rather curious about the identity of the individual or individuals. Neither Matt's truck nor Ric's SUV were present as far as she could tell, unless they came with someone else. Elena shook herself, drawing her attention back to the present.
"Cut the crap, Klaus! You still have not explained why all of you are here, and don't give me that bullshit line about introducing yourselves to the neighborhood. I don't give a flying shit if you are the Original Family or not. Seriously, I don't see you're in any real need of a cup of sugar, or would you prefer a few blood bags with your sister-in-law rejoining you?" Stefan continued, which made Elena wonder how much of their conversation had she'd been otherwise preoccupied with her own troubled thoughts.
"Trust me, I wouldn't want to be here either, as we seem to have a few important family matters to deal with, but I'm getting ahead of myself. Perhaps introductions are long overdue. No introductions are needed for myself, the same for my older brother Elijah, nor my sister Rebekah. This is our eldest of the Mikaelson clan, Finn, then finally our youngest brother Kol. But I'm sure you're curious about our sister's latest revelation about Elijah's marital status."
"Niklaus," Elijah said, in admonishment to his half brother.
Glaring at her brother-in-law for a brief instance, he gave her a playful grin before his expression turned more serious. "They have to find out sooner or later, sister. If not you, one of us will feel compelled to tell them."
Jeremy shifted his gaze from his sister to Klaus not truly understanding the unspoken byplay between them "What is so important that you feel a need to tell us anything?"
Elijah took a slight step forward, drawing everyone's attention to him, but it was Elena who would speak for both of them. If not for Damon Salvatore who decided to interrupt her before she could even start.
"Oh… I already know who you are. They probably think we've forgotten that cock and bull story at dinner. Stefan, what was her name? Tatia, was it? Care to share why they kept you in a locked coffin?" Damon smirked, Elena had no doubt if the barrier inexplicably disappeared Damon might not even live to see the sunrise in just a few short hours.
"DAMON! I'm not Tatia, you asshole! First you confuse me with Katherine on some roadway in the middle of the night while I'm waiting for my parents!" Elena yelled, shocking everyone- including Caroline who was looking at her funny- into dead silence. Unfortunately, that respite wasn't to last.
"That… That's impossible-" Damon fumbled. Elena was tired of playing around, which might explain her continued diatribe against him.
"Impossible?" Elena finished cutting him off. "Little fun fact, Damon. I believe I was the first person in history to ever break a vampire's compulsion. But like my family and I, we were made, not turned into vampires like everyone since the creation of our species. Damon, it's me Elena. Elena Mikaelson, formerly Elena Gilbert!"
"Lena, how?"
"Damon, it's true. She told me things only I would know," Caroline said, supporting her friend, which Elena was thankful for. She would need to thank her later. So far Elena didn't know how many of her friends or brother for that matter believed her, but Damon was being Damon.
"You're lying that… that… NO… NO! You're just like the rest of them!" Damon shouted. He turned to walk away before, in a blink, he was standing opposite her but still safely behind the salt line. "If that was the case, which I don't for a second believe it, alright then where have you been all this time?" Damon demanded.
Elijah pushed the invisible barrier as far as he could, glaring at the young upstart vampire that just insulted his wife. No one does that to his family especially her. Not surprisingly, almost all his siblings seemed just as displeased as he felt at the moment. Finn didn't look happy, but he didn't appear, at least to Elijah that he wanted to beat the upstart vampire into the ground either.
"Mister Salvatore, whether or not you believe it she is still my wife and an Original like the rest of my family. You will treat her with respect," Elijah said coolly. She prayed that her being with him was keeping Elijah from swearing to end her friend. She knew Damon was in denial, but there wasn't anything she could do to relieve him of that burden. She was already stressed enough as it is. Still, Elena found herself relaxing into his arms, letting him absorb her inner turmoil from somewhere within her troubled soul.
At first it seemed like Damon was going to push his luck, but to her surprise instead he threw up his hands in disgust before he vamp speed back inside the boarding house.
"I'll go and make sure he doesn't do anything stupid." Elena turned and realized she hadn't recognized him or been introduced for that matter, but he looked strangely familiar. She just didn't understand why. It wasn't compulsion that would have broken a very long time ago. She could probably count on one hand how many vampires she'd met with a British accent too, not that she was counting.
