Disclaimer: I do NOT own the Vampire Diaries/Originals or anything. Vampire Diaries belongs to LJ Smith, Kevin Williamson and CW while Originals belongs to Kevin and CW. I just like writing the story how I wanted it to be. This is my first fanfic for the series that isn't a crossover with The Secret Circle.

New Orleans was a big area that was filled with music, dancing, food and people. "The party never ends!" Marcel Gerard once told his adopted father/vampire sire Klaus Mikaelson. Marcel was right because this was now his town that once belonged to the Mikaelson family a long time ago before they fled to escape their father Mikael who was going after them.

Little did any of the family know, their mother Esther was possessing Lenore and was holding Elijah hostage. Elijah was chained up and looked like he was asleep, but Esther was putting her plan into action.

A girl with long, wavy brown hair who is wearing a long, white dress frantically runs for safety toward a red door at the end of a hall. Elijah, shirtless and covered in blood from head to toe, slowly stalks her as she whimpers in fear and desperately tries to open the door. When the girl turns around, it is revealed that the girl is Hayley, who looks back at Elijah in sheer terror and continues pounding on the door to no avail. Elijah finally grabs her by the arm and turns her toward him, but it's no longer Hayley, it's Tatia, the original doppelgänger. He grabs her by the hair and turns her neck toward him before vamping-out and feeding on her as she cries in protest.

Elijah awakens from his dream to find that he is still chained by his wrists in a crypt, and is confused as to what has just happened to him. He musters up all of his strength and yanks on his chains as hard as he can to free himself, but they won't break. Lenore/Esther calmly walks in, drinking a cup of tea.

"Have you forgotten where you are, son? Save your strength. My chains don't break so easily." She said, pointing above his head, where a large poppet hangs from the rafters, magically fortified so that they cannot be broken. "Having sweet dreams?" Elijah lunges for her, but the restraints won't allow him to get any closer.

"Get out of my head."

Ester smirks. "I'm not in your head, dear. You were screaming."

Elijah glares at her, but Esther remains unbothered by his aggression.

"Go ahead, get your bearings. We have much to discuss."

Esther leaves, and Elijah once again tries to break through the chains, but can't. Eventually, Lenore/Esther returns to the crypt, where she continues to talk to him.

"Who were you dreaming about ripping apart when you woke earlier? Was it your new little plaything, Hayley or was it someone else?"

Elijah aggressively lunges for her, but still can't get any closer.

"Oh, stop fighting, Elijah! I brought you here to listen, and you're not going anywhere until I've said my piece."

Elijah was furious. "So speak."

"I want you to rejoin our family, but as a witch. I want you to leave behind the grotesque savage vampirism has made of you. Take the body of a mortal, and we can all be happy again. Start over."

"You do know you're entirely demented, don't you?"

"Am I? I'm not the one who pulls the wings off of every beautiful butterfly that he finds." Elijah continues to try to break through his chains. "Like the woman who flits across the edge of your nightmare."

"Let me go. Now." He angrily says before his vampire face comes out, but Esther is unfazed.

"Hmm. How quickly you slip back into your more savage self." Elijah is stunned into silence by this response, and he looks almost ashamed as his vampire face slips away. "The moral son I raised is now but a mask worn to hide ancient demons."

"You know nothing."

"See, that's where you're wrong. I know more about the secrets you carry than you do. Shall I list them? I can begin with the first little butterfly you destroyed." Elijah's face goes pale. "The sweet young widow from our village who caught your eye when you were still human." Elijah looks away uncomfortable, which makes Esther smirk in satisfaction. "Ah, you remember her. Of course. How could you forget the first girl to ever steal your heart? She of mystical blood, the doppelgänger, Tatia."

He felt numb. "I did nothing but love that woman until the day you took her life." He glared as the mention of her brought back memories of Elena's ancestor/past doppelgänger.

Ester smiled. "I know that's what you believe... which is precisely why you are here." She picks up a candle from the table and holds it in front of Elijah's face. "I need to show you the monster you really are. When I do, you will beg for salvation, and happily I shall provide it." Esther casts a spell on the candle, and Elijah is transported into a flashback.

A celebration is underway in the Mikaelsons' village, where meat is being cooked over bonfires and villagers are dancing around together, wearing festive masks. Nearby, Elijah and Esther, in her original body, watch as Tatia, wearing a forest green dress and matching mask, dance around the fire.

Ester began explaining. "It was Samhain, when we danced and killed the best of our livestock to appease the gods for a new season." Tatia lifts up her mask so she can smile at Elijah before Klaus grabs her by the arm and spins her around toward him. "All women envied her. All men wanted her, but she only had eyes for one." Klaus kisses Tatia passionately, while Elijah watches sadly from the sidelines. Klaus and Tatia begin to dance, but Tatia stops when she sees that Elijah is no longer watching her and walking over to a nearby pig pen, where he affectionately pets and feeds one of the pigs. After a moment, Tatia joins him, amused. "Do not tell me you came to save Loki the pig from his fate?"

Elijah rises to his feet and turns to face her, his expression somber. "No. I'm afraid Loki the pig's fate is to be food."

Tatia looks at him sympathetically and Elijah smiles sadly. "Just as you are fated to love another."

"And you? Fated to watch from the shadows? The noble martyr?" Elijah just stares at her in disappointment. "Fate does not dictate my heart, Elijah." She paces in front of him. "I was fated to throw myself on a pyre after my husband died in battle, but I did not. I chose to live and I chose to give my heart once more. To someone strong, protective, fierce, and yet noble, and gentle."

