He did get a chair, she notices. He tells her he'll get it later, and she won't stop touching him. Even when she puts on brand new sneakers with flowers on them from Caroline's line of shoes. Not that he minds, but she hasn't given a reason yet, and she's still shaking a little. They take her clothes from Caroline, in her arms, she's determined to fit it all into her arms and not let go of him-and he checks her out of the hospital, and tells them they'll be back later. The vampire at the desk nods, and tells him the room will stay untouched. He leads her out, into the night, the darkness is unnerving, it feels like a dream. He leads her to his apartment, fairly basic in terms of furniture, he barely used the bed, let alone anything else. But there's blood in the fridge, and after she switches his hand for an elbow looped in hers, she places her clothes in an empty part of his closet. He gives her a few blood bags before he takes off his shoes, and she does the same. She lets go for a moment, and he looks at her with concern until he realizes she's attempting to take his suit jacket off. It's off and thrown perfectly onto a chair when he realizes, and even then, she's pressed into his side. He maneuvers the comforter so it covers her, even though he knows it's unlikely that she's cold.
"I keep thinking this is a dream, but it doesn't feel like it. I never would dream of you having blue walls." She says, and he looks around the room like he hadn't noticed the paint color before.
"Why not?" He inquires.
"I always think you'd go with darker colors." She says honestly. His phone rings, and he wraps an arm around her and then answers it.
"Elijah?" Caroline asks.
"Yes?" The Original asks.
"Is Elena okay?" She asks, and Elena wants to cry again, so she does. She hasn't been able to for decades.
"She's fine Caroline, she's right here." He says, and hands his phone to Elena.
"Care?" Her voice comes out thickly and Caroline starts crying.
"I missed you so much, Elena." Her best friend says and Elena cries with her, Elijah is a comforting presence as she begins her mourning process. Caroline asks them to come to the funeral, she has an apartment with two bedrooms nearby and she can't go alone. Not again.
"Caroline." Elena says, her voice breaking-
"I'm so sorry about your mom." Elena says, and Elijah is in awe of her again. Most people would mourn their missed opportunities gone by, Elena missed funerals, she missed people. She always put others first. With a pen and paper, something Elena is almost stunned to see, they work out that they'll leave to see Caroline tomorrow. Caroline has to hang up because of time differences, and she needs to be ready for the next day, and Elena has her head by his collarbone for a while, her breathing is steadying. He asks her quietly if she's asleep and she looks at him like he stabbed her.
"I can't. I can't sleep." She tells him, shaking her head and he wonders what her coma was like, not for the first time. He asks her what her coma was like. She takes a deep breath and starts from the beginning.