Thank you all for the reviews on the last one :) I always appreciate it!

A request from Terapsina, placed somewhere around season three but somewhere along the line Elena and Elijah have built a strong friendship.

I hope you enjoy!

Comfortably Numb
Characters: Elijah Mikaelson & Elena Gilbert
Rating: G
Summary: It seems some kind of trouble happens whenever Elena Gilbert is around.

Elena always knew how to find him.

Just like the story her mother used to tell of the woman who waited for her husband to return from sea every day even years after he was assumed as dead, Elijah Mikaelson was a creature of habit. He would stroll through the woods each night, no matter the weather. Even tonight he did so, though the fog was thick and the moon blanketed by the passing rain clouds.

Sometimes, she would join him in her parka, or if she would forget, he would always have his umbrella. Other times she would simple watch him from as far away as she could, just to observe (and if he knew she was there-since humans weren't naturally quiet-he never said anything).

Tonight was no different, and she hoped he didn't mind the company.

"Why do you always come here?" she asked from a decent distance behind, thinking surely he had other-more beautiful- places to stroll.

Elijah, nearly invisible in his pressed black suit, seemed unfazed by her abrupt appearance. He could most likely hear her heart pounding in her chest one hundred feet away as she ran to catch up to him. "Why not?" he responded cryptically, and extended his arm straight as he slowed his pace, beckoning for her to walk by his side. "This town holds memories for us all, Elena."

She had never thought to ask "why" before for some reason, it seemed impolite to question Elijah when it had nothing to do with her life, but he didn't seem bothered. In fact, by the jump in his tone he seemed comfortable.
Over the years, she had grown to know him his likes and dislikes, his habits, but Elena never heard much of his human life, and never asked much into it, finding it more fun to imagine what he was like in her mind, similar to a chief of a tribe-older wise, logical and even tempered, but when pushed…ruthless to protect his tribe (or family in this case). She imagined his walks were for a sense of nostalgia, before everything in his life changed for eternity.

The pair walked in silence, and while neither would admit it out loud, they enjoyed each other's companionship, one aura complimenting the other so well making their quiet presence, not so silent at all.

"So, Elena, why do you come out here?" after the long lasting null, the sound of the running water from the creek sparked conversation again.

"I saw you, so I followed." Returning nonchalantly, Elena dodged a mud filled puddle on the path left from the rain earlier in the afternoon.

"Every night?" Elijah's voice was smooth, but teasing as he also avoided the caked mud, doing what he could to not ruin his expensive suit.

"Why not?" she shrugged and looked up to him, "I've had worse company."

Elijah chuckled in the direction of the soft wind, his demeanor never breaking its cool shell.

Someday she decided, determined to crack through that rough exterior to see the man underneath.

"Look!" Elena pointed to the small flowing body of water. It was slowly traveling down among a trip of stepping rocks-stones Elena used to jump on with Jeremy when they were kids to get across to the other side. "Come on!"
She grabbed his hand, first unintentionally even as he tensed at the contact, and pulled him to the edge, closer to the water. "Want to go across?" she smiled valiantly and pointed, but Elijah arched a brow in confusion.

"I could just…jump across, and take you with me?" he offered, but could see his failure in her expression.

"No." she was determined to see him do something out of the ordinary, all of the sullen walking was getting old. "What's the fun in that? Let loose once in a while!"

With a dejected sigh, Elijah motioned for her to go on, but before he could say anything more, Elena jumped to the first rock to land awkwardly on one foot. Doing childish things like this reminded her where her humanity came from, the memories of a happy childhood which were things she never wanted to let go of.

Those memories, as comforting as they were, blinded her concentration as she miscalculated her next hop, her foot bending the wrong way she slipped. Preparing for the ice cold water to splash around her, or the feeling of her head slamming against the previous stone, Elena gasped when she saw a blur to feel a safe warmth before instantly being placed onto the ground again.

"Are you all right?" Elijah's usual relaxed tone showed a hint of worry, though he was clearly trying to remain calm.

Opening her eyes, Elena saw Elijah kneeling before her, propping her body against a tree and looked across to where she had started. "Yeah I think so." Shaking it off, she grabbed onto Elijah's arm for balance and tried to stand, but a sharp burning pain in her ankle shot up to her neck, causing her to cry out and fall limp to the ground. "Or not…"

"Let me look," he directed, gently lifting her leg over his knee so he could examine the bothered area.
Elena had to bite back a tear as his fingers, though incredibly gentle (something so strange, for someone so powerful) touched the skin. She forced herself to look away, afraid of the damage.

