Elena returned to the house slamming the door behind her. Caroline, who was upstairs in her room now swished down meeting a very angered Elena, who now passed by her heading up to what was her room. Caroline followed stopping her not letting her go further till she explained, "Elijah! He is no better than the rest of them."

Caroline looked cluless at her friend and her wide-eyed expression was asking her friend to get to the point.

"It turns out a certain Aya is coming down from New York. As his +1."

"Oh!" Caroline exclaimed.

"Yes, OH! But, I should not get - so- UGH! I am no better than him. I am with someone, too, and- whatever!" Elena plonked down on the bed running nervously her hands through her hair.

"Ok- so, has someone- and- " Caroline didn't know how to entangle this particular knot, and yet continued-"did he tell you about her? How did -?

Elena now sighed a little retelling her how she found out about Aya.

"After lunch, I went to that designer shop to see about those shoes that I wanted, but they didn't have in my size, and there was this corset I saw, which I thought would fit me better, and I went to try it on- and-"

"And?"Caroline couldn't wait in anticipation for Elena to continue.

"His sister and his - the other one- sister-in-law were there and - they- well, one of them said-I don't know how Elijah is going to deal with Aya, now that Elena is here. The other one then said Aya is his +1? Is he with her?' What happened to Hayley?' At that I got out of the place. Ah, whatever" Elena said standing up still flustered,"why do I care?!"

"Because you wanted it to be special and magical- and it was- you two meeting so out of nowhere- and so dreamy- almost fairy- tale like" Caroline said feeling for her friend.

"I told you it doesn't exist. He was all like everyone- acting all sweet- it was nothing but another hook up. But it's not even a big deal. Why am I so - ugh!!! I am a hypocrite. I got what I asked for."

To make her friend perk up a bit, Caroline tri3d to mellow her friend's mood,"At least you had great sex- twice. And fun. Fun is ok."

"It doesn't make sense- he said he doesn't do one-nights- arghhh!" Elena felt anger shoot up her veins.

Slumping on her bed with tears welling up. Deep down in her soul she wanted it to be the fairy-tale thing. "I don't know why allowed myself to be swept into the whole serendipity thing.

"Oh, Elena" Caroline didn't know how to make things better.

Hearing the doorbell go, Caroline excused herself and went to see who it was.

Elena jumping up from the bed. She looked at the gown hanging on the wardrobe door. "There is no magic"

But things were not as she thought they were. Well, not entirely. What Elena didn't hear was Rebekah saying,
"Aya is his P.A., and just invited her as a last minute thing. Hayley got married. He is mad about Elena."

*
Returning to the Mansion, Elijah greeted Aya, who had arrived when he was at lunch with Elena. After introducing her to his mother, he and the faithful P.A. went to the library to talk.

"I have the need to apologize for having put you in this position," Elijah said. "I was careless, and it was not right to give you the illusion- if you had any- not that you would about- why I invited you as my +1. I trully apologize for- if there was a misunderstanding."

Aya gulped a bit. Well, she had the illusion, and now Elijah crushed it severely.

"Oh, I completely understand." Aya kept composed.

"Thank you. I - well, I am truly sorry for - everything. I hope you enjoy our hospitality."

Esther, who forgot to do additional magic that morning to keep the house sound-proof, she overheard them talking. To aid the situation, she knocked at the, apologizing politely for interrupting them."Your room is ready now, Ms Vitale."

As the perfect host, she took care of her guest, ushering Elijah to go see his father as he needed him for something.

He felt awful and Rebekah had told him that this would bite him back. But what was done was done. He had to think now how to mend things. Foremost, with Elena.

Mikael met him in the lounge and they went to talk- business.

*
Back at the Bennett house
Elena, dialled Kai's number.

"This is Kai's phone, Jake speaking"

Elena wasn't surprised Jake answering as they would do terrible pranks to one another-smiled a little,"Hey - how are you?"

"Really good. You? I hear you're gone for a "tropical" Christmas this year?" Jake said.

"Yeah, well, Bonnie lives in New Orleans and haven't seen my girls in forever" Elena said.

"I would trade snow with sun for a while too" Jake said.

"It doesn't feel so tropical here at the moment. Uhm- I really wanna chat, but is Kai there?"

"Oh- yeah- you wouldn't believe this- the twins got him wrapped into making a snowman."

"Really- ok- just leave it- let then have fun. I'll call back later"

A few minutes later photos came through with Kai making the snowman with Jo, the twins and an unkown woman. One photo showed the woman kissing Kai.

Elena's shook her head a little. Caroline's voice 'I told you so' rang in her ears.

She now rang Jake back.

"Tell me- is Kai with someone?- ok - actually you don't have to tell me anything."

"What's up - yeah- why?" Jake was a baffled.

"Nothing. Sorry - I got to go. Later. " Elena said.

