Rain pelted against the windows and the wind howled outside as a storm settled in over the farm. Elena finally shifted next to him. But Elijah hadn't slept since they'd returned.

He had just laid here, keeping guard over her. Thinking about everything. Worrying over any potentially fatal missteps in their plan.

She remained asleep, and he wondered if she was having restless or pleasant dreams. He would never probe her mind like that. But he wanted to end this living nightmare for her. She was close enough now, on her side facing him. He rested his arm around her, his heart clenching as he did so. God, he loved her. He couldn't imagine living without her near him ever again. He craved her proximity, the way she calmed his soul. He thought about her request from earlier in the morning - to turn her. Even now the idea made his heart race. It was a vampire's ultimate declaration of love. But he wouldn't divulge that to her until the time was right. He couldn't be so selfish as to saddle her with this curse before she truly had a chance to live. Not unless it was a matter of life and death. He was holding out hope that they would figure out the loophole before Klaus found them.

Elena's phone vibrated on the nightstand loudly, signaling a text message. Her eyes shot open. She looked at Elijah before snuggling in closer and he couldn't help but smile.

"I was sleeping so well," she lamented.

He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, squeezing her against his chest. "That's welcome news."

"Did you sleep at all?" She studied him sharply and he bit at his lip. He watched her skin tone shift into pink as her eyes dipped to his mouth.

"I can never lie to you," he admitted with a sigh. "My mind has been far too preoccupied."

"Then I should distract you," she mused. She slid over until she was straddling him, letting out a pleased gasp when she felt him against her panty-clad center. She shifted her hips, rubbing back and forth and teasing him.

"Mmmmmmm," he groaned, his head rolling back into the pillow.

He instinctively grabbed her hips, holding her down tightly, and she squealed as the tip of his member pressed just-so against her pearl. He held her still, knowing that she craved the movement. Their eyes met, hers wild with fire.

"Who texted you?" he asked.

"Elijah," she replied with a hint of pleading, her hips grinding ever so slightly.

"It could be about your uncle John... or Klaus." He pulled her face down to his and fixed her with a deep kiss. "Just check. Then we'll finish."

"Fine," she sighed, but then she kissed him again quickly. The impish look on her face made him smile. "You're right... as much as I wish you weren't." She rolled off of him and retrieved her phone from the nightstand. She glanced at him through her hair with a smirk. Then she stilled. He watched as the color drained from her face, no hint of playfulness now in her solemn expression.

"Who is it?" he asked, sitting up beside her. She handed him the phone and looked up at the ceiling with glassy eyes.

His father's name stared back at him with a simple message: We need to talk.

He was rendered speechless momentarily by this new twist that he'd not anticipated. A million thoughts raced through his mind, and he was unsure which one he should articulate first.

"Is your GPS off?" he asked finally.

Elena's gaze lowered to meet his, and she slowly nodded. "I never turned it back on, but you can double-check."

"I trust you, but given all of our recent company..."

She nodded again when he paused. "Go ahead, Elijah. I understand."

"Alright." He scrolled through the phone settings, and he was relieved to see that feature remained off. He hated that a four word text automatically put him on guard and rendered him suspicious of whether Elena had been open with him. He trusted her, but he also knew she was constantly swimming against an undercurrent of fear. His father had long been a source of protection and safety as her guardian. Those feelings would not completely vanish despite Mikael's betrayal.

"I won't be upset," he began. "But I must know if this is the first time you've had contact with him since leaving with me."

"Yes," she said simply. "I thought about texting him because I've been so angry and hurt... but I didn't even know what to say. And I didn't want to go behind your back."

"I knew I shouldn't even need to ask... I'm sorry, love." He set the phone into the bed and lifted her hand into his, kissing along her knuckles.

"I just don't understand why he's reaching out now." She absently pulled the covers back over her legs, drawing them up and resting her arms on her knees. "And do I answer him? Do you think he knows something?"

