I do not own TVD or TO.

I'm sorry for the delay's. I got caught up in planning out the plot for an upcoming Harry Potter/Vampire Diaries Crossover, and just found the time to sit down and write out this chapter I've had plotted for weeks.

2011

Her teeth sank into her lower lip, biting harder and harder until her pulse slammed beneath her bite. Her finger hooked the chain under her chin, rubbing the length of silver until numbness tickled her flesh. Her heart raced in time with her jiggling foot; all were nervous habits that a century of life had failed to eradicate.

"You're shaking my car," Caroline pulled up by the house. She stopped the vehicle and turned to her friend. "What's got you all worked up?"

Elena held up one hand for silence, closed her eyes and tilted her head. Few sounds broke up the dead of night, but beyond the crickets and distant rock music she heard a thrumming heartbeat too fast to be human. A glance in the side mirror illuminated a flash of yellow eyes.

"We have to get Jeremy," she twisted until the empty backseat came into her peripheral vision. "I forgot my key," her brows rose.

Caroline released an exasperated sigh and slumped against the driver's seat.

"I wish you'd said that before," she opened her car door, "Bonnie had your spare."

"I thought you had your copy," she shrugged as Caroline pocketed the key in question. "He'll never hear us knocking over the music."

"How do you know he's got music on?" Caroline's eyes narrowed.

"It's Jer," she grabbed her bags from the trunk, "he's made it his mission to ruin his hearing with loud music. Listen," she smirked, "you can probably hear it."

Caroline made a show of cocking her head to the right and closing her eyes; she completed the picture by sweeping her hair to the side. Elena wondered if the hybrid was listening too.

The following moments had to be executed perfectly.

"You're right," she nodded. Her eyes darted to the house. "His bedroom window is open."

"I'm pretty sure Klaus would kill me if I tried scaling my house in the middle of the night," she snickered. Klaus would have to get close first and find the correct weapon.

"Is anyone watching?" Caroline smirked.

Elena shook her head and the blonde vanished.

Caroline jumped, grabbed the window pane and flipped into Jeremy's room with all the grace of a vampire cheer captain. She straightened up inside and looked around; for a moment Jeremy remained ignorant to her presence, but then she moved closer.

A dark shadow crossed his sketchbook and he looked up, expecting to see Alaric with a semi stern 'go-to-sleep', but his eyes landed on Caroline instead.

A short yelp – that he would vehemently deny later – escaped before he could hold it in; his pencil dropped onto the bed as his hand clutched his chest.

"Are you trying to give me a heart attack?" He glared up at her.

Caroline pressed her lips together and plucked his headphones from his ears. She tapped the small buds with her fingers.

"You should really be more aware of your surroundings." She cocked an eyebrow and jerked her thumb over her shoulder. "You're the one who left your window open."

"I wasn't expecting supernatural company," he rubbed a hand across his face.

She perched on the edge of his bed, picked up his fallen pencil and snatched the sketchbook from his hand. She flipped to an empty page and wrote as she spoke.

"It's Mystic Falls, Jeremy," her hand flew across the page, "you should always expect supernatural company."

She pressed a finger to her lips and turned the note around.

"I only jumped through your window because Elena forgot her key, so if you want to yell at someone go yell at her," she nodded to his door. "She's waiting on the steps to be let in."

He lowered the book and looked up to Caroline's bossy expression. It was the one that commanded immediate movement, and fervent prayers for anyone that failed to heed her tone.

His fingers curled around the spiral as he stood and left his room.

He took the stairs two at a time, unlocked the door and yanked it open. His narrow eyes found Elena in an instant and noted something different in her stance.

"How could you forget your key?" He stepped onto the porch.

"It's an interesting story," Elena shouldered her purse, the weight of her house key dug into her arm, "which I will be more than happy to relay, but I'd prefer sharing time not be on the porch; it's a little cold tonight."

He looked at her for a long moment and then shook his head.

"Just get inside," he waved her in and picked up her second bag. He was certain she had left with one.

"Are you staying, Care?" Elena took off her jacket. She folded the worn material over her arm rather than hang it in the closet; truthfully she was surprised the seams were still holding after so long in storage.

"Aren't you two sick of each other yet?" Jeremy put down Elena's bag and crossed his arms. "You just spent three days together."

"Best friends never get sick of each other," Caroline deadpanned, "except for when they do."

