*
Joel Goran slid into the car, and glanced at the magazine that his sister was reading.

"Who is that?"

"Elena Gilbert. The youngest CEO in the history of the Gilbert Chocolate Empire " Davina replied,"she is so stylish. And she has the perfect boyfriend."

"Put your feet down" Joel said and shot another look at the magazine page.

His sister was not wrong. Joel made a mental gasp. She was so very stylish. And to add so very beautiful.

"I guess being rich and from the family helped her be at that position." Joel said somewhat sarcastically.

"I so want to be like her." Davina jamned the magazine in her bag.

"Maybe if you sit and study you just might get there. Instead of hanging with Diego and his crowd."

"Ah! You're always on my case. What about you. You gave up medical school to race cars, and now -"

"Now what?" Joel turned to his sister, throwing an agitated look at her.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to" Davina sighed, apologizing. She knew how much the subject of car racing affected her brother.

Joel inhaled silently. He regreted his snappy tone.
"Hey, I am sorry. I shouldn't have - you know that I still - can't get over everything."

"Yeah, I do. But it wasn't your fault. You didn't cause Tyler's death. They cleared you." Davina said.

"They cleared me, yeah, but if I only I didn't get so sharp in the chicane -" Joel now flashed back to the accident in the race a year previously.

The accident that resulted in Tyler Lockwood dying from the injuries caused by it. Joel exiting the race, losing the championship, losing all sponsors, losing himself. Losing the will do anything. And if it wasn't for his best friend Klaus Mikaelson, he would never have got to his feet and probably succumb to drink.

But he had a teenage sister, he had to look after. Life could not be put on hold, no matter how deeply cut he was about the accident, that was not his fault. Yet, he still carried this terrible guilt that he could not wash away.

"Do we really have to sell the apartment?" Davina now asked as she saw the real-estate agent in front of their building.

"We have to. There is your school tuition. And then your college fund. And all the lawyer's fees. Medical bills. And this place is too expensive to keep, anyway. We will get something smaller, but still good. I promised dad that I will make sure you get a good education."

"It's like we are cursed." Davina huffed and got out of the car.

Joel didn't say anything to it, though inside frustration bubbled up. He now pushed his emotions under and greeted the Agent.

💥

On the other side of the town, Elena Gilbert finished signing off some documents.

"Any luck with the interviews for a new driver," Caroline Forbes walked in the office.

"No," Elena replied,"it was quite a disaster."

"It's because you are too picky." Caroline said.

"I can't hire just any guy. I need someone professional. Someone, who is not just a driver."

"Byt be a bodyguard, too." Caroline chuckled, winking.

"No. But someone I can rely on. It's important for them to be there on time. Be kind of flexible. You know." Elena said.

"In one word- superman. Doesn't exist. Enough of work. Let's go for a drink. I will be the chauffeur for the evening."

"I can't go just yet. I got to prepare for the meeting tomorrow. Also need to read the analysis done on the new recipe, as well as the memo the lawyers have sent about the Original recipe of our Mexican Chilie Chocolate pralines." Elena said.

"Work, work, work and no play. Elena, you got unwind some time. It's not an empire, it's only a chocolate factory." Caroline pulled her phone out as she got a m3ssage alert.

Elena looked up at her friend, "I am responsible for this 'only chocolate factory'. We are one of the only few artisan types of factories left and the competition is fierce and I don't want all that my great-grandfather had build go down. In a couple of days, we there's the 90 year anniversary. As the ypungest CEO ever, I have to show them that I can run it as good as they had, even better."

"Always the overachiever." Caroline said."I am so jealous. Being constantly at work, you manage to have a love life, too. Mine is a total zero. You don't know how lucky you are that you got Kevin. I should have stayed with Matt."

"How? Didn't you say that Stefan is the one?"

"No. We broke up. Well, he broke up with me. But of course, you don't know, because you are forever couped up here. And have no time for your friend to cry on your shoulder." Caroline moaned.

"Ok. One drink." Elena closed her notebook.

"You see. This is why I need a driver now. He or she could take the files safely home and I can revise everything there." Elena said.

"OMG. It's like you have top secret papers in there. Relax."

"Trust me, some recipes and their ingredients are like top top secret! Ok, where are we going? I don't want go to Rousseau's."

"I know a great new place. It's called the Mystique."Caroline said.

"Right. Let's go."Elen took her suit jacketa nd they both left the office.

¤¤¤
Elsewhere

Joel sat down to talk with the realtor.

"This is not a bad offer, Mr. Goran. I think you should accept it." the realtor said.

It wasn't really the best offer. Joel hoped to get more for the apartment, but he had no choice. He needed the money here and now, as the bills and everything else that piled up left him feel cornered.

"All right. I accept it." Joel said.

Davina was also down. Everything in her teenage life changed with the fatal crash of Joel's. Having finally made to be with the popular crowd, she suddenly found herself being booted to the curb. After that, the father she loved so much, got ill and no matter how much they had hoped and Joel paying for the best hospital, the man died. Emotionally, they both were exhausted. But, as Joel's best friend said, "You are not down the gutter till you got friends."