She looked at him expectantly, but he was truly at a loss. To some degree his father was on their side, his mission overlapping with theirs. But Elijah hardly trusted Mikael. If Elena agreed to meet up with him, he'd snatch her out from under their noses. And they still had no idea whether his father intended to preserve Elena's life or if he simply considered her collateral damage in his goal of annihilating his brother once and for all. But there was also the possibility that he possessed some knowledge of Niklaus's current whereabouts or plans that they did not. And ultimately... they couldn't afford to miss out on that information.

Elijah nodded slowly. "Text him, sweetheart. I know you're still upset with him, but I believe we may be able to play this to our advantage. Tell him..." he mused for a moment, brushing her hair away from her shoulder and planting a light kiss there. "Tell him you can't meet him yet, but you're anxious you've made a mistake in leaving him."

Her eyebrows knit together. "And?"

"And... you're worried that I won't be able to figure out how to stop Klaus, that we've found no information."

Her eyes lit with a mischievous gleam. "So I should lie."

"If he believes you're a sacrificial lamb on the proverbial platter, he'll go mad. He can't miss the opportunity to defeat my brother."

She shrugged. "I'm not against it. Let's see what happens." She started typing back a response. She hit send, and then set the phone on the bed between them so they could both see the screen.

It wasn't but seconds later when his father replied.

Where has he taken you? I will come to your aid.

I can't tell you. Not yet. But I'm so sorry I left like I did. I should have listened to you. I'm so scared that Klaus is going to find me. I don't want to die like this. And you must hate me now.

Dots showed up on the screen and then stopped. They glanced at each other, both holding their breath. The earlier romantic mood was effectively killed. "Too much?" she asked.

Elijah pursed his lips. "No," he said. "He's been your only confidante for years. I don't think it's unusual to express your fear to him."

"He's not answering. You don't think he has another way to track me, do you?"

"Unless he has a witch... but even then, he'd need your blood or hair or some aspect of your physical form to perform a location spell." He avoided divulging that he felt his father must have had access to a witch to hide her location for as long as he had.

The phone chimed, and they both turned back to read the message.

I could never hate you, Elena. I am worried for you, and I have no means to stop Niklaus if we are apart. But if you surrender your location, I shall protect you. And I will take care of Elijah.

You can't hurt Elijah.

You're blinded by your feelings for him.

No, you're wrong. He wants to help me, I know he does.

You will die in vain on his watch. Despite his noble intentions.

Elena sighed, and Elijah knew his father had hit a nerve. Both hers, and his own. "Don't let him get under your skin," he murmured.

Not if he can help it, she typed back slowly.

He doesn't have the means to kill his brother, as I do.

But I still don't know if I can trust you... you did take me away from my parents. You told me they were dead.

My lies were only to protect you, and for the greater good of the world. If Niklaus breaks his curse, the apocalypse would look like paradise in comparison.

And how exactly do you plan to stop him without killing me?

I have no desire to sacrifice your life, Elena. And if you want to live, you will tell me where you are.

How can I be sure you know any more than we do? We've hit nothing but dead ends.

Because I have sources. He is aware of your existence with the means to locate your energy. You need to tell me where you are so I can save you, before your time runs out.

Elijah's stomach sank, and there was terror in Elena's eyes when hers met his again. Her hand was shaking as she picked up the phone to respond, but she set it down again. "I can't answer him," she whispered.

He could sense her impending breakdown, and he enveloped her into his arms as she started to shake. "You will survive, my love," he crooned into her hair. "No matter what lies he tells or doubts he tries to plant in your mind." He felt her sobs racking her body, wrenching at his heart. He ran his hand over her back, up and down, gently rocking with her. "I promise you." He pressed a kiss atop her head.

Minutes passed as she released all of the pent-up emotions of the last week... anxiety and fear, worries over her death and the unknown, all of the question marks about her past. He simply held her. He knew she needed this moment to be vulnerable, and he was more than relieved to see her express it fully. He worried she might push herself to the brink of a mental breakdown in an effort to be strong. But there was strength in these tears. It was forging her resolve to move ahead and reinforcing his already titanium resolution to save her at any cost.

