Chapter Seven
This is Where We Are

Leading the witches away was not a problem for the oldest Salvatore. After his excursions of taking in humans and the like, the target on his back wasn't getting any smaller. They were following his trail like a pack of bloodhounds, so he ran.
Damon ran away from them to make them chase him, then…he would fall back to keep their attention on him and only him. It was like playing cat and mouse, but he had to make sure Elena was safe, and regrettably, Elijah as well.
This better be worth it he thought angrily. He could have had his brother back by now, but instead, as usual, Elena and her morals stood in the way.

As Damon got closer to the Mikaelson Manor, he could sense something was wrong.
The air was reeking of magic.
Worried about what he would find on the other side, he burst through the door and surveyed his surroundings. Everything was seemingly untouched but the air was thick and clouded with the elements of power. The balance that needed to be preserved between earth wind fire and water, it was all so powerful, yet too obvious to ignore. Death was in the air and as the vampire moved stealthily through the main room, and his ears twitched to the sound of a soft groan coming from behind the staircase.

"Hey Barbie, what the hell happened here?" He turned frantically to see Caroline gasping for air (even though she didn't need it) with her body slumped heavily against the floor by the stairwell..

"Da-Damon?" she choked, her eyes were blackened in hunger as she attempted to grasp the floorboards, anything to fight back the urges as the dark veins took over her face.

"Where is everyone?" he grabbed her hand, in an effort to comfort her but it failed as she pushed him away.

"Ve-Vervain. I need to..."

"Feed I know, hold on." Without any time to spare, Damon ran into the kitchen for one of the few blood bags they had left (even though he remembered only a day ago they had picked up more ) and ran back to the blonde, who snatched it greedily, tearing into an animal while draining it dry as Damon looked on with his own thirst.
He needed to feed as well however, he knew those blood bags were for Elena, Caroline and the rest of the house, even though currently the manor seemed empty. "Where is everyone?" he asked again while he pulled her carefully to her feet.

The blonde shook her head, "Not sure…some fled, but there may be a few hiding out around the house." Damon nodded cautiously. He had always preferred living this through without any other vampires, he trusted Caroline, himself, Elena, Stefan and even the revenge driven Jack to only kill as necessary. They were the ones caught in the middle after all and it seemed the rest of the vampires had no problems ripping apart the servants of nature. Overall he found keeping more around to be more of a hassle than anything, but it seemed as if they had no choice but to work together.

Caroline opened the basement door and peered down into the darkness and since the electricity has been out for years now. He could tell she was searching for something, but whatever it was, had been gone.

"What?" The Salvatore prided, sticking his head through the doorway while she sighed in frustration.

"He's gone." The blonde hit the wall, irritated with herself, and worry creasing her brow. "He told me the witches were going to ambush you when you got there with Elijah." She remembered, looking as if she should have said that earlier.
Damon's lip curled upwards from the reminder of the information he already had planted in the back of his thoughts, he had an idea. They were already ambushed once, why not try again?

"Figured as much, which is the only reason I let Elena follow through with her ridiculous plan." It wasn't easy for Damon to hide his distaste at the idea. It was one thing to prevent the witches from getting Elijah's body, but to bring him back was feeling more risky than beneficial.

"Well, what are you going to do? Sit here while Stefan rots?" she threw her hands up in the air as she turned back to face him, there was no point to arguing with the former Miss Mystic Falls, she wasn't wrong and didn't have to make a point to prove it.

No, Damon didn't have some elaborate plan, foolishly he believed Elena would curve to his will and allow him to take Elijah's body Silently, he cursed at her morals, and wondered if her and the oldest Original had been cut from the same cloth, even if his were falsified with the need to change. Elena never had to change. Of course, however, Elena didn't have a plan when they went to save Elijah either and so far (as he could tell) things worked out all right in the end, hopefully he would be able to do the same.

"Well, for now we wait." He decided. They would wait for Elijah to come back, not that Damon needed him to make a decision, but then at least Elena would be more in a comfort zone so she could think a little bit more clearly…so he hoped. As if on cue, the front door opened, the light scent of blood filling the room. "Sounds like they are right on time."

