"McKenna!"

Elijah frowned as he watched the young woman he met two nights before stop on her way to her car as Matt Donovan, her boss and friend, called out to her. She looked interested in what he was saying but other than that didn't say much as he talked about work.

The night he accidently ran into her he had been coming back to Mystic Falls after being away for a short while. It had been before he had returned home to see his brother and sister. When she smacked into him, he had felt her sharp intake of breath. Whether it was from running into him or from inhaling his scent, he didn't know but he did know she was small. She couldn't be more than five foot five and was very petite, no more than a hundred ten pounds.

Looking at her now, he felt as if she were so close and yet he couldn't get to her.

When he had returned home from the Salvatores the night he returned home, his brother Kol had been there. So four of the five had returned home. Kol rarely ever told where he went but he always seemed so peaceful to be back from a long escapade. Rebekah and Niklaus had remained while he had gone off on his own. It was strange to have the oldest brother and youngest in the same room.

They had discussed what had gone on while Elijah and Kol had been away. The news of a new resident at the Salvatore boardinghouse was as much a shock to Klaus and Rebekah as it had been to Elijah. It could pose a problem if the Salvatores ever decided to put the house in her name.

Elijah let what she said about her family resound in his head. She didn't have any family. From what she said, she was an only child whose parents had died tragically. Coming to Mystic Falls had been an accident and she just ended up living with the Salvatores out of necessity. She was working out of necessity and going to school so she could become something.

He saw Stefan as he walked across the yard. The other man touched McKenna's shoulder and the young woman turned to him. He said something to her and then they moved towards the back of the school. Elijah followed at a slower pace and further back.

When he rounded corner, McKenna was watching everyone as they stretched and got ready for practice. She suddenly pulled her bag around and pulled something from it. When she started sketching furiously he realized she was an artist. Her hand moved steadily yet quickly. He wondered what else she did.

"Stalking children now are we, Elijah?"

The Original turned slightly. "Not really. I just happened to be in the neighborhood."

Damon made a face. "That's a sucky lie and we both know it."

"Tell me, Damon. What else does McKenna do?"

The older Salvatore frowned and moved to stand beside him. "What do you mean?"

"Look at her. She's sketching as fast as her hand will allow her. She's obviously an artist. What else does she do?"

"When she moved in, we had a hard time carting in all the canvases and a huge box I found out was painted. All over her room are an assortment of brushes and palates and a couple of easels."

Elijah smiled. "She paints." He turned suddenly then. "Thank you, Damon. You've been most helpful."

"Elijah, if you hurt her, it won't be pretty. She's been through enough. Not to mention I will kill you."

"You've only known the girl a week and yet you're threatening me?"

"She lives in my house and is under my protection."

"Very well. I will not hurt her."

Damon watched Elijah walk back towards his car. When the Original got in his car, Damon turned back to practicing sportsman. He met Stefan's eyes over McKenna's head and they nodded to each other.

(%)(%)(%)(%)(%)(%)(%)

McKenna walked into the small art store on the square. She didn't have to work and that was surprising. She went in and Matt sent her right back out, saying he didn't need her that day. It didn't really bother her; it meant she could walk around and find some interesting places she could call her own.

The art shop had been a pleasant surprise. Last one she had visited had been in Richmond. That had been right before she got to Mystic Falls. She had loaded up on supplies but she really wanted a place where she could display her art. She missed that about the big city.

As she walked around the store, she was making a mental list of some of the stuff she could buy to continue painting. It had been her mother who had encouraged her to do something constructive. Painting had come naturally to her. The fine strokes of the brush and the way her hand flowed as she moved it across the canvas were some things she would never change. Her love of art came from her mother and that was something she would carry with her for the rest of her life.

She grabbed a couple of brushes she had owned a while back and continued to move around the store, her mind clouded with art. She found herself in another part of the store. This side had local artists' paintings all over the wall. She looked at most of them with a speculative eye. Whoever had made these had a great eye for detail and had the time to make each brush stroke mean something. That was the mettle of a true artist. Many couldn't keep in the lines when they colored on a coloring book. Those who could made works of art. This was a work of art.

It was simply a painting of a forest; an untouched forest with leaves falling in the fall. As she looked, she saw that it was a collection. It was the same forest but during every season.

"What's your favorite?" someone with a thick accent asked behind her.

She took a few moments to adjust to the new presences and also to look at the paintings one more time. Finally she pointed it out. "That one."

"The winter forest. How peculiar. Might I ask why?"

"Many people think spring is lovely and I don't deny that. It's just something about the stark stillness of winter that draws my attention. Even though the trees are alive in winter, it seems as like they're dead because they have no leaves. Also the snow makes it seem as if it is cold and desolate."

"You have a fine eye for art."

That voice she knew. She turned around then to find three men standing behind her. "My mother was an artist and my father a musician. They taught me well." She paused for a moment to look at the floor then to look up. "Hello, Elijah."

Elijah's lips quirked. "Hello, McKenna. What brings you out today?"

"I didn't have to work so I figured I'd find a place to call my own. But now I can't do that since you found me."

"Come now. That's not very nice," one of the others said.

"Pardon my brother. Niklaus, that wasn't very nice."

