Chapter 18:

The next morning Elena smiled before she even opened her eyes. She inhaled deeply taking him in and her finger idly traced over his chest. Finally her eyes opened and she found his brown eyes staring at her with a loving smile on his face.

"Good morning my lovely Elena. How are you feeling in the cold light of day?" He asked. He hoped she wouldn't regret last night. It had been one of the best of his life but sleep sometimes had a strange effect on feelings he had learned.

"Better now..." she murmured as she snuggled herself closer to him. Looking up at him, she smiled and gave him a lazy kiss. "How do you feel?" Then she whispered, "do you regret last night?"

"I didn't." He held her closer and she smiled widely.

"I didn't either." She answered with a kiss to his lips.

"I need to call Kol and check up though," Elijah said. "Mornings have been bad for Rebekah and Klaus might have been stupid last night."

Elena nodded and Elijah called Kol.

"Elijah," he could hear Kol's relief in his voice.

"How's it going?"

"Not bad actually. Bonnie brought Rebekah dry toast and tea with a glass of ginger ale before she even got out of bed this morning and she seems to be doing fine. Klaus is painting dark things this morning and Bonnie..." Kol paused and Elijah heard the warmth come back into his voice. "Bonnie is sound asleep on the couch in the study. I wouldn't have made it without her. Oh and Davina is cooking breakfast for Gilbert junior in our kitchen..."

Elijah looked at Elena who was smiling at him. He gave her a look that basically asked if she would come over for breakfast and at her nod, he smirked.

"I'll be there soon and I'm bringing the Lovely Elena." He said calmly, even as she got out of bed and walked into her giant bathroom, turning on the water. "I need to go." Hanging up, he followed her into the shower.

They got to the house later that morning. Elijah allowed her to go in first and she smiled at Jeremy who was eating French Toast with real maple syrup.

"Let me guess, busted for sneaking out?" Jeremy groaned.

"Morning," Kol smirked as he looked at Elijah and Elena.

"Shhh...Bekah's down for a nap," Bonnie said as she hugged Elena and then hugged Elijah. "Congrats" she whispered into his ear.

"I don't get busted," Elena told him as she took his breakfast.

Jeremy went to pout when another plate with the same French Toast and maple syrup on top. He grinned at Davina and he saw Elijah taking bites from her breakfast.

"Not at the table." Kol groaned and Jeremy seconded that.

"Oh let off," Bonnie chastised them, "I for one am thrilled although you did miss a really good party. Well right up to the point where Klaus professed his love for Caroline and then got drunk while Rebekah got tired and nauseous. All of which came to a head when we got home."

"Kol thank you for taking care of everything. It sounds like you did a great job," Elijah said.

"I don't want to make a habit of it," Kol grimaced.

"Maybe I should just start spending the night over here," Elena said as she licked some of the syrup off Elijah's lips.

"I'm eating here!" Take it to your room!" Jeremy shouted at her softly. He did not want to see his sister do that at all!

"You're more than welcome to stay if you wish," Elijah said with a soft smile to Elena. "Now if you'll excuse me a moment I'd like to get out of this tuxedo. I feel a little overdressed." He looked to Kol who nodded promising that he would take care of Elijah's guest and then Elijah flashed away.

"Well things are likely to get better around here," Kol smiled. "Bekah can likely whine as much as she wants now..."

"She hasn't been that bad honestly Kol," Bonnie chided. "It can't be easy going through that - especially when your body skips the introduction part and then has to play catch-up all at once. Hey, nobody made me a plate?"

Davina held a plate in her hand for the witch who smiled at her in thanks.

"Where's mine Davina?" Kol asked and she pointed to the griddle where his food was already cooking.

Klaus came down, very hungover and hungry to boot when he saw Elena just licking the syrup off her lips and he growled at her.

"What are you even doing here doppelgänger?" He growled angrily.

"I'm eating," she answered as she made sure there was no syrup on her lips. "What about you drunkie?"

"Niklaus I'd advise being on your best behavior towards Elena especially," Kol warned.

"You. Have. be. Kidding. Me," Klaus forced each word out as he took in the chirpy doppelgänger. So while he had been lamenting his situation with Caroline his brother had been getting lucky with...what is her name again? Klaus groaned and ran his hand through his hair.

"I thought vampires couldn't get drunk," Davina looked shocked.