"I'd think Elena would be tired of your pep and neurotic tendencies by now," he rolled his eyes.

"Oh please," Elena scoffed, "I love my little neurotic control freak," she pulled Caroline into a one armed hug.

"Love as in…" Jeremy smirked.

"Get your head out of the gutter," Caroline snickered.

Elena rolled her eyes.

"Hey, I don't care," he held out his hands, "but could you imagine the look on Damon's face if you started dating Caroline."

"What's wrong with Caroline?" Caroline crossed her arms.

"You're a neurotic control freak on crack," Elena grinned, "and I would choose you over Damon any day."

"What about your other boyfriend?" Caroline smirked.

Elena bit her cheek hard enough to draw blood. "I don't have a boyfriend," she swallowed.

"Yet…" Caroline sang, wiggling her eyebrows.

"Who are you two talking about?" His eyes shifted between the pair.

Caroline's smile turned sly as she nudged the brunette; she had said she would tell her brother everything, but it seemed she required a little push.

"Just this totally hot guy she met in New Orleans. I'm sure she'll tell you all about him," she gave Elena a pointed look.

"I will," she pulled her leather bound book from her purse to tap the cover, "but I'd like a chance to rest first. Are you staying?"

"I should get home," Caroline shook her head, "but we'll talk tomorrow; love you," she pressed a kiss to her friend's cheek and left.

Jeremy turned to his sister when they were alone and cocked an eyebrow. Her shoulders were straighter as if the fear and weight she always carried had been lifted. In the three days she had been gone she had gained confidence, and somehow lost her life.

She cut him a look before he could speak.

"Where's Ric?"

He floundered for a moment but then pointed upstairs to where he assumed their guardian slept.

"Would you get him please?" She whispered, moving to the living room. "I only want to do this once."

Silence followed her, but then his feet moved, carrying him to the second floor.

She flipped on the television, cranked the volume and opened the grimoire. Pages crackled as she turned them in search of the right spell; she made a mental note to put some tabs on the book now that they had finally been invented with an adhesive that wouldn't harm the pages.

Once she found what she was looking for she chanted in Latin and bit into her wrist. Three drops of blood fell from the healing wound onto the bare wooden boards at her knees, melting into the floor and sealing the enchantment.

She stood up, flipped off the television and turned to what remained of her family.

"We can speak freely now."

"What?" Alaric croaked. He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and squinted at her as she slowly came into focus.

Jeremy handed him the page from his sketchbook and waited for him to read the hastily scrawled note.

Alaric squinted at the letters until his foggy brain was able to comprehend the meaning.

Elena's a vampire. There's a hybrid watching the house. Invite her in, but don't let on that she's not human.

"You're a vampire?" His voice rose to a shout.

"There's a hybrid outside," Jeremy hissed. "Do you want him to get Klaus?"

"There's an original hybrid in front of you," Elena licked her lips. Her shoulders lowered half an inch when they both turned to look at her.

"You're an Original?" Jeremy blinked. He reached blindly for the back of the couch. "You never wanted to be a vampire," he whispered, "why would you do this?" His eyes wanted to widen and narrow at the same time, resulting in a bulging effect. "How did you do this?"

"At the time I was pressed for options." She sank into an armchair and watched them slowly lower themselves onto the couch. "Turns out I really didn't want to die, but I couldn't stay human either. And I know I can't hide this from Klaus forever, but I would like to keep it quiet for a short time."

"We're going to need a little more information," Alaric struggled to keep his voice calm. "When did this happen? You seem to have excellent control, but you only left this house three days ago."

"I've been gone a little longer than that," she curled her legs under her body, suddenly feeling like the insecure teenager who had left. "It's a really long story, and it starts with why we went to New Orleans in the first place."

She sensed the burning questions, but they nodded for her to continue.

"Bonnie got this tip that the thing we needed to put Klaus down was in the city, specifically in the cemetery in a locked tomb; the tip came with a grimoire. There was a spell inside that she was certain would reveal what was locked away." Her eyes took on a distant look.

"Did it?" Jeremy prompted.

"In a way," she murmured. "The spell required a little blood, and since mine held the most power she used a few drops. The spell propelled me backwards…"

"And you hit your head?" Alaric guessed. Although that didn't make sense; Caroline would have healed her, but Elena had said she was an Original.

"Backwards in time," Elena clarified. "I did hit my head though," her smile was wistful as phantom fingers gently felt along her scalp, "but only because I lost my balance and I happened to be standing on stairs."

