Thanks a lot for the reviews, guys. Especially Keeptheflameburning. You are awesome, mate. You read my story in one sitting, and I'm so happy that I have someone like you who enjoys these tales I pen. As usual, this chapter is the result of those extra nudges that my pal Siberia21 sends my way.

So, enjoy the chapter and yeah, I don't own Vampire Diaries…

Chapter Sixteen

There's such a sad love
deep in your eyes.
A kind of pale jewel,
open and closed
within your eyes.
I'll place the sky
within your eyes.

There's such a fooled heart
beatin' so fast
In search of new dreams.
A love that will last
within your heart.
I'll place the moon
within your heart.

-As the world falls down by David Bowie

Amara.

This woman who stood with Damon Salvatore couldn't be the Amara who had laughed with him, danced with him, enchanted him and kept him company. This woman was calculation epitomized and if Elijah peered closely enough, he could see the bloody dollar signs gleaming in her eyes.

His Amara had laughed easily, and with abandon. Even beneath the Venetian masks she had worn, her eyes had been warm pools of life he had wanted to drown himself in. Her conversations had been intelligent and her observations keen, which didn't include envying others for their couture or jewelry as this Amara was doing.

How could he be so wrong?

This Amara wasn't the one who had spent parties after parties mocking the so-called rich and titled with him.

This was the woman for whom Damon had left Elena?

Elijah could vaguely remember her now. Sitting in Damon's study they had delighted in tormenting her twin sister. Elijah suddenly felt sick. Exactly how much of his alcohol and drug induced episodes had he forgotten?

The knowing gleam in Amara Gilbert's eye made him want to escape.

'It looks like you remember me now, your highness. I nearly thought that you'd forgotten all the fun-filled days and our strong friendship,' she said, leaving Damon's side to come to his. Her close proximity made him feel dirty. He wanted to run far away from here, far away from everything.

He didn't want to turn his head even a bit and look into Amara Gilbert's face. It was a face that haunted his sleep and yet the woman sitting beside him wasn't the one whom he saw in his dreams.

He hated himself for everything he was –a liar and a poser; a fucking loser who had found enjoyment in making Elena Gilbert cry.

The sudden commotion at the entrance was a blessed relief from Amara's constant remembrance of the memories he never wanted to remember.

He knew the moment Elena entered the party. Call it instinct, call it karma, but he knew the moment she stepped inside the foyer of her parent's mansion.

He could have called her a vision or perfection incarnate, but in his opinion, there was no word that could describe her aptly. She was Elena, and if someone asked him, he would say she was his goddess.

She was on Kol's arm, immaculately groomed and dressed. Her face, as usual, was covered in one of her masks. But this time, he knew who she was.

She had been his Amara. She had been the woman who had danced with him, flirted with him and teased him. She was the woman he'd made love to.

Amara and Elena, they both were identical and yet he could tell them apart in a heartbeat. Elena might have used Amara's name in all those parties, but now she couldn't fool Elijah.

'Can you believe her impertinence?' Amara hissed beside him. 'Does she feel no shame? Our parents expressly forbade her not to show her face on our doorstep ever again, and here she is with Prince Kol as if she has no care in the world.'

Elijah tuned her out.

His eyes were fixed on Elena who exuded confidence and yet he could tell she was scared out of her mind.

What had his brother been thinking, bringing her here in midst of all these sick people who couldn't wait to take a slice out of her?

She was going to push Kol out of her goddamn window. The sneaky bastard had sprung this on the very last second, and then he'd proceeded to give her his puppy dog eyes.

The crowd looked at her as if she were an exotic animal on the run from the zoo. This was the reason why she'd retreated from this world. These whisperings and snide smiles that people threw in her direction were the only things that had forced her to lose herself among the ordinary people. Otherwise, she too would have written a tell all.

'Don't worry, darling. I just have to prove a point before we're outta here,' he whispered.

'I want to throttle you,' she snarled from between her teeth, her mouth stretched in what some would call a pained grimace.

