AN: I do not own TVD or TO

Sorry everyone about the delay. Normally I update at least one story a day... sometimes two, but I had a family emergency this week so I haven't had any time to write. Things are looking a bit better now though so I should be moving back to daily updates of one story or another.

Joy.

Joy popped into lives at the strangest of times. It couldn't be anticipated.

Reeling he could do nothing but gape.

"Y-you're," his hand waved vaguely in her direction, "… you did this?" It was clear that he was talking about his head, but he still pointed to the area. "You're a…"

Lexa chewed her lip. Her fingers curled into tight fists as she nodded slowly.

"Huh," Nik blinked. From the corner of his eye he saw Elena shift into a protective stance ready to defend her friend if he were to attack. He noted the fear in Lexa's green eyes and the defiant set of her chin. All he could think was that his mother had a real talent for matchmaking.

"You're probably not going to like my idea," Nik whispered. His eyes were trained on the group that had returned from the road; they were informing Finn that the road was still blocked, but they should be able to have it cleared by the morning.

"Does it involve getting them out in one piece?" Elena traced the silver cross. She had one ear on the conversation, but her attention was elsewhere.

"In a matter of speaking," he murmured. He heard the soft turning of pages a few feet behind him. "I think we could easily get them from the camp one at a time, but…"

"But…" Elena prompted.

"Once they realize they've failed we'll be chased all the way back," Nik took Elena's elbow and guided her back into the shadows. "Who knows what danger that would put Rebekah in? I think we should make them believe they've succeeded."

"Niklaus did not return with the men," Finn caught up with his younger brothers, "they said he was not with them."

Kol spun towards the trees following Finn's gaze.

"Some of the men suggested he might have wandered off into the woods," Finn frowned at the evergreens.

"He knows these woods like the back of his hand," Elijah shook his head. The idea that one of them could get lost in the dead of night was absurd.

"He was also drinking last night," Kol reminded him.

In retrospect splitting up might have been a bad idea. It was definitely a bad idea.

Elena's gaze was frantic when she heard the approaching footsteps. She spun in a fast circle looking for a suitable hiding place before admitting defeat and sliding into the ditch. She had just managed to conceal herself when the voices grew closer.

"Nik?"

It was Kol. He called again and sighed. Elena heard someone else with him and held her breath. There was the softest whisper of a blade that made her heart leap into her throat. Kol's surprised cry came before she could even reach for her own sword.

"What the…"

There was a sickening sound as the blade broke through the skin. It was followed by a soft thump. She had just enough time to cover her mouth to stifle the scream when a body dropped into the ditch beside her.

He felt his limbs freeze before he could draw his weapon. The cold seeped from the ground into his back. He had no time to scream before the small hand clamped over his mouth.

Elijah's eyes grew round when he saw her.

Dark circles ringed her normally vibrant green eyes; the last time he had seen them they were glaring at his younger brother. Her blond curls were tied back at the nape of her neck. She held a finger to her lips to signify that he needed to remain quiet.

"Lexa?"

"Shh," she leaned down and breathed against his ear. "There are men out to kill you all. You need to stay quiet."

His limbs tingled as feeling returned. "What are you talking about?" He whispered in deference to the fear in her gaze. "How did you get here?"

"What part of staying quiet do you not understand?" She hissed. Her stomach fell when she heard the crashing footsteps in the underbrush. Flames of anger shot through her when he pushed her onto her back and rose to his feet.

Elijah felt a fierce wind nearly knock him off his feet. He steadied himself and drew his sword just in time for a man to push through the trees; he recognized him as Rolf, one of Lord Salvatore's men.

"Invisque," Lexa breathed. She pushed herself up onto her feet and reached for his arm.

Rolf scanned the area. Tension drew the muscles of his arm taut. His eyes passed blankly over the couple on the slope.

Lexa said nothing when she took Elijah's arm and pulled him back through the line of the trees. Once they were concealed behind the massive trunk of an oak she began to mutter under her breath.

Elijah watched from around the tree as Rolf startled and pulled his sword free. There was a brief moment where he seemed to lock blades with an unseen foe. Beads of sweat broke out on Rolf's brow as he strained under the invisible assault. He used his elbow in a move that would have taken an assailant to the ground and grinned triumphantly when he brought the blade down into the soft ground. He wiped the sweat from his brow before taking one last look at the barren ground and walking away.