She caresses his face with her hand, and Elijah takes it in his own.

"I choose you, Elijah," He smiles and leans forward to kiss her, but she just giggles and pulls away shyly. "and you choose to have our first kiss where your mother slaughters the pigs?" Elijah grins. "Not very romantic." He gently grabs her head and pulls her close to him for a kiss, and they make out passionately for a few moments before he pulled away.

"Perhaps we should set Loki the pig free? It seems one's fate can change, after all." They continue to kiss.

Esther blows out her candle, bringing Elijah out of his flashback. He stumbles as he tries to regain his bearings.

"That was just the beginning. A brief moment of happiness. That is how it always begins. A butterfly lands upon your finger, unaware that it will lead to her tragic end."

"Her tragic end came when you drained her body of blood." Esther closes her eyes and sighs in frustration. "All for a spell to smother the wolf within Niklaus, if my memory serves."

"Actually, Elijah, your memory doesn't serve you at all. You just don't realize it yet," She caresses Elijah's face. "but, by the time we are done here, you will."

Elijah jerks his face away from her hand and glares at her angrily before he dozes off upright when Lenore/Esther returns to the crypt where he's being held.

"You're hungry, aren't you? It's been hours since you fed. What an awful thing, to feed upon the blood of others. For this, I blame myself and your father. We tried to make you children strong, but instead, we cursed you all."

Elijah flashes back to right after the Mikaelsons were turned into vampires, the morning after Klaus triggered his werewolf gene. Klaus sits in the forest, naked, covered in blood, and surrounded by the dismembered corpses of several men that he killed while he was transformed into a wolf. Elijah finds him a moment later and looks at him with sympathy as Klaus struggles to hold back his tears.

Elijah calls out. "Brother?" He hands Klaus fresh clothes, which Klaus takes from him, but he otherwise doesn't move to get dressed. Instead, he just becomes even more overwhelmed by everything that has just happened to him.

"What am I...? How many...?" Klaus asked.

Elijah pauses for a brief moment before saying, "Six." Klaus covers his face with his hands in horror and disgust at himself. "You slaughtered six villagers, brother. You tore them apart as though they were nothing at all."

Elijah helps Klaus to his feet.

"Brother, what have I become?" The terrified man asked.

"You seem like the wolves in the village, cursed to turn when the moon is full." Elijah pulls Klaus into a comforting hug and pauses a moment before continuing.

"Listen to me. Father is beside himself with rage. It seems this... affliction... can only be passed by a certain kind of conception-" Elijah whispered.

Klaus sniffles. "And do our siblings share this affliction? Do you share this affliction?"

Elijah once again hesitates for a moment before ultimately shaking his head. "No. I don't."

Klaus is devastated. "He is not my father, is he?"

Elijah looks heartbrokenly at him before placing his hand on the back of Klaus' head to force him to look him in the eye.

"You listen to me. This changes nothing. For any of us. We are here for you, as we shall be always."

Klaus looks as though he's about to cry. Suddenly, they hear the sound of someone approaching them. It's Tatia, who sees Klaus covered in blood and surrounded by bodies and quickly becomes terrified so much that she immediately runs away. Elijah, flustered, chases after her to explain.

"Tatia! Tatia? Tatia!" Elijah calls out.

Elijah glares at Lenore/Esther as he returns from his flashback.

"I fail to see your point, here. I compelled Tatia to forget what she saw and she did."

"You'd only been a vampire for a few days. You hadn't yet learned compulsion."

Elijah shakes his head in disbelief. "No. I remember that. Clearly."

"Do you? You thought there were still lines you wouldn't cross." Elijah stares at her, visibly distraught by the thought of what she's suggesting. "People you wouldn't hurt. Things you wouldn't do, but you're wrong. That is what I'm here to show you."

Elijah continues to chase after Tatia through the woods after she found Klaus and Elijah surrounded by bodies and fled the scene. She eventually trips on an exposed tree root and falls on the ground, allowing Elijah to finally catch up to her.

"Tatia! Tatia! Tatia! Wait! Wait."

Tatia scrambles to her feet and starts to back away from him fearfully, and Elijah puts up his hands in a non-threatening gesture.

"Stay away from me."

"I won't hurt you!"

She is horrified. "What have you become?"

"I'm what I've always been! I'm the one who loves you."

Tatia shakes her head, visibly scared by him and his new supernatural identity.

"You knew how special she was! I always thought you would protect her. That she would be your wife, that one day I might call her daughter! Instead-"

Elijah screamed, "I didn't hurt her!"

"You've taught yourself to hide from who and what you are for a thousand years!"

Elijah angrily yanks on his chains in an effort to lunge at Esther.

"I did not hurt Tatia! I could not."

"But you did!"

Tatia continues to stare at Elijah in fear and horror, and Elijah continues to try to ease her fears while still feeling hurt by her reaction.

She is stunned. "Your mother asked for my blood. She said nothing of the dark magic that would turn you into a monster!"

Elijah is visibly hurt by the expression on his face. "Look at me, I'm not a monst-" He cuts himself off, unable to finish the words because he has suddenly sensed the blood that is pouring from a wound on Tatia's palm that she sustained when she fell earlier. Elijah tries as hard as he can to resist it, but his vampire face comes out involuntarily, briefly scaring Tatia. He breathes deeply to try to control himself, and it eventually fades away. "Tatia..."

