Just a soft little chapter as an apology for tomorrow

As they walked back to Faye's house after the Strix party, the night felt heavier than usual. The buzz of the party still lingered in the back of Elijah's mind, but it was nothing compared to the weight of the thoughts swirling in his head. The room, once filled with laughter and the electric energy of alliances being formed, now felt empty, silent-like the world had shifted and he was left behind.

Faye led the way, her movements graceful, her presence commanding as always. Elijah followed her, but his mind was elsewhere. It wasn't the business with the Strix or the alliance they had just cemented that troubled him. It was something deeper, something he had been avoiding for centuries, but now, in the quiet aftermath of the night, the weight of it all was too much to bear.

Faye could feel the change in him before he even spoke. It was something about the way he walked-slower, his shoulders more hunched, his usual poised demeanor faltering. They had reached the front door of the house, and she turned to face him, a slight frown tugging at her lips.

"You're thinking too loudly," she said, her voice light but tinged with a knowing softness.

Elijah didn't meet her eyes immediately. He stared at the ground, his fingers tightening around the door handle, as if he were holding onto something for dear life. He knew she could read him better than anyone, but he wasn't sure if he was ready to say the words aloud. Yet, her question cut through the fog in his mind, and before he could stop it, the words began to spill out.

"I've been... I've been thinking about all the things I've done," Elijah began, his voice barely above a whisper. He looked up at Faye, his eyes dark with regret. "All the mistakes. All the people I've failed."

Faye didn't say anything at first, just watched him, her expression unreadable but patient. She knew this wasn't about the Strix or the business they had just wrapped up. This was something much more personal. Slowly, she stepped closer, not quite touching him but close enough to feel the weight of his emotions.

"Go on," she said softly, her voice like a balm, urging him to continue.

Elijah swallowed, his throat tight, as his thoughts began to tumble out in a rush. He didn't know where to start-didn't know how to make sense of the thoughts that had been haunting him for so long. But Faye had always been his safe place, and she had always understood him in ways no one else ever had.

"Aya was right," he said bitterly. "I've spent so many centuries acting as though I'm above everything-above the mistakes of my family, above my own. But I'm not. I'm just... I've always been a coward. I've always let Klaus control me, let him tear apart everything we built, all because I was too afraid to confront him."

His voice cracked as the words continued to spill from him. He couldn't stop it. It was like a dam breaking, and there was nothing to do but let it flow.

"I stood by when Klaus dagged Finn because he didn't want to deal with him," Elijah's voice was thick with guilt. "Finn, who hated what we were, who hated the curse we were born into. Instead of trying to understand him, instead of talking to him, I let Klaus do what he wanted because I was too scared of upsetting him. Same with Kol. Kol, who always acted out, who wanted attention... and I just ignored him. I shunned him, I told myself it was just his way of coping. But maybe it was because he needed someone. Someone who would listen, who would care."

Elijah's chest tightened as he relived the memories-the guilt gnawing at him like a persistent, biting force. His fists clenched at his sides, but he didn't look away from Faye. He had to say this, had to release the thoughts that had been suffocating him for so long.

"And Marcel..." His voice faltered again. "I abandoned him, too. After Klaus found out about the jealousy, after the things I saw him do to Marcel, I couldn't even bring myself to talk to him. I just... I ran. I ran from everyone. I thought if I kept my distance, if I kept my loyalty to Klaus, it would all somehow be easier. But it wasn't. It never was."

Elijah's breath hitched as he felt the weight of the next confession in his heart. He looked directly at Faye now, his eyes raw and vulnerable.

"And you," he whispered, his voice barely audible, as if the weight of her name alone might break him. "I let Klaus get in between us. I let him destroy something that could have been... something real, something worth fighting for. And I wasn't strong enough to fight him. I wasn't strong enough to fight for you, Faye. I... I thought I was protecting you, but in reality, I was just being a coward."

He finally let the tears fall, his chest heaving with the force of his emotions. There was no more holding it back. No more pretending that he could carry the burden of everything alone. He had failed, again and again, and the weight of it all was more than he could carry.

Faye didn't say a word for a moment. She simply watched him, her expression unreadable, as he broke down before her. But then, slowly, she stepped forward, closing the distance between them. She didn't hesitate. Without a word, she pulled him into her arms, holding him close as the raw emotion poured out of him.

"I've failed them all," Elijah whispered into her shoulder, his voice shaking. "I've failed you. And I don't know how to fix it."

Faye tightened her embrace, her hands stroking his hair gently as she whispered softly, "You're not alone, Elijah. You don't have to fix it all on your own. You never did. We're all broken in some way, but that doesn't mean it's the end. You can still make things right."

Elijah clung to her, grateful for her warmth, her comfort. She was always the one person who saw him for who he truly was-the man behind the centuries of guilt and pain. The man who had tried to do good, but had been undone by his own fears and loyalties.

"You can make it right," Faye repeated softly, her voice steady, unwavering. "You're not the man you were before. You've learned. And maybe that's the hardest part-the part where you realize how far you've fallen, but it's also the part that gives you the strength to stand up again."

Elijah pulled back just slightly, looking into her eyes-eyes that held the wisdom of someone who had seen centuries pass, who had lived through the worst of the storms and still stood firm. He didn't have all the answers, and maybe he never would. But in that moment, he didn't feel quite so lost.

