November 2, 2010
Dear Diary,
Did you think I forgot about you? Well, try keeping a journal updated when you're astral projecting and then tell me if you have any better luck? Still, it's hard to believe that it has been over a thousand years since my last entry. The biggest difference is that I now have access to modern technology, and I don't have to write by firelight or use a pen and quill. I need to find a suitable replacement for Elijah, but he gave me one of his favorite fountain pens just so I can start to journal again. He is naturally curious as to the content of my earlier entries for obvious reason but he won't press the issue to read them. I'm still not sure which way I will go with that decision.
Upon returning to the mansion, I and strongly suspect Elijah already knew that there would be drama the moment we walked through the door. After all, I did tell Katherine to essentially raid Nik's liquor cabinet, which I might add he is still upset about my audacity, but in truth he deserved it for being a dick to everyone.
I guess seeing Sage had changed Finn's plans of leaving, too. I'm relieved; if he was threatening to leave I would have had to stop him and I'm not ready to tell him or anyone else why. After all, how do you tell your family that you know what supposedly happened to their eldest sibling was a fabricated lie?
But I'm not going to journal about that in case Kol gets curious about reading my journal. He might not have his magic, but he has spent his time learning as much as he can about magic, so it shouldn't be very difficult for him to get some of my blood if he really wanted to. Klaus still has a locked refrigerated unit with my human Doppelgänger blood enough there I gather to make at least two dozen more hybrids.
I don't know how I should feel about him creating more of them. Deep down in my very soul I know he feels alone and I want to tell him that he isn't, but I haven't found the best manner of telling him that fact. Rebekah and everyone else has tried for so long that I'm not sure which is the best approach. The best we can do for him for now is to be there for him. However, this brings up another issue; will he treat Tatia like he treated me as a walking blood bag? Yet another difficult topic that will need to be approached with utmost care.
Oh, I did find out part of the reason that Klaus was busy texting on his phone. He was recalling all his hybrids back to town. Apparently, he has a small contingent of witches loyal to him that will be arriving sometime tomorrow, and he mentioned staffing the house with fresh bodies for the family. Something else I will most likely need to talk to him about as well. If he thinks we will have compelled slaves or walking blood bags, he has another thing coming to him.
Onto other matters for now, I have put my foot down about having Katherine Pierce placed in the dungeon like Klaus hinted earlier. I demanded that she be given a guest suite for now, but I did threaten her that if she stepped out of line I would escort her to the dungeon myself. Which brings up another point I need to get off my chest. The house he made for us (well everyone else but me, but I won't hold magically repressed memories against him) has a frickin dungeon in the basement levels. Once we get Eirik and Astrid, will we need to not only baby proof the mansion but the dungeon as well? I think I'm giving myself a headache already.
My baby brother and Caroline both sent pictures of my sleeping babies to Elijah's phone and I finally broke down. As he comforted me, Rebekah showed everyone the picture collection they sent. Although I was busy crying, I later found out from Rebekah in a few of the shots Tatia can be seen and apparently Klaus looked mesmerized before threatening to destroy the phone. Once we get them all back, I need to have a long talk with him. There are things he needs to know.
Before going to sleep this morning (look I'm tired, cut me some slack okay!) Before my crying fit, which was probably good timing, Elijah had me stand for a few pictures and when I asked he told me that he would have a surprise for me in the morning. I have no idea what he is up to, but I guess I will find out in a few hours. I have my alarm set for mid afternoon.
Wish me luck I suspect that I will need it.
Mikaelson Mansion
November 2, 2010
Elena woke up to a cacophony of noise that if she hadn't already mastered her ability of tuning her senses down, she might have to straight up kill someone for making so much noise. It took her a solid minute to recall where she was, too. She privately wondered if it might be a crime to have a bed that was as comfortable as Elijah and her bed was in their suite of rooms. Reaching out for her husband, she instead found his side empty, but he had warned her that he would be up before she was and not to concern herself.
When she opened her senses to the world other than the distinct heartbeats of her family, it might take her a few days to memorize Sage and to some extent even Katherine's heartbeat patterns. It wasn't a precise method of identifying people on the spur of the moment, but it might prove useful in the future. But Elena was confused because it took more time than usual and she might have double counted some of them but she could have sworn she counted between forty to sixty new unfamiliar heartbeats scattered throughout the mansion.
She must have been lost in thought, trying to comprehend what was going on when there was a knock at the main door to their apartments. Grumbling under her breath, she climbed out of the sinfully inviting bed and slowly made her way to the door, all the while inspecting her appearance. Rebekah made a comment about fixing her lack of clothing as soon as possible, but her outfit she slept in was spaghetti strap midnight black silk chemise that ended mid-thigh. Her sister told her she could keep it and Elena had to admit she looked good wearing it.
Not entirely sure who was on the other side of the door she awkwardly opened it, using the door as a shield to cover her semi-nakedness from prying eyes. She found two humans waiting patiently for her to allow them in. They wore maid outfits that while revealing were not overtly cut to be borderline scandalous. Whoever they were, they had to be in their mid-twenties and were not unattractive either.
"May we come in, my Lady? We have brought you brunch and while you're eating my sister will draw your bath for you," the first girl spoke in a melodic Irish accent.