"Come on, Elijah. She an artist. Artists understand other artists banter."

The oldest brother shook his head. "My brother talks about insane things. Ah, but I am being rude. These are my younger brothers Niklaus and Kol. I have two more siblings; another brother Finn and a sister Rebekah."

McKenna smiled sadly. "It's nice to meet you. I'm McKenna Parker."

"So you're the one my brother has been moping around about," Kol said. There was something about him that put McKenna on edge. She took one step back involuntarily. Kol smiled. "I'm not going to hurt you."

She started back again but something in Elijah's face told her not to, that it was a bad idea. She squared her shoulders and turned so she wasn't in fight or flight mode. Whatever this kid was doing she wasn't going to be intimidated. Elijah nodded in acceptance when she was fasted to the ground.

McKenna turned to the middle brother. "You're the artist, aren't you?"

His face lit up. "How could you tell?"

She smiled. "There could only be one Klaus Mikaelsen in Mystic Falls."

Klaus smiled at his brother, blue eyes alight with delight. "I like this girl, brother. Do keep her around."

"Klaus?" A young woman came in. She had blond hair and was bouncing happily to the brother. She stopped when she came in view of the others. "McKenna Parker?" The other girl nodded. "I'm Caroline Forbes. Where did you move from?"

"Philadelphia."

"That's a long move." McKenna simply nodded as she sucked in her cheeks. Caroline, noting the other girl wasn't going to answer anymore, looked to Klaus. "Are you ready?"

"Whenever you are, love." Klaus turned to his brother. "See you at home, Elijah. Kol, come on."

The youngest brother waved and followed the other out the door.

Elijah turned to McKenna. She had her head canted away and was biting on her lower lip. Caroline had struck a nerve within her. It must be about her family. Then again it could be because she was an only child while he had four siblings. She could be feeling lonely.

"I guess I should get going," she said suddenly.

"If my brother made you uncomfortable, I apologize but next time, do not run. He likes that. It makes him feel in power," he said when she didn't move.

"I'll remember that."

Elijah watched as she headed for the checkout. "McKenna?" She stopped and turned around. He got up enough courage to ask, "Would you join me for coffee?" McKenna looked at him for a long moment before she nodded. He let out a breath he hated known he'd been holding. "Great."

McKenna was all too aware of Elijah as she paid for her brushes. He stood behind her off to the right. It was as if he was watching out for her. She walked past him as he held the door open. She let him take the lead as they headed towards the coffee shop. When they came in, he led her to a specific table and held out her chair. The waitress came up and asked their order. She was painfully aware that when she was ordering Elijah was watching her.

"What made you choose Mystic Falls?" he asked.

"We came here for vacation one year. My dad rented a cabin in the mountains and we came into town for supplies. I love places like this. It got me away from the hustle and bustle of the big city. I'd like to retire here and paint for the rest of my life," she replied as she stared out the window.

"That's an admirable quality. You're not even out of high school and you know where you want to retire." She shrugged but didn't look his way again. Not until he brought up the next subject. "You get your love of art from your mother."

She looked at him then, weariness in her eyes. She obviously wasn't finished grieving over the loss of both her parents in such a short amount of time. She took time to blow on her coffee then sip it after the waitress brought it to her. It gave Elijah time to watch her.

She curled her fingers into her palm when she was looking away from him. It looked as if it was a defensive plan to make sure he didn't see what she was feeling.

"The paintings Damon and Stefan brought in when I moved in with them were my mother's. She made them when she was going through chemo and the works. I watched her make some of them when I was home from school or art class. She worked with a definite hand. They all turned out really well."

"What do you wish you could do?"

"I wish I could watch her paint once again. I miss the smell of her after she painted." She finally looked at him. "When I saw you with your brothers, it made me want my own brothers. I was an only child so I never knew the joy of having siblings."

"They're not easy to live with. Klaus wants to trust people and when he does he is upset if they let him down. Kol has a temper on him that he hides behind his devilish smile. Finn is a mama's boy. My sister Rebekah loves deeply and retaliates with a vengeance. She gets that from our father. I had a younger brother who was killed when he was a boy."

McKenna smiled. There was affection in his voice as he talked about his family. "I heard the accent in Klaus's and Kol's voices. Where are you from?"

"We're from England."

"Then why don't you have an accent?"

"I moved here when I was younger. I went to school here and lost most of my accent." It was a lie but she didn't know that and wouldn't.

"I can hear a hint of it but that's about it."

Elijah looked at her over his coffee cup. "What about you? Red hair usually runs in Irish heritage."

"My father was Irish. My mother was a Scot It was interesting listening to both of them. This is what I got."

"It's an interesting mix."

McKenna finished off her coffee and pushed away from the table. "I really need to go. I have homework."

Elijah made a noise at the back of his throat as he drank his coffee then stood. "Of course. Allow me to walk you back to your car."

She did and soon she was headed back to home. When she was tucked in her room, she pulled all her mother's paintings out and set them up around the room. As soon as the last one went up on the wall, her phone went off. It was an unknown number but she read the text anyway.

Sorry to be too forward but I asked Damon for you number. I would love to see your mother's paintings sometime. I enjoy art.

Elijah

McKenna shook her head and continued to place her mom's art around the room.