Caroline and Damon walked into the living room to see Elijah, not looking any better than when he had Damon pinned against the wall, and Elena standing off to the side, with blood covering her bottom lip and on the side of her arm. The Original too, not only had dust in his hair, but spots of blood on his face-spatter from a witch maybe.
Had he tried to feed on a straggler?

"Elijah…" Caroline gasped as she froze, and Damon couldn't help but ask himself if she hadn't believed his story of Elena bringing him back to life.
The Original's eyes, though dull, were darting across each corner of the room, taking in his surroundings. This used to be his home, and Elena with her band of blood bag drinkers had taken it over.

"Don't worry, we didn't change too much." Elena piped in, returning from the kitchen (Damon hadn't even noticed she left) with two bags of blood, and from the corner of his eye he could see Caroline's surprise as she handed them both to Elijah. He nodded slowly and turned his head towards the former doppelganger where Damon could see the skin crack where his lips tried to force into a gratuitous smile. He had never seen the man so…helpless. It looked as though he was struggling just to lean against the wall.

"Not much of a talker huh?" Damon couldn't help but sneer as he stepped closer to the Original as he began to drain the blood. "You are welcome by the way." His blue eyes pierced into Elijah's in a challenge, hoping to shed some emotion from the corpse-like frame before him. Anything to prove that bringing him back was the right thing to do.

"Damon, he's been dead for twenty years, do you expect him to start giving a monologue?" The Salvatore shifted uncomfortably on his feet as Elena wedged herself in between the two vampires, both much older than her, but no more fearful than she had been before. She was protecting him, not that it was a surprise.
Damon looked past her as Elijah finished the second bag, his grey clouded expression brightened into more color as if suddenly he was coming alive again. He couldn't prevent the look of disgust when the Original put a still weak hand over her arm, turned Elena towards him so that her focus was on him and him alone. What made matters worse was how willingly she gave it, and as if in silent conversation (apparently they didn't need words) the brunette nodded and Elijah looked up to step forward towards Damon again, and Elena stepped next to Caroline to engross in conversation with her friend who flailed about her experience.

"Thank you Damon." The Original's voice was still weak, even though his color was beginning to return he was still a shell of what he should be. "I believe…Elena said you cleared a path for us, even though you missed one I am still grateful."

He "missed one", Elijah told him it as if they were in a shooting range and it was no big deal but the blood on his face and Elena's lip and she had cleaned herself up already since it was healed.

"Sorry you had to put in the extra effort." He growled through his teeth, stepping even closer so their shoes were touching, ready to strike.

"Damon…" Elena warned, returning to the conversation, "Let's save the pissing contest for later okay? I'm going to take him upstairs." She touched Elijah lightly on the elbow, holding onto his arm as she led him to the stairs, the Original's gait significantly slower than hers and he wondered if the run here had made him even weaker.

At this rate, Elijah would be no help to them.

From the corner of his gaze he watched as Caroline's eyes trailed her friend and the Original's path up the stairs.

"So…now what?" she questioned, "Looks like we won't be trading him for Stefan so…" even she knew they would probably have to pry Elijah from Elena's cold dead(er) hands in order to complete that transaction and he could see the slight hint of resentment in her eyes, which she did struggle to hide, unlike him. Had she really been surprised by Elena's defense of Elijah? Even he…sometimes clouded by his own personal feelings for her, knew Elena wouldn't want the Original dead.

She never wanted him dead.

"Well, we are going to have to storm the place. Or…we are going to have to find them first and we have until tomorrow afternoon to figure out how we will get there."

In agreement, Caroline nodded as she walked over to sit on the couch, pulling her knees tight to her chest and closed her eyes. "I just want this to be over." She sighed, seeming distracted as always, "There has to be something we can do for Stefan. " Damon didn't know what was worse, Caroline considering the part she wanted to be over was when Stefan was back rather than this battle with the witches, or that this was all normal to her, so he only acknowledged her with a smirk and said nothing. Instead, stood to get a drink-assuming the manor still had a liquor cabinet intact.

He searched Klaus' kitchen, tearing apart the cabinets and laughed as each came up empty. Klaus loved his liquor, and if he didn't drink it all there had to be some kind of expensive bottle somewhere.
Finally, he could be relieved. In the far back of the glassware cabinet was a bottle of run and from the looks of it, an old bottle. His favorite kind.
Snatching it out, Damon returned to the living room to see Caroline staring up at the ceiling with a perplexed glaze.