Feeling like a heel for only just noticing the large tray in the other girl's arms, Elena blushed profusely as she opened the door enough for them to enter.
Watching with weary expression as one of the two servants placed the tray on a nearby table and the other disappeared into the adjoining bathroom. The sound of running water greeted her ears before the maid closed the door upon returning. It felt awkward to have them staring at her and it became even more when they then curtsied as one.
"Our sincerest apologies my Ladyship, for not getting your meal menu to you earlier but we have only just arrived at the manor. We did make a ham and cheese omelet and brought a selection of cut fruit for you. Afterwards, we were instructed to permit you to feed from one or both of us as well," the first maid said. Although they both seemed outwardly calm, she could see the fear in their eyes and the rapid heartbeat of them after essentially offering themselves up as food was enough to convince her that someone, most likely Klaus, had compelled them. So as not to scare them she simply nodded in acknowledgment, but the aching in the back of her throat and now her gums at the mere mention of feeding from them only served to remind her that she needed to partake of the crimson nectar soon.
Taking the seat which one of them had wordlessly pulled out for her she examined the plate of food. There was a cup of coffee that made her mouth water, craving her caffeine fix she hadn't indulged in for far too long. The ache in her gums she, for now, pushed into the back of her mind. Taking her first sip was pure heaven, but that wasn't until taking her first bite of food in nearly one thousand years. To say the experience was borderline orgasmic would be rude in polite society. Fortunately it was just the three of them, vampire senses notwithstanding.
"My god, that is amazing. My compliments to whoever prepared this for me. Might I ask what are you names are?" Elena asked around another fork full of the omelet.
The first maid curtsied again "My name is Vera, and this is my twin fraternal little sister Lily. We are both housemaids for your family, Lady Elena."
"By only three minutes, sister," Lily said by way of introduction she expertly mirrored her sister's curtsy as well.
Smiling at them, Elena collected her thoughts, hiding that fact by eating more of the food they had brought up for her. She was half way done when Lily excused herself and went to check on her bath. After watching her retreat into the bathroom she once again saw the fear in Vera's brilliant green eyes which so matched her sister's. Elena only then realized they shared the same eye color, and while their hair hung in a simple ponytail, the red color of Lily's was more brilliant. Almost as if her hair was being constantly set ablaze while her older sister's looked very similar to Sage's hair.
"Vera, I assume you and your sister understand what I and my family are. Is that not correct?" Elena asked as gently as she could. She knew that she was asking an obviously stupid question but she couldn't think of any other way of addressing it.
"Y… Yes my Lady Elena. We know, but for some reason we are not to let on that we know unless asked by you or one of the others of the Mikaelson family."
"I see… I don't know about my family but I hope that I will not be like the monster you might have imagined of our kind. Rest assured I will talk to my family about this matter. There however is one question I have that I regrettably need an answer to," Elena said, formerly having finished her meal and all of her coffee.
"Yes, your Ladyship?" Vera asked succinctly.
"Well… Uh, why are you using honorifics? Last time I checked we are in America and it is the twenty-first century," Elena asked feeling awkward.
"My Lady. When we started our employment to your esteemed family, we all were instructed to address all of you in such a manner. The only one we are not permitted to do so is the woman who looks like your sister. Lord Niklaus was quite specific on that issue."
"All of you were told to do that? Who told you?" Elena said, feeling her anger raise. She stood up quickly and Vera backed away before stopping herself. Her racing heart was only making the hunger grow. Calming herself Elena apologized for scaring her.
"No apology needed, Lady Elena," Vera answered innocently.
Realizing that Vera had avoided answering her question, Elena asked again. Vera simply nodded her head in acknowledgment having heard her but didn't provide an answer. It took another try of just asking it differently, yet she still wasn't getting the answer she wanted before it dawned on her and she felt like smacking her forehead in frustration with herself.
"Damn compulsion," Elena muttered before approaching the maid. Her wide green eyes watched as her mistress peered into her eyes.
"I don't want you to address me as Lady or any other honorifics, do you understand?" Elena compelled Vera.
"I understand. Will there be anything else, my lady?" Vera's voice was a perfect monotone. Elena cursed under her breath, already suspecting that Klaus or someone had been a little too zealous with their compulsion. She would need to address this later, but for now she had to take care of one final important matter before her bath.
"Yes Vera. I want you to please sit down in my seat and don't be afraid; I will not harm you or your sister."
Elena didn't say a word as Vera did as she instructed. Anticipation building her teeth ached. After a brief second of minor hesitation, Elena decided to feed from the maid's neck; it would be the most comfortable for both of them. Carefully tilting the woman's head to the side Elena stood behind, stooping over to nuzzle the maid's neck, her nostrils flaring when she picked up the heady scent of blood coursing its way through Vera's veins. Her lips teased the spot she selected, drawing the warm blood to the surface with each tender kiss. Not wanting to scare the poor human Elena didn't make a production of allowing her vampire visage to appear unseen. The familiar lengthening of her eye teeth brought the predator out as she bit easily, piercing the fine smooth skin and expertly using her lips to form a perfect seal. Allowing Vera's heart to pump the blood into her mouth, Elena swallowed mouthfuls of the delicious nectar until she heard the faint slowing of her meal's heartbeat. So entranced by her feeding, she didn't hear the sharp cry of alarm in front of them. Pulling her fangs out, taking care not to do so in a manner that would tear the surrounding flesh, Elena held a weakened but still alive Vera upright in her recently vacated chair to find Lily staring horrified at the scene of Elena feeding on her older sister.
