3 days later.
Elena had been feeling hopeful, she had been working with Davina to perfect the awakening spell, joining The Original Brothers in meetings with Marcel and the vampires whilst they attempted to construct a treaty between the factions and arrange meetings with them. It was busy, to say the least but she was finally settling into her place within the city and the family.
She was home alone and this was a rare occurrence, so she decided to take full advantage of this; she showered, dressed in her usual loungewear of vest top and shorts and blasted music through her iPod, both EarPods in ear and she drowned out the world around her.
She clung to the normal traditions of being human as much as and whenever she could, she pottered around her room, organising her dressing table, making her bed and tidying her things away; she danced around with a washing basket tucked under her arm and she gathered her dirty laundry.
Departing from her room, she danced her way through the corridor, down the stairs and into the hallway; she was deep into a moment of happiness and relaxation when she felt her body collide with another.
"Oh my god," a loud gasp escaped her lips, her heart pounding as she spun on her heel, turning to face this presumed enemy but instead found a highly amused Elijah standing before her; after a sigh of relief, she grinned and removed her EarPods, "you shouldn't sneak up on aspiring dancers."
"I do apologise, that was never my intention," he couldn't shake the amused smirk from his face, "but I am eternally grateful for the memory of your exquisite dancing."
"May it bring you joy in darker times," she said playfully with a hint of sarcasm thrown in there, "so, what are you doing back so early? I obviously hadn't expected company so soon."
He followed her into the kitchen and watched as she threw a load of laundry in the machine, humbled by her innocence and purity, "Niklaus and Marcel where bickering like children, I couldn't justify a reason to endure it any longer."
"Again?" She shook her head slightly, a small laugh escaping her lips before she prepped the coffee machine and started a pot, "we really should find a way to put them on a magical time out or something."
"That should be your first spell upon becoming a practicing witch," they laughed, the air around them calm and freeing.
"I fully intend to do that," she agreed, before grabbing two mugs from the cupboard and placing them beside the coffee machine, "but no more shop talk, it's my day off, anything pertaining to the supernatural will not be met with co-operation."
Elijah walked beside her, placing his hand on the small of her back and grasping at the mug she held; his fingers accidentally grazed against hers and electricity sparked through her entire body, causing her to drop the mug," please, sit down, I'll finish this."
"Thank you," he had caught her completely off guard, her emotions were apparent in her voice and she lingered her gaze on him for a moment too long; everything about him was compelling, the way he looked at her but tried to hide it, the way she can tell between the different types of smiles he has, how he held himself so perfectly and conducted himself with nobility and honour and the way his touch could send her into an emotional frenzy.
Forcing herself back to reality, she shoved those thoughts to the very back of her mind and sat down at the table, now wasn't the time for complications and unexplained feelings; she watched as he poured the coffee and joined her, handing her the mug and sitting opposite her.
"I know you require a day of peace, Elena and I'm saddened by having to disturb it but there is one matter of business I need to discuss with you, it should only take a few minutes."
"I knew it was too good to be true," her eyes squinted playfully at him and she grinned on her mug before taking a large swig, nursing the cup in her hands once again, "what can I do for you, Elijah?"
"As per the ritual to become a witch, you must set up roots here in New Orleans and officially recognise this city as your home for you to be bound to the ancestors that reside here, you would be fully able to access their power and practice magic here, you would become one of them and free to join into their coven, if you so wish too."
"Okay, how can I do that?" Her brow furrowed, a look of confusion spread across her features; Elijah reached into the pocket inside his blazer and pulled out a few sheets of paper held together by a staple, he unfolded it and placed it on the table in front of her. She quickly scanned over it, lifting the pages and reading through it quickly, "is this the deed to the house?"
"Correct," he smiled kindly towards her before taking a pen out of his pocket and placing it on the table beside the paperwork, "this house has been in our family for over 200 years, even after we fled, Marcel never re-sold it, if you take over management of this property and become a homeowner here then you will become an official resident of New Orleans."
"Wow, Elijah, this is huge," she said, overwhelmed, "I mean, besides the fact I've never owned property before, this house is so important to you and your family, it almost feels wrong that a different name should be on this deed."
"You're family too, Elena," she couldn't help but smile at his words, she watched him as she tried to find even a shadow of a doubt within him but she couldn't, "Niklaus was completely on board and myself and Marcel will push through the rest of the red tape by the end of the day, what do you think?"
"It seems strange," she paused for a moment, collecting her thoughts and attempting to settle her guilt, "I never thought I'd consider anywhere but Mystic Falls as my home and now that I'm here, I couldn't imagine being anywhere else."
