She found herself running away, drenched in the pouring rain, headed towards the one place that she should have feared. Knocking on the door, she stood patiently, her heart beating frantically as she awaited for the man who she always trusted. Always and forever.

"Elena."

His voice caused her head to snap up, her eye meeting his dark brown ones that were usually so reserved, yet was filled with worry and caution as he took in her appearance. "Elijah." She breathed out in relief, thankful that it was him who opened the door. "I'm sorry for disturbing you, but I- it's a long story." She said, offering a small smile as Elijah stepped back to invite her in.

"Could I offer you some clothes? And perhaps some tea? You must be freezing." Elijah offered, leading her towards the staircase then to his room. "The bathroom is to your using. I will lay out some clothes for you. You can shower and we'll talk afterwards." Elena thanked him, smiling in appreciation as he walked away, leaving her to her thoughts.

Sighing, Elena went to the adjoined bathroom, stripping from her clothes until she was naked and turned on the shower, sighing in relief as the hot water hit her body. I'm a vampire. Oh my god- I'm- I'm a vampire, she thinks to herself as she stands beneath the water. Sniffling, a tear escaped her eyes, camouflaged in the water that was spraying from the shower head above of her.

Elijah sat down in a lavish armchair in his study, eyeing a page of his book but unable to continue his reading as his thoughts were centred around the compassionate brown-haired beauty in his bedroom upstairs. Why was she here? Why was she running? What about her Salvatore brothers?

A noise caught Elijah's attention, breaking him away from his thoughts as he turned around to see Elena walking in his study. Elena was only wearing his dress shirt that came down to her mid-thigh, her face was clear of make up and her hair wet from the shower, but Elijah thought she was the most beautiful woman he's ever seen in his life, including Tatia and Katerina. Elena was pure, compassionate, brave and caring. She had qualities that just enhanced her outer beauty, causing her to be the most beautiful and shining person in the room, unlike Katerina who used her looks to her advantage and manipulate people, the seductress she is. And Tatia, seemingly innocent but a shameless flirt, soaking up all the attention she got as Elijah came to know at the end of their relationship. But Elena Gilbert, she was something else, and Elijah would be damned if something were to happen to her. He vowed to protect her, make sure that she lived out her happy human life the way she deserved.

"Feeling better?" Elijah said, offering her a cup of tea as he stood up and gestured to the couch in front of them.

"Much, thank you." She thanked him politely, taking the cup and sat on the couch with her legs tucked beneath her.

"Lovely Elena, what happened?

"I'm… Elijah I'm a vampire." She whimpered softly, a tear trailing down her cheek. Frowning, Elijah walked over and sat beside Elena, offering her some comfort at the closeness between them. "Alaric's life was tied to mine and I was in an accident with Matt. Stefan- he- I told him to save Matt first but when came back for me… it was too late." She said, her voice breaking at the end, tugging a part of Elijah's heart.

"Lovely Elena, who would do this to you?"

Elena looked up, shock written all over her face as he said that. He doesn't know… She thought about telling him what really happened, how Rebekkah killed her, but that would make her just like Katherine, breaking family bonds and messing with people. No, she wouldn't be like her.

"I'll tell you when I'm ready." She said in a resolute voice, the corner of her lips curving upwards in an attempt of a small smile.

"So you have decided to transition?"

"Wasn't like I had a choice. Damon practically threatened to pour blood down my throat if I didn't do it willingly. And besides, I couldn't leave Jeremy, not after Alaric." She said, a ghost of a smile lingering on her lips.

A layer of comfortable silence was draped around them, it wasn't awkward, no, it was just two friends enjoying each other's presence.

Sighing, Elena shifted to face Elijah whose face remained stoic and reserved. "I heard about Klaus. I'm sorry for your loss. No matter what he did, he was still your brother." She offered softly, taking his hand in hers and squeezing it to show her support.

"Thank you, Elena." He responded, voice full of resignation as he took in the brunette's form, finding himself astounded at the brunette's strength and determination to live. "Lovely Elena, may I ask why you have come here?"

Guess I couldn't dodge that question forever, Elena thought to herself as she pondered over what to say. "Stefan and Damon, they're having some problems. They both want different things for me, Stefan wants me to be like him, a 'bunny eater' as Damon calls it, and Damon wants me to be like him, to drink from the vein."

"And you? What do you want?" Elijah asked, raising an eyebrow in question.

"I want- I don't know what I want Elijah. All I know is I don't want- I don't need people making decisions about my life for me. I just want to be able to control myself and not lash out and succumb to the bloodlust. And who better to teach me than you, the master of control himself?"

"You want me to teach you how to control your bloodlust?" Elijah asked, a bit taken back at her request. He never imagined Elena Gilbert coming to him for help on this matter.

"If that's okay with you… I mean- Please Elijah? I don't want to hurt anyone and you're the only one I trust. I just can't stay here with all the memories haunting me like this, knowing that I can and will hurt someone because I can't control myself."

"Very well then Elena. It would be my pleasure to help you. But fair warning, if you want me to teach you then we will have to do it my way."

"So it's not up for negotiation?" Elena mused, her lips curling into a sly smirk.

"I'm afraid not, Miss Gilbert." Elijah chuckled, standing up and offering her a hand. "Why don't we stay at your lake house? That way you cannot hurt your friends, but it is still close enough to Mystic Falls?"

"That's a great idea. Oh- but Elijah, the sun…"

"Leave that to me. Now why don't you get some rest. We'll stop by your house so you can leave letters to your friends and get some supplies before we head out to your family's lake house."

"That sounds perfect." Elena sighed, grinning for the first time since her transition. She turned around to go to the room she vacated before stopping and glancing back at the oldest Mikaelson. "Oh, and Elijah?"

"Yes, Elena?"

"Thanks."

"Great. Now where did she go?" Damon groaned, rubbing his temples in an annoyed matter as he paced around the lounge in the boarding house.

"Look, maybe she needed some time to gather her thoughts and-"

"And eat a few people? Yeah, all we need! Elena on a killing spree. Great job Stef, that ought to earn you some points." Damon muttered sarcastically, downing another glass of bourbon as he shook his head. "You just had to let her die, didn't you baby bro?"

"I never meant for her to die, Damon. She asked me to help Matt first so I did." Stefan explained, sighing at Damon's reluctance to just come to terms with it all. There's no use in dwelling on the past if you can't change anything, right?

"And now the world has one more quarterback. Bravo, brother!" Damon retorts sarcastically, pouring himself another drink and raising it in Stefan's direction. "To you, the hero and saviour." Damon mutters, finishing the drink in one big gulp.

"I made a choice that I will regret for the rest of my life. Now let me try to fix it, Damon. I'll get her back." Stefan glares at his older brother, sighing in resignation before he leaves the house, venturing off to the woods to find Elena.