3 Weeks Later

Elena finally got out of bed this morning. She smells worse than expired milk. Elena has been wearing the same clothes for three weeks. She went to the bathroom and took a long paused look into the mirror. She stood there, eyes locked on her reflection, for seconds. Soon those seconds turned into minutes. Then the minutes turned into hours. Nobody came and checked on her because they didn't know she left the comfort of her bed. Elena stayed standing for almost two hours. Lost in deep thought. Remembering the past she spent with Matt, what he meant to her. She was so depressed she didn't even notice how weak her legs have gotten since getting up. Finally she headed downstairs. She had hardly eaten lately. Her stomach grumbled but Elena wasn't even that hungry. She just knew she had to eat. As she went through the steps she walked kind of like a zombie. Slowly and a bit restrained. Her body is extensively drained of energy. She walked into the enormous, stunning, early 19th century style kitchen. She went towards the stone counter top. All the way on the right end was a basket of fruit. She picked a banana out of the pile and steadily peeled off the skin. She took a small bite from the top. She chewed it but her bite was so tiny she didn't need to. She sat at the table. It took her ten minutes to finish her breakfast. She went and got a cup afterwards and filled it with water. As she was drinking it the front door opened. Klaus, Elijah, and Rebekah came in arguing like they have been for the last three weeks. This is the first time Elena is able to hear them since she isn't isolated away in her bedroom. Elena didn't care about hearing this. The Mikaelsons went into their den and yelled at each other. Elena pretty much tuned them out.

"I don't care about it, Kol needs to be stopped. He's out of control." Rebekah said.

"What are we supposed to do, we intervene and who knows what he'll do," Klaus warned. "He'll come after Elena or someone else she cares about just to get back at us. Kol is not an idiot. He's two steps ahead of us every time and i don't want to risk pissing him off again."

"He'll hurt her. She is the only person that we've ever cared about outside this family. The only one that we are willing to put our lives on the line for. If he wants her, he'll use her as bait to kill us. Imagine him being the only original left alive. He'll take over. All he cares about is a following. He almost exposed us before he will do it again. In fact, I think he wants to. He thrives on fear and chaos. It is his sick version of entertainment," Elijah stated.

"Shhh." Rebekah said. She walked towards the kitchen. "Elena," she said before entering the room. She saw Elena standing drinking the glass of water. She sauntered to her. Her hands raised in the air as if she signaling the fact that she wasn't a threat. "Elena, you're out of bed.," Rebekah gulped then continued. "When did you come downstairs."

Elijah and Klaus went to the kitchen they stood in the doorway and watched as Rebekah tried to talk to Elena.

"Elena, how are you doing?" Rebekah questioned her.

"I'm f-f-fine," Elena stuttered in response. Her mind still in disbelief of what happened to Matt.

"No you're not. Elena lets go for a walk." Rebekah said as gentle as she possibly could. "Some fresh air will do you good." Elena shook her head no. "Okay, then um do you want to talk or do you want me to leave you alone."

Elena didn't respond. So Rebekah backed out of the room understanding Elena needed more time to deal. Rebekah left the room and her brothers followed her back into the den. But only this time nobody said a word. They sat on the couches and just glanced at each other. Elena sat back down at the table. She remained sitting their till 10 o'clock at night. Then she got up and went back into bed.

Over the next five days, the Mikaelson's went on with their business but watched to see if Elena was making any more progress. She wouldn't go down stairs though until all three were out of the house. It wasn't like she blamed them for Matt's death as a matter of fact the only person she blamed was herself. Like in some way this was her fault. Although she did absolutely nothing wrong. Elena would go downstairs eat a piece of fruit and sit down for hours. One of the days she brought her food into the living room instead and just sat on the couch. She would then go back to be.

Then finally Elena showered and boy did she need one. Her hair was greasy and beyond disgusting. Her body stunk horribly and her legs needed some work. She turned on the water and waited for it to get warm. She finally took off those dirty clothes. She went into the shower. The pressure and heat from the water felt relaxing against her skin. She grabbed the bottle of shampoo and squirted some into her hand. She scrubbed the shampoo into her long brown hair. Suds were all over her head. She washed it all out. Then she put her conditioner on. She turned of the water and though it was cold shaved her legs. She brushed the razor up and down her leg. Moving from the calf to the thigh. She put down the razor and turned back on the water. Getting the conditioner out of her hair she rubbed her hands through the strands. She put her hand against the handle and turned it off. Then, stepping out of the shower she grabbed a yellow towel from the rack and wrapped herself in it. She went to face the mirror and grabbed her brush out of one of the drawers. She brushed it through all sections of her hair getting out the abnormally large knots. After she put the brush down she went to her room and changed.

She did this for the next couple days as well.

