The Revenge Con

6. Old Flames

"Who's Elena Gilbert?" Kol looked up, startled by the question. Davina held up his phone, dozens of notifications on his screen with Elena's name. He grabbed it from her hand.

"Did you really invite me here for an interrogation?" Kol glared. Sitting in front of his ex-girlfriend was not how he expected his day to go.

"Of course not." She softened. It had been years since he had seen her and she had definitely changed. She had grown up a lot since they parted ways. "Kol, I'm getting married." She ripped the bandage off. Kol froze as he processed the new information. "His name is Kaleb. He-"

"Congratulations." He forced a smile and pulled her into a hug. It was the first time in years he had wrapped his arms around her and he realized how foreign it felt. Part of him wanted to be back in high school, hopelessly in love with her. But he wasn't anymore. He would always love her, just not in that way anymore. "When's the wedding?" Kol chuckled as he pulled away.

"It's in September." She smiled and Kol could tell she was genuinely happy.

"Did you fly all the way out here just to tell me?" He asked with a playful shove. She laughed shaking her head.

"I'm actually in town to see Monique but I thought it would be better to tell you in person. I am on my way back from New York and I wanted to make sure you heard it from me before Marcel called you to gloat." She teased.

"I'm glad you came. You should let me take you out to dinner to celebrate."

"I can't but if you're ever in Belize..." She rested her hand on his shoulder.

"Belize?"

"I can't believe we just did that." Davina squealed as Kol sped away from his parents' house. They had packed up their bags and ran off together, no longer wanting to put up with his parents' judgement. "I love you, Kol Mikaelson." Kol took interlocked their fingers and placed a kiss on the top of her hand.

"I love you too, Davina Claire." It was the only thing he knew for sure in this new world.

"So where do we go now?" She was always the first of them to think critically. Kol was a free spirit.

"We go wherever we want. The world is our oyster, Darling."

"Kol, I'm serious-"

"So am I. Davina think of anywhere you want to go and I'll take you there."

"Anywhere?"

"Anywhere." Davina thought of the entire world, unable to imagine anything outside of their home. "We could go to London or Belgium or Belize."

"Why Belize?"

"Why not Belize?" He countered. Kol glanced over at her and she met his eyes.

"Okay. Let's go to Belize."

"Are you sure?"

"It doesn't matter where we go, as long as we're together."

While they had never made it together, it stung to know she had gone with someone else. Kol stood up and grabbed his jacket, slipping it over his shoulders.

"Wait-"

"I should go." Kol shook his head as she reached out for him. It was hard to walk away from her. He wandered the streets of New Orleans until he ended up at Rousseau's. He was thankful that it was too early for Cami to be there as he was not in the mood for a lecture. Kol glanced down at his phone, checking the notifications Davina had noticed earlier. He scrolled through the tabloids that were tearing Elena apart for hurting his brother. He couldn't lie, he enjoyed seeing them say all the things to her that he hadn't gotten the chance.

"Elena!" "Miss Gilbert!" "Did you really-" "Is your book about-" "Elena, Is it true?"

Elena pushed through the people trying to question her about her life. As an author, she had managed to fly under the radar for most of her career. Ever since the world had found out about her "torrid affair with billionaire Elijah Mikaelson", her life had changed. She knew she shouldn't have written about him but it was her way of coping. Her way of apologizing. Her way of giving them the happy ending they deserved. Well, he did.

"How's Katherine?" A voice quipped in the crowd. Elena flipped around, searching for the source of the voice. "You should be rotting in there with her." Her heart was racing as someone grabbed her hand and guided her away from the mob. When she looked up she was relieved, throwing her arms around Matt. He held her for a moment, waiting for her to stop shaking.

"Are you okay? What happened back there?"

"The consequences of my actions." She gave him a tight-lipped smile. She glanced over her shoulder, relieved to see the crowd dispersing. She would have wondered why if she hadn't caught sight of Matt's badge. "Thank you."

"I haven't seen you around much," Matt commented as Elena brushed herself off.

"Yeah, I haven't been out much." She confessed, blushing slightly. She had only left Jenna's about four times since she'd moved in. Once to go get groceries, once to go on a date with Liam, once to go for a walk when Jenna requested some alone time with Mason and now.

"Where are you heading?"

"Jenna promised her friend Andie an interview. She said I owed her for crashing at her place." Elena sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Mystic Falls was supposed to be safe from all that." She mumbled, glancing over her shoulder.

"Why don't you let me give you a ride? As town sheriff, I feel like it's my duty to make sure you get there safely." He gave her a playful grin and she couldn't help but picture the boy she knew in high school. The one she had grown up with. Her first love.

"Are you sure? Don't you have somewhere to be?"

"I'm sure the criminals of Mystic Falls can wait a few minutes." Matt escorted Elena to his squad car and she climbed in the front seat.

"I heard about Penny, I'm sorry." Matt tensed at the mention of his former fiance.

"I heard about Elijah, I guess I could say the same." Elena glanced down at her hands.

"That's not the same. You deserved to be happy."

"It's not the same but that's not why. You do deserve to be happy Elena." She smiled slightly at him.

"I don't know. It feels like I found my one chance at happiness and I ruined it."

"I don't believe we only get one chance at happiness." Matt pulled up to the Mystic Grill where Elena was meeting Andie.

"Thanks again." Elena went to open the door but Matt stopped her.

"Vick and Tyler are hosting a little dinner party, would you like to be my date?" Elena was ready to say no but she met his eyes. He wasn't trying to manipulate her or seduce her. He was being a good friend. Maybe a part of him needed her as much as she needed him.

"I'd like that."

"Okay, I'll pick you up at 6?"

"I'll see you then." She lightly kissed his cheek before heading into the Grill.