Elena wakes with a quiet groan and a yawn while she stretches her aching muscles. Looking down at her bare body with a raised brow, she notices a sleeping Klaus lying next to her and freezes.
Her eyes trail over his naked back, lifting the sheet covering him slightly, she fist pumps with a look of appreciation.
Elena slowly gets out of bed, trying not to wake him, and looks around the room for her clothes. Once dressed, she tiptoes to the door, jumping slightly when she hears someone clear their throat.
"Sneaking out? I'm hurt." Klaus says in a husky tone as Elena turns around with a tight-lipped smile.
"Uh, yeah. Stefan and Damon should be back, so I wanted to check on them." Elena lies unconvincingly, causing Klaus to raise a brow.
"Is that so?" He asks with amusement as he sits up against the headboard.
"Fine. I didn't wanna make this awkward." She admits sheepishly, rubbing the back of her neck.
"And why would it be awkward?" He asks with a smug smile. "Is it because we slept together or because we cuddled after?" His smile faltering slightly when she doesn't seem the least bit embarrassed.
"Yeah, that was awesome." She says with a dazed smile. "But this is usually the part where people wanna talk about feelings and relationships, so I thought I'd bail to avoid that." She says, making him grin widely.
"So you thought I'd wake up and what? Declare my undying love for you?" He asks in an amused tone, making her laugh.
"Not those exact words." She grins teasingly.
"That's awfully conceited, love." He scolds as she sends him a smirk.
"You and I both know I have every reason to be." She wiggles her eyebrows as he makes an impressed face, recalling the events of last night.
"Fair enough. But I'm not one to get attached. No need to coddle my feelings, sweetheart." He says, making her smile.
"Really? So, we can keep going to pound town and doesn't have to mean anything?" She asks hopefully, making him laugh.
"Yes. We can keep 'going to pound town' as you so eloquently put it." He assures as she walks back to the bed.
"Like right now?" She whispers, he quickly pulls her into his lap as she places her arms around his neck.
"I don't know." He says with mock worry. "What if I fall in love with you?" He asks teasingly, kissing her hungrily.
"That's a risk I'm willing to take." She replies, trying to catch her breath.
"Hey! Me and Stefan are both here, you sluts!" Damon yells, banging on their shared wall as Elena throws her head back, groaning in aggravation.
"Come on." She says standing from the bed. "Lets go get breakfast." She tells him, handing him his shirt.
Elena whistles and dances around the kitchen, getting food out of the fridge as the Salvatore brothers both watch her with matching awkward expressions.
"What?" She finally asks with a raised brow.
"Nothing." Stefan replies quickly.
"Okay. Let me make myself clear, I do what I want, when I want. And I'll be damned before I let a couple of Salva-whores tell me what I can and can't do with my own body. Got it?" She asks as the both nod frantically.
"Good." She smiles. "Now, which one of you is gonna make breakfast? I can't cook." She says, looking down at the food as Stefan stands with a smile.
Across the room, Elena's phone rings, making her run to it and smile seeing the caller ID.
"Bonjour." She answers cheerfully.
"Hello, gorgeous." Enzo greets. "I got you a surprise, go open your door." He says, making her run to the door, the brothers following.
"Surprise." He says hanging up the phone as she opens the door and squeals.
"Oh my god!" She exclaims, jumping into his open arms and wrapping her legs around his waist. "What are you doing here?" She asks excitedly, as he spins her with a laugh.
"Do I need a reason to come visit my beautiful savior?" He asks teasingly, carrying her into the room and setting her on the kitchen counter, while the brothers silently stand behind them.
"Of course not. I just can't believe you're here." She says hugging him again.
"What do we have here?" Klaus asks with confusion as he walks into the room.
"Klaus this is Enzo, remember that Augustine thing? And Enzo, this is Klaus the dude who sacrificed me." She introduces.
"Nice to meet you, mate." Klaus greets with a handshake as Enzo turns to Elena.
"You replaced me with another brit?" He asks with mock offense, making her laugh and nod.
"Yeah, sorry. But this one puts out." She jokes, making him snort with an eye roll.
Enzo turns to Damon with an unreadable expression as Damon holds his breath.
"You see, it's so tense because Damon left him to die." Elena whispers to Klaus. "And then, a few years later he killed the woman that Enzo loved. And when I say killed, I mean like really killed, like ripped that chick's head clean off." Elena continues whispering while the men all look to her.
"We all know what happened, Elena." Damon says through gritted teeth as Elena smiles in apology.
"Does this mean you forgive me?" Damon asks cautiously.
"I will forgive you. If you fight me." Enzo states with a nod as everyone else in the room looks to him with confusion and surprise.
"What?" Damon asks.
"Yes. I've decided that beating you in a physical altercation will be what I need to move on." Enzo confirms as Damon makes an offended face.
"Who says you'll win?" Damon whines as everyone in the room sends him a pitying look.
"Come on." Enzo says with a laugh.
"Yeah, ocean eyes. Be serious." Elena adds as she and Stefan look to each other with humor.
"You two are supposed to have my back. You're my brother and you're my Ellie!" He exclaims with disbelief.
"Sorry, brother. But, look at him. He's gonna kick your ass." Stefan says sympathetically as Damon huffs.
"So, you in?" Enzo asks impatiently.
"... Fine." Damon concedes.
"This feels kinda sexual." Elena comments. "Can I watch?" She asks, making the others look to her with varying degrees of judgment and disapproval.
"Don't look at me like that. You know who I am." She tells them, making them shrug. "So, you gonna fight now or can we eat breakfast first? I worked up quite the appetite." She winks at Klaus, who rolls his eyes.
"It's noon." Enzo tells her with furrowed brows.
"Kill him!" Elena yells as Damon and Enzo fight and Stefan sends her a curious look.
"Who are you cheering for?" He asks as Enzo swings at Damon.
"No one in particular." She shrugs, Damon falls back, bringing a hand to his bleeding nose.
"What qualifies as a win here, Enzo?" Damon asks with a deep breath as Enzo kicks him to the ground again.
"I'm not sure yet. Maybe I'll just keep hitting you until I feel better." He punctuates with a punch to Damon's face.
"I'm sorry, Enzo." Damon yells as he stands. "Okay? I'm sorry. You were my best and only friend for years and I ruined it. I know, alright. There is nothing you could say to make me feel any more guilty." Damon admits as Enzo takes a step back.
"This isn't making me feel better." Enzo complains to Elena, who shrugs.
"I don't know what to tell you, Zo. I've never had a 50 year vengeance. What do you want to do?" She asks, handing them each a towel.
"Drink." He states as Damon nods in agreement.
"Well we can't go to a bar, the both of you look like you just stepped out of a Saw movie." She says with a grimace. "Let's have a night in."
"Never have I ever killed one of my parents." Elena smirks widely as Klaus and Stefan send her an unimpressed glare before taking a drink.
"Does Klaus have to drink twice?" Damon asks, making Elena laugh and nod.
"I think so." She answers, titling the hybrid's cup higher.
"Never have I ever slept with someone who killed me." Stefan smirks behind his cup as she rolls her eyes and drinks.
"Never have I ever left someone to die a fiery death as I ran away like a coward." Enzo sends a pointed look to Damon as Klaus breathes in deeply and takes a drink, making Elena bite her lip and stand.
"Hey, so you know how I know the future?" Elena asks casually as they all nod with confusion. "Right. And you know how I don't tell people the future because of the potential negative ramifications?" She continues nervously. "Well, that's not the only reason why. I do it to protect you guys." She admits while wringing her hands. "But, keeping it to myself feels like lying. So here goes, Marcel is alive." She says as Klaus's eyes widen.
"What?" He asks with shock.
"Yeah. Mikael didn't kill him. He still lives in New Orleans. And before you get mad at him for not trying to find you, you should know that he's mad at you for not checking if he was still alive." She tells him as she sits next to him.
"He'll get over it." Klaus shrugs still shocked as the other vampires look to them.
"Who the hell's Marcel?" Damon asks as he pours himself another drink.
"Klaus's… ward?" She turns to Klaus as he nods.
"You have a kid?" Damon asks before smirking at Elena. "Aww, you're gonna be a great step mom." He says while she swats his hands away from her cheeks. "Or mom. Didn't you say he can have kids now? What are we hoping for? Boy or girl?" He jokes, she flips him the bird with a scoff.
"As if! I take my yeetus the fetus pills on the regs." She says, noticing Klaus's sigh of relief, making her turn to him.
"Uh, what was that? Why are you relieved?" She asks with a raised brow.
"Bit early in our relationship to be having children together. Don't you think, love?" He replies with a smirk.
"Yeah, no shit. I can't even keep my phone alive. Klaus, you didn't sleep with me without a prophylactic, not knowing I'm birth control, right?" She asks with shock as he scoffs.
