Ello! This is a little tag piece I wrote exploring Elijah/Elena kiss scene in 4x18. Because I refuse to believe that Elijah didn't know that he was kissing Elena and not Katherine, she even said that it would take Elijah 10 seconds to figure out it's not her. And they sure as hell talked for more than 10 seconds before that lovely kiss. All I have to say is: IT'S ABOUT TIME!

Absolution

From the moment he laid eyes on her, he knew something was wrong, different. Katherine always carried herself with certain air of power and superiority, her gaze unyielding and often mischievously cruel. But this time her frame was more relaxed, her posture almost anxious, but he tried to reassure himself that it was simply due to stress finally managing to crack her stony shell. The next thing he noticed was the shocking strand of red in her hair, waving delicately around her face. He was almost overtaken with need to touch her, brush a rebellious strand off her face, to see the light dancing in her eyes.

"Katerina."

He spoke her name softly, anticipating her reaction. Her brown eyes immediately snapped up to meet his, and warning bells began ringing loudly in his ears. Her eyes were cold and indifferent, lacking any sort of emotion except a small hint of surprise. The lack of emotion in her eyes worried him, and he approached her steadily if not a little hurriedly, trying to figure out why there was something so dauntingly familiar about those deep pools of endless brown. These cold eyes reminded him of Katherine but the soft edges around them brought back memories of another girl. A girl with a warm, kind smile and compassionate heart that was capable of unspeakable bravery and empathy.

"Elijah," his name was nothing more but a wisp of air coming from her lips, soft and delicate as always. Katherine's voice, but not Katherine's emotion.

Only one person ever spoke his name with indisputable respect and kindness.

The brunette before him seem to snap out from her thoughts, her expression melting into something unpleasantly blank and void of anything. She seemed to square her elegant shoulders as if preparing herself for something, eyes critically appraising him as he approached her and stopped not even arms-length away from her.

"You're a little late, aren't you?" she asked, her words sounding a little sour, if not annoyed. However, the slightest flutter of her hair in the wind caught his attention, his eyes moving to rest on the unruly strand of red. This wasn't just a simple change of style and he was sure of it. No, this seemed more like a statement – a statement of someone who wanted to show independence and freedom.

"You coloured your hair," he stated evenly, and before she could reply, he raised his hand gently brushing his fingers against the soft strands. "I like it."

Her eyes widened a little as if caught off guard yet again, and he suddenly realised what was wrong – where the burning doubt was coming from. Because he knew that expression, it was the same expression of a girl whose name was seared onto his heart from the moment he met her. And even Katherine, with all of her beauty and skill could ever hope to mimic it. That expression of subtle beauty that managed to warm itself deep inside his heart and stay with him forever.

Wide eyes, parted lips and a quick pulse.

Except this time, there was no quick pulse or wide doe-like eyes staring at him in fear. This time it was cold eyes and a forced smile after hearing his compliment.

"Thank you," she replied hurriedly, "It's actually gonna–"

He needed proof. Even if his mind and heart were split in two he needed to know for sure, and without second thought he pulled her lips against his. It was gentle and almost loving, but from the moment her pink lips touched his, he knew.

I have my answer.

Not Katerina.

Elena.

With Katherine it was all about dominance and raw emotion, but this kiss was one of shimmering passion, consuming everything in its wake. This was Elena, not Katherine because even though they both looked exactly alike, their kisses were different like day and night. Katherine would have pulled him in deeper, her lips would have demanded more with feverish hunger, this kiss was slower and the almost subtle way Elena jerked back before slowly melting into the kiss was the only comparison he would ever need.

Back when they first met, he was amazed, almost mesmerized by Elena's humanity and her serene and caring nature. She protected her family and those she loved with surprising fierceness and he always found her determination admirable. But he never tried to gain her affection simply because he knew that she could never be his, not fully. He could never hope to have her undivided attention, not while Salvatore brothers shadowed her every step, battling for her love.

He had always been drawn to Elena, just like he had been drawn to Katherine and Talia, unable to escape from inexorable pull of Petrova bloodline. It was a fixation he was never able to escape no matter how much he tried. But it never worked out, because the moment Katherine and Talia showed up in his life, nothing but devastation and disappointment followed.

And now it was happening again – only this time felt different somehow. There was something special about Elena, something enchanting. She simply felt, and for the first time in almost millennia, Elijah remembered what it felt like to be human again.

