This is Us [ Elijah Mikaelson ] 2

forty-three

Penelope took a deep breath and rested her hand on the crook of Kol's elbow as they stepped out of the house. Her eyes stayed trained on the ground as they walked slowly; she didn't want to look up, she couldn't look up. Not yet. She focused on breathing slowly, in and out, focusing on walking and not tripping, focusing on the soft piano ballad being played. It was a song that she knew but also didn't know. It sounded so familiar to her, and as she and Kol walked slowly down the aisle, she counted each rose petal as she thought about the song being played and why it was so familiar. Then the melody changed. She knew that song, but she didn't know the name because it had no name; she knew it only because she had heard Elijah play it. Penelope finally looked up from the floor and up at Elijah, who stood at the alter, staring back at her and their eyes met.

She felt the tears sting her eyes as she looked at him, and she saw his dark eyes were also glossy as he looked at her. She saw the smile spread on his lips, and she felt her own moving to smile. Her head tilted only a sliver, silently asking if he had written the song, and the smile on his face was all she needed to confirm it. Her heart felt heavy, not a sad kind of heavy, but in the way that she was so full of love for him that it took all her strength to not run to him and kiss him. The song began to slow and fade as she and Kol took one last step, stopping in front of platform for the alter.

"Here is your bride, brother," Kol told him softly as he took Penelope's hand from his elbow and held it out for Elijah. Penelope's smile grew and she blinked away the tears that stung her eyes as Rebekah took her bouquet. Elijah took her hand, and she took that last step toward Elijah and up onto the alter.

"Good evening," Penelope turned her head to the side and for the first time noticed it was Klaus and not the man she and Elijah hired. She turned to Elijah with confusion all over her face, but he gave her a subtle shake of his head, silently telling her he would explain later. "We are gathered here today to celebrate the union between my brother, Elijah, and Penelope," Klaus spoke up and Penelope felt herself smile as she looked at Elijah, and his smile grew as he squeezed her hands gently.

"Aristotle once said that 'Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies', and he couldn't have been righter," Klaus began with a softly smile. "My whole life, I have never seen my brother more in love with anyone as he is with Penelope, nor have I ever seen him as happy. I may not have known our Penny-love for quite as long, but I have seen her grow from the girl she was, to the woman she is now with my brother, and the love she has for him... it makes me also believe in true love," Klaus' words hit her, and she glanced at Klaus, who gave her a small smile. "They are the definition of love, and we are here today to witness that love. My family is one for tradition; however, today, we break from tradition. The bride and groom have prepared their own vows, and Penelope will begin."

At his words, Penelope stared wide-eyed at Klaus and then at Elijah, her mouth open. She shook her head, and Elijah nodded, silently encouraging her. "You can do this, little doe," She heard in her head. She looked from Elijah to Klaus again, then back to Elijah. He gave her a smile, her hands a gentle squeeze and a subtle nod of his head. Penelope took a deep breath to calm her nerves before she began.

"I-I always thought love was what you see in books and movies. I thought love, real love, was only in fairy tales. I didn't know what love was, not really... not until you," Penelope started, her voice was shaky and she took another deep breath. "You taught me love, Elijah... not just what love is, what it means...but you taught me how to love. You showed me what it was, what it looked like, and what it should feel like, and I am so happy that it isn't like the movies, or the books... It isn't even like the fairy tales I loved so much. Love is you, it's us. This is better than fairy tales," She continued, her voice cracking a little and she tried not to cry but Elijah squeezed her hands, and gave her that smile; but she could see it in his eyes. She could see the love, the emotion in his eyes.