She lifted her eyes to find both of them staring at her with open mouths and disbelief written in the lines of their faces. Her supernatural hearing let her make out the strangled word they both struggled to form.

"Time?"

"Backwards in time," she repeated, nodding, "to the year 1914." She met Alaric's eyes. "I have excellent control because I've had 97 years to practice."

1914

The whisper had been a mistake. The recognition was immediate because despite holding in the words and biting down the name she couldn't hide her familiarity. She had been cursed with expressive eyes that anyone who bothered to look at could read; every thought was on display. She was an open book.

Rebekah, it appeared, was an avid reader.

It didn't matter that Elena hadn't said her name because Rebekah saw the instant recognition in her eyes; with her thumb she felt the cool metal of her ring.

Was the glamour still in place?

"Katerina," she breathed, cocking her head to the left.

Guess that answers my question, Elena swallowed; a shiver swarmed the back of her legs. Her fingers itched to pick Thierry up and cradle him to her chest protectively, but she worried the action would place the baby boy in more danger.

"I'm not her," she shook her head; "I'm not Katerina." Her voice held a strength her body lacked.

Rebekah stepped into the room and Elena instinctively pulled Thierry into her arms. Her eyes searched for somewhere he would be safe and unable to wander off. She couldn't run with him, but she couldn't leave him alone.

"I sincerely hope you are not attempting to use that child as a shield," blue eyes glanced at the boy.

"Actually I was going to put him somewhere safe," Elena chewed her bottom lip, "but Kol's house isn't exactly baby proofed."

"Safe?" Rebekah scoffed. She circled the young doppelganger with a deliberate slowness. "Do you think I'm planning on attacking him?"

"Not him," she rubbed Thierry's back.

"You think I'm going to attack you?" Rebekah's eyes widened. She inhaled slowly through her nose, confirming the brunette's mortality.

"Aren't you?" Elena doubted she would while Thierry was in the way but she was afraid she might act without thinking if she were accidentally provoked and if memory served Rebekah had a predisposition to dislike women with her face. She had been getting along well with Rebekah at one point, but that had been after the animosity and before the dagger in the back incident; none of that had happened yet, but Rebekah still held a fierce loyalty to her brother. It was probably stronger too since in 1914 he hadn't left her rotting in a box for a near century.

"Aren't you going to take me to Klaus? I knew escaping his notice once was too good to be true."

Thierry pitched sideways and reached for the floor; Elena steadied him and met Rebekah's eyes.

"If you do, please do me one favor and leave Kol's name out of it," she shifted Thierry's weight, "I don't want him hurt for trying to help me."

Rebekah's tongue darted out to lick her lips as a small line appeared between her brows; her eyes examined the sincere set of the brunette's mouth and her earnest gaze. If it was a manipulation, it was one of the strangest ones she had experienced.

"How long have you been here?" A single pale eyebrow rose.

"A few weeks," she blinked; lying, like running, would have been pointless.

"Then you must have met Isobel," Rebekah leaned forward; her eyes fell to Elena's shifting feet, "unless you are Isobel… but no," she shook her head, "Nik would have recognized you."

"Unless I was wearing a glamour," she muttered, but of course Rebekah caught it.

"So you are Isobel?" Rebekah frowned.

"It's Elena, actually," she held her breath. "Isobel was my mother's name."

"Elena," Rebekah tasted the syllables on her tongue, walking around her. "My brother is harbouring a doppelganger and her son."

"Thierry's not mine," Elena held him tighter, "I've just… sort of taken him in."

Thierry grabbed a fistful of Elena's brown curls and watched Rebekah with giant eyes full of curiosity.

"I see," Rebekah hummed, "and have you taken my brother in as well?"

Her voice held a note of warning that made the hair prickle along Elena's neck.

"If you're using Kol, if you're leading him on," she stepped into Elena space, leaving an inch between her and Thierry, "I will take you straight to Nik and find that damned moonstone myself."

Elena gritted her teeth; her eyes hardened under the accusation.

"I'm not Katherine, or Katerina, or whatever you want to call her." Fire flashed in her eyes. "I don't use people. Kol offered me protection because he didn't want Klaus sacrificing me, and I accepted because I didn't want to be sacrificed."

"You've adjusted to this new information quickly," Rebekah's eyes shifted. "How exactly did you fall into my brother's life? What did he tell you of the sacrifice Nik wants you for? Why should I keep your presence a secret?"