The look on her terrified expression made Elena absently wonder what she looked like as a predator, or did she appear more than the monster like in fairy tales or on television? Taking care to wipe any residual blood from her lips. Elena stood up and bit into her wrist before placing her now bleeding wrist before Vera's open mouth.
"Vera, please drink my blood. It will help heal the wound. Afterwards, I want your sister to take you to get something to eat before lying down for the day. You are excused from your duties. If asked, direct them to me, understand?
She asked after feeding her blood Elena watched as the wound sealed faster than she saw in her previous encounters but that was before she was a thousand year old vampire. Like her family, she had only gotten stronger and more powerful with the passage of time.
"Y… Yes, your Ladyship," Vera answered and made to stand on her wobbly legs. Elena motioned for Lily to take her place, holding her sister upright.
"Please go. Lily, you can return and collect the tray after you've seen to your sister understand?"
"Yes, your Ladyship." Elena tried not to wince when she heard the quaver in Lily's voice.
Elena watched them exit the apartments and closed the door upon their awkward but still successful departure. Whatever sort of dick-head her brother-in-law was sometimes, Klaus at least knew how to pick them. Vera's blood had been exquisite. The predator inside her was looking forward to their next feeding and wondering if Lily tasted as good as her fraternal twin did. There just had been something about Vera's blood that called to her. The last time she felt a similar pull was right after Abby pulled the dagger out of her chest. She had needed to feed and there had been no other choice. She did give Abby her blood to recover from feeding on her. It had been a near thing but she regained enough herself to stop before it was too late.
All she knew now was that her best friend Bonnie Bennett was going to hate her when she discovered that it was Elena, not Katherine, that ultimately turned Abby. Much like with Caroline it had been Damon's blood but similar with Abby it was Katherine who had taken their mortality from them. For Elena's friend it was by suffocating Caroline with a hospital pillow.
Mikaelson Mansion
November 2, 2010
It had been a challenge washing her hair. She knew that it was just too long and besides Rebekah had mentioned they should take care of that and several other things. She honestly didn't know what her sister-in-law was planning, but the gleam in her eye had, if she'd been her human self again, terrified her. Now she only felt mild dread for what Rebekah had planned.
After laboriously drying her hair- yet another reason to get it cut- Elena fully dressed in what she initially suspected was Rebekah's but it was only after closer inspection that she realized that the clothing items were actually hers but she hadn't seen or worn them for a thousand years.
Only while getting dressed did it dawn on her that Elijah had an invitation into her parent's house and must have picked them up for her. Although she was concerned he might have picked clothing she hadn't given to charity yet because she had grown out of them. Her jeans were too tight in the hips and it wasn't until putting on her bra that she understood the real issue. She felt like an utter idiot for not considering it beforehand, but in her defense it had been at least ten centuries since she'd worn such undergarments.
Put simply, she had the body of a twenty-one-year-old woman. While she was the same physically, for the most part, she was also a mother and because of that her hips were naturally wider and her cup size was too small. Not that viking woman had bras in their nearly forgotten time period. After struggling with it, Elena decided to forgo the bra entirely. If she suspected what Rebekah had planned for them meant she wouldn't need to worry about her clothing scarcity in the very near future.
After pulling on her sneakers, which thankfully fit, there was a quick knock at the door before Elijah's head popped through the door he'd opened. "Are you decent? I have some things for you before your outing."
"How do you- Never mind. And you don't have to be so formal with me, mister Mikaelson. I might have an in with your wife," Elena teased. She didn't know why she hadn't heard Rebekah excitedly describing their planned outing but an idea was forming in the back of her head as she watched her husband enter their apartments carrying a large manila envelope.
"Oh, really? Perhaps I might need to have a rather long hard discussion with her about being so presumptions about things in our home," he said airily, tossing the envelope onto the made bed. Lily or someone must have made it up when she was enjoying the hot soak before reluctantly climbing back out to face the world. With a squeak of surprise and feeling her heart rate race, Elijah vamp sped to her side, taking her into his arms and after a searing kiss that made her toes curl he dipped her before pulling her upright.
"Someone is feeling rather frisky," Elena purred into the shell of his ear before letting him pull away.
"Perhaps tonight I will show you how much I've missed my wife," he breathed into her temple before he did.
"Consider it a date then. Before I go and find Bekah, did you or a certain hybrid seriously need to compel the servants to use honorifics? I was just teasing you," Elena said with as much seriousness in her voice as she could muster, being this close to him. His eyes flickered with desire and he no doubt could smell her desire. It had been far too long, but their sister interrupting their extracurricular activities would really put a dampener on the mood.
"Well, while you were asleep we had a family discussion, and before you protest about not being invited, that was intentional." He smiled wickedly at her and she was torn between punching him or rolling her eyes as the less offensive gesture won out.
"I mentioned our discussion with him in passing and since we were getting ready to receive the people Klaus and I hired to take care of the estate, we put it to a vote."