Lenore/Esther takes Elijah's face in her hands and forces him to look at her.

"Oh, my beautiful boy. No more hiding. It is time, now, for you to remember it all."

Tatia becomes frightened once more and slaps Elijah across the face in hopes of protecting herself. Elijah is so taken aback by this display of violence that he doubles over and massages his jaw, feeling hurt that she doesn't trust him.

"I said I will not hurt you. I don't want to-"

Despite his best efforts, the scent of her blood causes his vampire face to come out again, and Tatia backs away in terror at the sight of his blood-red eyes, darkened eye-veins, and vampire fangs.

"Elijah...?"

He musters up all of his willpower to try to hold himself back from feeding on her.

Elijah is overwhelmed. "Run!" Tatia backs away and turns to run as fast as she can, but Elijah's efforts are for naught and he's ultimately unable to stop himself from chasing after her.

"You didn't want to hurt her. You loved her." Lenore/Esther said.

He grabs hold of Tatia and pulls her head back by the hair in order to expose her neck as Tatia yelps and struggles against his grip.

"But you couldn't fight what you had become. What I had turned you into!"

He bites Tatia's neck and viciously feeds on her as she screams in pain.

"A predator and she became your prey."

Elijah yanks himself out of Esther's grasp and glares at her.

"This was you. You murdered her for her blood and then you used it to cripple Klaus for centuries."

Esther just stares at him, blank-faced as Elijah steps backward and continues to pull on his chains.

"I won't listen to another word."

"You don't have to listen, son. All you have to do is remember."

"You're distorting my memories! It was you who killed Tatia!" He yelled in anger.

"Oh, I used her blood to bind the spell that suppressed Niklaus' werewolf aspect, but by the time you brought her to me, she was already dead."

Elijah looks at his mother in horror and disbelief. "You can't rewrite history!"

"No, I cannot and I did not. Not until I had your consent."

Esther is out by the pig pen, where she is cleaning a knife with a cloth, when Elijah approached her, carrying Tatia's dead body in his arms. Esther backs away from him, visibly terrified by the sight of them.

"When you became yourself again, you brought her to me," Esther takes Tatia's body from a devastated Elijah's arms. "but, too late. I told you you were a good son, to let me take care of it. That I could help make it all go away."

Esther drags Tatia's body away into the shed. Elijah, overwhelmed to the point of numbness, falls to his knees in horror. Esther closes the wooden door to their slaughterhouse behind her, the wood stained with red blood.

"I said to you, "You will not suffer from this memory, or be tormented from the guilt of your misdeed. What goes behind that door shall stay there and be forgotten."

Esther returns outside to Elijah, who is still kneeling outside the slaughterhouse. She leans down and whispers into his ear.

"I told you to clean yourself up. That if you were clean, no one would know what you are or what you'd done."

She hands him a washcloth, which he uses to wipe the blood from his face.

Elijah shakes his head in disbelief.

"And you did exactly that... and more. You created a place in your mind to put your victims. You began to believe that as long as your suit was immaculate and your hands clean, you could look in the mirror and tell yourself it's all okay. No one need know what's behind that red door," Elijah flashes back to his nightmare from earlier, when Hayley/Tatia was pounding on the red door while he stalked them, shirtless and covered in blood, before finally feeding on them. "but a thousand years is a long time, Elijah and a place meant to hold one unforgivable sin is now full to bursting with your most monstrous deeds."

Elijah is overwhelmed. "STOP!"

"How long before it's your true love interest's corpse behind that door? I'll give you a hint. It's not Hayley and never has been since you convinced yourself she's a safer choice compared to your true love."

Elijah whispers desperately. "Stop."

"You must be afraid that-that loving you will destroy her! As it destroyed Tatia. Take my offer. Both of you. In new bodies, you will be alive again! You could give her a child."

Elijah is determined. "You will not break me."

"Oh, you are already broken, my dear boy, but not beyond repair. I am here to fix you. I am here to fix you all."

He is still weakly hanging by his wrists in the crypt, kneeling on the floor, getting ever weaker as Lenore/Esther continues to taunt him.

"No more."

"I'm afraid we've just begun. You will hang here, remembering. Every atrocity you've hid behind that door will emerge to haunt you. And, as you grow weaker, you will be ripped of your strength, your will, your hope and as you rot here, alone, you will reconsider my offer. A new life. A way to be freed of your demons. A chance at peace."

A/N: I'm going to add a little more to the Lenore/Esther's taunting before it goes back to being canon in the episode. Once that finishes, it'll going back to me writing my own stuff instead of the episodes. I may add a couple things from one or two more episodes, but it's mainly going to be non canon "episodes" starting right now. I will post when it goes back to canon in the episode and a third and final time when it's back to being non canon. Please be patient because this is my first fanfic for Vampire Diaries/The Originals/Legacies universe.

Elijah was filled with pain, anger, disappointment, guilt and regret with everything he just saw. Not being able to control himself from killing his very first love caused a very deep anger to settle in his heart. Anger towards himself and towards Esther for making him remember it. He pulled on the chains again, but got the same result.

"If you give up the part of yourself that is filled with your inner raging demons, you won't have to worry about anything happening to another romantic love interest who catches your eye and steals your heart." She told him.

"There is no one else." He said, truly believing it despite Esther just proving that what he knew about Tatia's death was a lie. He didn't want to lose another love interest, so the best way to do that is to deny there is one even though he does have feelings for someone without realizing it. While he believes there is no one else, his heart knows the truth while he ignores and denies it.

