A/N: I do not own The Vampire Diaries

Songbird

The last time he saw her it was not in her home or her work, it was in his own. When he least expected it, his brother Klaus had him watched and what he feared came to pass. Samantha Blake was no longer his secret; his brother had kidnapped her from her home, stating that he had a "gift" for his brother. She was removed from the safety of her dwelling and brought to his room, where she waited in terror.

Elijah roared with rage at his brother for having the nerve to touch the one thing that was his in the world. He always kept himself in control, but for her it snapped. He did not attack Klaus; he now had more pressing matters to attend to. He entered his room carefully and felt shame as the girl cried out his name and launched herself into his arms. He breathed her scent in, which was surprisingly human given the lapse in time since her abduction and the presence of Klaus. He reveled in her embrace. He never wanted her to be exposed to his life, now he would have to compel her to forget, and the realization ripped a hole in his unbeating heart.

"Are you alright? Did they hurt you?" he asked her in a low voice, and his gaze landed on a small trickle of blood on her brow. Gently he wiped away the tears that dropped onto her cheeks and rested his forehead against hers, steeling himself for what he would have to do. This shouldn't be so hard, he was an Original who never believed in love, yet it was.

"I'm okay but Elijah what's going on? Something was wrong with their faces, and—and—they bit someone," she rambled as he rubbed her arms soothingly. She clutched him tightly, clinging to the only thing that was familiar to her.

"Yes Elijah, do explain," Klaus drawled mockingly from his doorway as he watched the pair.

"Why did you do this, Niklaus?" He ground out as he looked over her head at his brother.

"Simple, your little pet for my life," Klaus went on. "You stop trying to kill me or she becomes my next hybrid."

"Do I have your word you will not touch her if I accept?" Elijah demanded.

"Yes, yes. You have until tomorrow to decide, enjoy your time with the human."

His gaze burned into Klaus' back as he left the room and he turned back to Samantha. She looked somewhat calmer now that he'd arrived but her grip on him had not relaxed a fraction.

"Oh god, you're a vampire!" she groaned and pulled away as if he was made of fire. The action pained him but he let her.

"Samantha, I will not hurt you, I give you my word," he told her sincerely and she hesitated.

"Is that why you came to see me? Were you stalking me?"

"No," he denied with a firm tone. "The first night was just a random meeting, and you intrigued me. I only wanted to know you. I never intended to cause you any harm, believe that if nothing else."

"Then what is going on, Elijah?" her voice desperate as it cracked.

"It's my fault, I underestimated my brother and he took you to get to me," he answered. She sat hugging her knees to her chest as she leaned against the wall, studying him uncertainly. He lowered himself to his bed near her while far enough away so as not to make her uncomfortable. "I am what is called an Original vampire, my entire family is. There is a lot I haven't told you Samantha, but I will if you wish it."

She watched him closely; he looked like the same man she remembered fondly. The man she'd shared her break with, danced with and walked home twice with. He had plenty of opportunities to harm her but did not. Perhaps she could still trust him?

"What's going to happen to me?" she asked him quietly.

"Nothing, I will ensure you are safe. Tomorrow I will make the deal with my brother and take you home, unharmed."

"I won't be a—whatever he said?"

"No."

She thought it over. His gaze as he watched her looked so cold and composed on the surface, the anger she'd seen when he entered was gone now. If she didn't know better she would say it had been replaced by misery. But why?

"I can heal that," he said kindly and she touched the cut on her head from when she'd been forcibly knocked out.

"How?" she asked warily.

"Vampire blood has curative properties," he explained and she hesitated another moment and stood, then walked over to sit beside him on the bed. He bit into his wrist and pressed it to her mouth, "just a little, and you'll be fine, I promise." Her gaze locked on his as she sucked on it and her cut disappeared. Once it was gone he pulled his wrist back and waited for her to move away from him once again but she did not.

"Why do you look so sad?" she questioned, tilting her head to one side.

"You don't know who I really am Samantha, I have done many things I would never wish you to know. You are here because of me, when instead of making you forget who I am, I let you remember. I watched over you yet allowed you to be taken." Elijah turned away from her inquisitive eyes, swallowing the unpleasant feeling of regret.

"You could have made me forget?" she repeated frowning.

"Yes. Now I have no choice. Because my brother exposed my family and I, I cannot allow you to remember."