"I'm sorry, but do I know you from somewhere?" Elena found herself asking someone that, by all accounts, should be a stranger.
"I thought you'd eventually recognize me at some point… But I understand you have more pressing matters to deal with first. I'll tell you after I go help cool down, mister abandon me to my own fate Damon Salvatore. The name is Lorenzo St. John, but you can call me Enzo."
Whether everyone studiously ignored the fact that both Elena and Enzo tried and failed to shake hands was something that would eventually come up again. Elena could already feel it would be Kol as he still hadn't outgrown his seemingly innate immaturity, Elena considered as she watched Enzo turn to follow in Damon's wake. Her friends couldn't hear but as an Original her senses were far sharper, however the distinct sound of breaking glassware was just barely perceptual even at this distance from the house.
"Care, is this true? Why are you back? I thought you went to check on your dad?" Bonnie asked. Elena missed her friends for so long it was hard not to throw herself into their embrace but guilt ate at her heart for her actions after first reawakening.
"It's her, trust me. My dad is doing well too, although we might all have some council issues to deal with eventually. I'll explain later. But as to how I found out it started with Mister Big Bad Wolf here quite rudely blocking my car when I was en route to the hospital. Which, by the way, really ticked me off," Caroline paused long enough to give him an annoyed glare before she continued. "I met Elena shortly afterwards and she volunteered to come with me to the hospital," Caroline explained. Elena had to roll her eyes at the apt moniker for her brother-in-law. She loved him true but sometimes he was still an ass. It didn't help that he seemed to find a perverse amount of amusement in annoying her friends, something she would need to talk to him about, Elena was quite sure. Her little brother was about to say something but thanks to her enhanced senses she heard the cry of her son coming from inside the Salvatore Boarding House. Her husband's arms tensed and she suspected he had heard the same thing she had as well.
"Sorry, Jer, but I really need Caroline to take care of something rather important to Lijah and myself. Care, could you go check on them since I can't just yet?" Elena asked her friend who momentarily seemed confused by the sudden change of topic, but she quickly recovered and nodded before vamp speeding into the house where her children were waiting for her. It was eating at her that she couldn't comfort them herself.
Bonnie, Stefan, and her little brother looked back somewhat dumbfounded both by Caroline's willingness to do whatever Elena had just asked of her and also confused by what Elena had said as well.
"Look I… I don't know what I believe, but if you're my sister, tell me something only she and I would know," Jeremy demanded and while the ember of hope flared in her chest that he would accept her, there was still the doubt in his eyes that was almost heartbreaking.
"Jer, I-" she paused, grimacing. She knew exactly what she had to say to convince him but it didn't make the guilt that swelled to life any easier. "When we were little on a family vacation at our lake house you slipped and broke your arm while trying to dive off a rock. The incident unintentionally spoiled our vacation when both mom and dad canceled it," Elena explained for everyone's benefit. Bonnie and Caroline knew the story, but neither of the Gilbert siblings had told the full story.
"What no one other than Jer and I know was that I was the first to dive off the rock, and I bullied my then six year old little brother into doing it," Elena finished. Even though it had happened so long ago from her perspective of time it didn't lessen her guilt for doing that to him. She was supposed to protect her little brother, not put him into situations that might cause harm to him.
"H… How is this possible! Elena, how you… you look." Jeremy gaped. Elena took pity on him and finished his question already guessing what he was going to say.
"Do you mean why do I look significantly older? When I was changed into a vampire, I was roughly twenty-one years old. As to how I became what I am will require more time than we have and our current arrangements aren't suited for long narratives. Suffice to say I traveled back into time where I met and fell in love with my husband Elijah and before being turned into what we are today, I gave him a little boy and girl named Eirik Jeremiah Mikaelson and Astrid Rebekah Mikaelson."
If providence or fate was watching, it didn't pull any punches for anyone. Elena had originally wanted to share that part of her new life in a more fitting setting, not standing in darkness with a magical barrier between the people from her old life and her current family. Her hopes were dashed into the rocks when Klaus who had been growing increasingly more agitated finally broke.
"Yes. Now that you all know the truth about Elena's connection to our family, would our resident Bennett Witch lower her boundary spell so we may retrieve those persons who are rightfully ours!"
"NO!"
