Elena scrubbed down the herbal scent off of her. She enjoyed the tepid water falling down on her, making her feel relaxed and fresh. She felt as if she walked through days of  horrific nightmare and couldn't wake up although her whole body was clawing constantly wanting to get out of the state it was in. Her thoughts were racing like wildfire. All she said and had done before  the accident, felt like she walked through a looking glass, and left one world behind her. She rinsed off her hair. She got out of the shower and looked at herself in the mirror.  

"Hello Elena- she said to herself, the hazelnut eyes sparkled with new-found freeness. Elijah's blood was bound with hers, the thought crossed her mind now. It wasn't anything like those she was fed by the Salvatores,  this one was potent, too powerful to be defeated or overcome. She wasn't anymore a hopeless girl, but now a bold and decisive woman. 

She smiled a little. Then put a fresh robe on and went to her room to get dressed.

As Sophie had left to get some errands. Jeremy and Elijah were left by themselves and the discussion about what had happened and why they left Jeremy in the dark ensued. Eijah enjoyed Jeremy's feisty nature. He appreciated the protective streak in him concerning Elena.

"It was wiser to do so at the time."- Elijah concluded. 

"And-noone really knows what happpened with Alaric?!" 

"Bonnie is nowhere to be found. The last person to see her was Damon. She must have my brother's body. She also couldn't have done this on her own. I suspect, whoever poisoned Elena, has something to do with Bonnie's disappearance. As for Rebekah- she is hiding. She knows that I will not be happy with the fact that she tried to kill Elena." -Elijah explained.

"Suddenly you care about Elena?!"- Jeremy sifted followed with an angry huff. He was not afraid of the ancient vampire.

"As a matter of fact, I do."- Elijah replied not taking notice of the young Gilbert and his obvious dislike.

Elena walked up to both of them now. She could hear their conversation and made it known to them.

"It works already?"- Jeremy asked- "how do you feel?" 

"Fine." -Elena said chirpily acting like there was nothing to it.  

Elijah feared that the crescendo of the feelings and the awarness of what really happened to her was yet to come.  

"Where is the witch?"- she then inquired. 

"She will be back."- Elijah replied.

"Do you know anything about Alaric?"- the brunette continued with the quiz.

"No!"- he replied taking a deep breath-"I will be stepping out now for a few hours, as I need to see what news there is!?" 

" I will go and see everyone. Noone wants to tell me what had happened to Matt?! Is that why Stefan left?" -Elena looked at them both.

"Caroline Forbes called. Something is in the matter."- Elijah said. 

"Jer, come on!"- Elena said and they all left the house. Before they got into their cars, the doppelganger gave Elijah a look that said that there is a talk pending.

He just nodded to her, indicating that there is time for that.

****

In the Boarding House, Stefan received a message that Elena and Jeremy were on their way.

"Huh"- Caroline exclaimed- "she recovered real quick!" 

In their world this should not have been a great shock, but Caroline wasn't particularily looking forward to a clash with the doppelganger, whether she was the old or new Elena. But curiosity was always something that dominated over everything when she was concerned, so thought that better take it all on. 

Matt was now pretty calm, as his bloodlust was satisfied. He was eager to see his friend very much. 

The only one that was hesitant was Damon. Stefan was giving him blood mixed with vervain, so to keep him slightly sedated. 

Not long after the message, Elena and her brother arrived. Elena litteraly flew over to Matt as Stefan opened the door. 

Caroline watched with amazement at what had occurred, slipping at the doppelganger wide-eyed-

"Wow! You are really- different"

Elena disregarded the comment for the time being, squeezing her friend tight- 

"Matt- you -you decided not to die!"

"Not really. Caroline decided."- Matt replied. 

Everyone present now looked at Elena and her reaction. She released Matt and then turned to Caroline/ 

"I couldn't let him die! So, there!"- Caroline said crossing her arms, ready to take whatever Elena was about to dish out.

"I get it.  I mean it is not right-but I so get it. Katherine decided for you,  Meredith, Sophie, Elijah for me, but I don't care. I am happy that you are with us , Matt. I would hate to be without you!"- Elena said. 