"I haven't had to worry about it for a thousand years, Ellie. My apologies, it slipped my mind." He says with an eye rolls as she stares with an open mouth.
"You're a dumbass." She deadpans before turning to the others. "He's a dumbass." She says. "Absolutely unbelievable!" She throws her hands up in frustration.
"Back to the whole trying to protect us thing. What have you been hiding from me and Stef?" Damon asks.
"Umm. Shit. Alright, your mom was turned into a vampire." She admits as the brothers suck in a sharp breath and stare at her.
"No." Damon denies simply as Stefan continues to stare sadly.
"Yes." She says softly.
"No." Damon repeats as Stefan grabs her hand.
"When? How?" Stefan rushes out as she squeezes his hand.
"She was fed vampire blood while she was dying, after she succumbed to the consumption, she woke up in transition." She explains as he listens to her with a lost expression. "She came back." She says as Damon looks to her. "She wanted to take you two with her, but… Stef, she was a ripper. She didn't want to accidentally hurt you, so she left." She finishes, bringing the brothers into a hug.
"So she left me to be purposely hurt by Giuseppe?" Damon questions in outrage as Stefan whispers.
"She's a ripper?"
"Where is she? I don't care about affecting the timeline, where the hell is she?" Damon asks Elena as he stands, pacing slightly.
"A prison world." She answers as she looks to Enzo with sympathy. "In 1903, she was ambushed by a coven of witches, who trapped her in a prison world, it's exactly like our world except it repeats the same day over and over again. Before she was locked away she turned a dying man." She says as Enzo's eyes widen. "Surprise." Mutters as Stefan and Damon look between the two.
"Oh, come on." Damon exclaims with disbelief as Stefan pours himself a drink. "How is that even possible?" Damon asks, taking the drink from Stefan and downing it.
"Is it possible to free her?" Stefan asks as Damon snorts with an eye roll.
"Not with the current coven leader, but I have a plan to uh… bring in new management." Elena smirks as they all raise a brow at the mischief in her eyes.
"Not necessary." Damon tells her with a fake smile as Stefan furrows his brows. "She left us, I say we leave her." He adds with a nonchalant shrug as she smiles at him sympathetically.
"Anything else you'd like to tell us, love?" Klaus asks pulling Elena closer to him as she raises a brow.
"Um… if theoretically, I recently developed the ability to temporarily transport Mikael's soul from the otherside into this plane and occasionally fuck with him, would you want to know?" She asks as the vampires in the room groan.
"Christ, Ellie." Damon runs a hand over his face as Klaus clenches his jaw.
"Excuse me?" Klaus asks in a blank tone, Elena looks to him with confusion.
"I think I was very clear." She says turning to the vampires for conformation.
"How long?" Klaus asks in exasperation.
"Since the procedure." Elena mumbles, making the others groan.
"That was so long ago!" Damon exclaims as Klaus nods and looks at her with a worried expression.
"How often do you talk to my father?" He asks.
"Not that often and usually only while I sleep. It's kinda awesome actually, I have these powers in this like dreamscape thing, super handy when I'm torturing him." Elena rambles as the others look to in question.
"Did you just says torture?" Enzo asks with amusement as she nods excitedly.
"Yeah. Mostly psychological." She comments with a shrug.
"Mostly?" Damon questions.
"Mostly." She smirks as Klaus huffs.
"Any more revelations you'd like to share?" Klaus asks as she taps her chin.
"We should probably kill Lucian." She says, making him groan.
"Of course." He says with a shake of the head as Stefan turns to Elena.
"When can we get to this prison world?" Stefan asks as Damon frowns.
"Soon." She promises.
"So, your mom faked her death, became a ripper, turned me, was sent to a prison world, then I'm held captive with her son years later?" Enzo recaps as Elena shrugs.
"Give or take a few details." She says as Damon clenches his jaw in anger.
"She doesn't matter." Damon snaps before taking a deep breath. "Beside, shouldn't we be talking about how Ellie's a psychic now." He says as Enzo hands him a glass with an apologetic expression.
"As much as I love talking about myself, there's not really anything to say. I've only been able to talk to Mikael and I only saw Amara that one time." She says with disappointment.
"We'll figure it out. In the meantime, Enzo can let us know whether or not he forgives me." Damon turns to Enzo, making her smile.
"Ask me tomorrow." Enzo says, throwing back a shot and pouring another.
"Oh, come on. You can't possibly still be mad." Damon states stubbornly.
"Just, shut up and drink." Enzo hands Stefan and Damon shots. "You look like you need it." Enzo says to Stefan, noticing his sad expression.
"I'm sorry, guys. I really didn't want to spill it like this, but I felt like it was pretty shitty to keep it to myself." Elena apologizes to the group.
"It's okay, El. You were just trying to protect us." Stefan sends her a smile before downing his shot as Klaus runs a finger along Elena's thigh, causing her to raise a brow at him, receiving only a grin in response.
"To drinking our problems away." Enzo toasts as the others laugh and raise their glasses.
"I'm really glad you guys are bonding." Elena says as Klaus stands, pulling her with him. "We'll leave you to it. We're gonna go… have sex." Elena finishes with a giddy smile as the other vampires make a face, she turns to Klaus. "If that's what you want. Because it's totally cool if you don't. Like, if you just wanna cuddle, totally fine by me." She half teases as he leads her out of the room with an eye roll.
After a moment Elena runs back into the room and kisses Enzo's cheek. "I'm really glad you're here." She sends him a sweet smile that he returns instantly.
After she walks out the room, she peaks her head back in. "You guys should probably go out, it's probably gonna get loud." She says with a teasing smirks as the three vampires groan in disgust and stand from their seats. "Love you!" She calls as they leave before walking towards Klaus's room. "Hey, if we could get a witch to, I don't know, spell some original hybrid proof handcuffs, would you be into that?" Elena asks as she enters the room.
Elena watches with interest as Klaus moves around the kitchen as he plating the breakfast he made and sets it down in front of her.
Elena moans loudly as she takes a bite and turns to him. "I changed my mind." She says seriously. "Marriage is not an antiquated institution only necessarily for the survival of the species. Marry me." She demands as he sits down next to her with a smile.
"Sorry, love. I still believe that." He responds in an apologetic tone, making her laugh and lean forward, kissing him before pulling away after they hear a groan.
"Ugh, can you not? We eat here." Damon says as he enters the room.
"You didn't come home last night. Blonde or brunette?" Elena asks, taking another bite of her breakfast and looking at him with a smile.
"Redhead." He states with a proud smile she instantly returns.
"Nice. Me too. Kinda." She says, running her hand through Klaus's hair.
"No. He's more dirty blonde." Damon says, looking at Klaus with slightly tilted head as Elena shakes her head.
"Yeah, but red in the sun." She argues as Klaus looks between them with confusion.
"Doesn't count." Damon replies as she shrugs.
"The two of you, are far too close." Klaus comments as Damon and Elena's eyes snap to him.
"Watch your mouth." Elena reprimands as Damon says, "Take it back." Klaus raises his hands in surrender with an amused smile.
"Don't listen to him, ocean eyes. He doesn't know how close friends are supposed to be, he doesn't have any." She says with mock sympathy.
"I thought we were friends." Klaus says, wiping the corner of her mouth and sucking his finger seductively as she chews her lip and leans towards him.
"No, that's fine. Why don't you just have sex right in front of me?" Damon says with annoyance, breaking their eye contact as Elena raises a brow.
"If you wanted to watch, all you had to do was ask." She teases as he turns away with an eye roll.
"Where's Stefan?" Damon asks with an exasperated sigh as Elena furrows her brows.
"I don't think he came home last night." She says as Klaus shakes his head.
"I heard him come in while you were sleeping." He tells her as she stands and walks with Damon to Stefan's room.
"Stef, you up? Klaus made breakfast." Elena says as she knocks on his door.
Damon bumps her out of the way and opens the door, revealing a disheveled, blood covered, Stefan curled in a ball at the foot of his bed.
Elena covers her mouth in shock before walking towards him as Damon follows behind in stunned silence.
"I- I didn't. I don't-" Stefan stutters out as he looks to Elena with an expression so heartbreaking it makes her chest tightens painfully as she drops down next to him.
"Oh, baby." Elena whispers as he puts his head in his hands and brings his knees to his chest.
"I was just feeding, but then I started thinking about my mom and how she's also a ripper. El, what if I've just been fooling myself into thinking I have control? What if it's hereditary?" He rambles as she rubs his back. "I lost control." He admits in a quiet tone as Elena makes eye contact with Klaus, who nods and leaves the room as Damon sits down on the other side of Stefan.
"Hey, Stef it's alright." Damon tries to calm his brother in a gentle tone as Stefan shakes his head.
"No. No, it's not alright." Stefan denies. "It's not alright. I lost control." He repeats as Elena stands, taking his hands in her and pulling him up.
