Elena

The tension in the upstairs living room was palpable. The witches had arrived and though they were loyal to Elijah and Klaus they were a little intimidated to be going up against the original witch. Bonnie read the two spells involved and reassured us that they worked exactly as Esther had said they would. She also would know if the spell was being deviated from. The witches began chanting and I watched as the magic visibly seized Esther.

I had lain on a chaise – still in my gown and Esther was seated beside me. Elijah was holding my hand from the other side.

"Elena this spell is going to allow me to probe your mind much in the same way that my children came probe your memories. It should not hurt at all so long as you do not try to resist or fabricate the truth. Do you understand?" I nodded.

"Elijah stay out of her head," Esther warned. I squeezed his hand and gave him a reassuring smile. Then I nodded to Esther that she could begin. I closed my eyes and relaxed as she instructed. Soon I was back at the ball with Esther a year ago. I could see myself dancing and then stumbling into the garden. I was dying. I watched as I lay there and then Elijah appeared. I watched as he saved me – the grueling process of my transition and the moment when he realized I had made it. It made me smile.

Then we were in Paris and I watched as my time there flew past. We were in London then and I watched as we all danced at the ball. She observed each of her children. She watched as Kol got into the fight outside the bar. I cringed as I knew what was coming next. I walked out and ripped the hearts out of those vampires and saved Kol.

"You killed those vampires to save my son. Why?"

"Family is important to me and it is important to Elijah. I did not want him to lose a brother and Kol did not provoke the fight that night," I answered. She fell silent and the scenes moved on. She slowed as she watched Elijah kiss me that first time. She watched as Klaus was so happy with Caroline in his arms and as Kol treated Bonnie like a perfect lady.

We watched the night that Rebekah and I had to flee London. I heard again the worry in Elijah's voice and the team work between Elijah and Rebekah. I saw them standing together in the living room ready to fight for one another as the windows and doors were being broken down. She saw us in the car as I offered comfort to Rebekah and how worried she was for her brothers.

Soon we were in the vineyard all at ease with one another. The love in Elijah's eyes as he kissed me in front of Klaus that first time almost took my breath away. She stopped to watch Kol and Bonnie together. We watched the mercy that he showed Damon even after what he had done.

I smiled as we arrived in Venice and I watched the men's reactions as Rebekah and I came up the stairs. I felt the warmth of my love for Elijah as we danced. I saw Klaus and Caroline holding one another as he kissed her passionately. I watched as Elijah saved me and the look of fierce determination on his features as he protected me.

"He loves you very much," Esther remarked with a smile.

"I love him with all my heart."

"Despite what he is?"

"Because of what he is – a strong, honorable, compassionate man capable of great love who holds hi family above all," I said. I paused as it came time for Elijah's proposal and Esther smiled truly elated as she watched him ask for my hand in marriage. We toured Italy and suddenly my visions became distorted and I realized that we were having the car accident. I watched the desperation with which the men pulled us from the wreckage and to the shore unaware that I had been semi-conscious at the time.

"Kol fed her his blood," Esther frowned.

"He was desperate," I expressed my opinion.

"He was selfish." We moved on to the hospital and then the hotel. Then to Rome where she watched the discussion between Bonnie and I about the fight she was having with Kol.

"He didn't go ahead and turn her?"

"His blood healed her and he was grateful. Elijah told me afterwards that he was frantic – not knowing if she had been revived by CPR or if she was in transition. He wanted to respect her wishes to not be a vampire but in a moment of weakness for how much he had come to care for her he safeguarded her continued existence."

"She forgave him for it?"

"She is very much in love with him," I smiled happily. Of that I could very much assure the original witch. I watched as we toured Rome it was interesting to watch us as though I were a bystander. I watched as Kol and Elijah took Bonnie and me to the Opera House in Sydney and horseback riding over the green fields of New Zealand.

Then there was the call and the decision to return to New Orleans. We toured the city and then I was taken.

"Katerina, she is nothing but trouble," Esther frowned.

"You can say that again," I sighed. There was darkness and then I was in a strange bedroom. Esther frowned in confusion.

"Katherine and the man you just saw kidnapped me and Katherine tried to impersonate me. They were trying to draw your children into a fight – hoping to dagger a couple of them as leverage. When she was discovered the man rescued her and told them where he was holding me hostage," I filled in the gaps. Then we watched as I was returned to Elijah. The numbers were stacked against us. She frowned as the battle began - until the point where Rebekah was daggered. I could tell she did not find that pleasurable.

I gasped as a pain shot through me then and Esther looked at me.

"You are holding back. You are not letting the memories play out," she warned.