Once she had stilled, drawing in a last shuddering breath, she remained in his embrace. He wondered briefly if she'd cried herself to sleep, but then he felt her head shift and her cheek settled onto his shoulder. He imagined her gaze focused on the window.

"Do you think Davina or Sheila Bennett can hide my energy from Klaus?" she asked.

"Possibly," he murmured, pressing his lips on her bare shoulder. Most witches would never be able to channel enough energy to cloak her existence and its ancient ties. But the pair in their circle were an exception - they came from two of the most powerful Wiccan bloodlines.

The phone buzzed again, and Elena pulled back to glance at him warily.

"I'll check it," he said.

"Thank you." She stood, running her hands through her hair. "I just need a minute."

"Take your time."

She leaned down and kissed him, sweetly, slowly, her eyes locking with his when she finally pulled away. "I love you," she said resolutely. "And someday I will make all of this up to you."

He smiled at her, catching her hand, interlacing their fingers for just a moment. Looking over their joined hands, he had a sense of déjà vu. It was a brief premonition of their future or a moment from the past that he couldn't place, but he felt a sense of peace settling over him. Before he could analyze the scene, it faded and she was pulling away.

The bathroom door shut, and he heard the water start to run. He picked up her phone, bracing himself for the manipulative barrage of words from his father. Instead, it was a text from Sheila:

Your uncle John has arrived.

They traveled as an entourage back to the Bennett house, and Elena took in the home in the late afternoon sun, now that the storm had broken. It was a cute but unassuming bungalow on a quiet, unremarkable street. They could have been in any city or any town that had grown organically over the years - homes from all different eras sat next to each other, so different than the current state of affairs with housing developments and suburban sprawl. It made her realize how oblivious people were to what sat right beside them. She wondered how many of the neighborhood's residents were aware of who Sheila Bennett really was and what power she possessed. Clearly there was an inner circle of knowledge, maybe one of which her parents had been part. But she wanted to know who else exactly was involved. Who in this town would see her and mistake her for someone else, as Elijah had? Who would know her history the second that they saw her face?

Elijah opened the door and she stepped out of the car on shaky legs. Her uncle was inside the house before her. Her real uncle, flesh and blood. And a man who hated vampires. Elena held onto his hand and he squeezed to get her attention.

"You'll be alright," he promised. But she thought she could see some anxiousness in his gaze. She didn't know whether he was vulnerable with her now or if she'd spent enough time with him to suss out his true feelings.

She nodded and then pulled away. She started up the stairs while he stood on the sidewalk below and discussed the plan in hushed tones with Marcel. They were both stepping into enemy territory. Davina was on guard to protect them.

She waited until they joined her on the porch before she knocked at the door. This time, Sheila smiled when she saw her.

"Elena, sweetheart. Come in."

"All of us?" she said, framing it as a question but making sure the witch was aware that it was all or nothing. No tricks like last time.

Sheila's eyes lingered on the vampires behind Elena, and her smile looked a little more forced when she glanced back to her.

"Yes," she replied.

Elena didn't speak until they were all inside, but a slender blonde man stood from his seat on the sofa as soon as she entered. He was young and handsome, but his blue eyes were sharp and gave off the sense that he'd seen a lot. Right now, he looked like he'd seen a ghost.

"Elena," he said cautiously.

"I take it you're my uncle?" she asked.

"I - I am. John Gilbert." He looked like he wanted to hug her, but she was relieved that he didn't.

Elijah stepped forward from beside her, holding out his hand. "Elijah Mikaelson."

Her uncle hesitated for a moment, then reluctantly shook his hand. "Ah, yes. One of the Original vampires."

Elijah smiled wryly. "I understand you're not too fond of our kind."

"No, I can't say that I am." He cleared his throat.

"I want to assure you that I have nothing but the best of intentions for your niece. Our end goal is the same."

"Yeah, about that..." he moved closer, his voice lower. "I've heard that you're more than a little fond of Elena. We may have to work together to save her from Klaus, but after that I expect that you'll stand back and let her live her life. Away from vampires. Am I clear?"

