Willow ↠ Elijah Mikaelson

37

The alarm went off dead on 4am, and Willow woke up.

She sat up and grabbed her phone from the bedside table, turning it off and throwing it on the bed. Did the clock say 4am? Her eyes squinted as she couldn't believe it. Why was she awake at 4am?

Willow rubbed her eyes and stood up, walking past the suitcase and threw canvas bags filled with her things and walked to the hung up pair of jeans and a long sleeved shirt.

She could feel an overwhelming sadness inside of her, but she didn't know why.

The girl lifted the shirt off the hanger and held it for a few seconds, though something else caught her attention. There was just a crack between the curtains, and in the black morning, before the sun was even rising, she could see white flurries.

It was snowing, Willow peaked through the curtains, keeping them shut, believing she needed to lay low. It reminded her that Christmas Day was tomorrow.

"It's snowing" she turned around and Elijah was stood there, he came out of nowhere. "It's actually snowing, I love the snow"

Elijah stepped forward and smiled at her childlike wonder.

Willow turned back around to him, looking at what was in his hand. A small box, wrapped in a red ribbon.

"What's that?" She asked, holding her shirt to her chest as if she were hugging it.

"I bought you this a few weeks ago, I thought you'd love it, I was going to leave it under the tree tomorrow, but I don't think we're going to get that opportunity" he said "you can open it"

She took it from his hands, carefully pinching the edge of the ribbon and pulling it undone until it fell on the floor. She then opened the box and revealed a gorgeous silver locket.

"It's beautiful" she stuttered "y-you shouldn't have"

"I know, but you deserve the world and it's wonders. I'm just sorry I can only give you this now. But in good time, you will have the world" he smiled, and she would, she would have the world in the palm of her hands, even if it was without Elijah.

"Can you-" she went to ask but Elijah was already taking the necklace from the box and walking behind her.

Willow felt the cold pendant on her chest and shivers as Elijah's hands skimmed the back of her neck as he clipped it on.

"Is there anything inside?" She asked, working her fingers around to attempt to open it

"You don't open it" he said, compelling her. He wasn't sure the mechanics of compulsion against her, vervain was in her bloodstream and always had been, it was strange. Maybe he needed to ask Freya why. "you only open it when you think you are in danger, okay?"

"Okay" she nodded, letting go of the necklace and letting it hit her chest. Forgetting completely about her impulse to open it.

"Merry Christmas, Willow" He told her

"Why aren't I going to be here tomorrow?" She asked like a puppy, her head tilted to the side as if she had been brainwashed.

"Because you're going to be in a completely different and better place, do you understand me?" He asked

Willow nodded "completely" she said which only made Elijah chuckle at how subdued she was. If she weren't under his compulsion, she'd be running up a storm.

"Get dressed" he told her, stepping back to give her some space "I'll make you a hot drink and then we'll hit the road"

"How long will it take?" She asked

"It should be 12 hours, however with my driving, I'm sure we'd make it there by 2pm" he winked.

"Elijah" she took back his attention as he went to walk out, he turned around and was caught immediately by her lips. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders in what they knew to be their last kiss. Elijah couldn't handle kissing her goodbye, he'd have to let her out of the car and drive away, otherwise he'd change his mind.

He just kept reminding himself of her on the floor, covered in blood. He reminded himself of he way he felt, circling her like a helpless puppy. And then his mind had cleared again.

"I love you" she told him, it was like deep deep down, she knew that she was never going to see him again. And she was devastated.

Elijah fell silent. Did he want to say it back? Of course he wanted to, but was it a good idea?

"You're not going to say it back" her hands touched his chest as she looked up at him "I don't know why, but I can feel that you aren't right, have I done something?"

"It's not you" Elijah shook his head, "it's just- I'm just- I'm not having a great day" he told her "but I love you too"

It was very anti climactic, the way he said it to her, it made Willow just want to push him away and ask him why they were even together. But were they even together anymore? He didn't spend the night in her bed, he was forced to tell her he loved her. What was going on? Her mind was all muddled.

"Get dressed, I'll take your things to the car" he said. Elijah lifted her bags and walked out of the room with them.

He'd have to take the compulsion off her mind, for the ride there. She wasn't the willow he knew, Elijah knew he'd have to compel her to stay calm, but he needed those final moments.

Foreigner's God - Hozier