His Hope (Only His Series: Book 2) *OLD VERSION*

Chapter 21

"Who's that?" Elijah asked and pointed to Stefan.

"That's Stefan." I said. "Then that's Damon, Mom, Dad, and me." I point to each person as I said who they were.

"That's your family?"

"For Eternity." I said and placed the photo down. I looked in the box again and saw a photo of Klaus and I at Miss Mystic. "Where the hell did this come from?"

"What?" I pulled out the photo and showed it to Elijah. He looked at it and saw it was Klaus and I.

"I didn't know that this even existed." I said and then hummed. "Then again I didn't know that I saved one of Damon's paintings before he burn them all."

"Damon paints?"

"Yeah." I said and turned to him sightly. "Look. I doubt Klaus even remembers this, but after I found out about what happened in 1848 and all, he asked me why I still fight for them. And I answered because he didn't really know them. He still doesn't, and neither do you or Rebekah. My Damon and Stefan loved to paint, listen to music, dance, laugh, sing even. Or at least they appreciated it." Elijah laughed at the thought of that and I did too.

"And hopefully these babies will show you that side of them. Because despite what you guys might think and believe about them...they would always protect them and you can trust them to look after my children. Even without their humanity." I explained.

"How are you so sure about that?" Elijah asked and I thought about it for a moment.

"Because that's what For Eternity means. Despite how much we don't say it out loud. It's our Always and Forever. It is what's engraved on the back my locket, it's what brought me back to Mystic falls 4 years ago......It's my family. Or at least that's what it means to me." I explained. "But the promise is: despite if we hate each other or not, one of us will always be there if you need anything at all. The Ripper has saved me from hunters, emotionless Damon who was hell bent on destroying Stefan's happiness saved me from tomb vampires. And then I saved them from Klaus when I was, and is, madly in love with him."

"So, you're always there for each other even if you don't like it." Elijah said and I nodded.

"Yup, because...." I looked at the photo of mom and dad, then held my locket. "Because we're all we have left. These babies aren't just the Mikaelson family's hope, it's the Salvatore's as well. Believe or not." I explained to him.

"You're very loyal." Elijah said. "I wish I could be the same." I took his hand and he looked at me.

"You are the same." I said and he looked away from me. "Elijah, look at me." I moved his head so he was. "You are the Mikaelson version of Stefan on your best day and the Damon version on your worst. I only say that because you're willing to sit here and listen to me while I talk random crap about my brothers, instead of calling Klaus. And you don't know how much that means to me."

"Thank you." He said and I smiled. "And remember that Always and Forever extends to you too."

"For Eternity." Elijah smiled at me. "Can you promise me one more thing?" I asked.

"Anything."

"Talk to Hayley." He looked unsure. "She misses you and I think it's killing her."

"I promise." Elijah said and smiled.

"Thank you." I said and squeezed his hand before looking through more photos with him.

~

Hayley, Elijah, and I are in the courtyard. We watched as Elijah tried to call Rebekah. "Rebekah is not answering her calls." Elijah said worried.

"You're worried about whoever killed those daywalkers still being out there?" Hayley said and he nodded.

"Frankly, I'm worried that she had something to do with this. She's very displeased with Niklaus, perhaps even conspiring with others." I sighed. Of course. Elijah noticed Thierry drinking alone at a table and we joined him. "Thierry, is it?" Elijah asked.

"That's right." Thierry said.

"My sister is rather fond of you. Strange, she's not typically drawn to unremarkable men. Would you care to explain your sudden magnetism?" Elijah asked him and there was something about the way he spoke that made me want to laugh.

"I don't know what you're -" Elijah was annoyed, he cut him off by grabbing him by the throat and pushing him against the wall.

"You can either tell me what you know, or I can distribute tiny pieces of you throughout the Quarter." Elijah said and he sighed. Like I said, he's Damon on his bad days.

"She asked me to keep an eye out on witch stuff. I found something, and when I showed her, we were jumped by some guy. He desiccated her with his touch." Thierry said trying to leave and Elijah was angry.

"And like a coward, you left her." He said.

"What was I supposed to do, fight some warlock that took out an Original?"

"Where was this, exactly?" I asked him and he looked at Hayley and I.

"The docks, warehouse 57. I was just doing what she asked. You cannot tell Klaus about this." Thierry said and Elijah didn't move for a moment. Then Elijah threw him to the other side of the room, knocking him out.

"I shall take that into consideration." Elijah said and turned to us.

"I'm coming with you." I said worried about Rebekah.

"No. Stay here. The compound is safe. Hayley can come with me." Elijah said and I shook my head.

"Rebekah is in trouble. I'm going." I said and walked passed him. He grabbed my arm and turned me around. He paused for a moment before sighing.

"Do not leave my sight. Understand?" Elijah said and I nodded, before the three of us left for the docks.