"I understand your guilt, I myself have had to leave many a home over the past thousand years, fleeing for fear of Mikael and his wrath, abandoning true happiness to follow my brothers redemption and through it all, now that I'm here, I knew every single step in this journey was leading me to here," he held his mug in between two fingers, tapping the edge of the table as he delved into his memory, allowing himself to reveal parts of him to Elena that seemed to come so naturally with her, whereas in the past, he had closed off so easily to everyone, "it was never about a location or property, it was the family that you set up roots with and those that capture your heart."
She took in every word he said to her, each one imprinting on her and etching into her very core like he had described how she felt as if he read it from her like a book; she picked up the pen, opened the last page and pressed the nib to the dotted line, "are you sure?"
He simply nodded his head and she signed it, placing the pen back on the table and folding the papers back up; she held it out towards him and smiled, "it's not too late to change your mind."
"It will remain unchanged," he returned her smile before taking the deed from her and sliding it back into his pocket, "congratulations on your first property."
"Why thank you," she grinned playfully, sitting back in her chair and pretending to boast, "so, when you cut through all the red tape, will I have to invite you and Nik back in?"
"It would seem so," he sat back too, his body relaxing and enjoying her company.
"I could have a lot of fun with this," she poked the tip of her tongue through her teeth and emitted a playful grin, "if I simply forget to invite you in, I may finally get a full day of peace."
"And I would be utterly powerless to stop you," he mused.
"The noble and mighty Elijah, powerless against me? Wouldn't that be the greatest lie ever told?"
"Not entirely," his gaze shifted from his mug and onto her eyes, the words he spoke had left him against his will, like his brain forgot to tell his mouth not to speak, it was so natural; he found himself in a state of vulnerability, the way he and Elena conversed was without thought, she was the one person he didn't have to be 10 steps ahead of and that unplanned state meant he was engaging within the moment, something he was not used too.
The butterflies in her stomach returned and the heat within her was rising, causing her cheeks to turn a shade of red at his words; everything inside her was screaming at her to not respond, to not complicate their relationship any further and to not compromise the life she was trying to build here but she wasn't exactly running on logic either, she was ruled by her heart and her compassion and in that battle, they always won over and she was powerless against it, "I wish I didn't know what you mean."
There where so many unspoken words and feelings between them, a bond she hadn't been able to shake since the day they met; she always rationalised it as a understanding between two older siblings, each having a common goal in the pursuit of family and connection that didn't seem to separate regardless of what came between it but on some level, she had just ignored the deeper meaning and chose not to let him in. It was easier that way.
"We should go celebrate," she cleared her throat, sitting up straight in her chair and distracting herself from the emotional heat and vulnerability between them, "the house is in great shape and in this market, you've just made me rather wealthy if I ever decide to sell up."
They laughed at her attempt to taunt him but he could see right through her, she would never do that.
"Nothing would bring me greater joy than spending the afternoon with you but I'm afraid I have to deliver these papers to Marcel and attend a city hall meeting," he suddenly became distracted, his head tilting downwards and his ear pointing towards the front door; a small smirk appeared on his lips at what he heard and he stood from his chair, "And I'm assuming your day of peace may be cut short."
"Why? Wha-," her sentence was interrupted by the front door slamming open and crashing against the wall; she jumped slightly by the sudden loudness and her annoyance was apparent in her pursed lips and glaring eyes at Elijah, "Don't you dare leave me here alone with them."
Klaus and Marcel stormed through the house, yelling and arguing amongst each other and Elena knew she was about to be caught in the middle of it.
"You're only King of the French Quarter because my family left, don't forget who you're speaking with Marcellus," Klaus shouted, they where in the living room but he was so loud and enraged, it felt like he was right beside her.
Elijah lowered his head in an attempt to hide his amused grin and Elena stood from her chair, placing her hands flat on the table and glaring at him, "I mean it, if you leave me here with them, I'll never forgive you."
"When your family left, huh? No, you fled, I stayed behind and rebuilt this city from the ground up, you will show me some respect," Marcel yelled back and she suddenly heard a loud crash in the background, the smash of a piece of furniture and animalistic growls.
He couldn't hold back the short outburst of laughter at what was about to become of her afternoon, "always and forever, Elena."
"Don't give me that, not now, I swear I'll get you back," she walked around the table as she spoke and stood in front of him, her hand placed firmly on her hip and her face inches apart from his as she looked directly up to him.
"Is that a threat or a promise?" His breathing had become quite laboured by their sudden lack of distance and she could see the slow rise and fall of his chest beneath his shirt; there was no distasteful smirk or dagger piercing eyes, only a look of endearment as they breathed each other in.
"You're going to wish you'd never met me," she spoke lowly and nervously, her gaze flickered from his eyes and onto his lips, the hand on her hip had fell and she inhaled a sharp breath.
His hand smoothed around her hip and pressed into her lower back, a small gasp escaped her lips at the sparks his touch sent through her, "I promise I'll return as quick as I can."
And he was gone, leaving her to deal with not only her inner storm of emotions and feelings but the bickering between friends in the living room; there was banging, furniture breaking and inexplicable words spoke between them in their fight.
