Bienvenue

Chapter Seven

CHAPTER SEVEN:

Hours later, Elijah entered her bedroom to find her on the bed with Klaus. The hybrid was comfortably lounging against the pillows, and she was sitting in the center of the bed, her legs crossed. 

Rendered speechless, Elijah remained in the doorway. Well, good. He was silent last night when Klaus was declaring his plans to kill her, he should be silent now as well.

“Brother,” greeted Klaus. “What time is it?”

Elijah forced his gaze down to his watch abruptly. He cleared his throat. “A little after seven. I was coming to wake…”

He didn’t know which name to address her with, if any.

“Dawn,” Klaus supplied. “We-- she’s decided she wants to be called Dawn. It’s not fair to stick her with what might be another girl’s name.”

“Dawn…” Elijah rolled her name on her tongue. “Hmm, it’s a beautiful name. Very fitting, I suppose.”

That was what she’d thought, but she didn’t want to share their similarities out loud. 

Klaus had figured out her resentment of Elijah’s inaction last night during their talk. Was it last night? Did it count as this morning?

“Have you gotten any sleep?” Elijah asked, frowning. 

“No,” Klaus answered when she didn’t. “We’ve lost track of time.”

“Doing what? Talking?” Something like mockery tainted his voice.

“Yes, talking,” Klaus mocked right back. “Something she seems not to be doing with you at the moment.”

Turning to her, Dawn, Elijah frowned slightly. “You’re not talking to me?”

“I don’t like you anymore,” she announced, narrowing her eyes at him. Klaus barked a laugh and stretched on the bed like it was the funniest thing ever. She glared at him too but he wasn’t fazed.

From the regret on Elijah’s face, he knew exactly why. “I understand. And I came here to apologize.”

She made her eyes widen. “Apologize for what?”

“For being blind,” Elijah said. “For judging you. As Elena and then Katherine. I let my personal vendettas against them affect you and I’m sorry for that. If tomorrow we find out that you are either of them, it won’t change anything. I’ll still treat and respect you as the Dawn I know.”

She was holding her breath. Only when Klaus touched her hand briefly brought her out of her thoughts. He stared pointedly at her. He wanted her to make up with his brother. 

“If you’d excuse me.” He’d brushed up against on his way to get up. “I have to somewhere else now. If anything comes up, call for me,” he told Dawn. 

“I will.” Somehow she trusted he’d come. “Thank you, Klaus. For the company. I had a good time.”

Elijah looked incredulously at his brother, but Klaus only had eyes for her. He came back to the bed and took her hand. A giddy feeling rushed her as he raised it to press a kiss against the back of her hand. It felt amazing.

“It was my pleasure,” he murmured against her skin. Those full, reddened lips turning up into a smile. Dimples made their appearance. “We’ll have lunch together, Dawn.”

He clasped both hands around her, squeezing once before letting go. She was too mystified and confused by her body’s reaction for him to notice the look exchanged between him and Elijah. After he was gone, Elijah relaxed his shoulders.