"You know…I'm surprised you are okay with this." She pointed to the stairs, "I have to say, I am almost proud of you Damon!" She was keeping her voice low, just low enough so that the vampires upstairs couldn't hear but the Salvatore was still confused.

"What are you talking about?"

"Well…Elijah and Elena…"

Damon tilted his head to the side and raised an eyebrow in question as he stepped closer. "What about them Blondie?" he pestered only growing more impatient as Caroline's eyes only grew wider.

"Uh oh…You don't know do you?"

Even after feeding, Elena could see how weak Elijah was. Twenty years of desiccation had not done him well and the run back to the mansion (only to be stopped by the one straggling witch) had been too much at once and Elena wondered, for only a moment, if this had been a bad idea.
Only for a moment.

"So…" Elena spoke quietly as they walked down the hall, keeping privacy was impossible in a house full of vampires, "I'll explain everything, I promise, but you may want to get cleaned up first.
Elijah's eyes were still trailing the walls, looking for any minor changes in his home. His home, that Elena had commandeered too long ago.

"I know, we had no choice but to come here." She explained, reaching his room and placing her hand on the door knob. "Don't worry though, I made sure the bedrooms were untouched."
She was lying. Elena had spent time in Elijah's bedroom whenever she needed to escape from her own mind. His scent was soothing to her, but not nearly as much as his presence was now.
He nodded, still not speaking as they entered the large open aired room connected to his office. The king sized four poster bed was covered in deep blue sheets that looked untouched while the same books left out from twenty years ago when Elijah returned to Mystic Falls unknowingly to the younger vampire, on the night stand. Besides a coatrack kept carefully to the side, a throw rug, his bed and the nightstand, the room was frighteningly empty. He never had use for this house and it's memories (so he told her once long ago). His personal items remained in Pennsylvania, the place he had intended on staying for a long while.

"How do you feel?" Elena asked as he crossed the room, carefully sitting on the bed.

"Better." He replied with a harsh whisper, his eyes dropping to the ground, "Now, would you care to tell me why I woke up in this…I'm not even sure what to call it." He waved his hand towards the window in angst, and Elena sat on the floor in front of him, but looked away. The memories of how everything had turned upside down still plagued her dreams, whenever she actually slept. "Elena?"

She could feel his eyes digging into her skull and when she looked up to meet him, she almost couldn't recognize who was looking back at her. Elijah's softer expression towards her from twenty years ago was gone, replaced by a more dangerous, cold glare that was shrouded in confusion, anger and curiosity.

"Yes, Elijah?"

"Where is my family?" Elena's eyes widened, in all of her thoughts of what to expect, or what to say to the only "living" Original, she never even thought of how to tell him that his family is gone, she had become so used to death that it didn't faze her. "Elena…" he pushed her again when she was at loss for words and Elena could see that look in his eyes, he already knew. He always knew.

"I am so sorry Elijah... Kol and Rebekah are..."

"And Nicklaus?" the Original cut her off, his brown eyes glassed over with a frantic worry.

"Klaus is…as alive as we can allow him to be." She braced herself for his anger, as for a split second in his unwavering gaze, she saw his eyes flash red.

"He was daggered."

It wasn't a question, but more of a brief heavy lament; even he knew that was where he should stay. "Is he safe?"

At times, Elena despised Elijah's devotion towards his family, but even she had that feeling deep inside that consideration, understanding and most of all…respect for him. She would stop at nothing to protect her family, and that was where she connected with the Original what felt like forever ago.

"Of course."

Elijah put his head in his hands, the first grey matter emotion he had shown since he arrived. He didn't understand, and Elena could tell he had so many more questions to come.

"So, is this what happens without my family? Everyone just goes rogue, killing the witches of all people?" There it was, the elephant in the room. Apparently Elijah was feeling better.
With a sigh, Elena moved her hips to sit flat on the floor with her legs crossed, resting her chin on her knuckles, staring at Elijah's feel while she spoke. This physical closeness could have felt more natural, they never had this issue before, and while Elena could feel a hint of tranquility, she was unsure of what her counterpart was feeling. Everything was different now, it may have been twenty years for her but the awkwardness was much more recent for him.

