Elena was awake early the next morning. She hadn't slept well the night before. It took her over an hour after Elijah coaxed her to try before she could fall asleep, and she'd woken up a few times in the middle of the night. She was locked in a room in a house with people who had tried to kill her, and others she didn't know. The only person she trusted out of all of them was Elijah.
That wasn't even the half of it though. Elena's entire world fell apart last night. She'd thought her life couldn't possibly get any crazier. It had been crazy enough to learn that she was a doppelganger, who existed to be used as a sacrifice in a magical ritual. Now she found out that she was some sort of reincarnation. No, reincarnation wasn't accurate. That would mean that she was still Elena Gilbert. She wasn't. The real Elena Gilbert was dead. She'd died the moment that Elena's spirit entered her body. She'd died because of her.
Elena shuddered. This was all too much, even for her. She was used to supernatural craziness now, but this took it to a completely different level. Her mother was a witch that had given birth to her over a thousand years ago. Her brother had literally murdered her a few months ago, and he wasn't the first family member to do it. All of this had happened because her stepfather murdered her as an infant. She didn't know how to begin to process all of this.
Elena soon heard the doorknob start to turn. She immediately stiffened, and her heart began to pound. The only one capable of opening the door was Esther, according to Elijah, and Elena was more than a little worried about another meeting with her.
Esther entered her daughter's room and smiled at her. "Good morning, Darling. I hope you slept well."
"It's hard to sleep when you've been locked up," Elena couldn't help but say.
"Yes, I apologize for the extraordinary measures I had to take, but I couldn't allow you to run. You were very upset last night, and you tried to run away. I couldn't have that," Esther said.
"You tore my world apart. What were you expecting?" Elena asked. She regretted soon after speaking. She realized she should probably be a little more careful with what she said to Esther. She didn't know her, but she did know the woman had no qualms about locking her up if she 'misbehaved'.
"Yes, and I did expect it, which was why I had Finn standing outside. I see that you are much calmer now, so the time alone has done you some good. Can I assume that you now believe what I've told you?" Esther asked.
"Yes, because Elijah said it was true," Elena told her. Actually, Elijah hadn't answered when she asked him if it was true, but that was an answer in itself. Elijah wouldn't lie to her or lead her to believe something like that was true when it wasn't.
"Good. I'm glad you're close with your brother. It will make things easier," Esther said.
Elena flinched slightly at the mention of Elijah being her brother. It wasn't that she had any kind of problem with Elijah being her brother. It was just a reminder that this whole crazy story was true. All she wanted to do was wake up and forget the last twenty-four hours ever happened.
"Now, since you appear to be calm enough, how about we go downstairs and have some breakfast? Your siblings are down there waiting to meet you. There is still much we need to discuss as well," Esther said.
"I want to go home," Elena said quietly.
"Oh, my dear, you are home. I know it will be a difficult transition for you, but this is where you belong. Now, come," Esther prodded.
Elena wordlessly got up and went with her. She didn't want to stay there, but she decided fighting right now would only make things worse. She might find herself locked up again. She didn't want that.
Esther took her daughter by the shoulders and led her out of the room. She brought her downstairs to the dining room, where the rest of her children were waiting. "Elena, these are your siblings. I know you know most of them, but this will be the first time you meet them as your siblings."
Elena looked at all of them. She was more than a little nervous about this. Most of them she either didn't know or hated her. Elijah, however, gave her a reassuring smile, so she tried to focus on him.
Esther pointed to Rebekah. "This is your sister, Rebekah. Go on and give her a hug."
"What?" Elena asked caught off guard.
"It's alright, dear. There's no need to be shy. Hug your sister," Esther told her before nudging her towards Rebekah slightly.
Elena felt really awkward because she knew Rebekah was not going to want her touching her. Rebekah hated her. Elena couldn't blame her for that, as she did dagger her.
Rebekah could tell that Elena was uncomfortable, so she made the first move. She pulled her younger sister into her arms. Less than a full day ago, she hated Elena Gilbert, but that was before she knew she was her sister. That changed everything. Rebekah was still irritated that Elena daggered her, but she was her family. Anything could be forgiven with family. Nik had daggered her many times, and she still forgave him.
Elena was surprised when Rebekah hugged her, but she reciprocated the move for a moment before pulling away.
"This is Kol," Esther said as she pointed to her youngest son.