"Come on." She says quietly, leading him to the bathroom. "Sit." She says as she sits him down on the edge of the bathtub. "Up." She says in a soft tone, raising his arm as he sends her a pointed look.
"I'm not a child." He says with a defeated sigh as she smiles slightly.
"Good, cause if you were, I'd definitely be in jail for all my thoughts." She jokes as she pulls his bloody shirt over his head and he lets out a breath through his nose. Elena grabs a towel and wets it under the sink before wiping Stefan's chin and neck of any blood. "Get a shirt, please." Elena says to Damon.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Elena asks after handing the shirt Damon retrieved to Stefan.
"I don't know what to say." Stefan says as he washes the blood off his hands in the sink. "Are you gonna lock me up now?" He asks with defeat.
"Why would we ever do that?" Elena asks with furrowed brows as he drys his hands.
"Aren't you worried I'm gonna go on a binge?" He asks looking between his brother and Elena with shame written across his face.
"Are you kidding? We'll join you." Elena replies, gesturing between herself and Damon as he sighs.
"I'm serious, El." He says as she nods.
"I know and I hate it." She admits, taking his hand in hers and pulling him back into the bedroom.
"Stef, you lost control, it happens. Alright, I do it all the time. It's no big deal." Damon says with a nonchalant shrug, patting Stefan on the shoulder.
"It is to me, Damon." Stefan says, taking a seat on the bed, Elena following. "I killed someone." He sighs. "And I know you think people are just cattle or whatever, but that's not how I feel, and that's not who I am." He says sadly in a quiet tone as Elena pulls him into a hug.
"I know. I'm sorry." She whispers in his ear as his arms tightens around her. "We're not locking you up." She promises as Damon sits down next to her.
Damon observes his brother's face pressed against Elena's neck with a smile. "Well at least we know the ripper's actually dead." He says making Stefan and Elena look to him with confusion. "You have your lips against her carotid. If you were lost in the sweet red sauce, dear Ellie's head would be on the other side of the room by now." He says with a laugh as Stefan looks at Elena's neck with furrowed brows, moving her hair out of the way and leaning forward.
"I don't want to kill you." He says, making eye contact with her before turning to his brother, "I don't want to kill her!" He exclaims loudly making Damon and Elena laugh at his expression.
"Well, I should hope not. It'd cost a fortune to get her blood out of the carpet." Klaus says with a smirk, leaning against the door frame as the three friends roll their eyes. "One of my minions took care of the body, you left a rather obvious trail of blood straight to our front door." Klaus criticizes, making them roll their eyes again.
"Klaus, stop calling the hybrids your minions. It's dehumanizing." She says as he scoffs.
"You insisted I pay them a yearly salary and provide lodging, I'm going to call them whatever I please." He tells hers. "Anyway, I have some things to take care of. I'll see you tonight." He says with a nod, turning around and walking away as Elena yells after him,
"Well who needs you. You were getting clingy anyway." She mutters childishly, before turning to the brothers with a wide smile. "Let's have a Salvatore/Ellie night!" Elena proposes as the two look to her with question. "You know like the council party and halloweekend. Just us chillin, seeing where the night goes." She explains, making them smile at each other.
"Okay. We're in. What would you like to do first?" Stefan asks as an excited smile spreads across her face.
"Alright, we have popcorn, of the sweet and salty variety." Elena says, setting down two bags of popcorn on the bed as the brothers watch her with amusement. "Comfy pajama pants to be worn by the two of you, shirts optional." She wiggles her eyebrows as they roll their eyes. "And Taxi Driver, 'You talkin' to me?" She quotes with squinted eyes making the brother laugh as she climbs into the middle of the bed.
"Scorsese?" Damon raises a brow as he sits down next to her.
"Stef loves him. Right?" She turns to Stefan as he nods, leaving the room and returning in his pajamas and laying on the other side of her.
"Isn't this cozy?" She asks as she makes herself comfortable between the two and plays the movie.
About half an hour into the movie, Stefan looks over to Elena with a smile before taking the remote and pausing the movie, making Elena and Damon look to him with confusion.
"Thank you." He tells her with a soft tone as she shrugs with a smile. "No really, I know you hate this movie. Thank you for pretending." He says as she grimaces slightly.
"Sorry. It's just, this movie is sooo boring and child prostitution is not my cup of tea." She admits, patting his arm as he laughs and shakes his head.
"Maybe I shouldn't avoid talking about what happened." He ponders, scooting down in the bed and putting his head on the pillow.
"Wanna do a sharing circle?" Elena asks as the brothers look to each other with identical expressions.
"What in the hell is a sharing circle?" Damon asks incredulously as she giggles.
"I do it with Rem. Whenever he was feeling down about our parents we would sit together in bed and take turns sharing our feelings. I read it in a parenting book after they died." She explains as they shrug. "Okay, I'll start, I feel bad for leaving my friends to come on this trip." She admits as they both pat her arm in comfort. "Now you." She says, turning to Damon.
"Uh, I feel… that Stefan should go before me." He says with furrowed brows as Stefan and Elena laugh.
"I feel horrible about what I did to that guy. I mean, he probably had a life and a family and a future that I took. And not for my survival or to save someone, but because I lost control. He didn't deserve it." Stefan finishes sadly as Elena lays down beside him and puts her chin on his arm before turning to look at the ceiling.
"I feel guilty for taking away your happiness." She confesses with vulnerability, surprising the brothers. "For taking away your epic loves." She continues as Stefan takes her hand.
"We might not be in love, but what we have is epic." Stefan says as Damon nods in agreement. "I've never trusted someone so fast or as easily. You're my best friend, El and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world." He tells her honestly as she shakes her slightly and looks to him.
"And I love you for saying that, Stef. But I never told you about you and OG Elena's life together." She says looking between the two with a guilty expression.
"It couldn't have been that great." Damon says shaking his head as Elena turns to him.
"But it was." She starts. "For years, you guys fought through unrequited love, murder sprees, guilt, feelings of unworthiness, sacrifices, werewolf bites, vampirism, 2000 year old psychopaths, prison worlds, lost memories, and a freaking magical coma just to be together. And it paid off, because you guys took the cure and had a family. You lived a long and happy life together and I took that away from you." She finishes, looking at the ceiling with a tear rolling down her cheek.
"Ellie, I don't want that." He shrugs as she sighs.
"Maybe not now-" Damon interrupts.
"No, not ever. And you know why?" He asks as she shakes her head. "Because you don't want that." He says as she flinched in shock.
"What I want is a long and happy life with you. And Stefan. And maybe even your little scooby gang. But not with her, some girl I've never even met. With you, my best friend, the girl who gave me my brother back and never once judged me for who I am." He finishes with a deep breath, laughing when Elena and Stefan continue to stare at him in shock with open mouths. "How's that for a sharing circle." He jokes smugly, snapping them out of their shock as Elena pulls him down to her level and wraps her body around his like a sloth.
"I love you. I love you. I love you." She kisses all over his face as Stefan laughs and leans into her side.
"Okay, okay. Enough. Go slobber all over Stefan." He says with a smile, wiping his face as she smiles down at him, then pulls both brothers into a hug.
"I feel loved." She says teasingly with a nod making them laugh and cling tighter to her. "You know, someone once said 'As long as I have a Salvatore on each arm, I'm doomed." She says, running both hands through their hair. "What does having one on each tit mean?" She asks observing they way they are laying across her, throwing all three of them into heavy laughter.
Elena pushes them off and stands on the bed as they both smile up at her. "Let's go out." She says as she starts bouncing.
"Where would you like to go?" Stefan asks with amusement as she stops bouncing and brings her hand to her chin in thought.
"Milkshakes!" She yells, jumping off the bed with two laughing Salvatores following.
"Thank you, hun." Elena flirts with the girl behind the counter while she sets down their milkshakes as the Salvatores rolls their eyes with a smile.
"That'll be $9.25." The girl says with a blush across her cheeks.
"I got it, this is on me." Elena says, holding out her hand to stop Damon from pulling out his wallet before reaching for her own. "Who's card shall I use today?" She asks herself. "Nikky's? The Suit's? Uncle Dad? Damon's?" She leans away, dodging Damon's attempt to grab his card. "Mr. Lockwolf's?" Elena whispers longingly as the brothers look to her in disbelief.
"I'm sorry. You have the mayor of Mystic Falls, presumably stolen, credit card in your wallet?" Damon asks with wide eyes as she sighs.
"I don't use it. I just like the power." She admits, stroking the card creepily as Stefan stares at her with furrowed brows and pursed lips.
"El, don't take this the wrong way, but out of anyone I've ever met, you have the most potential to be a real life super villain." Stefan tells her as she brings a hand to her heart and tilts her head.
"Thank you." She whispers with genuine gratitude, eyes watering slightly before she sighs. "But sadly, that won't happen. I have all of the charisma, but none of the social ties to the community." She adds with disappointment, making the brothers laugh as the girl behind the counter stares at them in confusion.
