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Colourful takeout menus littered the dark countertops; she flicked through them, only half paying attention to the different restaurants: Chinese, Pizza, and the Grille. Mystic Falls wasn't that big and unless they wanted to drive out somewhere they were limited to the three places for decent take away.

The discussion on the table meant leaving the house would be a terrible idea. Jeremy was not going to take the news well and there would be a fight; she could feel it in her gut, twisting her intestines in knots.

He wouldn't be able to yell at a restaurant…

Driving was beginning to sound appealing.

She shook away the thought before she could let it form a plan. It was a discussion they had to have, and it had to happen sooner rather than later.

"Hey," Jenna sprinted into the kitchen, "which ones?"

Elena turned on her stool and scrutinized the shoes.

"Purple," she tapped the menus on the counter, lining them up, "adds a pop of colour."

Jenna nodded and stepped into the shoes, tossing the second pair back in the hall closet.

Jeremy gave a dutiful clap when they landed in place.

"Thank you," Jenna offered a deep bow, "I'm here every night."

"Except tonight," Elena swung her leg back and forth.

"Should I have made you guys' dinner first?" Jenna tilted her head.

Their negative responses came too quickly and far too loud. Jenna was an even worse cook than Elena; at least Elena could boil water.

"Ouch," Jenna pretended to be offended, holding her hand over her heart.

"I think we're past pretending at this point Jenna," Elena smirked.

"If it helps you make the best coffee," Jeremy called after her as she left and crossed his arms over the counter.

"Hey," Elena gasped, "I thought you loved my coffee."

Jeremy rolled his eyes and reached for the takeout menus, flipping open the one for pizza.

"Hawaiian?"

"Gross," her nose wrinkled, "pineapple on pizza is just wrong; I don't know how you eat that."

"It's delicious," he poked the end of her nose with the menu.

"It's nauseating," she shuddered. Her stomach turned at the thought; she pressed her palm to the flat surface and mimed throwing up. She stopped a moment later before she actually made herself sick.

"What was Klaus doing on the doorstep last night?"

The blood drained from her face. She had been hoping the conversation would wait until he had some food in him.

"We're forgoing the segue then?" She swallowed.

"A homicidal hybrid was on our porch in the middle of the night."

"He's not homicidal…" she fingered a worn spot in her jeans when he gave her an incredulous look, "… at the moment."

"So what did he want?" He catalogued her defense for a later discussion.

"He just… he wanted to… see me…"

"See you?" Jeremy straightened up and tilted his head.

She chewed her bottom lip until it was raw, unsure of how to proceed with the information she needed to give him. All she knew was that she was done lying, but how was she supposed to explain the tangled mess of her life? Coming right out with it would mean he knew everything right away and lift the weight from her chest, but it was hardly tactful. She couldn't just say 'hey Jer, I've been sleeping with Klaus for the last month… oh and by the way I'm his mate'; she could already see the expression on his face.

"Did you know wolves mate for life?" She asked instead, hoping he would get it.

"What does that have to do with your midnight guest?" His eyes narrowed.

"Nothing…" her finger poked the hole in her jeans, "… and everything. The fact extends to werewolves…"

"So…" his eyes widened, "… No…"

She could see the wheels in his mind turning and the suppressed anger in the tick of his jaw. Her heart pounded, anxiety swirled around her. She could barely breathe as she waited for him to say something, anything.

"Jeremy?" She prompted after a lengthy pause.

"The other night," his fingers curled around a water glass, "when you didn't come home?"

"I fell asleep," she swallowed, "at his house, and last night…" she chewed her bottom lip, "… last night… he slept here."

The admission hung in the air and for a moment she wasn't certain he had heard her. She rubbed her thighs, waiting with baited breath for him to yell, pitch a fit, or throw his glass against a wall; she needed him to do something, she needed him to say something.

"Jeremy," she slipped off the stool to stand on trembling legs, "say something, anything; just react… please."

He set the glass down with deliberate gentleness and turned on his heel.

She held her breath as he walked up the stairs. The only sign of his anger was the slamming door and sudden blare of music. If she had held Klaus' hearing she would have heard the thud as his fist collided with the wall.

She wanted to bury her head in her hands and let the tears pricking at the back of her eyes fall, but if she started she wouldn't stop and then Jenna would be home and wanting to know what was wrong. She knew she wouldn't lie to her aunt and finding out about the supernatural because her niece was involved with one of the oldest immortals in history was not the best introduction to the other side of the world.

