AN: Hello friends, chapter 21 is finally here, and I can't begin to describe how happy I am that is is finally ready to post: shout out to PhoenixGod95 for being an incredible Beta for this story. Beyond being an overall incredible human they also dedicate time and effort into this story, and thats pretty amazing. This is part of the story where we establish the baseline of the AU (But don't worry, we're about to delve into Cannon in just a minute). Thank you for everyone who has followed and favourited this story, I hope you love reading it as much as I love writing it.

Please feel free to leave reviews with thoughts and comments, and even where you think the story is going and where you want it to go! I always love hearing theories and thoughts on the story. Anyway, i hope you enjoy the chapter!

Rebekah had missed her house; well she guessed it wasn't her house anymore. She had missed the quiet as well; there was still a hum in her ears from riding her motorbike for hours on end. She was tired, not in the conventional way, but more physically than anything.

She had missed Elena, and had been understandably worried about her safety given what she had learned from Gloria. She sat in the living room with the others waiting to hear what the group had discovered.

While she sat and listened to Bonnie speak she became more and more concerned. When Bonnie began recounting the prophecy, Rebekah felt herself sit up; this was not good. How did Gloria's prophecy fit in?

Rebekah instinctively opened the grimoire to the dog-eared page, remembering what Gloria had told her it said. Once Bonnie was finished Rebekah stood, and handed Bonnie Gloria's Grimoire.

"I think this is the end of the prophecy." Rebekah said, restating the prophecy that Gloria had given her.

"When the offspring from the White Oak Tree, meets the offspring of the Ground, it is only then the balance of nature is found. When the gift of blood is given, their eternity is earned. The child of the Ground will feel like they have turned, the child of the Oak can no longer be burned. After it's been sealed, after it is done, The Oak and the Ground will be together as one." Gloria took a breath before continuing to read. "The Ground will need sacrifice, the Oak will need fire. It must be each other that these two desire. An eternity apart, and an eternity together; for the love of an Original will bind them forever."

The group was eerily silent then. Everyone looked between Rebekah and Elena, concern clear on all of their faces.

"It's concerning, make no mistake: I don't intend to let any harm come to Elena." Rebekah said, trying to reassure the group. She sighed to herself. "I'm glad to know that our connection wasn't happenstance; I would feel much more guilty if it were."

"It's beyond that," Bonnie said, directing her words towards Rebekah. "We found symbols, we don't know how Elena fits into all of this. The prophecy speaks of a Child of the Ground, how is Elena a child of the ground?" Rebekah sighed before clearing her throat.

"After I was turned, my family went on several rampages through many villages. My brother Elijah fell in love with a human girl. This girl Katerina got very close to my brother, I had my suspicions about her and her intentions. She was a problem- and I had cause to be concerned." Rebekah started. "Katerina was a notorious Con-Artist, word of her habits had reached the village long before she had. It was not a coincidence that she met my brother."

She thought back to the day Katerina had arrived in the village and had immediately been met by Elijah. She recalled the way Katerina had thrown herself at her older brother, and how Elijah had indulged her, taking her to bed only a few hours after having met her.

"She had sought him out, I was sure. I was also sure that she was plotting something, gathering information for someone who would like to do harm to my family." Rebekah continued, "I'm not proud of it, but I abducted her, and stored her in a hut in the depths of the forest. She didn't know that I had turned her the night before, when I caught her coming from my brother's room. I tortured her with sunlight to find her motives, only to find out that she wasn't helping anyone but herself."

"Why is this important?" Rebekah heard Tyler ask. She might have been angry if the question wasn't as sincere as it was.

"Because, Katerina is Elena's Ancestor, but more importantly she was a doppelgänger for one of the original immortals." Rebekah said matter-of-factly while a look of confusion set over the group. Bonnie was the next to ask a question.

"What is a doppelgänger?"

"There is more to my story than what I have shared with you, my family is the first in the line of vampires; but we are not the first Immortals. There were witches before us, bent on living forever. Because they upset the balance by living forever, they have Shadow-Selves, who are born from their line who live mortal lives and die in their place; in order to maintain the balance of nature." Rebekah explained, everyone looked to Elena for a moment, before looking back.

"Wait, but how was Elena born a doppelgänger if you turned her ancestor?" Caroline asked. Caroline was astute, Rebekah wasn't surprised.

"Katerina had a child that remained unknown to everyone, which is how her line was able to continue as long as it did. That isn't to say that Elena would have ceased to exist if I had killed Katerina much earlier, nature would have found a new bloodline to curse. She may not exist here, in this time, or even on this continent, but that's a lot of information to take in." Rebekah said, standing and cracking her back before taking a seat again.

"So when the prophecy says child of the ground…" Bonnie began, but Rebekah finished.

"They are speaking of a doppelgänger, a shadow self created by nature, born from earth, returning to earth, and being born from it again." Rebekah said, wringing her hands together. "If Katerina had remained human, the prophecy could have been fulfilled long ago, but because of my brash actions, and truthfully, my hatred, we are here now."

The group descended into discussion about what they were going to do, and Rebekah was left for a moment in her own thoughts. What was she going to do about this prophecy, now that they had the whole picture? What would Elena have her do? It was only when Bonnie spoke again that she was brought back to the reality of the situation.

"We've solved one prophecy, but what do we do about protecting Elena from the Hybrid?" Bonnie asked Rebekah. Rebekah could feel the blood drain from her face.

"What Hybrid?" Rebekah could tell that an immense fear was showing on her face, she didn't care, these poor souls would know the fear she felt if they were speaking truthfully.

"In one of my grimoires, there is a spell that requires a child of the ground as sacrifice for the original hybrid." Bonnie said, looking to Rebekah, "Any relation to your family of original vampires?" Rebekah felt like she was going to be sick, this was the nature of the balance; for every good there is an evil.

