Love is like a flair that shoots through the heart with a bright burst, painting it in colors, before it burns out, leaving it dark. And darkness is just as blinding as a flair.
No one can see what lies in darkness and the broken hearted were swathed in it. Not knowing where to step, what to do, how to move on. It was just...emptiness. Somehow they had to find their way through.
_____
Elena Gilbert had turned the switch on her humanity once Jeremy died. Everyone was currently plotting ways to get it back on but she didn't want to feel and she didn't plan on it.
That's why she teamed up with Rebekah to get the cure. They had found Katherine in a small town who was meeting em. Elena took the older doppelgänger's place in meeting whoever em was.
She was in a small gazebo when she heard a voice address the girl she was pretending to be, "Katerina."
Elena turned around to find Elijah leaning against the column of the gazebo. Her eyes widened in surprise for a moment before she tried to recover quickly, "Elijah. You're a little late, aren't you?"
Why is he here? Where is Jenny? Elena wondered. Her heart rate had quickened and Elijah hadn't moved, only tilting his head as he still analyzed her. She thought his eyes looked cold, detached...sad.
"You colored your hair," he commented.
"Thank you. It's actually..."
"So do you have it with you? he interrupted.
"Do I have what?"
"The cure," his gaze analyzed her again as he took a step forward which caused her to fidget a bit backwards. "But of course why would you?"
"Where is Katherine, Elena?" he stated. Elijah had noticed the surprise in her eyes and that was something he could overlook but she still hadn't taken one step towards him to try to flirt. It was only one time between them and no more of which he made clear but the doppelgänger still loved to try. And her demeanor was too bright he supposed. Carefree. Katherine had certain alertness to her probably from always being on the lookout for his brother.
_____
Rebekah was in the diner with Katherine. Stefan and Damon arrived wanting to find Elena.
"What about you over there, smiley?" Damon asked Katherine as she wore her famous smirk. "Do you know where she is?"
"She went to meet up with a friend of mine. You may know him-an Original brother, impeccable taste."
"Elijah," Rebekah was horrified.
"Elijah's here?" Damon furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.
"Well, you sort of have to question Elijah's impeccable taste if he's friends with you," Stefan said.
"Oh, when I say friend, I mean friend," Katherine emphasized, hinting at a sexual relationship.
"No, no. Elijah is with Jenny," Damon glared at Katherine.
"Maybe he got bored," Katherine goaded. "Or maybe she's poor, sad, dead Jenny now."
Rebekah and Stefan watched Damon carefully as his jaw ticked. His eyes started to look a bit glossy as he remembered her postcard: I know and I forgive you.
"You're lying," he stated.
"Am I?" she smirked.
_____
Elena was in an alleyway where Elijah was holding her captive. Although captive was a loose term; it was just really stupid to run. He had just gotten off the phone with Stefan.
"So you get Katherine to give you the cure and then what?" Elena questioned. "Take it and go back to my aunt? Live a long, beautiful lifetime together?"
Elena had thought and thought. The only reason Elijah would want the cure and leave Jenny to get it would be if he was planning to take it.
"Once maybe," he held a sad smile before frowning. "But not anymore."
Elijah honestly didn't know why he kept searching for the cure. He supposed he just didn't have anything better to do; and it was better than drowning in memories.
"Where is Jenny?"
That name put a stake in his heart and twisted. But he met her eyes with his own and told her truthfully, "She's gone."
Elena had heard that phrase far too many times. They're gone, he's gone, she's gone, she'd heard it all to know what it really meant.
"She can't be gone," Elena wanted to hope as she looked at Elijah desperately and her humanity was banging at the walls she put it behind.
"I am sorry, Elena."
Flashbacks assaulted her.
"Okay, time for bed," Jenny stated as she led little Elena into her bedroom. The little girl ran into her room and jumped onto her twin bed, hiding under the covers quickly with only her head peaking out. She was scared of the dark.
Miranda and Grayson Gilbert were out of town and had the two teens, Jenna and Jenny, watch Elena and Jeremy. Jenna was currently tucking Jeremy into bed.