Elena's mouth fell open as the conversation unfolded. Her uncle, a virtual stranger, was trying to dictate her life already. Elijah, on the other hand, let out a low chuckle. He opened his mouth to speak but he was interrupted by a dark haired woman who had materialized from the hallway.

"John Gilbert. You need to stop, right now."

Elena blinked a few times. She recognized the long dark hair, the friendly pretty face, the green eyes. This woman was so familiar but it took her a few seconds to place her... and then it clicked. Duke University. The paranormal professor. The photograph of Katherine Pierce.

"I'm Isobel," she said as she approached Elena and took her hand. "Isobel Saltzman."

"Oh, hi. Nice to meet you," she said through a bit of shock. Her mind was racing. Why was this woman here?

"I'm a friend of your uncle's," Isobel went on with a sideways glance. "He got me interested in the world of vampires and it's just carried on from there."

"Isobel is a professor-" John began.

"I know who you are," Elena interrupted. They both looked startled. "You have the picture of Katherine on your website."

"Yes," Isobel said, and she smiled. "So you've been researching."

"Ever since I met Elijah, and he thought that's who I was."

"Only at first," Elijah clarified. "Their personalities couldn't be any more opposite."

"Yes, that I've gathered," Isobel said. She smiled warmly at Elena again, patting her hand. "We should sit down. There's a lot to discuss."

"I'll leave you to talk," Sheila said. "I still have some grimoires to review, but we'll chat before you leave."

"Why don't we help you?" Davina offered. "It goes faster that way."

"Sure," Sheila said with a chuckle. "Bonnie's at school, otherwise I'd drag her in too."

Davina smiled as the older witch placed an arm around her shoulder and led her down the hallway. Marcel followed after glancing at Elijah, who simply nodded.

Elena sat down with Elijah then, across from Isobel and John. This felt awkward, but she was relieved Sheila and the others had stepped away so that their reunion could be relatively private.

"I have so many questions," she began.

"I'm sure," John said, leaning forward. "Honestly, I can't even believe you're here. We have searched... for years..." His voice cracked slightly, and Isobel laid a reassuring hand on his arm. Elena felt her throat tighten in emotion. She had imagined a meeting like this for years, but she had never thought it would happen.

"I have to know," she half-whispered, not trusting her voice. "Are my parents alive?"

Isobel and John glanced at each other, but then he nodded. "Mikael made them forget you. They moved away with your brother, Jeremy."

"So they don't know I exist?" Her heart sank.

"No, because of the compulsion, which only Mikael can break," Isobel explained. "Which after this is all over, maybe they will remember again."

"But they're safe?" Elena asked.

"Yes," John answered.

Elena nodded, wiping away a stray tear. "Then I guess that's all that matters. At least they're alive. Mikael had said they were dead. And that he was my uncle." She looked at John pointedly, who now grimaced.

"We searched for you for years," he said. "Both Isobel and I. We didn't want you with that psychopath a second longer than you had to be."

"He treated me well, though. I know you must feel guilty, but - I really did feel loved. He was like a parent to me. At least until Elijah told me the truth and I confronted him."

"And you were here all of this time?" John asked. "We combed everything inch of that forest. We found nothing."

"If I am honest, there may have been a cloaking spell at work," Elijah confessed. He drew in a deep breath before continuing. "And... I think perhaps my eyes were opened to it prior to my arrival back here."

"Opened?" Isobel asked.

"By a witch," Elijah explained. "One who told me I needed to return to my homeland, where I'd last spent my human days. When I came across Elena... I had no idea. I thought Katerina was the last doppelgänger. And though I'd heard she burned in a church, I had my suspicions otherwise."

"She had a child before you ever met her," Isobel explained. "That's how she ended up in England, honestly. Her father disowned her after that. It brought great shame on their family."

Elijah's brow furrowed. "How do you know all of that?"

"The same way I know your brother went back and murdered her family after she ran," Isobel said with a shrug. "Katherine told me."

"What?" Elena exclaimed, while Elijah shook his head.

"She's still alive," he said grimly.