 Everyone present looked speechless at Elena. She was accepting of it all, in a very cool manner. 

"This is you, right?!"- Caroline then said surprised at the doppelganger's reaction, which was more than opposite from what she had expected.

"It is me!"- Elena assured her- "I feel fine. Better than fine!" 

"So- you can-what exactly-  can you do now? Everything that we do?" 

"I can hear you very well, I can move fast. I can-  don't really know what exactly. But I am not in transition. I feel hungry, but- not craving blood or anything - but  I'd love a huge steak" 

"Talking of food"- Jeremy then  interrupted his sister and said- "can we order something? I am starving - steak sounds great." 

Stefan agreed. None of them thought that there are still human's around and  that they would need something more solid. 

Everyone ordered something as well, to be social. Stefan thought that a meal would be a good thing to bring a bit of order in their lives again, even for a few hours. 

As Caroline was assisting Jeremy, Elena asked Matt and Stefan if it would be  all right to see Damon. 

"You know your way- he is under vervain"- Stefan informed her. 

As she walked down to the cellars, a feeling of sadness enveloped her all of a  sudden. Emotions started to oscillate like a ball. He could hear her footsteps, and moved upward. She opened the door of the cell and walked in. 

"Hey, Damon!"- Elena said in a meek tone. 

"Hey-you took your time to see me!" - the vampire narked.

"I am here now." 

"What- what do you want me to tell you? I did it -again and I am not apologizing." - Damon said.

"No. You shouldn't- it's good that you are not, as it would be dishonest. But you probably feel sorry. That's you. You lash out. You don't think." 

"Are we going through this again. I know what I am like." - Damon continued in his usual manner.

"It's so clear to me too. It was but, ahm- I just didn't want to accept it." 

"So, now you accept it?!" - Damon's blue eyes now blazed at the doppelganger.

"I do. I don't want to fix you anymore" - Elena said in a resolved way.

"So, you wanted to fix me? Well- I am not your project. You have Stefan, anyway." 

"I am mad at you for what you've done to Matt, but I will not scream and kick you, although, it would feel so great! I guess, Matt will do that, eventually." - Elena said with a small huff.

"I heard the commotion upstairs-so, we have a new vampire on the block!?" 

"We do!"- Elena confirmed. 

"You are so - upbeat. And  you smell like - different. It's weird.I can't tell if it's lavander or sage." 

"Stop it!"- she got mad and wished to smack him, but then she restrained herself. 

"Uh, what was that.Elena is mad?!" 

"I'll talk to you later. Anyway, you deserve to be here!" 

"I was locked up once before, and trust me I got out of that cage. So all of you, and your new best friend, the Original, can stick it."- he swore now, She locked the cell and went up. 

"Come on"- Stefan waited for her in the hallway- "let's eat" 

"Yes. Let's eat. We need to try and make it a bit. Normal-I don't know-" 

"Escape for a moment-and count our blessings?"-Stefan also added. 

Elena smiled a little at the vampire in her sweet demeanour-

"It could have been much worse" 

"Yes, you are right- but, Bonnie is still awol-and-" 

"Elijah is looking into it!"- the doppelganger let the vampire know. 

"Elijah"- Stefan muttered with a small sigh,

"Stefan-what I had said-when I thought I was going to" 

The vampire now stopped her there and said- 

"Elena- what we had- that was special. We changed. You changed even before the accident. I saw it. That the night after the Ball- the way you spoke about him. He was already in your heart!" 

Elena's eyes teared up a bit, and she nodded- 

"I don't how, when it just happened- but it just did -it's like" 

"You don't have to explain- really. I will always wish you love. I hope it is real love." 

"Me too"- Elena sighed a little now -"I want that for you, too and -for Damon, too." 

Stefan wanted to give her a hug, but then with all the commotion coming from the kitchen,  he swayed away from the idea.  

Caroline appeared and called them to join them now. 

Downstairs in the cellars, Damon lay on the floor of the cell and  couldn't believe his ears- he uttered -"What?!!?" in complete disbelief. Elena was in love with Elijah?!