"What are you doing, Elena!" She muttered under her breath before exiting the kitchen and storming into the living room.
"Enough," she yelled, walking in and seeing Klaus pin Marcel to a wall and clenching at his neck; he had became momentarily distracted by Elena's voice and Marcel grabbed him, pushing him back and throwing him over his shoulder onto the floor, "I said enough!"
Elena ran in front of Klaus and held up her hand as he went to lunge for Marcel but he stopped himself dead in his tracks; she looked him in the eye and gave a look of frustration, "are you both done?"
Klaus and Marcel looked at each other, taking deep breaths, they nodded and stepped back, "what are you two fighting about now?"
"Klaus seems to think that once we are all unified that he will be our leader, able to control us all for his own sick and violent ends," Marcel exasperated, before helping himself to the hybrids stash of liquor, pouring out three glasses; he politely passed Elena hers and shoved Klaus' onto his chest.
"You know that if their isn't a central leader of the factions then it will not last long, if they answer only to their leaders then they will eventually plot against us and try to take the city back," Klaus screamed back, he was mad with rage.
The bickering started again and Elena could barely make out what they were saying, she took a large sip of scotch and pulled her phone out of her shorts pocket; she opened the message chain between her and Elijah and sent a quick text, "given the current situation I'm now stuck in for the rest of the day, I've decided your torment will not end for at least two days."
She hit send and returned her phone to her pocket, taking a seat on the sofa and clearing her throat purposefully, "sit down, guys, we need to talk about this."
They reluctantly ended their squabbles and obliged, each sitting in an arm chair opposite each other and Elena in the centre of them, leaving only a coffee table between them.
"I'm sorry Marcel but Klaus is right," she started, causing him to stare at her with disbelief whilst the hybrid had a smug smile aimed at him, "without a leader, there is nothing stopping them from breaking the agreement and starting an all out war for the city."
"Why is it when the pretty doppelgänger says it, you listen?" Klaus remarked.
"But I'm definitely on Marcel's side with it not being you," she ended his triumphant reign and he shot her a look of distaste, "we'll need a leader who is unbiased, straight headed and strong minded, one who isn't going to be swayed by power."
"Come to think of it, I don't think I like you very much anymore," Klaus spoke harshly.
"Well, you interrupted my beautiful and peaceful day off to deal with this tantrum, so the feeling is mutual," she spat back, taking a sip of her scotch and rolling her eyes at his amused smirk.
"So you have just described neither one of us," Marcel calmly responded, refusing to aim his anger at their mediator, "I'm King of the Quarter and I won't answer to anybody, unification or not."
"Obviously, vampires-," she was interrupted by the sound of Klaus forcefully clearing his throat and shrugging his shoulders; Elena looked at him with her growing impatience apparent on her features but she humoured him, "and hybrids, will still control the Quarter so you just need someone you trust to take that place, someone who will confer and only use the power they have been given when absolutely necessary and not just when they feel like, Klaus."
They both pondered her words for a long moment, sipping and refilling at the scotch whilst they ended their dispute.
"And this is the last thing I'm going to discuss on this matter," her gaze shifted between them both, a small smile on her lips, "remember that you two are friends; at one point, you were family, if you keep fighting each other instead of listening, then this will all fail and as much as I'm going to regret saying this, if you can't agree or need a third party opinion, I'm here."
"I think I dislike her even more now," Klaus spoke playfully.
"Agreed," Marcel smirked.
"Well, I got you two to agree on something so I win this one," she grinned smugly before taking a victory shot of liquor.
"And the power is already going to her head," Klaus found no end to his amusement, a small laugh emitting from his lips as she threw a cushion at him.
"Get out of here and go finish the agreement, pick your leader and finish this," she spoke calmly, before standing up with them and watching them leave the plantation: she allowed herself a sigh of relief before walking to the drinks cabinet and pouring herself another one.
She hadn't realised her phone had been vibrating in her pocket, it buzzed several times more before she removed it from her pocket; it revealed several messages from Elijah, Klaus and Davina.
She started with Elijah's, opening it and reading, "I look forward to the torment you intend on inflicting upon me, I'd go as far as say I'm excited," a wide grin appeared on her lips and she began to question her sanity all over again.
Next, she opened Klaus', a small smirk appearing on her lips at his words, "thank you, little warrior, you are as wise as you are stubborn."
And finally, the messages she dreaded to read from Davina and the ones she put off till last now open; she skimmed through the ones that explained a few steps and her nearing completion until she saw the main one, "It's ready, we can do it tomorrow during the full moon."
A sudden feeling of dread washed over her and her panic levels began to rise, it was time for her life to completely change and she wasn't sure if she was even ready but she had no choice, she had to save them.
Opening up a text chain to everyone, she sent out a final text, "Rousseau's, 10pm."