"Keep lying to yourself. There's one girl you've always loved since you met her."

"No one else since Tatia is dead." Just hearing himself say it and her showing it to him breaks his heart into a thousand pieces.

"Oh, but there is. You just haven't admitted it to anyone, her or yourself. You may not even realize you've fallen in love with someone else, but you have."

"Name one person I'm in love with who I don't already know about." He glared, liking to think he knows his own feelings despite having difficulty handling and accepting certain emotions and being uncomfortable with/accepting romantic ones due to him only being in love a few times. That couldn't be more true than now as he processed what really happened to his first love.

"Your heart already knows, my dear boy." She smirked, putting a hand on his face like she did before, which got the same result. "You just have to let her in like you did with the two Doppelgängers."

"I feel nothing towards Katerina now." He replied, angrily.

"I can tell, but you are in love with someone else. Who knows, she might even return your feelings for her and could even be the love of your life."

"I highly doubt that."

Lenore/Esther just smiled in response.

Ok. This is the final part for the in universe episode.

Suddenly, Hayley vamp-speeds into the crypt, biting Lenore/Esther's neck and viciously feeding on her before she falls to the floor. Hayley looks up at Elijah, blood smeared around her mouth, and she adorably flips her hair out of her face.

"Huh! That's about enough of that, don't you think? I would have ripped her heart out, but she would have just body-jumped."

She walks toward Elijah, who slumps over weakly in relief as she attempts to break his chains.

However, Esther's spell prevents the chains from being broken.

"How do I get these off?"

Elijah looks up above them, which causes Hayley to do the same, and she sees the poppet hanging from the ceiling that is reinforcing the chains.

"The doll, up there. Break it. She's using it to bind me."

Hayley reaches up and rips down the doll before tearing it in half. She then breaks the chains binding Elijah's wrists and kneels before him to check on him.

"You need to feed."

Elijah, becoming worried about his lack of control over his bloodlust, turns away from her.

"I can't-"

"You're weak."

She bites her wrist and offers it to him, but Elijah becomes even more anxious as he stares at her pleadingly.

"I can't! I crave you. My hunger, it could overwhelm me."

He gasps, trying to control himself, and looks at Hayley's bloody wrist with longing. Hayley remains calm and simply caresses his face.

"Look at me." Elijah forces himself to meet her gaze. "I'm not afraid."

They stare at each other for a moment before Hayley leans forward and begins to kiss him. They start making out, both still kneeling on the floor. After a moment, Elijah begins to have trouble resisting her blood. Hayley notices his discomfort and leans back, moving her hair to the side so she can expose her neck to him. His vampire face comes out involuntarily when he sees her pulsing carotid artery, and immediately bites on her to feed.

Back to being my version. I just wanted to have her taunt Elijah a little more before he dreams of being saved, not because I like torturing him because I HATE it, but I needed to find some way to get him to realize his true feelings for someone else.

"You could take the cure and be human with her or you could stay the vampire you are and outlive her while she marries a nice human, has a family, gets old and dies." Lenore/Esther smiled wickedly, still taunting him, knowing the depth of emotion the girl he's unknowingly in love with elicits from him while he remains in denial.

Elijah glared and said nothing since he was still mad about her sending him into the past.

"You know nothing." He said, still in denial about her believing that he loves some other girl, any other girl, besides Tatia. To say he's in love with Hayley is an overstatement.

"Didn't I just prove otherwise when I said that I know more about the secrets you carry than you do?" She asked, rhetorically. "I know the secret you've been keeping from your brother for 1,000 years." Elijah turned pale.

"That doesn't matter now." He said, trying to convince himself. If Klaus ever found out, it would break his heart and destroy their bond.

"I believe it does." She said, firmly.

"I'm not romantically interested in anyone else, Esther." He said, with deep anger in his eyes.

"Not even someone who could potentially make you happy again?"

"I was happy with Tatia until that day." He replied. "You took her away from me."

"Think about what I said."

Before Lenore could even move, a surprising visitor made an appearance biting into Lenore/Esther's neck and was viciously feeding on her before she falls to the floor.

"You okay?" The brunette asked, worriedly.

"Yes." He replied and was free after a few minutes. "Thanks." He vamp-speeds out as the brunette stares after him before she followed behind. "I better change out of these clothes." He added while his mind was still racing with thoughts about what he did to Tatia. "Elijah." His expression must have been noticed because she frowned. "Are you okay?" She asked, concerned.

"Not really. I'm just surprised to see a familiar face that wasn't one of my siblings." He replied, knowing there's no way he'd be able to look at any of them and answer their questions since Klaus would either be there with them or one of them would tell him if he wasn't. He needed some time to process it and honestly wanted some comfort. Elena had always been compassionate and caring towards him.

They went to a house he had outside of town that his siblings didn't know about. He went to the couch, aware she was following him. He sat down next to her like he did when he explained his family history at the Lockwood mansion after she undaggered him.

"So what's up?" She asked, worriedly, looking at him.

"I've told you about Katerina, but I said nothing about the first one before her." He replied. "Niklaus and I both fell for her, but she just lost her husband. Instead of doing what everyone thought she would do, she moved on and chose me. It changed when my brother was found in a forest after both of us were turned into vampires. She saw what happened and ran, so I went after her to talk. She said some harsh things while breaking my heart in the process, I noticed she was bleeding and I'm sure you can guess what happened after that."

"You accidentally killed her."