"A vote? That doesn't sound very Klaus-like at all," Elena asked, puzzled, her eyes occasionally straying to the mysterious manila envelope sitting on the bed.
"Nor did it sound like him to us as well, but you know it's best not think you know our brother, is it not?"
"True. Okay, with that out of the way what was this vote and would you care to give the reasoning behind even having it?" Elena sighed, toying with his collar. If Rebekah wasn't in all likelihood waiting for her downstairs, she wouldn't mind getting the equivalent of what could be described as vampire style quickie.
"I brought up the matter of the planned compulsion we would place on the human servants. Klaus misses those days as had both Rebekah and Kol, but he declined. Finn cared not for continuing it, so you can guess the direction his vote went," Elijah paused, already knowing what her mental napkin polling.
"You cast the deciding vote in favor? Why?" she asked with a look of incredulity aimed directly at her husband.
"Because you missed so much by not being with us in the physical sense, this is one way of giving you that. Rest assured they will only use honorifics while on the estate or any Mikaelson property for that matter. We also promised each other to bring the matter for a family vote in one or two centuries from now," Elijah said in such a nonplussed manner Elena thought he might have been joking.
"You're serious, aren't you?"
"Deadly serious, Lady Elena Mikaelson, so you had better get used to it," he smirked and once again she was torn between kissing him or snapping his neck. Kissing him won out.
"Well Lord Elijah Mikaelson, please tell me that they are well compensated for their services and while we're at it how long are their contracts?" Elena asked, reluctantly pulling away, but he stopped her from getting too far with him, dropping his hands to her waist. His mere touch was doing naughty things to her lady parts.
"They are and it depends on the servant's needs and ours. The contracts range from two to five years with option to renew. Renewal is the sole province of the contracted individual. They can't be compelled to stay against their will."
His explanation helped soothe her nerves; she might be an immortal and have been for a very long time but she refused to give up her tentative hold on her humanity. "Could I have the two maids Vera and Lily?" Elena halted when she realized she hadn't bothered to learn their last name. So much for her keeping her humanity, considering she recently fed off Vera too.
"Their last name is Sullivan and yes, I will have them permanently assigned to you if that is what you want?"
"Yes… Um… can I ask, how are their contracts?" Elena couldn't help asking.
"They both have a three year commitment to the family with a possibility of renewal for an additional year afterwards."
"They seem so young and they sounded like they knew what they were doing. Was that through compulsion too?" Elena asked, then scowled at her husband when he started laughing.
"Sorry… Sorry No I was just recalling the question I was asking myself when I was having them vetted. It turns out that the Sullivan sisters had amassed a large substantial student debt for loans they took out to pay for their schooling in the hotel hospitality degree. Once they complete the first year of their contract with us, their debts are paid off and anything else goes into a fund they set up to pay for their initial investment into a jointly owned bed and breakfast they wish to build themselves."
Elena was stunned. She sat on the bed looking up at her grinning husband. "Woah… That… Is amazing?"
"Thank you. Well, are you going to open it?"
"What?" Elena asked, feeling oddly defensive.
"The manila envelope you've eyed more than once since I brought it. It's a surprise!" her husband said rather coyly. A small infantile thought of a practical joke very briefly crossed her mind before rejecting all of its wholesale. Elijah was nothing like his younger brother. Still, she felt rather dubious as she dumped the contents on the comforter beside her and froze, taking in the contents.
"Elijah This… This is too much!" Elena blurted. As if to emphasis her point, she held up two credit cards, one of them gold colored and the last was a black which even she knew had no credit limit. Then there were a Diners Club International. Dropping those, she next picked up two passports, one for the United States and the other for United Kingdom. Opening each, she found one of the pictures she posed for laminated into the card stock. Her eyes nearly bulged out when she realized while her listed name was Elena Mikaelson, which was not entirely unexpected, but how had she gotten a dual citizenship boggled her mind. Noticing another peculiarity she picked up a familiar Virginia driver's license and just confirmed that her birthday had been pushed back to reflect her physical age of twenty one. The address wasn't familiar, but she could probably bet it matched the building they were residing in right now. There were other documents, a high school equivalency graduation diploma from a private school in England she never heard of and a social security card. She had no idea why unless it was to round out her new identity for some reason. There was a marriage license with her maiden name as Petrova. Rather fitting, considering it was the name she used in the far past. However, it was the bank statement with several accounts all with her name on them, and if she had been human, she just might have felt her heart stop. She had never seen so many zeroes.
"Lijah this is too much!" Elena reiterated, picking up the envelope before resettling it back onto the bed spread. She just didn't feel she deserved any of it regardless of her marriage to Elijah or not.
Pulling her to her feet, not recalling that she had even sat down on the bed, she looked into his brown orbs almost pleading him to say it was all an elaborate prank on her part. He kissed her closed eyelids and then gave her a smoldering kiss that might have made her forget her name temporarily until they both came up for air.
"Nonsense Elena you've been Mikaelson for a very long time, how often does a husband get to be reunited with his lovely wife and the mother of his children whose very existence, I might add, were magically suppressed from his very own memories? Elena, sweetheart I gave up on having my own children as a vampire a very long time ago, this is the least I could do for you," Elijah's voice moved her to tears and he, in turn kissed each of them away one by one.