"Other than protecting Kol, you mean?" Elena arched an eyebrow. "It's a really long story, Rebekah," she pulled Thierry's fingers from her hair; "I doubt you'd believe it."

Rebekah backed away and dropped to sit in an armchair, crossing her legs. She relaxed, tapping the arms with her slim fingers, but no amount of ease could disguise the truth. Elena was on her feet, but Rebekah was the one in charge.

"Try me," her blue eyes glinted.

Apples and cinnamon assaulted his senses before his feet crossed the threshold. The spiced fruit created a fragrant aroma that clung to every inch of the house; it tempted him to the source, but first he had packages to deliver.

He rushed upstairs, depositing the myriad of boxes in Elena's room for the time being. Her room was located directly over the kitchen and the mouth-watering smell was stronger. He was more that familiar with the spiced apple cider – his siblings kept it at the ready in December – but it had never brought a smile to his face before as it had been steeped in foul memories.

His smile grew as he stepped into the kitchen.

Thierry sat on the floor playing with his stuffed bear and happily chattering to the inanimate creature; every few seconds his back would lean against a pleated skirt.

His cheer faded.

Elena's body sat rigid in her chair. Her muscles were tense and he could read the anxiety in the stiff line of her arm and jerky movement as she raised the mug of cider to her lips.

"Hello, brother," Rebekah lowered her cup. Her eyes locked on his face and for a moment she knew the great pleasure of watching the blood drain from his face. She stood from the table and straightened her skirt.

She cast a guarded smile to the brunette.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Elena," she lifted her chin and strode around her shell shocked brother. The front door closed behind her.

Kol's head turned back and forth from Rebekah's calm exit to Elena's straight shoulders; dread twisted his stomach into a knot.

"How long was she here?" The formerly comforting smells of apple and cinnamon brought on a sudden wave of nausea.

"An hour," Elena chewed her lip, "maybe two." She pressed her lips together and glanced at the gold ring he was watching with rising relief. "Kol," her lip throbbed as she met his eyes, "the glamour wore off."

The shift from relief to rage was instantaneous and marked by the tick of his jaw.

"Lock the door and open it for nobody," he spun and was gone.

Elena picked up Thierry and raced into the foyer. She flipped the locks and released a breath that rattled her lungs.

She walked down the street, weaving between the holiday shoppers with their piles of brown wrapped parcels. She slipped around a man and woman that strolled arm in arm down the snow dusted sidewalk; the man's familiar expression caught her attention; he gazed at the woman as if she were the sole source of light in his world with wonder in his eyes.

They turned the corner and she expelled a long breath before moving onto a nearly deserted Chartres Street; the Ursuline Convent loomed ahead. She could still remember when the nuns had lived and worked the grounds, educating young girls, before moving to a larger building in the 9th Ward; Nik had kept his true name from the plans, but she recognized his hand in the Neoclassical architecture and stucco-covered brick.

It was currently used as offices for the Archdiocese, but at this point in the day the beautiful grounds were deserted. The empty grounds suited her purposes.

She skirted the building and perched on the low hedge maze's wall.

She counted to forty-three before footsteps crunched over the gravel and frosted grass. She crossed her legs, tilted her head and blew out a white cloud.

"Are you out of you mind?" She glanced at him. "She clearly is," her lips pursed; Elena's heart had remained steady after the initial erratic rush.

"I assure you, sister," Kol took deliberate steps toward her; "I am in full control of my mental faculties, as is she."

"Because a woman who claims to come from another time is perfectly sane," she scoffed.

"She's telling the truth Rebekah," his brows lowered. He was mildly surprised Elena had told her that, but then again she knew better than to lie to a vampire.

"And you're protecting her out of the goodness of your cold, dead heart?" A snort broke from her.

"I'm not cold," he growled.

"You're hardly warm," she stood, craning her head back to meet his eyes. "I would ask what you're getting out of this, but I saw the way you were looking at her."

"What are you talking about?" A line appeared between his brows as he rocked back on his heels.

She saw his smile in her mind's eye: soft and gentle, and only for her. In her nine-hundred years she had never witnessed such an expression on his face; that was the sole reason she would keep her newfound knowledge secret.

"You have feelings for her," she could practically hear his mind working, but he didn't deny it. "That brings me back to my first question." Her voice dropped to a hiss. "Are you out of your bloody mind?"

