Weeks that followed saw Elena and Elijah behave like a newly married couple, in most respects.

They shared a bed now, but there was no other intimacy between them, except for cuddles and kisses. Elena still needed to heal fully. And physically she was completely on the mend. As for her memory, there was no progress.

"Sometimes, it comes back in one go or parts of the memory return. You have to give it time." the neurologist said to her on her last examination.

"All right. I do nothing, but relax" Elena said."They even took me off my project and all I do is read, shop, go out with my friend. Well, and spend great time with my husband."

"I heard from Dr St. Claire that he is taking you to a holiday in Mexico?"

"Yes. His brother has bought a house there and we are all going down. It's really lovely." Elena replied.

"I hope you have a great time. A getaway is always good."

"Thank you. I will see you when I get back, and I just might have my memory back."

"Let's hope." the neurologist smiled a little.

✨

In the Mikaelson Group, Elijah sat down with Camille to go through some business plans.

"If I may say- you look - happy. It's good to see you like that." the blonde said.

"I am. It's maybe a bit - out of place, because of everything that has happened, but - yes. I am feeling really good."

"But I can imagine that it is not easy with Katherine's memory not being fully restored." Camille remarked.

"Yes, and it feels like I am taking advantage of the situation, but - we are close, like we were at the beginning, when we first met." Elijah said.

"Yes, I saw it. Both of you were shining at that garden tea party for the Charity launch." Camille said.

"Yes." Elijah sighed a little.

"Do you think that it will burst when she starts remembering?"

"Yes. It worries me that she might think I - abused the situation. But then-"

"If you become awkward, it will make things - backtracking" Camille resumed.

"Precisely. And the doctors said that she should feel loved and happy." Elijah explained.

✨

Elijah shared that feeling with both Caroline and Klaus, but they convinced him that he stopped to constantly torment himself.

"Camille is right. If you refuse her, it can get - well, bad. She told me that she feels so good with you, even though she can't remember anything of you two, but, she feels that it is exciting a new and - yeah, so good."  Caroline said and  added,"all this can only be a good thing when she remembers - one day. She said she wanted to start over that night, didn't she?"

"Yes." Elijah sighed.

"There. Like Caroline said. Stop tormenting yourself. Get the jet and let us go down to Mexico." Klaus said.

"I'll help you make the setting crazy romantic. I see a makeshift sofa on the beach, great dinner, the sea, the stars, the moon."

Elijah looked at Caroline a tad bit wide-eyed.

"My wife is the hopeless romantic." Klaus remarked.

And Elijah couldn't say or oppose his sister-in-law. She made the most divine setting for Elijah and his "wife" on the beach.

"I feel bad taking credit for this." Elijah said as he saw the romantic setting.

"Don't. I think she would do the same if it was for me and Klaus" Caroline chuckled.

They both heard the car pull in in front of the house, and Caroline ushered Elijah into the house to meet Elena.

She called her husband,who was still in town "Everything's  working to the plan"

"Great." Klaus said."I will pick you up at the end of the road."

"Good." Caroline hung up. She glanced at the setting, just to check if everything was perfect. Smiling happily, she scampered away.

Inside the house, Elijah greeted Elena with a peck, taking the shopping bags off of her.

"How was the shopping? Did you get everything from the Deli?"

"Yes." Elena replied."Klaus and Caroline will be late. Gives me enough time to shower."

"Ok. I will get this ready and set the table." Elijah said.

Elena, giving him a peck now, went up to the bathroom.

This gave Elijah enough time to get the food down to the beach and return to meet her up again.

All changed and ready for the dinner, Elena now coming to the living room area asked about Klaus and Caroline.

"They have other plans." Elijah said.

"Oh, yeah?" Elena looked at Elijah curling a little cute smirk up.

"And I made plans for us" Elijah now took his wife's hand, "Close your eyes."

"Really?"

"Yes, close your eyes. I will lead you and make sure you don't trip over. Come on" he urged her to indulge him.

"Ok" Elena closed her eyes and soon her feet touched the sand.

"You are not peeking, are you?" Elijah checked.

"I am not. But I cant take it any longer. I am dying with suspense"

As the finally got to the seating area, Elijah put the hands on her eyes.

Removing them, Elena was gushing, "This is so amazing. Love you."

"I love you, too. So much. Come on, let's try this lovely stuff you brought."

