A/N: I started rewatching TVD after so long, starting midway through season 2 and I get so flipping giggly over Elijah XD. Also I forgot how brutal he was. I need to bring back headchopping window smashing Elijah.
I was having an out of body experience. It was like I was watching from a great height. I saw my helpless body on the ground. I saw figures dressed in black surrounding me, hands outstretched. My body convulsed and liquid spewed from my mouth.
I heard an animalistic snarl and Thierry came into view. He grabbed the nearest witch and snapped her throat. The witches panicked and I saw the conflict on their faces as to whether they should fight back. Marcel emerged with Toby and the witches scattered. Marcel gestured for his men to pursue them and came to my side. My body had gone still and lay limp on the ground. Marcel examined me carefully, checking my pulse. His hand dislodged the fold of my coat and it fell open. His eyes widened, he looked around and I saw his mouth move although I couldn't hear the words. Thierry and Toby returned to him. He scooped my body into his arms and the three of them sped off.
I blinked and found myself back in my own body. I was in my room at the compound. Marcel was standing at the end of the bed, talking with a woman. It took me a minute but I recognized her. I'd seen her during my first visit to the quarter, when I'd been looking for the siblings. Marcel glanced over and noticed I was awake. He murmured something to the woman who smiled and left. He came over to my bed. I sat up slowly, wincing.
"So we need to talk," he said.
"I guess so." My voice was sore and raspy, like my throat had been rubbed with sandpaper.
"How long?"
"27 weeks. I'm guessing your witch told you that it's half vampire?"
"She did."
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner. I was scared you'd kick me out and I'd have nowhere to go. I was going to tell you soon." He stayed silent. "I can leave."
"Not in your condition. And given that you just got attacked by witches, not alone. I called Rebekah and she's coming over with her brothers. We need to have a talk."
"Oh this is going to be… fun…"
"This is serious Elena."
"You don't think I know that? I've been dealing with this for a while Marcel. I know that it's an issue. I know that it's painted a target on my back for every supernatural creature to see. Do not think that I do not know these things." I sighed softly. "How are your guys dealing with this…?"
"I haven't told them the full details. They just think you're pregnant. But I can't keep it from them for long Elena. This community works on trust."
"I know… that's why I was scared to tell you. I didn't want to suddenly be ambushed by vampires wanting to procreate."
"I can appreciate that. I won't tell them tonight. We'll discuss the situation with Rebekah and the others… come up with some form of plan.
"You know you don't have to get involved in this."
"Well I have a code. No kids get hurt. Even unborn ones. And I have a feeling if I don't help, then they probably will."
"If I left them in a bathtub unsupervised, they'd probably drown. It doesn't mean you're responsible for not being there."
"This is my town. I have a duty to protect its people."
"Only the ones who aren't tasty."
"Elena, enough. Do you really want to only support you have to be the Mikaelsons? They're hardly a stable family. I mean, Elijah is meant to be the sane one. And he's been massacring girls who look like you."
"They're not stable, but they're my family. Your family too, remember?"
"If you're so loyal to them all, why haven't you told Klaus?"
"Who says I haven't?"
"The fact that he's not currently here." I made a face.
"Okay, I admit I haven't told him. Then again, he decided I was dead without evidence, convinced his family of that fact and abandoned me."
"Welcome to the club."
"There's no way I can convince you to stay out of this?"
"Not in the slightest." He paused and sat on the bed. "Don't you have any other family? I mean, I have an excuse. You do not."
"Most of my family is dead. My parents died in a car accident. Klaus killed my aunt to break his stupid hybrid curse. And my uncle died participating in a spell to keep me alive during the same ritual. I have my brother but he's safer if I stay away from him. Try and keep him from getting bogged down in all this mess."
He didn't speak, looking away. He got to his feet.
"They're here."
"Oh joy, I can put up with them poking me to try and make sure I'm okay." The door opened and the siblings came in. They looked wrong in this room. Too imposing. They didn't fit. Kol moved toward me but I warned him back with my eyes. I needed some space right now.
"So you're aware of Elena's condition?" Elijah began.
"Condition? She's pregnant not sick," snapped Kol.
"I've told Elena how I feel about this but I'll reiterate my position for you. I want to help, I'll provide what support I can."
"Glad to hear it," said Rebekah.
"That is a relief. However, I feel that, despite this, Elena should move back in with us." Elijah said.
"That seems very counter intuitive. If she's in the compound she has a lot more defence."
"Oh come on, Marcel. This place is hardly impenetrable. I've spent the past two weeks sneaking in without anyone noticing," said Kol. Marcel glared at him.
"Well we'll be sure to increase our security."
"It would make more sense to move her to ours and just put more security there," Elijah replied.
