Give Me Strength • Elijah Mikaelson [1]

• 15

Alex walks out of her bedroom rubbing her eyes before hearing knocking on her front door, she walks down the stairs towards her front door, she opens it and saw Jenna standing there in tears with her suitcases, Alex quickly woke up seeing her friend upset.

"Jenna, what's wrong?" Alex asks concerned.

"I need a place to crash for a few days and the campus doesn't have a dorm available for me," Jenna says. "And I really don't want to be in that house right now." She points to behind her at the Gilbert home, Alex steps out of the while opening the door wider inviting Jenna into her home, Jenna walks into her house and Alex closes the door.

"You can stay here for as long as you need, but I'm afraid the only comfort I can offer you comes from a bottle," Alex says. "I can get you some weed."

"No, no, that's all right, thank you, Alex," Jenna says, she notices Alex's clothes were missing and her hair was still messy. "Did I uh wake you?" Alex looks down at her bra and short shorts she had worn to bed.

"No, uh actually, I didn't even hear the knocking," Alex says looking back up at Jenna. "Which means I need to get a doorbell." With tears in her eyes, she gave Alex a sad smile. "Uh let me show you to my guest bedroom." Alex turns towards the stairs. "I haven't cleaned it in a long time."

"That's fine, as long as it has a bed," Jenna says, they climb the stairs and walk down the hallway.

"I'm sorry, who didn't have a bed?" Alex asks jokingly. "Do you want to talk about what happened?" Alex was sometimes a good listener but a bad advice giver.

"I just, I don't know, Ric and Elena were keeping secrets from me and Alaric's supposedly dead wife showed up out of the blue last night, claiming to be Elena's mother," Jenna explains, Alex opens the guest bedroom door and walks inside.

"He lied about her death?" Alex asks.

"I think so," Jenna says unsure. "What other explanation is there?" Alex wanted to blurt out the word vampire but decided to keep her mouth shut. "I'm sorry for crying."

"No, Jenna, it's fine, don't ever apologize for crying, I get it, you're confused and hurt," Alex says hoping she would be comforting her friend. "Different emotions are running through you and you don't know what to do with the information, so cry, you can cry, just don't say sorry for it." Jenna nods her head. "It's okay not to be okay."

"Thank you." Jenna whispers, she wipes the tears from her cheeks. "Uh what happened to your arm?" Alex looks at her arm.

"Nothing important," Alex says. "Listen, I'm meeting Jayden in a couple of hours, but I'll be back soon." Jenna nods her head. "My kitchen isn't really stocked with liquor but if you want to numb your pain, help yourself." Jenna sits down on the bed. "I don't have food at the moment, I'll get some takeaways on my way home, I'll also call Santino to bring some of the good stuff."

"I uh think I'll just sleep for now," Jenna says, Alex nods her head. "This bed feels really comfy."

"Well, it's never really been used," Alex says. "So uh just text me if you need anything."

"I will, thank you, Alex, this means a lot to me," Jenna says.

"Anytime," Alex says. "Sleep, cry, scream if you need to." Alex walks out of the bedroom closing the door behind her before making her way to her own bedroom to get ready for the day.

•••

Alex enters her house and closes the door behind her locking it as well, she gently puts the bag filled with pills on the floor next to the staircase, she walks towards the kitchen and opens one of the cabinets and takes out a vodka bottle and a glass, she fills he glass to the brim and picks it up before remembering she had to get food.

"Fuck," Alex mumbles, she takes a sip from the vodka and hears footsteps coming down the stairs, a minute later Jenna walks into the kitchen. "Sleep well?" Alex puts the glass down and Jenna nods her head.

"Yes, thank you," Jenna says. "I thought you would be back later."

"I just had to pick something up from Jayden, I told him I couldn't stay long," Alex says. "He won't be coming around, his dad is having him do some stuff for him." Jenna nods her head. "But uh Santino will be coming, I texted him to bring some liquor."

"I don't think I've ever properly met Santino," Jenna says.

"Then it's probably time for the two of you to meet," Alex says. "I uh forgot to get food by the way, but I'm just going to text Santino to bring something to eat as well." Alex takes out her phone and unlocks it.

"It's okay, I can call for a pizza," Jenna says, Alex sends the message to Santino and locks her phone.

"It's fine, we'll do pizza another night," Alex says, she picks up the vodka bottle. "Want a glass?"

"Uh yes," Jenna says, Alex takes out another glass and fills it as well, she pushes it towards Jenna. "Thank you."

"No problem," Alex says picking up her own glass.

"And for letting me stay here," Jenna says.

"You know I'd do anything for you, Jenna," Alex says. "I'm really thankful that you stayed by my side even when I tried my hardest to push you away."

"You tried pushing me away? I didn't even notice." Jenna says jokingly.

"Oh my hardest, but you wouldn't budge," Alex says and takes a sip from her glass.

"You needed somebody." Jenna states. "My only regret is not meeting you sooner, maybe I could have helped more."

"The past is the past, let's leave it where it belongs," Alex says. "Tell you what, lets both get drunk as hell, and I know, I know it's only midday, but we don't have anyone to please today."

"I'm being an awful adult by saying sure, but I really need this, so why not?" Jenna says.

•••

Alex and Jenna were completely and utterly drunk in the living room, the front door opens and closes before Santino appeared in the living room holding bags containing with food and liquor.

"I see I arrived just in time for the party." Santino states, Alex looks at Santino and a huge smile tugged at the corner of her lips.

"Santino, you're here!" Alex says loudly, standing from the couch she stumbles towards Santino. "I want you to meet somebody." She wraps an arm around his neck and looks over her shoulder at Jenna. "Santino, this is Jenna, Jenna this is Santino Iglesias." Santino gave a heartwarming smile at Jenna. "He's Italian and very good in bed," Alex whispers but failed miserably.

"I believe you," Jenna says eyeing Santino. "Nice to meet you, Santino."

"Trust me, the pleasure is all mine," Santino says. "You are one Bella Donna."

"I don't speak Italian, but I don't know who Bella is," Jenna says causing Alex to laugh.

"Beautiful woman," Alex says, she had once heard him say it to someone else and asked him what it meant.

"May I ask why you two are drunk?" Santino asks.

"I'm supporting her because she's been lied to." Alex slurs out. "If you could help her get her mind off things for a while?" Alex hints at him, she knew just how good he was at getting at making the stress disappear. "Or you can leave." Santino looks between the two women. "I won't be participating, I always have you, she needs it more."

"I will gladly help," Santino says, Alex unwraps her arm from his neck and stumbles back to the couch while Santino walks into the kitchen to put the food in the fridge and get a glass of bourbon for himself.