Double Trouble

16

A few days later, Lena couldn't take it anymore. She waited until her father left for work and then looked up Hayley Marshall in the phone book to see where she lived. When she found the address, Lena took her coat, sneaked around her aunt Freya who was working in her office and left the house.

It was raining outside. Lena was a bit cold, but she gritted her teeth in determination and kept walking. Eventually, after more than an hour of walking, she finally arrived at Hayley's house. It was not as big as her Dad's, but very posh. Hayley was more than surprised to see the little girl in front of her door.

"Hey Lena! What are you doing here? How did you even get here?" she asked.

Lena shook her head. "That doesn't matter!"

Hayley raised an eyebrow, but shrugged and turned to her house maid. "Kim, go make some hot chocolate for her!"

She turned back to Lena and put a hand on her shoulder. "You must be freezing! But, I think it's good that you're here. Since I'm going to be your Mom soon, we should get to know each other. I'm sure we'll be best friends!"

Lena shook her head again, more determined this time. "No! You're not allowed to marry my Dad! I forbid it!"

"You forbid it?" Hayley could barely believe what she was hearing. "What makes you think you get to tell me what to do?? I'm going to be your mother! You should be listening to me!!"

"You'll never be my Mom! I only have one! And her name is Elena Gilbert!" Lena shouted defiantly.

Hayley furrowed her eyebrows, getting angrier. "Well, your Mom Elena Gilbert doesn't want you! Why do you think you're living with your Dad and not her!?!" she yelled at Lena. Then, she took a deep breath and collected herself. "Okay, perhaps you're still hung up on your mother now. But not to worry, I'm sure that'll change once we get to Paris."

"Paris?" Lena was taken back and stared at the brunette woman in irritation.

Hayley folded her arms in front of her chest. "Oh, has your father not told you yet? We're going to Paris, you, me and your Dad. And yes, that is far, far away from New Orleans, Richmond and that little town your mother lives in. You might see her again when you're a teenager or so. Meaning you really should get used to me."

Lena stood there dor a moment, completely shocked. Then, she screamed at Hayley, tears of anger and desperation in her eyes: "NEVER!!! You'll never be my Mom! And I forbid you to marry my Dad! Do you hear me?? I forbid it!!!"

Hearing those words now, Hayley's last little piece of patience was gone. Her expression became cold as ice. She walked to the front door, opened it and turned to Lena. "That's enough! Get out of my house, you audacious, spoilt little brat! Now!!"

Lena knew there was no arguing with Hayley at this point. The look she was giving her was so icy and sharp that it intimidated the little girl. Silently, she left the house. It was still raining outside.

When Elijah came home, he asked his sister about his daughter. Freya told him that Lena was still refusing to come out of her room or talk to anyone.

"I brought her a tray with food for dinner, as usual. She didn't respond when I knocked on her door. But seriously, Elijah, this can't go on! She said she would not speak to us until you tell her why you left her mother. I know you don't wanna talk about it, but she has been living a life without a mother for the last six years, and she deserves to know why! If you can't talk about it with her, I'd be happy to step in and - mediate between you two or so. I just think you should finally tell someone after all this time!" Freya said and laid a hand on her brother's shoulder.

Elijah sighed and patted his sister's hand. Then, he went to Lena's room and knocked on the door. But when he looked at the tray of food that stood on the small table next to her door, he noticed the food was untouched. Alarmed, he knocked on her door harder. When he heard no response, he tried the doorknob and found the room unlocked. A quick check confirmed his suspicion: his daughter was not there!

"Freya! Lena is gone!" he shouted as he rushed back to his older sister.

"What?" Freya stood from her chair, alarmed as well. "I swear I didn't hear her. She must have snuck out while I was in the kitchen making her dinner! O god, no! Where would she go??"

The dark-haired man ran a hand through his hair. "I don't know, perhaps-" the ringing of the doorbell interrupted him. He quickly went to answet it, hoping it was his daughter. And, to his greatest relief, it was.

However, his relief didn't last long as he saw the girl was in an awful shape. She was completely soaked in rain water and visibly shiverred of coldness. Her lips were blue and her face pale. Elijah and Freya wasted no time. Freya brought Lena to the bathroom in order to get her out of her wet clothes and get rid of the cold while Elijah called a doctor, deeply worried about his little girl.

About ten minutes later - Lena was already in bed, dry and warm again, but still shivering - Elijah's phone rang. He took it out of his pocket and answered it.

"Hello?"

"Elijah! I'm sorry I'm calling you like this, but I don't know what else to do! Elle is gone!" a familiar female voice spoke on the other end of the line. Elijah could hear the tears in his ex-wife's tone of speaking.

"Gone? O god, I'm so sorry, darli- I mean, Elena! Maybe she'll come back in a few minutes? Lena disappeared today too, but she came back. Have you called your friends? And her friends?" he tried to wrap his head around the information that Elle went missing shortly after Lena had. Two missing daughters in one day were a lot to take in.

"Yes, I have! She wasn't with any of them, but she left a note telling me not to worry and that she was doing what she has to! I thought maybe she took a train and would be with YOU now!" Elena, still distressed, replied.

"Well, sorry, but no, she hasn't-" he was cut short by the doorbell, again. And again, when he opened the door, he saw a little girl with the face of his daughter standing there. "Elle! What... how did you get here?! Ah... actually, just come in. I'm on the phone with your Mom right now and she's worried sick! Elena, she- hello?" but there was no reply.

In Mystic Falls, Elena Gilbert, after hearing her ex-husband talking to Elle on the other side of the line, immediately hung up on the call, jumped into her car and drove off to New Orleans.