"Novels aren't just happy escapes; they are slivers of people's souls, nailed to the pages, dripping ink from veins of wood pulp. Reading the right one at the right time can make all the difference."
— Brandon Sanderson

a/n: found this lovely quote...and wanted to share it.
Anyway, thanks for reading. As per usual, there's a lot going on. I hope you enjoy the chapter.

xoxo 🥰

*
The next morning

French Quarter
The Witch's Council

Elijah walked in the room where the Witch elders sat with the woman resembling Hayley Marshall.

He inhaled silently, brazing himself. Hecwould lie if seeing her the night before didn't shake him to the core. It took him a good while to center his emotions, not letting them play his heart.

"Andrea Labonair, this is Elijah Mikaelson." Celeste motioned her handbtowards the Original. "He is an Agent of the Council, also, the fiance of the deceased - Hayley Marshall."

"Now things make sense." Phoebe said in a calm manner. "He could have said so last night."

"You didn't want to listen. Instead you made out I was harrasing you." Elijah said.

"There was a strange vibe I felt from you." Andrea said.

Elijah was quiet, shoving his hands in his pockets.

"If there is nothing further now that you checked my identity, I'd like to go. I've broken no witch law."

"You are free to go." Celeste said.

The tribrid stood up, smiling at Elijah. "I guess I will see you around."

As she walked out of the room,Elijah turned to Celeste, narrowing her eyes at her quizzically.

"Andrea Labonair is a doppelganger. A tribrid. Her vampire and wolf aspects are supressed. Her witch aspect is enhanced though." Celeste said, handing over the blood test.

"So, she just appeared out of nowhere? Did you know of her existance?"

"No, we didn't. She said that she was brought up in Jackson Tennessee, but she he lived most of her life in Europe until she moved to New York last year." Celeste replied.

"Right. What is her connection to the De Martels?"

"I leave that to you to find out. She said she met and befriended Aurora De Martel in New York. You know that I don't believe in coincidences. De Martels are powerful. They play by the book abd have always complied. Still - a tribrid that is a doppelganger - something is not clear in that picture." Celeste said.

"The De Martels appear to be upstanding pillars of the community. So far we haven't found any connections to the murders." Elijah inhaled sharply, his eyes darkening a bit.

"Aurora De Martel has always had a twisted soul. Could she have brought the doppelganger to taunt you?!" Celeste tilted her head, regretting her last comment, apologizing immediately for it.

"It's fine. But you are right - I wouldn't put it past her."We are still at odds with them. " Elijah said.

The witch moved away from the desk.

"Enzo and Caroline will investigate more. I'll see you later."

Celaste exited the room, leaving Elijah deep in thought.

*

In Bonnie's Diner, Elena finished retelling her brst friend about the night before.

"The whole story about me being a dopprlganger was crazy, but now that I saw this woman, who is an actual doppelganger of Elijah's dead fiance - gives me chills."

"And there is nothing different about her? She talks the same, acts the same?" Bonnie asked.

"I never met Hayley Marshall. I can't make any parallels."

Bonnie could see that Elena was not happy. She twirled the mug of coffee quite agitated.

"This must have thrown him big time."

"It did. He was hardly talking when he drove me home last night." Elena puffed.

"Damn. Your selfies of the dress. I really hoped you will have some magical time together."

"Well, Cinderella's night was a bum, too."

"She danced with het prince charming and you did, too." Bonnie reminded her friend that no all was bad.

"Yeah. That part was magical. And everything before. He really is like a total gentleman." Elena curled up a happy smile.

"You've always wanted a gentleman. Remember your wedding scrapbook. You've always cut out the gentleman aesthetic. Also, you said once love the James Bond/John Wick style in a man."

"I did, didn't I?! Oh, God - I got it so bad and this is going nowhere fast." Elena played with het phone. She sent him a message earlier that morning, asking him if he was all right. But there was no answer.

"Elena, if he jumps into anything with you it could just be a rebound."

"Could - huh - probably would. I also got to stop being this drsperate." Elena put the phone away in her jacket.

"Unless you don't really want more." Bonnie said.

"I do. I want everything with him."

As she said it, she felt a cold shiver pass through her heart. She went pale.

"Are you all right, Lena?" Bonnie noticed the change on her friend.

"I am." Elena fibbed. "I need to go sleep some more. It's been a crazy night."

"I will see you later tonight?"

"Yeah. I'll be at your house at 9" Elena stopd up.

She waved bye to her friend as her mind played a conversation with Elijah a few nights back.

Flashback

Algiers

"So - name a couple things you love and a couple of things you hate." Elena said.

"This is not easy. There is many things I love." Elijah said. "Simple moments - like this - sitting on a bench, watching the moon."

"Ok. What is it you hate the most then?"

