Chapter Text
Elena was sitting with Jeremy at the place he was staying at in Denver. She told him about her and Klaus. She figured he should hear it from her before Bonnie or Alaric told him. He became very quiet after she told him. He hadn't said a word in about five minutes. It was starting to make her very nervous. “Jeremy, say something please.”
Jeremy didn't know what to say. This was literally the last thing he was expecting to hear. His sister could have told him she grew wings, and he would have expected to hear that before he expected to hear this. This came completely out of left field. Elena hated Klaus. He'd made all their lives hell. What could have gone wrong that should now be involved with him? Had he compelled her? Was he threatening her? “I don't understand. You're romantically involved with Klaus? Is he forcing you?”
“No. I chose to get involved with him,” Elena said.
“Why? I haven't been gone that long. What could have changed in such a short amount of time? You hated Klaus,” Jeremy said. He was trying to understand, but this was just crazy to him.
“A lot changed. I changed, Jeremy. I didn't have a choice. It was like I had become everyone's doormat. I've forgiven so much and all it did was get me betrayed again,” Elena said a bit bitterly.
“Betrayed by who? What happened?” Jeremy asked. Given the bitterness in her voice, he knew something big had happened. Someone had pushed her too far.
“Stefan. He became consumed with revenge. You know how he stole Klaus's coffins. Well, when that wasn't enough, he came after me. He decided to deprive Klaus of his blood supply. He force fed me his blood and threatened to drive me off the same bridge that killed our parents,” Elena told her brother.
“He what?!” Jeremy asked angrily. He was furious. That bridge had been traumatising for Elena. It had for both of them, but she was actually there when their parents died. Stefan threatening to do that to her was unforgivable.
“He was going to do it. Even after Klaus gave in, Stefan still almost took me over that bridge. At first, I was hurt. Then I was furious. I sat on that bridge for a while. All I could think about was what a fool I was,” Elena told him.
You're not a fool,” Jeremy told her.
“Yes, I was. I should have known that Stefan was lost to me. Hell, he never really loved me at all. He couldn't if he could do that to me. I promised myself on that bridge that I would not be a fool again. More than that, I wouldn't be his fool. I found myself at the Grill not long after that. Klaus was there. We talked and drank. I wanted revenge. I wanted to hurt Stefan. I also wanted to make absolutely certain there was no going back. The only way I knew to do that was with the one person he hated the most,” Elena explained.
“Klaus. So that's why you're with him? You are with him to hurt Stefan?” Jeremy asked. He could understand that. He was no stranger to seeking revenge.
“No. That's why I was with him the first night, but I kept sleeping with him. I told myself it was just sex. That's what I've been telling myself since that first night,” Elena said.
Jeremy cringed a little. He didn't exactly enjoy talking about his sister's sex life. He wouldn't enjoy that on a normal day, let alone when they were also talking about Klaus. “Are you in love with him?”
“No, I wouldn't call it that. I don't know what I'd call it, but I can no longer pretend that I don't have feelings for him,” Elena said.
“Elena, I don't know how to feel about this. Klaus isn't a good person. He killed Jenna. He killed you,” Jeremy said.
Elena nodded. She couldn't chastise Jeremy for bringing up Jenna like she had Ric and Bonnie. He had every right to bring it up. Unlike the others, he wasn't using it to manipulate her. He was just trying to express how he was feeling. “I know. I haven't forgotten what happened to Jenna. Even if I had, my so-called friends won't let me. Ric told me that Jenna would be ashamed of me.”
“That... That's not what I was trying to say. That's not true. Jenna loved you. She would never be ashamed of anything you did to make your life better. If anything should be worried about you. I just want you to understand that he's not a good guy,” Jeremy said.
Elena laughed bitterly. “I’ve tried the supposed good guy before. It didn't exactly work out for me.”
“Do you think this will? Do you think this is going to be a long-term relationship, Elena?” Jeremy asked. He was genuinely asking. He wanted to know what was in his sister's heart. He wanted to know just how much she cared about Klaus.
“I don't know. I've barely accepted that my interest in Klaus isn't just physical. I don't know what the future is going to hold. I'm not sure I even want to. I like living in the moment. It’s nice not to think about how every decision I make will affect the future. I used to do that with Stefan. I don’t have to with Klaus. We don’t worry about what will happen later,” Elena said.
“What about your blood? What if he’s just using you for access to it?” Jeremy asked. He was worried about his sister. She’d just cut a guy loose because he hurt her. He didn’t want to see that happen again, and he didn’t trust Klaus to truly care for his sister.
Elena laughed. “Jer, if he wanted my blood, he’d take it. He wouldn’t have to go to this much trouble. As it happens, he hasn’t mentioned it since right after we got together.” The last time Klaus had mentioned her blood was right after they had sex the first time. He’d told her he’d use her blood whenever he wanted, but that was the last she’d heard about it. It was something they should probably discuss if things were going to go further.
“I don’t like it,” Jeremy said.
‘I know,” Elena said. She knew he’d hate it. She was worried he might even hat her for it.
“But who you’re going to be with is your choice. Even if I think it’s a bad choice, I don’t get tell you not to make it,” Jeremy said.
“Thank you. You’re one of the few to see it that way,” Elena said. Aside from Caroline, Matt, and now Jeremy, everyone seemed to think they had the right to tell her that she was wrong for wanting to be with Klaus. They didn’t respect her choice.
“But I’m coming home,” Jeremy said firmly.
“Jeremy, no. You’re happy here. You’re safe and away from all of the chaos that Mystic Falls brings,” Elena said.