"Is anyone interested in my opinion?" I asked. They ignored me and continued debating the benefits of each place. I sighed. "I am not going to raise these children in a prison. You are all preparing for problems that we don't know exist yet." Again, ignored. "I'm going to jump off the balcony." Both of them looked up. "Oh, of course you heard that one!"
"Elena, we're only trying to protect you."
"Yes, I know. That's all everyone is ever trying to do. However I am a big girl and while one of you is the father, I am definitely their mother. So until such a time as we can determine which one of you gets a say in their lives, I will be deciding what happens. Now, does anyone have a problem with that?" Kol raised a hand. "Okay, noted. Get out."
"I wasn't going to object, I was just going to ask how we could determine the father? To prevent fighting?"
"The witches can probably do something but it might be best not to involve them for the time being." Marcel said.
"How about for the time being, we all just assume responsibility? No fighting. We, as the potential fathers, will discuss our thoughts privately and present a joint opinion to you once we have one," Kol said.
"Okay that seems fair. Marcel, Rebekah, Finn, if you would give us a minute so that we can discuss the future living arrangements?" They nodded and left the room. Kol and Elijah sat on the bed and looked at me expectantly. "I know that this is a difficult situation and I appreciate you both being mature about it."
"You looked at me when you said that," said Kol.
"I wonder why," said Elijah.
"Guys. Focus."
"Right, sorry."
"I don't really care where I live but I refuse to be a prisoner. I will stay here, I will go with you guys but I will not be locked in. I will come and go as I please. You can put whatever security in place that you like but I do not want to spend my life behind bars, and I don't want that for my kids either. Understood?"
"That's… surprisingly reasonable," said Elijah. "I thought this was going to be more difficult.
"Hey if you two can come to an agreement, I will do as you please." I sat back. They looked at one another, seemingly communicating without words, before turning back to me.
"We want you to move back in with us. We'd rather be on our own territory than Marcel's, despite the extra numbers available here."
"Okay. I leave it to you two to arrange whatever extra security you want for your house. Now, I'm going to sleep because I almost died today and that's super tiring." I waved my hands. They left the room. I curled up in bed and wrapped my arms around my stomach. "You two are causing a lot of trouble. You better be well behaved after all this."
I felt a sharp kick in my stomach. I laughed. Looks like that was a no then.
I wasn't sure what the discussions between Marcel and Elijah entailed but it lasted almost two days. Kol brought me food but when a soft knock came on my door, I knew that things had changed immediately.
"Come in," I called. Rebekah stuck her head around the door.
"They've finally finished talking. Marcel wants you downstairs." I got up and followed her down to the main area where Marcel had gathered his vampires. He beckoned me over and I joined him at the head of the group.
"Ladies and gentlemen. I am aware that there have been rumours circulating our compound for the past few days. I am here to address them and make an announcement." He placed a hand on my shoulder. "Most of you know Elena. She's not been with us long but nevertheless, she is one of us. However, two days ago I learned something that affects all of us. Elena is pregnant. And this child is the child of a vampire." A murmur spread through the crowd. Marcel raised his hands for silence. "Naturally you have questions. Our gifts come with obvious downsides, one being that we cannot procreate. This child… these children… are miracles. As Elena is one of us, I have vowed to help protect her and her children. I do not expect you all to agree with this decision and for those that don't, you are welcome to leave. However, those who remain, you are all duty bound to protect this woman and her children." He waited. A few people shuffled out but most stayed where they were. "Many will view this development as a threat. As such, I would like volunteers to go with the original vampires and aid in protecting their home from any who might seek to do harm. If you wish to volunteer, please see me. Dismissed."
No one left the room, although they all floated off to corners to discuss what they'd learned. I went over to Elijah and the others.
"When am I moving in?"
"A few days' time, once Marcel has sorted out his team. It should be easy. Most of your stuff is still there."
"How many vampires are we talking about?"
"Ideally not too many. We considered what you said about not wanting to be a prisoner."
"And if your arrangement with the werewolves works out," Kol added "We won't need as many."
"Did you mention that to him?"
"We mentioned that you were negotiating with some other parties and that we were not allowed to interfere despite vastly disagreeing with your choice of comrade."
"Most of those werewolves are friendlier than your brother. Besides, I don't know if that's going to work until figure out a cure." I shrugged. "I'm going to go pack. If I take my time, I might be able to stretch it out for a few days."
I trotted off upstairs. I felt confident that everything was going to be okay. I had told everyone who needed to know and I felt like a weight had been lifted. The vampires were on my side, the werewolves seemed to be too and I had my family. Things were looking up.
A/N: If I was to make this series into a trilogy, would people read it? I have a few ideas for how to end this one and one of those endings leaves it open for a sequel. I'm not guaranteeing anything of course (since the first story had a resolved happy ending until a review showed up two chapters from the end and changed my mind) and it might take me nine years to finish the series but would people read it if I did it?