And that friend of his now gave him a call.

"I am in this new bar we talked about, in Whitmore. Kol arrived. Come down. We are waiting for you. I think we might get lucky tonight." Klaus, Joel's best friend said, seeing Caroline walk into the bar.

"I am not sure." Joel said.

"Come on. You have to stop hiding away. It's time you got back in the game." Klaus said.

"Get down here, man! It will like old times. I am only here for a few days." Kol shouted.

"Fine. See you." Joel agreed reluctantly and hung up.

Klaus took his phone from call and still not swaying his eyes from Caroline."I think an angel has come down to Earth."

Kol taking a sip of the Bourbon smirked cutely. "She is not going to give you the time of day. She is way above your league."

"Just watch and learn, how a devil woes an angel. You might learn something." Klaus said.

Caroline, who left Elena to replied to some important business e-mails, walked to the bar. She floated like a dream, as if she trully had wings. She looked a million dollars. Which was not far from the truth. Everything on her was designer, shoes, dress, jewerly, make up, bag, hair. Like Kol said, way above Klaus' league. A guy, who had a small garage, restoring old cars. And even though he was a first class mechanic, he never seemed to be able to make it big time.

Caroline passed by him, giving him a tiny glass, pretending she didn't notice him gawking at her while she was walking up to the bar.

"Manhattan, for a guess?".Klaus said referring to the cocktail she was about to order.

Caroline now swayed her look at Klaus,"The Bronx!"

"Feisty!" Klaus remarked putting up a charming smirk on.

"Daring" Caroline pouted, shooting a glance at the him.

"Always, luv." Klaus said flirtatiously.

Caroline was about to say something flirtatiously clever back, but Elena got to her friend now saying that she had to go home.

"It's Jeremy. My mom is not coping. I am really sorry. I can't stay. I am going to get a taxi." Elena said.

Caroline turned, eyes now directed to her friend bursting damn it, really! Not now! The night is just about to start!

"Here, take my car," Caroline got the keys of her car out,"I will get a taxi. Or maybe get a ride back to the Falls."

"You are not staying on your own here?!" Elena said.

"You are kidding me, right? I was in real dives on my own. This is the Ritz compared to those other places."

Elena shook her head and then took the keys, knowing Caroline and her crazy. No matter how much she would try to reason with her best friend that this was a bad idea, she knew that it would be futile.

"I'll see you tomorrow." Elena said and walked away.

"Yes, sir." Caroline joked a bit.

"I will drive you to the end of the world" Klaus said as Caroline turned to him.

"Eavesdropping! Negative point"

"So what can I do to get a positive point?" Klaus smirked charmingly.

"I'll have to think about and I'll get back to you" Caroline replied.

Outside the bar, Joel parked up. Getting across the road his look swayed to two guys now grabbing a woman just a bit down the road. He ran up there as fast as he could, punching one of the guys out, tossing him on the ground. The woman attacked managed to get out of the other man's grip, kicking him hard with her knee up to the groin. Joel was right there swingung a good punch at the second guy as well. He then turned to the woman, checking if she was all right.

"I am fine." Elena said.

"Are you sure?" Joel said once again gently putting his hands on her arms.

"Perfectly" Elena inhaled, still shivering slightly. Joel rubbed down her arms as a gesture of comfort now realizing that it was the woman from the magazine his sister was reading that afternoon.

"I am ok." Elena said and her body language indicated that he should let go.

"Thank you." Elena looked at Joel in a grateful and yet sweet manner.

"You are all right. Ahm, if you don't mind me saying, you don't seem to be - shall I get you a taxi or- and pick the car up tomorrow?"

"I am ok. I can drive. Thank you once again." Elena opened the door and got in.

Joel nodded a little and turned to leave. But then turned around to check on Elena. She should have already started the car and drive off, but she still sat there, both hands on the wheel staring at nothing.

Joel now knocked at the widow of the car and Elena looked at him, "Tell me where to take you?"

Elena sighed a little and opened the door for him. She moved to the passanger seat."Falls- East 1"

Joel got in the car and a second later they drove off.

The whole half an hour drive to where the Gilbert residence was, Elena spent on the phone to different people. The subject was her brother Jeremy.

As she put the phone down as they had arrived at the Falls, "Here we are."

"Here we are." Elena repeated. "I apologoze for being on the phone all the time, but as you may have heard my brother- well, always gets himself in trouble."

"I know what it is like. I have a younger sister. It seems like trouble follows her no matter how much she says she doesn't do anything." Joel said.

"I wish he was 10 and I could just ground him." Elena said.

"You? And your mother? Why doesn't she do the grounding or whatever?"

"Well, you see, I am the bad cop and she is the good cop, and Jeremy takes advantage of the situation." Elena explained.

"I get it. She spoils him, for a guess."

"Rotten." Elena said.

They both looked at one another, and there was this moment, a moment in which both were caught up, finding how easy they felt talking to one another, though they were complete strangers.

"I am Joel, by the way. Joel Goran." Joel extended his hand sort of.

