The next morning

The alarm on Elena's phone chimed. Without opening her eyes she swiped over the dismiss button and rolled back to the other side.
A small sigh escaped her lips as she opened her hangover eyes. Flashes of the night before came rolling in. It was a fun crazy night. Both her and Caroline letting loose and dancing the night away.

She rubbed her eyes recalling one particular thing - someone produced a misletoe hanging it over the bar and as it happened in all the crazy euphoria at one point Elena stood underneath it and so did Elijah.

Flashback

"Ahh- we have a Mistletoe situation" Kol said chuckling a bit nudging Bonnie, who smiled somewhat cheekily.

Both Elijah and Elena were also very aware of the Mistletoe situation as it happened. Theyboth stood frozen underneath it, drunken, googly-eyed.

And then Kol shouted, "Oh, come on - what is a little Mistletoe kiss among friends- it's tradition"

Elijah narrowed his eyes at his brother that spelled payback and then turned around and as he was to kiss Elena, Caroline shot between them and pulled the brrunette away to go and do a karaoke duet.

Now remembering the moment, having Elijah so close to her, barely inch away, brought a fresh swarm of butterflies rising in her stomach.

They would intensify from time to time, then go down, but they continued flattering if he was mentioned and especially if she saw him.

Flashback

The Hamptons, last summer, beach

"Hey, what are you doing here all on your own?" Elijah said finding Elena sitting on the beach.

"Hey. I did my yoga" Elena said,"and just enjoying the sea, the breeze- you're out for you run?"

"Yes. But the prospect of sitting the hangover out seems a tad bit more appealing. May I?" Elijah gestured to her politely.

"Sure" Elena said and he sat down next to her.

As per usual, they loved discussing any topic that came up. Agreeing or disagreeing.

And then by power of some strange enchanted moment, both of them got suddenly wrapped in one another and kissed.

An hour later with Bonnie at a delicatesse, Elena couldn't think of anything but what had happened at the beach.
"Ah, and I said something about what yoga does for me - and we looked at one another and - we kissed"

"Right- first Caroline -now you. What's up with you two and the Mikaelsons. I thought you liked that Mason guy"

"Mason, who? Ah, Bonnie! Well - yes and no." Elena said in frustration. "Uhm - can we oncentrate on Elijah, please.
Then when we pulled away from the kiss it was kind of awkward - I don't know why - but I apologized"

"Oh! Awkward" Bonnie said.

"I know. But - God - he can kiss!"

"And then?"

"I got up and we both kinda went - this was a mistake. It shouldn't have happened." Elena explained.

"It was just one of those moments. Elijah is not one-night stand guy- I think -Rebekah said he was on rebound from Gia."

"Well, yeah. That explains it." Elena said dismissing it, "and we have this great friendship. We can talk about anything. It's just that stupid summer crazy moment."

"Exactly. Come on, I want those muffins and scones with dried strawberries - it's just to die for"

And that was it. Later that evening both Elena and Elijah brushed it under the proverbial summer carpet -ah, friends is what they are and it was just one of those moments.

"Arghhh!" Elena now exclaimed getting out of the bed and went to have a shower to wash away the thoughts of Elijah away.

*

Meanwhile, in Kol's apartment

Elijah was wide awake, but laid on the sofa staring at the ceiling. He was confused about his feelings, but somewhat less than before.

Flashback

The evening after Elena and him declared the kiss was just one of those momentary lapses of judgement, Elijah sat down on the porch gazing at the full moon.

"What's with you?" Kol sat down next to his brother.

"I don't know where to start. Elena and I kissed. And then - brushed it away as a mistake."

"Awkward." Kol remarked."Tell me you got real feelings for her"

"Elena is the best. I feel so relaxed with her. I can talk her. Everything is so easy and - just great." Elijah said.

"Not to mention that she's beautiful." Kol said.

"Hey" Elijah nudged his brother with his elbow.

"Not my type. Don't worry." Kol said reassuringly."Why the Hell did you not tell her how you really feel?"

"Because I will mess it up. I always do- I don't want to lose her. I want her in my life." Elijah replied.

"You know what I think" Kol said and Elijah listened, which was rare,
"well, I think that you are your worst enemy. You overthink everything."

"I can't just sleep with someone and forget them the next morning like you do."

"I know. But you should ease up a bit. Go with your feelings." Kol nudged his brother.

"I did. And look what happened." Elijah referred to his ex Gia.

