Kol woke up all in sweat- as Sophie shook him as he was muttering stop- stop-stop-

"Huh" he looked at his wife exhaling deeply as if he had just got out Hell and was not quite there in the real world.

"You had a nightmare again." Sophie said putting her hand on his cheek focusing his look onto hers."Everything is fine. You are at home"

Kol took a moment running his hands through his hair as he sat up. "It was so real. They were kicking me and I could not get out- and they wouldn't stop-"

"The same facesless people?" Sophie rubbed him lightly on the back.

"Yes" Kol replied and got up. He walked into the en-suite straight into the shower. He let the water pour down onto his head as he leaned forward putting the hand on the wall. Then he flashed back to the last conversation he had with Jeremy Gilbert.

"They will hunt you down" Kol said to Jeremy."You are playing with fire. They are dangerous people who don't care who they have to hurt to get what they want. Quit now before you get into deep. I can help you"

"I don't need anybody's help. Especially not from YOU!" Jeremy shouted back at Kol.

Kol now grabbed Jeremy by the collar clenching his teeth, trying to not go overboard and kick him."At least think of your sister, your parents. I couldn't care less what happens to you- crackhead- but Elena is now Elijah's wife and she is family and if something happened to her- means it happens to Elijah and it happens to me and my family- so get a grip!"

As Kol let go, Jeremy swung at the man punching him right in the face. Kol punched him back and then as Jeremy was ready to continue. Kol stepped back- putting both of his arms up telling Jeremy that he was not worth his time. He turned around and left his father's study exiting through the patio doors into the terrace.

"Are you all right?" Sophie asked as she got in the bathroom.

Kol wrapped the towel around him. He gulped.
"I have kept something from everyone."

"What, Kol?" Sophie looked at her husband nervously.

Kol took a moment. The thing he kept inside him was like a heavy stone sitting on him. "That I might know who killed Jeremy- "

"What?" Sophie felt like someone punched her in the stomach.

"You don't know these people. They could kill us all!"

"OMG!" Sophie now put her hands on her head. "You have to tell the police"

"I have done." Kol said."I went to the police. Yesterday. And-"

"Omg" Sophie mumbled concerned.

He hated seeing her distressed, but he had to tell her what was going on. He took his wife's hands in his. "Soph- "

She knew that something bad was coming as he looked at her in a manner that was way too serious for him.

"I agreed to get involved as a part of undercover thing."

"No! Why? You are a civilian! It doesn't make sense- you are too exposed- with the whole court case"

"I have to do something. I was running away from it all for such a long time and I owe it to everyone. You. Me. Jeremy. Elena and Elijah" Kol said.

Sophie who was always so very brave now admitted that she was scared for him. For them.

"Everything is going to be all right" he now embraced her placing a kiss on her head. Sophie breathed in deep and held him close.

*
Rebekah's morning started with a message of goodbye from Matt. And there it was, yet another hook up. She put the phone down
on the table. How was it that she was so unlucky in love? Kol had Sophie, Elijah had Elena, only Klaus and had never really found love that made them tremble to the very core of their being.

Her phone went again."Klaus?" She finally anwered.

"Listen- I need a favour."

"You are asking for favours?" Rebekah was stunned.

"The Lockwoods are hosting the Charity Ball and I need you to get one person on the list with a special invitation"

"Oh? Who?"

"Caroline Forbes!" Klaus said."She is the news presenter on INYC."

Rebekah paused for a moment and Klaus now continued,"I have asked you nicely- this means a lot to me. I am meeting a client- so I have to hang up- talk to you later"

"Right" Rebekah slipped and they both hang up.

Rebekah googled Caroline Forbes to see the woman who clearly robbed her brother's heart if he was asking such major favour from his sister.

*

In the Elejah residence, Elijah woke up and still half asleep rose up in the bed looking now at Elena's side of the bed that was empty. He rubbed his eyes and got up calling out for his wife. There was no answer and he walked out of the bedroom walking through the corridor towards the kitchen as he heard music coming from it. He stood still at the door with a smile on his face- Elena was standing at the stove, flipping pancakes and humming the song that was playing, swaying with the music a little.