"There is, my brother Klaus is the Original Hybrid. My mother had an affair with a werewolf from the neighbouring village, a fact that my father had no knowledge of…" Rebekah sighed, exasperated. "When we were turned, Klaus was only 20 at the time, it was only a year later that he turned during the full moon, and my father discovered the betrayal. Klaus watched as my father slaughtered my mother in anger."

Rebekah could feel anguish building up in her chest that threatened to break through if she didn't control herself. Elena was the only person she had allowed to see her cry for the vast majority of her life, she decided she wanted to keep it that way as long as possible.

"You may not know this, but shortly before arriving here, I had been asleep for a hundred years." Rebekah remarked, looking to Elena for a moment. "I was asleep because Klaus was bent on keeping our family together. He stabbed me with a poisoned dagger, which cast me into a centuries long sleep; he is a force, and if he is coming for Elena, he hasn't realized that I am here, nor what our connection is." Rebekah finished looking around the room.

"But first, since I have returned and have no plan on leaving Elena defenceless again, I would like to give you your free will back." Rebekah said, first standing in front of Bonnie. "Truly I am indebted to you all, and I cannot thank you enough for the kindness and loyalty that you have shown Elena. It is clear that you have a bond that I cannot begin to understand."

She went in order from the left of the room to the right until she reached Matt. She released him from the compulsion before asking him to wait behind so that they could speak, when he agreed Rebekah turned back to the others.

"You are all free to leave. I am sure that you are all tired, because I sure am exhausted." Rebekah said, while everyone split up around the house to collect their belongings. Once everyone had descended, Rebekah grabbed the box of Bonnie's grimoires and began leaving with everyone else to put them in Bonnie's car. Once they were safely in the trunk, Rebekah turned to Bonnie. "Thank you, for being there for Elena, I know how much work you had to do to find out what you did- if you have any questions about your grimoires, please come and speak to me; there is a lot that I know, but I cannot practice."

"I'll hold you to that Rebekah." Bonnie said. "While I am here, I wanted to ask you something."

"Ask away Bonnie." Rebekah responded, eager to get back to Elena.

"I know what the prophecy requires, I have read it; and I have understood it." Bonnie began, Rebekah wondered where this was going. "You have chosen her, she has chosen you. Based on the prophecy, she will have to sacrifice something to be with you. Elena has lost enough; all of her family members are dead besides her aunt Jenna. I am asking you, that if it comes down to it and the sacrifice is to be someone she cares about, don't let her go through with it." Bonnie took in a shaky breath.

"She will not survive having to kill anyone, let alone somebody she cares about. So I'm asking you, to put her sanity above your love, can you do that?" Bonnie said, a steely look piercing Rebekah's soul.

"Of course. When I said that I would not allow anything to hurt Elena I was not joking. Her safety is more important to me than anything else. Even if she decides that she didn't want to be with me anymore, I would still defend her with my life. You have my word." Rebekah offered, putting a hand on Bonnie's shoulder. "I love Elena as she is, what she will be; and I will do my best to ensure that anything that happens to change her is positive."

"Thank you." Bonnie said, stepping towards her to embrace her in a hug. It was over quickly, and Bonnie retreated into her car and reversed out of the drive. Rebekah took a minute to wave back to Bonnie as she fully entered the small roundabout and was on her way down the street.

She took a few steps backwards before turning around and walking back to the house where Matt was waiting. She looked at him for a moment before putting her hand on Matt's shoulder.

"Matt, I know you and Elena were together a long time ago. I know that it can be hard to lose someone you love, especially when they continue living." Rebekah said, looking off into the distance for a moment; thinking of everyone she had ever lost. "I know that Elena values your friendship, and I'm sure she feels the pain of that loss, the same as you do. You care for her differently than the others, I can tell by the way you look at her." Rebekah said, meeting Matt's eyes again.

She watched Matt's face grow concerned, as he was about to defend himself, Rebekah stopped him.

"I'm not threatening you Matt." Rebekah said, taking a deep breath. "If something happens to me and Elena is no longer safe, please take her from Mystic Falls, take her far away. I have connections for new identities and a bank account that should be more than enough, there will be instructions in the compartment of my Bike." Rebekah said, walking back towards the front of the house again.

"Why me?" Matt said, confusion and concern flashing across his face. "I used to date her, I used to love her- I thought you would hate me?"

"Matt, the truth of the matter is, that love never truly dies. It's because a part of you still loves her, that you will do anything to protect her." Rebekah said, looking into Matt's eyes. There was an unspoken understanding there. "That is why I chose you."

"I guess that makes sense. I'm not sure what I am supposed to say…"

"Just say you will do it." Rebekah said, turning away for a moment. "You are the only one capable of giving her a regular life, or as regular as she can have outside of the mess of Mystic Falls."

"You can count on me." Matt said. "I won't let anything happen to her."

"Thank you."

She watched Matt walk down the roadway, turning to cast one last glance her way. She was grateful for the past that Elena and Matt had shared together. Rebekah was sure it wasn't easy to watch someone you love be with someone else, but Matt took it in stride if his attitude and outlook was any indication.

Rebekah turned back towards the house, waving to Matt as he turned back to bid farewell to her and to Elena as well. Rebekah watched him leave, and smiled at him as he did.

Rebekah went back to the house and watched Elena watch her as she did. There was a hunger in Elena's eyes, not the same as the one that had scared her nearly half to death, but definitely hungry.

When she reached the door, she pulled Elena into a passionate kiss. Rebekah really had missed this, missed her. She felt radiating warmth when Elena was close to her; maybe it was because of their bond that Rebekah felt this way.

Rebekah stepped inside the door, backing Elena further in as she went. She knew no one could see them, but she still hadn't relieved Stefan and Damon from their duties; the last thing she needed was one of them hearing the sweet nothings she was going to whisper into Elena's ear.

