-

"Stefan," Damon called for his younger brother as he hopped off of the last step descending down the staircase. The raven haired vampire's head turned towards the entrance, a split second before a knock was heard rapping on the door.

Damon arched his brow, striding towards the door, and opening it.

"What do you wan-" Damon stood rigid.

"I'm looking for Bonnie Bennett." The visitor stepped through the threshold.

"Please, come in." Damon said sarcastically, shutting the door behind him.

"Do you happen to know her whereabouts?" The other man inquired.

"She's not here, Elijah." Damon replied dryly.

The original hummed in reply, lightly tapping his fingers on a table.

"I'm in need of a powerful witch to help with a somewhat urgent matter."

"Well, Bonnie's not here so." Damon drawled.

"Do you happen to know any witch I could contact to help me in this predicament?" Elijah turned around to face Damon.

"No." He dead panned. "Thanks for dropping by." Damon gave a faux smile while the original vampire narrowed his eyes.

"Where the hell is my book you drunken reprobate?" Carlisle stormed into the living room, abruptly stopping once he noticed who occupied​ it.

"Uh, hi." The witch studied the original's face, not recognizing him before turning to Damon. "Have you seen my grimiore?"

The vampire's head dropped as he sighed. "Great job, Carly."

Elijah gave a polite smile. "Ah, a witch. Will you be willing to give me some assistance? I need to locate someone."

Carlisle narrowed his eyes at Damon, before reluctantly speaking up. "Sure. Partly because Damon called me Carly and mostly because you're pretty hot."

Elijah smiled at that though the witch was hoping for him to become flustered at the comment. Damn.

Carlisle sat down on the couch while the two vampires stood to face him.

"I need to find the identity​ and location of my brother's soulmate." Elijah handed Carlisle a necklace belonging to his younger sibling.

"Huh, you're prepared. Have you seen other witches for this?" The witch questioned with a furrowed brow while looking at the necklace.

Damon took a sharp intake of breath, but covered it up with a large sigh afterwards and a roll of his eyes. "God, soulmates are a thing? I feel bad for whoever it is."

"Our mother created soulmates for every one of her children as a way to try and balance out our "evil" ways when she discovered how blood hungry we had become. What she didn't expect was that it could take centuries for soulmates to be born." Elijah stated, not keeping his eyes off of Carlisle who was now lighting candles and placing them on the table.

"And to answer your question, I've seen a few witches though they didn't hold enough power to survive the spell."

Carlisle gave a minuscule nod before he closed his eyes and murmered an incantation. It could take a few moments, Elijah knew that much as he continued with his explanation.
"Our eldest brother, Finn was fortunate to find his soulmate early in his vampire life. Though she unfortunately passed away from illness only after knowing one another for mere days."

Damon rolled his eyes.
"Okay, I didn't ask for your whole life story." The vampire looked disinterested though he titled his head slightly.

"Has any of your other siblings found their's?"

Elijah lightly shook his head 'yes' with a small frown on his face before the witch's eyes opened, he raised a hand combed it through his hair sighing.

Elijah stepped forward. "What is it?"

Carlisle looked like a horse had kicked him in the chest, but never the less he still answered the question. "I uh, nothing. It's just... His soulmate is... dead."

The original visibly stiffened. "I feared this would happen."

Carlisle rubbed his hands together nervously, looking up to Elijah from his seat. "Well, sorry I couldn't help much."

Elijah nodded, his eyes lingering for a moment. "I best be leaving now. Niklaus' behavior is getting more reckless by the hour."

Damon showed him out, then returning to a fatigued Carlisle. It was silent between the two, until finally one of them spoke.

"Klaus having a soulmate. Who would have thought."

Carlisle let out a small laugh. "Well you got one, didn't you? You and Elena were practically meant to be together."

The vampire didn't reply for a moment, a small smile on his lips. The two disliked each other, Damon only feigning to like him due to Carlisle being best friends with Stefan.

"Huh, that's probably the nicest thing you've ever said to me."

"Where is Elena, by the way." Carlisle leaned back in his seat.

"I don't know." Damon frowned, before grabbing a bottle of bourbon and pouring himself a glass.

"So let's hear the story." Carlisle spoke up.

"What story?" Damon countered.

"When you knew you were in love with Elena."

Damon furrowed his eyebrows. "Didnt peg you for a guy interested in romance."

"Well," Carlisle grabbed another glass, pouring himself a drink as well. "Don't accuse me of being unloving. I'm just..." He waved his hand in the air. "Curious."

Damon narrowed his eyes, before taking a drink.

They were both interrupted by the door opening. Elena, Stefan, and Bonnie. They lightly chatted, before entering into the room that held Damon and Carlisle. The talking stopped as they stood in the entrance of the room.

Both Carlisle and Damon looked towards the three.

"Bonnie, Elena. Hey, Stef." Carlisle greeted nonchalantly.

Bonnie's eyes traveled to the lit candles in front of the other witch while Stefan narrowed his eyes at the necklace in Carlisle's hand.

"What did you two do?" She asked.

"Elijah came over." Damon muttered.

Elena narrowed her eyes in confusion. "But what we would he travel away from New Orleans for?"

"He needed a powerful witch to help with a spell." The vampire shrugged.

"You know what, I should have had him give me some cash in return. I have to pay this months rent." Carlisle murmered the last bit to himself, biting his lip.

"Wait, you did the spell?" Bonnie raised her voice, turning towards the other witch.

Carlisle flinched back a bit. "What, don't think I'm a powerful witch?"

"What was the spell?" Elena deflected the argument while Carlise settled into his seat again.

Damon expected Carlisle to answer before he rolled his eyes and spoke up. "He wanted to locate Klaus' soulmate."

"Klaus has a soulmate?" Elena questioned.

"A dead one." Carlisle added with a mutter.

Bonnie shook her head at Carlisle's comment. "Maybe him having a soulmate could have been a good thing. A killer hybrid having someone to keep him under control."

Carlisle stood up abruptly, turning to leave the room.

"Wait," Stefan called out, grabbing at Carlisle's wrist. Noticing Elena's curious eyes on them, he dragged the witch through the doorway and behind the wall. Carlisle opened his mouth to speak but the vampire held a finger for silence.

Stefan didn't say anything, only opening Carlisle's hand which held the necklace. He gently placed his hand over the necklace.

"I think that we both know Klaus' soulmate isn't dead. Please don't hurt yourself by trying to keep this a secret. I'm your best friend,"

Carlisle clenched his jaw before turning to open the front door.

"I care about you, Carlisle." Stefan called after the witch.

-

The other three watched him leave.
"What's wrong with Carlisle?" Elena asked.

"The spell must have worn him out." Bonnie replied. "It's a powerful spell."

Elena nodded, then turned to Damon.

"Do you agree with Bonnie?"

"A soulmate would have balanced his emotions out." Damon countered. "Klaus' soulmate being dead is not good."