The Good Daughter

Forty six

The window to my room wasn't high.

Once I saw the light on inside, I knew I was screwed. I had hoped that my little excursion was unnoticed.

I climbed inside, uncaring of how softly my shoes hit the floor.

"Elijah, I'll be back soon. Know that I am safe and that I can do things on my own." Elijah read the letter off. He was seated at the end of my bed. A hand on his hip. He still hadn't looked at me.

"I know you're disappointed."

"What was so important?"

"Nothing." I grumbled.

"Speak up." He'd heard me.

"I'm tired." Tonight had been a useless mission for brothers that thought me a damsel that lived with beasts. "Can we not talk about it right now?"

"No."

I let out a sigh. "I went to go see my brothers."

Elijah watched me closely. "And?"

"And nothing. They have nothing. They think that killing you and Klaus is the only way to save Elena."

His brow rose. "Do they have any idea?"

"No." An icy chill fell down my spine.

That was the only thing. The thing they'd scared me endlessly for my entire life. Their weakness.

"Have you told anyone?"

"Not a soul." I'd wager it was the best kept secret in the world. "Anywhere."

Comprehension sparked in his eyes. "That's why you were taken."

"Among other reasons."

His brief flash of anger was unsurprisingly quickly tucked away. "You understand that if your brothers continue on this path, and they purse Mikael again... I'll have no choice but to protect my family."

"Elijah, no, please. They're idiots. They don't know what they're doing."

"Most don't that attack this family." He stood. "And yet every one of them have fallen one way or another."

"I can reason with them. Please, Elijah. I-"

His hand raised. "No. You've done enough reasoning. They will make their choice. If it is war, then so be it, you will not be caught in the middle."

"I refuse to be sidelined while my brothers are slaughtered."

"You would prefer a front row seat?"

"Then I gave up my leverage for nothing?"

Elijah's lips pursed, and he inspected the keepsakes I used to lug around in my backpack, that now had their place on my desk. "Do you remember the rabid beast you tried to keep?"

I opened my mouth, but he continued.

"No matter how many times it snapped, you begged me to let it live." He picked up a small picture frame. "Then one day, it bit you. Our blood had no effect. Seven days it took to bring you a doctor. Seven days where you were bedridden, fever boiling you alive. I hadn't felt that kind of fear since I was a child."

"This is an old story."

"Maybe. But the message of it still rings true. Your heart is too kind. You protect those you love, even if they would do you harm." Elijah took a seat at the edge of the desk. "I did not allow the beast that bit you live, neither will I allow those who would hurt you."

"Stefan and Damon won't hurt me."

"I cannot know that for certain. They've shown their unwillingness to back down even when given ample opportunity."

My stomach churned. "I'm sick of this. Round and round we go. I won't let them die, Elijah. They are my blood."

"I won't seek them out." He set my picture down. "We'll have a ball. We haven't had one for many years."

"A trap."

He looked down with a small smile. "Yes, and if your brothers choose to act, so be it."

"It's not a ball, it's an execution." If Damon or Stefan were going to pull something, it'd be at a big event like that. "I'll warn them."

"You'll do no such thing. Or I will forbid you from them."

"You wouldn't."

"I would." He stood. "No more sneaking out, lest you need a guard while inside as well."

Tyler decided that now was the best time to climb in through my window. He froze when he saw Elijah. "...Mister Mikaelson."

"We have a front door, young Lockwood, use it." He gave me one last look before leaving.

"What was that?"

"Disagreement." I sighed, crossing to close my bedroom door.

"What about?" Tyler pulled off his shirt.

I kicked off my boots. "Can we please just go to sleep? I'm tired."

He nodded.

We both got in the bed and it wasn't until I was laying on his chest, that the tears came. He held me tighter, and kissed the top of my head.