"Elena." she shook his hand.

"Yes, I know. I mean. I saw you in the magazine. Not that I read celebrity magazines. Sorry. This came out -really a bit -"

"It is fine. Don't worry, Joel. Right" Elena now was to say something more, but her phone went again. It was her mother.

Elena got out of the car, and took the call, but finished it quickly.

Joel got out of the car as well. He dialed the taxi company.

"Please. Let the taxi company charge it on me. Here is my card." Elena pulled her business card out of the bag handing it to Joel.

"It's not a problem." Joel said.

"I insist." the brunette extended her hand to Joel and he shook it. Her hand was warm, gentle, but the handshake, the grip quite firm.

Still holding hands, like some magic was involved, Elena said quite out of the ordinary. "I wish you were my driver."

"Excuse me?" Joel looked at the brunette a bit gone out.

Realizing what she had said, Elena rashly explained,"I've been looking - interviewing a lot of people to be my chauffeur, I mean, someone who would not just drive me to work and meetings, but a person of confidence. Someone I can rely on. Good men are hard to find."

"Well, thank you for the offer"

"I hope I have not offended you."

"No. As it happens I am inbetween jobs." Joel said.

"Well, you think about it. If you - need a job - and - I will double the rate."

"Right. Thank you. I - will get back to you."

"All right." Elena said, a little smile curling up on her lips.

The taxi pulled in and Joel shot a look at Elena, eyes glistening with sweet something at her before he got in the car.

Elena took a sigh, her heart fluttering dreamily.

"Elena!" the butler met the brunette taking her jacket, "Your mother is driving me insane."

"Yes, let's get in." Elena now followed the man into the house.

🌼

The next morning

Elena got to the offices as per usual on time. The incident that had happened the night before shook her, but she was not the one to get down by it. But, she could not lie that it had thrown her out of her tracks. She now corrected her hair as she usually does before she was about to get out of the elevator. She put her head up and stepped out confidently.

And as she stepped out, her eyes set on the man- the hero, her hero of the moment. Joel.

Elena approached him, and he stood up as if he was in the military, and a general walked in. He greeted her warmly.

Elena greeted him back civily, somewhat reserved.

Aiden Woodell, Elena's personal assistant now approached them.

"This man says that he is here for the chauffer's job. I have told him that there were no interviews today." Aiden said.

"It is all right, Aiden. I have asked Mr Goran to come." Elena turned to Joel. "Would you accompany me to my office, please?"

Joel nodded a bit and walked to the office with Elena.

"You run a tight ship." Joel remarked.

Elena putting her bag and her briefcase on the table, turned around, "Very."

"I want to thank you once more for last night."

"Hey, anyone would help a -"

"A damsel in distress?" Elena finished his sentence.

"It's not like you were a total damsel. I have never seen high heels being so cleverly used." Joel said.

"Yes. Those defence classes payed off, but if you were not there, I don't think I would have managed to fend them off."

"Whitmore is not a part of town where someone like you should go alone. No offence."

"None taken. It's not a place where I usually go. My friend Caroline has crazy ideas at times. Anyway, let's talk business, I mean, I guess you are here because you will accept the job." Elena said.

"Well, yes." Joel said.

"Good."-Elena said, a happy glimmer in her eyes, and putting a serious face back on added-"Right. Aiden will take you to the human resources to deal with the contract. And - if it is all right with you, you can starr tomorrow first thing. "

"If you need me I can start today." Joel said.

As Elena was about to answer, a man bursted in. "Hi, sweetheart. Sorry I have not answered your calls. You know what is like in the hospital."

He gave Elena a peck on the cheek.

"It's all right, Gavin. Ahm, this is Joel Goran. My new chauff- driver."

Dr Gavin Murphy, Elena's boyfriend since High School, having heard the name turned to Joel,"Wow, you hired an ex-Indy race car driver as your personal driver?!"

Elena, who didn't follow any sports, looked at Joel surprised.

"Yes, I was an Indy- car race driver." Joel said looking at Elena.

Gavin now cut in, "You were amazing. We all thought you would get that championship, if it wasn't for the accident- you were my favourite driver of the season. You came out of nowhere and raced like you were God."

"What accident?" Elena tilted her head quizzically.

"There was an accident on the day of the pent-ultimate race." Joel replied. He felt his stomach flipping with the painful memory.

"It wasn't your fault. They proved that the angle you took didn't really endanger Lockwood." Gavin said.

Joel looked at Gavin and then at Elena, "Thank you for the opportunity, but I think that it's best that I go."

Joel turned to exit the office and Elena shot out without thinking twice,"Stay!"

🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼

Cast:

Nina Dobrev as Elena Gilbert

Daniel Gillies as Joel Goran

Candice King as Caroline Forbes

Joseph Morgan as Klaus Mikaelson

Danielle Campbell as Davina Goran

Nathaniel Buzolic as Kol Mikaelson

Kristopher Turner as Dr Gavin Murphy
*

a/n:
re-edited. I hope you enjoy this ride!

xoxo
😘🍀