She broke apart from Elena for a moment to allow her to breathe before continuing her assault on Elena's lips. They were so warm, and giving. Rebekah let her hands roam through Elena's hair, her fingers getting tangled in it. Rebekah let the smell of Elena's hair waft into her nose; a small smile formed on her lips when she realized Elena had used her shampoo.

"I see that someone has begun to feel at home." Rebekah whispered against Elena's neck, "I guess you should considering it's your house now." She laughed at Elena's short gasps for breath as she nibbled lightly on Elena's shoulder and neck.

"I love the little sounds you make for me." Rebekah said, moving back to Elena's lips. "I missed you, I missed this."

"Mmmm, me too." Elena half moaned, half whispered. Rebekah looked into her eyes for a moment before separating herself from Elena's grasp.

"I can tell you're worried about all of this prophecy stuff." Rebekah mentioned casually before taking Elena's hand, and leading her through the house. "You know I meant what I said when I told you I would never let you get hurt."

Rebekah waited for a response, but Elena never offered one; opting to simply nod instead. Rebekah felt her chest tighten. Elena put on a good show for her friends, that was clear; but she couldn't hide her true feelings from Rebekah.

"Let me take your mind off of everything, even for just a couple of hours; how does that sound?" Rebekah said, pausing at the bottom of the stairs. Rebekah could see the wet lines down Elena's face where tears must have fallen only moments before. "I know that I could use the distraction, so that means you could too."

"I'm just worried." Elena said. Rebekah could hear the slight shaking to her voice. Rebekah knew that Elena had never signed up for this, and that made her feel guilty. Elena was only in this situation because of her, because she had gotten too close, too invested. Rebekah thought to herself for a moment before bringing Elena into a hug.

"I know this isn't what you intended when we decided to be together. This is my fault, and I accept if you want to go, I wouldn't blame you." Rebekah said, holding Elena in her arms. She felt Elena get stiff for a moment before her body relaxed a little bit more, and Elena met her eyes.

"It's not your fault. You didn't know about this prophecy, you didn't know what would happen when we got together." Elena said, causing Rebekah to release a breath she didn't know she was holding in. "I don't want to be without you. Don't you get that? I wouldn't give you up for anything." Rebekah stepped back slightly so that she could catch Elena's face in her hands.

"I would lay waste to every living creature on this planet for you. I would choose you a thousand times over again." Rebekah began, looking deeply into Elena's eyes. They were the same dark chocolate that they had always been, but now the rims of her eyes were tinted red with tears. "I know this situation is not ideal by any means, ideally the only consequence for you loving me would be love; not fulfilling a prophecy, not putting yourself in danger, not anything but what we feel for each other." Rebekah would have continued if it weren't for Elena's lips finding purchase on her own. She revelled in it for a moment before kissing Elena back with as much force and passion as she was getting from the other woman.

Rebekah could hear small moans escaping Elena's mouth as Rebekah's lips travelled from Elena's lips to her neck, then to her collarbone before needing to lift Elena's shirt upwards to allow her lips further terrain to explore. Once Rebekah had Elena's shirt over her head, she resumed her exploration, delivering kissed between Elena's breasts, down to her stomach, which elicited moans from Elena, which was more like music to her ears.

She felt desire building from within her, she felt an animal instinct was kicking in, her primal need for the woman in front of her growing exponentially with every passing second. It had started as a low and slow building heat that got more and more intense with every passing second to the point where Rebekah could barely contain herself.

"Should we take this upstairs?" Rebekah asked, her lips barely leaving Elena's skin to whisper the words. Rebekah could hear Elena's heartbeat slow down, and a breath get caught in her throat before she took another shaky breath. It was only a moment later that she felt Elena's hands reach for the side of her face, pulling her upwards.

"Why bother going upstairs at all when we have the whole house to ourselves." Elena said breathily before locking their lips together. Rebekah felt the heat bubbling inside of her again. Rebekah could feel Elena pulling her backwards towards the kitchen.

"Where are we-" Rebekah was cut off before she could finish.

"I know you're hungry, I figure I might as well treat you to a meal." Elena spoke softly into Rebekah's ear, leaving nothing about her statement to the imagination. Rebekah could feel the desire that had been brewing to a boiling point finally spill over, as she picked Elena up, holding her legs around her waist.

Rebekah continued kissing Elena, while she carried her back towards the kitchen, setting her down onto the countertop. Rebekah let their lips connect feverishly, wanting more and more until she was ready to tear Elena apart.

Rebekah had never been particularly religious, but Elena had provided her with an altar, now all she had to do was worship at it. Rebekah wasted little time kissing down Elena's neck, down her chest, and finally stopping when she reached the top of Elena's pants. Rebekah's hands worked deftly to undo the button as Elena's hips raised to allow Rebekah to remove them from her.

Once Rebekah had removed the pants and let them drop to the floor, she set her sights on the apex of Elena's thighs. She could smell Elena's arousal before she even started to pull he underwear from her hips. She loved how excited she made Elena, because she knew the other woman made her the same. She could feel it, the moisture that was making her own sex wet.

She made her way back up to Elena's face, kissing her lips sweetly again, biting her lip and pulling it a little bit. The action coaxed a small moan out of Elena's mouth, and it made Rebekah smile. She loved the sounds Elena made, which spurred her on further.

It took only moments from that second for Rebekah to unhook Elena's bra clasps, and move it out of the way so that she engulf Elena's nipple in her mouth. She nibbled on it slightly, before running her tongue over the nub to minimize the pain. Rebekah's actions made Elena's back arch into Rebekah's mouth.

