Absolution [ELIJAH MIKAELSON] [2] [COMPLETED]

LXXVI - ALWAYS AND FOREVER

FIVE MONTHS LATER...

   "I don't know." Audrey said in an uncertain tone, clutching a wine glass filled with non-alcoholic cider in her hands. "He might not want to right now. It hasn't been that long since...you know."

   Caroline simply gave her a look, taking a sip from her own glass. "Are you sure that's non-alcoholic?" She raised a brow. "Because you being in the slightest bit drunk is the only way I can explain that nonsense that just came out of your mouth."

   Audrey tried to keep a flat look on her face, but a smile was slowly twitching at the corners of her lips, causing the blonde to grin at her innocently. With a small scoff, she grabbed a grape from the bowl on the counter and tossed it at her, making the the Forbes-Salvatore woman laugh as she caught it with ease. With Caroline in France on a business trip for the school, Audrey had invited her to come and stay with them in Manosque for a few days, knowing full well she wanted to see the house in person instead of just pictures. 

   Upon leaving New Orleans, Audrey and Elijah knew they still wanted to go through with the plans they'd made for their little family, and had moved to France just like planned. Manosque was just as beautiful as Elijah had always described to her, making it easy to see why he loved it there so much. There wasn't the threat of a faction war brewing like there was in New Orleans, nor any of the chaos that came with living there or even living in Mystic Falls. It was peaceful, calm, surrounded by miles and miles of countryside. They'd made a home for themselves in manor on the edge of town, which was definitely too big for them, but it left room for them to have guests over to stay.

   It had been the garden the house had which won them over, as the moment she it, Mira was in love. There was room for her to run around and play, and a slim stream ran down middle out into the fields beyond the fence, which looked serene surrounded by the different types of flowers that had grown next to the stones and rocks. Over the five months they'd been living there, they'd made it into the home that they had always wanted, and it soon became hard for them to picture living anywhere but there. It had been a project that came as a nice distraction to not being able to see the rest of the family like they used to be able to,  and while it was a hard change to get used to, they were slowly moving forward with their lives. 

   "It it not nonsense." Audrey defended, rubbing her hand in circles across her growing baby bump as she felt small kicks in her side. "Besides that, we have nothing prepared--"

   "Oh, please." Caroline cut her off with a wave of her hand. "You two have been engaged for years now. What do you think I've been doing all this time? With the help of our scrapbook, I can have everything organized and ready to go with a few phone calls."

   Audrey wasn't in the slightest bit surprised, and the smile she'd been fighting before broke out in full force. "Of course you do."

   "I know it's not going to be exactly as you guys probably envisioned it." Caroline began gently, placing her hand on top of hers. "But you have been waiting so long for it, and for the first time in years, there is no crisis standing in your way. I may not be as close with the Mikaelsons as you are--" Audrey opened her mouth to make a comment, but the sharp look she received from Caroline quickly made her shut it. "--but I think they'd tell you both you should go for it, just like I am. Even if they can't be there."