"I don't…I don't want to see," I cried. The pain stopped as the memories continued and I watched in slow motion as the vampire advanced on Elijah. He was busy and did not see the threat but I did. I jumped in front of the dagger and watched as it pierced through my back and out my front as Elijah cried out in abject horror.

"Those daggers are spelled to kill any vampire that is not an original. How are you still here?"

The vampire wielding the dagger vanished into ash and the horror on Elijah's face broke my heart as I watched how he was suffering. He held me in his arms as my skin turned ashen.

"You have original blood," Esther marveled. "It must be an effect of exposure to the doppelganger blood."

"That's what we surmised," I smiled gently. The next thing we saw was my coming back to life in Elijah's arms.

"What happened?"

"Well we were doing pretty well until a witch named Davina who had absorbed the power of three other witches when she would not complete the harvest ritual tried to kill Klaus, Kol, Elijah and Stefan for killing Marcel. Marcel was the one that kidnapped me and he harmed Caroline in front of Klaus. Klaus will do anything to keep Caroline safe. He would be lost without her."

"I'm beginning to see that. She has certainly made quite an impression on him."

"He wants her to be proud of him. She gives him the strength and confidence to be himself even if that makes him vulnerable," I said.

"So she was trying to kill them?"

"Yes and that was when Bonnie used expression magic which is apparently very powerful," I said.

"Indeed," Esther said impressed.

"It took down Davina but Bonnie killed herself in the process. She had asked for Kol's blood beforehand and he had tried to stop her but she had been determined to restore order. She went into transition." We watched as we all pitched in to help Kol bring Bonnie through the rigorous transition. Then we had the discussion about wanting a Christmas. Stefan, Bonnie, Caroline and I had come to Mystic Falls and we sped through my reunions until Elijah returned. I smiled as we decorated the house, went to the festival and played in the snow.

"It's remarkable to see my family so joyous and playful. I have not seen Elijah and Klaus so close in centuries and Kol is turning out a lot like Elijah – so grown up."

"Well most of the time," I said light-heartedly as we got to the sword fight. We watched as Klaus proposed to Caroline and then as Kol proposed to Bonnie. I thought I saw a tear or two escape down Esther's cheeks. We watched as Rebekah, Caroline, Bonnie and I sent out the invitations for this year's ball.

"You're having an annual ball?"

"Tomorrow night actually," I confessed. It wasn't as if I could hold anything back here.

"Thank you Elena. I hope that was not painful for you," Esther smiled softly.

"Actually it was rather pleasant to fall in love with him – with all of them all over again," I replied honestly. A moment later I opened my eyes and Elijah's vivid brown depths were the first thing I saw.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine," I smiled reassuringly. One by one everyone took a turn though no one was under as long as I had been. Finally we all went to sleep close to dawn. By the time we woke it was time to begin getting ready for the ball.

April 8

Elena

I was enjoying sitting on the couch with the other girls while two manicurists gave us Manis and pedis. Kol was admiring himself in the mirror while Klaus had his shoes polished.

"Honestly Kol how long can you look at yourself in the mirror?" Rebekah teased.

"I was affording you ladies the opportunity to admire me," he grinned.

"What would your fiancée say about that?" Rebekah teased.

"Has anyone seen Esther recently?" Klaus worried.

"Elijah and Stefan are escorting her around. Apparently she's intent on attending tonight's festivities," Klaus glowered.

Very shortly the guests began to arrive and the downstairs began to fill. I smiled as I greeted Carole Lockwood. She looked resplendent in a pale yellow gown. I was surprised at how many people had decided to turn out though we had been making some strides in town relations. Tensions were still high and especially with Esther's return.

When the grand hall had filled the Mikaelson siblings appeared on the grand stair case. Elijah, Klaus and Kol looked so suave in their tuxes. Rebekah had chosen a fit and flare dress in cream brocade and Klaus helped her as she made her way delicately up the stairs. Esther appeared at the top of the stairs and I felt like I was experiencing déjà vu. She was wearing a one-shoulder gown in ivy green this evening.

"When my mother drew my family together for a ball last year we decided we should make a tradition of it," Elijah said. "This year however there are a few more of us to share this event with you. First of all, as of yesterday, I'd like to invite my lovely wife Elena Mikaelson to join me." Elijah held out his hand and I carefully made my way past the other siblings to join him on the stairs. I had chosen to wear a strapless ball gown in a deep chocolate color with a corset laced back and a pick-up skirt with beautiful jeweled clusters at each gather. It was the perfect excuse to wear the beautiful necklace that Elijah had given me. I had worn my hair in a low bun of curls.