"I'm sorry. Is that a stolen card?" She asks with concern as Damon rolls his eyes and makes contact with her.
"No, everything's fine." He compels, she smiles and nods.
"Oh my god. Please." Elena says with wide doe eyes as they come across a bar with a 'karaoke night' sign in their window while walking down the street.
"Absolutely not." Damon says at the same time Stefan says, "Never in a million years."
"I like big butts and I cannot lie
You other brothers can't deny
That when a girl walks in with an itty bitty waist and a round thing in your face, you get sprung
Wanna pull up tough 'cause you notice that butt was stuffed
Deep in the jeans she's wearin'
I'm hooked and I can't stop starin'
Oh, baby, I wanna get wit'cha
And take your picture
My homeboys tried to warn me
But that butt you got makes" Elena and Damon point to Stefan
"M-me so horny!' He says into the mic as the bar patron cheer them on.
"Oh, Rump-o'-smooth-skin
You say you wanna get in my Benz?
Well, use me, use me
'Cause you ain't that average groupie
I've seen 'em dancin'
To hell with romancin'
She's sweat, wet
Got it goin' like a turbo 'Vette
I'm tired of magazines
Sayin' flat butts are the thing
Take the average black man and ask him that
She gotta pack much back
So, fellas!"
"Yeah!" Stefan rolls his eyes with a smile.
"Fellas!" Elena and Damon yell.
"Yeah!" Stefan repeats.
"Has your girlfriend got the butt?" They asks the crowd.
"Hell yeah!" They scream back.
"Tell 'em to shake it!"
"Shake it!" Stefan yells into the mic
"Shake that healthy butt!
Baby got back!" They finish with a laugh, making their way down the stage and walking to the bar.
"Was that so bad?" She asks smugly as they roll their eyes.
"No, it was very fun." Stefan admits as she smiles brightly.
"You bet your fine ass it was." She says before turning to the bartender. "What would you recommend to someone who is being crushed by the weight of eternal guilt?" She asks as the bartender furrows his brows in thought.
"Cheap tequila on an empty stomach." He says with a nod before she turns to Stefan.
"Four for the gentleman!" She says, throwing an arm around Stefan's shoulder and hitting the bar.
"Shit." Elena says under her breath as she stumbles through Klaus's bedroom door, only slightly tipsy. She swears.
"You look like you had fun." Klaus says with amusement as she nods her head frantically.
"And you look adorable." She she replies, bopping his nose as she climbs over him in bed, accidentally kneeling him in the ribs, causing him to groan.
"Sorry." She whispers, trying to sit next to him with a serious expression.
"Did you wait up for me?" She asks, making him roll his eyes.
"I did give my word to your aunt to keep you safe. It would have been broken had the ripper, well ripped your head off." He defends him self as she smirks at him.
"I'm sure. But Stef's fine. He just had a slip up. He's strong. If anyone can get through this, it's him." She says definitively, laying her head on his shoulder.
"You guys are very close. Clearing he's attracted to you and with as much as you flirt with him, the same could be said for you. Why didn't you ever get together?" He asks with curiosity.
"I'm aromantic." She says simply before continuing, "I don't feel romantic attraction-" He interrupts with a nod.
"I know what it means." He laughs lightly.
"I don't really talk about, I mean I'm not ashamed or anything I just don't really care about labels. And if I have a feeling, I'll go with it." She shrugs before looking over to him. "You're the first person I've ever slept with that I had an emotional connection with first." He raises is brows in surprise. "Always sex first then we become friends, because I don't if you know this or not, but I'm very loveable." She teases. "You fall somewhere between causal lay and baby boo." She admits as they laugh.
"I'm good with that." He replies with a smile as she nods.
"Me too." She says with a kiss before he pulls back with a scrunched nose. "What? Don't like tequila and milkshakes?" She asks teasingly as he smiles and silent shakes his head. "But if I did feel romantic attraction, oooh I would have reversed haremed all you bitches." She says making him laugh as she scoots down in the bed.
"Do I wanna know what that means?" He asks, coping her and letting her lay her head on his chest.
"Probably not." She says with a smile.
After a few moments of silence she looks at him with her chin on his chest and wide vulnerable eyes. "Is Stef gonna be okay?" She whispers as he looks down at her, moving the hair off her forhead.
"He's got you, hasn't he?" He replies, making her smile and nod.
"Always." She whispers back, laying her head down and drifts off to sleep as he stares at nothing while rubbing her back.
She suddenly shoots up and looks to him with wide eyes. "Will you make waffles in the morning?" She asks with urgency, making him laugh and nod.
"Sure." He replies kissing her head as she falls back asleep.
We need to send her flowers and champagne and those chocolate covered fruit platter thingies." Elena lists off as she lays on her stomach with furrowed brows.
"And you're completely certain your friend is going to win?" Klaus asks from his spot, laying across her naked back as she nods.
"Yes. I saw it and even if I didn't, Caroline Forbes was born to be Miss Mystic Falls. Obsessive, peppy, perky, organized, she's a judge panel's wet dream." She says wistfully. "You know, my mom won back in her day." She adds with a smile.
"Really? You were raised by someone who won a pageant?" He asks with disbelief, making her roll her eyes with a snort.
"Yeah, you know my dad was a doctor, right? They were the poster children for a nuclear family. We were like the Bradys except Remy and I don't want to fuck each other." He rolls his eyes with an amused smile.
Knock Knock
They hear Stefan call out from the otherside of the door, "Hey, Me and Damon are gonna go get something to, uh, eat…" He trails off nervously as Elena rolls over with a worried expression, pushing Klaus off of her and pulling his henley over her head.
Running to the door and throwing it open, Elena tackles Stefan into a tight hug that he immediately reciprocates, she pulls away with a kind smile. "You'll do great." She assures as he rubs the back of his neck. "Seriously. And if you hurt someone, well I won't care, but I will be here for you." She promises as he smiles at her with a nod.
"Thank you." He says before looking towards Klaus, finding him only in a sheet and looks back to Elena, raising a brow at her lack of clothing. "Damon and I were here all day, and so were his hybrids." He says with confusion as she smirks.
"One way sound proofing. Gotta love witches." She says with a wide smile as he laughs and shakes his head.
"Goodbye, Elena." He says, sending her a fond smile before leaving the door way.
"Love you, Steffy." She yells, laughing when she hears a quiet 'Don't call me Steffy' as she makes her way back to the bed and lays across Klaus's chest.
"Back to my Care Bear, can you paint her a portrait, or is that too much?" She asks, moving her head to face him and finding him staring off into space. "Hey, you good?" She asks, waving her hand in front of his face.
"How do you do that? He asks as she stares at him in confusion.
"What?"she asks, resting her chin on his chest as he looks down at her.
"Ignore the things we do?" He says as she continues to stare in confusion.
"I don't follow."
"Stefan, Damon, myself, how do you ignore all the terrible things we do? Stefan took a life the other day, and regardless of your self proclaimed apathy, you're still a kind, good natured, and relatively innocent person. How do you ignore that?" He asks as she turns on her back with a thoughtful expression before smiling and releasing a small laugh.
"I don't." At his now confused expression she continues, "Loving someone is loving all of them. The parts they hide or are ashamed of. The parts others cower from and the parts they, themselves hate." She turns, resting her head in her hand. "If I were to love you for just these moments, the laying in bed and asking weird questions or when you make fun of shitty movies with me, and not love you when you're being a complete fucking psychopath, then I wouldn't love you, I'd just love one part of you. Every detail. Every bad deed, every forehead kiss, every moment of tenderness, and every innocent life threatened, that's who you are. How could I ever claim to love you, if I hate any part?" She asks, lightly tracing his lips with her finger as he stares at her with an unreadable expression.
"You love me?" He with disbelief as she rolls her eyes.
"Duh." She replies, before straddling his waist with a smirk. "So, are you gonna asks another emotionally loaded question or can we have sex again?" She asks, snapping him out of his daze before a playful smirk spreads across his lips and he flips her over and lightly bites her neck with blunt teeth, making her giggle and push his shoulders.
"Hey, hey, hey, rule number four, remember?" He raises a brow as she grins at him. "Never get high on your own supply." She laughs at her own joke as he smiles down at her.
"You are one strange human." He meets her eyes as she smiles.
"So I've been told." She replies, kissing him before her phone rings.
"One minute. Keep this energy." She says, sitting up and climbing over him, grabbing her phone before grimacing at the caller ID.
"Ahoy, BD." She answers as Klaus looks at her with a raised brow, making her shrug as she hears a sigh on the other end.
"Elena." The voice greets. "What does BD stand for?" They ask with slight amusement.
"Bio dad. But also, big di- um, you know what? Never mind. What's up?" She asks awkwardly.
