Elijah stood at the edge of the room, drink in hand as he watched the crowd move through the house. Honestly, he wasn't even sure what this particular party was for. Rebekah had told him to be here or she would see him daggered, so here he was. The only thing keeping him at all interested was the thought that you might appear.

He wasn't certain how much time passed when Marcel found him. He held out a hand with a grin and Elijah reluctantly shook it. He licked his lips before he took a chance and asked the question dancing on the tip of his tongue. "Where is the lovely Y/N this evening?"

Marcel pressed his lips together with a hum. "I have no idea. Last time I talked to her Klaus was still trying to talk her into accepting his invitation."

"Last you talked to her?" A little surge of hope flooded through him. "Are you not together?"

The other man glanced at the glass in his hand before looking back to Elijah. His grin had morphed into a smirk. "Never was."

Elijah frowned, his brow furrowing. "I don't understand. You claimed her."

"I did exactly what my friend begged me to do."

"Explain, please." His voice cracked but he couldn't bring himself to care.

"You broke her and she didn't want you to know it. When Klaus told her that you realized what you had lost, she assumed it was pity. Or that you were berated into missing her by your siblings." He took a long drink of his whiskey as if he wasn't aware of Elijah's heart breaking with every word. Or perhaps he was aware and simply wanted to draw the experience out for the original. "She wanted you to stay away because she would have taken you back in a heartbeat and you didn't deserve her."

Elijah wanted to scream in his anger, but he clenched his jaw instead. As much as he loathed the deception, Marcel was right. He didn't deserve you and likely never would. But god he wanted to try. He was empty without you. "Does Niklaus know it was a farce?"

"I believe it was his idea," Marcel said before walking away.

Weaving through the crowd, Elijah sought his brother. Finally, he located him leaning against the bar talking to Kol. Fantastic. It would save Elijah the trouble of repeating himself.

"Brother," Klaus greeted when he saw Elijah. "You look troubled."

Elijah straightened the jacket of his suit. "I have just had a most illuminating conversation with Marcel."

Kol huffed a laugh. "I find that unlikely."

Klaus chuckled. "Actually, this time, I'm sure Elijah did learn something. Marcel came clean so to speak."

Kol's eyes went wide. "Oh, well then..."

"So, you all knew they weren't together and none of you saw fit to tell me?" Elijah's hands clenched at his sides.

"Why should we?" his younger brother sniped.

"Because I am your brother." His voice raised enough to draw the attention of several of those around them.

Klaus stepped closer and glowered at his brother. "And for the first time in a thousand years, I was ashamed of that. You love that girl and we all seemed to be able to see it but you. And rather than admit the truth, even to yourself, you tossed her aside for Haley of all people."

Elijah rubbed a hand across the back of his neck. "Yes, well, Haley was a mistake."

"So say we all." Klaus rolled his eyes.

"I need to find her." Elijah was speaking mostly to himself but both of his brothers straightened immediately.

"Why? So you can break her heart again?" Kol got straight to the point as usual.

"Don't you see? I'm not me without her." His gaze searched both of his brothers' and tears welled in his eyes. "She had woven herself so tightly into my life that I grew used to her being there. Everything she was to me, I overlooked because it was so much a part of me. It wasn't until she left that I realized just how much she brought to my life and hollow I was without her in it."

"Elijah—" Kol started and Klaus cut him off with a hand on his arm.

"Let him finish, brother. I'm sure we're all interested to know if he's sincere."

"I have never been more sincere about anything in my thousand years. I am utterly lost without Y/N in my life. I know I don't deserve her. I never will. But if she's willing to give me the chance I'll spend the next thousand years proving to her that I love her."

"A thousand years is a long time. Who knows how many wolves Klaus will impregnate by then? Are you sure you won't fall in love with them too?"

Elijah froze at the sound of your voice and his siblings grinned before making themselves scarce. He turned slowly to face you. "I never loved Haley."

You ran your eyes over him taking in the subtle signs that showed his current mental state. While impeccably dressed as always, his suit was slightly wrinkled and his pale hue made you wonder when he'd last eaten. You clasped your hands together in front of you to keep from reaching out for him. You needed to be sure that he meant what he said first. If he rejected you again, your heart wouldn't survive it. You cleared your throat. "It sure felt like you did."

He stepped forward to close the space between you. "I was a fool. Can we talk? Please?" He gestured toward the stairs.

You nodded and followed him as he led you through the party and up to what used to be your room. It looked exactly the same as the night you'd left. You felt Elijah's gaze on you as you roamed the room, picking up your belongings to study them. "Klaus was hoping I would come back, I suppose?"

"We all were. Except for me."

Your brows lifted as you gazed at him over your shoulder.

He traced his bottom lip with his tongue and you turned away from him before he caught you staring. "I didn't want you to return here. To this room. I wanted you to come home to me. I wanted you in my bed."

"That's where I wanted to be almost from the moment I met you, Elijah." You shook your head and turned to face him. "I have loved you for ages. And though you never said the words, I thought you cared for me as well. We may not have been anything official but when you asked me to come to New Orleans I just assumed. I suppose that's my fault."

"No. I acted poorly. I was comfortable with you. Happy to have you near. I couldn't fathom coming to New Orleans without you. For some reason I refused to acknowledge it as love until you were gone." He paced away from you to look out the window. "Hayley was exciting. Different. She needed me, clung to me. I let my ego get in the way of sense."

"Oh, Elijah. How could you ever doubt that I need you?"

He turned to you. "Why would you? You are capable and strong and brilliant. You have saved my family as many times, if not more, than we have saved you."

"I don't need you to save me, you idiot. I need you to love me. That's all."

His lips twitched. "I am an idiot, but I do love you, Y/N. I'm sorry I ever made you doubt that."

Your heart felt lighter than it had in weeks. "So, what now?"

He closed the distance between you and took your hands in his. "Now I beg for your forgiveness and hope that you come back home. I want you beside me every day for the rest of my life but if you need time, I'll give it to you. You can come back to your room and drape it in vervain if you wish, but please come home. We miss you. I miss you."

You searched his gaze and found nothing but sincerity. You still had to ask. "Are you certain this is what you want, Elijah? If you don't want me, let me go. If I come back and this happens again..." A tear ran down your cheek and you supposed that said enough without you actually finishing your sentence.

"One thing that has been made painfully clear to me, Y/N, is that I can't let you go. You are a part of me and I can't survive without you. There is nothing I want, or need, more than you. So, when you're ready, come back home."

"I've been ready since the night I left." You pressed your lips to his before he had a chance to respond.

When the two of you separated, Elijah pressed his forehead to yours. "Then be mine for the rest of forever and never leave me again."

"That sounds perfect."