Next morning

"Hello, love" - Klaus said as he walked in the lounge of the Mansion-"to what do I owe the pleasure of you being here?

In a somewhat standoffish manner, Caroline replied-

"I am pulling the leverage card out. The last one I got."

"I have told you that you can ask for anything and the leverage code doesn't apply to you."

"Since when?"

"Since - you know"

"No, I don't know."

She looked up at him from beneath her lashes with a sexy, confident expression on her face.

Klaus now huffed a bit adding a charming smirk on as he neared her.

"The woods"

"Hm - but when Aurora appeared out of nowhere, you forgot all about the "woods"! And you had no problem reminding us all that things will only be done by the Mikaelson code."

Klaus now pressed his lips together with regret and said in an apologetic tone that he had been clouded by anger.

"That's how it always is with you. Your emotions just go crazy and everyone has to suffer"

"I am sorry."-Klaus said.

"Hm" - Caroline exhaled looking at the Original Hybrid with mixture of love and anguish.

His lips covered hers.

🦌💕

At the Gilbert house

" Elena"

"Elijah" - the doppelganger uttered, feeling her stomach clench seeing the Original at her door.

"May I talk to you?"

"Ha? Yes" - Elena inhaled deeply and gestured to the vampire to come in.

Stepping inside, Elijah went straight to the point-

"Kol has just told me as he was leaving with Bonnie Bennett that you came by the house the other night, after the Ball. I was otherwise engaged - namely, Finn and I had to check on a lead about Mother."

"Ok -" - Elena uttered, trying hard to keep her calm, and not show him that her whole being was strung up by different emotions rippling inside.

"What was it that you wished to discuss - and why did you not leave a message with Rebekah?"

"It was actually not that important."

"I do not understand- how was it not important? You came all the way out in the middle of the night -"

"I got it wrong - I thought that Damon had talked to Katherine and she knew about the Cure - but it wasn't so - sorry. False alarm"

Elijah now narrowed his eyes at the doppelganger, and turned awat for a moment. Taking a small breath he looked at Elena and said-

"I can hear your heartbeat. It jumps when you are dishonest with me - something is in the matter and you won't tell me what it is - why?"

Elena's eyes now widened, swallowing hard.

The fact that he listened to her heart made the butterflies roaming in her stomach now burst in a thousand fluttering motions.

"You want to know why?"

"Yes, Elena."

"Why?" - Elena swallowed hard, feeling tears stinging her eyes again - "you and Hayley - not that it matters"

"Me and Hayley?" - Elijah looked surprised.

"Yes - she was - I came to talk to you - to tell you that I - in Willoughby - the kiss - and - it doesn't matter"

"What?"

"Can you please - not - I feel silly - you're obviously with Hayley -"

"I am not."

"What - but - she was in your bed -?"

"She was not well. She was running a high fever and I tended to her until we could get hold of Abby Bennett."

"What?"- Elena's eyes rose up, a twinkle of happy appearing in the bit of green in her eyes.

"You came to tell me that - you do feel something for me?" - Elijah now gulped.

Elena nodded.

Elijah's heart smiled, inching closer to the doppelganger, raising his arm to her, eyes gleaming with a loving feeling. His fingers brushed a loose strand of her hair, bringing her lips within reach of his. His breath left feather-like whispers across her lips, beaming up at her before they softly captured hers.

-to be continued-