"Yes. She escaped the church with a little help from a Lockwood... something about promising to relieve him of the werewolf gene. I can't imagine she followed through, though. Unless she took liberty with the promise and killed him. But once she turned, she was useless to Klaus - she had no way of unlocking the werewolf curse."

"Yes," Elijah agreed. "He went mad."

"Yeah, but apparently she had some inside knowledge about Elena. Every 500 years, until the curse is broken... she knew you were coming. She took a risk and tipped Mikael off. She knew he was the only one powerful enough to stop Klaus."

"Was she... protecting me?" Elena was intrigued now, maybe even a little hopeful. But the doubtful look on Isobel's face quickly snuffed out that hope.

"She's a woman of self-preservation. Honestly? I don't know that she cared so much about you as much as Klaus being dead so she didn't have to run from him anymore."

Elena nodded, though the realization stung. She was basically a pawn in another vampire's attempt to outsmart Klaus. "Why did she search you out, though? I just don't understand the point in her telling you all of this."

"Because..." Isobel glanced at John again, and he took her hand. She looked down at her lap and Elena grew worried. "Because I'm part of her bloodline. And Tatia's bloodline. It's the Petrova bloodline. Your bloodline."

"We're your parents, Elena," John said.

She was dumbfounded, unable to speak. She looked between them, and Isobel nodded. She looked like she was about to cry, and honestly Elena felt the same. She was so confused. She felt Elijah's hand on her back, bracing and reassuring. She swallowed, and it took her a couple of tries to get any words out.

"I don't understand... I thought..."

"My older brother Grayson and his wife Miranda adopted you," John explained.

"We were still in high school," Isobel added. "Too young to be parents. Good ones, anyway." She wiped at her eye. "I think that saved you from Mikael for a bit. Katherine must have found me and was following me. But we had no idea that I was related to Katherine, or that you were the next doppelgänger. If we'd known, we would have run - not the just let you be taken."

She started sobbing, and John pulled her close.

Elena looked at Elijah now, and he moved to take her hand. He appeared as shocked as she felt. They were sitting across from her parents. They had been looking for her, because they were heartbroken and terrified that they'd lost her. In this moment, she hated Mikael for what he'd done. Even if he was protecting her, he had destroyed all of their lives.

"Were you both there that day?" she asked.

"Yes," Isobel said shakily. "It was the worst day of my life. We all tried to save you, once we realized what was going on. But none of us had any clue what the hell we were up against. It had been so long since there were any vampires here."

Isobel's face crumpled, but John continued for her. "We were all so removed from our family history... we weren't on alert like we should have been. No vervain, none of it. But I found the journals after Grayson and Miranda left town with their baby. We read them and put the pieces together. I created a council with the other town founding families... the Forbes, the Lockwoods, the Fells, and Sheila Bennett. There were so many supernatural secrets. So much energy here. We had to protect everyone else after we failed to protect you."

"And I went on to study the paranormal. I didn't know how else to try to find you. You were the only thing on my mind, day in and day out. I thought maybe I could lure out some answers."

"But you never married one another?" Elijah asked. "Your last name..."

Isobel shook her head. "I married someone else. Alaric - he's a vampire hunter whose parents were killed by Klaus." She smiled a little. "Not exactly a healthy common interest. But my career isn't exactly normal. He's a good man, even though we disagree on the moral character of vampires."

"I have to say I'm on Alaric's side," John interjected with an eye on Elijah.

"I much prefer Isobel's assessment," Elijah countered. "In fact -"

"Stop," Elena said. "We can't be arguing over this. At the end of the day - none of this matters if we don't stop Klaus."

"She's right." Isobel sighed. "And this was why Katherine sought me out - to let me know that Klaus would be coming to town sooner than later, and basically to see if I knew where you were. I don't trust her motives, but I do know she isn't lying about Klaus."

Elena bit at the inside of her lip. "Mikael texted me earlier today. He has no idea where I am, but he does know that Klaus has witches searching for signs of my energy. It's only a matter of time, and we need a way to bring him down."