"Yes. Esther made me remember everything after 1,000 years. Tatia's blood was used to turn us into what we are now, which is what I already knew."

"Just like my blood would have turned you back into what you originally were." Elena said, looking into his eyes and instantly wanted to do something that took away the pain she found in them.

"Yes, it would have and Esther would have forced you into it if you didn't agree anyways." He frowned, remembering how she lied right to his face. He was more disappointed than angry/hurt though, but the more he thought about it, he knew Esther would have forced her if she declined.

"Again, I'm sorry about that."

"Don't be. It's over and done with."

"I am because even though I want Klaus out of my life, I never wanted you to be linked to any of them nor would I ever want him dead despite everything." She replied, shaking her head.

"It's okay." He assured the doppelgänger.

Her long straight brown hair was shining in the light and her eyes were warm and happy while the smile on her face made him feel things he hadn't felt in a long time, not that he'd ever admit it to anyone, let alone her and himself.

They laughed and talked about anything and everything that didn't have to do with the supernatural. Both of them were having a good time and really enjoyed it. They always seemed to be comfortable in each other's presence, even when they first met. Elena was shocked at first when he got near her but quickly calmed down. She was shocked again when Trevor was beheaded with a wave of Elijah's hand moments later, but that was it. She somehow knew he'd never physically hurt her or let anyone else harm her. Sure, they'd betrayed each other and still trusted each other beyond that because they both know how much the other cares about family.

"You okay?" He asked as she was brought back down to reality.

"Yes. I was just thinking about how we first met." She replied, mentally shaking her head.

"I wasn't expecting Rose telling me there was another doppelgänger. I apologize for getting in your personal space."

"I figured that's why you were doing it." She replied before they both ordered some drinks followed by food. Once they were done, still having a good time, Elijah paid and they left. "I do have a question though. Why'd you kiss me when I had my humanity off and was pretending to be Katherine?"

"I knew it was you the whole time. Katerina would have known it was me; the way you reacted and how slowly it was gave it away. Plus, your eyes are friendly, full of warmth, kindness and love even without your humanity on while hers are cold, calculating, manipulative and mischievous regardless of her humanity status. I also saw your daylight ring when you put your hand on my chest." She wondered if he really paid that much attention to her mannerisms and appearance. Elena's phone rang and she saw it was Caroline.

"What's up?" The brunette asked, curious.

"I was wondering where you went since you left kinda fast."

"I had to help someone real quick."

"Who did you ditch us for?" Caroline teased.

"Elijah." She replied.

"Speaking of him..." Elena knew where she was going with this and quickly cut her off.

"Caroline, don't go there. Just friends."

"Oh, please. I'm sure he'd rather be with you than Katherine." Caroline said. "Besides, I'm sure there's something there between you two considering the way you two have always forgave each other after everything. The ball, Damon putting a dagger in him, you putting a dagger in him, the ritual when he saved Klaus."

"Caroline!"

"Plus the fact that he could have easily handed you over to Klaus once the curse was broken, but he didn't. What does that tell you?"

"I'm not having this conversation with you." Elena said.

"Have you talked to Stefan and Damon?"

"No. Why would I?"

"To tell them they obviously have better competition they couldn't even imagine."

"My life is complicated enough between those two. I don't need to add anyone else to it."

"You had competition with Katherine for Stefan and Damon, but maybe it's for the best. Let them fight over Katherine while you be happy with someone else who actually cares about you. Who's to say they don't have the same with someone over you? See how they like it when the shoe is on the other foot."

"I'm not making them jealous on purpose."

"Of course not, but the fact that you have a certain understanding and mutual respect with one badass Original vampire whose brother they can't stand will do the trick."

"I don't even know why I continue to let you talk." Elena said.

"I'm just saying I'd let the Salvatore's down easy when you tell them that you choose neither, especially Stefan. We both know Damon deserves what's coming to him." Caroline mumbled. "Besides, there are hotter vampires around than them."

"Looks aren't everything." Elena said.

"I was kinda joking. Later." Caroline hung up.

Elena sighed and looked at Elijah who was deep in thought. "You okay?" She looked at him with concern on her face while his expression reminded her of when they were in the car during her call with Stefan before she was told by the Original with impeccable taste about Klaus having a dormant werewolf side which would make him a hybrid once he broke it...and before he told her he'd never fall for another Petrova Doppelganger again that he said was a mistake even though his eyes clearly gave him away. That was the first and only time he lied right to her face.

"I'm fine." He replied, now knowing that Elena has feelings for him even though she's denying it to everyone, him and herself. He didn't know how that made him feel exactly since he lost his first love and didn't want to lose her descendant who is a friend and ally of his. Any and all feelings he might have had for Katerina are gone.

"Elijah." She gently touched his arm.

"What did she mean by him deserving what's coming to him?"

"It's her story to tell, not mine. I want to talk to Rebekah though." He was surprised at this, but agreed since he'd be able to help her if she needed it. "I'm going to let Stefan and Damon go romantically." He was more surprised and raised an eyebrow. "I don't want to get between them like Katherine did on purpose, so I'm taking myself out of the equation."

"You never cease to amaze me, Elena." He said, making her realize she liked how he said her name.

"Elijah, thank you for not killing me or handing me over to Klaus after I betrayed you over and over again or when his curse was broken even though you had several opportunities."