"Nightlight! Nightlight!" Elena called.
"I know," Jenny smiled and turned the nightlight on.
"Closet?" Jenny asked and Elena nodded.
Jenny went over and opened the closet, checking it for monsters like she always did. "No monsters," she said as she closed it.
"Anything else?" Jenny said as she walked back to Elena.
"Are you and Aunt Jenna like....best friends forever?" Elena asked but her r's were a little skewed.
"Even better, sisters forever," Jenny answered.
"So you'll always scare away monster...be forever family," Elena said before uttering a bit quieter. "I want you to be forever family."
Jenny smoothed down Elena's hair with a gentle smile, "Forever and ever."
"And I'll always scare away the monsters..." Jenny said as her smile turned mischievous. "...except the tickle monster."
Elena giggled as she was tickled and her toothless smile came out to play (her two front teeth had fallen out to make room for her big girl teeth). She went to bed happy that night and not quite as fearful of the dark. She had her forever and ever family.
Forever and ever.
"Not Jenny, too," tears built in her eyes and the floodgates to her humanity busted wide open. "Not her, too."
Tears started falling down her cheeks and she sat down against the wall before her legs collapsed beneath her. This was too much.
"At least you still have your brother," Elijah attempted to console.
"I don't. Katherine killed him. Didn't you know that?" her voice was full of anger before it softened. "Everyone is gone."
_____
Katherine had come and snapped Elena's neck in surprise. Elijah was livid about the death of Jeremy Gilbert, not for Elena, but for her. Katherine gave him the cure so she wouldn't die.
"I won't kill you, Katerina. Death would be a mercy for you," he said as he held the cure. "You will live a long, miserable life on the run from my brother...and from me."
"Y-You promised you'd talk to Klaus," Katherine said.
"Yes. I imagine we can talk about our mutual loathing of you," Elijah responded. "Goodbye, Katerina."
Katherine glared but nevertheless vamp sped away so she wouldn't die. Elijah put the cure in his pocket as he walked to where his sister was waiting.
"At least I have one smart brother," she said. Rebekah analyzed her brother. A stubble was growing and his hair was a bit unkept. He still wore a suit but his eyes were soulless.
"She really did die, didn't she?" she questioned.
Elijah avoided her gaze and his voice was quiet, to keep from choking up, "I couldn't save her."
"It's not your fault, Elijah. You can't blame yourself."
"I do blame myself. We don't get happy endings, Rebekah," Elijah couldn't stop the lone tear that fell and all the tears that followed. "I knew that but she smiled..."
"Rebekah, she smiled," Elijah started to sob as happy memories mixed with the memory of her mangled, dead body. "And I held her when she stopped..."
Rebekah quickly consoled her broken brother with a hug. "You're going to get through this, Elijah. I may be your baby sister but I promise you that."
_____
It was a couple days later. Rebekah wanted the cure which meant she was on the outs with Klaus. But this was about Elijah.
"I thought this morning you would've got the memo that you aren't wanted here," Klaus said as he approached her in his mansion.
"When I take the cure and become human, I won't need this," Rebekah handed him the white oak stake that was indestructible.
Klaus slowly grabbed it, "And you're not giving this to our noble older brother, why?"
"He's vulnerable and I don't trust him not to use it..." on himself, she couldn't finish the sentence.
Klaus did notice that their brother was...off. But he thought it was pathetic. He rolled his eyes, "All over one woman."
"That woman made our brother happy which is more than I can say for you or for any of us. Some family we are," Rebekah lectured.
"And now you're leaving it. So much for always and forever," Klaus replied bitterly.
"Elijah lost his happy ending. I plan to get mine," Rebekah stated before leaving. "Now always and forever is all he has. Don't ruin it."
AN: I sobbed so hard writing this I almost couldn't get through it. Sorry it's been so long since I updated but life and I couldn't figure out how I wanted Elijah to react.
So yes Elena flipped her switch back on early. Also there is no Damon-Elena sire thing or whatever.
P.S. I just realized that like everyone with a J name dies in the TVD universe.