Salvatore Boarding House
November 2, 2010
"Tell me again why we must invite her on our little outing?" Rebekah demanded just barely slowing down to take the turn in the road.
"I'm a little more concerned about arriving there in one piece, Bekah, right at the moment. Could you perhaps slow down maybe just a little?" Elena squeaked. Rebekah gave her a sidelong look followed by an eye roll. She finally breathed a sigh of relief when her sister reluctantly let up on the accelerator.
"You're immortal Ella, just like Sage and I are. Most of us can walk away from even a car accident." Rebekah smiled back into the rear-view mirror at the non-verbal dialog between Elena's sister-in-law and, for lack of better description, future sister-in-law if Finn ever gained the proper courage to follow through with it. During her visits with Finn, he never really could adequately explain why Rebekah disliked Sage when they were first introduced. Which did have a sense of irony, considering at least from Elena's perspective when she was first introduced to Rebekah the very night Klaus had first returned to Mystic Falls.
"Yes Bekah, and while I can't be so presumptuous to speak on behalf of Sage here, I would like to arrive without having Elijah or Nik drop off a replacement vehicle for this Mikaelson makeover excretion you insist on calling our little trip," Elena explained, wishing that she had been faster in volunteering to drive the three of them to boarding house to pick her friend Caroline up. Rebekah wasn't being forthcoming about this outing she planned, and from what she so far observed about Finn's significant other, she didn't seem exactly sure where their supposed destination was.
"Fine whatever, and you dodged my question about why we need to take Vampire Barbie with us?" Rebekah huffed. Elena simply rolled her eyes at her sister but after a moment of silence Sage had her say and it only made Elena wish they were there sooner, but as much as she loved her sister-in-law, Rebekah was a terrible driver.
"Vampire Barbie? Did you come up with that Rebekah, and exactly who is this vampire?" Sage asked from the seat just behind Elena's.
"A childhood friend of mine that was originally turned into a vampire by Katherine as part of the sacrifice to break Nik's curse." Elena slowed at the memory before she continued. She choose to ignore the look of surprise coming from Sage. Her family is the pure definition of dysfunctional family, but in truth she and they wouldn't have it any other way.
"As to your other question, I could be wrong so please correct me if I am Bekah; but I think she might have heard Damon use that on one or more occasions," Elena sighed. She hoped that it was just Caroline waiting for them. She had texted her friend their pending arrival and invitation to come along. Another one of Elijah's surprises was a new phone with all of her family's contact information already programmed into it. He had even gone so far as to include her brother and a select few of her friends. Notably missing was Damon Salvatore; she had mixed feelings of adding his information into her contacts list for a variety of reasons.
"You're not Ella. I think that is Damon's favorite nickname for her too, not very original of him if you ask me. I could probably come up with at least a dozen more," Rebekah said with a sense of superiority about her and for once Elena would have let it drop if it wasn't for the amused expression on Sage's smirking face. It still took her a minute before Elena puzzled it out and she just wanted to groan aloud on the injustice of the world.
"Are you seriously going to tell me that you are acquainted with Damon Salvatore, Sage? And please don't tell me it was anything but platonic. I don't want to find out that Finn has torn apart someone I care about," Elena asked, already fearing the answer to her loaded question.
"Yep on both counts," Sage said, popping her p for added effect.
"God, I swear Damon is like the poster boy for being a vampire gigolo. Where did you meet him?" Elena laughed. She couldn't help herself. Sage eased back into her seat, enjoying the buttery leather adorning the SUV's interior. The heavily tinted windows kept the sun at bay, not that any of them needed to be concerned about the harmful effects of the sun on their kind.
"Would you believe it was in this very town? I believe it was around nineteen twelve or something. I met him then his younger brother after some funeral for a distant relative of theirs. Being young vampires as they were, they hadn't yet cut ties to their formal mortal lives. I remember the town was having an influx of immigrants and they were expanding," Sage said. Elena had always been interested in history, but she kept cycling back to what the red haired vampire said about not cutting ties with their formal mortal lives. Unlike either of two vampires, she found herself in a rather unique position. By default she was counted amongst the oldest vampires in history. Not surprisingly, her family were the progenitors of the species, But thanks to a quirk of time travel she didn't quite need to give up on her ties to her mortal life.
"Impressive. I had a former history teacher that loved to regurgitate sometimes pointless facts about town history. Well he did before Damon killed him," Elena added, covering her self reflection.
"You never know when supposedly pointless facts mean life or death. Can you give me one of them?" Rebekah chided her sister.
It took her a minute, but there was one detail that occurred in the same year the Salvatore brothers and Sage were in town. The problem with Mister Tanner's tests was they were too predictable if you knew what to pay attention to in class.
"Well, I believe it was the very same bridge my parents had their accident on, that almost killed me as well as. It was constructed from lumber harvested and milled locally. For some reason, he seemed impressed that all the wood came from a single tree, too. If he hadn't been killed, it would've been a mid-term question for sure."
Sage chuckled, shaking her head in amusement. "Elena, I must say you have the oddest back story I have ever encountered. Even after Finn confirmed it for me, I still almost can't believe it and then when all of you told me you can do magic and you're a vampire, I thought Finn was playing a joke on me."
