Soo... I started a new story... I couldn't help it!

Please let me know what ya'll think!

Chapter 1

"I can't handle feeling like this anymore," Elena whispered to herself as she knelt in front of Jeremy's grave. Sobs wrack her small frame, completely oblivious to the person who had approached her from behind.

"Hello, old friend," a strong accented voice said from behind her.

She stiffens before standing up and turning around to face Kol.

He smiles at her maliciously, "Pity about your brother. Guess it's just me against you now." He uses his vamp speed to rush to her, his hand colliding with the side of her face as she's sent sprawling into a nearby tree. He places a well aimed kick to her ribs, listening to the sickening crunch with a smile, "Now this is what I've missed: two people connecting," he kicks her again as she gasps for breath that she doesn't need, "It's lonely on the other side…and I swear being invisible will drive you mad. The way you couldn't see me standing in front of you, or feel my breath on your cheek as I whispered all the ways that I wished for you to suffer." He grabbed her by the throat, lifting her off the ground, "But, alas, now you can."

Elena stopped her attempts at clawing at his hand. She realized the truth in his words. She had lost everything. She looked him in the eyes; allowing herself this simple mercy, "Go ahead, Kol. Kill me. You'd be doing me a favor."

He smiled, whispering, "As you wish, darling." He raised his free hand and poised it over her heart, ready to rip it out.

"Get your hands off of her!" Bonnie screamed, seemingly appearing out of nowhere.

Kol sighed, not taking his attention off of Elena, "Go away, little witch. This doesn't concern you."

"Namia Exum Solvos," Bonnie said strongly as a ring of fire surrounded Kol and Elena.

He looked over his shoulder, glaring at the witch, "What do you think you're doing? I can't die!" His cockiness made Elena want to smack him, but he was stronger.

"I'm sorry, Elena," Bonnie barely whispered before chanting, "Aven sa fuis sa belise, de la mer."

The ground started shaking, making Kol fall and collapse onto Elena. The world seemed to fall away outside of the fire. Elena tried to use vampire speed to run through the flames, only to be thrown backwards into the circle. Light exploded around them and white was the last thing they saw.

Elena awoke with a gasp, bolting into sitting position. She looked around and was surprised to find herself surrounded by forest. Somehow, the world around her felt different. The air smelt cleaner and there was more shrubbery. Her memories came back in a panicked flood. She jumped to her feet and looked for Kol. If she could find him before he woke, then she would have the upper hand.

She trekked away from the tall pines, trying to pick up his scent. It struck her as odd that she couldn't smell anything but the air. She couldn't smell blood or hear heartbeats. She couldn't even run with vampire speed and her wounds from earlier had yet to heal. She grew even more panicked.

She heard a swift rustling of leaves and suddenly Kol was behind her with his hand around her neck and his lips on her ear, "You smell wonderful, darling. Just like a human." He picked her up and threw her as far as he could, letting out a satisfied laugh when she crumpled against the trunk of a heavy oak tree. She struggled to get up, barely remaining conscious as her mind swam. He grabbed her roughly by the shoulder and shook her, "Why aren't you running? It's much more satisfying when you do."

As soon as his hand released her, she ran as fast as her injuries would allow. She screamed into the woods, "Help! Someone, anyone, please!"

"There's no one around here, darling," he drawled from behind her, "No one is going to save you."

She growled in frustration, looking for a weapon. She happened upon a large tree with a few low branches. She grabbed the sharpest one she could and broke it off.

"And what are you going to do with that, darling? Stake me?" Kol's voice made her shake. She knew that she didn't stand a chance against him without being a vampire. She was a weak human all over again.

He tossed the makeshift stake away from her before whooshing in front of her and wrapping his hand around her delicate throat, "Now all I have to do is break your neck. No need for heart-ripping-out dramatics." He bashed he head against a tree, laughing as her blood dripped down the back of her neck.

Elena was struggling to stay awake. She let out a high-pitched scream as a last effort to save herself.

"Be quiet!" He growled, crushing her throat tighter in his strong hand.

Time seemed to stop as she heard the telltale whoosh of an arrow cutting through the air. Kol gasped as he looked down and saw an arrow protruding through his chest where his heart was. His eyes widened as he realized what wood the arrow must have been made out of. He dropped Elena and desperately clawed his chest, trying to remove the offending wood.

"No, no, no!" He yelled, his skin turning grey as he fell to his knees. Veins appeared all over his exposed skin as he exploded into flames.

Elena watched horrified, sure that this was just a trick her mind was playing on her. She focused on staying awake, wanting to see who had saved her. The smoke above what remained of Kol's body cleared and a shadow was walking towards her. She cringed into the tree thinking that it was someone else that wanted to hurt her.

"Tatia?"

Elena looked towards the sound and her mouth almost dropped open. The man was tall, with long dark hair that was pulled away from his face in simple braids. His warm brown eyes were full of concern for her. Recognition flitted across her face. She reached out to him, "Elijah." The last thing she saw was him rushing to her as her world went black.

