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A/N: I have been working on this since the last chapter which is truthfully a while back (sorry), but then I watched the newest promo and unstuck. Hope this slightly makes up for the wait.
O0o0O Sleeping Awake O0o0O
O0o0O The Waltz of Flowers Dream O0o0O
It's been a while since she last saw him in her dreams, more than a month since she almost kissed him. That is probably the case, because she is so frightened of what her interrupted action might mean.
But now when she stands with her eyes closed, some soft melody and the pleasant fragrance of many burning candles encircling her senses she knows what awaits her. And she can't manage to produce the fear her waking self has worried over, she's missed him.
"Do you think you'll ever open your eyes Elena?"
His tone is amused and slightly delighted as if her slow drinking in of surroundings through the other senses is somehow sweet, she can't help the smile she feels blooming on her face. Is starting to notice that she never can, it's weird for someone who hasn't honestly smiled in months when actually awake.
"In a little bit. I like the music and it sounds familiar, what is that?"
He laughs and goose bumps rise on the back of her neck, the air is pleasantly warm so she can't blame anything other than Elijah. That laughter expresses such rich quality it somehow suddenly reminds her of glowing ambers and the warmth from a lit fireplace. Her eyelids flutter, but stay closed.
"It should, everyone must have seen Tchaikovsky's most famous ballet even just once."
This time his voice carries slight arrogance, that still somehow manages to be appealing. She curses the road her thoughts are traveling down now, everything about him is appealing… and subtly dangerous.
It almost distracts her from what he has said. But then the melody takes form and she recognizes the 'Waltz of Flowers', her mother's most favorite number from the Nutcracker. Elena knows it played on her mothers wedding, she still remembers sneaking down late at night to watch her parents twirling through the living room every year on their anniversary. For the first time it's not pain that comes forward, but fond remembrance. A tear still escapes. They loved each other so much.
And then a warm hand touches her cheek wiping the salt from her face. Elena's eyes open in surprise and connect with his, she feels as if something hits her in her lower stomach and rests there waiting. The feeling is new and she can't quite translate it yet, she isn't sure if she wants to.
"Thanks!" Her voice carries as barely a whisper, it's so weak.
"You're welcome."
He tips his head to the side as if considering something and Elena is afraid he's going to ask why she almost cried. She won't be able to answer she knows, the subject of her parents is still too raw for her even now, even with Elijah. He might have caught some of that from her expression, because he doesn't push her to say anything.
Instead he steps back and extends towards her the hand that a moment ago covered her teardrop and bows very slightly. His eyes don't leave her face.
"Would you like to dance my Lady Elena?"
She doesn't freeze, doesn't hesitate. She takes his hand curtsies, just like she was taught to and steps into his arms as if she belongs there. And wishes she could smother the inner voice that makes her consider it true.
"I would love to Lord Elijah." An expression passes over his face so quickly she doesn't catch it, but something about it seems noteworthy. She puts it at the back of her mind as food for later thought.
And only when they start to whirl across the room does she notice that they have been standing in a large ballroom and that the light is coming from a hundred white candles decorating the floor by its walls. The music is played by a quartet of faceless violinists and they are the only two people in there.
His hand rests against her back and as they expertly spin across the hardwood floor she fights the urge to look at him again. She is already lost in him deeply enough, she has no intention to explore just how much or to fall completely.
"This was my mother's favorite waltz."
She didn't mean to tell him this, but the words spill out and her heart doesn't shatter as she thought it would. Some weight lifts from her shoulders and Elijah just looks at her. He doesn't signal sympathy, he sends towards her an expression of something so much better. Understanding.
"It isn't bad that you miss them. I can tell you that you will never forget either of them."
And then he keeps silent, not saying anything else, just continuing to dance to the repeating rhythm of one-two-three.
"You won't tell me how it's going to get easier are you?"
She has listened to those words so often by now she no longer quite hears them. They've long since lost all meaning and she doesn't think she could take hearing them from him too.
"No it won't be easier or at least it won't be all the time. Things might get better however."
She chooses not to respond - at least not with words, instead she steps closer and rests her head against his shoulder changing the way they dance. She is far too close for a proper waltz now, instead the previously light atmosphere turns more intimate. She hears as he stops breathing and can't contain the slight smirk this brings forth in her. It's nice to know that she still has some power over him.
Of course with his body pressed against hers it makes it hard to ignore the fact he affects her just as much. He is strong, but warmer than she expected. This Original had always emanated such a complicated mix of cool detachment and warm care she could never quite decide how he would feel up close, - not that she ever thought about it, - but she never would have imagined just how good his body would mould against hers. It's utterly terrifying.
And it reminds her why she has spent the past month so scared. He isn't even real, Elijah isn't actually there with her. She is dancing with some sort of mutated memory of a person she barely knew and she can't understand why it's him of all men. She's not drowning her misery in Stefan, or Damon or even Matt, she even barely thinks about them here. It's like she constructed a world just for Elijah and her.
And none of it makes any sense.
What she should do is run away, ignore him entirely until he leaves or until the dreams stop. But she can't do that, she's barely alive in Mystic Falls now and Elijah makes her smile.
He got her to tell something personal about her mother and she can't normally even think about them without swallowing back depression by the side of anyone else. She needs him.
The melody is nearing the end and somehow she knows that the moment the violin plays the last notes she's going to wake up, so very slightly Elena pulls back and looks up at the man responsible for both the calming and the causing of her inner turmoil. She can't think of the right words to tell him just how grateful she is for his presence, imagined as it might be.
"Thank you!" It is nowhere near good enough, but she hopes her eyes express what her words can't. This time her words certainly contain so much more meaning.
"It was my pleasure."
And then Elijah does something unexpected, but also something she should have seen coming. He takes her hand, his gentle brown eyes not leaving hers and brings it to his mouth kissing her naked palm.
His lips barely meet her skin and even as her insides sing she curses Elijah for being such a gentleman.
Finally after an eternity of staring at him the music stops, Elijah vanishes and the only thing touching her are the sheets she fell asleep in.
O0o0O Further Dreams Coming O0o0O