"Oh they can - even an original. It just takes a whole lot of alcohol," Kol said as he brought Klaus a glass of tomato juice and other additives. When Kol's food finished cooking he brought the place to Klaus and Davina looked shocked but started another batch for Kol.

"Niklaus you look dead," Elijah grinned as he returned looking pristine in a suit and surveyed his surroundings before carefully dropping a quick kiss on Elena's lips with a smile.

"I'm all for some more of that," Bonnie said.

"Here, here," Kol agreed and the others giggled except Klaus who was suffering as loudly as possible.

"Why must you torture me with such a sickening sight?" Klaus got out before downing the Bloody Mary.

He gagged at the taste. The sounds of Stefan coming down the stairs could be heard but by the time he reached the bottom step, with Rebekah in his arms, breakfast was over with and Elena was straddling Elijah's lap.

"I'm going to be sick again." Rebekah complained as she saw Elijah and Elena making out.

"Let them be, Bonnie said. "They're cute together!" She ended up awww-ing at him just holding her and pressing kisses to her throat.

"I thought you didn't have feelings for anyone not in your family?" Rebekah sneered.

Elena pulled a little bit away from Elijah to stare Rebekah right in the eye to speak.

"Elijah is a member of my family. He is mine."

"How are you doing this morning Rebekah?" Elijah asked.

"Not as bad," Rebekah said, "Kol's little witch brought me tea and toast in bed and that seems to have stopped the sickness. I'm actually hungry in fact."

"See, Bonnie told you it would work," Kol smiled indulgently. "Davina thank you for breakfast by the way. When I tell you that was the best French toast I've had you can take it as a serious compliment." Jeremy grinned and leaned over to kiss her passionately.

"This is the most adorable sight I've ever seen!" Elena squealed. Elijah let her out of his arms and she hugged the two with a happy smile on her face. "Do I have some stories to tell you!"

Jeremy paled at the thought of 'stories'.

"I'm begging you Elena! Don't tell!" Jeremy was pleading.

"You see Elijah our family's not really so dysfunctional after all. I'd say we could be downright normal," Kol grinned. Elijah gave him a look that told him he absolutely wasn't buying it.

"Ummm...I'm fine," Davina said politely. She just wanted to be with Jeremy without it being a big deal.

Rebekah meanwhile had devoured her French Toast and Elena was shocked to see Stefan was gently massaging her feet where they were settled in his lap.

Elena's phone rang and as she looked at the caller ID, she groaned. Kissing Elijah as deeply as she could once she untangled herself from her brother and his girlfriend, she bounced outside into the backyard to talk with Marcel.

"I was having a nice morning even with the blondes." She told him as she thought about Elijah and just how great it felt to be in his arms.

"Look-we got a major problem." Marcel wasn't going to beat around the bush. "There are reports of a hybrid with the last name Lockwood running around the city. Be on the lookout."

"Does Caroline know this?" she asked.

"She was the one who informed me after a witch talked to her about it and then slit her throat." He sighed. "He must have compelled the witch to work with him and then to kill herself in front of Caroline for leaving him."

Elena wanted to ring Tyler's neck now. She felt hands on her waist and as she looked up, she smiled at Elijah who was worried.

"I'll track him and bring him to the Garden-if he listens to me but if he doesn't and I don't return home for a few days, make sure that everyone knows why." Hanging up, she turned and kissed him. "I have to go hybrid hunting. Wanna join?"

"Of course Lovely Elena." He grinned and pulled her closer.

"Hey where are you two off to?" Kol asked as he heard the tail-end of the conversation. "Could you use my help?"

"Do you want to hunt Tyler Lockwood and throw him in the Garden?" Elena asked as she fixed her clothes-a pair of jeans and a halter top.

Kol nodded with a smile. Turning to Bonnie who had followed him out there to see what was going on.

"Me, Elena and Elijah are going hybrid hunting." He told her. "I need you to stay here and watch out for most of those inside-including Rebekah."

She knew better than to argue with him when he was determined to go after someone who wronged his family.

"Kol?" she stopped him at the door and a moment later she was in his arms and she kissed him deeply with everything she had in her. He held her in his arms like she was his whole world and the moment was so beautiful that Elijah and Elena couldn't help but watch. "Come back to me...I need you."

