Chapter 4: Trying To Leave You Behind

"It's beautiful," Elena said under her breath as she came to a halt in front of the blue three story house she now called home, "Wow." She said memorized by its beauty once she softly stepped out of her car. She never thought she'd find a house so quickly in such a popular town- well, she never thought she would move out of the Original house so quickly either. She had her reasons for tucking her tail in so hastily. Elena couldn't afford to be honest with herself so she refused to recognize how she really feared the thought of watching him speak so eloquently while he led the vampires without the same gleam in his eyes he had the night before when he looked at her.

She wondered so desperately if the look in his eyes resembled the look he gave Hayley or Katherine or even Celeste… Or was it just lust- just a moment they shared that ended just as quickly as it started? Did he care? Did he think about her that morning when he awakened from his dreams? It was foolish to go down a path that began a thousand years ago with a girl who looked just like her, but if following your heart is foolish… then Elena Gilbert was a fool. She was a fool for thinking there was anything between Elijah and her. She was a fool for hoping there was something between Elijah and her.

The sound of her Real Estate agent brought her back to reality, "I was shocked to hear you paid the full amount for the house without a tour!" She stated as if she really cared about how Elena spent her money, "You said, family money…at your age?" Elena could taste her jealousy between the inches the stood apart. She knew what she was thinking, Little Rich girl is going to blow all of her money in this city…

"Yes, it's dated back almost five hundred years." She never knew that Katherine cared about her until the day Katherine's soul passed from her body and she discovered Katherine left her the fortune she'd collected over the 500 years spent running. Naturally, Nadia was highly upset with the realization that her mother had left her without anything and left her enemy with everything.

Elena unlocked the house with the old tarnished key, revealing a sweet home with hardwood floors and brick walls. There was at least one fireplace in each room, but only one was unsealed. Elena admired the architecture of the place as she walked around her home for the first time. The kitchen was beautiful and open with a small island in the middle. She was surprised to find modern appliances. Elena admired each room and took into account the clash of modern and antique fixtures and appliances. The bathroom by the guest room was far more modern than the bathroom on the third floor. The rooms were also stuck between two time periods as one would have a fireplace sealed up with bricks but another would have modern light fixtures hanging from the ceiling.

As she walked around she found more and more aspects that she liked about her new home such as the openness of the master bedroom that would soon be outfitted with furniture. She instantly fell in love with her closet size and the antique bathtub that sat in the corner of her bathroom.

The real estate agent said in a snarly tone, "The house has five bedrooms, three bathrooms and a pool. I'm surprised you just went with the outside look of the house when buying it. Usually, it's the interior of a home that promotes a purchase."

"I didn't think the cost would matter if I didn't like the interior. I needed a place close to the French Quarter for personal business." She swiveled around on her heel, "Thank you for the tour. Leave." She compelled the agent who gathered her things- leaving the spare key behind.

"Enjoy your home." She said as she left the house.

Once Elena was alone, she reached into her purse to open her pre-paid cell phone package. She knew she had to make a few calls, specifically to her brother. In the back of her mind though…another face wanted her to run home. Damon.

She couldn't just forget their love over night or even over the course of a few months like it never happened. She wanted him in every way possible, she needed him to wipe away her tears when she was scared. She needed him to talk some sense into her when she was thinking irrationally…but more than anything she needed to hear the sound of someone's voice that loved her.

So, she dialed the familiar number to her brother's phone and listened to it ring until it went to voicemail. "Hey Jer, its Elena…I was really hoping you would answer the phone." She rested her back against her brick wall, "I'm sorry for leaving the way I did. I miss you but I think we both know staying in Mystic Falls wasn't going to help anyone. I love you, please call back." Please Call Back…

And there she was, once more alone.

Her eyes abruptly opened as the sound of a wolf howling in the darkness ran through her body. There she was- back on that dirt road in the middle of the night. She closed her eyes tightly but something wasn't right…

She wasn't in her normal form, she was in her wolf form which explained why she was naked on the road the night before. Why am I changing, and more importantly why am I coming here? Elena questioned herself as she sniffed the open, calm air. She didn't smell anything different, didn't feel anything different as she walked down the road back to her home.

She walked down her sidewalk, no longer afraid of vampires attacking her in the area because she resided seven minutes outside of the French Quarter. As she walked, she changed back into her usual form, climbing on top of the porch and quickly opening her door so her new neighbors wouldn't think she was a nudist.

This time, she didn't have blood on her face which was a relief. Elena couldn't handle the thought of her going on killing sprees at night in her werewolf form- or at all.

That didn't mean Elena wasn't scared of what was going on- it wasn't normal to black out and wind up on strange roads twice.

Elena hadn't said much when she moved out, but in that very hour she made an important decision. She listened to the phone ring until he picked up, "Hello." He said in his smooth voice, "Who is this?"

She answered nervously, "It happened again, Elijah."

"Elena?" He seemed to be moving as he spoke to her, "I came home to find your things gone…I was worried you'd returned home. Where are you? I'll come get you."

She sighed, "No, no…I'm safe. I bought a house not too far from the Quarter today. I thought I'd make my stay more permanent and I couldn't take advantage of your hospitality." Liar.

"You never really explained what happened last night." His words lingered in the tension their conversation created.

"…You never gave me the chance." Her words were sharp, "You just left."

"Elena…" He said softly as if he were going to explain himself, but he never did. He just let her name hang in the air as her heart started to ache. She imagined him doing the same thing as her, leaning against the wall with heavy emotions stirring throughout her body.

"I really have to get some sleep." With that, she hung up on him and continued to lean against the wall. She was so confused as she thought of her heartache over her breakup with Damon and the way Elijah was making her feel these last few days. She didn't want to forget the way Damon made her feel but as things became more intense emotion-wise with Elijah she couldn't help but feel their memories fade.