"My future sister-in-law Caroline Forbes," Elijah invited and Klaus smiled at Caroline as she made her way gracefully up the stairs to join him. He kissed her hand and she smiled lovingly at him as he helped her into position. She had chosen a full ball gown as well in a pale blue. It was sleeveless with a keyhole neckline and almost the entire back of the gown was out to the small of her back. She was wearing the bracelet Klaus had given for the ball last year with the necklace he had given her this year for Christmas. Her hair was pulled back in front and big barrel curls in the back.

"My future brother-in-law Stefan Salvatore," Elijah announced and frantic whispers flew around the ballroom. This turn of events was shocking the whole of Mystic Falls. I guess they had expected Stefan and I would be together for the whole of time or something. Stefan and I exchanged a quick smile as he strode up the stairs in his Tux and wrapped an arm around Rebekah.

"And last but not least my future sister-in-law Bonnie Bennett," Elijah smiled at Bonnie as she ascended the stairs to reach Kol's outstretched hand. The room was a flurry of whispers at all of these new developments. Bonnie had chosen a gown in emerald green silk to match her engagement ring, earrings and necklace. It was a fit and flare style also with two tiers to the back half of the full skirt and only one solid piece on the front. The bodice and fit part of the skirt to mid-thigh had an elaborate beaded design of clear and emerald beads.

"So we have a lot to be thankful for this year. I hope that this will be the second of many of these occasions. Once again I invite you to please join us in a century's old waltz," Elijah motioned and he led me down the stairs and into the ballroom.

"You look enchanting Elena," he complemented as the dance began. "This is the dance I wanted to have last year," he whispered against my ear and I trembled in his arms. It was wonderful to see Bonnie and Caroline dancing in the arms of men they were very much in love with. Then there was how much Stefan and Rebekah had brought out the joy in one another.

As the dancing continued on I saw Esther slip away to the garden. I checked to make sure Elijah was otherwise engaged and I followed her.

"I was hoping to talk to you alone Elena," she said as I joined her. "Last year the witches sent me here to remove the plague that I had wrought on this earth – my children. The text had said that the doppelganger was the key and so I had used your blood. When you didn't cooperate I intended to kill you and then go after my children again. I did not know that it was you, Elena and not your blood that would restore the balance." Esther said giving my hand a brief squeeze as she offered me a smile.

"You have brought my children back together again as a true family. I have never seen them so happy. Elijah has come to life with your love no longer dwelling so much on guilt and anger. Your friend Caroline has brought my loving Niklaus back. He was so kind and tender as a young boy but when my husband found out what I had done he tried to break Niklaus. He would still be broken if not for your encouragement. My beautiful Rebekah has finally become the woman that I hoped she would be. She has a deep abiding love for young Stefan and he for her. They will bring out the best in each other. I am glad that you were able to see past her hostility to the person that she really wanted to be." We looked in at the others who were still dancing. Esther smiled with pride at her children so happy in their life choices.

"Then there is my youngest, Kol who I worried had been turned too young to ever come into his own as a man in this world but you, Elijah and Bonnie have helped him to mature and I now see a bright future for him. I see a bright future for all of them and it is largely thanks to you Elena. You have done what I could not and restored balance. The witches are satisfied and I hope this shall bring some peace. I don't think there is any way I could possibly thank you…" Esther smiled as she drew her eyes away from the scene in the ballroom and looked to me.

"You are the original witch and one of the most powerful in your craft. Can you tell me, is there any way that the Mikaelson line might be continued – that Rebekah might get her wish to have a child?" I asked softly. I had seen the sorrow that came into her eyes when she played with small children and realized she would never have one of her own. Esther hesitated a moment and began to walk away from me.

"Yes, Elena there is a way for my daughter, Caroline, Bonnie and even you to have a child if that is your wish," she said and she continued walking for the tree line of the landscaping. Something told me not to follow her. Elijah, Klaus and then the others were by my side in time to watch her retreating form become ethereal and then disappear all together.

"What happened?" Klaus worried.

"Balance has been restored and the witches no longer seek to end you," I said. "Your mother was giving me her best wishes for all of you." For a long moment we all stood silently watching the point where Esther had just dematerialized and then with a gentle squeeze of my hand Elijah led me back inside. The others followed us and we danced the rest of the night away.

~Fin~

AN: I hope that you enjoyed this story as much as I enjoyed writing it. It was truly a labor of love. Please let me know what you thought of it. If you noticed I left it open for a possible sequel there. Let me know if you'd like to see more of my Mikaelson family. Thanks.