She jabbed his chest and he staggered back.

"She's a doppelganger," Rebekah gritted her teeth.

"She's not like the others," there was an edge to his voice.

"I caught on to that," she crossed her arms. "She recognized me instantly, and one of the other two would have used that little boy as a shield, but when I asked her what she was doing she said she wanted a safe spot to put him down." She searched his face, but ultimately decided to leave out the brunette's sole request; that would come to light in time. "I think she expected me to drag her off to Nik right then."

"Why didn't you?" He searched her eyes.

"Curiosity," she shrugged. "You can't keep hiding her, Kol. When Nik finds out…"

"Nik's not going to find out," the fury in his voice cut her off, "because if you tell him I swear that I will find a dagger and hide your body where nobody will ever find you."

Rebekah caught her breath at the quiet rage in his voice, and the dark promise in his eyes. The well ran deeper than she had initially thought for her brother to make such a threat.

She rolled her shoulders back and spoke in a gentle, soothing voice.

"You can't hide her forever, Kol."

"I don't have to hide her forever," he inhaled slowly, "just until I've dealt with Nik."

"You can't deal with Nik," she backed up, "he'll put a dagger in you for this."

"That's the point," he grabbed her elbows. "I have lived in fear of him for centuries with the constant threat of a dagger to my heart if I step out of line. I have a plan, Bex, and I need you to keep this secret until I can bring it to fruition."

She adjusted the popcorn and cranberry garland while Thierry rolled around by her feet. The distant sound of the door stiffened her shoulders, but she relaxed when it was unlocked rather than broken down.

She stood on her tiptoes to reach the upper branches. His gaze warmed her spine.

"You're oddly relaxed for the situation, darling," he stepped up behind her as she swayed. A hand on her hip steadied her weight.

"I figured Klaus would have kicked the door off its hinges," she shrugged, and dropped her weight to her feet. She made no move to distance herself from his lingering touch. "I try not to panic until I know there is something to panic about, otherwise I'd be a walking anxiety attack." She spun around to face him and held her hands at her sides, resisting the urge to press her palms to his chest.

His fingers grazed her waist as she spun. His eyes dropped from her wide eyes to her parted lips, looking back up when she but her lip and spoke.

"Do I have a reason to panic?" She managed a small smile. "Am I going to have any more meetings with your family? I haven't run into Elijah yet."

"Fear not, love," he chuckled, "you'll not be subjected to my family again anytime soon."

She smiled and he lowered his eyes, turning his head to attempt hiding his frown.

"That's…" her smile dropped. She brought her hand up, curling her fingers around his elbow. "What's wrong? Is it that thing you don't know how to say?"

His head snapped up and tilted to the right as he scrutinized her features; her cheeks flushed under his gaze.

"How do you do that?" His fingers pressed into her side. "How do you read me so well?"

"I don't know," she shrugged, "but can I take that as a yes?" She chewed her bottom lip, lowering her eyes to where she held his elbow. "You know," her thumb rubbed the inside of his arm, "in my experience, things get harder to say the longer they're left unsaid. If you want my advice you should just say it and get it over with. What's the hold up?"

"This will hurt you, Elena," he sighed. "I'd rather not become the source of your pain."

"I've got a pretty thick skin, Kol," she blinked, "and, honestly, now that you've said that it's gonna hurt I would rather know sooner than later."

He glanced down when a small hand pulled on his pant leg. Thierry used him for support to stand and clung to him. He watched the large blue eyes blink and drew in a deep breath.

She held her breath and shifted forward on her toes.

"Kol?" she gave him what she hoped was an encouraging smile.

Kol's stomach knotted.

"I suspected from the beginning," he cleared his throat, "and Freya confirmed it…" he heard her heart skip a beat, "… there are dozens of spells to send a person backwards, but none exist to…"

She dropped her hand and stepped back, colliding with the tree. Pine needles rained down over her shoulders and clung to her clothes.

"Elena," he reached for her, but lowered his hand when she shook her head and closed her eyes.

Moisture clung to her lashes. She swallowed and willed her tears to stay at bay.

"I can't go home?" Her voice trembled around the words.

"You can't go back," he exhaled.

Her bottom lip shook. She closed her mouth, but it didn't help. She walked around him before the tears could fall and raced up the stairs, ignoring his call.

"Elena," he called out.

Kol moved to follow her but stopped when he felt the added weight around his leg.

