Disclaimer: I do not own TVD or SOA, or any of the characters used in this fic.
Summary: After the sacrifice, Elena comes to realize that no one will be safe with her around. She allows Katherine and Elijah to take her out of Mystic Falls and across the country to Charming, California. As she tries to settle in the small town, she finds herself drawn to the resident motorcycle club, specifically Jax Teller, the charismatic vice-president of SAMCRO. Elena/Jax
A few things:
1. This is a rewrite of "There is a Fire Inside of This Heart". Your reaction will decide whether I continue with it. I wasn't happy with the other version so I'm trying to remake it into something that will be better.
2. Elena's outfits are on tvdcrossovers on tumblr.
3. Please let me know what you think. It will go a long way in convincing me to continue.
He found her at the lake house. Though Alaric and Jeremy were the only ones who knew where she'd gone, Elijah had his ways. Thankfully, he didn't simply appear over her shoulder as vampires had the tendency to do. He drove up in a car that cost more than her house and walked up the path as casually as if he belonged there. Elena watched where she sat on the porch, curled up in a rocking chair with a cup of tea and a book lying across her lap. She barely reacted as he approached her. With a lazy sweep of her hand, she gestured for him to sit with her. He did so, unbuttoning his suit jacket and sitting with the graceful ease of a thousand-year-old vampire.
"Why are you here?" Elena said hoarsely before taking a drink of her warm tea.
It was the first time she'd spoken in days. Any other communication that she'd had with anyone was through text.
"I wanted to offer my congratulations," Elijah answered, his voice grave. "And my condolences."
She closed her eyes and shook her head slightly, inhaling deeply.
"You're late. The funerals were over a month ago and my graduation was last week."
"I'm afraid that I was unavailable for either event," Elijah admitted, staring out at the glittering lake.
She looked over at him with a frown, studying his profile.
"Were you off betraying someone else?" she said, her words and tone rather harsh.
Elijah didn't even flinch, returning her gaze with an even look. He knew he deserved her anger.
"That was not my intention," he said calmly.
"Do you think that I give a damn about your intentions? Jenna and John are dead," Elena said, her voice raising in pitch as her anger built. "You were supposed to kill Klaus. Everything would have been worth it if you'd just-"
Elena sucked in a deep breath as tears stung her eyes.
"My aunt and uncle died for no reason. Damon was bitten and almost died for no reason."
He listened patiently as she ranted, something that frustrated her even more.
"Why?" she said, her voice breaking on the word.
Elijah didn't answer immediately, almost looking guilty before he turned away.
"My brother gave me cause to believe that our siblings are not as lost as I previously thought."
She stared at him with an incredulous look.
"You let him live because of what was probably a lie?" Elena said, disbelief in her voice.
"It was not a lie. I saw their preserved bodies for myself before I was forced to run" Elijah said, sounding almost frustrated.
"Run?" she questioned, the word stopping her anger in its tracks. "Why?"
Elijah looked at her once more, a sad smile on his face.
"I attempted to kill Niklaus. He does not forgive such actions. If I stayed, I'd be in a coffin of my own," he explained, sounding too calm for a man who was discussing fratricide.
"Is that how the rest of your siblings got that way? They wronged him?" Elena said, more interested than angry at this point.
"In his eyes, yes," Elijah said with a nod.
She considered that for a moment.
"I can offer you protection."
Elena looked at him suspiciously, thrown by the sudden change in subject.
"Why?"
"Because you and I both know that it is only a matter of time until my brother discovers that you are alive. He will focus his anger on Mystic Falls… unless you are no longer in Mystic Falls. If you leave, he will have a very hard time finding you, it can buy us time to research and find a way to incapacitate him. You and your remaining loved ones will finally be safe."
She remained quiet for a stretch of time, staring out at the lake as she turned his words over in her mind.
"You've said all of this before," Elena said quietly. "Why should I believe you now?"
"I have a chance to reunite my family, rather than avenge them."
Elena pressed her lips together, looking down at her lap.
"Leave Mystic Falls?" she asked.
"To keep everyone, including you, safe," he confirmed.
She didn't know exactly what to say. There was something about his offer that caught her interest. Something that tugged at her to see it through, to know what he had planned. With a sigh, she turned back to him, a wary expression on her face.
"I'll think about it," she decided.
Elijah considered her words for a moment before nodding.
"That is all that I can ask."
They sat there for several more moments, neither speaking as the sounds of nature went on around them. When he got up to leave, Elena didn't say a word. She simply watched him go just as she'd watched him come, leaving her alone once more.
She was halfway through a bottle of wine from the small downstairs cellar when they showed up, not even caring about the fact that she was still technically not allowed to drink. There was music playing from the iPod dock on the counter, the sultry tones making her sway back and forth with a lazy smile.
"Elena?" Caroline's voice rang out.
"In the kitchen," she called back, setting the glass down before turning to the stove where she was making pasta.
They all entered in a train of people, Caroline followed by Jeremy and Bonnie with Alaric bringing up the lead.
"This looks…fun," Jeremy said, picking up the bottle to feel what was left. "Party?"
