Jenny was a person that, usually, brightened someone's day but now Jenny had found the person that brightened her day. She was so blissful it was as if she was like the sun with Elijah in her life.
They were officially dating. They still met for coffee like usual but now bouquets of flowers were frequently sent to her at work and Elijah even showed up at the high school bringing her lunch. They went on another date, but, this time it was at her house and she was the host.
"My father taught me how to cook," she said as she chopped the peppers while Elijah was diagonal to her across the counter chopping the onions. Elijah had insisted he be put to work.
Elijah noticed the faraway look on her face accompanied by a smile, "Your father was a good man if he raised you."
She blushed as she gave him a look before she agreed, "My father was a good man. He was my whole world, my dad, and in ways he still is. I'll never forget all the things he taught me or stop missing him."
It was silent for a moment before she directed the subject to him, "I know you say you don't have a good relationship with your father. Why?"
"The half-brother I mentioned was the result of an affair my mother had," Elijah explained. "My father's weakness is his pride so he...disowned my brother and I would not leave my brother alone."
"Would?" Jenny caught his past tense. "Have you abandoned your brother now?"
"Let's just say he abandoned me and the rest of my siblings," Elijah stated, his voice tight, and thought about how Niklaus suddenly left him decades ago and made him think their siblings were lost at sea.
Jenny nodded with a frown, "I'm sorry."
Elijah stoically responded, "It was long ago."
_____
After they finished eating, Jenny and Elijah were doing the dishes. She washed and he dried. Every moment they shared was so seamless and easy like they were two puzzle pieces that fit perfectly.
"When you said you're father taught you to cook, you didn't tell me he made you an excellent cook," Elijah commented.
"Well, being excellent is to the eye of the beholder," she handed him the last dish as their arms brushed. He dried it quickly and put it on the stack of plates.
She looked up at him as he turned to her, "So was this a good second date?"
"Any time I spend with you is good," he cocked his head at her and smirked as he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I just have the lucky fortune of labeling this particular time a date."
"You act as though you're the only lucky one."
"Not as lucky as me," he trailed his thumb down her jawline and her breath hitched. Their eyes connected and his searched hers before he leaned in. She knew what he was going to do before he did it; maybe he sensed her hesitation because he leaned towards her slowly.
She turned her head away as she uttered quietly, "Not yet."
He pulled away from her and took a step back. She ran her hand through her hair in frustration, "I don't want you to think that I don't...it's just it's been awhile since I've done this. And I don't when is the right time but I don't want to move too fast."
She was also afraid to get too attached. She, the woman who could smile and make everyone's day but was too afraid to get her own happiness. She held her insecurities deep inside and Elijah seemed to bring them all out but in a good way. All these fears were only brought to surface because he meant too much, because she didn't want to lose him.
She met his eyes, his chocolate brown eyes that she adored, and he spoke, "I understand."
"Do you?" she frowned.
He took a step towards her. He smiled softly and grabbed her hand gently, "Jenny, believe me when I say this, but I would wait forever for you."
And like that, he slowly tucked all those fears away.
______
It was safe to say she was close to being in love. Her best friend, Jenna, knew this which is why Jenna had an ulterior motive when she went with Elijah around town viewing historical sites. She could tell Elijah was hoping Jenny had tagged along, not only because he asked about her with a smile, but because he was completely stoic when she wasn't around as if she was the only thing that made him relax.
"I asked Jenny not to come by the way," Jenna admitted before she got the maps out of the car and Elijah furrowed his eyebrows. "She really likes you and as her best friend I have to warn you. If you hurt her, I'll kick your ass."
Elijah held a smirk now, holding in a chuckle at the thought of human Jenna Sommers attempting to hurt him. But he appreciated the sentiment she held towards Jenny.
"You're a good friend, Jenna," Elijah stated with a small smile. "But I have no intention of hurting her."
"No one ever does."
______
It was a Saturday. Jenny was in a lazy mood as she walked into The Mystic Grill to get her takeout. Damon was at a booth with Alaric when he spotted her as soon as she walked in, tuning out to the conversation of the historical tour Alaric invaded to make sure Jenna was safe.
"Are you even listening?" Alaric questioned and he followed Damon's eyesight to the brunette.
"That's not a good idea, buddy," Alaric lectured. "She is Elijah's girl now, apparently. What do you think he's gonna do to you if you try making moves?"
"She was my girl first," Damon stood up from the booth as Alaric shook his head. "I'll be back."
"Thank you," Jenny smiled at the waiter as she received her takeout after she paid. Once she turned around she was met with a certain raven-haired Salvatore.
Her eyes widened in surprise, "Damon."
"Jenny," Damon smiled before leaning in to kiss her cheek.
She gave him a small smile at the gesture before moving around him, "I don't want my food to get cold so, I'll see you around."
Damon frowned as she started to leave and he grabbed her hand, stopping her, "Come on. Sit with Ric and me. I haven't seen you in awhile. Please."
Damon gave her a pouting face and her kind heart couldn't say no, "Okay, fine."
Damon led her to the booth and she slid into the seat across from Alaric and scooted over to let Damon in. She smiled at the fellow teacher, "Hi, Ric."
"Hey, Jenny," Alaric greeted. "How did he convince you to come over here?"
"Well, he actually said please," she looked at Damon as she teased. "I didn't think he had that in his vocabulary."
He stuck his tongue out at her like a child and she laughed before opening her takeout box. He put his arm behind her on the booth and Alaric, once again, shook his head.
"So did you hear Elijah went on a little tour with Jenna today?" Damon asked.
She hummed and nodded as she ate a French fry. Alaric questioned, "Do you know why he's so interested in this town, Jenny?"
"He grew up here."