Elijah waited a beat before turning to his sister-in-law. "What just happened?"

"In the minds of everyone else?" Lexa chewed her lip and debated if she should tell him. There was really no point in hiding it anymore from him. Not only had he just witnessed her using magic, but Nik knew as well which meant it was only a matter of time before the rest of the family figured it out. "You just died."

"I'm standing right here," Elijah frowned.

"Not in Rolf's mind," Lexa couldn't stop the small smile. "He's under the impression that he bested you in a dual."

"And how is he under that impression?" Elijah leaned against the tree.

"Because I made him think that," she was barely able to breath. Nik hadn't said anything, but she suspected that was due to her saving his life. Elijah owed her no such life debt; with his position he could kill her without a trial upon confession. "He had a rather weak mind; it was easy enough to enter and make him see what I wanted."

"You're a witch," his eyes grew round. In the back of his mind he wondered if Kol knew. "Did Kol really see you this morning?"

"He might have caught a glimpse," Lexa rubbed her arms. Sunlight filtered through the branches above to cast a soft golden glow on her unnaturally pale skin. "You're now a dead man. Which works out well; it means we won't be chased all the way back to the castle."

"Rolf Egilson?" Elijah looked sceptical. "That man has no hope in besting me."

"You're not arrogant at all are you?" Lexa motioned for him to follow her back through the woods. She was mildly surprised when he made no further comment about her nature. "Don't worry you put up quite a fight."

Her fingers traced the rough bark of a willow tree. Overhead clouds slowly rolled over the sun.

"Where are we going?" Elijah followed in her tracks. "I've yet to find Niklaus. He seems to have disappeared."

"He's somewhere over that way," Lexa nodded to the west.

Nik's head cocked to the left when he heard the soft steps. A rustle of leaves could be made out under the exasperated calls of Finn.

"Niklaus," Finn sighed, "I swear… you'd better be unconscious in a ditch somewhere. Niklaus!"

Nik was about to push through the trees and announce himself. He was just pulling aside the branches of a pine when he heard the whoosh of an arrow followed by a loud thump.

Elena scrambled over the foliage as the mantra repeated in her head: 'don't be dead'. Her shoulders sagged in relief when she saw that he was breathing. Fear stopped her heart when she saw the location of his wound.

Kol chest rose and fell rapidly with laboured breaths. His eyes were shut having lost consciousness in the fall. What really worried Elena was the blood spreading over his shirt.

She forced herself to take a deep breath and lifted the hem of his shirt. Bile rose in her throat when she saw the wound. Blood poured from the area where he had been stabbed. Elena had seen wounds like it before; most men succumbed within the hour.

Exhaling she pulled a handkerchief from her bag and folded it before pressing it to the wound. Unfastening the belt around his waist she tugged until it was in position and pulled it tight over the handkerchief to hold pressure on the wound.

She jumped to her feet when his pained groan brought the sound of a man running. Her sword was in hand when he landed.

"Lady Petrova?" His eyes raked over her form. "You should put that down before you hurt yourself." Rolf leered at her; he lifted his own blade when he saw Kol shifting behind her. "Stand aside," he commanded.

"You know," her anger flared, "I'm getting real tired of men telling me what to do." She shifted her feet and raised her blade.

"Are you challenging me?" His brows shot up. A cocky smirk lifted the edge of his mouth. His arrogance was masked in the shadows cast by the heavy clouds.

"I'm not moving," her eyes narrowed. She could hear Kol shifting behind her.

"I've got time," Rolf grinned. "Perhaps I'll humour you." He chuckled when she brought her sword down and he blocked. "Nothing gets your blood pumping like a fight," he grinned lasciviously.

Elena shuddered at the suggestive grin. She gasped when he took her waist and pulled her flush against him.

"Let's be honest, mi'lady," he groped her behind while nodding to the blade in his hand, "this isn't the sword you want."

She quivered with indignation and brought her heel down on his toes. What followed next was a blur. All Elena knew was the clash of steel on steel.

The narrow terrain worked well for her, but Rolf struggled in the confined space; what he lacked in mobility he made up in strength.