He bent and hoisted Thierry into his arms, keeping one ear on her moving feet. There was a thump followed by muffled sobs.

"Well," he brushed some needles from the boy's fine hair, "it looks like you and I have some cheering up to do." He bounced Thierry gently and poked his belly. "Come on," he urged, "show me that charming smile, come on," he started up the stairs, "she can't stay sad with your bright smile."

He tickled his toes, smiling when Thierry laughed. It didn't last beyond the door. Had Kol been presented with any other crying woman he would have raced in the opposite direction, but her shaking shoulders tugged at his heart strings.

"Darling," he approached the bed, "I hate seeing you cry."

"What," she sniffed, poking her head out from the pillow, "re… reaction did you exp… pe… expect when you told me I'd never see my fa… family and friends again?"

"Honestly?" He circled the bed until he could see her vacant eyes. "Joy," he sat on the mattress. "No…" he placed Thierry between them, "… wait a minute…" he stretched out on his back and turned his head to meet her red rimmed eyes. "That's how I would react."

She fought it but a hysterical giggle bubbled up in her throat.

"I got a laugh," he tousled Thierry's hair, "now it's your turn, go on," he gave him a small nudge toward Elena. "It's your turn to make her smile, go on…"

Thierry babbled and tilted his head. He crawled up the blanket and flopped down on Kol's chest to tug at his tie.

"Not me," Kol clicked his tongue, "her."

Elena shifted onto her side. She wanted to sob and scream until her voice was gone, but it was impossible in the presence of an infant who was using a nine-hundred year old Original vampire as a body pillow.

"I'm sorry," he used his right hand to keep Thierry in place.

"It's not your fault," she mumbled.

"I thought you might have blamed me when you ran off," he slipped his free arm under her shoulders.

"I…" she closed her eyes. "I don't like people watching me cry," she admitted in a small voice.

He stiffened. "Do you want me to leave?" He held his breath. "I can go and set the crib up in the next room."

"No," she moved closed and placed her head on his shoulder; she hated it when people saw her tears, but now that he was there she didn't want him to leave.

Thierry patted her wet cheek and her brows shot up.

"Crib?"

A small smile lifted the edge of his mouth.

"You've been sharing your bed with him for a few days," his fingers slid into her hair. "It's time he had his own place to sleep."

She glanced over her shoulder to where the boxes sat by her door.

"You bought a crib?" She tipped her chin up.

"He couldn't keep sleeping with you," he reasoned. She had hardly slept in the days since Thierry had entered their lives.

She looked down to Thierry; fresh tears flooded her eyes.

"What am I going to do?" She rubbed her lips together.

"Well, right now," he ran his fingers through her hair, "you're going to grieve for what you've lost. Tonight you will sleep undisturbed, and tomorrow we'll finish decorating the tree. Really, it should have been done long before Christmas Eve."

"That's not what I meant," she blinked; the action burned her eyes. "I can't keep imposing on you. A doppelganger and a baby…" a tear soaked into his shirt, "… I've turned your life upside down."

"You've turned the whole world upside down," he smirked, "but you're not an imposition. You're wonderful company, and that is something I never thought I would say about a doppelganger."

"And Thierry?" She managed a strangled laugh.

He chuckled, lowering his nose to inhale her shampoo.

"I would say never mention this to my siblings, but the hope is you never see them again so there is little danger," he glanced down to where the baby was beginning to drift off on his chest. He could feel the resting heart of the boy and Elena as they beat in time with his; contentment settled on him like a warm blanket. "Before I turned I always wanted kids."

"Really?" She arched an eyebrow.

"Mmhmm," he smiled. "Sons and daughters I could teach magic. I might have even had one before turning but I couldn't find a woman capable of keeping up with me."

"Don't you mean keeping you in line?" She teased. She knew what he was doing; distracting her from her grief so it wouldn't encompass her soul.

"There you go again," he whispered, "reading me like a book."

"There must have been someone up to the task," she murmured.

"Not then," he shook his head, "or once during my years."

Her breathing leveled out as exhaustion took over; she fought the sleep.

"Nobody?" She struggled to open her eyes.

"Maybe one day," he smiled as she drifted off, "someone will come out of nowhere and fall into my life." He left out the part where he thought somebody already had; it wasn't the time, and she wouldn't have heard him anyway.

His mouth pressed lightly to the top of her head.

"Get some rest, Elena."

As always I love hearing what people think. :)