Elejah

"Elena, today I did things I abhor to protect the one thing I value most, my family. If anyone can understand it, it's you. Your compassion is a gift, Elena. Carry it with you, as I will carry my regret. Always and forever, Elijah."

- Elijah to Elena.

Elejah is the het ship between Elena Gilbert and Elijah Mikaelson from The Vampire Diaries fandom.

Canon
Elena and Elijah first met when Rose-Marie and Trevor had informed Elijah that instead of Katherine, they had brought him a Petrova doppelgänger in exchange for their freedom. Elijah was skeptical at first and didn't believe Rose, since he thought that the Petrova bloodline had ended with Katherine. Rose told him he was wrong, and led him to where Elena and Trevor were after making him give his word that he would pardon them. Elijah was shocked upon seeing Elena, and he sped ahead to smell her, confirming she was human. When Elijah made plans to take Elena and leave, Elena begged Rose not to let him take her but was unsuccessful. Elijah pardoned Rose, but killed Trevor. When Elijah was about to leave with Elena, she brought up the topic of the Moonstone, feeling like maybe she could negotiate with him, much to his amusement. Elijah removes the vervain necklace Elena was wearing and compels her to tell him where the moonstone is. Elena answers by saying that it is with Katerina Petrova (Katherine Pierce) in the tomb underneath the church. Upon hearing a noise coming from inside the house, Elijah asks Rose who else was here. Unbeknownst to him, Stefan and Damon had come to rescue Elena. The brothers managed to "kill" Elijah with a stake and save Elena, but Elijah later awakened and pulled the stake out.

Jonas Martin (a witch) later helped Elijah find Elena through a spell when she decided to give herself up to Klaus. As she was looking out the window, Elena was shocked when she saw Elijah in the reflection, but when she turned around, he wasn't there anymore. Elijah shows up at Slater's house where Elena and Damon are about to kill the vampires who arrived to take Elena to Klaus, and after hearing that they did not tell anyone about their knowledge of Elena being alive, Elijah ripped out the men's hearts and spared Damon and Elena. When Jonas assumes Elijah had killed one of the Salvatore brothers who had "killed him" Elijah replied that he spared him. He revealed that both Stefan and Damon would protect Elena and he needed her to be safe for the moment.

Elena had a proper introduction to Elijah when Jenna invited him in to give him some files from the Historical Society. Upon seeing her, Elijah greets her by introducing himself as his alias, Elijah Smith, an author who was investigating small towns in Virginia. He shakes Elena's hand and before leaving, he tells her that he hopes they meet again. After he "leaves", Elena rushes to Jeremy's room and knocks on his door to possibly warn him of Elijah's visit, or to see if he was harmed by him. Elijah appears using his vampire speed and gestures for her not to reveal that he is there. When Jeremy comes out of his room, Elena lies and says that Jenna needed some help with the boxes downstairs. Jeremy leaves, and Elijah says it was “a wise choice” and examines Elena. She asks what he wants and Elijah says they need to talk. Elijah offers her protection for everyone she loves if she lets him use her as bait for Klaus so Elijah can kill him. Elena agrees to his deal. Later on, Elena makes another deal with Elijah, only if he freed Stefan from the tomb in which he was trapped in with Katherine. Elijah gets Jonas to lower the seal on the tomb and sees Stefan, saying “The Lovely Elena” had requested his freedom. He frees Stefan but compels Katherine to stay trapped. It is later revealed that Elena knew that nowhere in their deal did he mention saving her, and she was okay with that since she was willing to die in order to save her loved ones.

When Stefan reveals to Elena that Damon is planning on killing Elijah, Elena becomes concerned for Damon and the promise she made with the Original. Damon tries to kill him with a dagger dipped in white oak ash, but learns he can't since he's not human. When Jenna leaves the room, Alaric Saltzman uses the dagger to kill Elijah himself. Not realizing the dagger shouldn't be removed from the body if they wanted an Original dead, Elijah awakens once again soon after. He goes to Jonas and orders him to find Elena right away, and upon finding her at her old family lakehouse with Stefan Salvatore, Elijah shatters the door and tells her they no longer have a deal. Elena puts a dagger to her stomach and tells him she will kill herself if he refuses to protect her loved ones even if they harm him, knowing he needs her alive for Klaus. Elijah points out that Stefan will not let her die, to which she agrees and replies that she will then become a vampire, and he will no longer have a human doppelgänger. Elijah calls her "bluff", so she stabs herself in the stomach. He panics, rushing towards her but unable to enter, and promises his protection if she lets him heal her. She asks for his word, and he gives it to her. Elena falls into Elijah's arms and stabs him with the dagger which Damon gave her, killing him temporarily. Elijah's body later gets moved to the Salvatore Boarding House in the cellar.