"I understand why you did and I'm not holding it against you." He gave her a rare smile which she instantly liked and he took her to the compound since it was dangerous for her to be out by herself while Katherine and his family's enemies could be anywhere and everywhere considering Esther is running loose. Elena was happily taking in all the lights, people, music and everything in between. It was beautiful. She knocked on the door and Rebekah herself answered. "What are you doing here?" The blond asked.

"Can we talk?"

"Make it quick." She replied, shutting the door behind her and they walked away.

"I'm sorry about what happened when I daggered you. I did want us to be friends, but I was saving the people I care about and was compelled to dagger you. Don't tell me you wouldn't have done the same if the situations were reversed. I was wondering if you wanted to try and be friends again."

"Really?" Rebekah asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes. I know Klaus and I don't get along for obvious reasons, but I do care about all of you regardless."

"Especially Elijah." She smirked, making Elena raise an eyebrow at her.

"He and I are friends and allies. If he wanted to hand me over to Klaus after the curse was broken, he would have done it a long time ago and had every opportunity. I'm clearly still standing because he hasn't."

"That proves he has feelings for you." She stated.

"I know." She knew Elijah had feelings for her that ran deeper than allies and friends pretty much since their first or second meeting, but never confronted him on it since he acted otherwise. The way he looked at her at the abandoned house when she was held by Rose and Trevor, the way he looked at her in the car after she undaggered him and then a short time later when he said he'd never fall for another Petrova Doppelgänger again even though she could tell that he's lying to convince himself when his eyes gave him away, the fact that he wrote Always and Forever in the note he sent her despite it being a sacred vow between him and his siblings when he's never said it to any outsiders along with him never taking her to Klaus after the Original Hybrid's curse was broken, the way he looked at her when she stabbed herself at the lake house along with him kissing her in Pennsylvania knowing she wasn't anyone but herself means that she means more to him than he'd like to admit, even if he doesn't realize it. He'd never admit it to himself though and she wasn't going to bring it up to him either. "It doesn't matter though. He hasn't brought it up and I sure as hell won't." She gave all the reasons that proves it and Rebekah agreed. Her brother has fallen hard for Elena, not that he'd ever admit it.

"If you were anyone else, he would have killed you for putting a dagger in him and betraying him about Esther's plan, but he didn't."

"I agree." She said.

The two girls made up even though it took awhile on Rebekah's part. Elena asked if she wanted to go shopping and the Original agreed. Deciding on the mall, the blond and brunette walked in and looked through the clothes. Elena found some clothes she liked that were edgy, but didn't seem like Katherine at all, which she liked. Choosing a black crop top, matching mini skirt and black pumps high heeled shoes along with other clothes, she smiled and waited for Rebekah with her items she was going to buy.

Rebekah paid and they went to the food court, sitting down after getting their order. "I haven't had this much fun in forever." The blond said. "Thank you. Do you have feelings for him?"

"I haven't really thought about it, but I believe I do."

"Out of all the Petrova Doppelgänger's Elijah has fallen in love with, I'm happy it's you. Tatia was nice and I liked her since Elijah was genuinely in love and clearly saw a future with her, but she found out what Elijah was and he compelled her to forget. Katherine is a bitch who used Elijah just like she used the Salvatore Brothers. You're much better than Katherine and while Elijah does miss Tatia, the way he feels about you is more than the love he felt for her. She was his first love and you are already making him happy since you two met."

She nodded. "What do you say we have a girls night?"

Later that day, Rebekah and Elena were getting stuff for their girls night and the doppelgänger invited Caroline and Bonnie at the compound where the Mikaelsons lived. Klaus and Elijah had stuff to do, Kol was out causing trouble, so it was just the girls that night. Rebekah helped Elena with the food-pizza, cookies, potato chips, soda, water and brownie mix-while Caroline and Bonnie showed up with their stuff. Each girl had pajamas, toiletries, dvds, ice cream and cupcakes as well. The other two girls helped them after inviting them in. The baby vampire and the Bennett witch were both hesitant at first, but Elena said she hadn't had a girls night in quite awhile. The girls put the food and drinks in the kitchen and Caroline set out dvds to watch that was in her bag with the other stuff she'd need. She also brought makeup and nail polish too.

"So this is how girls nights are?" Rebekah asked, looking at the countertop filled with snacks, drinks and desert.

"Yes. We eat popcorn and other stuff while watching movies, talking about girl things and gossip. It's a great way to get to know you and you to know us. Plus, we put all of our problems to the side for one night and relax. Maybe share our deepest secrets if we are bold enough." Elena smiled.

"I've never had friends before, so thanks." Rebekah said.

"No problem." Elena smiled at her before they all sat down and ate snacks while watching tv. They enjoyed themselves and had a good time before they decided to turn the tv off a couple of hours later and go upstairs to change in their pajamas before talking about funny stuff, friends, romances and everything else they could think of. Elena, Bonnie and Caroline got to know Rebekah and she got to know them.

"I'm just going to say it, you so have feelings for my brothers." Rebekah said to Caroline and Elena. "Come on, I see the way Elijah looks at you, Elena. It's the same way Nik looks at Caroline."

"I agree." Bonnie said. "Elijah has feelings for you, Elena."