Rebekah paid both of Elena's breasts equal attention before she moved lower, and lower still down Elena's body until she reached Elena's sex. By this point Elena's moans had grown louder, and louder. Her hips had begun to move up and down, trying to find purchase on a patch of Rebekah's flesh, but Rebekah was not allowing it to happen.

Rebekah wanted Elena to suffer; not much, just a little bit, just enough. Just enough for Elena to beg her to finish what she had so generously started. She kissed the inside of Elena's thighs.

"Now, if you try to get away from me, I'll have to drag you down to the floor to finish what I started." Rebekah said between kisses, making Elena squirm. "No, no, none of that. I know you know how to follow instructions." Rebekah spoke before letting her tongue run from the bottom of Elena's sex, to the top of it, stopping to flick the sensitive nub hiding at the top of Elena's folds. The action caused Elena to lift her hips to allow her sex to meet Rebekah's mouth, but Rebekah did not allow her to find release there.

Rebekah continued this method for a few moments, getting gentler and gentler every time Elena's hips moved to meet her mouth, causing the woman below her to become more and more aroused, and more desperate. It was an incredible amount of power to have over someone, but Rebekah wasn't one to leave a woman unsatisfied.

"Rebekah…." Elena moaned to the ceiling when Rebekah's tongue was nothing more than a whisper on her sex. "Please, I need more." Rebekah chuckled a little bit.

"More what?" Rebekah asked, taking a break for a moment, letting the question set in. "Don't leave me hanging here, use some of the many words in that vocabulary of yours." She watched Elena prop herself up on her elbows to meet her eyes. Rebekah saw lust that had lit a fire beneath the brown.

"You know what I want." Elena said, her eyes never moving from Rebekah's. That made Rebekah smile inside, she cocked an eyebrow, wanting more of a description from the woman who wanted her expert services.

"Hmmm, I mean that's interesting… considering that you know so many more descriptive words that you can use." Rebekah said, feigning surprise at the lack of imagination that Elena was willing to use. "I guess if you don't want it that badly, I can stop?" Rebekah stated, knowing that Elena would succumb to her desire sooner than later.

"I don't want you to stop. I want you to take me right here, right-" Elena's voice caught in her throat as Rebekah used the opportunity to smother Elena's sex with her mouth. "Oh fuck!"

Rebekah enjoyed being intimate with Elena, there was a deeper connection shared between them that made these moments so much more intense than any she had shared with other people. It was strange. It was strange because she was no stranger to sex, no stranger to sex with other women; but she didn't need to learn how to satisfy Elena, it was like she had the knowledge inside of her already, like she had done it a thousand times before.

Realistically she knew she hadn't. But for the most part, every girl was different; what every girl liked, and needed to get off was different. It was different to fuck women than it was to fuck men, men were simple, the same thing got every single one of them off, and there was little imagination, little creativity that was needed in order to bring them to completion.

Women on the other hand, were enigmatic, what got one off would not get the other. It was like launching a rocket, there were a million buttons, and they all had to be pushed in a specific order, at a specific time, dials that had to be turned just right, and just quickly enough. And this sequence changed with every woman; and it could pose a challenge. Rebekah loved to be challenged.

What Rebekah loved more than the challenge of sex, was the complete lack of it with Elena. She knew somehow, she knew Elena's sequence without knowing it. Maybe it was a function of the prophecy at play, she couldn't tell for sure, but more importantly she didn't care. She didn't care about how she knew; she only cared about how much pleasure she could give to her woman, and how well she could please her.

Rebekah continued with her ministrations, allowing Elena to reach the peak of pleasure, the moans getting closer together, more guttural, more primal. Elena started to move her hips quickly in a circular motion, trying to get as much friction as possible to the apex of her thighs. Rebekah waited, she knew Elena's tells, all she had to do was continue this way just a little while longer.

It only took a few minutes for the moment to come, and Rebekah inserted two fingers into Elena's sex, resulting in a primal moan escaping from deep inside Elena's throat. She could tell Elena was on the precipice, Rebekah could tell by the increasingly needy movements and sounds coming from Elena.

Rebekah fought against Elena's intense movements as she approached orgasm. Elena was close; her moans were getting more high pitched, and closer together. Rebekah intensified her movements, allowing her intensity to climb alongside Elena's; pushing the girl closer and closer to the edge.

Rebekah allowed her fingers to delve deeper inside of Elena's centre, making sure that she hit Elena's sweet spot over and over again as she did. Rebekah's tongue made quick work of Elena's clit, as she bit it lightly and let her tongue resume its onslaught.

Rebekah continued for only a minute before Elena's back arched completely into her mouth. She didn't stop, and continued until Elena was ratcheted into another orgasm, and then another. By the time Rebekah was done, Rebekah's face was covered in Elena's juices; the smell driving Rebekah into further madness.

She wanted this woman, and if it were up to her she would never stop. The smell of Elena's sex sent her into a complete frenzy of wanting more. Rebekah could feel her arousal build to hunger very quickly as she stood up straight, allowing her back to crack, before taking a step back, and allowing Elena a moment to breathe.

"Where are you trying to run off to?" She heard Elena ask, propping herself onto her elbows again to look at her. Elena looked like she had truly enjoyed herself, her eyes were half- lidded, her movements were slower than normal, she had a smile on her face that could only be a symptom of the multiple orgasms she had just experienced.

"I'm letting you come down from your high…" Rebekah began, smiling while she examined the beautiful specimen on the counter. "If I stayed near you, I probably wouldn't have stopped. Plus, I need something to eat." Rebekah said, turning her back to Elena for a moment.

"Well..." Elena said, having moved quickly to the counter to come up behind Rebekah, "I did promise you a meal didn't I? Why don't you feed from me again?"

It was a gracious offer; she gave Elena that. It was tempting, oh so very tempting. Rebekah had an internal debate with herself for a moment, before ultimately declining the offer.