"Just calling to check on you. How have you been?" John asks with an odd tone as she makes a face.
"Things are great! I'm great. Still top of my class and kicking Sarah Fell's ass at everything I do." She lies with only minimal guilt.
"Really?" He asks with mock surprise as she purses her lips. "That's great, sweetheart. Except I'm standing in your kitchen, where a fairly large white board reads 'Days since Ellie left with that old dude to pay for Kat's freedom'. Isn't that strange?" He asks as she curses under her breath.
"Ugh, dammit Jer Bear, if ever a time to be nondescript! Just listen-" He cuts her off.
"What the hell is going on, Elena?" He asks with anger lacing his tone.
"Alright, obviously this looks bad. But, I can explain." She says in a soothing tone, trying to calm him.
"I'm listening." He states with, she's assuming, a very clenched jaw.
" ... Fine, he hit it right on the head. I left with Klaus in exchange for Katherine's freedom. Look, before you freak, I know you don't approve-" He interrupts.
"Come home right now." He demands sternly as she smiles slightly.
"That's not really how kidnapping works, pop." She jokes as she hears something shattering on the other end.
"This is not a joke, Elena. You need to come home. Anything could happen to you. Klaus is a monster, he could do anything to you!" He shouts with worry, she smothers a smirk as Klaus places lazy kisses across her bare shoulders.
"John, listen to me." She demands in a serious tone, surprising both him and Klaus. "I am very grateful that you care so much about my well being, but it's unnecessary. I may have left some things out in our last few conversations, but you and I both know you would have tried to ruin my plans. I'm fine. I'm safe. And I'm healthy. I will be back eventually, and Jenna makes me call her everyday with updates of my whereabouts." She takes a deep breath. "Speaking of my saint of an aunt, I swear to god, John, if you make her feel like shit for letting me leave, I will do something crazy and Ellie like. Understood?" She asks as she hears John sigh.
"I'm just worried about you." He admits reluctantly as she smiles.
"I know. But, you don't need to be, because I'm fine. Anyway, why are Mystic Falls? Is something wrong?" She questions, changing the subject.
"About that… Isobel called." He says as a large smile appears on her face.
"Really? How is mommy dearest. Still carry around your balls in her handbag?" She asks with mock curiosity as Klaus snorts from behind her.
"It's not like that." He says through gritted teeth. "She called and said Katherine went radio silent, she wanted me to check on you." He says as she rolls her eyes.
"Wow. Egg donor of the year!" She says cheers sarcastically.
"Elena." He reprimands with a sigh.
"Johnathan." She replies in the same tone. "I know what you're going to say, so don't. If she wanted to be in my life, she could've been. Look, I gotta go. Don't be a dick to Jen or Remy, okay?" Elena asks before hanging up, not waiting for his response.
"You okay-" She cuts off his question with a nod and a fake smile.
"Totally. Where were we?" She asks, wiggling her brows before kissing him. He pulls away and raises a brow, making her huff.
"I will be." She assures, kissing him again as he pulls her into his lap. Her phone rings again, making them both groan.
"Ignore it." He mumbles against her lip as she sends him an apologetic look, reaching for her phone.
"It could be Rem." She says before looking at the caller ID and squealing loudly.
"Talk dirty to me." She answers as Klaus looks at her with amusement.
"Kitty Kat!" Elena shouts with excitement as she runs past the group of werewolves, straight into Katherine's arms.
"Calm down, would you?" She reprimands with a small smile, trying to avoid looking past Elena's head.
"Now, now, Katerina. She's just happy to see you. After all, she did pay for your ability to be here with her freedom." Klaus tsks, shaking his head, making Katherine's body tense as Elena sends her an apologetic smile.
"Hey, we talked about this." Elena says, turning to Klaus, who only smirks in return.
"El." Elena hears a familiar voice say from behind her, causing her to turn around with a grin.
"Mason Lockwood." She greets. "It's been awhile. Still blowing your inheritance on surfboards and flip flops?" She asks innocently as he rolls his eyes.
"How's Ty?" He ignores her insult as she smiles at the mention of her friend.
"He's great. You'd know that, if you ever called." She snarks as Katherine clears her throat.
"Alright, that's enough. We have some things to take care of, I will see you later." She pats Mason's cheek as she grabs Elena's arm and pulls her away before stopping and turning back to him. "It's been fun. No hard feelings." She says, confusing him as Elena snickers.
"I expect her back, unharmed by tomorrow. If she so much as stubs her toe, I will remind you exactly why you ran from me for half a millennium." Klaus threatens Katherine as they walk past him, making Katherine's heart race and Elena roll her eyes.
"I'll be fine. Stop threatening her." Elena says to him before leaning in and whispering something in his ear, kissing his cheek as she pulls away. She turns around, facing the thoroughly confused pack of wolves. "Bye, Mason." She calls out teasingly as Katherine pulls her away. "I always knew he wanted to fuck me." She says smugly as Katherine shakes her head with a smile.
"So, what have you been up to these last few months?" Katherine asks Elena after the waiter sets down their food.
"Besides hitting all the hottest tourist sites of bumfuck USA and developing slight alcoholism?" She jokes, making her doppelgänger snort. "No, I'm kidding. It's been great. Really great." She smirks as Katherine raises a brow. "Don't worry, not your Salvatores. Or is it a certain impeccably dressed original you're worried about?" Elena questions teasingly as Katherine stares at her incredulously.
"You didn't." She states with disbelief as Elena takes a bite of her fry with a wide grin and shrugs. "You slept with Klaus? Like, the Klaus?" She continues, making Elena roll her eyes.
"It's not a big deal. Let's talk about you." Elena changes the subject as Katherine holds up her hands in surrender. "What have you been doing? What do you do when you're not running for your life, destroying brotherly bonds, or building my sacrificial altar?" Elena asks, taking a sip of her milkshake and sending her doppelgänger a pointed look as the vampire rolls her eyes.
"God, that was months ago. Are you ever gonna get over it?" Katherine asks, making Elena scoff.
"My deepest apologies." She replies sarcastically, throwing a fry at Katherine. "How goes the search for your spawn?" She asks as Katherine sends her an unimpressed look, making her smile.
"Not great, travelers are annoyingly well hidden. There's a coven a few hours away I'm going to talk to." Katherine answers as Elena's brows furrow.
"I figured you could just contact everyone you know and tell them to get the word out about Nadia." Elena says as Katherine shakes her head with annoyance.
"I've made countless enemies in my effort to hide from Klaus. And the only thing keeping those aware of my runaway status from hunting me, is the threat of facing Klaus's wrath. If people know I'm free, they will come for me." She explains as Elena nods. "Whatever, I'll figure it out, I always do. Let's get back to you hooking up with the man that killed you." Katherine changes the subject as Elena laughs.
"There's nothing to say. It just happened." She shrugs as Katherine mock shivers.
"But, him?" She judges.
"We've been on the road for months and having to constantly explain my kinks to randos, gets kinda old, so it was either him or the Salvatores and you have dibs on them. Or guess I could have tried to get with Eli. I'm surprised he didn't try to go three for three." Elena comments as Katherine rolls her eyes.
"I understand the logistics, but he just so…" She trails off, making Elena interject.
"Angry?" She asks. "Scary? Controlling? Temperamental? Dickish?" Elena offers as Katherine nods.
"Yes. And self satisfied and arrogant." Katherine criticizes as Elena shrugs.
"I know, and I'm into it. His whole 'you are beneath me' thing, makes me want to get beneath him. Or on top. Or from behind, or on the side. Or against a wall." She trails off with a dazed smile as Katherine fake gags in disgust.
"I'm not coming to the wedding." Katherine states sternly, making Elena laugh.
"That's really too bad. Because I wanted you to be the maid of honor and I'm sure Elijah would be best man." Elena responds, wiggling her eyebrows as Katherine rolls her eyes.
"Where is Elijah?" Katherine tries to ask causally, making Elena raise a brow in challenge. "I just assumed he would be with Klaus. I don't care." She says as Elena nods.
"Of course not. And I'm not sure. That dude is a mystery. He just pops in every few towns to chastise Klaus, then leaves." Elena tells a very uninterested Katherine. "Hey, maybe he knows about travelers." Elena says with a thoughtful expression as Katherine shakes her head.
"No, I really don't want to get involved with him. Or any of the originals for that matter." Katherine says making Elena shrug.
"You said there was a coven a few hours away." Katherine nods. "Let's go." Elena says, bouncing in her seat as Katherine raises a brow. "Oh, come on. I promised to help you find Nadia. This is me helping." Elena says, standing up and dragging Katherine out of her seat.
"That's not cliché." Elena says sarcastically as they stand outside an occult shop.
"You know what they say about hiding in plain sight." Katherine replies as they walk inside.
"That it's stupid and only tricks idiots." She whispers back as they walk towards the back of the small shop.