"I've noticed, but ignored it. He was shocked when he first saw me, sounded hurt when I betrayed him by keeping silent about Esther's plan to kill him along with his siblings-Elijah doesn't deserve that despite my issues with Klaus-he was shocked again when I called his bluff by stabbing myself and then daggering him at the lakehouse. He also said that he'd never fall for a Petrova Doppelgänger again which was a mistake. I didn't believe him at all. He may have said one thing, but I was looking into his eyes and saw that he was lying to himself. Either he already had feelings for me by that point or before. If he didn't feel anything for me, he would have handed me over to Klaus as soon as he could once the curse was broken, but he didn't. Plus the fact that he used his family's sacred vow of always and forever to me when I'm an outsider. If he really knew Katherine was standing in front of him instead of me, he wouldn't have needed to prove it with a kiss. He knew it was me, so he kissed me as proof and an excuse to say he knew it was me almost right then and there instead of saying he knew the entire time." She replied, showing the two vampires the corresponding memories.

"I knew it. He still seemed the same, but even if someone mentions you by name or by a nickname, his expression slightly changes or he avoids the subject soon after. You have feelings for him too." Rebekah said, smirking. "It's so obvious."

"Whatever. It doesn't matter." The brunette replied.

"Why not?"

"Because I'm the doppelgänger, cursed with having the same appearance as Katherine who is a bitch and Tatia, who was his first love."

"He did love Tatia, but that was short lived; he never had feelings for Katherine since he's too good for her, but he does have feelings for you. He may have been around a lot longer than you have, but he's never really had true happiness since the first doppelgänger."

"What about you, Caroline? Has Klaus tried to pursue you any further?" Elena asked, trying to get her mind off Elijah, but failed.

"Yes, but I'm still not sure what to do about that."

"Come on, you two. Both of you deserve better than wolf boy and the Salvatore Brothers." Rebekah said.

"Especially Damon." Caroline mumbled.

"I know and that's why I'm going to end it with both of them for good. I'm tired of them thinking they know what's best for me and I'm not willingly tearing them apart like Katherine did."

"So what are you doing to do about Elijah?" Rebekah asked Elena who almost choked on her soda. "Are you doing to confront him?"

"Doubt it. If he hasn't brought it up before, why would he start now? Besides, I don't want to push him too far."

"Oh, please. If anything, he'd be surprised which is difficult to do."

"I managed to when he first saw me at the abandoned house where Rose and Trevor kept me captive, again when I daggered myself when he called my bluff at the lakehouse and again when I told him that Katherine killed my brother." Elena said.

"That's because the bitch before you told him there wasn't anymore Petrova Doppelgängers around, he didn't expect you to do that even though it shouldn't have been much of a surprise and he let his so called feelings for said bitch blind him." Rebekah rolled her eyes. "I'd talk to him if I were you."

Later that night, the girls were lying on the couch or chairs with the food on the coffee table. Rebekah was drinking from a blood bag along with Caroline while Elena was munching down on cookies and Bonnie was drinking her soda when the guys walked in. "Sister, not that I'm complaining, but what is Caroline doing here?" Klaus asked.

"Miss Gilbert as well." Elijah said, fully calm and composed so his expression doesn't show anything while he was actually happy to see her again. He though she'd left to head back to Mystic falls already since it was already dark outside.

"I made up with Elena and she invited Caroline and Bonnie for a girls night." Rebekah smirked, knowing how to get reactions out of them, even if Elijah didn't show it. Klaus is more readable.

"We'll let you two continue." Elijah said, not taking his eyes off Elena at all. Klaus was the same with Caroline. "Go." The older brother told the hybrid who sped out of the room.

The girls laughed. "I told you." Rebekah said, smirking.

"I agree." Bonnie smirked as well.

"Whatever." Elena said, brushing it aside, but deep down she was happy to have his attention even if she didn't admit it, and they continued their girls night before crashing. Rebekah, who was still awake, went upstairs to confront her brothers.

"Elijah." She knocked on his door before she entered the room. "When are you going to tell her?"

"Tell who what?" He asked, not looking up from his book he was reading.

"Your feelings for the brunette vampire in the living room."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"So you don't have feelings for Elena." Rebekah said, being serious while also trying to get a rise out of him.

"No, I don't." He said, trying not to sound annoyed. "Why do you think that?"

"Because I saw the way you looked at her, like you used to do with Tatia." She smirked while he winced and looked away.

"I already told her that I'm not falling for another doppelgänger in her bloodline. I made that mistake once and lost Tatia because of it. I'm not doing the same with Elena."

"You already have, brother, but haven't admitted it. She feels the same way about you. I was saw it when you entered the room. Try lying to me again. You're probably in love with the modern doppelgänger which is why you never handed her over to our brother after his curse was broken. Tell me I'm wrong."

"Fine. She and I kissed last time I saw her when she was pretending to be Katerina."

"If you knew it was that psychotic, evil bitch then you wouldn't have kissed her. You knew it was Elena and you wanted proof without her knowing you knew the whole time it. You kissed her so she wouldn't have known and you could pretend you knew from the second you kissed her."

"You kissed the doppelgänger?" Kol smirked, standing in the doorway. Elijah grabbed a pencil and threw it at him, but he caught it.

"Are you serious?" Klaus asked, standing next to him.

"Duh." Rebekah smirked. "You're one to talk, Nik, since you've been after Caroline for years now." Klaus rolled his eyes, smirking. "I swear, you both need to stop getting in your own damn way. Elena's single, Caroline's single."

"Wait, I thought she was with the older Salvatore?" Elijah asked as Rebekah smirked.

"Is that jealousy I hear, brother?" A book was thrown as the hybrid's head, but he caught it.

"No." He replied.

"Sounds like it to me." Rebekah and Kol replied together, but they both got a glare instead while Kol got a book thrown at him.