"I don't want to put you in any kind of danger, or feed from you again until we can be sure that it's safe." Rebekah said, finding her resolve fading slightly when she turned around to find Elena offering up her wrist.

"It's safe Rebekah, you read the prophecy as well as I did. You know that you feeding from me can't hurt me beyond what is already done." Elena said. She took Rebekah's hand, and placed her wrist in it. "I told you before, it doesn't bother me in the slightest. I like it when you feed from me, it makes me feel closer to you, connected."

"It's an intimate act." Rebekah stated plainly, she probably wouldn't get too deep into it right now. "Think of any other time you swap bodily fluids with someone… I'll let your imagination run wild, but I'm sure you get my point that those exchanges are intimate, regardless of how mundane, blood sharing is the same." Rebekah said, beginning to feel Elena's heartbeat quicken beneath her fingertips now that she was focusing on something other than making Elena achieve orgasm.

Rebekah soon realized just how hungry she was, and her arousal coupled with her hunger was a dangerous combination. It was a combination that made Rebekah's eyes darken and her veins pop out on her face. She was suddenly acutely aware of Elena's humanity, of her frailty, of how dangerous a situation she was in if Rebekah didn't have the level of self-control that she did.

Rebekah was sure that her hesitation is what spurred Elena to take things a step further, and lift her arm to Rebekah's lips. Rebekah couldn't hold back anymore, allowing her fangs to sink down into Elena's wrist, the blood flowing down her throat. It was euphoric, Elena's blood tasted different this time; it was missing the metallic aftertaste.

Rebekah could feel the euphoria build, as the blood from Elena's began to affect her brain. She could almost feel the endorphins that began to flood her body. She couldn't tell if it was simply because she hadn't fed in a while, or if maybe because the prophecy had been enacted, or maybe because of their connection that had changed the way that Elena's blood affected her. Rebekah knew the implications of blood sharing for two vampires, and even though Elena hadn't decided to transition yet, Rebekah still considered her and equal; which made the implications the same for her regardless of the fact that Elena was human.

Rebekah broke free of her deep thoughts long enough to look to Elena. Once again Elena's face mirrored her own, her eyes dark, her veins throbbing and popping from her face. Maybe Elena was more like her than she would care to admit in this moment.

Elena surprised her, moving her wrist from her mouth, and replacing it with her lips; the blood around the edges smearing against Elena's face as their kiss deepened and intensified. Rebekah could feel her arousal beginning to grow again, as Elena snaked her hands into Rebekah's pants, finding her sex wet and wanting contact.

Rebekah moaned into Elena's mouth, the stale taste of dried blood from Elena's mouth heightening her arousal. She needed it badly, she hadn't realized how badly until now. Rebekah let her hands rest behind her on the countertop top while she threw her head backwards as Elena's fingers circled her clit slowly and gently.

"Fuck yes, don't stop." Rebekah could hear the words being spoken and wondered where they were coming from, before she realized that it was from her own mouth that the words had come.

"Mmm. I love it when you swear like that when I touch you." Elena spoke into her ear, sending goose bumps up her arms and down her spine. Truthfully expletives were not something that Rebekah usually allowed herself to speak, but she supposed that due to her heightened state of arousal, she didn't care.

"I need you to take me right here and right now, Elena I swear to god." Rebekah breathed heavily, trying to spur Elena further. And it worked. Elena looked up at her with her dark eyes, and dark veins; and Rebekah realized that she had never seen anything more beautiful than the woman in front of her whose eyes and face mirrored her own. "You look so sexy right now, I have to admit." Rebekah said.

"You're extremely lucky that I am in the mood to repay the favour." Rebekah heard Elena say before removing her hand from her pants, and leading her to the living room. "I know you've been travelling, you deserve some comfort while I dedicate myself to the task at hand."

Rebekah could feel the lump in her throat form before she swallowed it down, allowing the intensity of her arousal to guide her actions. She let Elena undress her, and place her backwards on the couch. Elena stood behind her, running her lips and hands up and down Rebekah's back, before pushing the middle of it downwards, resulting in Rebekah's centre to be exposed by her back arching. Rebekah felt Elena stood up, losing all connection between their bodies. Rebekah looked backwards to see Elena staring at her exposed sex intently.

"Do you like what you see?" Rebekah asked. She knew the answer was yes, but part of her was always a little bit nervous with anticipation.

"Oh yes, I like what I see very much. I'm just working on the best way to take you." Elena said, and Rebekah felt her heart flutter in her chest for a moment, waiting for Elena to make up her mind, but getting impatient before speaking again.

"Have you made your decision?" Rebekah asked, locking eyes with Elena's intense stare.

"Hmm… I don't know." She heard Elena say, "Should I use my fingers?" Elena asked, suddenly sliding her fingers through Rebekah's wet folds. The feeling was incredibly intense; she could barely hold the moan in her throat back. "Maybe I should use my mouth…" A tongue found her clit, which sent Rebekah's hips bucking backwards into Elena's mouth. "Oh! I see you like that." Elena spoke huskily to Rebekah.

This woman was driving her wild. She wanted release, she needed release.

"Please for the love of all that is good, don't play with me, just fuck me!" Rebekah nearly shouted. She couldn't contain herself anymore as Elena's warm mouth exploring her sex slowly and deliberately. She could almost hear a faint hum coming from Elena's mouth as she resumed her attack. Elena was ferocious, deliberate, and specific. It was almost as if she knew exactly what would drive Rebekah crazy.

Rebekah couldn't understand how Elena knew how to do what she was doing, but she could hardly hold back anymore, she was approaching orgasm, and so quickly too; she was almost disappointed in herself for being so easy; but at the same time, and maybe for the first time, she appreciated it because of her desperate need for release.