"The witches believe we stole their powers, the vampires believe that the witches killed your brother and sister, therefore killing all of those in their bloodlines." She explained quickly, tired of reciting the same story over and over again in her mind.

"And what do you believe Elena?" It didn't seem he cared for any of the minor details, at least not yet.

"It doesn't matter what I believe Elijah." She replied quickly, getting to her knees to place her hands on his, "What matters is that we are trapped, left to fend for ourselves and not all of the vampires want to make friends."

Elijah gave a low chuckle and shook his head, "Have you considered speaking to said witches?" That cocky attitude seemed to come back full force as he was starting to feel better, not to Elena's surprise. Elijah always had an air of subtle arrogance about him, and it was nice to see he was getting back to his "pre-daggered" self.

"Oh we have but they aren't letting us get close enough…and well, we aren't exactly as friendly in return." Her voice was dark as she responded, adding an extra layer to their already strange reunion.

"So instead, you tear each other apart? That hardly seems logical to me…"She turned away from him at this point, having no answer to give, but the question alone corroded her peace of mind (this new…acquired feeling since returning to the mansion) nonetheless. The Original's words as light as they were, had been as powerful as a leading edge of a tornado, his tone only pushing her away when deep down she only wanted to get close.

"It's complicated Elijah…"

Even though she had mentally prepared to answer these questions…Elijah's tone was so different than she expected, he seemed almost angry with her, yet relieved at the same time. Each time she looked at him, she remembered why, but none of this was her fault.

Hoping to change the atmosphere, Elena finally took in Elijah's disheveled appearance. As understandable as it was (being dead for twenty years wouldn't allow you to come out looking like a supermodel) she felt the need to fix it. She stood, soon slipping into the bathroom, and filled a small basin with water and grabbed a rag from the shelf.

"I'm sorry," she quickly apologized, "the shower only works when it wants to and we also don't exactly have hot water." There were sill spots of blood on his face, and in the hopes of changing their tone she knelt before him again. "Are you feeling any better?" she could ask the same question over and over again not getting tired of it at all, but shook her head before he had the chance to answer and gently took the washcloth to his skin. Although it regained some color, it was still ashen from being desiccated, and she cleared his jawline carefully as if testing potentially dangerous waters.

"I'm sorry we are so limited on blood. I should be able to get more for you later without anyone noticing, it's just become so dangerous to retrieve it." Memories of Amelia Bennett flashed through her mind, young, powerful and hell bent on revenge Amelia, who was murdered by her own default.

Elijah put a hand over hers, lowering it back down towards her lap, but she found herself resting it casually on his knee, a gesture they used to be comfortable with, but now something seemed different even if his expression was relieved. "It's fine," he told her, and now even though his actions had shifted to cold, the Original's features lightened into a warm yet calculating manner. "You've changed Elena."

Taken aback by his observation, Elena's head shot up, "I survived." She replied defensively. "It may as well be war out there and we are hardly safe from the witches regardless of their weakened powers."
She didn't want to argue here, but she also didn't want him to see what she had become, broken, tainted and a hypocrite.

Raising herself, she stood to leave and took over his appearance one last time, placing her hand on his shoulder and allowed it to linger there for just a moment. Maybe their positions were reversed now, but it didn't matter. There was still that awkward feeling that hung between them , but her guard, though weakened around him, would not falter. "I suggest you rest up now, because we have a lot to do later."

Rescuing Stefan being one of her main priorities, she walked to the door. She was going to need Elijah's help.

"I never got the chance to ask you…" he stopped her dead in her tracks, "Are you feeling all right?"

Her doe eyes widened as she turned her attention back unsure. Was there a correct answer for this? Did she have to tell the truth? "Of course." She gave him the brightest smile she gave him the brightest smile she could muster, something she had gotten very good at practicing, (even though nobody asked her anymore) but something flickered in his eyes-doubt- and she realized why. She told him she was fine, and for the first time in twenty years, someone noticed just how much of a liar she was. "I'm just happy that you are back."

Elijah nodded, running his fingers through the bowl of water without thought and a smile. That time, he knew she was telling the truth.

