If you love somebody, let them go, for if they return, they were always yours.

If they don't, they never were.

Kahlil Gibran

¤

For all, it was like crunch time of sorts. Take a moment. Put the foot on the ball. Weigh out life. Look deep inside and see where you are in the world, what you want, how you fit, how you want it to be. To lose oneself is easy, but to go back to your true self, that is not the easiest this to do. Find the centre, find the balance. Make sure you do consider others too. Not be selfish, but don't also give all of yourself away.

Elena knew that after the breakdown she had faced in the Sunny Cove, she had to take time to herself. And after the zoom conference with Abby Bennett, giving her extended power to be the CEO, she jetted late that night to Hawaii, to a retreat. No phones, no social media. No work. No family. Just her and nature.

Joel made a big decisions to change things around for himself as well. The same day as Elena walked out of the loft, he called his promoter and agent, telling him that he wanted to go back racing.

As for Klaus and Caroline- there was a period of a tiny freeze between them, as Caroline decided she was taking time off from men altogether and started to work for as a event organizer.

Klaus, who same as Joel, had been most of his life were like those guys that never thought they could lose their hearts, utterly and completely. Joel, same as Klaus felt the emptiness the women they loved left behind.

Klaus, who same as Joel had been most of his life guys that were not really believing that they could lose their heart to one woman only, now felt the emptiness Caroline had left behind. Now that they were no more, his heart thought of all the time he had spent with Caroline, and all those times, he knew he took the beauty for granted. It was not all about sex, like he made it out to be. Deep down, he loved her bubbly nature, her fun and positive outlook on life. Though she was rich, not once did she make him feel that he was just some guy, she is sleeping with. She was sweet, loving, kind. He was in love with her and he didn't even notice. And no matter how many times he had called her, leaving sweet messages on her voicemail, she didn't call him back.

Davina broke up with Kaleb, no matter how much it pained her, as she let her heart out on the sleeve with him, and got burnt badly, at least that's what she thought. No matter how much he tried to convince her that his ex kissed him, and he didn't kiss her back, she didn't believe him. She focused on school and getting good grades, working on her portfolio for the designer school.

One other person, who tried desperately to forget the woman, who had just been his friend, and never got further than the friend zone, was Kol. Klaus could not understand his brother never having made a move on Bonnie, especially if he was so desperately in love with her. Kol had to admit that he had messed up once. Though it was not anything bad, he was sure, it pushed Bonnie away. Namely, when she made a move on him on a party, he refused her.

"She was drunk and I didn't want to take advantage," Kol said to Klaus,"the next day when I went to see her, she dismissed everything and said that it was better that nothing happened as their friendship was something more important than anything". And so Kol started dating another woman.

Days turned into weeks, weeks into months - this is how they went on.

*

Elena, Hawaii

I'm thinking of you, that's all i do all the time
You're always the first and the last thing on this heart of mine
No matter where i go or what i do
I'm thinking of you

*
Joel, Whitmore

Can't remember names, who i used to be
What i cared about before you came to me, baby
Every selfish thought, all i thought i knew
Has been replaced with thinking of you

Always thinking of you, yes i am

*

Kol and Bonnie

Klaus and Caroline, Falls

💘

Two months later

Elena stepped down from the plane and as she walked through the arrivals, a happy face of her friend Caroline shot at her.
Two women hugged like they had not seen one another in a very long time.

"The hair!" Caroline exclaimed seeing Elena had significantly changed her look.

"I know. It was - redo, refresh, re- everything." Elena said.

"Oh, it's good! It's like you - with a totally knew glow! Which takes me back to last year of High School, before you got all too serious!" Caroline said.

"I am not less-serious now" Elena said,"but now I got all my priorities in order, and definitely all my feelings about - everything- so clear."

"I have to go swimming with sharks, too."

"I read all your messages on the plane. I can't believe that you gave up on - love, men."

"Not given up," Caroline said,"taking time off- like you. Setting priorities- and I am priority no1 but, not like I was before- all careless and cloudy."

"So, is Klaus still squirming?"

"Pretty much." Caroline replied, making a little cute twist with her mouth.

"Aren't you a bit harsh? He said that he wanted to more. You might lose him, you know."

Caroline sighed a little. Elena was right, and she knew it, and she wasn't really giving Klaus a hard time to be mean. "I need time to myself. I've always had a boyfriend or - been with a guy. You know. Now it's Caroline time. And it feels so good."

" I can so relate" Elena said.

"Uhm - Aiden told me that you broke up with Gavin. I want the whole download."

As they got into Caroline's car Elena told her friend what had happened the day she left Joel's and after her friend brought her home.

Flashback

"Ok. I told Gavin that you were with me in Hamptons." Caroline said.

"Sorry about this. Didn't want to - have you lie."

"Don't worry about it. But, I am mad at you for not telling me you and Joel had this thing."

"Joel and I don't have a thing. There is nothing going on between us!" Elena jumped straight away at her friend.

"You could have fooled me. Talk about tension in the room." Caroline said referring to the moment between Joel and Elena in the loft.

"I think I'm in love with him."

"OMG!!! Really?"

"Really." Elena said.

