How long has it been since I've been on Fanfiction? My God, too long. I haven't written in ages unless it's for English, but I was looking over all my stories and reviews of people telling me to update and it made me so happy :) . But since I've lost passion for my old stories, I thought I'd start anew. I wanna crack my knuckles and see if I still have some flair left. Klaus/Elena is still my one true pairing, and after the season 5 finale, I thought Elena would like a trip to New Orleans;)

If any of you who read this would be so kind to review, it would make me melt to know my readers still love me?:* If you do, I'd be happy to come back and start writing often again!

Please enjoy and tell me what you think! :D

Chapter One: Brave New World

Elena Gilbert sat cross-legged in front of the fire-place, tugging a sheer grey t-shirt to her chest. Her face was dried with before salty tears and her eyes were a blur. Her head felt as if it were on fire, and every breath she inhaled she smelt the musky cologne of the shirt.

"Damon, why did you leave me?" Elena's words were an empty question to the void. She wanted a sign, anything. But as her knuckles turned white from holding the shirt for so long, she sighed. "You're gone. Why didn't you stay? Didn't you love me?"

Behind her, Damon's brooding brother stayed absolutely silent. He was so lost with how to help Elena; she'd lost so much. A best friend and the true love of her life. Stefan's heart was too weak with the loss of a friend and his brother to even think of helping Elena. Everyone left in Mystic Falls was stung with pain or completely oblivious to the death of two very important people.

Caroline and Stefan had talked earlier, with no solutions. Elena was broken in tiny pieces that would take forever to rebuild. She was slowly going insane, her mind morphing into something totally blank. She'd begun feeding on humans more, and it was causing a problem.

"Maybe we should send her somewhere," Caroline had said during their coffee date, "to get her mind off Mystic Falls."

"Like rehab?" Stefan muttered, "I can't send her anywhere, she'll be even more alone."

Caroline sucked in her lower lip and stared out the window, "But what if we...sent her off to someone who was also alone?"

He perked up and looked deep into Caroline's shielded eyes, "Don't tell me we're thinking of the same person."

She looked at him finally, "I think we are."

While Stefan stared at the fireplace, he felt broken as well for Damon's death. Sure, they could search for suggestions, but was it going to come out successful? His fingers slowly dialed a familiar number while he left the living room and enclosed himself in the bathroom.

"Stefan the Ripper," a hushed Welsh whisper answered, "come to join me in my New Orléans adventures?"

He hesitated but remembered Elena's sad eyes, "Not me, but someone else."

"You've got to be kidding me," Elena shuttered a laugh while she watched Stefan pack up her clothes and necessities, "this is a joke right? Please tell me you're kidding."

Stefan shook his head, "You've been wearing Damon's clothes, sleeping in his bed and you can't let go. Neither can I, but this is best for you. You're going away for the summer and by the time you come home, Damon will be alive again. Bonnie too."

Elena grabbed one of her jackets from the suitcase, "Like hell I'm leaving."

"Elena, look at yourself!" Stefan growled, "you're a mess without him and you aren't living. I want you to feel better, and I want to promise to you that by the time you return, it's all gonna be fixed."

The two stared at each other longingly, and she looked like she was going to cry, "You don't want me here with you?"

Stefan pulled her into a bear hug, "I'm sorry for shouting and I do want you here, trust me. But a bunch of broken pieces can mend you back together, do you see what I'm getting at?"

Elena nodded and wiped her tears on the back of her hand, "I just want him back."

Stefan clasped a plane ticket in her hand, "And by the time you're home, he will be."

Elena just got on the plane, should be there in a few hours. - Stefan

Klaus smirked down at his phone and flickered his eyes up to Elijah who was sitting nearby cradling the baby. Elijah cocked an eyebrow, "What's the smug grin for?"

"We have company on the way brother," Klaus smiled devilishly, "company that I've been waiting for since I left that old place."

"You're late."

The first thing the Petrova doppelgänger said when she got in the car made Klaus roll his eyes, "I could've made you walk, love."

"Stefan would be so pleased." Elena threatened.

Klaus chuckled, "Stefan's not here, sweetheart. You belong to me now. But please give me all the details, how did lover boy die? Protecting you, I assume?"

"I'm not the same little girl anymore, Klaus. I won't sit here and be prodded at. I needed away from Mystic Falls, God knows why Stefan sent me to you, but just please...be a decent person for once, and help me."

Their eyes locked heatedly in the car; fire on ice. Behind the always there Petrova fire was sadness, deep and embedded in all of her. Staring at her now, he felt less alone knowing he'd have her around for the summer.

"I can oblige to that since you're mind for the summer."

"Excuse me?" she hissed hotly, "I'm not anybody's."

Klaus unbuckled himself from the seat belt and traced his fingers up and along Elena's bare legs. Her creamy, smooth skin drove him nuts as he smelt that delicious Petrova blood flowing through her veins. Slowly, he blew on her neck, sending shivers racking down her spine, "You're right, for now, I guess. But by the end of the summer, you'll be begging me to stay here."

Elena barely moved a muscle as Klaus got closer to areas she hadn't touched herself since Damon died. His lips pressed on her neck, "Just try to remember that by the end of the day, I'm on your team."

That's the end of chapter one, folks! I like it, but it's just starting so I promise more will come from it. More Elijah promised in the next chapter, as well as Rebekah and Hayley :) I considered letting Elena have desperation sex with Klaus this chapter but it's too soon for that, but it will come if you guys want this story to keep going!

I've missed you all a lot :) who's still out there? Anybody?

Please review :*

x Olivia