"I'm sorry," he said hoarsely. "I didn't mean to break down like that."

Faye smiled gently, brushing the tears from his face with a tenderness that surprised him. "You don't have to apologize. You never have to apologize for feeling, Elijah."

She kissed his forehead softly before pulling him back into her embrace. They stayed like that for a long while, just holding each other. In the silence that followed, there was no need for words. Only the comfort of knowing that, no matter how broken they were, they could still find solace in each other.

Elijah's breath had steadied, his heart was no longer racing with the turmoil of his thoughts, and for once, in that quiet space, he didn't feel like he was drowning in the mess he'd made of his life.

Just as he was starting to collect himself, the sound of tiny feet pattering across the hardwood floor broke the stillness.

Faye heard it first-just the faintest rustle-and in the next moment, a loud thunk came from the other side of the room. Elijah looked up, slightly startled, just as Faye's two cats trotted into view.

Onyx, the sleek black Bengal, was the first to make his move, practically leaping onto Elijah's lap like it was the most natural thing in the world. Elijah blinked at the sudden intrusion, but before he could say a word, Rusty, the male calico, settled down next to him with a soft meow and began to purr contentedly.

Faye smirked, watching with an almost amused glint in her eyes. "They do that," she said, her tone laced with dry humor. "They always know when someone's a little... emotionally compromised. They're like little fuzzy therapists."

Elijah, still a bit taken aback by the sudden attention, looked down at the two cats now occupying his personal space. Onyx was perched proudly on his lap, his tail twitching with contentment, while Rusty sat close beside him, his purring so loud it almost vibrated through Elijah's chest.

"I must admit, I'm more used to dealing with vampires and witches than... cats," Elijah said with a faint chuckle, feeling a strange comfort in the unexpected moment. "Though, I can't say they don't have a certain... healing quality."

Faye raised an eyebrow, clearly enjoying the sight of Elijah, so typically composed, now surrounded by two fluffy distractions. "That's the thing about them. They don't ask you for anything. They just know when you need them."

Elijah looked down at Onyx, who stared back at him with those glowing amber eyes, as if giving some silent approval. The Bengal gave a soft chirp before settling in more comfortably on his lap, his head resting against Elijah's chest. Rusty, in turn, rubbed his face against Elijah's arm, still purring like a tiny motor.

"I suppose I could get used to this," Elijah said with a smile, his voice lighter than it had been for hours. He hesitated for a moment before scratching behind Onyx's ears. "Strange, though... these two seem to understand more than most."

"They're practically psychic," Faye replied with a smile, but her tone softened as she took a seat next to him. "They've been through a lot with me. I suppose they've learned to pick up on the energy around them. They know when someone needs a little extra warmth."

Elijah couldn't help but laugh softly at the absurdity of it all. Here he was, sitting in Faye's house, in the midst of a personal crisis, and her two cats had become the unexpected source of comfort. There was something calming about their presence. In a strange way, it reminded him of the simplicity of life-before everything had gotten so complicated, before centuries of turmoil and regrets had clouded his every thought.

"I can't remember the last time I had a moment like this," Elijah admitted quietly. "No wars to fight, no betrayals to untangle... just... this."

Faye's smile softened, and she leaned back slightly, letting the peacefulness of the moment wash over them both. "Sometimes, we forget how to breathe in the chaos. But it's okay, Elijah. You're here now. And right now, there's no need to figure everything out. You're allowed to just be."

Elijah closed his eyes for a brief moment, savoring the comfort of the moment. The sound of the cats' purring, the warmth of Faye's presence beside him-it was enough, for now. The world outside could wait.

"Thank you," Elijah said quietly, his voice filled with a sincerity that he hadn't allowed himself to express in a long time. "For this. For being here."

Faye reached over, giving his shoulder a gentle squeeze. "You don't have to thank me, Elijah. You never have to thank me."

The room was quiet for a few moments, save for the soft purring and the distant hum of the city outside. Elijah felt a strange peace settle over him, one he hadn't experienced in what felt like a lifetime. Maybe he couldn't fix everything right away. Maybe the past would always haunt him in some way. But in that moment, surrounded by two warm, purring cats and the quiet understanding between him and Faye, it didn't matter. For once, the weight on his shoulders felt just a little bit lighter.

And when Onyx stretched and curled up in his lap, Elijah smiled softly, his eyes meeting Faye's for a moment.

"Guess they really do know how to help," he said, his voice lighter than it had been all night.

Faye grinned, her eyes sparkling with humor. "They're basically the most powerful beings in this house. Don't let them hear you say that, though-on second thought, maybe we should all be careful. They might get ideas."

Elijah chuckled, shaking his head. "I'll make sure to treat them with the respect they deserve."

Faye winked at him. "Good. Just don't let them take over the entire house. I've had enough of them trying to claim my bed as their own."

Elijah raised an eyebrow. "I take it they're not as subtle as you?"

Faye smiled wryly. "Not quite."

And as the night drew on, the quiet laughter, the warm presence of the cats, and the comfort of their companionship filled the room. For the first time in a long while, Elijah allowed himself to truly relax. The world could wait, and for now, so could the past.