"Is it bad?" her squinted eyes slit open to examine Elijah's stone cold face with a taut jaw, but even he was chewing on the inside of his cheek in concern.

"Well…" he tried to hold back a laugh, "You won't be hopping any more rocks for the day, but it will heal."

The words sent a cold shiver down her spine, prompting her to hug herself closely, though only pulling in the one knee as the other was still propped up, and Elijah was quick to take his suit coat off and wrap it around her, smoothing out the arms so it was draped perfectly.

"Thanks." She smiled weakly towards him, which he returned graciously, but placed his focus on her ankle again.

"It's a little swollen, but not bad. I can wrap it up for you and take you home if you promise to stay in bed for the day."

Initially, Elena was surprised by his offer, though also confused. Whenever she was hurt, Stefan and Damon were always quick to give her with their blood, but Elijah didn't offer her at all, and while that could have upset her, it was actually a relief. She was human, and she should heal like one, though it didn't help but peak her curiosity. "Okay Doctor Mikaelson," she teased, not wanting to think too hard into how he knew what to do, "But why not just give me your blood? Wouldn't it be easier? "

"No," the answer seemed so simple, "because my blood is so…pure, it would risk having adverse effects. I only give it if in a life or death situation." Such as when someone stabs themselves in order to force negotiations she was sure he was thinking.

"Oh…" Elena, usually more curious, felt she should (and could) trust Elijah's judgment, he wouldn't make her needlessly suffer, not anymore at least.

Parting her lips to say something more, (talking to avoid the pain) Elena watched curiously as Elijah bit down onto the shoulder of his dark red dress shirt, tearing the expensive fabric (while in turn, Elena's soul as she watched money go down the drain) to rip the sleeve off.

"Elijah! What are you, crazy?" she gasped, and he looked up to her in amusement.

"It's just a shirt Elena. Now please, straighten your leg a bit more?"

Doing as she was directed, Elena re-straightened her leg, not taking her eyes off of the Original, whose own eyes were hidden behind his fallen brown hair as he tightly wrapped tightly wrapped the fabric over her ankle, all while being careful not to hurt her more.

It was sweet, in a strange sense of the word, being taken care of in such a way. Even though he cradled her calf in his hand, at this stage in their relationship, he still treated her like a human being rather than rather than a precious piece of glass.

It was also refreshing…almost in an intimate manner, a different level of comfort and trust had formed between them over time, something that truly was unbreakable.

"Thank you." She said smiling warmly when he finished, hugging his coat tight around her taking in his scent and placed her hand over his. "I'm so used to having vampire blood shoved down my throat the second I get a scratch so this is nice." Even if it did hurt, it was a comfortably numbing pain now.

"I still wish I could do more, so don't thank me." He grinned teasingly, still looking at her ankle as he tied the fabric just enough to keep circulation going.

"Regardless, thanks." She hadn't noticed her hand was over his, but when she did realize, she found no reason to remove it. Slowly he looked from her hand to her eyes, knowing and understanding without words.

"You are welcome." Moving her leg off of him gingerly, Elijah shifted himself to his knee so he could wedge one arm behind the small of her back, and the other behind her knees and lift Elena in his arms, holding her close to his body. "Now, let's get you home."

Instinctually, Elena held on, wrapping her arms around his neck, and rested her head against his bare shoulder (in a hope to keep it warm? She was unsure) as Elijah ran out of the woods to his black SUV.

He swung open the passenger door with one hand and carefully placed her down onto the cool leather seat soon to meet her on the other side, looking her over first as she straightened herself more comfortably.

"Elijah?" Elena piped up, her voice soft, inquisitive as he turned on the car.

"Yes?"

She didn't know how to say what she wanted, but allowed the words to spill from her lips anyway, "Would you stay with me while I am on bed rest? Everyone else is gone for the weekend." She wanted the company if she was really going to be stuck in bed for over a day.

Looking up from the steering wheel, Elijah nodded cautiously, as if he weren't sure what to make of her intentions. "If that is what you would like, I don't see the harm."

Elena's chocolate eyes brightened as Elijah began to drive, and wanted to pull him into a hug but her current condition prevented it so instead she replied,

"It is."

Please review :) and as always, if you have any requests for *any* ship you can leave them in my ask box on my tumblr (link in my profile)