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Fear speared through her making her clumsy. Cami dropped the coins and they clattered over the concrete at her feet, rolling into the open door of the phone box. Hope continued to cry, the sound tearing at Cami's already shredded nerves; the image of the Mikaelson safe house exploding in a fireball still playing over and over again behind her eyes like a broken reel of film.
Elijah.
Her mind rebelled at his loss.
Elijah.
Her soul screamed his name.
Elijah
His name caught in her throat refusing to be given a voice.
If she didn't speak. If his name didn't pass her lips she could still half pretend it hadn't happened.
She bounced Hope as best she could with the tremble in her arms. A loud noise out in the darkness overrode Hope's crying for a heart stopping moment. Cami's arms tightened around the baby as she scanned the night looking for the danger.
She found her voice, her spine turning to steel as she faced the potential threat to Hope. "Whoever's out there, if you try anything I'll gouge out your eyes!"
"Actually, that's probably not necessary."
Cami's heart lurched and she spun towards the voice. A voice which had, over the last few days, become as familiar to her as her own. She let out a breath, her body sagging with relief as her lips parted in utter shock. She wasn't imagining it. Elijah stood a mere few feet from her, his clothes the worse for wear, his usually crisp white shirt bloodied and blackened.
"What the hell happened back there?" She sounded breathless, but Elijah didn't appear to notice, he simply held out an arm towards her, a silent command for her to move; and move she did.
"That's a discussion for the car."
Her boots scraped the ground as she hurried towards him, her knees felt like jelly but somehow still managed to support her. Elijah had called her courageous. Maybe she was. Maybe she was just good at dealing with a crisis. Or maybe it was that sense of everything was going to be okay because Elijah was there, someone infinitely stronger and faster than she was, someone who was unmercifully ruthless if the situation required him to be so.
Elijah opened the back door and Cami bent to place Hope securely in the car seat. She tucked the blanket around the still wailing baby; tuck her in warm and tight and safe. Cami's hand shook slightly. How safe could Hope be with her own family, those who should love her and take care of her, stalking her through the night.
A shiver worked its way down Cami's back and her stomach knotted. She had the sudden feeling that the shiver wasn't fear or anxiety; it was the strong, firm imprint of Elijah's hand on her back; another silent command; close the door and get in the car.
She straightened. She had to turn into him to close the door, but he leant around her, closing the door himself with a soft click. He glanced at her when she remained where she was; between Elijah and the car door. He was waiting for her to move. Cami could read the impatience in his eyes and where his shirt opened at the neck she could see the tense line of his throat as his entire body held itself still and coiled; ready to attack and defend if needed.
Cami took a breath, aware of the air scented by him touching her skin and being drawn inside her. Maybe she should have been concerned that she moved before Elijah could react; but he wouldn't have considered anything she did as a threat so it probably didn't matter.
Her hands caught his face and she kissed him.
In spite of all the terrible things Elijah had told her of his past, what she tasted on his lips was pure. There was darkness too, but a soft velvety darkness that was sensual and seductive. He made a sound, it didn't appear to be a protest and he didn't pry her away from him and Cami's finger's slid up into his hair drawing him into as she pressed closer to him.
The very touch of his hands spanning her waist unleashed a world of heat inside her and Cami felt herself surrendering as his lips parted hers in another of his softly silent commands. His tongue explored the soft inner swell of her lower lip before touching to hers and the sensation of feeling intensely alive shot through her as her mind went into meltdown.
Through the foggy, drugged feeling in her brain an image began to slowly stir and surface; Cami saw Klaus.
It was enough to help her regain control over herself and she broke the kiss, a feeling of loss enveloping her when Elijah's hands dropped from her waist to hang at his sides. She was shivering as she tried to find something to say.
Elijah stepped back and opened the front door. "You'd better get in and warm up. I'll drive."
Cami nodded, scuttling around to the passenger side. Whether Elijah genuinely believed she was shaking due to being cold or not she couldn't tell. But Cami was grateful for the pretence. It stopped any awkward conversations.
"It was Finn,' Elijah began as he started the car and pulled off.
Cami glanced at him out of the corner of her eye, surprised he had decided to dive straight into the story. Elijah was watching the road and Cami realised she and Elijah were now starring in the nothing happened pretence. It was probably for the best, they had a long journey ahead of them trapped in a car together. Still, Cami couldn't help feeling a little twinge of hurt that Elijah was able to brush off her kiss so easily when she could still feel the ghost of his lips on hers.
X
Elijah faced Klaus across the room. He had only now returned to the compound with Cami and Hope. Hope was where she belonged, in her mother's arms and Elijah had to make sure that the wedding Hayley was planning with Jackson had not been orchestrated and bullied by his increasingly paranoid and scheming brother.
"Hayley is putting family first," Klaus informed him. "I suggest you do the same."
Cami's face flashed across Elijah's mind. The taste of her still lingered on his lips. The feel of her was embedded on his body.
The way his brother looked at her was seared on his soul.
Elijah met his brother's eyes. "Family always comes first."