Kol smiled and put his arms around the girl. "Hello, Darling. I'm your big brother."
Elena felt more awkward hugging Kol than she did Rebekah because she didn't know Kol. She did, however, recognize his voice from last night. He'd been there to try to comfort her when she was locked in her room. "Hi."
Esther steered her daughter towards Klaus next. "Niklaus."
Elena stopped. She made no move to get closer to him. Esther couldn't really expect her to hug him, could she? The only time he ever touched her, it was painful.
"Elena, hug your brother," Esther said in a firm tone.
"She doesn't have to," Klaus said. He would like nothing more than to pull his sister into his arms, but he knew that he shouldn't do that. He knew Elena wouldn't want him touching her.
"Don't be ridiculous. You are her brother. You should greet each other properly," Esther said. She understood that there was bad blood between Niklaus and Elena, but it was all the more reason for them to began to accept each other as siblings right away.
"Mother, she's afraid of him," Elijah said.
Klaus flinched slightly at his brother's words. He knew Elijah was right, and that it was his fault, but that didn't mean it wasn't hard to hear.
"Elena, your brother will not hurt you. Tell her, Niklaus," Esther said.
"Of course, I'm not going to hurt her!" Klaus snapped at his mother. He then softened his voice as he turned to Elena. "I'm not going to hurt you, love. I'll never hurt you again."
Elena tentatively took a step forward, but she couldn't bring herself to hug him.
Klaus decided to make this easier for his sister. His mother wasn't going to budge, so he closed the rest of the distance between them and put his arms around her and held her tightly. "I'm sorry."
Elena couldn't bring herself to hug him back, but she didn't fight him either. She just stood very stiffly in his arms until he let her go.
"And you seemed to already know Elijah quite well," Esther said.
Elijah smiled and walked towards her before opening his arms. "Come here, sweetheart."
Elena hugged him much more earnestly than the others. Elijah was the only one she had a decent relationship with. Hugging him was still slightly awkward though because she'd never done that before.
"Everything is going to be okay," Elijah promised her.
Elena clung to him for a minute before letting go.
"And this is your eldest brother, Finn," Esther introduced last.
"Hello," Finn said.
Elena reluctantly hugged Finn, but hugging him was almost as hard as hugging Klaus. He was the one to lock her up last night, even if it was by Esther's orders.
"Excellent. Now, let's have breakfast," Esther said.
"Come sit, Elena," Elijah said before guiding her into a chair. He sat her between himself and Kol. He figured she'd be the most comfortable with that. They were the only two that she didn't have a bad history with.
Elena looked at the table. It was filled with an assortment of breakfast items. She watched as the others filled their plates, but she made no move to do so. She wasn't very hungry, and this whole thing was very awkward for her.
"Elena, help yourself," Esther said.
"Here, sweetheart," Elijah said before handing her a platter with eggs. He knew this was very difficult for her, and he wanted to make it as easy as possible.
Elena took it and piled some eggs onto her plate before putting it down. Elijah then handed her another one with bacon. She took a few pieces before putting it down. Elijah asked her if she wanted anything else, but she shook her head and started munching on a piece of bacon.
"Now, Elena, I'm sure you have a lot of questions for me. Ask whatever you wish," Esther told her daughter.
Elena actually didn't have questions. She was so overwhelmed and shocked by it all that she hadn't yet reached the point where she could come up with any questions. "I'm okay for now, I think."
"I have one, Mother, and I'm sure Elena would like to know this as well. Why did you try to have me kill my own sister when I was looking for a way to create hybrids?" Klaus asked as he glared at his mother.
"I didn't know the truth then. I knew that your sister had been reborn, but I didn't find out who she'd been reborn into until I returned and was able to do a spell. And, Niklaus, you will not be using her blood anymore," Esther said firmly.
"I wasn't planning on it," Klaus said through gritted teeth.
"You weren't?" Elena asked surprised.
"No. I won't touch another drop of your blood, love," Klaus assured her. It didn't matter how much he wanted to make hybrids. Elena was his sister. He wouldn't use her that way.
Elena sighed in relief. At least that was one thing she didn't have to worry about anymore. She would no longer be a human blood bank for Klaus' hybrid army.
"Good," Esther said.
"Who was my father?" Elena suddenly asked. She wasn't even sure why she was asking. Whoever he was, he'd been dead for a thousand years. Still, she was curious about her lineage.
