Elijah stood with his siblings outside Elena's home several hours later. They all needed to figure out what their next move was. Everything they'd learned had turned their entire world upside down. They needed to figure out what to do about it.
Elijah was honestly not sure how much he trusted Elena. He was mostly certain she was telling the truth, but that didn't mean she wasn't hiding anything. Trust didn't come easy to him to begin with, and that was added to the fact that Elena had hid things from him since the moment they'd met. Of course, he knew he wasn't innocent there either. He'd certainly had his own agenda, but that was his point. Most people had an ulterior motive for helping people, especially people they didn't know and had had good reason to hate.
"Is there a reason we need to have this meeting outside?" Rebekah asked.
"Privacy," was all Elijah said.
Rebekah snorted. "I hate to disappoint you, brother, but if Elena wants to hear what we're saying, I'm fairly certain she'll find a way. I don't see the need for it anyway."
"Yes, we all know you've fallen for her façade," Klaus said.
"Are you saying you don't believe her about what she told us?" Kol asked.
Klaus honestly wished he could say that he didn't believe her. He hadn't wanted to believe her, but he'd seen the fear in his father's eyes as she asked him where Freya was. He also noticed that he didn't once contradict her about it. "No, I believe her. That's all the more reason not to trust her. The woman has every reason to hate our guts. She should be planning our murders."
Rebekah laughed. "You say that because it's what you would do. Not everyone is like you, Nik."
"I'm not certain Niklaus is wrong. She should hate us. I would if I were in her position. Our mother is the reason she doesn't have her daughter. She's the reason she never got to watch her grow up, why she's in the body of a doppelganger. How could that rage not pour onto us?" Elijah asked.
"She should hate me. This happened because of me," Finn said in a shaky tone. He was the reason his sister was taken. She was given to Dahlia in his place. He was the reason for all of it.
"It's not your fault, Finn. If nothing else, Elena was right about one thing. No child should've been sold to that woman. What our mother has done is abhorring," Elijah said with disgust in his voice. He would never think of his mother the same way again. Even when she turned them into vampires against their will, he didn't hate her, but this was a level of vile he would never be able to get past.
Just then, the front door opened revealing Elena. "You guys wanna bring this inside? Because you're not fooling anybody."
They all reluctantly walked inside. Klaus glared at her. "I suppose you were eavesdropping."
Elena laughed as she led the way to the living room. "That's quite the accusation coming from a vampire. No, I wasn't listening, but it's not hard to figure out what you're discussing. You were having a group meeting on the porch. If you have questions or accusations, state them," she said before motioning for them to sit down.
They all took seats around the living room. Elijah was the first to speak. "Elena, I don't mean to seem ungrateful. You undaggered us and destroyed the daggers. You have opened up your home to us. I do recognize all of that, but I wonder what it is you wish for in return."
Elena sighed. "Elijah, I know that life has taught you to believe that everyone has an ulterior motive for the things they do, but that's not always the case."
"It is with you, isn't it?" Elijah asked. She'd proven that. She had a plan the entire time. She'd played everyone she'd ever met. He didn't exactly blame her for that. She was fighting for her child. Anyone would do the same, but it made her argument less valid.
"Not with any of you. Keeping my secrets was for my benefit and your sister's, but the things I did for you had nothing to do with it. My interactions with you were for your benefit," Elena said.
"Oh, is that how you see bringing our father to town?" Klaus asked with a sneer.
"Can you truly not see the benefit, Niklaus? Where is he right now? He's in the basement under a barrier spell. He can't hurt anyone. You got to watch as I made him suffer for the things he did to you. It's true that I had my own reasons for bringing him here, but I did it for you too. You deserved to be free of him and you deserved to watch as I stopped him. You deserved to see that same fear in his eyes that he caused in you for so long," Elena told him.
"You can't just expect us to trust you," Elijah said. He didn't trust anyone outside of his family, and while Elena technically counted, he didn't know her.
Elena turned to him. "I don't, Elijah. I know that trust doesn't come easily for any of you. Frankly, it doesn't for me either, and if you feel you need to leave, you're free to do so, but I hope you won't. I think you have all been alone for long enough. I think you deserve someone around that can help look out for you. I know you're all adults, but you were never given the support you needed. I want to do that for you.
"I've already said that I'm not leaving," Rebekah said firmly. She was saying for her brothers' benefit. She didn't know Elena well, but she liked her. She wanted what she was offering.
"I'm staying too," Kol said. He didn't fully trust this woman, but he liked her. She was nice to him. She offered him comfort when he woke up, and she knew exactly how to handle his brothers.
Elijah nodded that he would stay. Even if he wanted to leave, he certainly wouldn't now that Kol and Rebekah agreed to stay. He wouldn't leave them.
"I want to help find Freya," Finn said. Now that he knew she was alive, and there was a powerful enough witch on their side to save her, he would do anything in his power to find her.
Elena nodded. "We will find her. I have never given up on that. I never will."
"Uh, you mentioned rules. You never actually got into that," Kol said. Now, he wasn't exactly a rule follower, but he felt he should know the rules that he would inevitably break.
Elena smiled. "Yes. It's nothing unreasonable. You are all adults after all, but there are a few things I will insist on. I told you, I won't have violence in this house. If You fight, I will stop you." She would never harm them, but there were other ways to keep them in line. "I also need you all to be careful when you feed. I would prefer you not kill anyone, but if you need to, I expect you to at least be discreet, and keep it out of Mystic Falls. Way too many people know about your kind, plus half the town is on vervain."