Rebekah brought the SUV to a stop a car length from the very edge of the barrier keeping Elena from her babies. Right on time, the front door of the boarding house opened and three figures were heading their direction. One of them was Caroline the other two were Bonnie and not surprisingly Damon Salvatore. Rebekah stopped them from exiting their vehicle.
"Sage we might need your help since you have a connection with Damon as it were, but if he sees you with us that will clue him in to your connection with us," Rebekah said and Elena immediately understood as did Sage.
"Okay, I'm not sure what you want me to get from him, but why the hell not. I'll just stay in the vehicle while you collect your friend."
Having nothing further to say Elena and Rebekah exited the vehicle, taking care to block prying vampire eyes from seeing the interior of their SUV. The heavy tint blocked even Elena's ability to recognize her, and she was standing less than a foot away. Breathing a sigh of relief Elena and her sister waited just outside the barrier. They didn't have to wait very long.
"So look who we have here Barbie Klaus and our own Elena Gilbert," Damon drawled, giving Elena a look she realized was hurt. Did he think she wanted to be sent back in time? Yes, she found the man she loved, and she knew who her extended family was both now and when they were still human. She was going to let it slide that he used her former surname Rebekah was having none of that.
"Out of respect for my sister I will not rip your spine from your body, Damon, but if you forget that she is a Mikaelson I might be compelled to teach you otherwise," Rebekah said coldly, and although she was doing this for Elena, she felt a pang of sadness for her friend. He had helped her when Stefan was taken then afterwards, but he needed to realize that his obsession with her might cost him his life he wasn't careful.
"That's great, but I want to hear it from her," Damon said, pointing a finger at her as if accusing her of being a traitor or something along that nature.
"Damon, I'm a married woman and my husband is Elijah Mikaelson," Elena spoke calmly, looking him directly in the eye. Her own eyes pleaded with him to understand that things have changed.
"They've compelled you or something. I don't know yet, but I'm going to find out." Damon snarled before whirling on Caroline. "Keep an eye on her," he said harshly before vamp speeding back inside his home, slamming the door shut behind him.
"Rude," Rebekah said as if she was stating the obvious, rolling her eyes at the now absent vampire. A part of her wished that Damon continued with his obsession with her sister, if anything else her brother might have to step in and teach the upstart vampire his place in vampire hierarchy.
"I'm so kicking his ass when I get back, I swear- Did you hear him order me to keep my eye on you?" Caroline said, indignation permeating the very air with its foul scent. One thing that can be said for her childhood friend: she was a true master of revenge when it was called for and although Elena might disagree she didn't entirely know what had transpired between them when she was still human. At the time she thought Damon was using her as his blood bag, but after what happened to Elena back when she was being used in creating Klaus' hybrids she wasn't entirely sure now. Caroline was keeping something from both her and Bonnie, and that bothered Elena.
Giving Bonnie a reassuring nod, Caroline crossed the salt line with no ill effect. Thanks to her magic Elena could see the tendrils of invisible magic surround her friend before moving away once she placed an appendage beyond the magical barrier. Regardless of her sister-in-law and the still hidden vampire in the vehicle, Elena brought her friend in for a fierce hug before finally releasing her.
"It's good to see you again, even though it's only been a few hours Care, and you as well Bonnie," Elena smiled congenially at her recalcitrant friend. Elena didn't quite know if Bonnie had to remain inside the barrier or was reluctant to leave it to apparent safety.
"Well, come on we are burning daylight," Rebekah said, not bothering to look at either of Elena's friends. In her mind, her sister was far better off without them now they'd been reunited. She'd admit that if Elena insisted Rebekah could learn to tolerate the blonde vampire the Bennett witch was a different matter.
"Be careful Care, and don't forget to call me if you need anything!" Bonnie called out as the vampires turned to the SUV. Elena did her best to overlook the reality that her friend hadn't said much of anything to her. Instead, she had warned Caroline to take care. Rebekah might be amused by the verbal exchange but all Elena felt was a pang of sadness.
Elena was adrift in her own thoughts. She vaguely heard Caroline promise to call. It wasn't until Rebekah put her hand on the small of her back did she finally snap out of it. Caroline had already climbed into their SUV and was just closing the door. "Ella, it is really up to them if they want to treat you like this, you did nothing wrong," Rebekah said so softly only Elena could hear it.
"Thanks Bekah, I… I really don't know what to do?"
"We'll think of something. Who knows, we might just start up our prank war with Kol," Rebekah suggested and Elena couldn't quite tell if she was being serious or not. Or maybe she is just trying to distract you, Elena argued with herself.
Climbing in the passenger side, as much as it unnerved her, considering her latest car ride with the Original Vampire, she really had no idea where they were going. Elijah had just told her to enjoy herself and don't worry about things while she was gone. Easier said than done, but she really needed clothing that would fit. And as much as she loved Bonnie, however, Caroline would literally try to kill her if she didn't take her along. The fact that only one thing existed that could kill her or anyone in her family was a rude shock and needed to be resolved before any of her friends from her former life found out about its existence.
"Um… Not to be inconsiderate, but who are you and why didn't you get out of the car like Elena and Rebekah?" Caroline asked from the seat behind her. After buckling in which only earned her an exasperated eye roll from her sister-in-law, Elena turned as best as could to listen into how first introductions played out.