So instead of crying she picked up the phone and keyed in the seven digits on the back of the menu; the call connected on the third ring.

"Hi Henry," she blinked back her tears, "it's Elena. I need two pizzas': the works and Hawaiian… 20 minutes?... perfect."

She hung up the phone and grabbed her car keys.

Normally the rich smell of hot pizza was enough to make her mouth water, but the pineapple made her stomach turn. She had to crack the window when she slid into the driver's seat. After a few greedy breaths of cold night air she put her car in reverse and backed out of the space after checking her surroundings.

She had barely gone three feet when she hit something solid. Her neck jerked and she gasped, slamming on the brakes. It took her a second to regain her bearings, but when she did she put the car in park and jumped out, darting around the side to crouch behind her bumper.

A line appeared between her brows when she took in the empty space, dread crept up her spine. It was not an uncommon occurrence for an empty space to indicate a supernatural that wanted to hurt her.

She thought of her cell phone thrown carelessly down by the pizza boxes; a single button would have sent the call and he would have been at her side in moments.

Could she reach it?

She backed up a step and turned around, but the three feet between her and the door were blocked. She barely had a chance to gasp before the hand closed around her throat and she was shoved into the side of the vehicle.

Dull pain radiated through her back and she knew she would have more than one bruise in the morning.

The hand slid down from her throat to her clavicle, pinning her to the car. Blue eyes bored into hers and if they had been several inches higher she might have relaxed, but these eyes belonged to a woman.

"Rebekah," she took a restricted breath, "right?"

"How kind of you to remember," her voice was laced with honey. She pressed a little harder; a single twist of her wrist and Rebekah would have felt her collarbone snap in two.

"Have I done something to you?" Elena swallowed. She clenched her fingers into fists to keep from shaking; blaming the tremors on low blood sugar and not the way Rebekah Mikaelson was watching her.

"You're a doppelganger," she sneered, "you're very existence offends me."

She took that to mean Katherine had done something to antagonize Rebekah in the past, or maybe the first doppelganger. Elijah had mentioned her name once; she struggled to remember the woman's name so she wouldn't have to think about the calculating gaze or the hand that could end her life in a second.

"Sorry," she gave up trying to remember, "It's not like I chose my body."

"Are you going to say you hate your face right now?" Rebekah scoffed.

"I'm not overly fond of it at the moment," Elena's teeth scraped her bottom lip. She let go before Rebekah could see the nervous tick, but she knew when the blonde's eyes darted to her mouth that she had caught the movement.

"You're the one that woke my brothers," Rebekah tilted her head.

Elena nodded, not trusting her voice to come out even. There was something angry in Rebekah's blue eyes that had her heart rising to her throat.

"What game are you playing?" Her eyes narrowed.

"Game?" Elena squeaked.

"Don't play stupid," she snapped, grabbing her chin. "Doppelgangers are always working some sort of angle. I personally believe this world would be a much better place without your kind in it."

Elena moved her head back with the force of Rebekah's grip. A gleam of white teeth tore a scream from her throat.

She gasped and slid down the length of the car when her jaw was released. She didn't know who had come to her aid as the fear abated, but when she drew her head up a few seconds later it was to hear Rebekah calling the pair of them pathetic.

She accepted the hand and stood up, letting go to hold the side of her car. She was mildly surprised to find there was not a dent in the metal.

"Are you alright?"

"Fine," she blinked, lowering her eyes and moving around him to the car. She held the top of the door and the roof of the car. "Thank you for… that," she turned her head in the direction she thought Rebekah might have gone.

"You're welcome," Elijah tilted his head. His eyes flickered over her, searching for any sign of injury.

She crossed her arms to ward off a chill and resisted the urge she had to sink into the seat. Her fingers were itching to pick up the phone and call; she wanted to curl up in his arms and break down, but she had another Original watching her.

"What are you doing here?" She gripped her arms.

"Rebekah left the house with a look in her eyes I've only seen a handful of times over the centuries," he murmured. "It's a small town with a large majority of the citizens on vervain; I followed her to ensure she didn't cause any problems. Would you care to tell me why she targeted you, Elena?"

"How should I know?" She swallowed. "Maybe Katherine ticked her off at some point." Her stomach lurched when she turned her head and caught a whiff of pineapple; she swallowed down the rising bile and perched on the edge of the seat. "I don't think she likes me very much."