"Yes, yes, oh my god." Rebekah nearly screamed as her orgasm rocked her body, sending small tremors through her legs. She could feel every muscle on fire, spasming through wave after wave of orgasm as it came and went.

Elena clearly was taking a page out of her book, and had continued her attentions to Rebekah's sex, despite the orgasm, and soon enough she was on the edge again in a matter of minutes.

This time, there were lights behind her eyes, small sparkles of light danced behind her eyelids as she held them closed, and allowed the second orgasm to tear through her body, this time more intense than the last. Her knuckles were white from clutching the back of the couch so tightly, she had to use restraint in order to make sure that she didn't break the dammed thing. She was sure that Elena would stop now, but she was proven wrong as Elena continued again, through another two orgasms until Rebekah's body could barely support herself.

She felt exhausted, her muscles sore from the electric shocks rolling through her body, rendering her muscles useless, and her brain even more so. She celebrated internally, thanking her lucky stars that Elena had seen fit to over her some respite from her tongue.

"Are you trying to kill me?" Rebekah chuckled tiredly before lying down on the couch to catch her breath. She could honestly say that never, not once in her entire life, had she experienced so many intense orgasms in such close succession. She heard the chime of Elena's laughter at her question, as Elena approached her prone and naked body, slowly lowering herself onto the couch next to Rebekah.

"No, I am not trying to kill you. I think we both know if I were trying to kill you, I wouldn't do it so nicely. Not that it would matter anyway; we both know how hard it would be to kill you." Rebekah smiled at that, noting the clear truth behind the words.

"You're very right, it would be much harder than that, not that I'm complaining." Rebekah said, letting Elena lay in the crook of her arm, allowing their faces to be close to each other. "I missed you so much."

"I know, I missed you too Rebekah." Elena said. Rebekah could hear the exhaustion in Elena's voice. Elena snugged closer, her head resting only slightly on Rebekah's chest. It was only moments before she heard the soft sounds of Elena's breathing, which had slowed dramatically as Elena had drifted off into sleep.

Rebekah lay there, allowing Elena her moment of rest. It had been a rough few days apart. She honestly hadn't anticipated the degree with which she would miss Elena, not the degree to which she would worry. It was true that she wasn't tired, her muscles ached and were grateful for the respite; but she wasn't going to sleep.

She honestly wondered about how Elena was able to take all of this as well as she was. There was definitely some hidden strength to this woman, Rebekah knew that. There was also something else, this unwillingness to let herself be controlled, to live out some preordained future that someone else had decided, Rebekah appreciated that; she only wished that she could have had the same resolve when she was younger.

It was only a few minutes later that Elena awoke. She still seemed tired to Rebekah, so Rebekah removed herself and allowed Elena to rest on the couch without her. She needed to relieve the Salvatore brothers of their duties. She pulled out her phone and called the younger brother, telling him to meet her out front.

Rebekah knew it would only take Stefan a couple of minutes to make it to the front of the house, so she made her way out of the living room to the front of the house. When she got to the front door she could see the younger Salvatore waiting there looking unbothered.

She opened the door, descended the stairs and approached him.

"Any news?" She asked, knowing that if there was any Stefan had no choice but to tell her. When he shook his head no, she got closer, pulling him towards her for a moment before looking deep in his eyes. "Call your brother to me, I need him here."

She watched as Stefan pulled out his phone and called Damon, who was quick to join them. She asked Damon the same question she asked Stefan, and when his response was the same, she asked them both another question.

"Did they behave themselves?" Rebekah could tell that not too much had obviously happened in the house, the only part of her home that had seemed to be disturbed beyond the usual were the guest bedrooms.

"No, they were up for a while, but they all went to bed. There were a few lights that stayed on for a while. One person woke early a few hours before everyone else and then the rest of the house awoke shortly thereafter." Damon answered. "There were no parties, nobody left."

"There were some sounds this morning… It sounded like Elena was really enjoying herself, but I bet you knew that already, because the other sounds were you." Stefan said, a brief flash of anger coming over his face.

Rebekah could feel her blood boil at the notion. She had known it was a possibility that they could overhear, but she didn't want to alert Elena to the fact that they had been there as a secondary precaution.

"Little Salvatore, if you value your life, I would suggest you banish all thoughts of Elena and I from your twisted fantasy. I'm going to let you go now, so kindly come closer so that I can go back to my girlfriend." Rebekah grabbed him forcefully before looking into his eyes to release him from the compulsion, followed quickly by Rebekah doing the same to Damon.

"I heard the both of you, clear as day, loud as all hell. I swear they probably heard you in Europe." Stefan said, drawing attention to himself. "You know, if you had wanted her that badly, you simply could have borrowed her from me."

"How dare you speak of her that way?" Rebekah seethed, "And in front of me no less, you must truly be the most foolish vampire left to roam this planet!" She could see Damon off to the side with his head in his hands. She wondered if he knew how much danger Stefan was putting them both in. "She doesn't belong to you Stefan, she never did. I hardly needed to steal her from you, considering how you chased her off yourself with your undoubtedly incessant stupidity."

Rebekah breathed heavily, willing herself to display some self-control. If it had been up to her, she would have ripped him limb from limb by now, or staked him in the heart. But she knew she shouldn't, it could draw too much attention to herself, and by proxy to Elena, and she couldn't risk it.

Stefan was advancing towards her, malice clearly in his eyes. Did he really thin he could hurt her?

"YOU STOLE HER FROM ME!" He shouted, she could feel this angry heat radiating off of him. "I WAS SO CLOSE TO GETTING HER BACK, TO GETTING HER TO FALL IN LOVE WITH ME AGAIN, AND YOU CAME BACK AND YOU STOLE HER. SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE WITH ME, NOT WITH A BITCH LIKE YOU; MAYBE YOU DESERVE EACH OTHER." There was saliva flying from his mouth, and dripping from his mouth. " I DIDN'T KNOW SHE WOULD OPEN HER LEGS SO WILLINGLY TO ANYONE, BUT AFTER DAMON, I GUESS I SHOULDN'T BE SURPRISED!"