After Bonnie fools Klaus into thinking she's dead, Damon tells Elena that he would let Bonnie die if there was ever a choice between her and Elena, so Elena goes to the basement and removes the dagger from Elijah's heart, hoping he will protect Bonnie instead of her or figure out a way to kill Klaus whilst sparing her friend. When Elijah wakes up, he mistakes Elena for Katherine at first, and has difficulty breathing. Elena realizes that he hasn't been invited in since the house was signed over to her, and tries to help him get out. He sloppily runs outside using his vampire speed and upon recovery, he tries to grab Elena but can't due to not being invited inside. Elijah asks her what happened to him, and Elena tells him to lower his voice so Stefan and Damon don't hear. She tells Elijah that they could talk, but asks if she can trust him. Elijah asks her the same thing since she had him killed multiple times now. To prove herself, Elena gives him the dagger which shocks him and they leave the house together.

Elena proves herself to Elijah and maintains their new deal, and Elijah reveals that a long time ago, he had found a way to save the doppëlganger from death. He had planned to help Katherine with it, but she had taken matters into her own hands. He gave Elena the option to use the elixir and she accepted. Going back to the Boarding House, Damon didn't believe in Elijah's plan to save Elena and instead forced her to drink his blood, so she could come back as a vampire. Stefan saved Elena and she yelled at Damon to get out. Damon came downstairs where Elijah told him “Sounds like you won't be needing this anymore. Feeding her vampire blood rendered it useless.” putting away the elixir. Damon dismissed him and said his elixir would've never worked anyway. Elijah responded saying, “Your problem Damon, you talk a good game.. but you don't actually know anything. She'll never forgive you. And never for a vampire.. It's a very long time.”

Despite informing her of Klaus and doing everything he can to help her, when tempted with the possibility that he would see his family again, Elijah betrayed Elena and saved Klaus. Despite Elena and Elijah's multiple betrayals upon each other, the two always forgave and trusted one another. Elijah even saved Elena from his sister Rebekah when she tried to kill her. In Season 3, he asks Stefan where “Lovely Elena” is and feels disappointed when she doesn't show up. He even wrote a letter to Elena expressing his deepest apologies after betraying her again, but said that she'd understand why he did what he did, since she too would do anything for her family. When Katherine snaps Elena's neck, Elijah jolts in shock. He kneels over Elena's body and waits for her to wake up, and becomes angry at Katherine for killing the only family Elena has, since she of all people should understand what that could to someone. Katherine realizes Elijah has a bond with Elena she could never have because of their mutual respect and admiration, and is furious with her doppelgänger. Katherine lies to Elijah and tells him that Elena had planted doubts about her in his mind and tries to win him over, but Elijah refuses to believe her and walks away.

Elijah, unlike most of his family, does really care about Elena and her humanity. He is also the only Original whom Elena likes.

Behind The Scenes
"I think he just hopes... that Elena's safe. At this point. And I think he'll do anything he can to maintain that."

- Daniel Gillies on Elijah.

"I like them- that relationship. The thing about she and I that.. I think.. there's some sort of unsaid thing that's happening. Which, I like. It's more like a- this sounds pretentious but it's more like a spiritual romance? I think- that they both kind of aspire to the same qualities in a person. I think Elijah's certainly enchanted by a nobility that she's able to uphold that he aspires to."

- Daniel Gillies on Elijah and Elena.

"I know it's a little obvious in the world of Vampire Diaries, where everyone falls in love with Elena, but I agree that Elijah sees something beautiful in her. I would love for him to express that to her before he goes. I feel like Elijah would be most drawn to her because she's living a better life than people who've lived for centuries longer. I think that's the sort of thing he's attracted to, even it was just a moment, I'd love to see them share something - but I think it should be more."

- Daniel Gillies.

Fanon
Elejah is a rare-pair amongst The Vampire Diaries fans, but it was fairly popular during S2 and S3. Many fans like the contrast of personalities between the two, and the similar morals and ideals. Elijah and Elena have respect for each other, and Elena felt safe with Elijah once she realized he was a man of honor. The two are also shipped because of their relationship dynamic. Elena is kind, young and compassionate, while Elijah is wise, old-fashioned and classy. Elejah is Elijah's second most popular ship, and Elena's third most popular. The ship is rivaled by Haylijah and Stelena. Two of the most fan favorite ships for Elijah and Elena respectively.

There are many who only ship them platonically however. Considering that nothing romantic happened in canon between them, the two are often potrayed as close friends. Regarding shipping romantic-wise, there is some controversy surrounding the ship because of the age gap between the two.

Fandom
TUMBLR

Trivia

 * Daniel Gillies, the actor for Elijah, ships both Haylijah and Elejah.
 * Daniel Gillies said that Elijah had a deep spiritual connection with Elena.
 * Nina Dobrev (Elena) and Daniel Gillies (Elijah) are close friends in real life.
 * Elena reminds Elijah of Tatia, his first love.
 * Elena is one of the few people who Elijah said "Always and Forever" to.
 * In Season 3, Elijah says he admires Elena.
 * Daniel Gillies joked that the connection between Elijah and Elena was probably him and Nina Dobrev since they are both colossal flirts on set.