"One woman fiesta," Elena nodded, stirring the sauce. "Unless, of course, you want to join."
She could practically feel them exchanging wary looks.
"Elena, we need to talk to you," Caroline said, sounding hesitant as she shut off the music.
"Yeah, I got that much," she said, turning around to face them. "You're worried about me but you don't have to be. I'm not starving myself or giving up on life. I'm fine."
None of them looked terribly convinced. Maybe it was the wine.
"Elijah was here," Elena said, stunning them out of whatever intervention they had planned for her.
They all exchanged wide-eyed looks, clearly unsure of how to react.
"How did he know you were here?" Bonnie asked with worry stirring in her eyes.
"It's Elijah," she said simply, shrugging as she turned back to check on her pasta. "I think it's about time we get used to the fact that he knows more than us at any given time."
She turned the stove off and walked to the sink to drain the noodles.
"What did he want?" Alaric asked, voicing the curiosity that the rest were feeling.
"He told me that it's only a matter of time before Klaus figures out that I'm alive," she answered, rinsing the pot out before setting it in the sink.
"Yeah? And who's fault is that?" Jeremy muttered, leaning over the stove to sneak a taste of her sauce.
Elena bumped him out of the way with her hip.
"He knows that," she said, pouring the tomato sauce into a bowl.
Turning back, she saw that they were all watching her with various looks, ranging from angry to uncertain. Picking up her bottle of wine, she gestured for the others to eat what they wanted. She wasn't particularly hungry. The food was just for them. She made it when she knew they were coming. Before she could take a drink of the wine, Caroline lifted the bottle out of her hand.
"Maybe get some food in your stomach first," she suggested.
Elena frowned at her but didn't bother arguing. She knew that they were all just trying to help her.
"Did Elijah mention Stefan at all?" Bonnie asked, looking at her with concern.
She shook her head, tucking a lock of her hair behind her ear.
"I was too afraid to ask. Either he's dead or Klaus is doing something way worse to him. I don't really want to know which one," she admitted.
"You never know. Maybe he's okay," Caroline said, still trying to be the eternal optimist after everything that had happened.
Elena knew that it was Tyler's effect on her. His presence had given Caroline hope for the future. Elena didn't have that benefit.
"Maybe," she nodded, lying through her teeth.
Alaric put his arm around her shoulder, giving her a quick but gentle squeeze. He knew what she was feeling, better than any of the others except for Jeremy.
"So what else did Elijah say?" her brother asked between large bites of pasta.
Elena hesitated, knowing that this may make them all protest angrily. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself for their reactions.
"He thinks that I should get out of Mystic Falls," she said, turning away to load up her own plate of food. "He even offered to help me."
She could feel their stares on her back.
"What did you say?" Alaric questioned.
"I told him I would think about it," Elena said, turning back around.
"Think about it?" Caroline scoffed.
She looked down at her pasta, mixing the sauce into the noodles half-heartedly.
"You aren't really though, right?" Bonnie asked.
She shrugged without answering, spooning a small bite of noodles into her mouth.
"Elena you absolutely cannot do this. Elijah has given you no reason to trust anything he says," Caroline stressed, her eyes wide and her mouth fixed in a frown. "What makes you think that he won't deliver you straight to Klaus?"
"There's no perfect answer," Elena broke in, setting her plate down on the counter with more force than necessary. "If I stay here, there is a good chance that Klaus will come back and kill all of us."
"And if you go, he could come back and kill all of us before hunting you down and killing you too," Bonnie said, her voice equally as loud as Caroline's.
She could feel her frustration rising, her hands curling into fists.
"You know I really don't need your permission to decide what to do with my life," she said heatedly, stepping towards them.
Snatching the bottle of wine away from Caroline, Elena walked past them and straight out of the house. She didn't stop until she got to the edge of the dock, taking a long drink from the bottle before looking out at the rich, colorful sunset. Several minutes passed before she heard the sound of footsteps behind her. They were too heavy to be either Caroline or Bonnie, narrowing down the identity of her intruder.
"Mind sharing that?"
She gave a sigh of relief, turning to look at Jeremy.
"Why not?"
Moments later, they were sitting on the edge of the dock and passing the bottle back and forth.
"What are you going to do?" Jeremy asked.
Elena sighed, shaking her head.
"I have no idea," she admitted.
"Can I tell you what I think?"
"I welcome it," Elena sighed, looking over at him.
Jeremy took a long drink of the wine, hesitating before handing it back over.
"You should go," he said.
Elena's eyes widened with surprise.
"Really?"
Jeremy nodded, returning her gaze.
"I think that you want to. You just can't tell them," he said, nodding back at the house. "So do it for me."
"Jer," she sighed, reaching out to touch his hand.
"Elena, we've had to put up with so much shit since Mom and Dad died. The second that Stefan and Damon stepped into your life, you've been in danger from one thing or another. If this gets you away from that, even for a while, I want you to go."
She felt tears springing up into her eyes and shook her head.
"But what about you?" Elena asked, her voice breaking as she reached out to take his hand. "We're all that we have left."
Jeremy squeezed her hand, giving her a sad smile.