"Lies." Elijah shot out."Betrayal. Traitors."

Elena inhaled deeply.

Dreaming about being with Elijah is pointless. You lied to him.

Her heart clumped up. She felt that there was an end before they even began anything.

"Hey you" a  familiar voice broke the doppelganger's thoughts.

"Kai!" Elena turned around facing the man. "What are you doing here?"

"I thought I'd get a hug." Kai Parker curled up a smile.

Elena smiled back stepping forward, hugging her friend. "It's been forever", Elena remarked.

"It has." Kai agreed,"I am really sorry to hear about your dad."

"Yeah - thanks." Elena nodded a little, sighing. "Liv told you, I guess."

"No. It was Jo, actually." Kai said.

"Jo?"

"She moved back here three months ago. Got a job as a resident here, at the hospital."

"Right - so you're visiting - or -?"

"Liv is getting married." Kai said.

"Wow! Who's the lucky guy?"

"Tyler Loockwood." Kai replied.

"You're kidding me, right?" Elena was surprised.

"They touched base - rekindled their High-school love and well - wedding bells. Anyway, I kinda thought you  Bonnie and me would touch base again?"

"Sure - how long are you staying?"

"I hope indefinitely. Portland is great - but it's not New Orleans." Kai said.

"Yeah - my mom said that we all return to New Orleans eventually."

"You ditched Mexico then?!"

"Yeah - a lot happened." Elena remembered the night she said goodbye to her friends and boarded the plane to Mexico City saying she was never coming back.

"So, I guess Bonnie is still serving the best jambalaya?!"

"Nothing changed there." Elena replied. "Go check."

"I will. Uhm - catch up later tonight?"

"Sure. Rousseau's - around 10. Sorry, I got to go" Elena said.

"Later." Kai said before he slipped into the diner.

*
The Bayou

"Rebekah, you should go home. What are you doing here?"

"I came to talk to Jackson. I want to support the Bayou cause." Rebekah said. "What are you doing here?"

"Police business. I am an Agent- or did you forget." Elijah replied. "You should go home."

"I'm not going to interfere with the investigation. I promise." Rebekah said.

"Rebekah, please."

"Are you maybe meeting Hayley's doppelganger?"

"No. Why would I?" Elijah looked curiously at his sister.

"I don't know. She was here. Just before I came. She talked to Jackson." Rebekah said.

"Really?!"

"Yep. Curious, ha?"

"Very." Elijah snorted pensively.

"It was quite spooky seeing her."

"Something tells me the De Martel's are putting spanners in the works in purpose. Aurora and her brother are psychos." the blonde remarked.

"I know. We are watching them closely. And I also know that this is personal. But I cannot prove that any of them killed Hayley and John Gilbert, and that Salvatore guy." Elijah said.

"Talking about the Gilberts. I saw the way you looked at Elena."

"Rebekah, stop."

"Come on, Elijah. You've fallen for her. Admit it."

"Well, I - can't deny that I have feelings for her. And it is wrong on so many levels." Elijah said.

"You don't owe anyone anything. Hayley cheated on you, temember?" Rebekah pointed out the harsh reality.

"PreciseIy. I feel broken - angry. My soul is still burning with the betrayal. I am not ready for anything right now." Elijah explained.

"Elena can mend you heart. I am sure of it. I know that I've just met her. She wears her heart on the sleeve. She would never hurt you."

"Rebekah, please, leave it. I mean it."

"All right." the blonde waved her hands up.

Both of the Originals, all of a sudden moved swiftly in a defensive position seeing a group of vampires charge in the Bayou, chasing a young werewolf.

Stopping the ring leader from taunting the werewolf further, he stepped back. "I suggest you and your fellow nobodies retire. And if I ever see you anywhere near this place - let's put it this way - you will be prosecuted for grievous bodily harm. Am I clear?"

The gang of thugs knew that the Original was not kidding. Even though, the thug spat on the floor, giving him a brazen glare, before he took his posse away.

Elijah turned to the young wolf, who was a tad bit nervous. "I don't know anything about the murders."

"Well, when you put it that way - you surely are connected with it. We know that you personaly didn't kill the witch  or Aiden. But, you are Josette Saltzman's boyfriend, who left the Boarding School. You know that she is a very powerful witch in her own right. The witch elders need to speak to her."

The young wolf squirmed. He gulped nervously as Elijah neared him. "Where did you get this from?"

"It belonged to my grandmother. She told me to wear it. For good luck."the werrwolf replied.

"It is not a good luck charm. May I borrow it? I will return it."

*
Meanwhile in the French Quarter, the Rousseau's

Camille sipped down the Bourbon like there is no tommorrow.

"Can I join you?" Marcel said as he neared the Agent.

"Sure." Camille took another good sip, not looking at her ex-lover.