"How can I help you today?" The woman behind the counter asks with a smile before turning a glare on Katherine. "Out." She demands. "We don't get involved in-" Elena interrupts.
"In vampire business. Yeah, yeah, we've heard it all before. Fortunately for you, this has nothing to do with bloodsuckers. We need you to tell us everything you know about the travelers, and how exactly to find them." Elena rushes out at Katherine and the witch stare at her in disbelief. "Uh, I mean, could you please help us." She corrects herself weakly.
"Ellie, shut up." Katherine commands with a smile before turning to the witch.
"My name's Katherine." The vampire introduces herself as the witch raises a hand and makes a fist, causing Katherine to drop to the ground in pain, grabbing her head.
"Oh, I know. Doppelgängers. I would've thought you were twins if you didn't have that old magic surrounding you." The witch says as Katherine stands with gritted teeth and glare at her.
"I'm not here to hurt anyone, I really do just need some information." She says as the witch makes a surprised face at the emotion in Katherine's voice.
"What would you want with the travelers?" She asks defensively as Elena sighs and turns around, deciding to wander the shop.
"That's not important." Katherine says keeping an eye on Elena as a man comes down the stairs and looks to the witch with concern.
"May, who are they?" He asks before his eyes widen and he lifts his fist, making Katherine grab her head again.
"Stop. They're just here for information." The witch named May defends lamely, making the man release Katherine as she glares with annoyance.
"The next person to do that is getting their throat ripped out." She threatens making Elena laugh as she accidentally drops something.
"I'll pay for that." She calls out as the man stares at her with furrowed brows.
"Doppelgängers?" He asks as May nods, causing him to send an unreadable look to Elena before turning to Katherine.
"What do you want?" He asks with hostility, making the Petrova women roll their identical eyes.
"They asked about travelers." May supplies, making him nod and and walk further into the shop, pulling a book from and brings it to them, dropping it on the counter aggressively.
"There. Traveler history. That'll be $26.34, have a nice day." He says with false enthusiasm as the vampire sends him a threatening look.
"I have it on good authority that someone in this coven knows where to find some travelers. I'm willing to pay." Katherine says, trying to hide her desperation from the two skeptical witches as they look to each other in silent conversation.
"Fine. But I never want to see you again. Forget this coven's existence and we have a deal." May says, making Katherine nod.
"Good choice, I'm sure she would have started to threaten your family members." Elena says coming up behind Katherine and setting something down on the counter. "Also, you sure about not wanting any money? This place could do with hiring a maid of some sort. Kinda dusty." She adds, wiping her hands on her pants as the witches look to her incredulously. "Or, you do you." She holds her hands up before turning Katherine. "Can I have that?" She asks, pointing to the crystal sitting on the counter and widening her doe eyes, making her doppelgänger roll her eyes and nod.
"Whatever." She answers, turning to the witches. "Tell me how to find the travelers and I'll take the crystal." Katherine says, making Elena bounce happily, grabbing the stone and tossing it up in the air and catching it.
"Philly?" Elena asks with disbelief as the two doppelgängers make their way back to Katherine's car.
"Yep. You have a problem with Philadelphia or something?" She asks, making Elena shake her head.
"No. It's just, you can be anywhere and you choose Philly? Not even New York?" She asks as Katherine shrugs while they get in the car. "I'm kinda disappointed." Elena says with a sigh as the vampire looks to her with confusion.
"About Philadelphia?" She asks, making Elena laugh.
"No. I was kinda hoping we'd have to kick some ass." She says as Katherine raises a brow. "Okay, fine. I was hoping to see you kick some ass." She corrects herself as Katherine shakes her head.
"I'm a hell of a negotiator. No need for violence when you can talk your way out of any situation." Katherine swings her hair smugly as she starts her car, making Elena giggle.
"Right, I forgot. You're a master manipulator." Elena says dramatically as Katherine nods.
"And don't you forget it. And put your seatbelt on." She scolds as Elena rolls her eyes.
"Aww, you're such a good mommy." She pinches the vampire's cheek with a pout, going silent when Katherine only looks out the window with a blank expression. "You are, Kat. I told you, Nadia's gonna love you." Elena promises, squeezing her hand with a smile.
Katherine's about to reply when the car suddenly makes a loud sound, stopping in the middle of the seat as Elena looks around suspiciously.
"Oh, no. I've seen this movie before, only one of us will make it. You've already lived such a long life, Kitty Kat!" She exclaims with panic in her voice as Katherine sends her a look and unbuckles her seat belt, opening her door and stepping out of the car. "Don't go out there!" Elena shouts her warning.
Elena watches through through the windshield as Katherine pops the hood.
Elena rolls down the window. "I don't know what you're doing, but you look super hot while doing it." She says, climbing halfway out of the window.
"There's nothing wrong." Katherine says with suspicion, quickly looking behind her hearing a noise. "Get back in the-" She cuts herself off with a groan, dropping to her knees and gripping her head tightly.
"Kat!" Elena exclaims with worry, climbing out of the window and running toward her vampire doppelgänger before being thrown to the ground by an invisible force.
"Sorry." She hears a familiar voice say without remorse, looking up seeing the male witch from the shop. "It's not personal. You really shouldn't have messed with things." He says, shaking his head slightly as she looks up to him with fear in her eyes.
"I don't know what you're talking abo-" He interrupts her with a condescending head tilt.
"Witches talk, doppelgänger. Especially dead witches. You think we haven't heard of you?" He asks as she looks to Katherine, finding her nearly passed out on the ground. "There are consequences to our actions. But, before I kill you, I'm curious, what is your strange aura around you? Why do you feel like a ghost?" He asks as she lets tears drip down her face.
"Please." She says, letting him walk closer towards her. "I'll stop changing things, just please don't kill me." She pleads with desperation as he leans down.
"I'm sorry." He says, blinking in surprise when she meets his eye with a wide grin.
"Kat, now!" She shouts, reaching into her boot and pulling out her knife, and lodging it in his side, making him lose control of his magic. He grabs his side and groans as Katherine quickly speeds to him, ripping out his heart from behind, pushing his body down and dropping in front of Elena.
"Are you okay?" She asks, checking Elena over for injuries with worried eyes.
"I'm fine. I promise." She says holding up her hands, wincing at the scrapes across her hands.
"Come on." Katherine says, helping her stand and walking her back to the car and popping the trunk before walking back to the body and throwing it over her shoulder, placing it in the truck.
After getting in the car and buckling her seat belt, Elena leans her head against her window with a sigh. "Shit." She breathes in defeat.
"I warned you what I would do if anything happened to her." Klaus says with a threatening gleam in his eye as Katherine takes a fearful step back.
"Stop." Elena says with exasperation, stepping in front of Klaus. "I'm okay, she protected me. What happened with the wolves? You leave Mason alone?" She tries to distract him as he continues to glare at Katherine.
"Yes, though his pack wasn't too happy with him." He answers, making her chuckle. "And they really weren't happy to learn of their fallen pack member's sacrifice." He adds with amusement.
"I should go." Katherine says after observing the two with confusion. "I'll see you around, Ellie." She hugs her, releasing her with a smile.
"I'll miss you." Elena pouts childishly, making the vampire roll her eyes. "Bye, Kat." She says with a fond smile before Katherine walks out of the room.
"Huh, she's not as unbearable as I remember." Klaus comments with a smirk as Elena laughs.
"Well, she wouldn't say the same." Elena responds, walking past him to the bar and grabbing a bottle, immediately removing the cap and drinking from the bottle, making the hybrid raise a brow. "So, how long do you think I've got left? We should start a dead pool. My money's on 2 years." She says dropping down on the couch and leaning her head back.
"What exactly did the witch say to you?" Klaus questions, making his way to her and removing the bottle from her hand, causing her to whine and reach for it.
"Our actions have consequences." She mocks the dead witch's voice. "Apparently, dead witches talk." She adds miserably as he stares off into space for a moment before turning to her.
"Well, when you're done throwing yourself this pity party, I have a surprise." He tries to cheer her as she looks to him with concealed excitement.
"A surprise?" She asks, making him nod. "What kind of surprise?" She asks as he shrugs with an innocent expression and leans back.
"I just thought maybe you'd like to give your friend her congratulatory flowers in person." He says casually as she jumps and stares at him with an open mouth.
"What are you saying?" She asks with a smile, already knowing the answer.
"I have enough hybrids and my house is finally finished, also Elijah won't stop hounding me about when I plan to awaken our siblings." He rolls his eyes as she laughs. "And since you can't seem to stay out of trouble," He teases. "I think it's time we go home." He says, smiling when she jumps up and down and wraps him in a tight hug.
"Thank you." She mutters into his neck with a smile.
This is a terrible idea, Ellie." Damon hisses from below Elena as she uses his head to hoist herself up a tree.