"She's never cared much for Petrovas," he said. His eyes flickered over her again. "Are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine," she reiterated. "I just need to go home, I think…"

"And you're alright to drive?" He frowned. The blood had completely drained from her face, and she looked positively green.

She nodded and twisted around to buckle her seatbelt. She gripped the steering wheel until her knuckles turned white.

She shut the door and rolled the window down the rest of the way so she would have fresh air on the drive and shifted the car in gear. She thanked him again and drove away before he could ask again, certain he followed her all the way home to ensure she didn't crash; she could feel his eyes on her when she parked in the driveway.

With the car off she reached for her cell phone to call, but hesitated.

If she called him he would hear the nerves in her voice and come immediately to her side. If she called him he would hold her and want to know what was wrong. If she called him he would ask the question and she wouldn't be able to keep from telling him what had happened. If she called him he would get angry. If she called him he would go to war with his sister. If she called him Rebekah would end up back in a box.

Rebekah would have a real reason to hate her then; and all because she couldn't get through an encounter with his family.

She went to her messages instead and typed out a text. His replies came back quickly.

She was thankful for autocorrect; it hid the fact that her hands were shaking.

Did you happen to mention us to your family?

My family remains in the dark. I don't trust them with the knowledge. Why do you ask, love?

No reason; I just bumped into Elijah and your sister, and they didn't mention anything, so I was curious. Why don't you trust them?

She breathed a sigh and felt the tension ease from her shoulders as she focused on his answer, counting the pulsating dots until the message came in. Focusing on something other than her violent encounter helped her hands to stop shaking, but her stomach was still shifting.

Rebekah can't keep a secret to save her life, at least not from family. Finn has been in a box for nearly 900 years. Kol practically invented the word vendetta.

She had never wanted to be the girl who demanded to know what that had to do with her, but her mind was too rattled to make the connection so she asked.

They can't hurt me Elena, but they can hurt you. How did your brother take it?

He hasn't said anything. I'm hoping to bribe him into a reaction with some truly terrible pizza.

?

Hawaiian… pineapple and ham.

Sounds disgusting.

The smell is making me nauseous.

She wanted to blame Rebekah's attack for her rolling stomach, but it had begun before she'd bumped into the Original.

She frowned when he sent another text.

Why didn't you call?

Why didn't you?

I've got siblings in the house with advanced hearing who wouldn't hesitate to hunt you down, and with the daggers still missing I can't stop them. What did you do with them?

Elijah took them. I've got to go and talk to Jeremy. He'll be more open to talking if the pizza's still hot.

Would it help if I came over there?

I think it might hurt

Are you sure?

I'm sure… if I didn't know any better I'd say you wanted to see me.

I always want to see you. I want to see you, touch you, taste you, and wake up next to you every morning.

The air stilled in her lungs. It was nothing she hadn't seen in his eyes, and it was nothing she hadn't already known, but it was the first time he had said it.

She left the message on read longer than normal.

Have I scared you off?

No… I wouldn't mind that…

Then I sincerely hope your brother comes around. Entering the mansion in the foreseeable future is not an option.

Then I'd better go and talk to him.

She pocketed her phone and got out of the car, hoisting the boxes of pizza and walked up the porch steps, pushing open the door and kicking off her shoes.

"Jeremy?" She called, stepping into the kitchen. She saw him bent over reaching into the fridge. "I got the disgusting pizza you love…"

"Aw, thanks," she paled when Damon straightened up, "but I'm all set." He waved a full bag of blood.

Her stomach turned.

"What are you doing here?" She relaxed a bit, remembering that this time there was no possible way she still smelled like Klaus.

"I wanted to ask you what the hell you were thinking." He cocked an eyebrow and tilted his head, pacing around the side of the counter.

"What do you mean?" Her blood ran cold. Had Jeremy told him?

"You took the daggers out of Klaus' family," he gave her the look. It was the one that said she should have known what he was talking about: raised brows, knowing eyes, and slightly open mouth. "What the hell were you thinking?"

"I was thinking that nobody deserves to have their lives stolen away, and that I really didn't want three Original vampires taking an extended nap in my basement." She crossed her arms after dropping the pizza on the counter.

"That was our leverage," he gripped the back of a dining room chair and the bag in his hand; a tiny drop of blood beaded over the opening. "That was how we were going to get him out of town to keep you safe."

"I'm a big girl, Damon," she took a shallow breath, "I don't need you, or anyone to protect me from Klaus; he's not going to hurt me."

"No," he waved his hand, "he'll just use you to make an army, take over the world and control every aspect of your life until the day you die."