"Come on, Elijah. Sometimes things just don't work out. The only thing you had in common with Gia was music. She didn't care for our family get-togethers. You want kids. She didn't want any. She hated the Hamptons."

"True." Elijah muttered.

Elijah wanted it all. Kids, family. Someone to talk to about anything. Not just classical music. And though he was very attracted to Gia, and though sex with her was on fire. It was not everything.

"Morning" Klaus greeted him, "no coffee?"

"Go down. I'm sure they have a pot going in the bar." Elijah said and then both Klaus and him greeted Bonnie, finding it a bit odd to see her there.

"Hey, guys" she said,"anyone seen my scarf?"

Both Klaus and Elijah negated.

"Ah, well. I'll just borrow Kol's I guess. Oh -Elena has just texted me. I'm meeting her in a little while cuz we need to buy some food. She is determined to cook! You said you will get us a tree?" Bonnie looked at Elijah.

"Yes, I did" Elijah said as he now got up from the sofa.

"Ok. So, I guess, I'll see you later" Bonnie waved at them and walked out.

Klaus looked at the clock and didn't really understand why he was up so early. He now browsed through the cupboards and found some instant coffee.

Bonnie once again came back in and nearly startled him,"Be at Elena's at 7 p.m."

"Right!" Klaus muttered and proceeded to make coffee.

"No presents! Caroline established it as a rule last night- see you!" Bonnie added and then walked out of the apartment.

The world Caroline brought flatters in Klaus' heart. No presents. Oh, he understood Bonnie's message- or rather Caroline's message loud and clear. "You and your presents can leave me alone!" rang in his head loud and clear for a long while after one last voice-mail a few months ago from her. And now this twas a challenge. He took his coffee and now went to mull over how to get back into Caroline's heart.

*

And so Elena went shopping meeting up with Bonnie some time later, as she had to go home first to change.

"So- Klaus and Elijah walked you and Carolinr home last night," Bonnie said to Elena as they got in the cafe,"spill!"

"There's nothing to spill. They just walked us back home and that was it." Elena said as she looked at the cookies.

"But them walking back with you is significant. Or you think they were just gentlemanly? I don't think so."

"Well, Caroline was ignoring Klaus- and I talked about the food and my Salmon Pastrami on Rye. Elijah and I tried hard to cut the ongoing tension between those two"Elena replied.

"And she seriously didn't say a thing-that's so not Caroline!"

"That' Caroline, who is hurt but who still cares. She did the same thing when Tyler left and they broke up and he returnrd and there was the silent treatment" Elena recalled.

"Yeah" Bonnie muttered. "So, what's up with you and Elijah? You almost "mistletoe- kissed"?"

"I can't stop thinking about it. Can we not go there." Elena huffed.

"All you want for Christmas is him. Just admit it. It's ok to want to be more than friends. I think that is exactly what he wants too. You should have seen the way he looked at you another the mistletoe- it was - I only have eyes for you!"

Was Bonnie wrong? Well, she was playing cupid-witch- and enjoying it.

"Have to shop for presents" Elena changed the subject quickly, to avoid talk about Elijah and her feelings.

"Ok, ignore it!" Bonnie said,"I need more carbs, coffee and water! Oh, Elijah is bringing the tree over to the apartment, I forgot to tell you"

"Bonnie!" Elena exclaimed.

Elena's phone rang and as she looked at the display.

Elijah.

"Hello" she uttered her throat suddenly going dry for no reason. She coughed a bit, apologizing. Bonnie smirked cutily and went to get refill.

"Did Bonnie tell you that I'll be bringing the Christmas" Elijah said.

"I still need to do some shopping. Caroline is home." Elena said.

"Uhm - I got tickets for 'A Christmas Carol'. Would you like to go with me?"

"Uhm. Yeah- I'd love to." Elena felt her heart plum up, smiling.

Bonnie saw her friend's sheepish dreamy look and wondered what it was about. She put extra two dougnuts on the table and smiled inquzitively at starry-eyed Elena. "What's up?"

"Nothing much- Elijah just called to tell me the tree will be delivered in an hour"

"Aha- and that's it?"' Bonnie said.

"Uhm, well, he invited me to the play 'A Christmas Carol'" Elena said chirpily.

"Oh- Christmas past, present and future," Bonnie said,"it's romantic!"

Elena smiled from ear to ear- was the magic of Christmas on? Will her wish really come true?