"Things have never been this bleak." Marcel said pouring himself a drink as the bartender passed a glass over to him.

"Bleak? You sound like Klaus."

"Yeah - well - been talking to him." Marcel said.

"I guess you will deal with Davina's funeral?!" Camille took the bottle and pouring herself another drink.

"I am. This is why I am here. The Witch's Council is not releasing her body."

"I will see what I can do."

"Thank you. I appreciate it." Marcel raised the glass to the blonde.

"Want to go to my place? I really don't want to be on my own tonight." Camille suddenly suggested, getting up.

"You are too smashed" Marcel waved it off.

"You are right. I am smashed, but - nevermind. I'll see you around." Camille grabbed her jacket from the bar stool, throwing a bunch of dollar bills on the counter for her drink.

"Wait," Marcel shot up, "you're right. You should not be on your own tonight."

*

Not far from the Rousseau's, in the Witch's Council, Caroline was jotting down the latest intel she had received from her shadow informants.

"I know that you are the workaholic, but seriously - why are you still here?"

"This seriously got to stop. You need to get a life. Like right now." Caroline put her notebook on the table.

"I got a life." Enzo shook his head a bit.

"Oh, really? What is it that you say - pot-kettle, much?"

"All right. I don't have a life. Same as you I just chase the bad guys. Ok - here we are again - ditched both of our dates. What'ya got?" Enzo reached for the notebook.

"Sophie Deveraux was seen in New York. She talked to a rogue witch, Killian Gardiner." Caroline replied.

"Killian Gardiner, really? The plot thickens." Enzo remarked.

"What do you mean? You know him?"

"Oh, yes." Enzo confirmed.

"Tell me."

"Well, he is a black sheep of the family. Very powerful, until his own mother manipulated him and took some of his powers of to strengthen herself. She was on the warpath against the Beauchamp witches. It ended in bloodshed."

"Interesting. We need to find out what Sophie and him were talking about exactly." Caroline shot up from the sofa and dialled a number.

"There's no rest for the wicked." Enzo murmurred as he now sent one of his own shadow informants a text.

*

Elsewhere

Having left the Bayou, Elijah spent some time in the Witch Council trying to find something about the ring the young wolf had on him.

"Moonlight ring" Elijah muttered as he finally found a match in the archives. The revelation that followed about the ring, made him stop in his tracks.  He inhaled silently as he read on.

"The ring is created by an Original witch, to help her lover and his clan by finding a way to prevent them from having to turn on every full moon. She eventually accomplished this by magically creating , which would not only allow them to control their transformations into wolves, but also allowed them to draw on their full werewolf powers while in human form. She gave her lover a ring which she planned to empower, but their plans never came to fruition. The ring was passed down through the pack's bloodline."

He knew who the Original witch was. Putting the ring back in his pocket, he put away the book back in its shelf.

Flashback

Nearly a thousand years ago, West Viriginia

Elijah followed his mother deep into the woods. Hiding behind a tree he watched his mother approach a man, kissing him lovingly.

"I will help your people." Esther said to Ansel. "Give some time."

"We don't have time. The witches from the East are not going to let this go. We need to become human only. Otherwise the hunters will kill us all. The whole pack." Ansel said.

"I promise. The child that I am carrying is your child. I swear that I will make sure, you are safe."

Though this particular amulet had not brought him anywhere close to solving the murder of his late fiance, it had opened other wounds that were quite close to his family. Klaus' father and the whole North Atlantic Wolf pack was slaughtered. So it was believed. The existance of the ring proved that someone had survived.

But all that was not that had his heart throbbing anxiously. The appearance of Hayley's doppelganger, had a much greater impact on him than he wanted to admit. And then there were these feelings for Elena, that crept on him out of nowhere.

Gravity is working against me
And gravity wants to bring me down
Oh, twice as much ain't twice as good
And can't sustain like one half could
It's wanting more that's gonna send me to my knees

He sure was on his knees. The universe was not making his life easy. It had never done. But this time it felt like it had been especially harsh.

He needed a drink. To forget everything for one night and damp all the confusion that flooded his heart.

Turning around the corner, the Original stood still. "Elena?"

"Elijah- I was - uhm - looking for you?"

"Yes? Did something happen?" Elijah stepped forward, concern brimming from his eyes.

"No. I just - uhm - I'm going away. To Portland. "

"You are? Portland?" his voice quivered, not hidin his  surprised.

"Yeah - I think I need a break from New Orleans and everything that's going on." Elena replied.

Elijah went quiet for a moment. His heart was not silence though. It was raging. It didn't want her to go. He wanted to grab hold of her and tell her what his heart so desperately tried to put across.

I feel more connected to you than any woman I have ever met. I get lost in your eyes, happy to drown, and forget about the world.

"I'm sorry, Elena - I just..."

_to be continued