SAFE & SOUND | THE ORIGINALS

three

After speaking to Elijah alone and managing to make him see the truth, Alana had been invited to stay the night. She graciously accepted, later explaining the reason behind not being able to go back to her home.

Soon after coming clean to her granddaughter, Alana's grandmother had died leaving the teenager with the Mikaelson's as her only family.

The days had turned into weeks, the family had welcomed the teenager with open arms, and she had embraced them in return.

Rebekah had been the easiest to get along with; the two bonded over their mutual love of shopping and the finer things in life. Her youngest uncle, Kol, hadn't been around much but he got along with his niece just fine, as did her oldest aunt, Freya.

Klaus had had a difficult time wrapping his head around the situation, but after being assured countless times that Alana was not a threat and that it was possible for Elijah to be her father the pair got along swimmingly. In fact they got along so well Elijah often found himself jealous.

He had tried to get to know her better, to bond with her, on numerous occasions but she didn't make it easy for him.

Elijah let out a sigh as he entered the kitchen, spotting Alana sitting at the counter from the corner of his eye.

Her sandy brown hair was tied up in a ponytail as she twirled her pen between her slim fingers.

"Need help?" He looked at his daughter over his shoulder.

"Are you any good at algebra?" Alana raised an eyebrow.

"Hopeless, actually."

"That makes two of us."

A ghost of a smile appeared on her plump lips, a quiet laugh shared between them filling the room. Her soft giggle sounded melodic, like the angels had come down from heaven and were singing praises.

Words couldn't describe how blessed he felt to have Alana in his life, even if it were a little late. Even if he had failed to tell her this sooner.

The room silenced quickly, Alana chewing on her bottom lip, a nervous habit she had picked up as a child.

"I – I don't mean to be rude or anything, but I really have to get this finished," she pointed down at the textbook on the counter with her pen.

"Oh, of course," Elijah couldn't help but feel a little bit hurt. "I will leave you to it, then."

Alana felt guilty for shutting him out like she had been, but she wasn't sure how she was supposed to act around him. She barely knew him, after all. That was partly her fault, yes, but she wasn't entirely to blame. Every time she tried to talk to her father he was busy with Hayley or Klaus or his niece Hope.

In her mind he seemed to be  so busy dealing with everyone else's problems that he was neglecting his own daughter. In his she was simply shutting him out for reasons unknown to him.