The book was very interesting. Both Elijah and Julie learnt many things. But it was also very scary. Two elements Julie might be able to control could turn her into a real monster.

"Don't worry about it, you'll be fine." Elijah told her before he kissed the top of her head. But it didn't make her feel better.

Controlling fire, water, nature and air was becoming as easy as breathing. Getting control over electricity and ice was tricky. Darkness and light were two elements she started to believe she couldn't control. She tried and tried again but nothing happened.

Elijah took her everywhere. Every museum, every gallery, the most expansive shops and restaurants. After a while, they had gotten used to being alone, just the two of them. But the day Elijah was dreading finally came; his phone rang.

"What's wrong?" Julie asked when she saw him approach. She was on her laptop, going through apartments in Los Angeles where they had decided to settle for a while.

"Niklaus..."

She saw how worried he looked, she immediately closed the laptop and got up.

"What happened?"

"The Salvatores have him."

"Have him? What do you mean?"

"My mother came back to Mystic Falls and turned Alaric Saltzman into a vampire hunter. Elena's life has been linked to his so..."

"If one dies the other dies too," she nodded. "What happened to Nik?"

"They did to him what they did my father. The Salvatores left town with him."

"We need to go back and find them."

"Are you sure?" Elijah frowned.

"Sure?" she repeated, confused. "Of course I'm sure. Let's go."

They packed as quickly as possible and got into the car and they drove back to Mystic Falls, only stopping for gas.

When they finally arrived they were both tired but it didn't matter. What mattered was stopping Alaric and finding Klaus. It was night when they parked in front of Elena's house.

"We can't trust them," Julie reminded him as they got out of the car.

"I know," he nodded, walking towards the front door.

"I don't like your plan."

"I know. You keep telling me," he said. "Don't worry, you're in no danger. As I understand it, he's only after my siblings and I."

"You think I'm worried about me?" she asked, loud. "I'm worried about you."

Elijah stopped in front of the door and looked down at his girlfriend. He gave her a small smile he wanted reassuring but she wasn't fooled by it. "I'll be fine. I've been fine for a thousand years," he reminded her.

"If you die, I swear I'm gonna kill them all," she told him which made him lose his smile.

"Don't do that," he said, taking her face in his hands. "Don't become a monster to get revenge for me, you promise me?"

"I'll never promise you that," she shook her head. "If anyone hurts you, I'll hurt them. And I'm pretty sure you'll do the same for me."

"I would," he nodded. "But I'm already a monster. It's too late for me."

Julie punched his shoulder. "How many times am I gonna have to tell you? You are no monster."

Elijah sighed and then smiled. "At least one more time," he said before he kissed her forehead.

He knocked on the door and Elena opened. She was surprised to see them. They didn't wait for an invitation and entered the house. Elena backed away, nervous.

"Stefan," she called.

Stefan came out from the kitchen and his face took a serious look when he saw the Original vampire.

"Elijah."

"Hello again," Elijah smiled.

"We need to talk," Julie said.

Elena looked up at Stefan who nodded.

"Please, come in," she said. Elijah closed the door and followed them to the kitchen. They sat at the dinner table and started talking.

"All we need is to take the stake away from him. Once he's been disarmed and the weapon is in my possession, my family will scatter to the end of the Earth and Alaric will follow us."

"And you'll just...run?" Stefan asked, doubtful.

"We've done it before," Elijah answered. "Klaus and Rebekah spent the better part of a thousand years evading my father. What's another half century while Elena's able to live out the rest of her natural life?" Even though it broke his heart to even think about Julie running from Alaric the rest of her natural life with him, deep down, he was hoping he'll get more than just half a century with her. He knew it was selfish, but he couldn't let her go.

"We finally stopped him, Elijah. After everything that he's done to us, I can't jut let you bring him back."

"It's not like you have a choice," Julie told her with a threatening tone.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Stefan asked.

Julie shrugged. "I'd be more than happy to burn this house to the ground with you in it if it means not only Alaric dies but also getting Nik back."

That's what Elijah was afraid of. That's why he was persuaded that she had the element of darkness in her.

"It won't have to come to this," Elijah said, taking her hand to calm her. "I give you my word, Elena. I will not revive Klaus within yours, nor even within your children lifetimes."

"What?" Julie shouted.

"Perhaps it'll finally teach him so manners," he said.

"Are you kidding me?"

"Why should she trust you?" Matt asked. "All you've done is screw her over."

"Oh, no," Julie laughed. "You can't talk to us about trust, ok?"

"And for that, I'm deeply ashamed," Elijah said, cutting her off. Julie rolled her eyes and sighed. "But know this, she could have been dead the instant I walked through that door tonight."

"She still can," Julie mumbled.

"So, Elena, I leave it to you to make the decision whether to trust me or not."

"Not! Hello!" Damon's voice came front the speaker of Stefan's phone. "Did that concussion give you brain damage? His lunatic siblings will kill you the first chance they get if Julie doesn't do it first!"

"Rebekah and Kol will honor the terms if you return Klaus's body to us, Elena will come to no harm."

"What about Julie?" Stefan asked.

"I can't talk for her but I trust if you return my brother's body she won't hurt any of you," he said, looking down at her. She didn't reply, she just shrugged. "Do we have a deal?" Elijah asked.

"No, no, no, no! Did I mention, no?" Damon said.

Stefan's phone suddenly exploded.

"As you can see, no isn't an option," Julie grinned.

"Why do you want Klaus's body?" Elena asked.

"He's my brother. We remain together," he answered, squeezing Julie's hand.

Elena sighed. "We have a deal."