"And? Did you tell him?"

"It's complicated. Everything feels like it not right. I need to - get things sorted. I owe it to Gavin. It's actually a bit of a crazy mess. I kissed Joel - earlier at the Summer Cove house - and I would have slept with him if he didn't refuse me."

"WHAT??" Caroline exclaimed wide-eyed,"I mean- he is hot like hell- but - ah- you have really hit - the black hole. This is so not you!"

" I know. I just - everything just - was overload and I wanted - ugh! I can't explain. And he was so great- about it all. Too great for words."

"Well, he is in love with you, that's for sure. Totally in love with you!" Caroline stated and then thought -poor Joel.

Elena said nothing further. She gazed out of the side window, getting into her absent-minded mode. As they arrived at the house, she thanked her friend, and got out of the car.

As she got in, Gavin waited for her. As he started with questions about the night before, she just asked him to go with her into the study. She didn't beat around the bush.

"I can't marry you."

"What? Why?" Gavin shook his head in disbelief.

"I don't think that I love you anymore. At least not like I loved you. And it's not good enough to get married." Elena said.

"Ok, darling. You had a terribly stressed month- a year- and this revelation that Isobel had served you with-"

"Don't patronize me." Elena cut in harshly,"I am an emotional wreck, but I have enough sense to know that this is not what I want."

"So, after ten years this is it? Just like that? A Gilbert switched off and walks all over a person."

Elena inhaled sharply. "I admit that I should have done it a while ago. I am sorry."

"You're sorry? I can't believe this. You are - ah- " Gavin started but then not finishing the sentence walked out of the study, slamming the door behind.

"Wow, I'm not sorry that he is out of your life. You should have broken up with him ten years ago." Caroline now said.

"Gavin send me like trillion apologies and wants to meet." Elena said.

"Please tell me that you're not going to meet him."

"No. I replied to him and told him that we are very much over." Elena replied."I don't love him anymore. We were like a habit. And - when I think back to our whole relationship - I mean and he was - a good, kind guy, and he was - ok- "

"Ok is not good enough. I don't think you were like ever in love with him. Like - really in love. Love that you feel in your heart - and your heart jumps up every time you are with him, around him. Jumping for joy."

Elena now smiled at her friend. She agreed.

"And Joel? Is he still - or did you meet the Aquaman?"

Elena had to laugh. "Seriously, Care."

"What? All the Ocean shark swimming. I bet there were amazing divers there. And nobody would think badly of you if you had a bit of fun."

"You know me. I'm not good at those things."

"I know."

❤️

At the same time more or less

Algiers

Davina waited for Kol and Joel to get down. She sat down on Kol's bike and took the magazine out of her bag.

"I will see you at the basketball court- at six."Joel said to Kol as they walked up to Davina.

And there it was- like a flash from many months ago, but this time, seeing the woman on the cover of the magazine, had a completely different buzz.

Davina could see straight away the way Joel's face changed colour, his eyes sparkling, that Elena was in his heart. Without a word, Davina passed the magazine to her brother. She exchanged looks with Kol, and they communicated something in the style- he is still lost in her like before, if not more than before.

Joel was quiet. So, she is back. His heart jumped up wildly. Butterflies, he pushed down now rose up again in him. She looked good. He thought. Different, yet the same. There was a certain new vibe about her. She was better, and that made him feel happy. He knew that she went to Hawaii. That was the last he had heard from Aiden as he went to pick up his last check, as he had resigned a week or so after Elena had left.

Joel gave the magazine back to his sister, and like nothing particular happened, confirmed once again with them the time they would meet.

"He is still totally in love with her." Davina said to Kol as Joel drove off.

"I know how that feels." Kol said.

Davina looked at the man a bit gone out.

"You do?"

"Yeah." Kol said.

"What do you mean?"

"I told Bonnie how I feel about her and how it broke me when I lost her - uhm - when I made the choice to let her go." Kol replied.

"What are you waiting for? Tell her how you feel. I don't know why you guys wait forever to tell the girl how you really feel."

"There's nothing I can really offer her. I'm not as rich as Kai Parker." Kol said.

"His money didn't really save their relationship, did it?" Davina reminded him.

"No. Still - I'm just a small town journalist. Writing about sports."

"You seriously need to stop selling yourself short." Davina said. "Ask her out. Just do it. Think of something you used to do. Something special though."

Davina was right. Enough of brooding. It was time to get all the feelings out there and just take the plunge. No matter how it turns out. Love will find a way.

And so...

The next morning

Elena rang the bell on the loft door. A million butterflies rose up as she waited for the door to open.

And the doors opened and a woman stood there saying hello.

"Hello" Elena slipped.

And then she heard Joel in the backrough. "Who is it, Sophie?"

"Ahm- I'm sorry-" Elena waved with her hand and spun around walking to the elevator.

Joel, who heard her, leapt to the door, his heart stopping a beat.

Though the elevator arrived, Elena, having heard Joel, bit a gulp back and turned around.

"Hello." she muttered.

"Hello." Joel said, staring at the brunette, feeling he had just slipped into a dream.

*

a/n: xoxo

✽-(^▽^)/✽