"My name is Sage. I've been an acquaintance of the family for a handful of centuries. I only recently just reconnected with them. As to why I didn't get out with everyone when we first arrived can be summed up to one particular dark haired blue eyed vampire," Sage explained.
"Damon?" Caroline asked, already knowing the answer. "Okay now that is settled where are we going?" she asked cheerfully.
"Charlottesville," Rebekah volunteered.
"What's in Charlottesville that can't be found here?" Elena asked, not too ashamed to be asking it. Granted, her worldview had changed over the centuries, although she did see much of it while in Astral Form, but Mystic Falls was her hometown and even after all this time she still felt a sense of kinship with it.
"It's a surprise," Rebekah smiled mischievously over at her sister before starting the vehicle. Elena refrained from pointing out that surprises in their family often lead to someone being stabbed with a silver dagger by a certain hybrid brother of theirs. He so far hadn't tried it with Elena but she knew it was only a matter of time before he did attempt it.
Charlottesville–Albemarle Airport
November 2, 2010
"Your family owns a freaking private jet plane!" Caroline shrieked in utter amazement. They stood together on the tarmac waiting to board the sleek business jet that, according to Rebekah's casual and almost flippant description, had been modified for their family use. From the heavily tinted passenger windows Elena could only guess that it must have been modified to allow the transport of vampires not possessing the daylight charms their kind needed. Finding a willing witch to create them was difficult at best. It sometimes made Elena truly wonder how many of her family's prodigy hunker in the shadows, counting the hours till the harmful rays of the sun faded from the world at least for a dozen or so hours before repeating the process again. With that thought and others Elena peered down at her wedding band.
"Hello Lena… Didn't you hear me?" Caroline's agitated voice intruded into her private reverie.
"Of course she did, you…" Rebekah started to chide her friend but the 'do not go there look' Elena was giving her sister made her somewhat reluctantly clamp her mouth shut, but not before giving Elena a return look that said they would be discussing this and several things much later in the future. A thought struck Elena like a lightning bolt: was her own sister-in-law jealous of her friendship with Caroline Forbes? This was going to be more difficult than I first thought, Elena mused, turning to watch a private Cessna taxiing for takeoff. They had to wait; the fuel truck was late and their flight was temporarily delayed.
"I know Care, I'm more curious as to what our ultimate destination is, would you perhaps care to share with us Bekah? After all, it's not like we are going anywhere and besides I knew you were planning something when Elijah took you aside into his study. Now kindly spill," Elena sighed, turning back to face their little group.
Sage looked bored, but Elena could see that she was observing everything so didn't pay her too much mind. All she knew of the red-haired vampire was that Finn loved her and made his immortal life livable, and it was enough for Elena. She still hadn't really pierced the reasoning of Rebekah's dislike of the Sage. She thought she knew, but could it be simply that her sister didn't think anyone was suited for any of her brothers? Based on her own observations from when they were still human and subsequently afterwards, that might well be.
Rebekah looked petulantly away and for a brief instant Elena wondered if Rebekah would refuse to reveal anything substantial before turning back with a broad grin spread over her eternity youthful face.
"We are going to New York for a girls day out. Spa treatment, makeovers, clothing and shoe shopping. Quite frankly, you are in sore need of a change, sister, and don't you dare say otherwise. Besides, I need to get away from this place and Nik. He is starting to drive me up the wall!" Rebekah said in a rush.
Elena snapped her mouth shut tight after she realized too late that it had inadvertently dropped open as if by its own accord.
"New York! As in New York City? I've never been anywhere other than my home town really. Well besides going by car, but that was different, am I babbling?" Caroline said and Elena felt the urge to hug her friend. This was the Caroline she missed. She only hoped that Caroline and the others would realize that although some things have changed, she was still at her heart their friend and in Jeremy's case his older sister.
"I think so, Care. Now just calm down. We haven't even boarded the plane yet, just enjoy the moment. I hadn't expected this I should point out, so it's news to me as well," Elena laughed. Both amused and truly happy for her friend Caroline, Elena watched as she literally looked ready to explode with excitement. Before her transition, Caroline had been a neurotic control freak who constantly doubted her own self worth. As much as she would have preferred her friend remaining human, Caroline Forbes was a better person as a vampire. Granted her prophecy for being a neurotic control freak had only become magnified with the turn but she had already started to realize that she was truly her own master of her destiny more than she was before.
Whatever Caroline was about to say to her previous statement was forever forestalled when a tall but lanky figure wearing a pilot's uniform exited the waiting jet and proceeded to move with haste towards their group. Elena momentarily blinked, a strange after image she experienced whenever encountering any new individual that was a supernatural being; it had only just started since waking up from her long sleep. She wasn't quite sure what it was, but believed that it was related to her breaking the Petrova Curse over one thousand years ago.
"Hello ladies, I'm Captain Alex Nuttall, your pilot for this flight. I would like to apologize in advance for the temporary delay in our departure. We needed to acquire a different refueling vehicle; the previous one was tested prior to loading and found to have been contaminated with water that exceeded established safety standards. All is well now if you wish to board, we will be taxiing to the runway once everything is stowed and my final checks are complete," Captain Nuttall said by way of greeting. His distinct southern drawl sounded familiar to Elena and she didn't remember why.
