Things were good.

That was such a pathetic way to describe things but 'good' was the only word I could really use. Christmas Day had been amazing. No fights, minimal teasing, just good friends and good food. It was great to spend time with my brother, my friends again. It had felt so natural, I'd been sad when they'd left to go back to Mystic Falls.

I was eager to cling onto the mood that had descended on all of us over Christmas. I definitely did not want think about my responsibilities as 'queen' that I was neglecting, although I was reminded of it by the arrival of a stack of Christmas presents that materialized outside our front gate. I knew eventually I'd have to deal with that particular part of my life but I was content to ignore it for the time being.

I was sitting in the living room while Elijah was tutoring the girls. I found his voice soothing and sitting there, listening to him read to them was comforting to me. Klaus was painting nearby, ignoring us all.

"But you must fear, his greatness weighed, his will is not his own, for he himself is subject to his birth," Elijah intoned.

"Hamlet Elijah? A little on the nose don't you think?" Klaus said suddenly.

"I'm sorry Niklaus. Would you prefer Macbeth? Stars, hide your fires: let not light see my black and deep desires."

Klaus raised an eyebrow at his brother and set down his paintbrush.

"Ay, that incestuous, that adulterate beast, with witchcraft of his wit, with traitorous gifts – O wicked wit and gifts that have the power so to seduce! – won to his shameful lust the will of my most seeming-virtuous queen," Klaus snarled.

Elijah took on an expression like he had been slapped. I looked between the two of them.

"Are you really having an argument through Shakespeare? And if so, can I get someone to translate so that I know whose winning?" I asked.

"Are they fighting mama?" Blair asked.

"I'm not sure," I said.

"The expense of spirit in a waste of shame is lust in action; and till action, lust is perjured, murderous, bloody, full of blame, savage, extreme, rude, cruel, not to trust, enjoy'd no sooner but despised straight, past reason hunted, and no sooner had past reason hated, as a swallow'd bait on purpose laid to make the taker mad; mad in pursuit and in possession so."

"Mature," I commented. "Really, really mature. How old are you both again?"

They ignored me, too involved in their verbal sparring.

"This momentary joy breeds months of pain; this hot desire converts to cold disdain."

"Girls, why don't you go play in your room? You can finish your lesson when they're done with… whatever this is meant to be."

The girls nodded and headed out of the room. I considered trying to intervene in the not quite argument but decided, since it was still somewhat restrained and polite, to leave them be for the time being and only intervene if it escalated.

"Do you really want to continue with this Niklaus? I'm fairly sure I can list a great deal more flaws of yours than you can of mine. I'm also sure I know more Shakespeare than you do."

"I am disgraced, impeach'd and baffled here, pierced to the soul with slander's venom'd spear, the which no balm can cure but his heart-blood which breathed this poison," Klaus said, smirking slightly.

"You two are nerds," I said.

"I'm going to be the bigger man here Niklaus. I have to go back to helping with my daughter's education."

"Your daughter?" Klaus' amusement seemed to have disappeared. "I'm sorry am I hearing that correctly?"

"Last time I checked your ears worked, didn't they? Or can we add that to your list of failures?"

Klaus snarled and lunged for Elijah. I leapt up, intending to intervene but found myself knocked backwards as Klaus' path collided with me. I fell to the floor, my head slamming against the wooden base of the sofa, dazing me. Elijah and Klaus were snarling and shouting but their voices sounded far away. The world around me seemed to blur and reform.

"Elena, you really need to be more careful. You're always getting yourself hurt."

I looked up, expecting to see Kol or Finn, drawn by the fighting. Instead, my eyes widened in horror as they met the dark hazel eyes that haunted my nightmares.

"Lucien…"

"You're so clumsy sweetheart. You know only I'm allowed to mark your skin."

"No… no… you're dead… you're not real…"

"Does this feel real to you love?" He reached out and touched me cheek, his nails digging into my skin.

I jumped back, scrambling to my feet.

"Elena?"

I looked up to see Klaus and Elijah looking at me with concern. I looked back at the floor but Lucien had vanished.

"I… I…"

I hurried out of the room and down to mine, locking the door behind me. I need some time to myself to work out just what was going on inside my head. I didn't think I was insane… but I'd seen him. He'd been clear as day, I'd felt his fingers on my skin. But I knew he couldn't really be there; he was dead.

I went to the mirror and locked eyes with myself, like I used to. I took slow steady breaths, focusing on my reflection.

Elena Gilbert.

Elena Gilbert

Daughter of Miranda and Grayson Gilbert

Sister of Jeremy Gilbert.

"Wife of Lucien Castle."

I turned around sharply and saw him, sprawled at ease on the bed.

"You're not real. You're dead."

"Am I really?" He seemed amused by the prospect. "I don't feel dead."

He got up from the bed and stalked towards me, his movements possessing the same predatory grace that it had always held. Standing before me it would be easy to think that he was alive. But he wasn't. He couldn't be.

So what was he?

"You aren't real!"

I grabbed a trinket from the dresser and hurled it at him. It smashed. He was gone. But I still felt his eyes on me, heard his voice whispering in my ears.