But she was lying to him now. She was pretending to be Katherine which meant that something was wrong. Elena he knew would never do something like that; human or not.

By the time he pulled back, one of his arms was placed firmly on her hip, the other cupping her face, his thumb tracing the line of her delicate chin. Elena let out a shallow breath, her eyes opening and she stared at him boldly, the lack of warmth in her eyes still managing to leave him slightly uneasy.

"I've missed you," he told her quietly, his words surprisingly tender. And a part of him really had missed her, but he wanted to see just how long she was going to keep up this facade, at what lengths she was be willing to go in order to keep up her image.

Look me in the eyes and lie.

"And I've missed you," she replied placidly.

His lips turned upwards slightly, forming a sardonic smile, not releasing his hold on the petite girl just yet.

"It's an interesting little town you've chosen to settle down in," he stated coolly, carefully gauging her reaction to his words. Elena barely flinched under his intense scrutiny instead offering him a small evocative smile that seemed out of place on her usually innocent face. "So do you have it with you?"

She titled her head slightly, suddenly reminding him of the old Elena; the human Elena.

"Do I have what?"

"The cure."

Her eyes sparked for the first time since they started talking and she offered him a coy smile, raising her hand and placing it on his chest, his eyes momentarily flickering down and noting the lack of daylight bracelet Katherine always wore.

"It's in a safe place," she said. "Why don't I go and get it and then I'll bring it back."

She moved past him, but he was quicker. His hand immediately locked around her forearm, pulling her back with enough force to almost make her crash into him if it wasn't for him steadying her.

It was time to get some answers.

"Where's Katherine, Elena?"

Cold and firm, this time there was no kindness in his voice.

To feel his lips against hers was shocking if not a little alien. She briefly wondered if she should be enjoying it quite as much as she did, her body falling almost effortlessly against his. Even though she felt numb to emotions, she could remember the tingly feeling you got when you kissed someone you liked, the soothing warmth that always spread over your body.

But this was Elijah and he was smart. If she refused his kiss or pulled back too quickly, he would know straight away that something was not right, and that would ruin everything.

She could remember very clearly the first time she'd laid eyes on him, the absolute terror that had infused her in his presence, the power and dignity that had radiated from him and made her feel so small. They managed to build an odd bond over time, one full of betrayal but also forgiveness. Elijah always had been a man of his word, the only expectation being his dysfunctional family's involvement or safety.

A long time ago, back before the Sacrifice she sensed they shared something deeper than a simple truce. A mutual respect perhaps, an instinctive understanding of each other, maybe even fondness. But then his betrayal came, and she felt hurt. That was the first time he didn't keep his word to her, and she felt betrayed because she believed in him.

She trusted him. Really, truly trusted him.

But that was back when her silly emotions constantly got in the way and everyone dropped dead like flies around her.

She was sick of being that same insecure little girl, and having no emotions gave her a sense of power and control she never had over her life before.

However, this kiss stirred something deep beneath her skin, like poison spreading all the way to her undead, and apathetic heart.

Elijah's kiss was almost bruising in its intensity, lips pressing hard against her own, their kiss growing more impassionate every moment their mouths melded. His fingers stroked her jawline, and then slipped into her hair at the nape of her graceful neck, fingernails gently grazing. Looping his arm around her waist, he pulled her flush against him and if she was still a weak little human, Elena would have sighed and maybe even smiled. Because even if she couldn't feel anything but a slight tinge in her heart, she knew that if she was human that kiss would have left her breathless.

But none of that mattered because in his mind, Elijah was kissing Katherine. He was kissing one person Elena wouldn't mind seeing dead, if only to get rid of her annoying existence.

If she had her emotions, Elena would have missed Elijah, only he wasn't hers to miss.

And as his bottomless eyes stared her down heavily, she knew that there was a part of him that wanted to save her and bring back her humanity...

Only she wasn't his to save.

AN: I don't hate Katherine, in fact she's one of my favourites, but I really don't believe her when she said that she loved Elijah. Wasn't Stefan her one true love just last season? I want to believe her, but I remain unconvinced. Plus, I've been shipping Elejah since their first scene together back in S2. Sorry.

And, I may continue you this, but I'm not sure yet. I guess it depends if you guys are interested at all.

Regards.

A.