"She told me she's letting both of them go since she's tired of Damon controlling her and she doesn't want to finish what her bitchy doppelgänger before her started when their relationship is strained enough." Rebekah smirked, turning to the hybrid. "Besides, Caroline hasn't had the best track record either."

"Why do you think that?" Elijah asked, wondering why Rebekah is bothering him about Elena.

"You let Nik and I get whatever we want, you've never shown worry over anyone except us, never let anyone negotiate with you or throw a vervain bomb in your face nor betray any and/or all of us without consequences and you've NEVER used our family's sacred vow on an outsider."

"Your point?" He raised an eyebrow.

"All of a sudden that changes when you meet Elena? You kept her away from Nik, protected her against me, still cared and trusted her after everything she's done and let her live?"

"I don't have feelings for her other than friends and allies." He replied.

"Really? Because you also got pissed at Katherine for killing Jeremy Gilbert."

"Katerina lied to me and you know how much I don't like it when people hide the truth when I put my trust in them. There's nothing to admit." He replied. "Why do you care anyways?"

"Uh, maybe because you haven't been with anyone serious since you were human." She replied with a frown. "You've been so focused on keeping all of us together and eventually getting Nik's redemption, you've seriously been putting your own happiness aside. Come on, Elijah. You've never let anyone get close to you since Tatia, but Elena changed that 1,000 years later. You're in love with her."

"I never said I was."

"You didn't have to. The first time you saw her?"

"I thought she was Katherine."

"When you looked at her in the car as she was defending you against her exes?"

"I didn't expect her to do that since we hardly knew each other at that time."

"When you told her you'd never fall for another Petrova doppelgänger again and then left right after?"

"We needed to tell her them that we'd renewed the terms of our deal."

"After the ball when you found out the truth?"

"She was protecting her loved ones from Niklaus."

"Lake house?"

"She stabbed herself and I didn't expect she'd do it to me."

"The kiss between you two when you knew it was her and not Katherine?"

"It's what I would have done regardless if it was Katerina or Elena pretending to be her."

"You kept her away from Nik for as long as you could and also protected her against me when I attacked her?"

"Because I knew Niklaus would have wanted her dead when she wasn't of use to him anymore and you would have killed her which would have pissed him off and I'd have to clean up the mess he'd make."

"The way you looked at her when you were talking about her compassion not long after you admitted you knew she wasn't Katherine."

"She reminded me of qualities I valued long before we were turned."

"The family sacred vow in the letter?"

"I wanted her to know I'd be there if she needed me."

"That just means you want to be around her more and using that as an excuse to do it with hardly anyone asking questions. Face it, Elijah. Your love for Elena scares you and that makes you want to distance yourself from her because admitting it means an opportunity for anyone to use her against you and losing her is something you can't afford to do, but you can't avoid her forever because I know you'll see her again sooner or later since you two can't stay away from each other for long. All those questions I asked points towards you being in love with her, especially the fact that you kissing her and the sacred now between the two of us and Nik are the biggest ones. You knew it was Elena and not Katherine which is why you took the opportunity when it was there for you to take. Not to mention the fact that you two are drawn to each other like magnets, but you try to stay away because you like to be in control and you being afraid of your own feelings for her is new territory for you. You never let anyone know our family history and yet, you told her when you've known her for months at the time. You don't want to lose her which is why you're distancing yourself from her when that is the worst thing you could do. Elena is the doppelganger and people have already come after her for her blood. She's safer with us than she is with Stefan and Damon." Elijah said nothing. "You know I am right. Elena's just as in love with you as you are with her because she always goes to you for safety, she kept the letter until she turned off her emotions unless she secretly still has it and just said that to see what your reaction would be, she knew you'd save her, she kept trusting you with her family and she wanted to tell you Esther's plan, but couldn't because Esther and Finn were standing within ear shot and the former probably would have killed her if she did tell you. Tatia's death almost destroyed you-"

"Thanks for that painful reminder."

"but you've been able to live without her. Can you live without Elena?" Rebekah asked, more serious than ever, while her brother vamped out at the thought of Elena dying or being hurt despite him trying his hardest not to let his vampire face show since it meant that his sister's words got to him when he didn't want to admit it at all because admitting it means an opportunity for Elena to be used against him and him losing her. Rebekah looked at him with an expression told him to not even try lying to her, noticing his eyes darkened with anger as well. "I think I proved my point." She replied when he didn't say anything before she walked out and the next thing she knew is that she's being slammed against the wall by him holding her throat. "Like I said, pathetic. One of you either make a move or I will do something about it myself." She replied before she left the room.

A/N: I hope you guys liked the chapter. I've read other Elejah stories and don't know why people like Rebekah are saying Tatia is a mean girl in those fanfics because I didn't get that impression at all since she was so nice the flashbacks of season 2 episode 5 in The Originals. She didn't mean to get between Elijah and Klaus, just like Elena with the Salvatore Brothers, and she did tell Elijah she chose him, so I don't see why people write Rebekah or someone else saying Tatia is a mean girl and was manipulative like Katherine when I did not get that vibe from her at all and I've watched that episode multiple times. Still feel the same way.

Next chapter may have some Elejah moments, but I do feel like I don't write him good enough since he is so complex.

Keep an eye out for my Secret Circle multi crossover titled "The Sacrifice" which should be coming out soon depending on when and if I'm able to write it, if I feel like it at all since I've been having major writer's block lately.

I'm also on instagram under the same username I use to write my stories.

See you all next time.

CWABCFamilyFan4ever.