"I don't like other people touching my things…"

I spun sharply, searching for some sign of him, that I wasn't losing my mind. There was nothing, but an empty room. I dug my fingers into my arms, hoping that I could use the pain to ground myself in reality. I gasped softly at the sting in my flesh.

"You seem to keep forgetting that you belong to me. You have no rights, no choice. You do AS I SAY."

My legs gave way under me and I curled up on the floor, rocking back and forth.

"Get out of my head…" I whispered.

"I own you Elena… as long as you fear me, I will haunt you. As long as your blood runs cold at the thought of me, I will lurk in the shadows. As long as you think of me, I am real. As long as I have that black seed in the back of your mind, roots digging down into your brain, I will exist. You will never be free of me."

I felt the brush of fingers across my skin. They felt like they were everywhere at once and each touch made me groan, revulsion curdling my insides.

"Please… please… please…" I whispered. My fingers scratched at my arms, clawing at anything of substance, searching for something real to latch onto. My fingers became slippery the more I scratched, rivulets of blood flowing down my arms.

I thought I could hear voices, concern from outside my door but they were muffled and distorted by Lucien's toxic whisper.

"You can pretend Elena. But I know that darkness in you. I know because I put it there and it will always be there. Just like me."

"No! That's not true! I'm not like you!" Tears were streaming down my cheeks. I couldn't be like him. I couldn't! I was nothing like him, he was a monster!

"Liar!"

I managed to clamber to my feet. My head hurt and I felt like I'd been struck repeatedly. I could see Lucien's shape but I refused to look over at him.

"Leave me alone…" I leant against the dresser, feeling physically exhausted. He chuckled darkly.

"I can't do that Elena."

I met my reflection in the mirror and for a moment I didn't recognize myself. Behind me was Lucien, closer than I thought. I let out an angry cry, slamming my fist into the mirror. I splintered, my reflection fragmenting and Lucien's face disappearing entirely. Shards of glass cut into my fist, the thin streams of blood now rivers gushing down my fingers. It hurt but I barely felt it. I needed to get out, get away from this house where Lucien had managed to take root and spread his black influence. But where could I go? Where could I run to, if even my own home wasn't safe from him?

Tristan.

His face came to the front of my mind. His flat had been safe. He'd protected me from Lucien, even when my family had failed me. They couldn't protect me, they'd never been able to but he could. Tristan meant safety, more than the Mikaelsons did now…

Resolved, I felt a little bit of my strength returning. I straightened up and went to the door, unlocking it. Finn was stood there, face concerned.

"Are you okay Elena? I heard a commotion."

"I… I'm fine. I just need some air." I was holding my hand awkwardly, aware of the blood running down and dripping onto the floor.

"You're bleeding."

"I'm fine."

"Elena…"

"I said I'm fine!" I snapped.

I turned and hurried out. I ignored Finn calling after me and went downstairs, across the courtyard. Rebekah was seated there and half rose when I entered but I ignored her, moving with determination. Get to safety. Get to safety.

I was barely aware of my journey, too focused on my goal. I knew people were staring at me, the dishevelled girl with the bleeding hand and the tear stained cheeks. I reached Tristan's apartment building and went up. One of his guards was at the doors and he moved to stop me as I approached. I wonder if he thought I was the serial killer, out to off another member of the strix.

"Reconsider," I told him sharply. "I need to see Tristan."

He faltered and stepped back. I wasn't sure if I'd actually intimidated him, or if he just figured Tristan was more a danger to me than I was to him. I went inside the apartment.

Tristan was seated on the sofa and he looked up as I entered, speeding over to my side in a second.

"Elena, dear god what happened to you?"

"He won't leave me alone!" I said, the tears starting up again.

"Who?"

"Lucien! He's everywhere… he's in my head… he won't go!"

Tristan didn't say anything, he just wrapped his arms tight around me and guided me to the sofa. He held me, letting my sob until I ran out of tears. At that point, he fetched the bandages and began to treat my hand, both of us sitting in silence.

Eventually I could stand it no longer. I looked up at him and asked the question that I'd been wondering since Lucien's voice had first reached my ears.

"Am I crazy?"

"No Elena, you're far from crazy. You're a girl who's been through a tremendous amount. It's enough to put strain on anyone."

"I can't go on like this… I can't get rid of him…"

"You need time to heal Elena. That's all. Time in a place where you feel safe and that is stable…"

"You don't think I should go back…"

"I want to help you Elena. But they're not good for you, not while you're like this." He got up and went into one of the rooms, returning a moment later with a case. I recognized it instantly. It was the one I'd retrieved for him, the large leather case with the fleur de lis symbol imprinted on the front.

"I have an idea," he said. "You will probably not like it but I want you to consider it and remember that I only want what's best for you, alright?"

"Yes…?"

"You need to feel safe at home, you need to be able to heal without the Mikaelsons upsetting you." He touched my cheek. "I care about you. You can trust me."

He removed his hand and turned the case so that the clasps were faced towards me. I reached over hesitantly and flicked the clasps up, opening the lid.