"Contamination, are you saying it was sabotaged or something?" Rebekah demanded her eyes glinted trouble if that was the case.
"No Ma'am I would have immediately notified you and my employer if that had been the actual case," the pilot held up his hands as if to appease Elena's sister-in-law. Turning back to the aircraft he sighed before returning his attention to them all. "Unfortunately, this does happen from time to time hence why we check the aviation fuel prior to loading. Normally, when a tanker truck is removed from service for cleaning and maintenance. I have already contacted the appropriate airport authorities and I have also taken the extra precaution of compelling the ground maintenance crew responsible never to allow an event like this from occurring ever again," Captain Alex Nuttall said, his voice growing harder as he mentioned the ground maintenance crew, although he was wearing aviation sunglasses she could see the spider veins erupting around his obscured eyes.
"Thank you for doing this. I believe we all owe you a debt, Captain Nuttall," Elena said, holding out a hand to the pilot. He smiled grimly before taking it. "Just doing my job Ma'am. My apologies for being so forward; might I know you who all of you are? I'm aware that I'm flying two family members of my employer, but not their respective identities," he said, as if to apologize for his unintentional oversight.
"My name is Rebekah Mikaelson, and this is my sister-in-law, Elena. These are our family associates, Sage and Caroline," Rebekah said once she calmed down enough to realize that the man was only doing his job.
"You said we may board the aircraft?" Sage asked, still looking bored.
"Yes, my co-pilot is already aboard and finishing his preflight checks. Our flight attendants will be with us very shortly. They needed to collect some more blood bags from our local supplier. I still need to finish my walk around while we wait for permission to taxi." As he talked, a van was pulling up to the aircraft and two flight attendants exited the vehicle, then started to move an ice chest into the aircraft.
Not waiting for further permission, Sage then a rather excited Caroline Forbes each in turn boarded the waiting jet, leaving the two Original vampires and their apparent vampire pilot for this trip. For some reason, Elena found herself curious about the man. He seemed to be a very pleasant and competent individual, but his gaze kept switching back to one of the flight attendants in particular. Even from her, Elena could tell that the young woman was human. He must have caught her watching the young woman, because his next statement was a plea.
"Missus Mikaelson, might I indulge you of a small favor? Not for me, of course, but for my great grand niece Amy. She is the flight attendant you are watching. We naturally have enough bagged blood on board for your enjoyment and the flight attendants as well, but I've been keeping an eye on her as a favor to my recently departed baby brother," the man gulped, probably already believing he might have overstepped his position if Elena had to guess by his sudden shift in nervousness.
"Your great grand niece? Does she know who or what you are?" Rebekah asked, somewhat amazed by his forthrightness of asking them to spare his relative.
"Yes, she knows now after I introduced myself to her, but I've only been watching her for a short time."
"Why? I mean, why were you watching her and why can't your baby brother watch her anymore? Did he die? It sounds to me as if it was rather recent," Elena asked.
"Yeah, he died back in September. I was down for a mandatory rest period, not that being a vampire I really needed it. So passing the time I was FaceTiming my baby brother, who was also a vampire I should point out, and the strangest thing happened during our video chat. Out of the blue he started coughing up black colored blood and his skin started turning gray. That was when the video cutoff. I tried calling him but he nor his fiancee answered." The man's shoulders drooped at the memory and while she wanted to comfort him, something didn't sound right either. Rebekah gave her a look and Elena could tell she was thinking the same thing.
"I'm sorry for your loss. Was he staked by a vampire hunter? Did you ever find out what happened?" Elena asked, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"Thanks Ma'am, No I never did figure out what happened. I flew back as soon as I could and when I arrived at their condo all the lights were still on and when I went inside, I found both of them dead with no apparent signs they had been staked. There was a lot of that black blood but nothing more. June loved my baby brother. She insisted that he turn her before the wedding and he did. Since then I've watched over his and my only remaining descendant."
"Captain Nuttall, might I ask who turned you and was it the same person who turned your brother?" Rebekah asked.
"Um… my sire is my employer Elijah Mikaelson. He turned me back in nineteen nineteen after I returned to my family home from the war and as luck would have it came down with the Spanish Flu. I survived the great war only to end up on death's door. That is until one day when he came through the sanatorium looking for his sister. He found me dying, praying for my family after my passing. I would have died if not for him saving me. As to who turned my brother, it wasn't mister Mikaelson or I for that matter. My brother was turned by a vampire named Mikael. I never knew his last name. He apparently needed my brother's help to find something called a Doppelgänger and had been quite insistent he assist him. I'm sorry, I really need to finish my preflight walk around before we can take off. Please join your companions in the cabin."
Elena and Rebekah watched in silence as the pilot returned to his inspection of the aircraft's exterior he otherwise occupied when a still stunned Rebekah whispered only so Elena could hear her.
"The dates are fuzzy on me, but did father die in September?" Rebekah asked, her voice shaking.
"Yes and I think there might be a connection between Mikael's death and the sudden passing of two vampires sired to him, but I'm loathed to even consider the implications, Bekah."
"God Ella, we need to find out more from him," Rebekah said, her complexion having turned ashen. Which in all likelihood mirrored her own.
"Agreed."