They sat down on the sofa, enjoying the food, the wine.

"This is - so perfect" Elena said."I could stay like this forever. No past, no future. Just now. Us!"

Elijah smiled at Elena dearly. Everything was as it once was. But he would like if he'd say that it was exactly the same. This was his wife, all her mannerisms were the same, the smell, her eyes, her chirpy behaviour, and yet, she was different.

Elena noticed a whiff in Elijah gone away in his thoughts.

"All ok?" Elena asked.

"Yes. Perfect. Like you said." Elijah looked into her eyes with great admiration and love.

Elena tilted her head losing herself in his eyes, and inched closer. "I can fall in love with you again and again - this - everything is so magical."

Elijah smiled brushing his hand over the temple gently, his head leaning forward, resting his forehead on hers. Their gaze intensely mingled with the sudden shortness of her breath.

"Are you all ri-" Elijah started  but she stopped him placing a forefinger on his lips.

"All good. I just - I want you - here - now" she whispered, biting her lower lip. 

He smiled sultry and snaked his hand around her neck he brought her flush against him. Very subtly his lips brushed across hers.

Elena moved, straddling him. She softly inhaled, meeting his eyes again.

Her breath choked in her throat. "I  so want you" she muttered and gripped his mouth, not able to sustain the wait of his lips on hers.

Elijah moved his hands down her back, now changing the dynamic, kissing her long and hard.

She quaked, feeling heat shooting up her face, her whole body electrifying by his lips now skidding down her neck.

"Damn" she mumbled as she tilted her head back.

The soft cotton fabric of her shirt listed open and
his fingers flew lightly over her silky skin.

"You're exquisite," he breathed, "I missed you - this- us"

Elena curled a tiny smile and pressed a kiss on his lips before she got up, sliding the rest of her clothes off, tossing it into the sand.

Elijah did the same, his eyes dancing over her curvy slender shape. He took in her beauty, as if he saw her for the first time.

"You're not bad yourself" Elena muttered swallowing hard as she knelt back down on the blanket. She knitted her fingers around his neck, laching her lips with his again.

Grunting, he pushed her down on the blanket, drawing her beneath him, his body taking over, his blood running hot and wild.

Her eyes shut tight, inhaling deeply.  Her body jerked at his palm brushed over one nipple and then the other.

She whimpered, twisting her body that molded against his as his skilled tongue explored her breasts, teasing, nibbling, sending trembling sensations to her throbbing core.

She felt like coming apart there, her belly quivering under his every movement.

She bit hard into her lower lip, shuddering as his thumb drummed across her nub.

"Elijah- please" she gasped, pushing against his thumb.

He answered her need, accelerating his action.

Her eyes flew open, gasping loudly, orgasam washed through her.

Before she could come down from her high, he shifted, pulling her leg up and sank into her with one fluid motion.

He groaned as he dipped down mashing his lips with hers.

Elena arched her back letting a guttural gasp as he stilled deep inside her for a second, letting her adjust, before he started to move, savouring the feel of her as he slowly picked up the pace.

Knotting her fingers in his hair, she moaned against his mouth, pleasure waving throughout her body with his every thrust.

There was nothing, but them, the stars, the sea wind, the moon covering them with its eternal light, like in a dream.

💕

A week later

New Orleans

"Oh, I'm still on vacation mode. It was a dream," Elena said to Caroline, "same as this whole week. We reconnected and I'm so happy. Ok - talk more when I see you in a little while."

Ending the call, Elena looked for her bag.

"Oh, Jackie, I think I left it  - no, I think it's still in the drawer. I didn't take it out. I don't know. Can you please get it for me. Going up in these heals is a nightmare" Elena looked at the maid.

"Thank you Jackie, You needn't go. I will get it. I am going upstairs. This cufflink is not fitting." Elijah said.

"It's the one with the pearls." Elena said.

Elijah went upstairs and as he exchanged the cufflinks, he went to Katherine's walking wardrobe, opening a draw where he thought were the clutch bags, he saw a booklet, looking like it was an old photo album. He was the one, who was very respectful of other person's privacy. Even his wife's. But now, curiosity got the better of him. Katherine never shared much of her past as a teenager, always saying that she wanted to forget that awful period of her life, being bullied.

Elijah opened the album, and the first photo that was standing there loose was the polaroid of Katherine and Elena.