Elena closed the door behind her and moved against the wall to lean her back up against it. Elijah was right. He may not have said it out loud but his actions were his words and they spoke volumes. They could have done so much more to prevent this all from escalating, but they failed.
She listened for a moment as Elijah moved into the bathroom and her heart ached for being away from him. She was torn however, his demeanor towards her had changed, but it could have just been due to the lack of blood (so she told herself).
He couldn't possibly blame her for what happened could he? On the other side, Elena had twenty years to get over the embarrassment, Elijah was a different story. He didn't have the time like she did.

Breaking from the wall, the vampire moved down the hall and as she approached the stairs, a blur rushed before her, pushing her back against the railing.
Ice blue eyes dug into her own like deep penetrating claws while his fingers pierced into her shoulders.

"Damon, what are you doing?" she growled, pushing the Salvatore off of her.

"You neglected to tell me about your little…affair with Elijah." He snapped in return, his eyes shooting with anger and jealousy, "How long had it been going on?"
Elena stepped to the side, listening closely for the Original, but there wasn't a sound from the other side, maybe he was getting the rest he needed. Whatever he was doing, she didn't want him coming out (or overhearing) this conversation after all .

"It really was never your business," she taunted right back and automatically fell into a defensive stance. She wasn't about to let him do this to her.

"It is my business when my brother's life is at risk because you are acting like some love sick puppy Elena!"

"What!?" Elena's eyes became dark with anger, she knew this would happen, one way or another, but now was not the time or the place for this. "Damon you have no idea what you are talking about!" she was in his face now, his misunderstanding boiling the blood in her veins.

"Then why don't you enlighten me?" Damon's pain was as clear as day, he felt nothing but betrayed by her, "Because right now, I can't say things are looking too good."

Rolling her eyes and folded her arms over her chest, "After I left Mystic Falls Damon…" she sighed, "and what happened? It happened only once all right?" She didn't need to explain herself to him, but she did anyway, he was her friend still and she wasn't ready to lose that just yet.
Damon scoffed in response, unwilling to back down, "What? No happily ever after for you two? Is that what this is about, looking for that second chance? Reignite a flame? What did you do Elena, leave him like you did me?"

Elena was still standing before him, and while she was tired, frustrated and hungry (giving her blood bag to Elijah) each muscle of hers were screaming to tear his throat out. Damon was forcing himself under her skin, forcing her to see what she had become, a cold hearted empty apparition of the person she used to be, but he was wrong. Another low growl erupted from her throat and the only emotion she could fall back on now was pure driven anger as it shot from her like a bolt of lightning the same speed she was on him, tossing him down the stairs and she landed on top of him with a thud with her knee positioned right into his ribcage.

He may have been older, and stronger, but Elena had the element of surprise and her fury coursed itself through her body like no other.

"You are wrong Damon." She hissed into his ear, the King Cobra, defeated by a viper. " .Me."
She jumped off of him, straight to her feet, and offered a hand to the wounded Salvatore, but he refused, jumping up in a blur and soon, Caroline was by her side.

"Come on Blondie." Damon looked to her as he began to walk down the stairs, "Looks like we are going to have to save my brother without their help." Caroline glanced over to Elena, whose eyes were still blackened in hunger and anger and shook her head.

"I'm so sorry Elena…" she placed a hand on her friend's shoulder, and turned out the door to follow Damon.

"Wait! Let me-" she began, but Damon only looked to her again, his eyes, his expression only showing his resentment and betrayal.

Of course he had felt wronged by her, yet she still wasn't sure how to feel anymore.

What happened to us?

As always, thank you for the reviews. The feedback on this story is absolutely shocking and loved. You guys are all amazing so thank YOU!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, if anyone finds this confusing or anything to that degree, a lot of things are slowly being explained (very slowly sadly) the build up between Elijah and Elena will continue for a few more chapters via the flashbacks (and we will finally find out what happened between them) and we will also learn how the story began soon enough. Next chapter however, will be a journal entry, I figure a deeper look into Elena's thoughts are necessary, and that will be up I am aiming for the end of the week (I'm updating all three stories as consistently as possible so thank you all for sticking with me!) If you have any questions...do not hesitate to ask! :D

Please review :)