"Now might be the time to leave Damon," she pointed to the door. Her other hand was curled into a tight fist to keep from slapping him.

"Why: so you can do something stupid like RSVP to that stupid party?"

"What party?" She frowned. She shook her head before he could answer and pointed to the door again. "Doesn't matter. I've got a night planned out with my brother, so you need to go."

He looked like he wanted to argue but turned his head when footsteps came into the kitchen.

Jeremy's eyes darted from Elena to Damon and back. The wrinkle in his brow told her he had no idea Damon had been in the house.

"Have you ever heard of knocking?" He crossed his arms.

"Didn't see much point," Damon shrugged, "I've already got an invitation."

"Remind me to ask Bonnie about removing it," Elena's eyes darted to Jeremy. "Good night Damon."

"Fine," he turned to the door, "I know when I'm not wanted."

"I don't think you do," Jeremy called as the door slammed shut. He turned his gaze on his sister when they were alone. "Him you'll uninvited?"

"He walks in uninvited all the time," she reached into the cabinet for plates.

She waited for him to say something as she placed his pizza on a plate and reached for her own slice, nibbling on the end; the sustenance did little to help her upset stomach.

"Would you be giving me the silent treatment if I'd told you I was involved with Damon?" She pushed her plate aside and braced her elbows on the counter.

"I'd be more open to it," he popped a piece of pineapple in his mouth.

"Damon killed you," she cocked an eyebrow.

"I came back," his eyes snapped up. "Klaus killed you."

"I came back," she wiped the grease from her fingers.

"That magically makes it better?" Jeremy shook his head.

"That magically makes me not dead," she deadpanned.

"What's to stop him from doing it again? What's to stop him from draining you dry to make his army?"

"He hasn't turned anyone in months," she shook her head.

"That doesn't mean he won't in the future." Jeremy gritted his teeth. "Give me one good reason I should give him the benefit of the doubt."

"My word isn't enough?" She tucked her hair behind her ear.

"I want to believe you, 'Lena," he bit his cheek, "but it's not easy, so give me something. Some reason I shouldn't have you committed."

"You wouldn't," she rolled her eyes.

"No," he sighed, "I wouldn't."

She cast her eyes to the dishes in the sink and busied her hands, turning on the water and adding soap.

"The other day…" she chewed her bottom lip, washing the dishes as she spoke, "… I was out for a run and one of the hybrids attacked me; if Stefan hadn't shown up when he did and killed her than Klaus would have. He nearly killed Stefan when he thought he'd hurt me."

"Why didn't Stefan or Damon mention any of that?" Jeremy frowned.

"Because Damon never knew, and Stefan doesn't remember," she sighed. "Does that help? If he shows up here in the middle of the night again are you going to start a fight?"

"Only if he hurts you."

She dried her hands and reached for the heavy envelop on the counter, unfolding the flaps to lift out the invitation. "What is this?"

Please join the

Mikaelson Family

Tomorrow evening at seven o'clock

For

Dancing, cocktails and celebration

"Invitation to the party Damon was talking about," Jeremy shrugged. "Your boyfriend probably dropped it off while you were out."

"I don't know that boyfriend is the right word," she flipped over the page. "He also didn't send this."

She stared at the ceiling and ran the tip of her finger over the screen of her phone before unlocking it. She easily found their earlier conversation and added on to it.

Jeremy knows, and he's sworn not to attack if he sees you here or to tell anyone else yet. Were you gonna mention the ball tomorrow night?

How did you find out about that? I've only just learned of it now.

I got an invitation tonight... from your mother. I don't suppose you're in my neighborhood?

Her shaking had stopped and her rolling stomach had calmed… somewhat. She felt icky enough that she wanted to be held. The moment she had the thought she heard her bedroom window clicking shut and looked up.

She propped herself up on an elbow and set her phone on the nightstand before lifting the edge of the blankets, slipping into his arms when he slid between the sheets.

He ran his fingers through her hair and massaged the back of her head. He didn't get a chance to ask about the invitation before she was sound asleep.

He dropped a lingering kiss to the top of her head and closed his eyes, reveling in the closeness of her warm body. He loved the feel of her naked skin under his hands, but there was something intimately satisfying in holding her tightly to his chest and stroking the smooth material covering her back.

He counted the steady beats of her heart and the even breaths flowing through her lungs. Each soft exhalation and quiet hum made his eyelids droop until he joined her in a sound sleep.