Over the past few days Lily stayed out of the supernatural drama, sticking close to Jenna as Jeremy mostly stayed with Bonnie. Lily was determined to keep her tiny family safe from the drama that comes with being a doppelganger. It was 10 in the morning and Lily was currently on her way out to get coffee when she passed by Bonnie, Jeremy and Elena and right into a barrier on the door. 

"The hell?" She asked, turning to Bonnie. 

"We're trying to stop both of you from being stupid." Bonnie said to the girl who frowned. 

"I'm being stupid by going to get coffee?" Lily asked the girl who sighed. 

"Elena went to try and turn herself over to Klaus. We're making sure both of you don't try something like that again." Jeremy told her and Lily rolled her eyes, turning back to the spell. She placed her hand on the barrier and muttered a few words before her hand went right through. 

"I won't be contained. But she certainly can." Lily said, stepping through the door just as Elena rushed to leave, only to hit the barrier straight in the face. "Damn, faced." She grimaced, shaking her head. "I'm getting coffee, I'll be back later." 

~~~~ 

When Lily walked back into the house she was met with Elena coming down the stairs, and Jenna going through the hall closet. 

"Hey, what are you doing?" Lily questioned as she closed the door. 

"Perfect timing." Jenna said, handing over a box to Elena. 

"What is this stuff?" Elena questioned with a frown. 

"Your mom's files from the Historical Society. I got roped into helping Mrs. Lockwood and by roped, I mean very excited to participate." Jenna said, and Lily gave her an amused look as the woman stood up and closed the closet door, revealing Elijah standing there. Elena jumped slightly, and Lily just stared at the man boredly. 

"Hey, I'm Elijah." The man said to them. 

"Elijah's in town doing research on Mystic Falls." Jenna informed them as Elijah moved closer to them, holding out his hand. 

"It's a pleasure." He told them and they shook hands. 

"So you're welcome to stay here and rummage through this stuff or Lily, Elena and I could help you load it into your car." Jenna offered. 

"Or I can get someone to pick it up tomorrow." Elijah said and Jenna nodded. 

"Also a good plan." Jenna agreed and Elijah started heading for the door. 

"Thank you so much for inviting me into your home, Jenna; and Lily and Elena... I hope to see you again sometime soon." He told them before leaving, and Elena ran up the stairs as Lily turned to Jenna. 

"Need some help?" Lily asked as Jeremy walked down the stairs, and they both turned to him. 

"I think I'm good." Jenna said and they both laughed in amusement as Lily nodded and walked up stairs to Elena's room, finding her and Elijah sitting there talking. 

"Forgive the intrusion. I mean your family no harm." The original said, looking between the girls. 

"Why did you kill those vampires when they tried to take me?" Elena questioned. 

"Because I didn't want you to be taken. Klaus is the most feared and hated of the Originals, but those that fear him are desperate for his approval. If word gets out that the doppelgangers exists, there'll be a line of vampires eager to take you to him and I can't have that." Elijah told them and Lily snorted in amusement. 

"I take it you're not completely up to date with the times then? This face is all over the news." Lily told the man, holding up her phone to show news articles about how famous she was, before looking at them. "Wait a sec, they think I've got a drug problem?" She asked, going into zero focus on her phone as she scrolled through. 

"Isn't that exactly what you're trying to do?" Elena asked the vampire, rolling her eyes at her twin. 

"Let's just say that my goal is not to break the curse." Elijah said and Lily froze slightly before continuing on, something that Elijah noticed while Elena stayed clueless. 

"So, what is your goal?" Elena questioned him. 

"Klaus' obsession has made him paranoid. He's a recluse. He trusts only those in his immediate circle." Elijah said, still eyeing Lily. 

"Like you?" Elena questioned. 

"Like me..." Lily muttered before wincing as she glanced at Elijah who obviously heard her. "Damn..." She muttered. 

"Not anymore." Elijah answered Elena. 

"You don't know where he is, do you? So you're trying to use me to draw him out." 

"Well, to do that I need you to stay put and stop trying to get yourself killed." Elijah told the dull doppelgangers as Lily scoffed. 

"Good luck with that." 

"How do I know you're telling the truth?" 

"If I wasn't being truthful, all your family would be dead and I'd be taking you to Klaus right now. Instead, I'm here and I'm prepared to offer you a deal." 

"Touch a hair on their heads N- Klaus will be the least of your worry's." Lily said, forcing herself to say the villainous name instead of the nickname she called him by. 

"What kind of a deal?" Elena asked the man, ignoring her sister. 

"Do nothing. Do nothing, live your life, stop fighting and then, when the time is right, you and I shall draw out Klaus together and I shall make sure your friends remain unharmed." He promised. 

"And family." Lily told the man, finally looking up, a harsh glare on her face. 

"And family." He agreed. 

"And then what?" Elena asked, frowning. 

"Then I kill him." Elijah stated. 

"Just like that?" Lily asked, doubting very seriously that he'll do it. 

"Just like that. I'm a man of my word. I make a deal, I keep a deal." He told them. 

"How Noble, Elijah." Lily said, rolling her eyes, and with that one word his suspicions were all but confirmed. 

"How are you gonna be able to keep everybody safe?" Elena asked, once again ignoring her sister's commentary. 

"I notice you have a friend; Bonnie, is it? She seems to possess the gift of magic. I have friends with similar gifts." 

"You know witches." Elena said simply. 

"Yes, well, Bon Bon isn't the only witch of the group." Lily said, playing with her talisman. 

"Together, we can protect everybody that matters to you. So, do we have a deal?" Elijah asked, looking between them. 

"I only came home for Jeremy and Jenna, to protect them. As long as both are alive- not one, both, I'll be more than happy to sit and do nothing. But Jer and Jen come first to me. The second one of them turns up hurt, or worse, I'll be out for blood. It doesn't matter who's blood, I'll be out for it." Lily told the man coldly, and he nodded in understanding. 