"He needs to be human," Elijah said quietly. The others stared at him in surprise. "As much as I would like him dead for the pain he's wrought... I know of no tangible way to kill him. The white ash oak tree is long gone, he's impervious to the ash and daggers he incapacitated my siblings with... even if we discover the means to magically hold him, he eventually will be free and hunting down the next doppelgänger. The cycle will not end with Elena, as long as my brother is a vampire."

"But is that even a possibility?" Isobel asked. "Do you how many vampires would have turned back to human by now? It would be common knowledge."

"I know of only one witch who would have that answer. She is long dead, but I believe Davina and Sheila will have the power to raise her." Elijah stared at Elena now. "My mother."

"That sounds dangerous," John countered.

"She knows the spell she used to create us... she would be the only one to possess the knowledge to counter it."

"I don't know if we have another choice," Elena said. "I'm pretty sure Sheila is close to exhausting all of the information she has. It might be our last hope."

"Let's give Sheila tonight," Isobel suggested. "And then... we try to channel your mother, as a last resort."

Elijah nodded. "I understand it's not a decision to be made lightly. And I hate to disturb her eternal rest... there are certainly ramifications to be considered. But our intention of both saving Elena and stopping Niklaus is more important, I believe."

"Yes, it is," John agreed begrudgingly.

"Let me talk to Sheila," Elena said to them all, before leaning into Elijah, "and then we can go?"

He nodded.

Once Elena left them, the room fell into an awkward silence. Sitting here with Elena's parents... this wasn't anything he'd anticipated when they arrived here today. And in all of his centuries of existence, he'd never met the parents of the women he'd been involved with. Either their families were completely removed from their lives, or they were torrid affairs with finite life spans. Nothing beyond his relationship with Tatia resembled a "normal" courtship, until now. And while he knew it might end up as a misguided attempt at redeeming himself, he felt it was his duty to reassure them of his intentions.

Elijah cleared his throat, and Isobel and John looked to him.

"I understand your dismay at my connection with your daughter. I would be similarly horrified if I were in your situation. But you also need to know that I have no plans to hold her back in any fashion."

John ran his hands over his face, letting out a long sigh as he looked at Elijah again. "I know you're in love with her."

The words fell like an accusation. Isobel glanced between them. "Oh..."

Elijah raised his chin. He refused to be called out because he cared about Elena. It was hardly a crime. "Sheila must have informed you then?"

"She did, but it's also as clear as day on your face." John's jaw set. "And I see the way she looks at you. You have to understand that this is my worst nightmare. I want her to have a normal life. And as long as she's with you, it will be anything but."

"If a normal life is what she wants, then I will let her go. But when I tell you that this is bigger than either of us... I don't think you can grasp fully what that means. Elena will never be normal. This will always be part of her, the supernatural element of the doppelgänger. It will always color her life."

"But say we figure out how to make Klaus human..." Isobel trailed off, but the inference was there. Would you turn back, too?

"If Elena decided she wanted to spend her life with me, I would have to consider it."

Isobel smiled, but they were interrupted by Elena returning to the room.

"This looks suspicious," she said, noting how everyone quieted. Her dark brown eyes sparkled, and he could see the parts of her spirit reflected in Isobel. "You were talking about me... not threatening Elijah, I hope."

She raised an eyebrow as she looked at John. Her father shook his head, though he clearly wanted to say otherwise. Elijah could tell that he was wary of alienating the daughter with whom he'd finally reunited.

"Okay, because we all need to get along. And Sheila is on board with the plan. She's going to call us tomorrow. I should get your numbers, too."

They agreed, and once that was settled, Elena looked at her parents again awkwardly.

"So... I might see you both tomorrow?" she said.

Isobel nodded, standing up. Elijah noticed her green eyes were shining with tears again. She quietly pulled Elena into a hug. "We aren't going anywhere," she whispered into her hair.

"I'll be waiting outside," Elijah said.

He quietly slipped out the front door and onto the porch, where he settled on a bench. He wasn't in a hurry, but he knew that they needed their moment as a family. It marked the beginning of what he hoped for her was a lifelong relationship with her parents. She deserved that after so long in seclusion.