"Shh. And no, it's awesome." She says, balancing on a tree branch as Enzo watches her with amusement, Damon with annoyance, and Stefan with his usual concern for her general well being.
"I don't understand why we don't just go in through the front door? We can hear if they're in the room." Damon says as Elena looks down at him with disappointment.
"Your Stefan is showing." She says with a head shake before turning to Enzo and holding up her hand. "Gimme." She says, making him toss her a piece of black fabric. Elena pulls the fabric over her head and looks down to them with a smile visible through the ski mask and a thumbs up.
"Sneaking into his room through a second story window isn't frightening enough? You want him to think he's being kidnapped?" Stefan asks, making her roll her eyes and push open the window.
"You guys don't know him like me, he's gonna love this." She assures, climbing through the window, the three vampires following.
Elena enters her brother's room through the window hoping to find him sleeping in his bed, disappointed and shocked that he's already awake at noon on a Saturday, she decides to check on her room and enters through their conjoined bathroom, stopping in her tracks with a look of disbelief that quickly turns to into a large smile as she pulls out her phone and beings taking pictures of Jeremy asleep in her bed and holding the stuffed panda bear he got her years ago.
"Aww." She says out loud, causing Jeremy to open his eyes and immediately yell.
"Aaah!" He exclaims, scooting off the bed and falling on the ground as she grabs her stomach in laughter. "Ellie?" He asks with disbelief as she pulls off the mask, still laughing.
"Sup." She says with a nod as he looks between Elena, her phone, the bed before his expression morphs into horror.
"No." He says walking towards her with his hand out as she shakes her head. "Give me the phone, Elena." He says in a serious tone, making her slowly bring the phone to his hand before smiling mischievously and pulling it away, quickly turning around and running out of the room as Jeremy runs after her. "Dammit. Delete it, Ellie!" He yells as she giggles.
"Not a chance." She says as he chases her down the stairs. "Hey, Jen." Elena says as she jumps over the couch, past Jenna as she reads a book.
"Ellie?" She asks with shock before Jeremy tackles Elena to the ground. "Jeremy!" She scolds as he holds Elena's arms down.
"Give me the phone." He says, struggling to reach the phone.
"Catch." Elena calls to Jenna as she slides the phone to her aunt, who picks it up and puts her hands on her hips.
"Stop! The both of you." Jenna demands, making the siblings stop their struggle and look to her. "What the hell is happening?" She asks with wide eyes.
"Rem was cuddling Mx. Bamboo." Elena tries to says as Jeremy puts a hand over her mouth
"Ellie broke in with a ski mask and tried to kill me." Jeremy says, making Jenna and Elena roll their eyes.
"Get off your sister." Jenna says, making Jeremy stand and stick his hand out for Elena, as he helps her up, Jenna and Jeremy stare at her with question as she raises her hand in a small wave.
"Hey, guys." She says with a smile as her aunt and brother look to each other before tackling her into a group hug, making Elena laugh.
"What are you doing here?" Jenna whispers, pulling away from the hug with soft eyes.
"I wanted to surprise you!" She shrugs as Jeremy laughs into her shoulder.
"Mission accomplished." He says, pulling away with a smile. "You're back." He states softly, making her nod.
"Yep. So, how ya been?" She asks the two casually, as she walks towards the front door and opens it, revealing three amused vampires. "You may enter." She says to Enzo, he follows the brothers inside.
"I'm sorry, Jenna. We tried to stop her." Stefan says immediately with his hands surrendered, making Elena roll her eyes as she walks past him.
"Kiss ass." She whispers teasingly, pulling Enzo towards her family members. "Jen, Rem, this is Enzo. Enzo, this is my amazing Aunt Jenna and my wonderful little brother Jeremy." She introduces them as Enzo takes Jenna's hand and kisses the back with a charming grin.
"It's a pleasure, love." He says as she smiles.
"You're Lorenzo st. John, right?" She asks as he nods and drops her hand. "Ellie told us about you, I'm really sorry about the whole Augustine thing." She apologizes before smiling. "I'm glad they got you out." She says as Jeremy shakes his hand.
"Yeah, me too." Jeremy adds with a smile before he turns to Elena with a grimace. "Hey, you know that uncle John's here right?" He asks as Elena smirks.
"Why do you think they're here? I thought an introduction was in order." She explains gesturing to vampires as Jenna sends her a disapprovingly look.
"I hope you know what you're doing." She says, making Elena nod as Jenna sighs. "He's out back." She admits.
"Thanks, Jen. Love you." Elena says, kissing her aunt on the cheek as she runs out of the room.
Elena makes her way to the backyard, stopping in front of a large shed. As she hears grunting coming from the inside she slides open the door, making John look to her in surprise before turning back to the dummy, punching the chest and releasing a stake from the contraption strapped to his arm.
"You listened." He states, making her roll her eyes as she walks closer to him.
"Technically, Klaus listened." She says, removing the stake from the dummy and setting it down on the table next to them.
"Klaus Mikaelson." He shakes his head with irritation.
"Don't start-" He interrupts her.
"You should have told me." He says loudly as she sighs. "I knew you kept things to yourself, but this? Letting him kill you without telling me?" He continues with anger as she looks down. "Leaving? What if he had killed you? What would Jeremy have done? Jenna? Me?" He exclaims.
"I'm sorry. Okay? But, you would have tried to stop me." She explains as he runs a hand over his face.
"Of course I would have. I'm your-" he cuts himself with a sigh as she sends him a sad smile.
"Come inside. I've got a surprise." She says, leading him out of the shed before stopping and turning to him with a grin. "You're gonna hate it." He shakes his head with a small smile, following her inside the house.
"Salvatores?" John asks Ellie as she raises her brows in surprise. "Isobel mentioned them." He admits, making her roll her eyes.
"Guys this is my uncle/bio dad John, John this is Damon, Stefan, and Enzo." She says pointing to each of them as John glares at each of them, Elena clicks her tongue and wrings her hands awkwardly before continuing, "Um, so you guys are vampires and he's a vampire hunter, discuss." She says, making them all send her a look. "Oh, and just so we're clear." She turns to John. "If you hurt any of them, I will turn you into a vampire." She says with a smile as John looks to her with eyes. "Now." She claps. "I've got a pageant to get to."
"Damn." Elena whistles, leaning against the doorway of Caroline's dressing room. "Already look this good without your makeup." Elena shakes her head as Caroline makes eye contact through her mirror before quickly standing and turning around.
"Ellie? What are you- oh my god!" She exclaims with an excited smile, running towards Elena, pulling her into a tight hug as she bounces up and down. "How are you here?" She asks, pulling away slightly before hugging her again.
"You think I'd miss you being crowned Miss Mystic Falls?" Elena asks with mock offense as Caroline rolls her eyes.
"We don't know if I'm gonna win." Caroline says, Elena raises a brow in challenge and Caroline sighs with a smile. "Okay, I'm gonna win." She says reluctantly, making Elena laugh.
"There we go! Confidence is key, my dear." She says, following Caroline back to the vanity. Elena begins doing Caroline's hair as Caroline looks at her through the mirror with a smile.
"I can't believe you're here. We really missed you." She says with emotion in her voice, making Elena smile back at her.
"I missed you too." She leans down, kissing Caroline's cheek. "So what are we gonna do to celebrate? I'm thinking dinner at the grill. What do you think?" Elena asks, tapping Caroline's shoulder, noticing her faraway expression.
"What if I don't win, Ellie? Caroline asks with insecurity as Elena scoffs.
"Are you kidding? I will Tonya Harding, all these bitches if I have to." Elena says, making Caroline giggle. "But, that's not necessary and you know it. You're Caroline Forbes. This title is your birthright!" She declares dramatically. "So let me hear you say it." Elena gestures for Caroline to speak.
"I'm gonna win." She says with a nod and a laugh.
"Damn right you are!" Elena exclaims with excitement.
"Hey, look what Bonnie and I stole. Okay, I stole." Vicki corrects herself as she and Bonnie enter the room, immediately taking notice of Elena. "Holy shit! El, when- what?" She rushes out as Bonnie squeals, running towards Elena, pulling her into a tight hug.
"Surprise!" Elena cheers with a grin that's returned by all three girls.
"Are you back? Like for good?" Bonnie asks with a hopeful expression, Elena nods with a smile, making the group cheer and hug her again.
"Okay, okay. As much as I adore your attention," Elena starts, causing the group to roll their eyes. "Our precious Care Bear needs to get ready. And I need to drink some of this." She adds, taking the bottle of champagne from Vicki's hand with a smirk.
"Miss Caroline Forbes and her escort, Tyler Lockwood." Mayor announces Caroline and his son with a smile that makes Elena roll her eyes before she claps and cheers loudly for her friends.
As the pair makes their way towards the dance floor, Tyler's eyes widen at the sight of his best friend, making Caroline giggle quickly as Elena sends him a quick wink.