"You better watch your tongue before I rip it from your mouth, and don't think I won't make good on my promise- because I will." Rebekah spat back in response. Her resolve was fading with every step that Stefan took towards her. "So help me-"

She was cut off my Elena appearing in front of her, acting like a barrier between the two of them. Rebekah could tell the woman was angry, and it made Rebekah wonder how long she had been standing within hearing range.

"WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STEFAN?" Elena screamed into Stefan's face as Rebekah looked on in awe. She rarely saw Elena angry, but for some reason every time Stefan was in her sight, Elena saw red.

"Fuck you Elena, why don't you stay out of this, I was here chatting with your new friend." Stefan said, advancing toward Elena. Rebekah made a move to get between them, but Elena held up her hand to signal that she didn't need Rebekah's help.

"You're talking about me Stefan! So why don't you stay out of MY business?" Elena asked, crossing her arms in defiance. Rebekah could see a multitude of ways for this to end, and most of them ended up with Elena hurt. She didn't like it, but she knew the brunette in front of her would be incensed if she intervened without absolute necessity; so she stayed put, but also alert if she needed to act.

"Elena, please- it's not too late, come back to me." Stefan began to plead. It was pathetic really, but Rebekah kept her mouth shut. "Give me another chance, you know we're meant to be." Elena laughed, and she laughed hard, doubling over as her body shook. Rebekah couldn't tell what was so funny, but something was clearly entertaining to Elena, and Rebekah knew that the woman would share.

"You are really something else Stefan. You're really pretending like you care about me, but this always has been, and always will be about you!" Elena said throwing her hands up in the air. "You're just not smart enough to realize it yet."

"What the hell does that even mean? You're making no sense!" Stefan huffed, trying to retain his quickly dwindling pride.

"You wanting me Stefan, it wasn't because you wanted me. You wanted me for who you initially thought I was." Elena said, looking at him with pity. "Didn't you ever wonder why I looked so much like Katherine?" Elena asked, Rebekah knew where she was going with this line of thought, and didn't like the probable outcomes.

"I love you Elena!" Stefan sputtered, clearly taken aback by Elena's words.

"No you don't Stefan. You loved another version of me. You were drawn to me because we looked the same, because we are the same. I am her, I am just a different version of her. A reincarnation to maintain the balance." Elena said. Rebekah could hear the smile in her voice. "You loved Katherine, the one person in the world who couldn't love you, and you found me; her spitting image, and you thought you were given a second chance."

Rebekah let the words wash over Stefan, who then looked to her to confirm the story, and Rebekah simply nodded to him; Validation that the words Elena had spoken were true.

"You really know how to pick them Stefan, because at the end of the day Katherine and I have many similar qualities. Beyond our good looks, another quality that we share is that we both cannot, and do not love you." Elena said matter-of-factly before shrugging her shoulders.

"That can't be true, you told me a thousand times that you loved me!" Stefan said, the anger that had turned to shock, returning again full force.

"You're right, I did. I lied Stefan. I used you. I used your body, and your company to distract me from the bullshit. I said what I thought you wanted to hear, what you needed to hear." Elena admitted, her voice mellowed in an attempt to soften the fatal blow she was delivering. "I need you to understand that I never planned to be with you for any length of time, but I found myself enjoying how comfortable you made my life. But it never felt right, it never started to. And for that I owe you an apology." Elena sighed, and looked between the two brothers. Rebekah could see slight amusement on Damon's face. Part of him, however small, was enjoying this.

"I couldn't string you along anymore, without risking your sanity, your humanity- so I left you for Damon. And you should hate me for that." Elena said. "And when Damon started to get too invested, well; I left him too." Rebekah could hear the pain in Elena's voice. She knew that it hurt Elena to reveal these truths knowing that it would hurt whoever was meant to hear them. She let her hand rest on Elena's shoulders before the other woman continued.

"I didn't want to hurt anyone, but by the time I realized what was happening, it was already too late. You were never in love with me Stefan; you were in love with who you thought I was, who you wanted me to be, and who you were when you were with me." Elena explained. "You thought you were getting a second chance, but your second chance was doomed to fail, and no fourth or fifth or sixth chance will change that. I know it's hard to hear. But I am with Rebekah now, and I don't have to pretend to feel anything, because it's actually there, I actually feel it with her."

"But-" Stefan was cut off.

"No but's Stefan. I don't love you, I never loved you. I don't want to be with you. I want to be with Rebekah." Elena said finally.

"Elena, please." Stefan said dejectedly. Rebekah knew as well as anyone else that unrequited love was a pain like no other.

"Don't. I want you to go now Stefan." Elena said, but Stefan didn't back off. He grabbed hold of Elena's arm as she turned to walk away. She could hear Elena's pulse race with anger. "Take your hand off of me, right now Stefan."

"No, I'm not letting you go with her, she's compelled you or something!" Stefan said, trying to justify the fact that he was gripping her arm with great force. Elena held her ground as Rebekah moved forward, ready to rip Stefan's arm clear off of his body.

"Look in my eyes Stefan. You can see that I haven't been compelled. I don't need to be." Elena said. Her voice was simply honest, there was nothing in the voice besides honesty. There was a moment before Elena's voice echoed once again, this time completely filled with anger and malice. "If you don't remove your hand from me right now, I promise you that you will live to regret it."

"I don't believe you!" Stefan said. His mistake happened next, as he pulled Elena towards him by her arm. She could feel the heat radiating from Elena's back that was facing her. If she hadn't been there to witness it herself, she probably wouldn't have believed any story about this that came later.