"When I'm with you - when I am with you- I am standing with an army- standing with an army... - yeah- uhhh- with you...."

Elena turned to put the plate with the pancakes on the central hub when she saw him standing at the door nearly being frightened half to death. "OMG-hey- huh-"

"Hey- oh- sorry," Elijah approached her looking at the breakfast feast she had prepared placing his hand on her lower back, "Wow- when did you get up?"

"Like half an hour ago or so- I think. I didn't want to wake you up. You were so relaxed- and I thought I'd make some breakfast- This is all healthy- these are oatmeal pancakes- I got it from that recipe book"

"Well, I am hungry." Elijah rubbed his hands pleased and sat down taking a plate.

"I have coffee ready- one sugar, right?" Elena said.

"Right. You learn fast" he joked a little.

Elena continued placing the fruits on his and hers pancakes, pouring the crushed strawberry couli on it. There were also gluten-free zucchini-bacon egg muffins. She then realized she made food for a little army.

"Ah, well- "she thought.
"I will have take it to my mom's"

Elijah returned and they sat down together. This reminded him of their weekends, when they would lounge in the morning, at this hub, talking about anything that came up- as Vicky said- there were endless topics they would tackle.

"How do you like the muffins then?" Elena asked.

"They're good. You didn't" he then stopped himself and Elena reminded him to speak his mind whatever it was. No holding back.

"Ok- ahm- you didn't forget to cook."

"I think I have the magical touch. Cooking is like art, I guess." Elena said.

"That is one true thing about you- your brought your artistic touch into everything." Elijah curled a tiny smile up.

"We always talk about me- but I want you to talk about yourself- what is it that you like and dislike? How come from all the other women you were with- you married me?" Elena shot at him.

One thing he liked Elena was that there was beating around the bush- even though the onlookers would not have said that when they started to get acquainted.

"Uh, always with the tough questions!" he continued in the joking manner and smiling he retorted."You can kiss like no other woman!"

It was clear to Elena that he was playing a copycat game."Prince Charming looking for the one whose foot will fit theglass shoe."

That was Elena- cryptic and always talking with some association involved- mostly with a comment from a fairy story and other stories. Oh he loved the way she kissed him, but what he loved about her was the way she saw the world, her open-minded view about life, the positive and her great sense of compassion.

Elijah's Flashback

One night at Daniel's - a few weeks before bonfire night

Elijah walked in the bar and smiled a little as he saw Elena sitting at the bar talking on the phone with her friend.

"Hello, there" he said as he approached the bar where she was sitting.

"Hey-" she greeted him letting Vicky know she was going to call her back later."Ah- alone? Where is your possy?"

"My possy?" Elijah was taken aback a bit.

"I thought you Mikaelsons never ride alone?!" Elena joked.

"One of them will soon arrive I am sure." Elijah said.

He ordered a Bourbon neat and Elena made a remark that things at work must have been rough.

"Oh, no. Work is bliss. We are having a formal dinner with Father and Mother in a couple of hours." he explained.

"It's that bad?" Elena said as she sipped a bit of her drink.

"It's very formal- need I say more?!"

"And you would love to invite the Madhatter to the party, right?!"

"Something like that" Elijah said smiling back at her."And you no friends, either?"

"Vicky is out with Jason and I- just wanted a drink- looking for inspiration for my new project." she had a scrap-book with her as always- it was open and Elijah had a little peek.

There were a lot of heart etchings on the page in a ll different ways.

"Heart is your major theme?" Elijah asked.

Elena looked at the open scrap-book."No. I just etched things when I am on the phone- subconsciously"

Elijah snapped back asking Elena what she had planned for the day.

"I have my session at 3 p.m. with Dr Bennett," Elena said,"but I am free most of the day."

"How about we have supper with Bex, Klaus and Kol? Are you up to being with them all together?" he suggested.

Elena nodded.

