Double Trouble

18

The sun had set a long time ago. Lena's bedroom was more crowded than it had ever been before. Freya had called Rebekah to tell her Elena was there. The blonde woman suggested that she would spend the night at Rebekah and Marcel's place, so Elijah would have some time and space to sort out his family business. But, her younger sister had another idea. She came over herself, looking forward to a chance to see some family drama once more. In her opinion, things had been a little boring since their parents stopped having a problem with Kol's wife. Long story short, Elena, Elijah, Freya and Rebekah were now all sitting on chairs in Lena's room while the young twins were sitting on Lena's bed, catching up.

"So, Elena, how have you been?" Freya asked her former sister-in-law.

Elena gave her a small smile. "Not bad, actually. It's nice to live in my home town, especially since Bonnie moved back to Mystic Falls and Caroline lives near. I have a great job at the Mystic Falls News with nice collegues and an amazing boss. Seriously, Ric is the sweetest!"

"Uh-huh! Is he your man now?" Rebekah asked, curious.

The brunette shook her head. "No, he's not. He's more like a big brother or a father to me. And to answer the question you undouptedly are going to ask next, no, there's noone else for me right now either. I'm single."

"Hmph." the younger blonde woman made a slight noise of disappointment.

Freya and Rebekah stayed until dinner was over. Then, they left to Rebekah's place.

When they were gone, Lena called her father to her side.

"Why did you leave Mom?" she asked.

Elijah sighed. "Honey, this isn't the time or place to talk about something like that. Some things are better off left in the past."

"No! When I didn't know I had a mom, you lied to me! And now that I know I have one, you make excuses not to tell me! This is not fair, Dad! Tell me!" Lena insisted.

Elle backed her up. "I didn't have a Dad because you left her! I want to know too! Tell us, Dad!"

Finding himself cornered, Elijah turned to Elena who was standing on the threshold, looking for a little support for his own case.

But his ex-wife just shook her head at him. "They deserve to know, Elijah! You never even told me and I was the one who got left behind."

"I didn't tell you because you know!" the dark-haired man defended himself.

Elena heaved a sigh of annoyance. "I told you back then, no, I don't know, I didn't know then and I still don't know now!"

"Just tell us!" Lena piped up.

Sharply inhaling, he steadied himself before saying: "I left you before you could do the same to me. And I know you were going to leave me, Elena. I met Damon Salvatore at Klaus' bachelor party."

The brunette woman looked at her ex-husband with confusion. "Elijah, I can see words coming out of your mouth, but none of them make any sense! How on earth did you get the idea that I was going to leave you?!? And who is... what was it again?"

"Oh, quit playing dumb, Elena, it doesn't suit you!" Elijah started to lose his patience. "I met a man called Damon Salvatore at Klaus' bachelor party! He was miserable and told me it was because of a woman! He was having an affair with a married woman called Elena and she had promised him to leave her husband for him! His brother Stefan explained the rest to me. He had been seeing her for a few months, she was a young brunette and lived at Maple Street, Mystic Falls! I even went to Klaus and asked if Stefan and Damon could be trusted. He assured me there was no man more honest than his best friend Stefan! You had fallen for another man. You were going to leave me for him. I didn't want to say it, because I didn't want our children to think ill of you!"

Realization dawned on Elena's face. A wave of sadness and pity overtook her. Slowly, she took a few steps towards Elijah and calmly said, while looking straight into his eyes: "Elijah, I never fell for anyone else. And I was never going to leave you!"

"What, you're still going to deny it? For heaven's sake, Elena, how many young, married brunette women called Elena were living in our street back then?" Elijah scoffed in disbelief.

"Two. Me and Katherine Elena Pierce." she calmly answered.

Silence fell upon the room. Elijah stared at the brunette woman, in disbelief first, but slowly realizing she might be saying the truth.

It took him at least three minutes to find his voice again.

"But, -but, - Damon and Stefan only said Elena! They didn't once mention the name Katherine!" he stuttered.

"Katherine always used her middle name when she had a lover in order to make sure her husband wouldn't find out about it. When I was pregnant, one of her lovers even accidentally knocked on our door. I was upset afterwards, remember?" Elena continued to explain.

Elijah felt his head spinning. He sat down on  chair and put his face in his hands.

"You never cheated on me." he mumbled.

Elena shook her head. "No."

"You never wanted to leave me." he mumbled, still in his trance-like state.

"No."

He sighed and looked up at the brunette again. "And I'm a fool!"

Elena pursed her lips. The tiniest hint of a smirk appeared on the edge of her mouth.

"Well... yes!" she finally said.

"Definitely!" Lena piped up from the bed, grinning at her Dad. Elle giggled. Elijah looked at his amused twins and then back at his ex-wife who had difficulties hiding her own grin. Finally, he started to grin too. And a few sexonds later, the room was filled with the laughter of a family that finally started to leave the pain of the past behind them.