She awoke to a soft hand stroking her hair back from her face. She was sure to keep her eyes closed as she listened to the voices around her.

"You just found her?" Elena cringed internally as she recognized Klaus's voice, "She's not Tatia, brother. Tatia has been at the market all day with Rebekah."

Elena listened with curiosity. If Tatia was still alive, then it meant that the originals were still human. Bonnie must've accidently sent her back here. What troubled her most was that she had been turned back into a human. She could only presume that she wasn't a vampire because the originals were still human so there was no one to sire her bloodline yet.

She focused on the fingertips against her temple. She knew that it had to be Elijah.

"Then why does she look so much like her?" Elijah's voice murmured above her.

"Maybe they're related. We can always ask Tatia."

"No," Elijah said firmly, "I don't want her subjected to Tatia. We both know how her jealously can get in the way of the truth."

"Will you be alright alone with her, brother? Or would you like me to bring her home to mother?" Klaus hesitantly offered.

She felt Elijah's fingers still against her skin slightly, "She can stay with me until she's well enough to venture into the village. I think it's safer for her here seeing as she was being attacked when I found her."

"Very well," his brother acknowledged, "I'll return tomorrow with some herbs from Ayanna."

"Thank you, Niklaus."

Elena heard a door shut and assumed that Klaus had left. She felt Elijah resume stroking her hair, whispering things she couldn't make out. She allowed her eyes to flutter open and was instantly met by his tender gaze.

"How are you feeling?" He asked softly, removing his hand.

She stopped for a second, cataloguing her injuries. The back of her head had a dull throb to it, her ribs ached, and her throat hurt, but that was it.

"I'm okay, I think," she answered, trying to sit up. She nearly blacked out from the pain as her ribs rubbed together and she fell backwards.

Elijah caught her easily, gently settling her back down onto the soft surface. He looked at her with concern, "I think you may have broke a few ribs. May I take a look?"

Elena nodded and felt him lift her shirt. She heard a sharp intake of breath as he took in her battered form. His hands were gentle as he delicately probed her ribs. She cried out in agony as separated the bones that were being forced together.

"I'm almost done," he said, his voice tight. She knew that he didn't like inflicting pain, but it was necessary.

Elena was panting by the time he was finished. He had wrapped a thick clothe across her midsection in hopes of restraining her movements as much as possible so she could heal.

"Please forgive me for caring for you so intimately," he said, blushing, as she looked down and noticed her body was free of the blood that previously adorned her, "Normally it would be a woman's job, but I didn't want you to be traumatized when you awoke."

Elena considered his words, finally realizing that he intended to make her as comfortable as possible. Besides, the blood had mostly been confined to her hair and face. She looked up at him and smiled, "Thank you, Elijah."

His face clouded in puzzlement, "How do you know my name? You said it when I found you, as well."

She fumbled, "I thought I had heard it before, that's all."

He nodded, "I know you're being untruthful, but I won't press you on it," she sighed in relief as he continued, "Perhaps in time you'll grow to trust me. For now, can I at least have the pleasure of knowing your name?"

"Elena."

"Elena," her name rolled off his tongue like a caress. He said it the exact same way in the present as well. It always made her shiver in anticipation and excitement. He mused, "That's a very interesting name. I can't say that I've heard it before."

"Well, my parents were always considered more new age than most," she said dryly before taking in his furrowed brow, "Nevermind."

Elijah pursed his lips, "Very well. If you don't mind, you'll be staying with me until you're well enough to venture into the village. You look surprisingly like another woman in our village. Do you have any family?"

"I only had a brother," she said, trying to come up with a cover story that was closest to the truth, "There was a fire and he didn't survive."

Elijah took her hand gently in his own, "I'm very sorry for your loss. You have nothing to fear while you're here. I swear it."

She sighed in contentment, sinking against the animal hides that covered the large straw bed she laid on. He smiled slightly, "You should probably rest more. My brother, Niklaus, will be back in the morning with some herbs and tonics to help you heal."

Elena thought back to her knowledge of the New World. She wasn't well versed in that history, but she knew that a young man only moved out on his own when he was married. She looked around, not seeing any hint of femininity among his things. She cleared her throat, "Elijah, are you married?"

He stiffened slightly, drawing his hand away, but answering all the same, "I was to be married. She was murdered by the neighboring village during the full moon."

Without a second thought, she pulled the stunned Elijah into an embrace, careful not to aggravate her ribs, "I'm sorry," she murmured against his hair. She felt him relax slightly as he awkwardly hugged her back.

He pulled away hurriedly; averting his eyes, "Please get some rest, Miss Elena. You need your strength."

She nodded, watching him get up and grab a blanket from a basket. He lay next to the fire, across the room from her. She hadn't realized how proper and innocent Elijah had been as a human; it made her heart ache with sadness. She wanted to comfort him, but she knew he would never allow that. She sighed to herself as she watched him drift into sleep. Maybe the Elijah she knew could still be saved. Maybe she could rewrite history.

Please review!

~Grace