She was silent. Elijah had become a sort of fantasy for her, she always felt a little more protected and looked after knowing he'd visited, and the moments with him made her feel something special. She often dreamed of him, of sitting with him and just being together, in other dreams they were dancing again, he was spinning her around and around. They always ended with the almost real feel of his lips on her own, or the slightest feel of him caressing her cheek. She was startled to realize that she didn't want to forget. True he had not let on his vampiric nature, but she had also never asked. She never felt that she needed to. It had always seemed that whatever they had needed no words, no questions. It just was.

"Is there another option?" she asked him finally and he turned surprised eyes to look at her. Without really thinking about it, she reached out to cup his cheek and she watched his eyes close. Surely he hadn't faked this? This feeling that they both had when they were next to each other, this feeling that came from a simple touch? "What if I became a vampire?"

He got to his feet breaking her contact. "You do not want this, Samantha."

"And why not?" she felt a little hurt at the rejection.

"To be a vampire is an abomination, we are monsters. I will not let you," he glared at her and she stood. She was a few inches shorter but it didn't really matter, they stared each other down.

"Then I'll find one who will," she went to walk away from him but before she knew it she was pinned to his wall, his arms caging her in.

"You will stay here until the deal is made if I have to compel you," he growled to her in anger. Over his staked body would she become what he was, he would compel her to forget he existed before he let that happen. He was now paying for his previous moments of weakness and selfishness by not erasing her memory from the first night he saw her. But in his dead heart, he wanted to hold onto her, thus his many visits. He was so caught up in his frustration with her that he nearly missed her heartbeat pick up or her scent ripening at the sensation of his form pressed against hers. "I gave my word that no harm will come to you and I intend to keep it."

Eyes met and held, both annoyed with the other. He made no other moves though, and she knew deep inside that he meant it when he said he would not hurt her, she believed that. "Why do you want to do this, Samantha when I can just return you to your normal life? Don't you want children? A husband? A future?" His hand hovered over her chest but didn't touch and she didn't move from the position they were in. "Your beautiful heart will not beat anymore, and you will have to drink blood."

She didn't answer but broke his gaze, and he raised his hand to her jaw to make her. "I don't want this life for you Samantha, you deserve more," he said it softly, pleadingly, and he was startled to see tears well up in her eyes, one escaping down her cheek.

"I don't want my life to be without you," she countered and he released her jaw to brush the tears away with the pad of his thumb. "I don't want to forget you. I have no family or friends, only a job where I get to sing sometimes. It all means nothing if you're alone. If I'm alone," she whispered to him.

Silence settled over the room as neither moved, and he read all the emotions shining in her expressive silver orbs. She wrapped her arms around his waist under his suit jacket but he still did not move. "I want this Elijah, I want a life with you. You can explain about your family later, I don't care. Do this for me, I beg you."

He didn't know what to feel, how could she ask this of him? Did he want a life with her? Yes. Did he want to compel her? Absolutely not. Would it be a solution if he also took the deal? Again, yes. But was he willing to go through with it?

"You ask too much of me Samantha," he said at last.

"I know," she answered.

"You'll need more blood," he stated, "then I'll have to kill you." Her eyes widened a little at his words but he kissed her temple reassuringly. "It is how you begin the transition."

"Will it hurt?" her voice shook a little as he released her from the wall and watched her.

"I can make it quick," he replied. "When you wake up we'll go from there."

She nodded and gathered herself in determination, not breaking his gaze. He still looked as if he didn't want to do this, but he could tell that she would not hesitate to find a way to join him now, so his choice came down to this: Should he turn her and end her human life? Or compel her to forget and walk away forever. He did not want to be selfish, but if he was honest with himself, forcing her to forget would be far more self serving than granting her wish. Now that Klaus knew of her, he would not hesitate to repeat his actions, only she would not know him the next time. If he let her stay, he had a better chance of keeping her safe, and just maybe finding a humanity and love he thought he'd believed lost.

For the second time that night he opened the vein in his wrist and she stepped close to drink from it. Once she'd finished, she looked at him and he snapped her neck without a second of hesitation or further thought. Now all he had to do was wait. He carried her limp body to the bed and spread her out, her hair in a halo around her head. He sat on a chair and watched her. If he didn't know better he could say that she was sleeping. He watched over her for most of the night as he waited until her eyes jolted open and she jerked awake. Only then did he join her, sitting where he had before.

She stared at him and threw herself into his arms and he lightly kissed her forehead, smoothing her hair down her back. "Welcome back, my little songbird."