"I'm going to stay put for now. Matt just got me a job at the Grill and Alaric…well he needs someone too. Maybe in a few months when you're settled wherever Elijah has planned for you I can come too, yeah?"
Elena considered that idea, knowing that it wasn't the worst.
"When did you get so mature and grown up?" she said, a tear slipping down her cheek.
"I think I always had it in me," he said with a shrug and a grin.
She let out a laugh, nodding in agreement.
"I know you did," she said, reaching up to ruffle his hair.
Jeremy smiled at her, sadness and hope both lingering in his eyes. They sat there for a long time, neither speaking as they watched the sun set below the horizon, finishing off the bottle of wine together.
Elena stood on the sidewalk, a duffel bag in her hand and an uncertain look on her face. As Elijah's sleek car pulled up to the curb, she glanced back at the house where she'd grown up. Jeremy was inside with Alaric, not wanting to watch her leave. They'd already said their goodbyes, along with the others. Damon didn't know about it. They all knew he would try to stop it. The others weren't going to tell him until she was long gone to prevent him from trying to track her down. Caroline and Bonnie, though still wary of this plan, had come to say goodbye as well, both promising to visit if they could.
Elena knew it was unlikely. They were dealing with their own shit and going off to college in a few months.
Elijah climbed out of the car, disrupting her thoughts as he walked around to help her with the bag. She watched as he put it in the trunk before opening the passenger door to climb in. Elena had already shed tears over her departure and was unwilling to let anymore fall. She didn't even give her house a last look, knowing that it would only hurt more. She let out a heavy sigh as he started the car and pulled away, making his way down the street slowly.
"I am surprised that you agreed," Elijah said once they merged onto the main road that led out of Mystic Falls.
She looked over at him, wondering how he could possibly be comfortable taking a road trip in one of his neatly pressed suits.
"Jeremy said I should, Alaric too."
Elijah's eyebrows rose ever so slightly, the only sign of surprise he'd ever give.
"What happened to Stefan?" Elena asked, changing the subject.
Part of her still didn't want to know but she knew that she had to. She wouldn't be satisfied until she did.
"He's paying dearly for his brother's cure. Klaus desires his companionship and only used Damon's life as a way to barter with Stefan to keep him by his side," he answered honestly.
A frown took over Elena's face.
"Why Stefan? What does Klaus want with him?"
"A friend, I think. Someone to travel, drink, and murder with," Elijah said.
Elena shook her head, unable to wrap her mind around a monster like Klaus wanting something as simple as a friend.
"Stefan doesn't do that," she insisted.
"I think you'll find that Stefan is not the same vampire you know when he's around Klaus. My brother has a way of bringing the worst out of him," Elijah said quietly.
His words only made her feel more confused.
"You say that as if they've done this before but they never met before your brother came to Mystic Falls."
"Didn't they?" Elijah said, glancing over at her as they neared the city limit. "Have you forgotten that even vampires can be compelled to forget things?"
She felt her heart drop as she realized what he was trying to say.
"So Stefan is going to be a ripper again?" Elena said, dreading his answer.
"I'm afraid that he's going to be much worse than that. He's going to be a ripper partnered with the deadliest of creatures, the one thing that no one knows how to kill, at his side. Klaus and Stefan are not going to be easy to stop, though it will be necessary. And it will be made easier with you hidden away. The one weakness that could stop Stefan from doing any of this is you, so you are the one thing that we need to keep safe from Klaus. You need to keep yourself far away from all of this. We'll deal with the rest of it."
She hated feeling helpless, though she knew that it was necessary. Elena had obviously proved that she was useless, watching Jenna die in front of her eyes without being able to help her. John also gave his life for her, something that she couldn't stop even if she wanted to. It was because of her that everything was happening, so she couldn't help but wonder if it was just better for her to get out of the way.
"Where are you taking me?" Elena asked.
"Far away from Klaus and his plans, where I know you will be safe," Elijah answered cryptically.
She knew that it was unlikely that she would get anything else out of him, so she fell quiet, laying her head against the window. Before she knew it, Elena was falling into a troubled sleep, barely noting the sound of Elijah making a call as she did so.
Clay glanced up from a car that he was working on as Gemma walked into the garage, her eyes wide.
"What is it?" he asked warily, straightening up.
"I just got a call from an old friend," she said, holding up her cell phone.
He glanced around before walking towards her, ducking his head. There was only one person that she could be referring to with that look on her face.
"What does he want?" Clay said in a low voice, knowing that the old friend wouldn't be calling simply to catch up.
"He's coming to Charming and he won't be alone," Gemma said, looking up at him. "Isobel Flemming's daughter got herself into some trouble. He's bringing her here for protection."
A scowl formed on Clay's face and knowing that he was about to spit a few curses, Gemma raised her eyebrows purposefully.
"We owe him," she reminded him.
Clay exhaled sharply, the fight draining out of him as he looked around the garage.
"It is about to get interesting around here," he predicted.
Gemma nodded her agreement, a feeling of anticipation rising in her chest.
"Very interesting."
I would love to hear what you think!
Edited: 4/11/21