'You'll be thanking me for all your days to come in a couple of minutes,' he reassured, guiding her expertly where her parents were mingling with the mega rich and the prominent.

Elena wanted to hide and never show her face. She still remembered the callous treatment at the hand of her parents. She didn't think she was strong enough to brave rejection second time around.

'Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert,' Kol said, his arm tightening around her waist.

Her father turned and then froze at the sight of her. She could see the revulsion in his eyes even when his lips curved in a smile of greeting for Kol.

'Your daughter has been kind enough to show me the wonders of a small town, Mr. Gilbert,' he remarked. 'I'm so thankful that I met Elena when I did.'

His firm no-nonsense warning was delivered with a polite smile and a clear tone that he would not tolerate any insult on Elena's person.

She wanted to hug him and choke him with affection at the same time. No one had done anything like this for her.

'Yeah, Elena does have a very hospitable attitude,' her father said snidely, disguising it with a well-bred smile.

'She's the definition of perfection, Mr. Gilbert. You must be so proud of her.'

And with that last remark Kol swept her off to the dance floor where the opening strains of the waltz could be heard…

Kol and Elena swayed with the mellow music, lost in their own world. There were smiles and secret looks, whispered conversations that hinted at a deep level of intimacy.

The onlookers observed the way Elena Gilbert glowed in the company of Kol Mikaelson and they also witnessed the amusement and devotion shining evidently on the younger Prince Mikaelson's face.

'She looks as if she belongs in his arms, doesn't she, Elijah?'

Elijah Mikaelson kept his eyes firmly on the dancing pair, ignoring the waspish remarks by one Amara Gilbert.

'How does it feel, Elijah? How does it feel when you think whether or not your brother has tasted her screams of pleasure on his tongue?'

His hand curled around the stem of the wine glass. He desperately wanted to lose himself in the oblivion of the burn of whiskey but he'd to make do with the over-priced champagne instead. Every turn that Elena took to come back in Kol's arm was a stab. His heart hurt, and so did his head. He wanted nothing but Elena in his arms.

'Fell in love with my fallen twin, didn't you, Elijah?'

Elijah turned abruptly towards Amara and she backed away after witnessing the look on his face. There were fear and apprehension on the features that were so unlike Elena's in every way other than physical.

'Do you know where your Damon is, Amara?' he murmured. 'Look around at the opposite corner. You will find a man who watches every breath Elena takes with much more passion than he ever gives you, even during fucking.' Elijah tugged her closer. To the onlookers it would seem that they were the closest of acquaintances, discussing something intimate.

'Your Damon keeps you close, not because he loves you, Amara, but because you remind him of his one true love,' Elijah whispered in her ears. 'He fucks you because he can't make love to her. He kisses you in a shallow hope of tasting her again.'

Amara's eyes were filled to the brim and at any moment the tears would fall if Elijah wished so. And he definitely did.

'You will never be her, Amara. He'll always keep you around, not for yourself but for her…'

Elijah breathed the cool air as he walked towards his car.

This party had been nothing but salt on his open wounds. He knew why Kol was doing what he was doing. He'd laid the sins on Elena's door, but in reality, it had been his brother who'd pursued Elena.

This was Kol's way of retaliation.

Elijah had Kol's Bonnie. So, Kol was set on taking Elijah's Elena.

He wished he could write the whole story again.

He wished he could erase all his guilt and start anew with Elena. But that was not possible now. She would never forgive him, even if he laid his heart on her feet.

His gaze was drawn towards the shadowed alcove as the moon made its appearance and lightened the dark corner. Two people were standing in a close embrace. The woman rested her head on the man's chest as man's fingers speared her hair.

The man tugged her head back, and the moonlight fell on woman's face.

It was Elena–his Elena.

The moment Kol dipped his head and his lips touched hers–Elijah turned away.

His world was ending and he didn't want to see the carnage…

Love, love, love–leave me loads of love, people.