The doorbell rang and Elijah looked surprised. The only two people who had permission to go by the doorman were their cleaner Mrs Thompson and Rebekah, but she was supposed to be at work.

Elijah went to open the door and it was Rebekah- apologizing on the intrusion, but she had to check up on both of them because of all that had happened the day before.

Elijah ushered her into the kitchen. Elena greeted her sister-in-law offering her breakfast.

"Where did you order those pancakes? They look delish" Rebekah remarked.

"Elena made those" he said.

"I know how to cook" Elena said to Rebekah."I just don't know who you people are"

"Rebekah!" Rebekah said-kind of in a reminding voice.

Elijah smirked as he knew that this will now be fun, Elena being joking with Rebekah.

"I know that! I learnt that much from the photos!" Elena said. "You are the good sister?!"

"Right. Well, I think I am." Rebekah said.

Elena put a plate out for her and she took a pancake.

"So, what else brings you here?" Elijah asked, as he knew his sister well. There was far more going on and she used the excuse to check up on them to dish out something out of the ordinary.

"Klaus called me this morning to tell me that I should put - Caroline Forbes on the Ball list!" Rebekah said poignantly.

Elena looked at Elijah not understanding why it was such a big deal. He explained.

"Klaus did not have a significant date since - I don't know- and to make such a request it meant he had fallen for that particular woman, Caroline? Hard!"

"Wow- right" Elena remarked and was oblivious to what it actually meant. "What Ball?"

Elijah now let Rebekah explain."There is this annual charity Ball- we- ahm- " she stopped there - as she wanted to say that the Mikaelsons used to host till Jeremy Gilbert got killed and they gave up due to the incident, so Elijah took over.

"It's a Charity Ball- we all used to go to."

"You didn't- because of me?" Elena said.

Elijah nodded. There was also the reason more, but he had no heart to go into explaining about Jeremy. Not like that. Bonnie suggested they did it in a session, when the time was right for Elena to grasp everything. Miranda had also agreed to postpone it for a little while longer.

"Only Klaus and I went" Rebekah said. "I chair the Charity and I also didn't have a date, so we went together. It's always a plus-one kind of a thing, which brings me to the fact that I will not have a plus-one this year. Annoying -"

"I am sure Klaus can ask Lucien nicely to be your plus-one- " Elijah suggested.

"Oh, please not him. He will think this is it!" Rebekah said.

"How about Alexander?" Elijah then said smirking a little.

"Seriously? He will think I want to get back with him. Oh, doesn't matter. I'll think of something." And as she saw this was turning to be too much of a show about her disastrous love life, and Elena watched as if she was in a theater, Rebekah changed the subject.

"But before the Ball we have dinner at father and mothers on Saturday, and I hear from mother that you agreed to come."

"Yes, I agreed." Elijah said and now looked at Elena with apologetic eyes "Sorry, I have not come round to tell you, Elena"

"That's ok. What is a big deal?" Elena said.

"He hates these formal family dinners that mother makes us have once a month." Rebekah explained."Oh, I remember your first formal dinner together-"

"Yes- please tell me" Elena was eager to know more.

Rebekah wanted to start but Elena's phone rang interrupting them. It was Miranda and Elena excused herself, and went out to talk to her mother.As she left the kitchen, Rebekah turned to her brother,"You seem like- everything is sunshine-??"

"We slept together" Elijah then said.

"You did? Yes! Great!" Rebekah exclaimed happily.

"No. I mean- we slept together in one bed in our bedroom." Elijah clarified.

"Right. That is a major step. Oh, seriously. That's great!"

"Yes. It all feels like it's going to be all good!" Elijah said happily.

"Good! If someone deserves it - it's you guys."Rebekah exclaimed.

Elena returned letting them know that she was meeting her mother for lunch the next day.

Rebekah wanted to know if they had any special plans for the day. Elijah had nothing in particular. He mentioned something about all siblings meeting for supper or going to the bar later.

"What are you wearing for the formal dinner then?" Rebekah said to Elena.

"I don't know - there is tones of dresses in my closet" Elena replied.