She gasped when the blade was knocked from her hand. She kicked and scratched when he pushed her to the ground and trapped her under his body. Rancid breath fanned over her face and made her gag. She hooked her leg over his waist in an attempt to free herself.

"Always knew you were a feisty one," he rolled his hips down. He shoved his hand between them and forced his fingers beneath the band of the trousers.

Elena, his soft whisper echoed in her mind, breathe and think.

She closed her eyes and forced herself to breathe. Thinking was difficult under the assault of his rough hands, but think she did. She forced her hand between their bodies and grasped the bottom of her necklace.

"Praying won't help you." His hand closed around her throat; he squeezed hard enough to make breathing difficult but not impossible. The hand that had been in her pants withdrew to force the fabric down her legs.

His eyes widened as his fingers went slack.

She saw through the spray of red when the light left his eyes. Air rushed from her lungs when he collapsed; his whole weight fell on her torso. A sob caught in her throat; even if she hadn't been pinned down she doubted she could have moved.

She blinked against the sudden downpour when the heavy body was lugged off of her.

"I thought I was going to have to come to your aid," he examined the thin silver rod protruding from Rolf's throat, "but it seems you're a maiden capable of saving yourself."

Elena stared in shock when he pulled the blade from her assailant.

"That's very clever," Kol wiped the dagger on his shirt, "a lady should carry a concealed weapon." He placed the gleaming metal in her hand. "I assume that sword is yours as well," he picked up the short weapon. "I will spare you the indignity of asking how you came to have these weapons and instead ask how you found yourself in the middle of the woods."

"W-we came to help," Elena swallowed the lump in her throat. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply to steady her shaking hands before re-fastening the crucifix. "How are you alive?" She needed to focus on something other than the life she had just taken.

Kol held up the bloody handkerchief. "I think I have you to thank for that," he chuckled, "I would most likely be dead now too had you not inflicted enough pain to wake me."

Green eyes peered through the heavy rain. Slim fingers made firm circles over the dark material covering the storm in her stomach. If she'd had anything in her stomach she would have been in danger of losing it.

"What's wrong?" Elijah leaned against the stone wall of the cave. His eyes traced the shiver when it raced down her spine.

"T-they sh-should be back," Lexa frowned. None of the brothers had gone too far from each other when the three had set out to find them.

"Who should be back?" Elijah straightened. He gently grasped her elbow and pulled her into the cave where it was warmer. "You have yet to tell me anything."

"I don't want to explain it three times," she waved her hands.

"Why don't you tell me who we're waiting for then?" Elijah laid a hand on her trembling shoulder; he wasn't sure if it was the damp or her nerves making her shake like a leaf.

"That would be me," Nik pressed into the cave. He raked his wet hair out of his face and nodded to her. "I see you were more fruitful than I."

"You didn't find Finn?" Lexa felt her stomach heave and swallowed the rising bile.

"No," Nik paled, "I found him, unfortunately, the arrow found him first."

Lexa pushed passed him and stepped into the rain just in time to heave. Acid lifted and burnt her throat.

"Lexa?" Elijah stepped into the rain and helped her straighten up. "Are you alright?"

"I-I…" she wiped a shaky hand across her mouth and rubbed her jaw. Her body shook violently under the torrential downpour. She blinked in an attempt to bring him into focus and felt her knees buckle.

Elijah caught her and carried her inside. Sitting her on the ground he pressed the back of his hand to her warm brow.

"I wouldn't worry," Nik slid down to sit with his back to the stone, "it's just morning sickness."

"I'm fine," Lexa nodded in confirmation. She exhaled slowly and laid her head against the rough wall. Somewhere in the back of her mind she registered the fact that both of his brothers had found out before he did, but it was hard to think about that with the exhaustion creeping in; with her morning sickness and the grand escape from the castle she had barely slept in two days. "Did you see her?"

"No," Nik murmured, "I thought she'd be back by now."

"Who…"

"Elena," Lexa ran her hands over her jaw again. Carding her fingers through her hair she leaned forward and braced her elbows on her knees. "We all separated in an attempt to find you before your killers could."