As he stared out onto the street, he wondered if he would ever be able to reunite with his own family. Had the wounds of betrayal and transgressions been cut too deep to heal? He even missed who Niklaus had been, once upon a time. He hated the monster his brother had become, but he recognized the hand his parents played in the current situation. If they had left his werewolf nature intact, they wouldn't be searching for a doppelgänger to sacrifice. And certainly the idea of killing a young woman as the means to breaking a curse sounded barbaric in modern polite society, but it wasn't atypical practice in the ancient times when the curse was placed.

He never expected to feel sympathy for his brother's plight now, after all of the atrocities Klaus had committed. But Elijah wondered if he might not be entirely different if he were faced with the same.

Then the door opened and Elena stepped out onto the porch. She gave him a small smile, and he stood to take her hand. Every time he saw her his heart fluttered, and he realized all over again that she was what made his brother's plan unforgivable. No matter how tortured, Elijah would never be able to take Elena's life. He would rather die. And that was where he and his brother differed.

"Ready?" she said.

"Yes," he answered simply.

She reached up and kissed him. Somehow that was exactly what he needed after the afternoon they'd had. He held onto her for a few extra seconds, returning the kiss in kind - and then some. He made certain to render her a little breathless, leaving her cheeks pink when she pulled away.

"Let's go," she whispered. And then she was down the stairs ahead of him.

They rolled up to the farm, and the first thing Elijah noticed was the eerie quiet. He almost shifted the car back into drive, the hairs on the back of his neck prickling in wary anticipation. Elena moved to open the door but he reached out.

"Wait," he said.

"What's the matter?" she asked, eyes widening.

He placed a finger to his lips. His supernatural sense was picking up on a presence... he could tell someone had been here. He began to regret leaving Marcel and Davina behind to help Sheila. The witch would have been a barometer for what he sensed the moment her feet hit the ground. But unfortunately, it was only he and Elena.

"Listen to me," he said quietly. "Something is... off. You must stay with me when we go inside."

"Off like... Klaus?"

"Klaus or one of his sycophants." He looked around the premises of the house. "No longer here from what I can tell."

She nodded, waiting until he had stepped out of the car before doing the same. He caught her under the arm, pulling her close to him. He hated that they were possibly walking into a trap.

But once the door creaked open and their feet were over the threshold, there was no turning back. The scent of blood overwhelmed his nose, and he fought back the web of veins threatening under his eyes. Another few steps brought them into the parlor, the scene of the massacre.

Miss Gibbons laid in the center of the floor, eyes glazed, staring upward but unseeing. Her throat was ripped out and a pool of blood surrounded her head like a grim halo.

"Oh, my God - Beth!" Elena cried out, pulling away from him to kneel next to the dead woman. She reached towards her skin but hesitated with the blood everywhere.

"Elena," he said quietly, his eyes focused on the mirror over the mantel.

"We can't leave her here, Elijah," she said.

"We don't have a choice. Look."

Her eyes followed to where his hand gestured. The message on the mirror, written in blood.

I may have missed you this time, love. But I promise we will meet soon.

"That's Niklaus's hand," he declared, the script as familiar now as it was centuries ago. She looked back at him in horror.

"He knows where I am." She stood but didn't take another step, her eyes glued to the mirror. She appeared as though her mind was overwhelmed, short circuiting. Her worst nightmare was now suddenly very real.

"Yes." Elijah watched as the letters began to fade, now that the intended eyes had viewed the message. "With witches surrounding him."

She let out a sound that was halfway between a cry and a laugh, strangled. "We're not ready for him, Elijah. Am I supposed to just wait here to die?"

"No," he said, pulling his phone out of his pocket to alert the others.

"So what are we going to do?"

He sighed, knowing she would hate his answer as much as he did.

"Well?" she said, her eyes terrified and impatient as he looked at her again.

"Do you trust me?" he asked calmly.

"Yes," she answered almost immediately.

"Good. We're leaving."

He started out the doorway and heard her footsteps close behind.

She waited until they were back in the car with the engine running before she spoke again.

"Are we going back to Sheila's?" she asked.

"No," he said resolutely. "We're going to Mikael."