"He what?" Damon asked, his head turning to her quickly.
"He grew up here," she said slowly turning her head to look at him. "Why are you being all weird about it?"
"I-I'm just curious," Damon said before smirking and stealing a fry. "You already know why I don't like him, Jen."
She shook her head in frustration and looked away, noticing Elijah and Jenna walk through the entrance. A smile graced her face and Damon turned his head, a groan falling from his lips. Jenny waved at them and Jenna noticed, walking towards them.
Jenny got out of the booth on her side and walked around. "Hey," Jenna greeted and they hugged each other. "I thought you were being lazy today."
"I was getting takeout."
Elijah had taken the time to analyze Jenny. Her hair was up in a messy bun that somehow managed to look perfect. She didn't wear any makeup. She wore sweatpants and a tank top. Then, of course, his favorite thing about her, that smile. She turned to him with a nervous one.
"You look beautiful," Elijah greeted.
Damon was clenching his teeth so hard they might have cracked when Jenny blushed and bit her lip. The blatant flirting was intolerable to him but mostly he hated how Elijah made her light up so easily like she became the sun.
"You're just being polite."
"I'm being honest," Elijah countered.
"Thank you," she rolled her eyes with a smile and kissed him on the cheek. Elijah looked down on her with a smile. It was so obvious to anyone that they were so caught up with each other.
"So I hear there was quite a meeting of historical minds today," Damon said to break up the infatuation Jenny and Elijah had going on which worked because they looked away from each other. But Jenny slipped her hand into his while his thumb caressed the back of her hand.
"Yeah, I guess you could say that," Jenna stated.
"Well, as much as I'd like to continue this, I've got papers to grade," Alaric put down some money and stood up from the table.
"Maybe we should continue this," Damon plotted. "A dinner party? I'll be happy to host. Say tonight. Maybe?"
Jenna looked at her and so did Damon. The pressure to conform made her smile, "Sure."
"I don't know if tonight works..." Alaric stated.
"Yeah, I'm free," Jenna looked away from Alaric.
All eyes turned to Elijah. Jenny looked up at him while he looked down at her. He smiled tightly, "It'd be a pleasure."
"Great," Damon smirked.
_______
It was later that day and she was in the passenger seat as Jenna drove. Jenny had to arrive early to this dinner party as Damon wanted her to cook.
"So what's wrong with you and Alaric?" Jenny asked. "You seemed tense around him."
"I don't know. I really like him," Jenna admitted. "It's more than like and I want it to work, but I can't help but feel that he's hiding something from me. And then I've got John whispering things in my ear about him."
"John? You know you can't believe a word he says," Jenny advised.
"I know, I know. I just have this feeling I can't shake," Jenna admitted. "Maybe we're both cursed to love men with secrets."
That made Jenny frown. It seemed the people around them had secrets. She remembered how Elijah seemed so suspicious of this dinner party; he even tried to convince her not to go after they left The Mystic Grill. She recalled how Damon seemed to hate Elijah beyond just about her. She started to wonder if the secrets were all connected.
_______
They arrived at the Salvatore Boarding House and Damon greeted them, kissing her cheek. But another person showed up behind Damon. Jenna knew her as she smiled, "Andie."
"I invited a friend," Damon stared at Jenny as he put emphasis on friend, the word meaning something more. "I hope you don't mind."
She stepped closer to Damon, smiling, as she uttered quietly, "I'm happy for you."
That wasn't quite the reaction he wanted. He wanted jealousy. He huffed in frustration as she moved past him to introduce herself to Andie.
_______
"I heard a knock at the door," Jenna said. "That must be your guy. I'll watch the food, you go."
Jenna pushed her out of the kitchen and she walked towards the front door. It was indeed Elijah who was in a heated discussion with Damon. Once his eyes landed on her, he smiled, "Jenny."
She had changed from earlier today. Now she wore a red skirt with a white t-shirt. Her hair was down in its natural waves.
"You look incredible," he said as he stepped in front of her. He put a hand on her cheek before he laid a soft kiss on her forehead that made her whole being feel like it was buzzing. For him, just to be this close to her made his heart beat out of control.
_______
The dinner party was going rather well even if it was rather boring and had the uninvited presence that was John. For some reason, the location of witch massacres seemed to a point of interest between both Elijah and Damon.
After the meal, Andie suggested the gentlemen go in the study for drinks which they did while the women picked up the silverware. Except John.
"You're not a gentlemen. Make yourself useful," Jenna said to John as pushed a pile of plates into his arms.
Jenny had to cover her mouth with her hand to keep from laughing while she grabbed some plates and took them to kitchen where she got started on the dessert. Except dessert was never served.
______
Jenny and Jenna were in the kitchen waiting on the dessert to be done in the oven. Alaric stepped into the doorway, "Hey, this dinner party might be over. Elijah left."
"What? He wouldn't just leave," Jenny argued to which Alaric shrugged.
"Where is Damon?" she questioned as she walked out of the kitchen. She walked through the house until she rounded a corner and bumped into Damon.
"What did you do?" she accused.
"What do you mean what did I do? I didn't do anything."
Tears filled her eyes, "Elijah wouldn't just leave."
The tears in her eyes and the deep frown she wore made him feel bad. He felt guilty and all he wanted to do was make her happy. But she didn't know what she getting herself into; this way, she was protected.
"Jen," he said softly as he reached out for her to comfort her but she stepped back angrily. She shook her head and started for the exit.
Jenna caught up to her, "I'm sure he wouldn't just disappear on you."
"Let's just go home," she said as she ignored the way her heart squeezed painfully as if her happy bubble was going to pop.
AN: I'm dreading the ending of season two because happy Jenny is going to be gone for awhile.