RUNNING ➼ e.mikaelson

𝟮. 𝗔 𝗥𝗲𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗻

Grace woke in a strange bed. She checked to see she was in a shirt she didn't recognise. She sat up and looked around. Quietly climbing out of bed, she made her way over to her dress.

But before she could get any further, a hand wrapped around her wrist. "I wouldn't even think about leaving. Or I will snap your neck again."

Shivers ran down Grace's spine as she came face to face with Elijah. She raised her eyebrows. "So you've resorted to kidnapping your own wife? How Klaus like of you," she said.

"Sit down. Now."

Grace said nothing as she looked to him. She didn't move. Elijah grabbed her and face and gazed into her eyes. "You will go and sit down."

"I will go and sit down," Grace replied in a monotone voice. She made her way over to the bed and sat back down. "Just so you know, you can't compel me. I'm an original witch. Oh no wait. I was. Then you and Niklaus ruined my life."

Elijah looked to her. "I swore the day I saw you again, I would kill you."

Grace nodded. She smirked. "And here I am. Still breathing. Still alive. As alive as I can be, being dead and all," she told him.

Elijah wasn't finding her funny at all. He stood up and grabbed her by the throat. "I suggest you shut up now," he said.

"Again by the throat? Why weren't you this kinky when we were actually fucking?" She rasped out. She was trying to not show fear against him.

Elijah tightened his grip against her. She looked to him with a smile on her face. She lost the smile when she saw his ring. "You're still wearing it. Why?" She asked.

Elijah let her go. Grace sat back down on the bed and crossed her legs. "I keep it as a promise to never open my heart to anyone again. You still wear yours."

Grace nodded. "I do. I wear it to remind myself that we were happy once. You know we were," she told him as she looked to him.

Elijah looked to her as he stood up. "Do not even think of contacting anyone from Mystic Falls. You are here until you can prove yourself useful to me."

Grace rolled her eyes. "What? You think I'm automatically going to go off and tell the doppelgänger to go into hiding? Do I look like an idiot?"

"You're the one who stayed in Mystic Falls when you knew that coat hanger wouldn't kill me. You should have ran," Elijah said.

Grace smirked. "Because I've been running for how long now? Klaus is the reason I ran. You let him turn me. When I didn't want to, Elijah. I was more than happy to grow old. And to die peacefully in your arms. But that choice was taken away from me. Just like now I'll never get to be a mother. You and your brother took that from me!" She yelled. She wiped away a tear that had fallen.

Elijah took a step back. He never knew how Grace truly felt. He felt selfish for having Klaus turn her. But he didn't want to lose her. Not when she was the love of his life.

****

Elena and Stefan were in the Salvatore Boarding House. Damon walked in and looked to them. "Where's Grace? I need her to tell me why her ex-husband is the one who wants to take Elena," he said.

Elena frowned. "I haven't seen her since yesterday. Is she not at home?" She asked.

"Do you not think I've tried there? She isn't picking up either," Damon said.

Stefan knew how Grace was like a sister to him. He hoped nothing bad had happened to her. He sighed. "I'm sure she's just met up with a friend."

"Grace doesn't have friends."

Elena shrugged. "She had a husband who wanted to take us. Maybe this has something to do with him," she commented as she looked around.

"He was dead Elena."

"Well I don't know," Elena said. But she was worried about Grace.

****

Elijah saw Grace sitting on the sofa. He sighed. "Why didn't you tell me that you didn't want to be turned?" He asked.

"I did. You didn't listen. You and Klaus didn't listen to me. And part of me wishes you would just kill me so I don't have to live forever," Grace said.

Elijah looked to her. "I could never hurt you."

Grace rolled her eyes. "Cut the crap Elijah. I know you. You keep your word. I married you remember? You gave your word that when I ran, if you found me, you'd kill me. So why don't you just do it?"

"Do you really want me to?"

Grace rolled her eyes again. She sighed. "I don't know what I want anymore Elijah. I just didn't want this immortal lifestyle. Your family burnt down the tree. So there goes that option," she mumbled.

Elijah looked to her. He sighed knowing that he never understood how she felt. She was more than willing to grow old and die. But he wanted her to live forever. His saving Grace.

Grace stood up and sighed. She looked to him. "I'm tired. So you can either let me go back to Mystic Falls. Or you can kill me. I'm tired of running. I don't want to run from you anymore."

"Get some sleep. Take the bed."

****

Damon couldn't help but worry about Grace. He knew she hadn't even called to let them know she was okay. Stefan handed him a bourbon. "She's probably just drinking a ton to get over the fact you killed her husband," he said.

"She doesn't care about him. She told me. She ran from him."

"They were still married Damon. They were married for a long time before she ran from him. She must have some feelings for him still," Stefan told him.

Damon rolled his eyes and walked off. Not wanting to think of Grace. Knowing that deep down, he wanted her to be his.

****

Elijah stood in the doorway of his bedroom. He saw Grace asleep in the bed. Elijah knew how he had been after her for 500 years. And now he had found her.

But the question was, would he have killed Grace if he didn't know that he still loved her?