Elijah nodded. Her rules were very reasonable. Getting his siblings to practice discretion was something he'd been trying to do for centuries. He was not sure how effective she would be, but she'd proven thus far that she was not afraid to put his siblings in line. Perhaps he should at least try to give her the benefit of the doubt.
"And if we break one of your rules? I suppose you'll kick us out?" Klaus sneered.
"The only reason I'd kick you out is if you tried to hurt Jeremy, and I would make you regret it first, deeply. He's human and defenseless. I won't tolerate any harm coming to him," Elena said in a strong tone.
"You won't have to worry about that," Elijah promised.
"As for you breaking any other rule, no I won't kick you out, but there would be consequences," Elena said. Yes, they were adults, but they didn't always act like it. It was again something she could thank her sister and her former lover for. They were never really allowed to grow. They never went through proper development.
Just then, Jeremy arrived in the doorway. "Uh, I don't want to interrupt, but, Elena, the sheriff is her. Her car's out front. I think I saw Damon's across the street too."
Elena chuckled. "Well played."
"I thought no one knew about this place," Rebekah said.
"I didn't tell anyone, but it's a matter of public record that this place belonged to John and that he left it to me. If the sheriff was given a reason, she could find this place," Elena said before standing up.
"Bonnie sent me a text about ten minutes ago saying that help was coming. I guess this was what she meant," Jeremy said.
"Like I said, it was well played. They knew they couldn't find us through magic, so they did it the old-fashioned way. Unfortunately for them, I plan for every contingency. Jeremy, up in my room, there is a folder in the top dresser drawer. Go get it for me please," Elena requested.
Jeremy nodded before heading out of the room.
"Can we help?" Elijah asked as he stood up.
"No, but you can watch the show," Elena said with a smirk as she made her way to the front door. The sheriff barely had time to knock before she opened it. "Sheriff Forbes, please come in."
"Hi, Elena," Liz said as she entered the house. "Uh, there are a lot of people worried about you."
Elena chuckled. She knew for a fact that no one was worried about her, and given that Damon was parked across the street, she could guess that the sheriff knew that too. "Sheriff, let's not play this game. You and I both know that you've been informed of what is going on."
Liz sighed. "Look, I don't want to be here. I don't know exactly what is going on, but I know enough to know that I don't want to be involved. However, Alaric reported you and Jeremy missing. I had to follow up."
"I understand completely, Sheriff, but as you can see, I'm fine. Jeremy is right upstairs. We've simply relocated," Elena said.
"Elena, you can't just do that. You can't disappear for days without your guardian's consent," Liz said.
"Actually, I can. I'm eighteen, legally an adult. I can go where I please," Elena said.
"Yes, but you can't take Jeremy. Legally, Alaric is his guardian," she said.
"No, he's not. Alaric was our guardian in name only. No paperwork was signed. Everyone just accepted it because they didn't want to uproot us after Jenna's death," Elena said.
Jeremy came down at that moment with the folder his sister requested and handed it to her.
"Okay, but that doesn't change the fact that you took a minor from his home unauthorized. Jeremy has to come with me, and if you don't accept Alaric as his guardian, I have to call social services," Liz said.
Elena held out the file for her. "Read that first."
Liz opened the file and was confronted with guardianship papers signed by a judge. It gave Elena guardianship over Jeremy. It was signed barely a week after her eighteenth birthday. "Why didn't you come forward with this right away?"
"I have my reasons, but as you can see, I've done nothing wrong. Jeremy is under my care now," Elena said.
The Mikaelsons, meanwhile, stood in the doorway looking impressed. Elena had truly thought this whole thing through. There was nothing she hadn't planned for. It reminded Elijah quite a bit of himself. He preferred leaving nothing to chance as well.
Liz looked at Jeremy. "Is this what you want, Jeremy. Your friends were pretty convinced that you were being held here against your will."
"They were wrong. I was at the hearing that declared Elena my guardian. I consented to it. I never asked for anybody's help. I don't need it," Jeremy said firmly.
Liz nodded and handed the folder back to Elena. "I apologize for disrupting your evening. Oh, and Caroline made me promise to tell you that she had nothing to do with this, quote, 'ridiculously asinine and pointless plan.'"
Elena grinned. She could practically hear those words coming from Caroline's mouth. "Tell her I understand and I'll talk to her soon."
Liz nodded and headed for the door.
Elena saw her out and then looked across the street at Damon's car. She smirked and waved at him, which caused him to glare at her and drive away. She then walked back inside.
Kol started clapping the moment the door was shut. "That was beautiful. I think I love you more each day."
Elena chuckled. "Thank you, Kol, but its been less than a full day, and I guarantee there will be times when you don't like me."
"I'll worry about that then," Kol said.
"That was pretty awesome. I'm sure Damon was seething," Jeremy said with a grin.
"It was very impressive," Elijah admitted.
"So, we're good for now, right?" Elena asked him. They'd agreed to stay, but she was pretty sure Elijah had only done so because Kol and Rebekah had. He was still distrustful. Gaining his trust would be her first step into helping to heal all of them.
Elijah gave her a curt nod. "Cautiously."
"Good. I should start dinner then," Elena said.
"You cook too, huh?" Kol asked.
"I was a mother, plus I cared for my younger siblings. Of course, I cook, dear," Elena said before heading for the kitchen.