"I love you," Kol said pressing his forehead to hers, fully aware that they had an audience.

"I love you Kol," Bonnie said. "You guys keep him and yourselves safe. You're all important to me." She hugged Elena tightly and watched them leave, realizing reluctantly that she was responsible trying to keep Klaus and Rebekah in order. Elijah and Kol had better hurry.

The three ended up in the Bayou where some of the sightings had been. She was dressed again in her hunting clothes-a black halter top, black jeans and black boots paired with a black trench coat.

Elijah and Kol were dressed in the same as her except that Elijah had on a short sleeve shirt and Kol had on a black long sleeve shirt.

While Elijah had a crossbow in his arms and a quiver of aluminum arrows inside, strapped to his back, Kol had a dagger and Elena had an old fashioned bow and arrows that were doused in both vervain and wolfsbane.

Elena turned her head to the sound of twigs snapping.

The arrow in her bow was leveled at Tyler's hybrid face.

"Mr. Lockwood," Elijah said and as Tyler tried to flash to avoid him Kol flanked him from behind. Desperate Tyler reached for his blade.

"I wouldn't if I were you," Kol advised. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm trying to make Caroline see sense." He hissed. Glaring at Kol, he snarled. "You're dead."

"Not really." Kol smirked and stabbed him in the gut before snapping his neck. Slinging the unconscious hybrid over his shoulders, they heard the growls of werewolves and Elena paled.

"Crescent territory." She spat. "Damn it!" She tried flashing away but a familiar wolf-Hayley-bit down hard on Elena's forearm and infected her with the wolf venom.

Elijah didn't waste any time and shot Hayley in the heart. Grabbing Elena, he flashed her away and back to the house while Kol took his prize to the Garden for torture.

"Elijah," Bonnie smiled as she saw them come out of the vehicle but her face fell when she realized that Elijah was carrying Elena and Kol wasn't with them.

"What happened Elijah?" she worried. "Where's Kol?"

"Off sending Tyler to the Garden," he snarled angrily. "Hayley's dead but she bit Elena."

Bonnie's heart nearly stopped when she heard that Elena was bitten.

"Get her inside and lay her down on the couch." She ordered and Elijah did what she said. "Now we just need to get Klaus to give up his blood for Elena."

Elijah's eyes darken and had made a motion for her to follow him.

As soon as they saw Klaus, Elijah punched him so hard that the hybrid began bleeding from his nose.

Bonnie used her magic to collect the blood into a vial that she had on hand. Putting the blood inside it, she gave it to Elijah who went to where Elena lay on the couch.

Gently pouring the blood into her mouth, he begged that it was enough to save her.

"I can't lose you Elena." He whispered to her.

"What the hell was that?" Klaus growled as he joined them. "Oh, encountered some wolves did you? Whatever happened to asking nicely?"

"She's Elena not Caroline and you famously don't care whether she lives or dies," Bonnie glared at Klaus.

"Call me in a benevolent mood," Klaus said with a quick grin as he offered his wrist to Elena. She latched on eagerly and Klaus smiled as the sensations flooded his body. Elijah glared at his brother knowing that he was saving Elena's life but at the same time it was still blood-sharing. As soon as she began to feel better Elena thrust his wrist away and glared at Klaus.

"I should say thanks but I know why you're doing this." She glared at him with such anger that he smirked. "You're just trying to win some brownie points with Caroline by saving her sister."

"Her sister?" Klaus was amused at her look.

"Elena Sommers. My sister's Caroline Sommers." She saw the look on his face. "Any questions?"

"Why Sommers?" Rebekah asked but Bonnie winced.

"Jenna."

"Elena do you feel alright?" Bonnie beat Elijah to asking. She was so worried in fact that veins began to appear under her eyes which were darkening.

Elena nodded and quirked an eyebrow at her. "Did you forget to undo the spell?" The second Bonnie realized that, she blushed and quickly undid the spell. "I'm doing better but I'd rather be alone right now with Elijah..." said Original didn't need anymore prompting and he scooped her up in his arms and took her into his room where he laid her down. She smiled and kissed him.

"You won't lose me again unless you believe in what someone says that isn't true." She purred in his ear.

"I won't make the same mistake twice. I give you my word." He grinned and sealed the deal with a kiss, pressing himself into her and she moaned his name out.

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