"I need you to do one more thing for me." Elena told the man after a second when they turned to her. 

"We're negotiating now?" Elijah questioned. 

"I need you to get Stefan out of the tomb. He went in to get the moonstone, he's stuck with Katherine now." Elena told him and Lily rolled her eyes. 

"You could have just asked me." Lily said to the girl. 

"Like you would have said yes, you've made it very clear how you feel about me." Elena told the girl who rolled her eyes. 

"Doesn't mean I'd let Stefan suffer just because you and him are banging. But fine, go with his witch, I couldn't care less. I'll talk to you girls later." She said before walking out of the room and into hers. 

It was only a few minutes later when Elijah walked into her room. 

"Miss-" 

"Your wallet and phone are on the table." She said, cutting him off. Knowing exactly why he wanted to talk, but was trying to avoid it. 

"Thank you, but-" 

"I only spent enough money for a couple of pizza's and a new lap top, I swear." She told him and he gave her an amused look. 

"Alright, but-" 

"Do you think I should put some color in my hair? That way people won't keep calling me Elena?" 

"That would be a personal preference I suppose. But-" 

"Do you think I'd look good with blonde hair?" She asked him, looking at the hair that she pulled between her two fingers. "I've always thought about it, you know? But I've never really had the time or reason to do it. Maybe I should one day this summer. If I'm still alive that is." She ranted out to him. 

"Maybe. Miss Gilbert-" 

"Call me Lily, it's my name. It was mom's favorite flower." She continued cutting him off. 

"Alright, Lily it is. But I really must talk to you about something." He said and she nodded. 

"Shoot." She told him. 

"What did you mean when you said-" 

"That I came back for Jenna and Jeremy? I love them more than Elena, I thought I made that clear." Lily said with a frown. 

"No, I meant-" 

"When I said I'm a witch? It's strange. No one can explain it, I'm the only one in our family. Who knows-" 

"Lily, please." He said to her, getting annoyed and she finally sighed and nodded, knowing this was coming sooner or later. She magically closed her door before walking over to the corner desk and pulling out some sage, and then burning it throughout the room. 

"Talk." She said, setting it down in the tray. 

"What did you mean when you said that you were in Klaus's inner circle?" He finally questioned and she sighed. 

"Last year I was on tour in England, when I met a man. He was older, handsome, and very interested in me. Looking back it was kind of strange how we seemed to click so fast, but we did. And after that we just started dating. By month two he told me he was a vampire, and helped me find a witches talisman to help with my magic. By month three we were living together in California. Month four we were saying I love you. Month six we had a puppy named Jack. Month seven he started getting depressed and it worried me, I thought he was going to break up with me or something. Month eight he found out about Elena and suddenly he was like... this new man, and I found it strange, but I didn't want to lose this happy side of him again. Month 10 till last week we had never been happier. We literally couldn't have been happier if we tried. Then last Sunday he showed up at the apartment, he looked so.... broken. I asked him what happened. He finally just told me everything. Who he was, why he started dating me, everything." She told him, looking down at the ground as the vampire listened intently. 

"What else?" He questioned. 

"He told me about you, your siblings, the lie he told you about how he dumped them in the ocean even though they're fine. About daddy and mommy dearest. Everything. I locked myself in the bathroom because I didn't know what to do. I mean, I just found out the man I was in love with turned out to only be with me so he could kill me. I was angry, and scared, but I still loved him. When he finally got me to leave the bathroom we got into a fight. In the end he was begging me to marry him, and then he'd sacrifice Elena, and the two of us could ride off into the sunset. After a while I couldn't take it anymore. I knew if he kept talking he would convince me of his plan, and I couldn't do it knowing that him coming to Mystic Falls would put Jenna and Jeremy in danger. So I snapped his neck and quickly left. I've been here since then. I know one day I'll probably forgive him, if it's not too late. But right now, I just... I just need some time, you know?" She questioned and he nodded in understanding, stunned by everything he just learned. 

"My family isn't in the ocean?" 

"They're fine." 

"Niklaus asked you to marry him?" He asked, surprised. 

"Yes, why?" She questioned him with a frown. "Surely it was just a part of his game, yes?" 

"Niklaus has never been interested in love, or marriage. He's never once said I love you to anyone. Not to his family, and not to Katherine when he was pretending to be in love with her so he could sacrifice her. He never even asked the woman if she wanted to marry him. So the fact he said I love you to you, and asked you to marry him, all the while trying to find other possibilities so he wouldn't have to use you as a sacrifice... This means something, something I never thought was possible." 

"What?" Lily asked, frowning. 

"Niklaus might finally have a reason to seek redemption. He might actually have some form of humanity left inside him." The man told her, looking at her as if she was the most precious thing in the world. 

"So... Are you going to kill me along with him?" She questioned with a frown. 

"No. Klaus knows where our siblings are, I can't risk him dying and not telling me. So for now, both of you are safe." He told her and she nodded. 

"Just, don't tell them that." Lily said, nodding at the door, and Elijah nodded in agreement. 

~~~~ 

After Elijah left Lily sighed and checked her texts and voice messages. 

Klaus: 93 Texts, 139 calls, 68 voicemails. 

Lily sighed as he phone lit up again. She stared at the name for a long minute before she answered. 

"Hello Nik." 

"Hello, Luv."