"Your father was a werewolf named Ansel," Esther told her.
Elena's eyes traveled to Klaus, knowing his father was also a werewolf. She wondered if they shared the same father.
"Yes, dear," Esther said, figuring out what her daughter was thinking about. "Ansel was also Niklaus' father."
"Does that mean I could become a werewolf?" Elena asked. That was a terrifying thought to her. She'd heard how painful that process could be. Caroline told her what it was like for Tyler. True, she would only transform if she killed someone, but she still didn't want to think about it happening.
"I can't say for sure, since nothing like this has ever happened, but I don't think so. I believe the transformation is linked to the body. While your spirit is the daughter of myself and Ansel, the body is still technically that of the Petrova bloodline," Esther explained.
Elena shuddered. She really didn't need another reminded that she'd essentially stole someone else's body and killed the owner. She'd been thinking about that all night.
"Any other questions?" Esther asked patiently.
Elena shook her head. That was all she could manage for right now.
"Very well. If you have any more, just ask. In the meantime, there are a couple of things we need to go over. First, I believe I've made this clear by now, but you will be remaining here. This is your home, and you are my daughter. You will stay with me," Esther said firmly.
"I'm eighteen," Elena said, trying to keep her voice as calm as possible. She didn't want to set the older woman off, but Esther couldn't really expect her to be okay with being held here against her will.
"Yes, I'm aware that society now finds it acceptable for children to venture off on their own at the age of eighteen. However, this family has always remained together, and we will continue to do so," she said.
"I have a family, friends," Elena said, getting slightly frustrated.
"From what I understand, the only other family you have is a younger brother, who you sent away. You currently live with a teacher. That isn't acceptable. You will remain here. There will be no further discussion on it. As for your friends, I will have to approve of them, but after that, you will be welcome to see them with permission," Esther said.
Elena felt herself begin to shake. She felt any control she had in her life disappearing a little more with each moment. This was probably the second worst thing to ever happen to her, with her parents dying being the first. Even Klaus sacrificing her wasn't as horrible as this. "Wh…What about school?"
"Well, I would prefer that you be homeschooled. All your siblings were," Esther said.
"No, please at least let me go back to school," Elena begged.
"I'll go with her. I was going before I was daggered," Rebekah said. She could tell her sister was falling apart. Life as she knew it was being taken away from her. The least Rebekah could do was try to help her keep one thing.
"Very well. I will consider it under that provision," Esther said.
"Thank you, Rebekah," Elena said genuinely.
Rebekah nodded.
"One more thing, Elena. I am your mother, and you know that now. I expect to be addressed that way," Esther said.
"What? You can't be serious," Elena said. That was the last straw. She couldn't do that. She barely knew Esther, and what she did know she didn't like.
"Of course I'm serious. You are my daughter. It is only proper," Esther said.
"No! I had a mother. You can't just come in after one day and expect that from me!" Elena exclaimed.
"Elena, if you can't speak in a civilized tone, perhaps you need some more time to yourself in your room," Esther said.
"Are you going to threaten to lock her up every time she argues with you?" Klaus asked irritably.
"Mother, you ask too much. She is overwhelmed! You can't expect so much of her so quickly!" Elijah said as he wrapped an arm around his sister's shoulders. He could feel her visibly shaking.
"Boys, I'll thank you to stay out of this. This is between me and Elena," Esther said before turning back to her daughter. "Well, dear? Do you need to go back upstairs?"
Elena shook her head wildly. "No, please! I'm sorry. I… It's just a lot to handle."
Esther nodded. "I understand that, and I will give you time to come to terms with it, but I expect an effort on your part. As I said, you will address me as your mother, but I know that might be difficult for you to remember to do at first. I will not penalize you if you slip up, but I want you to try. Do you understand?"
"Yes," Elena said, afraid of what would happen if she argued.
"Yes what?" Esther prompted.
Elena hated herself for what she was about to say, but she didn't see any other way around it. "Yes, Mother."
Esther smiled. "Good girl. Now, finish your breakfast, and then I will show you around the mansion.
Elijah squeezed Elena's shoulders in an attempt to give her some comfort. He then looked over at Niklaus, and they both silently vowed to each other that they would not allow this to continue. They would find a way to stop it. Their sister was not going to live like this if there was something they could do to prevent it. Unfortunately, Elijah feared that would take longer than any of them liked.