One of Elena's hands found the back of Stefan's head, and the other found his chin. All it took was a split second, Elena's newfound vampire strength, and a quick upward jerk to snap Stefan's neck. There was a slight look of shock frozen to his face as his limp body fell to the ground.

Elena surveyed her arm, noticing an angry red mark where Stefan's hands had been holding her. Rebekah looked to Damon, who stared on in confusion before locking eyes with Rebekah.

"You know what Elena said is true. Part of you has always known it; that's why you found it so funny that Stefan didn't." Rebekah said, dissecting Damon's interesting response to the scenario in front of him. "Take him before he wakes up and I have to kill him. I think we both know I am more than capable."

Damon nodded, and bent down to pick Stefan's rigid body off of the ground. Once he had Stefan in his arms he turned to Rebekah.

"I knew this was going to happen sooner or later. Stefan has never been particularly well equipped to handle rejection." Damon said, breathing slightly heavier under Stefan's dead weight. "I can tell she's happy, that's all that I ever wanted for her, even if it wasn't with me. Stefan is stupid, he's never been able to tell his head from his ass. I'm sorry on his behalf."

"Make sure he is aware of what could have transpired here, and that if he ever tries that with Elena again, I will have half a mind to let her end him. I'm only stopping her because of what it would do to her, not what it would do to him." Rebekah said, making to turn away and follow Elena back into the house.

"How did she have the strength to break his neck? She shouldn't be strong enough for that." Damon's voice sounded out, causing Rebekah to pause before turning around. She couldn't stop the small smile from forming on her lips.

"Well that is the golden question, isn't it?" Rebekah remarked before continuing on. "Let's just say that my connection to Elena is special. She has inherited some of my rather specific vampire traits." Rebekah wrung her hands together for a moment, before deciding that she could continue without consequence. "She can move as quickly as you or I can, she can hear, see and smell as well as you and I can, and she is just as strong as you and I are."

She watched Damon's eyes bulge at the admission. He clearly hadn't been expecting it, and truthfully neither had Rebekah. The words just kept coming out of her mouth, maybe it was because she was trying to paint a very clear picture of her and Elena's relationship, or maybe it was to hurt Damon, or maybe it was just unspoken truths needing to breathe.

"Elena and I share a special bond. She is a doppelgänger, I know you know what that means Damon, so imagine my surprise when one day after a little blood-sharing, she looked at me the way you or I look at a poor human strolling down the street alone at night." Rebekah laughed a little bit. "She had all of the power, and none of the hunger, none of the vulnerability to the sun, and she is still human. That is how she's come to the conclusion that we are meant to be together, because together we have done what should otherwise have been impossible. The sooner everyone involved realizes they can't compete, the easier this will be on everyone."

Damon nodded in response, clearly trying to digest the information he was being given. Rebekah knew that without the prophecy in his hand, it would prove difficult for him to completely comprehend what it meant, and that offered Rebekah a different kind of protection.

Damon would tell Stefan, and because it was coming from Damon, Stefan would believe it. But if it had come directly from her, Stefan would not rest until he found out everything; granted there was still a risk of that Rebekah was aware, but this way, she had offered some answers.

"Now take your brother out of here, before Elena does another number on him." Rebekah said, finally turning away to walk back to her house. She could hear Damon's footsteps as he broke into a run full kilter off of Rebekah's property towards the house the boys shared together.

Rebekah finally made it into the house, shutting the door behind her; she was searching for Elena, who she could hear was in the kitchen. She made her way towards it, and leant against the wall watching Elena scramble together something to eat.

Rebekah cherished these moments; they were small and fleeting, sure. But they reminded her that Elena's humanity was an incredible gift. She knew that she wanted to spend the rest of her very long eternity with Elena, but she was willing to settle for as long as she could have.

Rebekah cleared her throat, bringing Elena's immediately drawing Elena's attention to her. There was a sheepish smile that was present on her lips. It deserved to be there, she smirk, the confidence, all of it. Elena wasn't to be trifled with anymore. The woman was clearly capable of holding her own at this point.

"I've never seen you be so…" Rebekah searched for the right word. "Alluring." Rebekah knew that Elena had needed to do that, for once and for all so that Stefan could get the message. The delivery of said message could have been less violent, but truthfully Stefan got what he deserved.

It had taken every last ounce of her self-control to stop her from killing him the second he had touched Elena. But in the end she knew she made the right call letting Elena fight her own battles. Now that Elena's strength was known, it was less likely that Stefan would try again.

She reached out to Elena, seeing the bruise on Elena's arm deepening in colour. Rebekah lifted her own wrist to her mouth, biting down to draw blood, and lifted it to Elena's lips. The other girl willingly began drinking, knowing that the effects would have the bruise disappearing in a matter of minutes.

It had been so long since someone had fed on her, she had almost forgotten the sensation of warm lips and even warmer blood that trailed along her wrist. It sent shivers down her spine due to the sheer thrill. This meant a little more than the usual. While what she had told Damon hadn't been the whole story, it was true that this whole bond had begun the second that she had fed on Elena in that pool. And now the roles were reversed.

Maybe they were more alike than she had first given it credit for. She needed human blood once in a while to survive, and a human drinking her blood once in a while allowed them to survive. Maybe that was the duality between vampires and humans, each had to be benevolent enough to let the other survive.

"You were brilliant out there today. And I wish we could spend all night together; but Jenna is probably worried about you, you've been here for two, almost three whole days; and knowing you, you probably haven't called or text once." Rebekah said, lowering her wrist from Elena's mouth.

"I'm going to drive you home, and we'll spend the night together at your place, that way you can have a fresh pair of clothes, and a good night's sleep in your own bed."

Elena agreed, clearly content to be anywhere that Rebekah was. Rebekah helped her quickly pack anything that she would need for school the next day before putting Elena in her car and driving her back home.