Jeremy shook his head. “There’s no way I’m staying here while you let Klaus further into your life. I respect your choice, but I’m going to be there if things go bad. Besides, there’s nothing more I need to be kept safe from, right? Klaus was the threat. If he cares about you, he’s not a threat anymore.
Elena sighed, but she didn’t argue. She would like having him home. She felt kind of alone in the house now that she’d kicked Alaric out. “Okay. You should know I kicked Ric out.”
“I can’t blame you for that after what you told me. He had no right to use Jenna to manipulate you. I’m going to pack my things. I’ll be ready in a couple of hours,” Jeremy said before heading out of the room.
Xxxxxxxxxxx
Elena and Jeremy made it home the next evening. They stopped and stayed at a motel a few hours after they left to get some sleep before driving the rest of the way home. Not long after she got home, there was a knock on the door. She immediately went to answer and found Klaus there. “Hi. You didn’t say you were coming over when I let you know I’d gotten in.”
“I didn’t want to take the chance that you’d tell me not to. I wanted to make sure you were all right and that things went as well as you said,” Klaus told her.
“Things went fine, Klaus. Jeremy obviously isn’t happy, but he respects my decision,” Elena said.
“Excellent. May I come in?” Klaus asked. He had yet to be invited into Elena’s home. Now that they were no longer pretending that things between them were just physical, he hoped she’d trust him enough to let him inside.
“Uh… Jeremy, can you come down for a second?” Elena called out to her brother. She was okay with letting Klaus inside, but not without Jeremy’s permission. This was his home too. She wanted him to feel safe.
Jeremy came down a second later. He stiffened for a minute when he saw Klaus, but he forced himself to relax. He supposed he was going to have to get used to Klaus being around for a while. “What’s up?”
“Are you okay with me inviting Klaus inside. If not, it’s fine. We’ll go somewhere else,” Elena said.
“It’s fine. I trust your judgement,” Jeremy said. He didn’t exactly like it, but he did trust Elena. If she believed Klaus was safe to be let in the house, he would trust her.
Elena nodded and turned back to Klaus. “First, I need you to promise me that no matter what happens between us in the future, you will never hurt my brother or anyone else I care about.”
“You have my word, love,” Klaus promised.
Elena stepped aside. “Come in.”
Klaus smiled and stepped inside.
Jeremy walked all the way downstairs and stopped when he was directly in front of Klaus. “I don’t care how indestructible you are. If you ever hurt my sister, I will find a way to end you.”
“Understood,” Klaus said. The boy couldn’t hurt him, but he respected the sentiment enough not to point that out.
Jeremy turned to Elena. “I’ll be back. I’m going to go catch up with Matt.”
“Okay,” Elena said before watching him leave.
“Your brother has much more respect than your so-called friends,” Klaus commented.
“Yeah. I guess we should talk,” Elena said before leading the way to the living room. They both sat down on the couch. “I didn’t expect this to happen. I didn’t want to care about you.”
“I don’t think either of us expected this,” Klaus said.
“I should hate you for what you did to my aunt, and a part of me does. You killed my aunt in front of me,” Elena said.
“Elena…”
“I don’t want to discuss it, Klaus. I don’t want to talk about Jenna. I know you’re sorry for hurting me, but it doesn’t change what happened. I don’t know if I’ll ever forgive you for it, but I want to move on from it. The only way you and I have any kind of chance is if I move on from it, so that’s what I’m going to try to do,” Elena said.
“Alright,” Klaus said.
“Like I said, I don’t want to care about you, but I do, so much so that I can’t ignore it. However, if things between us are going to be real, we need to get some things straight. First of all, you don’t get to use my blood whenever you feel like it. That is not the kind of relationship I will have with anyone again. No one will force me to do anything,” Elena said firmly.
“I haven’t attempted to use your blood, have I?” Klaus asked.
“No, you haven’t. You haven’t even brought it up since that first morning, but it needed to be addressed. If you want my blood, ask, and I will decide if I want to give it to you,” Elena said.
“Agreed,” Klaus said. It wasn’t a hard thing to agree to. He’d already decided that he wouldn’t take her blood again without her permission.
“I won’t be forced into anything. I won’t be stifled for my ‘protection.’ Feel free to share your opinion with me if you think I’m wrong about something, but I won’t be talked down to or belittled,” Elena said.
“I am not a Salvatore, love. I have no need to put you down to make myself feel better. I am no hero, and I have no need to make myself one. I happen to like you as you are. I wouldn’t change it for the world. You will decide what you want from your life and who will be in it,” Klaus told her.
“Thank you,” Elena said. That was why she was able to look past Klaus’ flaws when she couldn’t her friends. He might be an awful person, but he respected her when they didn’t. He never tried to decide for her or get her to turn on the people she invited into her life.
“It’s my turn now. I’m not a good person, Elena. I never will be. I will always treat you with respect and make sure that you and your loved ones are safe, but I am who I am,” Klaus said.
“I know who you are, Klaus. I don’t want to change you anymore than I’d let you change me. Just treat me like your equal,” Elena said.
“Always. I think only one thing remains. Will you allow me to take you to dinner tomorrow night?”
Elena smiled. It would be there first real date, she supposed. Dinner with his family and the ball didn’t count. “I’d like that.”
“Excellent. I’ll pick you up around six,” Klaus said before standing up.
Elena got up as well and grabbed his arm as he stared to leave. “Who said you could leave?”
Klaus turned around just in time to be pulled into a soft kiss, which he quickly returned. “My apologies, love. I don’t know what I was thinking.”
“You’re forgiven,” Elena said before kissing him again. She then took his hand and led out of the room and up the stairs to her bedroom.