"Seriously? That is so last century. How about we go shopping? Rebekah suggested.

She was known to do things out of the blue, but Elena loved the idea and accepted the invitation to go with her. Even though she and Rebekah were good, they never went shopping together. Everything was new to Elena in so many ways, so one more thing was not a big deal.

"Ok. So when ever you are ready we can go" Rebekah said.

"Now?" Elena was somewhat surprised.

"Yes. I took a day off. At least I can have some fun today" the blonde said eagerly.

Elena was fine with it. As Elijah said- all was an adventure. Elena went to change and Rebekah asked Elijah now about his conversation with Esther.

"It's all part of - let's start fresh-" Elijah explained his reason why he agreed to go.

Rebekah nodded smiling a bit. She was glad. They were a dysfunctional family in many ways, but Rebekah tried, same as Elijah to mend the ways as much as they could.

As the women left, Elijah took the business card with Camille O'Connel's name on it, diling the number of her office to make an appointment. He had to deal with so much in the last one and a half years and he felt like he was breaking inside and he could not allow to lose himself, especially now that he had Elena back, and deep down he felt that dark clouds were not cleared away from the horizon.

*

And the day went, quite swimmingly. Elena had actual fun trying different cocktail-dresses on. Choosing a couple of them finally. And her time with Rebekah resulted in great fun stories they had over the years together. Elena had urged her to tell her also things that were sad, but Rebekah refused.

"Had been doing the sad with Elijah since your attack, and then after you slipped in the coma- enough of it. Now we are doing fun!"

"He had stopped working because of me?" Elena remarked.

"He stopped living." Rebekah said."Sometimes I actually had to make him eat. He didn't want to know about anything."

Elena sighed a little, "I can see this sadness in his eyes and I wish I can erase it."

"You will. Now that you are back- even though not completely- I mean your memory thing- but you kissed and wow- that was a major thing- everything will be fine in the world now."

"I am reading Alice in Wonderland- and seriously- this so sounds like something from the wonderland- a kiss makes it all right" Elena said.

"And wasn't it?" Rebekah asked.

Elena nodded, thinking shortly about what she had written in her diary that morning.

"The kiss was like thousand birds released inside of my heart- and damn, I want to be kissed by him forever-"

The phone ringing broke their lunch and Rebekah confirmed that she will organize their siblings supper near Daniel's.

They stayed a while longer and Elena then went on to her meeting with Bonnie. And Rebekah rang Elijah to report how things went with her and Elena.

After her session Elena went straight home. She had to share her new decision she had discussed with Bonnie.

"Intensive memory exercises?" Elijah repeated as she explained.

"Yes. Something new and experimental. I will not be working with Bonnie anymore but Dr Stefan Salvatore" Elena said."I want to try and get - everything back- I want to remember you and me- the way we were- maybe even remember something about the attack- I want to know things- everything Rebekah told me today- and also Vicky and you- my life was really good- and I want it back. I want this."- she looked at him for approval, not that she needed any- he made it clear to her that he would support her at anything.

"I am fine with it" Elijah then said.

"Thank you" she retorted.

"Hey- I want things back, too. I just - don't want you to take too many things- or get frustrated or disappointed"

"I know. You are scared that it might not work- but I have to try. I need to." she said. "I have to go and change because we are going out, right- and I bought a nice dress."

She was excited and positive and he shared that - and this night should be about positive things. They were going out, and it felt like old times almost. He would be waiting for her to get ready and she would come out looking like a queen making him weak in his knees always and so it was this time around as well. He could look at her forever.

"Elijah, are you ok?" Elena asked.

"Yes, Elena," he said nearing her,"very!"
He put his hand out to her and she placed hers in his. She looked straight in his eyes,"Shall we go to the tea party, Madhatter?"

Elijah froze for a second. This was exactly what she had said to him when they went to his family's formal dinner party.

His heart smiled and he replied with a firm yes.

*
a/n: this is a long chapter. Phew! ☺️
Thanks for reading.

It's very appreciated 😘