"It's a hostile takeover," Nik stared at his hands. In his mind he was back by the sycamore tree watching Finn fall.

"Elena?" Elijah rocked back and stared at the pair. "Elena is out there," he pointed wildly to the cave opening where the rain had completely obscured the outside world, "with a team of bloody assassins?"

"Figures that's what he takes away," Nik chuckled. "Lady in danger. I'm not overly concerned with Lady Elena's safety, Elijah. She's fully capable of defending herself."

"Y-you've no idea."

Three heads lifted when Elena stepped through the opening of the cave. Her arm was wrapped around Kol's waist to steady his stumbling footsteps. It was clear in the way Kol immediately reached for the stone wall that he was trying not to put his weight on her.

"What happened?" Lexa was on her feet when her husband leaned against the cave and closed his eyes. Her hands grasped the blood soaked shirt and lifted it to examine his stomach. "What happened?" Her heart pounded in her throat; his skin was stained pink. Dried blood was crusted in a circle over his belly button.

"I'm fine love," Kol took hold of her wrists. Had Elena not informed him of her presence in the forest when they'd left the ditch he would have been very surprised to find her.

"You're not fine," Lexa glared. Adrenaline coursed through her body giving her an unprecedented amount of energy; by all accounts after little food and sleep she should have been exhausted from using as much magic as she had, but the sight of him covered in blood that was very clearly his own had her moving again. "You're covered in blood."

"I'm perfectly fine," Kol assured her. "As you can see there is no wound."

"There was one," Elena muttered.

"What?" Lexa's head snapped around to her friend. She stiffened when her husband's hand swiftly cupped her neck and his thumb swiped over the razor thin scars on her jaw; belatedly she remembered the rain and her hands swiping over her face.

"Lexa?"

Elena's eyes sought the older brothers. "Why don't we give them a minute?"

Kol was vaguely aware of the cave emptying in his peripheral vision. Anger roared through him as he swiped away the remnants of the mixture she had used to conceal the rune. It had been carved into her skin.

"Who did this?" His voice dripped with barely concealed rage.

Lexa bit her lip. Was there any real point in hiding it? His brothers knew the truth; surely it was only a matter of time before he was told.

"Witch hunters," she breathed.

"Is this the real reason you wore a veil?" His jaw clenched tightly. "This is why our wedding was moved up."

"Yes," she winced when she saw the anger in his eyes.

"Why the bloody hell didn't you tell me?" His voice had risen until it echoed off the heavy stone.

"What exactly was I supposed to say?" Her eyes narrowed into slits. "I was hunted down for healing a woman Kol. People are not exactly receptive to my kind. My brothers found me before they could do more than this, and my father placed me on the ship a week later when it docked."

"That was Sicily," he caught her waving hands.

"It doesn't matter where I am," she cried, "it's never safe to be a witch."

"I'm your husband. You should have trusted me with this."

"I couldn't trust anyone with this."

"You trusted Elena," he pointed out.

"Elena saw the mark," Lexa threw her hands up. "She had her own secrets too."

"Yes," Kol remarked drily, "I saw some of her secrets today. You still should have trusted me." He released her hands when she shivered and placed them on either side of her head. "I'm sorry, Lexa… for what I said that day."

Lexa blinked in surprise when heat spread from his hands through her body. She pressed her fingers to the hole in his shirt.

"You didn't tell me either," she murmured. "That's why you could barely stand, isn't it? You healed yourself when you were dying."

He nodded once. His eyes widened when she slapped him.

"You're an idiot," she seethed.

"What exactly have I done this time?" Kol rubbed his jaw.

"You used magic after you'd already exhausted yourself," she shoved him back against the stone. "Are you trying to kill yourself? Save Damon the trouble of it?"

"You were cold," he reasoned.

"And you're foolish," she screamed, "I can be warmed by a fire. If you use too much magic it could kill you. I love you, and I did not flee the castle, ride through the night, and trigger a nasty bout of morning sickness healing your brother just to watch you die."

"I'm not going to die, Lexa," he captured her hands before she could start pounding on his chest, "I love you too, my little witch." His eyes widened when the extent of her tirade sunk in: "did you say morning sickness?"

She gasped when his palm flattened over her stomach. She'd barely had a chance to nod when his mouth descended on hers.