"Yeah. Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas." Elena said and hung up, inhaling deeply.

"Hey," Caroline knocked a little on the door that was still ajar, "you ok?"

"Yeah - uhm - it turns out Kai is having a great time, too. Huh- I'm suchba fool." Elena showed her friend the photos Jake had sent her.

"You're not a fool. Come on - let's forget all this. Bonnie is back. Even thought we will be eating the most fancy stuff tomorrow at the Ball, tonight we will kill ourselves with beignets and ice-cream and hot chocolate."

"I am not going to the Ball." Elena said as the walked down to the living room.

"You should so go! Put that beautiful gown on and show him what he will be missing!"

"Guys, I don't thinks so. I just don't feel like it. But you should go. And have the best time."

"We can't go without you. It would be like a very weird Cinderella story." Caroline said.

"How do you figure?" Bonnie looked puzzled at her friend.

"We're going to the dance and she is not. Even though we're not the bad sisters. Ugh - nevermind." Caroline waved it off.

"Seriously - it's no big. He is just a guy I hooked up with. There's no magic. He is just a guy - no better than - uhm - I need to go reply to a few e-mails." Elena got up and trailed off up the stairs.

*
In the Mikaelson Mansion, Elijah left Elena another message on the phone.

"I just spoke to Caroline.Well - Elena overheard Rebekah and Sage talking about Aya. " Klaus informed Elijah about the brunette abruptly leaving dinner.

"I told you that this will blow up in your face." Rebekah cut in, coming from the side room.

Elijah inhaled deeply.

"It will sort itself out. Go to Elena and explain." Klaus didn't understand all the drama.

"Did you speak to Aya?" Rebekah asked.

"Of course. I apologized for - you know. You were right, though. She read something into the whole invitation thing. Now - I appear to be a real scumbag."

"You made a mistake, Elijah. You are allowed to make a mistake. No one is perfect. Don't worry, we will look after her. Me and Sage. Elena will forgive you. You're not a player. Now what did you get Elena?"

"The Penannular Brooch" Elijah said.

"The one you made in Nova Scotia?" Rebekah said.

"Yes." Elijah replied.

"Oh, she will love it". Rebekah was excited.

"If she accepts the gift." Elijah said dreamily.

"Magic is in the air. Not mother's. The one from universe. Everything will be fine. Anyway, I got to go." Rebekah patted her brother on the arm.

As she exited, Klaus told Elijah that Elena was thinking of not coming to the Ball, but that Caroline would do her best to persuade her friend to attend.

"I have to go over to her and explain myself. She is everything I ever wanted." Elijah said resolved.

"Excellent idea." Klaus chuckled a little, taking the little box from the piano. "Take the present with you."

Elijah took the box and made his way to the French Quarter.

And there, not long after, Elena went outside the house to talk to him.

"Please believe me - I never meant to take any advantage of you. Or Aya for that matter."

Elena looked at the vampire but said nothing for a second. She hated acting like the drama queen. That was not her. She was a rational person. But the most rational ones, can get twirled into the emotional mix completely brushing the rational out.

"It's fine. I barely know you. And I don't why I am acted the way I did - leaving the restaurant the way I did. Well, I wasn't honest with you either."

"Honest?" Elijah repeated.

"Well, I was with this guy, a colleague of mine- we worked together and - kind of lived together- although we really never discussed what our relationship really was. Can you believe it, rational, me, who usually had to have all things in order. And I shouldn't be affected by you having a woman. What-we had - a one night stand- and last night- yeah - that's all what it was. Sorry"

Elena turned to return to the house, but Elijah got hold of her hand stopping her from leaving, "Last night was the most amazing night ever. I am not involved with anyone. "

"It doesn't matter." Elena said feeling completely embarrased having caused such a mad hu-ha.

Elijah stepped forward and explained the very bad decision of inviting his P.A. "My Mother maintains this very formal ettiquette. And I invited her just to - please the damned rules. It was ill thought. I am not a player, if you know that I mean."

"It doesn't matter. You - may not have a girlfriend or - whatever. And practically I don't either. But - the thing is that I actually cheated, even though he did too - but it doesn't excuse my behaviour," Elena said "I am sorry, but this not going to work. Soon, I'll be back in Nova Scotia and then I am travelling to Norway, for a Conference. I accepted to be a guest lecturer."

"Right" Elijah muttered. "I guess - that's it?"

"Yeah -" Elena turned around and walked into the house.

Up above candles on air flicker
Oh, they flicker, and they flow
And I'm up here holding onto
All those chandeliers of hope
And like some drunken Elvis singing
I go singing out of tune
Singing how I always loved you, darling
And I always will

Elijah took the box out of the jacket pocket and left inside the postbox.

_to be continued

*
a/n: 🎄❄💖
thanks for reading.

xoxo