"Care looks amazing." Vicki says proudly as she hands Elena a glass of champagne.
"She always does." Bonnie agrees with a smile as they watch the blonde glide across the dance floor.
"Where's Matty?" Elena asks, looking around as Vicki shakes her head.
"He's working." She says, making Elena's eyes snap to her.
"When did he get a job? Why did he get a job?" She asks as Vicki sighs and Bonnie sends the older girl an encouraging smile.
"Mom came home while you were away. She needed the money." Vicki answers bitterly as Elena clenches her fists.
"Seriously? Is she still here?" Elena asks, Vicki shakes her head as she watches Caroline.
"Nope, bailed as soon as she got it. Whatever, we're better off." She says with a fake smile, Elena grabs her hand and sends her a smile.
"You are. I'm sorry I wasn't here." She apologizes sincerely as Vicki smiles slightly.
"That was incredible!" Elena exclaims with an excited cheer as the group of friends enter the Mystic Grill. "Did you see her face when she lost? The utter devastation, disguised by a humble smile." She continues with a faraway smile as the group sends her a look. "I mean, Caroline winning was the best part, obviously. Sarah losing was just a bonus." She adds sheepishly as they smile at her. "Order me a burger, I'm gonna go find Matty." Elena says as they are seated.
Elena makes her way through the crowded restaurant, searching for the blonde quarterback. She stops suddenly as she sees him before running over and tapping him on the shoulder. "Excuse me sir." She says in an accent as he turns around.
"Ye- Lena?" He asks with shock as she smiles widely and laughs.
"Hey, how's it going?" She asks before grunting when he pulls her into a tight hug.
"When did you get back?" He asks as he pulls away with a smile.
"A few hours ago, I wanted it to be a surprise. Everyone's over there." She points to the table of their friends. "Come join us? Stefan and Damon are at home, so they can't compel your boss but I'm really good at threatening people." She says, he laughs and shakes his head.
"That's okay, I'm almost off. I'll be there in a minute." He says as she nods.
"So Klaus was all 'and yet here I stand, a vampire who can walk in the sun, a wolf who can change at will'." She imitates Klaus's accent, making the group laugh.
"Did the wolves go for it?" Vicki asks, sipping her drink as Elena shakes her hand.
"More or less, Klaus challenged the alpha and became leader of the pack. They didn't really have much of a choice after that. They came back with us, they're actually pretty cool people." Elena says as the waiter sets their food down.
"Speaking of hybrids, grams is not happy." Bonnie informs the doppelgänger, making Elena whine slightly, putting her head on the table.
"I didn't think she would be." She says before raising her head. "But, you know what they say, better to ask for forgiveness than permission." Elena tries to make herself feel better. "So, tell me what else I missed. How have you all been?" She asks, looking at them.
"Everything's been kinda the same." Caroline says with a thoughtful expression as the others nod along.
"Well, that's lame." Elena pouts. "What about at school? Any scandalous rumors? Teacher-student affairs? Teen pregnancies? Dropouts? Anything?" She asks with a hopeful expression as the group shrugs.
"Not really. Unless you count-" Tyler cuts himself off as the group sends him identical glares.
"What?' Elena asks with wide eyes as Tyler sighs.
"There was a rumor that you dropped out and that you're a… pregnant runaway." He explains slowly as the group stares at Elena, gauging her reaction.
"Oh, my god… that is awesome." She responds with a laugh. "Oh, I bet the founding families are so disappointed." She says with a wide smile as the others join her in a laugh.
"My dad thinks it's because you no longer have a strong male figure in your life." Tyler rolls his eyes as they laugh.
"Neither do you." Elena replies, making him snort. "I should start wearing a fake baby bump." Elena says with excitement as the others shake their heads.
"No, you shouldn't. But you should re enrol in school." Bonnie says. "It's not as fun without you." The group nods as Elena shrugs.
"I might have to. With Klaus waking his siblings, Rebekah might want to give highschool a try. Kol too." Elena says with a thoughtful expression.
"Really? Should we be worried? Isn't he called the wildest Mikaelson?" Caroline asks with wide eyes as Elena laughs.
"Oh, yeah. Dude's crazy! But I'm sure Klaus will have something to keep him in line." Elena responds before smiling. "You guys are gonna love Rebekah. She's totally badass and super sweet." Elena says as Caroline bounces in her seat.
"Really? Do you think she'd want to be a cheerleader?" She asks with a hopeful tone as Elena nods.
"Definitely! And she'd be great." Elena says as Tyler looks to her.
"What about this Kol guy? We could use another vampire on the team." He hits Matt's shoulder lightly as he nods his head.
"Maybe. If he doesn't try to kill the whole team." Elena wonders out loud as Tyler swallows thickly. "But I'm sure he won't." Elena offers, noticing the group's reaction.
After changing into her pajamas and texting the Salvatores goodnight, Elena gets into her bed and turns off the light before she hears a knock on her door, making her turn her head, seeing her brother walk into the room.
Jeremy wordlessly climbs into her bed, making himself comfortable next to her as she raises an amused brow, he shrugs as she laughs and scoots over.
"How long have you been sleeping in here?" She asks as she turns on her side.
"Since you left, at first it was cause I missed you. But now it's more of a habit." He defends himself. "It was really inconvenient, by the way. The sun shines straight through the window in the morning." He complains, making her chuckle and nod.
"How have you been?" She asks quietly, he sighs and turns on his side as well.
"Fine. It was weird not having you here. I mean, I know I called all the time, but you've always been here. It was hard getting used to you being gone. Also, Jenna is bad at making me do things. She doesn't know how to threaten." He jokes, making them laugh together.
"But other than that, everything was fine?" She asks as he nods. "You're not on drugs and don't have a secret older boyfriend or girlfriend?" She continues, making him snort and looks to her like she's crazy.
"No. Why would you ask that?" He asks, making her shrug.
"No reason. I was just worried about you." She admits as he smiles.
"I missed you. I'm really glad you're home." He whispers with emotion as she smiles and leans her head on his shoulder.
"Me too." She whispers back with a smile.
"Yo, I got your message, they awake yet?" Elena calls out to Klaus as she enters his newly built mansion.
"Not yet, Elijah is taking care of that now." He says, meeting her at the entrance and taking her bag.
"Cool. So, am I here for emotional support or…" She trails off with uncertainty as he shakes his head.
"No, I wanted to show you something." He says with a slightly nervous tone as he rubs the back of his neck. "This way." He takes her hand and guides her through the house.
"Ooh, your bedroom? We don't have a lot of time before your siblings wake. Quicky it is." She says, taking off her jacket as Klaus shakes his head with a laugh.
"No, that's not- come here." He pulls her to a dresser and looks to her for a reaction as she stares blankly at the piece of furniture.
"Wow. A craftsmanship." She panders with a nod as he rolls his eyes.
"It's yours." He states simply, making her eyes widen before she throws her head back with a groan.
"Oh god, you're in love with me. I knew this would happen, I care about you-" Klaus interrupts with an eyeroll.
"I'm not in love with you. Stop accusing me of that." He orders as she holds her hands up in surrender.
"You sure? Because this feels like a very 'in love' thing to do." She replies skeptically.
"Yes, I'm sure. I just like having you around." He admits, grinning as she smirks smugly.
"Of course you do, I'm amazing-" Elijah interrupts with a knock on the open door, making the two turn to him.
"I'm sorry to interrupt," He sends them a look that makes Elena mouth 'jar' to him. "I believe our siblings should awaken soon." He informs as they nod and follow him out of the room.
Elena and Klaus sit on one of the many very expensive and uncomfortable couches, waiting for the Mikaelson siblings to rejoin the land of the loving as Elena looks over to Klaus.
"You nervous?" Elena asks, noticing the way he keeps clenching his jaw as his leg bounces slightly, he shakes his head.
"Of course not." He denies with a scoff as she raises a brow.
"It's okay to be a little worried. I mean, this is the first time you will be seeing any of them in 90 years." She says as he sends her a look. "All I'm saying is that it's fine if you're nervous." She puts her hand on his arm before he stands and begins pacing slightly.
"There's no reason to be nervous, Ellie. Mikael is dead and I'm finally waking them, if anything they should be thankful." He says as she sends him a pointed look. "And so what if they aren't? They can leave for all I care." He shrugs as she stands, grabbing his hands and stopping his movement.
"They won't leave you." She assures as he looks away from her. "And if they do, you've still got me." She smiles as he looks to her and opens his mouth to say something before she shakes her head. "I just- I want you to know that whether or not you have your family or your hybrids… you'll never be alone." She promises, making him smile at her.
"What the bloody hell is this?" The familiar voice of Rebekah Mikaelson exclaims with disbelief, gesturing between Elena and Klaus's joined hands, Klaus looks towards her and stiffens, seeing the rest of his siblings standing behind her.