AN: song for this chapter: Riptide by Vance Joy
They move the chair with ease, and pack her things easily. She hugs a few of the nurses who were there still. She thanks them, fellow vampire to vampire.
They pack suitcases at the apartment, Elena lets go of him for that, and then they're back in his car. Driving. She finds a radio station that claims to be the oldies station. She sings along with every song, her heart mourning as she does. She mourns the times she missed as she does, and Elijah doesn't mention her tears. She looks out the window as they travel, things look so different.
She fidgets the longer they're in the car, she's not fond of being still anymore. He drives faster.
She calculates every so often how long they have left until she sees Caroline again. When it's ten minutes left, she's giddy and excited and she hasn't seen her like this in literal decades. Elijah texts Caroline that they're a few minutes away. His phone beeps, but he ignores it as they look for the right number. He catches a flash of blonde hair, and he's barely parked before Elena flings the door open and sprints to Caroline. Caroline hugs her so tightly Elijah is surprised she can even breathe, but Elena cries again, tears of joy and sadness mixed up. He shuts Elena's door and walks over to them. Elena isn't being rude, her contact with Caroline wasn't always consistent. And Caroline did know her for longer. When they break apart, Caroline hugs Elijah, thanking him for keeping her best friend safe. He tells her it wasn't a problem and she looks at him with knowing eyes. She asks them to get their bags, it's time for dinner. A late dinner, she adds, but she has blood in the fridge. And, ice cream. Elena looks excited at the latter, trying to mask a yawn. Elijah texts her as she shows them around, explaining Elena's aversion to black and lack of sleep. She checks her phone discreetly, and he reads the text from earlier-it was an excited text from Caroline. She gives Elena ice cream and blood and they talk for so long that Elijah's surprised their voices work, they speak as quickly as possible. He's sitting next to them, Elena's hand in his. Her eyes start to close as Caroline yawns, and he admittedly wouldn't mind sleep either. Elena's determined, and Elijah murmurs he can control her dreams. They won't be of the inky darkness, they could be about Caroline and sunshine if she wanted. She tries to resist for ten minutes, and Caroline tells her that it's okay. It's okay, it's okay to sleep Elena, it's okay.
Elena falls asleep in between the two vampires who love her more than anyone else in the world. Save Jeremy, Caroline wants to say, but he didn't remember her well. The two vampires she sleeps between are almost the only family she has left. It's not okay, but her dreams are. And for the first time in decades, she sees color when she closes her eyes.
Elijah wakes up first, surprised at his surroundings, he almost thinks it's a dream. But it's not, and that's even more surprising. Elena is alive and breathing. No more hospital. He carefully stays in Elena's mind, hearing his voice. He's surprised, she's dreaming of him. It's a memory. They're dancing at the ball, the waltz.
He hears a loud beep, and she turns with the music, and looks at him.
"Did you hear that?" She asks.
"I-" He's ripped out of her dream, and looks at her. She's staring at him with wide eyes. They both look at Caroline making coffee.
"Sorry." She apologizes. The couple on the couch waves it off, and Elena knows she'll need to talk to Elijah about their relationship soon. She lets Caroline hand her coffee and lead her to a large closet.
"Pick a dress." The for the funeral part is implied. Elena picks a dark gray dress, and Caroline nods.
"That's one of my favorite designs." She says and Elena grins, even though the day is supposed to be only tears, she can't help it. Caroline shows her to the guest bedroom and bathroom and leaves Elena alone to get ready for the day. The funeral is at ten.