She stepped into the rain before they could answer. A jolt of energy passed through her body when a familiar hand settled on the small of her back.

Elijah's other hand came up to gently rub her skin. With his eyes focused on the task at hand he neither heard nor saw his brother.

"Shall I give the two of you a moment as well?"

Elena ignored him in favor of memorizing Elijah's features. She lifted her fingers and smoothed the concern from his brow.

Nik shook his head and walked a few paces away from the opening of the cave until they became nothing more than a dark blur.

"Please tell me this is not your blood?" Elijah swiped away the last of the red and left his hand on her shoulder.

"It's not mine," Elena shook her head. "It's Rolf Egilson's." She chewed her lip and stared at his jaw; he hadn't shaved in a few days. "He was going to kill Kol, and Kol was in no position to defend himself; he should have died. Rolf… he… pinned me down and knocked my sword aside."

Elijah nodded and pushed back the wet curls that had fallen from her braid to cling to her forehead. He waited for her to collect herself before continuing.

"I killed him," she fingered the crucifix, "with this. If I'd waited a few seconds Kol probably would have helped me; he was certainly quick to pull the body off of me."

"Kol has a habit of surviving wounds he shouldn't," he answered her unasked question, "so long as he is awake. I truly do believe my mother has a gift for matchmaking."

"You know about Lexa?" Elena had already surmised how Kol had survived and Elijah had all but confirmed it.

"She… manipulated Rolf into believing I was dead," Elijah nodded.

"You're right," she sighed. "She has a real gift."

"Do you think it's safe to go back inside?" He glanced over his shoulder. "I don't want you catching a cold."

"I'd say no to going back inside," Nik sauntered over to them. "They were shouting, and now the argument seems to have turned physical," he rolled his eyes when a loud moan reached them. "You reckon mother about Lexa?"

"That she's a witch?" Elijah tilted his head grateful when the rain blocked out most of the sounds in the cave. "Most likely."

"And Kol is…"

Elijah nodded.

"Based on what I heard," Nik nodded to the cave, "neither one of them knew of the other. Since we've got some time," he moved to stand under some trees, "why don't you explain what exactly is going on back home?"

Elena nodded. She sighed in relief when the tree blocked most of the water and explained everything that had happened from Damon's arrival to tugging Nik from the water.

"We rode all night to find you," Elena finished, "and now my sister is covering for me, and Sage is dead, and Rebekah…"

"He'll have to wait at least a month," Elijah caught her hand, "for the mourning period to end; any sooner would be indecent, so we have time."

"Elena, my wife?"

"She's fine," Elena relaxed marginally when Elijah squeezed her hand. "I heard him tell his father there was no reason for her or Lexa to be harmed; unless she is concealing a pregnancy she is safe."

Nik nodded before striding through the trees in the direction of the cave. He called back a moment later to tell them it was safe to return.

Elena planted her feet and pulled his hand when he tried to steer them back towards the others. She swallowed once before wrapping her arms tightly around his neck and choking down a sob.

"Elena," his hands wrapped around her waist, "it's alright."

"You could have been killed today," she whispered, "you could have died."

"I didn't," he rubbed circles into her back.

"I couldn't think today," she buried her face in his neck. "I couldn't concentrate. I was terrified I'd come back and find out you were dead."

"My heart leapt into my throat when I learned you were out here," Elijah's hands slid up into her hair. He pulled her head back gently so he could see her eyes.

Elena stretched up on her toes and pressed her lips to his in a bruising kiss. Tongues intertwined in a timeless dance. Her thighs closed around his waist when he lifted her. The rough bark of the tree pressed into her back. She sighed when the kiss shifted from hard and fast to slow and sweet.

Elena brushed her lips softly against his face: forehead, cheeks, nose, and finally his mouth. In between each kiss she murmured the words she had wanted to say since the night she had left him in the clearing.

"I love you."

He felt his heart soar. His joy only rose when he reminded himself that she was free. Perhaps it was terrible timing, or maybe it was perfect timing either way he couldn't stop himself.

"Marry me?"

Drop me some lovely reviews. What did you think? What will she say? Will they make it back in time? Will Damon take the proper channels and wait out the mourning period? So many questions...