Then a month and a half after Matt had put on a grey t-shirt and some black leggings placing a twenty in one of the two front pockets. She walked into the bowling alley. And yes they built a bowling alley in their house and grabbed her tennis shoes that were left in their from about a month ago. She slid them onto her feet and grabbed her house key hanging beside the front door on a hook. She rode the subway. Talking to no one but did have more than one guy flirt with her. She stepped out when she reached a certain stop. She was in brooklyn. Elena was obsessed with this hazelnut coffee this little corner cafe served for brunch. She sat down at a table by the window. When the waitress brought her the coffee she drank it up and walked out leaving a five on the table. She took in the fresh air as she moved through that part of the city. She went to a farmers market and bought herself some fresh guava.

She turned and ran into a women. "Elena Gilbert," said the women. Elena didn't reconginze her. "Wow this is incredible you look like you hardly aged." Elena wasn't sure of the women's motives but they smiled only Elena's was fake. "God it's been what eight years wow." That indication made Elena realize she went to high school with her.

"Yeah, so long. What are you doing in New York?" Elena asked but didn't care what so ever.

"I'm here on my honeymoon," the women responded.

"Honeymoon Oh gosh, that's incredible." Elena said.

"Thanks, so why are you here?" said the women.

"Oh I'm on um," Elena paused trying to think of a quick response. "On vacation."

"Alone?" she asked.

Elena thinks this women is so noisy and she is. "No, with my boyfriend."

"Of course, Elena Gilbert is never single always has a guy wrapped around her finger." The women said this but Elena sensed a hint of aggression.

Elena laughed because she didn't know how to respond.

"Listen Elena, I'm sorry." The women's tone changed suddenly.

"What for?" The women asked.

"Bout Matt, you know him going missing last year and suddenly turning up two weeks ago well um you probably know," Elena was getting real ticked off from what this women was saying.

"Yeah, you know I should go." Elena said.

"Wait i never see you around anymore. Mystic Falls functioning again and a lot of people moved back. The town's starting to get back on its feet." the women said before Elena could get away.

"I moved but um I have to go meet the boyfriend so um. It was nice seeing you again." Elena walked away before the women could say anything else. Elena still having no idea who she was is hoping that she wont share the fact that she ran into her . Nobody knows she's alive and as long as Elena know's Bonnies alive she wants to keep it that way. Especially with Matt she well if she said she was alive and knew how he died. And she blamed herself enough. And it's just gotten to the point where returning home isn't an option.

Elena returned to her house. Seeing this women only made her more upset. So she went to her room and talked to no one.

Her eyes opened and she was recovering for now. Slowly things got back to normal. Remembering her conversation with the women from her past Elena went for a run. Running has always cleared her mind. She then changed into some nicer clothes and freshened up. She went to the Museum of Natural History. She just walked around and looked at the different displays. She stayed there until closing. She walked back home.

Along the way she saw this thing that reminded her of Matt. This blonde guy in a football jersey talking to this brunette. He looked so much like Matt. She watched this boy flirt with the girl and her laugh at his stupid jokes. It was just like her and Matt before vampires. Her eyes watered up and become puffy and red. She wanted to talk to someone but the original's didn't know him enough. She really needed someone else at that moment. Someone to tell her everything is going to be okay. She strolled to a bench nearby. Sitting down she took deep breath. After a couple of minutes of going over things in her head, she took her phone from her purse. She dialed a number in her contacts. As she put the phone against her ear she hope that he hasn't changed his number.

"Hello," Jeremy's voice made Elena feel better. There was something about it that reminded her of simple times. That gave her comfort. "Hello," she heard again. She tried holding in her tears."Anybody there?" Jeremy said again. The phone call ended and Elena headed home.

She was in the front yard debating to enter even though she would inevitably do in the end. So she went on the front porch as she heard in engine coming down the street.

Klaus pulled up in his porsche as Elena was about to open the door to go inside. Elena stopped as he came out of the car. She thought for not even a second. Before he could make it up the walkway Elena impulsively sprinted to him. She grabbed him. She put her arms around his neck and hugged him. Seconds later Klaus put his hands around her.

She began to cry and he held her. He whispered into her ear. "It's going to be okay. I promise." She nodded her head behind him. The two remained outside for a quite some time. Finally Elena removed her arms and Klaus put one arm around her shoulder. He walked her into the house and brought her up to her room. He let her go and was about to leave the room.

"Wait," Elena's voice made Klaus turn back around. As he looked at her, Elena had no clue to why she asked him to stay so to keep it normal she just said, "Thank you."

Klaus smiled and left the room. He closed the door behind him.

Elena remained in the room. Her thoughts jumbled in her head. She turned off the light after brushing her teeth. She opened her covers and laid on the mattress. She snuggled up in her blanket. Elena lied down and stared at the ceiling. For the first time her mind wasn't on Matt. It was on Klaus and the way he was able to comfort her